memeorandum: Democrats Confident that 9/11 Health Bill Will Pass (ABCNEWS)

12:10 PM ET, December 19, 2010

Top Items:

John McCain at his fieriest before 'don't ask, don't tell' vote — If John McCain gets any more hostile toward his Senate colleagues, they might consider having him go through the metal detector before he enters the Capitol. — Saturday's debate on the repeal of the “don't-ask-don't-tell” …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, JustOneMinute, Washington Monthly, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Balloon Juice, DownWithTyranny!, The Atlantic Online, Brilliant at Breakfast, Althouse, Outside the Beltway, The Mahablog and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Manu Raju / The Politico:

John McCain's new role: GOP agitator — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is getting under the skin of Democrats these days - and he seems to be relishing it. — After Democrats scrapped a massive $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill on Thursday, McCain gloated about its defeat — and Democrats fumed.

Discussion: CNN, Pat Dollard, Theo Spark and The Hill

Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:

McCain's New START amendment goes down, Risch amendment up next — Supporters of the New Start treaty staved off an attempt by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and John Barrasso (R-WY) to attach a “treaty killing” amendment on the Senate floor Saturday afternoon. Next up is an amendment by Sen. James Risch …

Discussion: NBC New York, Wonk Room, Daily Kos and Firedoglake

Joe Klein / Swampland:

Two Dreams, One Dead — The Senate today passed the repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” which is a good thing. It did not pass the “Dream Act,” which is a cold, cold abomination. There is a relationship between the two. Repealing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” will allow homosexuals …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Sky Dancing, The Note, Lawyers, Guns & Money, neo-neocon, The Reality-Based Community and Vox Popoli

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
DADT repeal wins!

Discussion: Big Think, The Huffington Post and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Bryan Fischer / afa.net:

Benedict Arnold Republicans destroy military and our national security — We are now stuck with sexual deviants serving openly in the U.S. military because of turncoat Republican senators. — (Dictionary definition of “deviant”: “departing from usual or accepted standards, esp. in social or sexual behavior.”

Discussion: Confederate Yankee, Right Wing Watch, The Volokh Conspiracy, Bold Faith Type, Booman Tribune, American Power and Right Wing News

ABCNEWS:

Democrats Confident that 9/11 Health Bill Will Pass — One More Republican Vote Needed to Pass Bill for Responders and Victims — The first responders still suffering health effects more than nine years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks could get a “Christmas miracle” this year, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said today.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, New York Times, The Impolitic and Raw Story

Jason Redmond / Associated Press:
Republicans block youth immigration bill

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, NewsBusters.org blogs, National Review, The Anchoress and Hot Air

Shira Toeplitz / The Politico:
Eight Republicans back 'Don't ask' repeal

Discussion: Washington Monthly, JOSHUAPUNDIT, The Hill, Ben Smith's Blog, Liberal Values, Power Line, Weasel Zippers and Crooks and Liars

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
Senate Repeals Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Discussion: Off the Kuff, Washington Monthly, ACS Blog, TRAIL BLAZERS, Examiner, Talking Points Memo, Feministing, Lean Left, Gawker, Blue Wave News and Wake up America

New York Post:

Saudi king may want to move Ground Zero mosque to St. Vincent's site — A Manhattan lawyer with ties to the Saudi royal family is sounding out officials and community leaders about a plan to move the controversial Ground Zero mosque to the West Village. — Attorney Dudley Gaffin …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:

Gays in the Military, ROTC back on Campus? — Now that the lame duck Democratic Congress has repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), the new Congress will have to see to it that the Obama administration manages the implementation of repeal responsibly, and that the concerns of military leaders and troops are taken seriously.

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Ivies moving toward restoring ROTC — Some top universities moved quickly Saturday to respond to the vote repealing the ban on gays in the military, and those who don't restore their ROTC programs in the wake of the vote are likely to face immediate pressure on the issue.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Weekly Standard and Instapundit

Michael Kinsley / New York Times:

Bush on Bush — They call themselves, smugly, “41” and “43,” meaning the 41st and 43rd presidents of the United States. You're supposed to prefer the father, all graciousness and handwritten little notes, over the son, who — even in memoirs written at age 64 after two terms as president — seems callow.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org blogs

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

A Gay Commander in Chief: Ready or Not? — Jimmy Carter is putting the out in outspokenness. — In an interview with bigthink.com, the former president was asked, “Is the country ready for a gay president?” — Even as John McCain and other ossified Republicans were staging last-minute maneuvers …

Discussion: BuzzFlash.org and Prairie Weather

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

McConnell says he ‘cannot support’ nuclear arms treaty — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voiced opposition Sunday to the New START - a nuclear arms treaty with Russia - saying that members of his party need more time to consider the legislation.

Discussion: Hot Air

Frank Rich / New York Times:

The Bipartisanship Racket — JEEZ, can't we all just get along? Can't we be civilized? Can't we reach across the aisle, find common ground and get things done? Can't we have a new Morning in America as clubby and chipper as MSNBC's daily gabfest, “Morning Joe”?

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Prairie Weather and Daily Kos

John Johnson / Newser:

Sicko Was Not Banned in Cuba — MICHAEL MOORE: MEDIA SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED BOGUS WIKILEAKS CABLE

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Hullabaloo

Felicia Sonmez / Washington Post:

Joe Manchin absent for two major Senate votes — When the Senate took two of its most highly anticipated votes of the lame-duck session on Saturday, West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin was nowhere to be found. — Manchin, who was sworn into office last month after winning …