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12.23.10 -- 4:11PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (55)

Ark Park

TPM Photo Illustration

Kentucky's new 'Creationist Theme Park' gets preliminary okay for state tax incentives/subsidies.

I actually was brainstorming about a possible title when I came up with 'Ark Park'. But actually, as I read the piece, I see that the actual name if Ark Encounter.

I'm not feeling that either of these really resonate for me. Anyone else have good ideas? Six Flags something, somethingLand? Whaddya got?

Late Update: Okay, we've got some pretty funny and pretty silly suggestions so far. But I have to say I think TPM Reader JA is the winner so far with 'Park of the Covenant'.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 4:04PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

Kwamentum?

TPM Reader DN is thinks there might be a Kwame surge ...

Has there ever been a two-time winner? That's why I am pulling for our local pride and joy, Kwame Kilpatrick, in the Local Venue category. Based upon the vote results, which I have been (pathetically) monitoring, it appears that there is some Kwamentum. He is inching closer and closer to third place in the reader's poll. Perhaps news that he is working on a book while in prison on probation violations and facing 38 indictments for corruption that, in my opinion, more than rivals the Bell, CA scandal will help his cause:
Here's a piece on the book.

My favorite part is the book title:

"Surrendered: The Rise, Fall and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick"

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 3:50PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

Our Hill reporter Brian Beutler has his own take on why the Republicans seemed to give way on so many key votes in the final weeks. The key point -- a number of these issues were going to come up again next year and not in particularly helpful ways.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 2:01PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

Latest Results, Golden Dukes Readers' Choice

As I noted yesterday, we're letting TPM Readers vote this year on who should win the Golden Duke in each of the eight categories. The latest results are below the fold and instructions on how you can vote.

Some of the leaders so far don't surprise me too much. Christine O'Donnell is holding on to a substantial and I suspect insurmountable lead in the Meritorious Achievement in The Crazy category. And there's a tight race between Michele Bachmann and Sharron Angle for Unrefudiated Champion of Tea Party Wackiness. (I voted for Angle.) What did jump out at me though was the voting in Most Outrageous Election Season Fib Issued By A Politician. I'm not sure I would have seen one of the fives nominees as the standouts. But TPM Readers don't see it that way. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) is running away with it (over 68% of the votes) for her claims of a rash of beheadings of Arizonans by crazed illegal immigrants.

Need a closer look at the data? Full results after the jump.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 1:45PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

Could Filibuster Reform Actually Happen?

Reid's apparently putting together a reform plan.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 1:37PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

9/11, 9/11, 9/11 ...

Rudy Guiliani, Tom Ridge, Fran Townsend and even former AG Mukasey head to Paris to max and relax with Iranian exile terrorist group the US designates as a terrorist organization.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 1:18PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (48)

Why the Run of Wins?

Why has the president had a striking string of legislative wins after the Democrats' drubbing at the polls in November? The best answer is probably the simplest: the primary reason for bottling up these bills was political, with the aim of damaging the Democrats and the president in the midterm election. Once that election was over, the reason for blocking them disappeared.

I have little doubt that that's the big difference. That's especially the case with the 9/11 first responders bill and START, each of which were entirely uncontroversial.

But I also don't believe it's the only difference. So what else was in play because a) it wasn't obvious to most people that this would happen even a couple weeks ago and b) as Mitch McConnell makes clear, congressional Republicans have only gotten started trying to derail the Obama presidency.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 12:20PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (10)

Record Breakin'!

111th Congress breaks filibuster record.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 11:40AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

Strict New Rules? Please

Did you hear about those 'strict new rules' House Republicans have put in place to keep the budget in line? Some other publications may not be mentioning that they actually weaken the rules meant to keep Congress from adding to the deficit. Chait notes the key issue.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 10:58AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (13)

Didn't See That Coming

Pat Robertson supporting the decriminalization of marijuana?

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 10:54AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (7)

The Anti-Pantheon

Fresh off gays and grizzly bears (literal grizzly bears, in case you're wondering), top social conservative accuses President Obama of selling the US out to the Indians -- i.e., Native Americans, not the folks over in India.

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 10:49AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (23)

JC's Lament

TPM Reader JC is all shook up ...

Oh god, now he's got me all confused. I hated that sad sack of ----- worse than W in the day, but now I'm prepared to support him as a Democrat again. Whipsaw!

--Josh Marshall

12.23.10 -- 8:58AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (22)

Back to the D?

Lieberman mulling running again as Dem, will talk to Patty Murray, who's running the campaign committee, about the possibility early next year.

--Josh Marshall

12.22.10 -- 4:42PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (165)

Powerful Video

Many of you probably remember the exchange earlier this year when Lt. Dan Choi gave Harry Reid his West Point ring and said he wouldn't take it back until DADT was repealed. Today, Reid gave him the ring back. Powerful video. Watch after the jump.

--Josh Marshall

12.22.10 -- 3:52PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (22)

Golden Dukes, Readers' Choice Edition!

Okay, this year is the fourth year of the Golden Dukes. And until now, the reader portion of the contest was in the nomination phase. Then the esteemed judges picked the actual winners. Well, we're doing it that way again this year. But this year for the first time, you'll get to vote on who you think should win the Golden Duke in each of this year's eight categories.

Results so far after the jump ...

--Josh Marshall

12.22.10 -- 3:29PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (86)

Senate Passes... Everything

Today in the Senate, they passed (by unanimous consent) the defense authorization bill that Republicans held up over objections to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell just two short weeks ago; they passed by a voice vote the 9/11 First Responders Health bill that had been the subject of so much drama and debate; and they passed by a 71-26 vote the START nuclear treaty with Russia despite Republican objections to that as well.

And, for good measure, they are currently voting to confirm Mary Helen Murguia to be a judge in the Ninth Circuit.

Update: At 3:40, they confirmed Murguia.

--Megan Carpentier

12.22.10 -- 12:38PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (41)

Epic D'Oh

Sigh. Better crisis communications needed in the right-wing noise machine. Apparently before Haley Barbour recanted his praise for the segregationist White Citizens Councils, Fox News had a rather different take on the story: "Haley Barbour Fends off Left-Wing Racial Smears with Ease."

--Josh Marshall

12.22.10 -- 12:04PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (12)