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Romney Blames Loss on Obama's ‘Gifts’ to Minorities and Young Voters — A week after losing the presidential election to President Obama, Mitt Romney blamed his overwhelming electoral loss on what he said were big “gifts” that the president had bestowed on loyal Democratic constituencies …
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Romney reflects on his loss in call with campaign donors — The stage from Mitt Romney's election gathering at the Boston Convention Center, left standing overnight following his electoral defeat. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times / November 7, 2012) — Mitt Romney told his top donors Wednesday …

Frederick Humphries, F.B.I. Agent in Petraeus Case — By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT, SCOTT SHANE and ALAIN DELAQUÉRIÈRE — DOVER, Fla. — The F.B.I. agent who helped start the investigation that led to the resignation of David H. Petraeus as C.I.A. director is a “hard-charging” …
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Reuters, Wonkette, TIME, Guardian, Business Insider, New York Magazine, Wired, Mediaite, Hot Air, Gawker, emptywheel and Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes'
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Jill Kelley Loses VIP Privileges at Military Base — Jill Kelley, the Tampa socialite at the center of the Petraeus scandal, has lost the privilege of visiting MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa without an escort. The base is home to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command …
Discussion:
Business Insider, emptywheel and New York Magazine


John McCain's Long War Against Susan Rice — From left, Sens. Lindsey Graham, Kelly Ayotte, and John McCain at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday — You probably don't need the lesson, but here's how the filibuster works. A nomination or bill is produced.
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ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Daily Kos, Washington Examiner, FP Passport and Politico
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Obama: Attacks on Susan Rice ‘outrageous’ — President Barack Obama offered a fiery defense Wednesday of his administration's handling of the attack on Americans in Benghazi, calling R epublicans' critiques of United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice “outrageous.”
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Fox News, RealClearPolitics Video Log, Connecting.the.Dots, CNN, Taylor Marsh and The Moderate Voice


Obama Details Battle Lines in Budget Plan
Discussion:
The Fix, American Power, The Week, CNN and The Caucus

Sen. Graham Responds To Obama: I Hold You ‘Ultimately Responsible’ For Benghazi
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Mediaite

President Obama defends Susan Rice against criticism from John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte
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Politico, BuzzFeed, Hot Air, Mother Jones, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Crooks and Liars, Gawker and Election 2012

Obama defends UN Amb. Rice, invites critics to ‘go after me’
Discussion:
Politico and Taegan Goddard's …

Texas rep. nominates Gingrich for Speaker — Former Speaker and failed presidential candidate Newt Gingrich was nominated for the position of Speaker on Wednesday by conservative Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-Texas). There was no second. — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) …
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New York Magazine, CNN, Mediaite, The Reaction and The Right Scoop
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Republicans say they will not back down — Congressional leaders took a hard line on taxes ahead of a meeting Friday at the White House, with rank-and-file Republicans expressing opposition to a “fiscal cliff” deal that would bring in more revenue to the government.
Discussion:
Politico


GOP Lawmaker Nominates Newt Gingrich For Speaker — “You don't have to be a member of the body to be speaker,” Rep. Gohmert says. Hijinks in the closed-door leadership election. — Image by Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call / Getty Images — WASHINGTON — Texas conservative Rep. Louie Gohmert submitted …
Discussion:
The Hinterland Gazette


Republicans lost the culture war — Editor's note: William J. Bennett, a CNN contributor, is the author of “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood.” He was U.S. secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George H.W. Bush.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Lonely Conservative, Liberal Values, Shakesville and The Jawa Report

Man asks McCain: Are you mad that you look like McCain? — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Wednesday recounted an interesting exchange he recently had with a man at an airport in Phoenix. — At the Washington Ideas Forum sponsored by The Atlantic, McCain said, “I was recently at Sky Harbor …


Top Georgia GOP Lawmakers Host Briefing on Secret Obama Mind-Control Plot — President Obama is using a Cold War-era mind-control technique known as “Delphi” to coerce Americans into accepting his plan for a United Nations-run communist dictatorship in which suburbanites will be forcibly relocated to cities.
Discussion:
Addicting Info, Daily Kos, BobCesca.com and Better Georgia

Nancy Pelosi swats down Luke Russert's ‘offensive’ question with a lesson on earning your job — You have to hand it to Nancy Pelosi. When emblem of establishment media nepotism Luke Russert asked if she shouldn't clear the way for younger leadership, being all old and stuff …
Discussion:
US News, Taylor Marsh, DownWithTyranny!, Crooks and Liars and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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White House ‘secede’ petitions reach 675,000 signatures, 50-state participation — Less than a week after a New Orleans suburbanite petitioned the White House to allow Louisiana to secede from the United States, petitions from seven states have collected enough signatures to trigger a promised review from the Obama administration.
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The Confederacy of Takers — President Obama's opponents …
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Addicting Info, ABCNEWS, Examiner, Civil War Memory, Outside the Beltway, Mad Kane's Political Madness, Prairie Weather, Hit & Run and Hot Air


Transcript of President Obama's Press Conference — The following is the complete transcript of President Obama's press conference on Wednesday in Washington. (Transcript courtesy of Federal News Service.) — PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Good afternoon, everybody. Please have a seat.
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The Other McCain, Nice Deb, News Desk, Daily Download, Mother Jones, Associated Press and The Mahablog
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Impeach Obama Robocall Campaign Launched By Conservative Group … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Barack Obama , Barack Obama , Video, Impeach Obama, Impeachment Robocalls, Obama Conservative Group, Obama Impeach, Obama Impeachment, Robocall Campaign, Politics News


How To Wage War On The Internet — The Israel Defense Forces live tweet their assault on Hamas. This is something new. — Matt Buchanan — an hour ago — 16 responses
Discussion:
Wired, NYT Bits, GigaOM, Hot Air, BuzzFeed, New York Times and The Lonely Conservative, more at Mediagazer »


Restaurant Review: Guy's American Kitchen & Bar in Times Square — GUY FIERI, have you eaten at your new restaurant in Times Square? Have you pulled up one of the 500 seats at Guy's American Kitchen & Bar and ordered a meal? Did you eat the food? Did it live up to your expectations?


European-style austerity: Obama's new ‘balanced’ debt plan is 73% tax hikes — President Obama's opening bid in budget talks with congressional Republicans is a reheating of his 80-page deficit reduction package from September 2011. The president calls it a “balanced” plan. Well, here it is:
Discussion:
Power Line and protein wisdom

Paul rips big government in farewell — Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) delivered a blistering farewell speech on the House floor Wednesday in which he ripped the drastic tilt of the U.S. toward expanded government, a devalued currency, persistent wars and the constant erosion of personal freedoms.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly

Changing Times — When people talked during the presidential campaign about the potential impact of the election on the Supreme Court, most meant the impact on the court's membership: whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney would get to fill any vacancies during the next four years.

Death of Key West man linked to Obama's reelection — A Key West man who told his partner that “if Barack gets re-elected, I'm not going to be around” was found dead on Nov. 8, with the words “F— Obama!” scrawled on his will and two empty prescription bottles nearby.


Macy's CEO Defends Trump Partnership — It's about customer choice and not politics, CEO Terry Lundgren tells petition organizer. “Trump's brand has become toxic and contemptible, it represents mean spirited bullying and chicanery,” Angelo Carusone replied.
Discussion:
Guardian, BobCesca.com, CBS New York and Election 2012