Midday Blog Roundup

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama to announce federal employee pay freeze - A. Stiles, The Corner
The New Leaders Project - Ned Ryun, RedState
Kirk crystallizes contemporary conservatism - Steve Benen, Political Animal
John Kasich is a hypocrite - Laurence Lewis, Daily Kos
Tough times for Iran's nuke scientists - David Frum, FrumForum
Ann Wagner jumps into RNC race - Alex Pappas, Daily Caller
Bring me the head of Julian Assange! - Weigel
Most support DADT repeal, but Tea Party opposed - Huffington Post
Tax battle begins with no Dem consensus - David Dayen, Firedoglake
Linkage was nonsense - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Dick Lugar ... the untouchable - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Palin's WikiLeaks fail - David Corn, MoJo
Waters rips ethics panel for hearing postponement - Rachel Slajda, TPMMuckraker

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Waters wants ethics trial now - The Hill
Obama to announce pay freeze for federal workers - Washington Post
The U.S. embassy cables - The Guardian

FROM THE BLOGS:
Why the TSA showdown is healthy for America - Matt Lewis, Politics Daily
Bombshell evidence may make Waters an ethics nightmare - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
The worst lies in Bush's memoir - Dan Froomkin, Huffington Post
The new myths of new START - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
Pentagon DADT survey being released early - David Dayen, Firedoglake
Vince Young melts down - Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Christie template - Christian Heinze, GOP12
DeMint supports Miller's legal moves - First Read
Romney on earmarks, circa 2006 - brooklynbadboy, Daily Kos
Steele tries to take credit for Tea Party success - W.T. Huston, Right Wing News
Yes to Kingston, no to Upton - Erick Erickson, RedState
Poll: Palin badly trails Obama - Eric Kleefeld, TPMDC
They won't even know what hit them - John Cole, Balloon Juice

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Anti-earmark amendment cedes lawmakers' power to White House - The Hill
Afghan refugees offer bleak assessment - Washington Post
Conservatives' serious -- and sudden -- infatuation with Chris Christie - New York Magazine

FROM THE BLOGS:
Paul Ryan articulates conservative philosophy - Peter Wehner, contentions
Don't daydream - Jillian Bandes, Townhall
LaHood: Obama's cell phone czar - Michelle Malkin
The progressive case for Social Security reform - Ezra Klein
Adventures in polling analysis - Matthew Yglesias
Ariz. GOP budget cuts mean death panels - Joan McCarter, Daily Kos
Interview with MSNBC's Willie Geist - Betsy Rothstein, FishbowlDC
Is marriage on the rocks? - Jazz Shaw, Hot Air
Boehner wants House to tackle debt as 'adults' - Steve Benen, Political Animal
No chance for a New START - Rick Moran, Right Wing Nut House
It's always sunny at Kaplan Daily - John Cole, Balloon Juice
Will the Mitt fit in 2012? - Scott, Powerline
When will Dems stop playing defense? - Mark Karlin, BuzzFlash
A peep into the nest - Philip Terzian, Weekly Standard
Will Republicans shut down the government? - Jonathan Chait

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Biden: Airport pat-downs a 'necessary policy' - The Hill
Cathleen Black, trailblazer with an eye on profitability - New York Times
Interview with Vice President Biden - GQ

FROM THE BLOGS:
The long road back to normal - Derek Thompson, The Atlantic
Happy new GM day - emptywheel
33% of Americans have read the Constitution - Jillian Bandes, Townhall
Do they really want to go there? - David Kurtz, TalkingPointsMemo
NYT's overblown reaction to New START - Max Boot, contentions
Breaking the CBO - Matthew Yglesias
The show (trial) must go on - Nick Gillespie, Hit & Run
Put your Medicare where your mouth is - John Cole, Balloon Juice
DREAM Act scorecard - Michelle Malkin
Believing what they're told to believe - Steve Benen, Political Animal
GM now 50% less government-y - Jazz Shaw, Hot Air
Harris tries to squirm out of healthcare gaffe - David Waldman, Daily Kos
The Kesler proviso - Scott, Powerline
The rescue of Ireland - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Rangel asks ethics panel for mercy - The Hill
Rattner settles with SEC, but faces NY suit - New York Times
GM a public company again - Detroit Free Press

FROM THE BLOGS:
Food police and feminism amok on Senate floor - Michelle Malkin
Tax carbon consumption - Matthew Yglesias
Crisis averted: CBC signs off on Clyburn deal - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
A delay in the bipartisan WH confab - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Why Dems won't dump Queen Nancy - William Teach, Right Wing News
Investment banker on list to replace Summers - Chris in Paris, AMERICAblog
License to kill: the sequel - Scott, Powerline
Rally around Schakowsky's deficit plan - Paul Rosenberg, Open Left
Irresponsible left's deficit-cutting plan - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Today in TSA - mistermix, Balloon Juice
Pelosi will be voted in this morning - Jillian Bandes, Townhall
Washington's structural pro-business bias - Jonathan Chait
Berwick finally appears before Congress - Ben Domenech, RedState
Bush tax cuts' budget effect in graph form - Ezra Klein
The many trials of Charlie Rangel - Meghan Keneally, PolitickerNY

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Chamber takes victory lap - The Hill
Inside Sarah Palin's inner circle - New York Times
Governors look to rebrand GOP - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
Doc fix still not fixed - Peter Suderman, Hit & Run
Rep. Gohmert on shutdown: 'Yes we can' - Scott Keyes, ThinkProgress
Welcome to Washington, congressman! - Kate Pickert, Swampland
Environmentalists whine about Palin show - Guy Benson, Townhall
The legal system - Big Tent Democrat, TalkLeft
Conservative case for QE2? - Paul, Powerline
Americans are a lot like Andy Harris - Greg Sargent, Plum Line
DC elites see Obama re-election as more likely - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Confusion is our most important product - Paul Rosenberg, Open Left
Driehaus withdraws abortion ad complaint - John McCormack, Weekly Standard
'Boy, their political instincts are really stupid' - Joe Sudbay, AMERICAblog
Today in Washington - Brian Darling, RedState
Nominations high on the Senate's to-do list - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Maryland Christmas trees with a Latvian spin - AP
NYTimes announces web reorganization - Romenesko

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Angry left to Obama: Stop caving on agenda - The Hill
Dolan is surprise choice to lead U.S. Catholic Bishops - New York Times
Foreclosure crisis could upend housing market - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
Blame Rahm? You're kidding, right? - Jane Hamsher, firedoglake
To GOProud and libertarian Tea Partiers - Aaron Gardner, RedState
Small-government vision of Bowles-Simpson - Ezra Klein
Post Office lost $8.5 billion last year - Guy Benson, Townhall
Rangel's political theater - David Kurtz, TalkingPointsMemo
Napolitano: We're doing this for your own good - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Monetary mysteries - Matthew Yglesias
Coburn: Earmark ban foes should expect primary - J. McCormack, TWS
Political malpractice - John Cole, Balloon Juice
A significant letter - Peter Wehner, contentions
NYTimes challenges you to fix the budget - Oly Mike, The Left Coaster
Unionized TSA makes airports less safe - W.T. Huston, Right Wing News
Koppel laments 'death of real news' - Steve Benen, Political Animal
A failing agenda fails - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
How I fixed the budget - Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Rangel's trial proceeds after he walks out - The Hill
Intricate plot unfolded in Mumbai - Washington Post
Fed's bond move faces fresh attacks - Wall Street Journal

FROM THE BLOGS:
Conservative journos fight for Rubio's love - Jonathan Chait, TNR
Basic truths of the peace process - Rick Richman, contentions
Missing the point - Atrios, Eschaton
Pelosi: 'We didn't lose because of me' - Daniel Foster, The Corner
Talent considering rematch with McCaskill - Eric Kleefeld, TPMDC
Some hard questions on political economy - Paul Cella, RedState
Did Krugman just call Obama a wimp? - Joe Sudbay, AMERICAblog
Who will replace Feingold as the conscience of the Senate? - P. Terzian, Weekly Standard
Chutzpah watch - Steve Benen, Political Animal
The Obama tax hikes - Kate Pavlich, Townhall
Republicans have Obama exactly where they want him - Greg Sargent, Plum Line
Did Steele play the race card? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Retreat from public higher education - Ezra Klein
America's first Muslim congressman - BBC World Service
Cindy v. John McCain on 'Don't ask, don't tell' - Alexander Mooney, Political Ticker
Defending Pelosi, next time around - Chris Good, The Atlantic

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Social Security reforms could be bombshell for House GOP - The Hill
For some Dems, Pelosi more valuable than ever - Washington Post
Deficit reduction plan draws scorn from left and right - New York Times

FROM THE BLOGS:
Who says Palin doesn't read newspapers? - Michael D. Shear, The Caucus
An apathy party manifesto - Matt Labash, Daily Caller
DeMint's vision of budget cuts - Steve Benen, Political Animal
The dumb things I heard last night - Erick Erickson, RedState
Bush: Waterboarding legal 'because the lawyer said it was' - R. Slajda, TPMMuckraker 
Why America's top students tune out GOP - Nils August Andresen, FrumForum
Judicial appointments urged for lame-duck - Joan McCarter, Daily Kos
Obama's disastrous visit to India - Warner Todd Huston, Big Government
The most popular politician in America - Atrios, Eschaton
W.'s book - Kathryn Jean Lopez, The Corner
DADT repeal and the McConnell way - Matthew Yglesias
Could NPR survive without taxpayers? - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Democrats sticking with Pelosi - TAPPED
Get to work protecting America - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
The deficit commission tsunami - Dean Baker, Firedoglake

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Cantor indicates House Republicans are unlikely to compromise on tax cuts - The Hill
As U.S. political divide widened, a friendship fell into the rift - Wall Street Journal
New GOP governors will steer health law - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
The unready Republicans - Ross Douthat
The comeback kids - Weigel
O'Donnell to appear on 'Tonight Show' - Whitney Snyder, Huffington Post
The Delaware lesson - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Economic policy affects the economy - Dylan Matthews, Ezra Klein
NYT: Time to go, Nancy - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Melissa Bean for CFPA head? Please - Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake
Rand Paul: We'll look at cutting everything - Evan McMorris-Santoro, TPMDC
How the parties handle adversity - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Obama's new normal - Ben Domenech, RedState
The GOP is on probation - James Radtke, Big Government
Get ready for a tax battle - Katie Pavlich, Townhall
It was all an accident - mistermix, Balloon Juice
Gibbs clashes with Indian security - Alex Wagner, Politics Daily
Sessions to stay at NRCC - Jeremy Jacobs, Hotline On Call

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Some question whether lawmaker trying Waters can be impartial - The Hill
Hopes dimming on repeal of 'Don't ask'? - Washington Post
With book, Bush is back in spotlight - New York Times