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12:20 PM ET, December 22, 2011

Top Items:

Dorothy Rabinowitz / Wall Street Journal:

What Ron Paul Thinks of America — It seemed improbable that the best-known American propagandist for our enemies could be near the top of the pack in the Iowa contest, but there it is. — Ron Paul's supporters are sure of one thing: Their candidate has always been consistent …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, GOP 12, The Daily Dish, Business Insider, TalkLeft, American Power, LewRockwell.com Blog, The Daily Caller and Wizbang

Conor Friedersdorf / The Atlantic Online:

Grappling With Ron Paul's Racist Newsletters — The biggest obstacle to his candidacy is making headlines again. If he wants to win anything, he's going to need to confront it. — Did you know about the racist newsletters published in the late 1980s and early 1990s under Ron Paul's name?

Discussion: The Reaction, Slate, Outside the Beltway and ThinkProgress

Alex Alvarez / Mediaite:

Hey, CNN? Can We Talk About What's Going On Between You And Ron Paul? — CNN, boo boos, can we talk? I'm getting a little worried about you. Here, sit down. Have some of this Wolf Spritzer I picked up at your gift shop. No, yeah, it's pretty good. Tastes like berries. Berries and gravitas.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:

Paul in 1995: Say, have you read my newsletters? — Mitt Romney can breathe a sigh of relief, because Andrew Kaczynksi has shifted his attention to Ron Paul this week. Andrew dug up a 1995 interview with C-SPAN, a year before running for Congress after a decade out of office.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Total Return, Leon_H_Wolf's blog and USA Today

Jackie Kucinich / USA Today:

Paul's story changes on racial comments — WASHINGTON - Rep. Ron Paul has tried since 2001 to disavow racist and incendiary language published in Texas newsletters that bore his name, denying he wrote them and even walking out of an interview on CNN Wednesday.

Discussion: Hit & Run, Wall Street Journal, Pirate's Cove, CNN, Melanie Phillips, Hot Air and Outside the Beltway

James Crugnale / Mediaite:
Rep. Ron Paul Gets Irked By Newsletter Questions, Walks Out Of CNN Interview

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Slate, Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, Indecision Forever, The Atlantic Online, The Daily Dish, The Humble Libertarian, National Review, GOP 12, The Page, Business Insider, American Power, Little Green Footballs and The PJ Tatler

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Ron Paul releases new Christmas ad featuring son, Sen. Rand Paul

Discussion: CNN

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Who is a Ron Paul supporter?

Discussion: RedState, The Right Scoop and The Daily Caller

The Politico:

McConnell: Pass short-term extension — In a blow to House Republicans, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has called on the House to pass a two-month payroll tax extension — while pushing Democrats to negotiate a full year extension of the tax break. — McConnell's statement came …

Discussion: Daily Kos and US Politics

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

McConnell sides with Dems over Boehner — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been awfully quiet the last few days, as House Republicans rebel against the bipartisan payroll-tax-cut compromise he negotiated and helped pass last weekend. This morning that changed.

Discussion: Associated Press and Talking Points Memo

The Politico:

Boehner calls out Obama, Reid — Speaker John Boehner isn't backing down. — Even as he faces a wave of criticism from his own party, the Ohio Republican isn't publicly relenting from his demand that House and Senate negotiators work out a full-year deal to extend the payroll tax holiday …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Moderate Voice, CNN, Washington Post, Daily Kos and Roll Call

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
McConnell breaks with Boehner, urges House to pass payroll bill

Discussion: Hot Air

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate GOP worries tax standoff could cost them upper chamber

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, The Politico, Washington Post and ThinkProgress

Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Obama shows he's confident he's beating GOP in payroll tax fight

Discussion: New York Times, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Caucus and Booman Tribune

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Rove: Republicans should fold in payroll tax cut standoff

Discussion: ABCNEWS, CNN, Indecision Forever, Washington Post, Daily Kos, GayPatriot, Liberal Values, National Review, Washington Monthly, Washington Wire, ThinkProgress and Roll Call

NationalJournal.com:

Gingrich Slams Paul, Challenges Romney to Debate — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker. — Despite his mantra to stay “positive,” Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich took a swipe at rival Ron Paul on Thursday, suggesting …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

The Politico:
Mitt Romney Rx: A bloody nose

Discussion: ABCNEWS, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN and The Hill

Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Mitt Romney bin Busted: ‘Candidate Like Myself’ Would Have Done Bin Laden Raid (Except 2007 Mitt)

Discussion: Political Mojo, The Humble Libertarian, The Reality-Based Community and US Politics

Aliyah Shahid / NY Daily News:

Matt Damon rips President Obama in Elle magazine: A prez with ‘some balls’ would have been better — The ‘We Bought a Zoo’ star also weighed in on the Occupy Wall Street protests, arguing Obama's lack of leadership has contributed to Americans' overall discontent

Discussion: Hit & Run

Daniel Jacobson / Gossip Cop:
Matt Damon Blasts Obama: “One-Term President With Balls” Would Be Better

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Taylor Marsh, The Huffington Post, The Lonely Conservative, THEROOT.COM, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and The Daily Caller

New York Post:

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner's wife gives birth to baby boy — After a year filled with ridicule and scandal, disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner finally has something he can feel proud about — a new baby boy. — Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin, gave birth to the wee Democrat yesterday …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Gothamist, Runnin' Scared and msnbc.com

Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times:

Some Occupy L.A. protesters may get a lesson in free speech — Prosecutors say they can avoid court trials by paying $355 to a private company for an educational program. The irony is not lost on the anti-corporate activists, who see it as patronizing. — Los Angeles police officers arrest …

Discussion: Associated Press and cab drollery

CBS Los Angeles:
Mayor Calls For Budget Cuts To Offset Millions In Occupy LA Costs

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Weasel Zippers, Sister Toldjah and The Gateway Pundit

George F. Will / Washington Post:

Gingrich, the anti-conservative — When discussing his amazingness, Newt Gingrich sometimes exaggerates somewhat, as when, discussing Bosnia and Washington, D.C., street violence, he said, “People like me are what stand between us and Auschwitz” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jan. 16, 1994].

Discussion: Power Line, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Spectacle Blog, The Volokh Conspiracy, National Review and Cato @ Liberty

Kareem Raheem / Reuters:

Baghdad blasts kill 63 as Iraq tensions rise — (Reuters) - A series of bombings hit Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 63 people in the first big assault attack on Iraq's capital since a sectarian crisis erupted within its government just days after the U.S. troop withdrawal.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, CNN and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

New York Times:
Explosions Rock Baghdad Amid Iraqi Political Crisis

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Wonkette

ProPublica:

How Democrats Fooled California's Redistricting Commission — This spring, a group of California Democrats gathered at a modern, airy office building just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The meeting was House members only — no aides allowed — and the mission was seemingly impossible.

Discussion: Big Government, Political Mojo, Campaign 2012, Hotline On Call and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

U.S. Satisfaction in 2011 Ranks as Second Lowest Since 1979 — On average, 17% were satisfied with national conditions, ahead of only 2008's 15% — PRINCETON, NJ — Throughout 2011, an average of 17% of Americans said they were satisfied with the way things are going in the United States.

Discussion: The Politico, Money & Company, Questions and Observations, Don Surber, Pirate's Cove and Business Insider

Annie Lowrey / New York Times:

Signs Point to Economy's Rise, but Experts See a False Dawn — WASHINGTON — As the fourth quarter draws to a close, a spate of unexpectedly good economic data suggests that it will have some of the fastest and strongest economic growth since the recovery started in 2009 …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The Enterprise Blog and Prairie Weather

Stephen Colbert / The State:

Colbert guest editorial: Naming rights, state mottoes and the GOP primary + video — As a proud son of South Carolina I must address recent unsubstantiated rumors published in The State that I, Stephen Colbert, tried to buy the naming rights to the 2012 Republican primary.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times and 2012 Decoded

Concord Monitor:

Huntsman is the best choice for GOP — Purchase photo reprints at PhotoExtra » — Editorial review board with Jon Huntsman, Jr. on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.Purchase photo reprints at PhotoExtra » — There comes a time for many politicians when they gaze at their reflection and see a president.

Discussion: CNN and GOP 12