HUFFPOST HILL - House To Combat Dust.. White House To America's Pregnant Teens: Congrats On The Baby!!!.. Mitt Romney: Defender Of Love
By Eliot Nelson, Arthur Delaney & Lucia Graves
PRESIDENT OBAMA: DON'T CHAIN YOUR BILLS TO THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE - Or something like that. WaPo: "President Obama warned Congress on Wednesday not to tie approval of the extension of a payroll tax cut to other sensitive measures such as the Keystone Pipeline project, which his administration delayed last month. Speaking at a brief news conference after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Obama said he would block any attempt by Congress to attach the payroll tax cut provision to another legislative measure. 'Any effort to try to tie Keystone to the payroll tax cut, I will reject,' Obama said. 'Everybody should be on notice. The reason is because the payroll tax cut is something House Republicans and Senate Republicans should want to do regardless of any other issues.'" Also, you know who else liked preserving nature? Teddy Roosevelt. BOOM! White House messaging gold star! [WaPo]
Boehner flack Michael Steel: "We are working on a bill to stop a tax hike, protect Social Security, reform unemployment insurance, and create jobs. If President Obama threatens to veto it over a provision that creates American jobs, that's a fight we're ready to have."
HOUSE TO TACKLE AMERICA'S WORST ENEMY: RURAL AIR PARTICLES - Mike McAuliff: "The House on Thursday is set to ban a regulation that does not exist and no one has proposed. That would be a ban to stop the EPA from regulating farm dust. Here's a hint on what the bill would actually do: The words 'farm dust' don't appear on the list of substances that cannot be regulated. Instead, there's 'nuisance dust,' which can come from any natural source -- including giant pit mines. At least the bill no longer covers incinerators and radioactive uranium dust." Thanks, Washington!
LAWMAKERS MEET WITH THE (.00000000000000)99 PERCENT - Rupert Murdoch was on the Hill today, probably just to
We also hear that former Rep. David Wu was on the House floor today. We're pretty sure he *has not* retained the services of the Glover Park Group.
O'KEEFED? It was the middle of the day Friday, and Eric Boehlert heard a knock on his door. The founder of Media Matters, a nonprofit and political organization dedicated to challenging conservative news outlets, Boehlert works from home in Montclair, New Jersey. A short, bearded man stood outside his door with a clipboard and a Verizon uniform. He asked Boehlert if he'd be willing to take a customer survey. Verizon had, perhaps coincidentally, been at his house a week earlier to do work on a downed wire. Boehlert quickly agreed, and noted that a Verizon worker had actually failed to show up when he said he would. But as the survey went on, it started getting strange. The only weird part -- before he got to his final question -- was he started telling me, 'Oh you know, it's really tough out there, the economy, and I'm just happy to have a job,' and stuff like that, which I thought was weird for a customer rep to be telling one of his customers," Boehlert recalled to HuffPost. #JOURNALISM [HuffPost]
GOP HIRES DUDE TO SHOW THEM HOW TO OPERATE THE TUBES - Roll Call's Janie Lorber: "Republicans have something to share and they've hired the inventor of the 'ShareThis' button to help them do it. Tim Schigel, the man behind the sideways V-shaped icon found on more than one million Web sites around the world, will lead the Republican National Committee's digital strategy during the 2012 election. In an interview with Roll Call he said he will help Republicans understand "how they can use digital technology and digital marketing to transform the way they do business with the voters." The gig is Schigel¹s first foray into politics. And while Schigel, a Cincinnati-based entrepreneur and investor, describes himself as a Republican, he has cut only one political check in his life  a $500 donation to John Cranley, an Ohio Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Republican incumbent Rep. Steve Chabot in 2006."
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - From our 11 part series, Pasted: The Emails Of The Jobless, here's another message from a person who is watching Congress for a reauthorization of unemployment benefits: "I have been out of work since May 2010, and have been seeking employment since then at which I have had no luck. If there is no extension I will not be able to pay my mortgage and the house will go into foreclosure. I am extremely worried and have been since I have been on the unemployment because of lack of response to the number of jobs I have applied for."
TSK TSK - The Obama administration chided two of the nation's biggest banks Wednesday for failing to improve their performance in the administration's signature anti-foreclosure program. The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday that Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase would not receive incentive payments for modifying mortgages under the Home Affordable Modification Program, the administration's signature effort to reduce foreclosures. The two lenders lost points for poor outreach and miscalculating homeowners' incomes. "We are disappointed with our rating, and will continue to work hard to improve our processes and controls," a Chase spokesman said. The penalty amounts to roughly one tenth of the bank's quarterly profits. [HuffPost]
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HARRY REID: MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOW LET'S FILL THE TREE (NO, NOT THAT KIND) - Mike McAuliff reports that Harry Reid is threatening to keep the upper chamber in session until it votes to extend the payroll tax cut, even if that means cutting the Christmas break short. "We are not going to go home to vacations," Reid said during a presser on the Hill today. "Does this mean embarrassing Republicans, humiliating them? Probably -- as it should." At this point, isn't it news when the Senate isn't forced to legislate through a holiday? Also, someone needs to tell Senator Reid that guilting works best when you don't actually say you're guilting -- like when you tell your child -- in a low hush -- "I'm very disappointed in you" because your kid was caught trying to steal a bag of BAKEN-ETS from the bottom row of their school's vending machine. Not that we know anything about that... mom. [HuffPost]
BLAGOJEVICH SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS - Hey, if Bernie Madoff can become the clink's alpha dawg, who says Blago can't ("I've got laundry duty and it's fucking golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for fuckin' nothing.")? AP: "Rod Blagojevich, the ousted Illinois governor whose three-year battle against criminal charges became a national spectacle, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday, one of the stiffest penalties imposed for corruption in a state with a history of crooked politics. Blagojevich's 18 convictions included allegations of trying to leverage his power to appoint someone to President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat to raise campaign cash or land a high-paying job." [AP]
This mic check wins the day.
OBAMA REMEMBERS THE LADIES... JUST NOT THE RECENTLY PREGNANT - Laura Bassett: "The Food and Drug Administration recommended on Wednesday that Plan B One-Step, commonly referred to as the 'morning-after pill,' be made available over the counter without age restrictions, but an Obama administration official overturned that recommendation. After ten months of reviewing scientific data, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg decided on Wednesday that emergency contraception should be made available to everyone over the counter. 'There is adequate and reasonable, well-supported, and science-based evidence that Plan B One-Step is safe and effective and should be approved for nonprescription use for all females of child-bearing potential,' she said in a statement. But in a surprising and unprecedented move, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent Hamburg a memo on Wednesday invoking her authority to veto the Plan B decision, based on the reasoning that adolescent girls may not have the behavioral maturity to understand how to use the morning after pill." [HuffPost]
MITT ROMNEY GOING THERE - "The Mitt Romney campaign is making an immediate shift in tactics, a move that is necessary because, as one Republican close to the campaign put it, 'What they are doing now isn't working.' At an event in Arizona, Romney himself said you will see more ads, you will see him making sure the contrasts between himself and Newt Gingrich are 'loud and clear.' And Romney himself said you will be seeing more interviews and press conferences...Romney will not go after Gingrich on personal issues, but ABC News has learned that you can expect to see Romney surrogates making fairly direct references to Gingrich's tumultuous past, in the vein of what [Dan] Quayle did. You can also expect to see Ann Romney and the Romney family on the trail much more, especially in South Carolina, to create a visual contrast. Their presence on the trail 'speaks for itself.'" [ABC News]
@LisaDCNN: BREAKING - NEW CNN POLLS: Gingrich ahead of Romney 13 pts in Iowa, 23 pts (!) in SC and 17 pts in FL. Romney up 9 pts over Gingrich in NH.
Remember in 2000 when Al Gore planted that disgustingly long and wet kiss on Tipper to prove that they were forever? Mitt Romney's latest ad is basically one long televisual smooch. It unloads a torrent of home video footage of Romney with his wife Ann and their children. The audio is mostly Romney from the November CNBC debate. Obviously, this is meant to contrast the former Massachusetts governor with the newly-anointed frontrunner, Newt Gingrich. "I've been married to the same woman for 25 -- excuse me, I'll get in trouble -- for 42 years," he says. "I've been in the same church my entire life." Talk about parochial retention! And what a guy! [NYT]
Mitt Romney is now *this* much more connected to Fred Durst: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has chosen Kid Rock's 'Born Free' as his campaign theme song. A Romney spokesman confirmed the decision to the Detroit News. Kid Rock has been a vocal supporter of former President George W. Bush and has performed at Republican fundraisers. After Barack Obama was elected president, he said he would support him 'until I have a reason not to.' He added of Obama's win, 'It's good the U.S. has proved it's not as racist as it's sometimes portrayed.' Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, grew up in Michigan, like Romney did." [HuffPost]
RICK PERRY GOING THERE ('NO HOMO, BRO' EDITION) - Jesus Aloysius Christ, the Rickster is desperate. In his latest campaign ad, he takes aim at President Obama -- in the most zealous way imaginable -- for ending "don't ask, don't tell." "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school," he says while traipsing about in what appears to be some kind of dell or glen (a dell or glen undoubtedly scouted by Perry staffers to make sure it was free of homosexuality -- "All clear!"). The whole thing is set to Aaron Copland-esque orchestral music which gives the ad a very Americana, Rockwellian feel (that is if Norman Rockwell spent his free time scribbling homophobic slurs all over his hometown). Perry continues: "As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion [Editor's note: Our boys are coming home!]. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again. I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message." Yeah you do, Rick. Yeah you do. [AMERICAblog]
GINGRICH: SPEAK
This is entertaining: "Michele Amble's push for the legalization of booze on her college campus presaged her fondness for beer companies, from whom she has accepted donations. In this AP story [Winona Daily News--April 13, 1977], Bachmann, then a junior at Winona State University, was among a group of students pushing for legalization 'taken by Gov. Rudy Perpich on a private tour of a home for alcoholics.' The tour evidently did not sway her opinion. Her quote: 'The University of Minnesota and six private colleges allow liquor on campus. And there have been no problems because of it.'" [The Awl]
@aseitzwald: Bachmann tells Sean Hannity that she doesn't let her daughters ask boys out, boys must ask girls.
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Dog operates kitchen appliance.
JEREMY'S WEATHER REPORT - Tonight: The last of the rain for a while, but there will be plenty of rain. In the meantime, it won't be a fun commute home. Tomorrow: To quote Little Orphan Annie (most likely working as a janitor in an orphanage in Newt's child care services), the Sun will come out tomorrow! Thanks, JB!
COMFORT FOOD
- Today is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (which you probably already knew). Here's the original text of Roosevelt's "day of infamy" speech, complete with edits. [target="_hplink">http://huff.to/sWjrxS]
- The mullet whistler is taking the internet, and this 1980s talkshow, by storm. [http://bit.ly/u0yEcJ]
- The trailer for the upcoming "Three Stooges" remake is just ... so ... oh God ... just ... awful. [http://huff.to/vtADlQ]
- Every movie from 2011, condensed into a several minute supercut for your viewing convenience. [http://bit.ly/uNbrJA]
- Why have a portrait made with one million pen dots when you can have a portrait made of three million pen dots? [http://huff.to/try1hX]
- Don't get caught texting in this professor's class. [http://bit.ly/v2BqJZ]
- Will Ferrell and Old Milwaukee beer: A match made in cheap domestic heaven. [http://huff.to/sLTsi0]
- The Times' "Year in Film" retrospective features A-listers reenacting famous scenes that spotlight villains. It's awesome. [http://huff.to/v5zfmg]
TWITTERAMA
@daveweigel: Bachmann open to using US troops in Iran. My friend Dean, who also won't be president next year, disagrees.
@drgrist: Study: The climate is changing 100 times faster than species can adapt bit.ly/ukX0hV They need to get richer!
ON TAP
By @tylerkingkade
TONIGHT
5:30pm: Rep. Lynn Westmoreland has a lot of friends from Georgia who want to help him raise money. They include Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, Tom Price, Paul Broun, Sen. Johnny Isakson, Tom Graves, Rob Woodall and Austin Scott. [201 New York Ave NW 809 15th Street, NW]
5:30pm: It's an Italian styled Holiday reception for Rep. Bill Pascrell. [38 Ivy Street SE]
6:00pm: Another Democratic rep from New Jersey, Albio Sires is also having a holiday shindig. [625 3rd Street NE, Suite 2]
6:00pm: Famed historian Newt Gingrich makes a dash for cash at the Occidental Grill & Seafood atrium, while Occupy protesters hope to crash it. [1475 Pennsylvania Ave NW]
6:00pm: Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is having a "Taste of Chicago" fundraiser. 434 New Jersey Ave SE]
6:00pm: Happy Birthday Susan Collins! Which PAC do we make the check out to? [403 East Capitol Street SE]
6:30pm: Tony Podesta, holds a fundraiser for Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) [2438 Belmont Rd NW]
TOMORROW
8:00am: Breakfast with Xavier Becerra at the National Democratic Club Townhouse. [40 Ivy Street SE]
11:30am: John Thune and Linda Lingle hang out at The Monocle Restaurant. [107 D Street NE]
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