memeorandum: Lott to resign by end of year (Jack Elliott Jr/Associated Press)

12:15 PM ET, November 26, 2007

Top Items:

Sen. Trent Lott to resign — NBC News: Minority whip would leave Senate before end of the year — NBC News has learned that Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., the minority whip is in the midst of informing close allies that he plans to resign his senate seat before the end of the year.

The Politico:

Top official: Lott to resign — Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) plans to resign his seat by year's end, a senior Republican official told Politico. — The announcement took Capitol Hill by surprise because Lott, the former majority leader, seemed to be relishing his job as minority whip, the second-ranking GOP leadership job.

Discussion: The Swamp, The Newshoggers, Taegan Goddard's …, UrbanGrounds, Daily Kos, the albany project, Blue Crab Boulevard, Donklephant and Macsmind

Jack Elliott Jr / Associated Press:

Lott to resign by end of year — JACKSON, Miss. - Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, plans to resign his seat by the end of the year, congressional and Bush administration officials said Monday. — Lott, 66, scheduled two news conferences in Pascagoula and Jackson later in the day to reveal his plans.

Discussion: Capitol Briefing, MoJoBlog, Captain's Quarters, DownWithTyranny!, Power Line, The BRAD BLOG, Middle Earth Journal, Pensito Review, Sweetness & Light, Reason Magazine, First Draft, Swing State Project and On Deadline

Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:

BREAKING: Trent Lott Rumored To Be Resigning — MSNBC is reporting the following: … So, let's see if we have this straight: he's cashing in before the lobbying restriction goes into effect — hello oil, gas, and gambling interests that he was already serving anyway …

Discussion: Political Machine and The American Street

John Bresnahan / The Politico:

Jon Kyl will run for Senate minority whip — Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) will run for Senate minority whip, according to a source close to the Arizona Republican. — "Kyl is running for whip," confirmed the source. — Kyl is seeking to replace Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) …

Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
LOTT TO RETIRE BY END OF YEAR

Discussion: Washington Wire, Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, TownHall Blog, the albany project, Crooks and Liars, ePluribus Media Community and Associated Press

The Politico:
Lott announcing resignation

Discussion: TPM Election Central, CNN Political Ticker and The Next Hurrah

Michelle Malkin:
Report: Trent Lott resigning

Discussion: SunHerald.com, JammieWearingFool, Beltway Blogroll and Daily Pundit

Fox News:
Sen. Trent Lott to Resign by End of Year

Discussion: Six Meat Buffet

Qassim Abdul-Zahra / Associated Press:

Iraqis may offer US deal to stay longer — BAGHDAD - Iraq's government, seeking protection against foreign threats and internal coups, will offer the U.S. a long-term troop presence in Iraq in return for U.S. security guarantees as part of a strategic partnership, two Iraqi officials said Monday.

Discussion: New York Times, The Newshoggers, Left I on the News, The Glittering Eye and Associated Press

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:

White House Releases "Principles" for Permanent Iraqi Presence — So it begins. After years of obfuscation and denial on the length of the U.S.'s stay in Iraq, the White House and the Maliki government have released a joint declaration of "principles" for "friendship and cooperation."

Discussion: United Nations, The Impolitic and The Atlantic Online

White House:
Fact Sheet: U.S.-Iraq Declaration of Principles for Friendship and Cooperation

Discussion: Gateway Pundit

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
U.S. To Stay In Iraq Forever

Discussion: The Atlantic Online

The Politico:

Clinton and Obama switch roles in Iowa — DES MOINES — In a reversal of fortune, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is barnstorming Iowa with a front-runner's swagger while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) scrambles like an underdog. — In ways big and small over the weekend …

Discussion: CNN Political Ticker and Washington Post

Fred Hiatt / Washington Post:
Calculation and Conviction — Barack Obama suggests …

Discussion: Heading Right, TalkLeft and Captain's Quarters

Real Clear Politics:
A Wide Range of Possibilities in the Race for President

Discussion: Betsy's Page and PrairiePundit

Robert D. Novak / Washington Post:

The False Conservative — Who would respond to criticism from the Club for Growth by calling the conservative, free-market campaign organization the "Club for Greed"? That sounds like Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards, all Democrats preaching the class struggle.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Firedoglake, The Carpetbagger Report, NewsBusters.org, CNN Political Ticker, Hot Air, DownWithTyranny! and Paul Krugman

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Rudy: It's time to unmask Romney — WINDHAM, N.H. — In a big strategic shift, Rudy Giuliani hammered Mitt Romney's record on three fronts, saying it was time to "take the mask off and take a look at what kind of governor he was." — Using some of the toughest language of his campaign …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Bloomberg, TIME and PrairiePundit

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Romney and Giuliani Turn Negative in N.H.

Discussion: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Caucus, The Swamp, MyDD, MSNBC, Political Machine and Political Radar

Sara A. Carter / Washington Times:

Islamists target Arizona base — Fort Huachuca, the nation's largest intelligence-training center, changed security measures in May after being warned that Islamist terrorists, with the aid of Mexican drug cartels, were planning an attack on the facility. — Fort officials changed security measures …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Power Line, Wizbang, TownHall Blog, Say Anything, PrairiePundit and JammieWearingFool

Drudge Report:

DON'T GO THERE: BRIT PAPER STARTS 'UGLIEST MONTH' — The TIMES of London starts 'The Ugliest Month' with a full page photo takeout on Hillary Clinton and her beautiful personal assistant. — "Hillary Clinton has been accused of having an affair with Huma Abedin," reads the caption.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs, Jihad Watch and Weasel Zippers

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Winter of Our Discontent — "Americans' Economic Pessimism Reaches Record High." That's the headline on a recent Gallup report, which shows a nation deeply unhappy with the state of the economy. Right now, "27% of Americans rate current economic conditions as either 'excellent' or 'good …

Discussion: The American Street, Norwegianity, The Impolitic and Prairie Weather

Don Surber:

Lead America, Republicans — We need our Tony Blair, our Nicolas Sarkozy. — While Democrats select a presidential candidate, Republicans seek a president. There are a bunch of Jimmy Carters on the other side who are willing to apologize for America's greatness. Forget about finding the next Reagan.

Discussion: The Newshoggers and The Sundries Shack

Elisabeth Bumiller / New York Times:

Rice's Turnabout on Mideast Peace Talks — At President Bush's first National Security Council meeting in January 2001, he announced that he did not want to be drawn into the shattered Middle East peace process, people at the meeting recalled, because he believed that former President Bill Clinton …