memeorandum: The Fallen Mercenaries in Russia's Dark Army (New Lines Magazine)

12:35 AM ET, December 20, 2021

Top Items:

Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki — Senator Manchin's comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances. Weeks ago, Senator Manchin committed to the President, at his home in Wilmington …

Discussion: Washington Post, Fox News, Slate, TheBlaze, Vox, The Atlantic, The Western Journal, The Hill, The Daily Wire, Third Way, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, New Republic, CBS News, Insider, Mediaite, Power Line and NPR

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia:

Manchin Statement On Build Back Better Act — Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the following statement on the Build Back Better Act. — “For five and a half months, I have worked as diligently as possible meeting with President Biden, Majority Leader Schumer …

Discussion: The American Spectator, newdemocratcoalition.house.gov, CBS News, Insider, Vox, NPR, National Review, The Daily Caller and Washington Post

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:

Sen. Joe Manchin's position on Build Back Better reflects the reality of West Virginia politics — “I've always said, 'If I can't go back home and explain it, I can't vote for it.'” — That is how Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) explained his announcement Sunday that he “cannot vote” …

Discussion: Townhall, The Hill, The Daily Wire, Insider and Balloon Juice

CNN:

How months of talks between Biden and Manchin over Build Back Better broke down — (CNN)President Joe Biden was at home in Delaware Sunday when Sen. Joe Manchin appeared on Fox News to abruptly declare he could not support his sweeping social and climate plan.

Washington Post:

From charm offensive to scorched earth: How Biden's fragile alliance with Manchin unraveled — WILMINGTON, Del. — As Democrats feuded over the size and scope of their sweeping social spending proposal this fall, President Biden invited Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va) to his home here for breakfast …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and National Review

Politico:
White House lights up Manchin after he crushes Biden's megabill

Politico:
Dems trip over their own sky-high expectations

Discussion: WSVN-TV and Fox News

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: SCOOP: Manchin ‘refused’ a call from W.H. before killing BBB

Discussion: Axios, RedState, The Mahablog, Insider, Breitbart, National Review, Political Wire and Daily Mail

Jim Tankersley / New York Times: The Path Ahead for Biden: Overcome Manchin's Inflation Fears

Politico:
How 14 policies could survive — or die — after Manchin's ‘no’

Discussion: Menagerie, the Newsletter

Jonathan Lemire / Politico: Biden promised competence and order. Chaos and uncertainty are winning.

Ronn Blitzer / Fox News:
Manchin says he ‘cannot vote’ for Build Back Better: 'I've done everything humanly possible'

Discussion: KLFY-TV, The Daily Caller, Climate Depot, UPI, Vox, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Washington Post, CNN and The Western Journal

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine: Did Joe Manchin Kill Joe Biden's Domestic Agenda?

Grace Segers / New Republic:
Does Joe Manchin Know That Build Back Better Would Extend Vital Aid for Sick Coal Miners?

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

Fox News:
‘Fox News Sunday’ 12/19

Discussion: NPR and Washington Post

New York Times:
Joe Manchin Says He Can't Support Build Back Better Act

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, New Republic, TheBlaze, Althouse and Wall Street Journal

Daniella Diaz / CNN:
Manchin says he won't vote for Build Back Better Act

Discussion: HuffPost, The Daily Poster, Raw Story, Alternet.org, Townhall, Insider, Talking Points Memo, Washington Times, Conservative Brief, The Daily Wire, USA Today, Breitbart and Forbes

Associated Press:
Sen. Joe Manchin says no to $2T bill: 'I can't vote for it'

Discussion: Bloomberg, The Colorado Sun, RedState and Insider

Peter Wade / Rolling Stone:
Joe Manchin Just Tore Out the Heart of Biden's Agenda

Discussion: CyberDisobedience, The Gateway Pundit, Digby's Hullabaloo, Breitbart and CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

Andrew Buncombe / The Independent:

Sarah Palin says ‘over my dead body’ will she have vaccine after contracting Covid — The 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate revealed in March she had tested positive for Covid — Sarah Palin says ‘over my dead body’ will authorities make her have a covid vaccine shot

CNN:

Outgoing NIH director says Trump and other Republicans pressured him to endorse unproven Covid-19 remedies and to fire Fauci — Washington (CNN)The outgoing director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday that he faced political pressure from then-President Donald Trump …

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo and Political Wire

Greg Clary / CNN:

3 Democratic lawmakers announce positive Covid-19 tests — (CNN)Three Democratic members of Congress announced Sunday that they have breakthrough coronavirus infections. — Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey as well as Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado shared …

Discussion: Associated Press, Fox News, The Hill, Denver Post, New York Post, Washington Post, One America News Network, Boston Herald and Washington Times

Nicole Asbury / Washington Post:

D.C. third-graders were made to reenact episodes from the Holocaust — A Watkins Elementary School staff member told third-graders in library class to reenact scenes from the Holocaust, directing them to dig their classmates' mass graves and simulate shooting the victims, according to an email from the school's principal.

Discussion: The Times of Israel, WTTG-TV, The Hill, KDFX-TV and Raw Story

Wall Street Journal:

NYU Is Top-Ranked—In Loans That Alumni and Parents Struggle to Repay — By many measures, the elite Manhattan school is the worst or among the worst for leaving families and graduate students drowning in debt; 'It feels like I'm kind of trapped' — Five months after Kassandra Jones earned …

Ashish K. Jha / The Atlantic:

Don't Panic About Omicron. But Don't Be Indifferent, Either. — The Omicron wave is upon us, and the national conversation is vacillating between panic and indifference. Those who are near panic point to rapidly rising case counts and lockdowns in several European nations.

Discussion: Reuters, CNN, NBC Chicago, TheBlaze and Politico

David Wildstein / New Jersey Globe:

Sires won't seek re-election to Congress; U.S. Senator's son emerges as likely successor — Hudson County Democrat will retire after 2022 election after 18 years in Congress and five years as N.J. Assembly Speaker — Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York) will not seek re-election in 2022 …

Ben Smith / New York Times:

Brandon Just Wants to Drive His Racecar — “I have zero desire to be involved in politics,” says Brandon Brown, the NASCAR driver at the center of the “Let's Go, Brandon!” meme. — WOODFORD, Va. — “What actually keeps you from getting any nausea is that you're so zoned in on just doing this …

Discussion: Mediaite

CNN:

Justice Breyer has Democrats even more worried about the midterm elections — (CNN)Senate Republicans are poised to deny President Joe Biden an appointment to the Supreme Court if they take the majority in the 2022 midterm elections. — Five Republican senators raised …

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Reason

New Lines Magazine:

The Fallen Mercenaries in Russia's Dark Army — Former Ukrainian intelligence officers spent seven years compiling a database of Russia's notorious mercenaries. We found the parents, siblings and widows of those killed in battle … “If you'd have come here to tell me that my son is still alive …

Tamar Hallerman / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Johnny Isakson, 76, Georgia politician respected by both sides, dies — Johnny Isakson spent his life cutting deals. — From his successful career in real estate to when Georgia's Republican Party was mostly confined to a small knot in Cobb County to Congress, Isakson learned early on what it took to get two sides to an agreement.