11.26.09 -- 10:45PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (30)

Change

From WaPo ...

Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence in Washington, according to White House officials and lobbying experts.

The new policy -- issued with little fanfare this fall by the White House ethics counsel -- may turn out to be the most far-reaching lobbying rule change so far from President Obama, who also has sought to restrict the ability of lobbyists to get jobs in his administration and to negotiate over stimulus contracts.

--Josh Marshall

11.26.09 -- 9:45PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)

NY-23 Rematch

Doug Hoffman says he'll run again in New York's 23rd district next November.

--Josh Marshall

11.26.09 -- 9:22PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)

Had Your Turkey; Now Have Your Tea

Like the Summer of Love (1967) forty-two years ago, we'll be remembering and no doubt historians will be writing about the Summer of Crazy (2009) for years to come. Whether aging Tea Partiers will be having reunions to get nostalgic in 2050 is another question. But we've assembled our Top Ten Right-Wing Crazy Protest moments for your Thanksgiving viewing pleasure.

--Josh Marshall

11.26.09 -- 12:36PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (14)

In Honor of the Other Turkeys

We humbly offer our thanks to the 10 most gonzoid, bamboozling, dignity-impaired political figures of the moment.

--David Kurtz

11.26.09 -- 12:43AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (42)

Devil's Advocate

Paul Starr

Here's the most thought-provoking and perhaps most important piece I've seen written on the Public Option. And it was written back in June. (Here's a follow-up debate on the argument advanced in the linked article.)

When I first focused on the public plan proposals back in the spring what was never clear to me was why, far from gobbling up the whole private insurance market, it wouldn't become a dumping ground for all the sick people the insurance companies can't make a profit insuring. That is especially the case if you restrict its availability to people who aren't currently insured. (Remember: the private health insurance business model is covering as many healthy people and as few sick people as possible.) That's exactly what Paul Starr thinks would happen in a poorly structured Public Option. And what he calls a poorly structured public option sounds uncomfortably like what we have on the table right now.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 10:41PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (20)

We Thank(ful) You

As you can see, we're featuring our Top Ten Reader Tips We're Thankful For. But I wanted to take this opportunity to thank our regular readers for you continued tips, support, readership and helpful critiques over the course of this year.

Read more »

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 5:44PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (42)

Wow, That's Funny

Limbaugh jokes about wanting a military coup when Obama visits West Point next week.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 3:02PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (24)

Bird's Eye View

White House releases spoof video of traditional Turkey pardon.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 2:36PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (16)

Message Discipline

The White House hosts a weekly "communications message meeting" with Democratic talking heads who make the rounds on the cable nets.

--David Kurtz

11.25.09 -- 2:22PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (51)

Didn't Something Happen on 9/11?

Dana Perino tells Sean Hannity: No terrorists attacked America on Bush's watch.

But Hasan attacked on Obama's watch.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 1:57PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

THE Place To Be

Al Gore will be going to Copenhagen next month for the climate talks, TPMDC has learned.

--David Kurtz

11.25.09 -- 1:36PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

Who Came To See President Obama?

The White House has posted more than 1,600 records of visitors who came through the gates at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue this year. We could use your help searching through all the names. Send us an email or leave comments on this post letting us know what you find.

--Ben Frumin

11.25.09 -- 12:34PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (82)

Bad Picks Have Consequences

I was just looking at this run-down of recent polls by Tom Jensen at Public Policy Polling. The upshot is that while it seems extremely unlikely Republicans could regain control of the senate next year, it's not impossible and they look well positioned to make a big dent in the Dems' majority in the upper chamber.

Most of this has to do with the factors we know about -- a bad economy, a charged up right-wing, President Obama's decline in popularity. But looking more closely at the races something else stood out to me: just how many of the vulnerable seats are ones where bad or questionable picks by Democratic governors have put Democrats in an unnecessarily weak position.

Read more »

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 12:02PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (13)

Lou 2.0

No. This isn't a joke, at least not an intentional one. The new would-be politician Lou Dobbs is coming out for "amnesty" and rebranding himself as the best friend Hispanic immigrants could ever hope for.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 11:09AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (8)

Broder v. Reid

Dean Pot: Kettle is black!

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 11:01AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (10)

Gov. Siegelman Talks to TPM

Fmr. Gov. Don Siegelman (D-AL)

One of the remaining threads of the 2007 US Attorney scandal is the case of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D), who was convicted in trial rife with evidence of politicization and prosecutorial misconduct, with a lot of at least circumstantial (probably more) evidence of Karl Rove's involvement hovering in the background. Siegelman was ordered released pending appeal in March 2008 and this month the Obama Justice Department argued that in a new legal filing that the Supreme Court should not consider Siegelman's appeal.

TPMMuckraker's Justin Elliott talked to Siegelman yesterday about his reactions to the Obama administration's position on his case.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 10:36AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)

Never a Dull Day

The White House will be releasing more visitor log names -- about 1600 of them -- later this afternoon.

--Josh Marshall

11.25.09 -- 10:07AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) announced who he was appointing as the new lieutenant governor last night ... on Jay Leno's show. That and the day's other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

--David Kurtz

11.25.09 -- 7:51AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

His Name Is Courage

President Obama today will pardon a turkey named Courage. The White House had some fun with a spoof video, saying after an "appointment with destiny," he would be "a free bird."

Watch it here.

--Christina Bellantoni