MONDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Climate talks underway in Copenhagen.
* Unrest in Iran far from over: “Thousands of student protesters gathered at universities in Tehran and other cities across Iran on Monday, chanting anti-government slogans and fighting with security forces in the most violent street protests since the summer.”
* Iraqi lawmakers approved a revised elections law, clearing the way for national elections early next year.
* Tracing the Mumbai terrorism back to Chicago: “Federal prosecutors charged a Chicago man Monday with carrying out surveillance on targets in India in advance of deadly terrorist attacks that wracked that nation’s business center last year and killed 170 people, including six Americans.”
* The financial industry bailout is not only poised to be cheaper than expected, but is also poised to add hundreds of billions to the Treasury. It prompted Kevin Drum to call the overall effort “remarkably successful.” Matt Yglesias adds, “[T]he fact of the matter is that the much-derided TARP program has been a big success.”
* Medicare buy-in really is on the table.
* Expect the Gitmo detainees to end up in Thomson, Ill.
* Adding Politico to the Pulitzer board strikes me as a mistake.
* At this point, most Americans seem to agree with the new Afghanistan policy.
* As a rhetorical matter, “cap and trade” is out; “energy independence legislation” is in.
* We have no idea where in the world Osama bin Laden is.
* I hope this is true: “Two of Congress’s three openly gay members said Saturday that the U.S. House is poised to pass bills to provide health coverage for the same-sex partners of gay federal workers and to protect all gay and transgender employees from job discrimination.” The Obama administration supports the legislation.
* Sign of the Times: “From Florida comes news that business leaders in the state are telling the state’s public colleges to ‘Stop Asking for Money!’ Because it’s a recession and, you know, they don’t have any.”
* The White House press secretary encouraged a reporter to “calm down.” This shouldn’t be scandalous.
* I don’t think I’ll ever understand John Fund.
* BCS, still a dumb system.
* Josh Marshall is having a lot of fun with that story about the fake hijacking.
* And finally, 68 years ago today, a day that will live in infamy.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
