memeorandum: TPMDC — Boehner Takes Strong Hand With House GOP After Payroll Tax Meltdown (Brian Beutler/tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com)

1:00 AM ET, December 23, 2011

Top Items:

House Republicans Agree To Payroll Deal — House Republicans on Thursday crumpled under the weight of White House and public pressure and have agreed to pass a two-month extension of the payroll-tax cut, Republican and Democratic sources told National Journal.

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

House Republicans cave in payroll fight — This morning, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other leading officials from his caucus told reporters that House Republicans would stick to their guns when it comes to extending the payroll tax break. If Democrats wanted to avoid a tax increase …

Discussion: The Impolitic

Brian Beutler / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPMDC — Boehner Takes Strong Hand With House GOP After Payroll Tax Meltdown — In a conference call with House Republicans early Thursday evening, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) took no questions after making it clear to his members that the game was up and they would have to swallow the Democratic payroll tax extension.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Balloon Juice

Jamie Klatell / The Hill:

GOP freshman: House caved to Dems again, gave gift of uncertainty — The deal struck between Republican House leaders and Senate Democrats to extend the payroll tax holiday for two months did not fill Rep. Time Huelskamp (R-Kansas) with holiday cheer. — “Washington wrapped and put under …

Discussion: The Politico

Brian Beutler / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPMDC — BREAKING: House Republicans Cave, Agree To Two-Month Payroll Tax Cut Extension

Discussion: Mediaite and Crooks and Liars

msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: What we learned from the Romney interview

Discussion: Reuters, Washington Monthly and The Politico

The Politico:
On payroll tax cut, GOP caves to Obama

Discussion: msnbc.com, Washington Post, The Reaction, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Swampland, Washington Monthly, CBS News, The Hill, The PJ Tatler, Indecision Forever, ABCNEWS, Sky Dancing, CNN, The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress, Opinion L.A. and Daily Kos

CNN:
House GOP relents on payroll tax cut deal

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, The Lonely Conservative, Indecision Forever and This Just In

New York Times:
House G.O.P. Leaders Agree to Extension of Payroll Tax Cut

Discussion: Prairie Weather, The New Republic and The Moderate Voice

Washington Post:
House GOP agrees to 2-month extension of payroll tax cut

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Moe Lane, Booman Tribune and Calculated Risk

John Parkinson / ABCNEWS:
Boehner Asks White House to Negotiate, but Obama Declines Invitation

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Tim Mak / The Politico:
Rep. Dave Camp floats 3-month extension

Discussion: Opinion L.A. and Daily Kos

Joe Holley / Rick Perry 2012 Campaign for President:

Bush 41 backs Romney for president, admits he's not Gingrich's ‘biggest advocate’ — 1,587 — Less than two weeks before Iowa Republicans make their crucial caucus choices on the night of Jan. 3, George H.W. Bush offered words of support, if not an official endorsement, to an old friend, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Discussion: The Caucus, Mediaite, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, CNN, American Prospect, USA Today, The Politico, Hot Air, The Hill, Campaign 2012, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, GOP 12 and The Raw Story

Andrew Cain / Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Bachmann, Huntsman, Santorum not on Va. primary ballot — Four Republican presidential candidates - Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Ron Paul — submitted paper work in time to qualify for Virginia's March 6 primary ballot. — No other GOP contender will be on the Virginia ballot.

Discussion: The Other McCain, Hot Air, Ballot Box, msnbc.com and Moe Lane

James Hohmann / The Politico:
In Virginia, Gingrich tries to lower expectations

Discussion: CNN

Bill Adair / PolitiFact:

Fact-checking in the Echo Chamber Nation — At a Republican campaign rally a few years ago, I asked one of the attendees how he got his news. — “I listen to Rush and read NewsMax,” he said. “And to make sure I'm getting a balanced view, I watch Fox.” — My liberal friends …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice, Wizbang, US Politics, Campaign 2012, Pressthink, Mediaite, ThinkProgress and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Reuters:

In ad for newsletter, Ron Paul forecast “race war” — (Reuters) - A direct-mail solicitation for Ron Paul's political and investment newsletters two decades ago warned of a “coming race war in our big cities” and of a “federal-homosexual cover-up” to play down the impact of AIDS.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, The New Republic, Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, The Right Scoop, Doug Ross and Hit & Run

Kevin Hoffman / The Blotter:

Gay community apologizes to Amy Koch for ruining her marriage — The gay and lesbian community of Minnesota has issued a letter of apology to recently resigned Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch for ruining the institution of marriage and causing her to stray from her husband and engage in an “inappropriate relationship.”

Discussion: The Other McCain, Box Turtle Bulletin, LGBTQ Nation, Shot in the Dark, Gawker, Truth Wins Out, Mediaite, Boing Boing, Daily Kos, Firedoglake and Hot Dish Politics

Jason Linkins / The Huffington Post:

George Allen Did Not Enjoy That Facebook Chat He Had With You, Virginia … 2012 , 2012 Speculatron , 2012 Election , Elections 2012 , Video , George Allen , George Allen Facebook , George Allen Senate , George Allen Senate Campaign , Virginia Senate 2012 , Politics News

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wonkette and The Raw Story

Elicia Dover / ABCNEWS:

Gingrich to Campaign With Pets and Music — RICHMOND, Va. — Forget the back and forth attacks with Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich's campaign has decided to take another route on his bid to the Republican nomination: pets and music. — The campaign said today that it will soon launch a …

Discussion: The Right Scoop and USA Today

Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:

Romney Says He Won't Release Tax Returns — Mitt Romney, who is one of the wealthiest men ever to seek the presidency, said on Wednesday that he had no intention of releasing his tax returns if he became the Republican presidential nominee, breaking with a long tradition in both parties.

Discussion: Moe Lane, TBogg, Daily Kos, Los Angeles Times, msnbc.com and Washington Monthly

David Ng / Culture Monster:

Sarah Palin criticizes Obama holiday card — and the dog — So much for the holiday spirit. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is once again targeting the Obama administration, leveling a critical glare at the official White House holiday greeting card for not emphasizing Christmas.

Discussion: Indecision Forever, Show Tracker, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and American Spectator

Sam Greenhill / Daily Mail:

Baby born out of wedlock must be adopted - to save her from honour killing by her own Muslim family — A baby girl born out of wedlock must be adopted to save her from the risk of being slaughtered in an ‘honour killing’, a court ruled yesterday. — If the unmarried Muslim woman's father found …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and americanthinker.com

Mj Lee / The Politico:

Chris Christie opens door to VP job — Chris Christie says that while he and Mitt Romney have never discussed a potential vice presidential role for the New Jersey governor, it would still be “presumptuous” for him to turn his back on the possibility. — In an interview with Fox News …

Discussion: Runnin' Scared

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Christie's open to V.P. nod

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

The Politico:

Sources: Mitt's fourth quarter at least $20 million — Mitt Romney is set to close out the fourth fundraising quarter of the year with his largest haul yet of at least $20 million, several fundraising sources told POLITICO. — The numbers will be well north of the $18 million he raised between April and June.

Discussion: GOP 12

Josh Peterson / The Daily Caller:

As political season heats up, Politico's Web traffic cools down — New independent circulation numbers show a sharp decline in readership of Politico and other left-leaning news websites, an ominous trend for the suburban Virginia-based news outlet and its peers as Americans head into an election year.

Discussion: Big Journalism and Wake up America

Alex Massie / Spectator:

Say what you will about North Korea, at least they're authentically Korean — Drivel, of course, and the kind of thing you'd expect to find in the Guardian. One expects rather more from the Times but, nay, here is a piece of Simon Winchester's column (£) today:

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and timesplus.co.uk

GRAMMY.org:

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, GLEN CAMPBELL, ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM, GEORGE JONES, THE MEMPHIS HORNS, DIANA ROSS, AND GIL SCOTT-HERON HONORED WITH THE RECORDING ACADEMY® LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD — DAVE BARTHOLOMEW, STEVE JOBS AND RUDY VAN GELDER HONORED WITH TRUSTEES AWARD CELEMONY AND ROGER NICHOLS TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL GRAMMY AWARD®

Discussion: ArtsBeat, The Atlantic Online, Washington Post and Engadget

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, Gothamist, Runnin' Scared, Mediaite and msnbc.com

Washington Examiner:

Obama is achieving his goal of higher energy costs — With 14 million Americans either out of work or underemployed, a lot of folks aren't buying Christmas gifts or celebrating with a little holiday cheer this year. As Washington Examiner columnist John Stossel makes clear elsewhere in today's edition …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and KCRG-TV

Keith Koffler / White House Dossier:

Did Bo Return From Hawaii for Obama's Photo Op? — Bo Obama was supposed to be in Hawaii. Instead, he showed up at President Obama's side Wednesday shopping for treats at PetSmart — According to Michelle Obama's press office, the first dog was planning to go to Hawaii with the first lady and the Obama daughters.

Discussion: National Review, Weasel Zippers, The Gateway Pundit, Political Mojo and The Lonely Conservative