Dem Rep Blasts GOP Questioning Hillary Clinton's Concussion: Same People Said 'Moon Landing Was Staged'

Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) slammed those advancing the notion that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's concussion and subsequent blood clot were staged. Some have claimed that the concussion which hospitalized Clinton has conveniently allowed her to avoid testifying before Congress regarding her knowledge of the deadly attack on an American consulate in Libya. Israel called this a conspiracy theory and said that the same people embracing this theory have alleged that the moon landing was a sham.

RELATED: Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton Hospitalized With Blood Clot From 'Diplomatic' Concussion

Israel was asked about those who have suggested that Clinton's concussion has been a convenient turn of events for her because it has allowed her to avoid testifying before Congress about her knowledge of the September 11 attack in Benghazi. Israel brushed that suggestion aside.

'That's what's wrong with Washington: people who invent conspiracy theories behind every cloud,' Israel said.

'These are the same people who said that the moon landing was staged on a Hollywood set,' Israel added. 'Let this woman rest. Let her get well, and give her some space.'

Watch the clip below via MSNBC:

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GOP Senator Bob Corker: Any Fiscal Cliff Deal Today Will Be 'Irrelevant,' 'Really Inconsequential'

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) said Monday anything that happens in the final stages of fiscal cliff negotiations is 'really inconsequential.' It wasn't pessimism, though: 'It really doesn't matter. It's going to happen. We will have a solution.'

According to Corker, any deal reached today isn't likely to affect the federal deficit or cut spending, so the focus is primarily on taxes and any increase in taxes will only matter to wealthy Americans. He said to the crew at Morning Joe,

'This is a lot of fuss about nothing today, unless you make, you know, somewhere between $350,000 a year and $550,000, today's discussion is totally irrelevant, because that's all that's being discussed.'

Corker hopes that many of the issues being left out of the fiscal cliff negotiations will resurface during the debt ceiling conversation. 'I do hope that during this debt ceiling debate, we'll actually get into the kind of entitlement reforms that our nation needs to solve its problems,' he said.

As far as everything else? 'I mean, really, it's totally irrelevant. It is.'

Watch the full clip below, via MSNBC:

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NBC Reporter On Hillary Clinton's Hospitalization: 'There May Be More To This Story That We Don't Know'

NBC News' chief science and health correspondent, Robert Bazell, remarked on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent hospitalization (for a blood clot) on Monday. Questioning the link between the clot and her earlier concussion, Bazell said there may be more to the story.

RELATED: Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton Hospitalized With Blood Clot From 'Diplomatic' Concussion

'We really don't know a lot about what's going on here,' Bazell said. The hospital 'is not saying much,' he added, and the statement from Clinton's office says she's being treated with blood thinners for the blood clot that stemmed from her concussion.

He continued:

'The problem is that concussions, when they lead to blood clots ' the bloods clots are not usually treated with blood thinners, as they say she's being treated. If she has a blood clot that occurred because she was sitting around or something, they would treat that with blood thinners, and that would be fine. But there may be more to this story that we don't know.'

We'll have to keep watch over the next few days, Bazell noted.

'She is being treated with anticoagulants and is at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours,' spokesman Philippe Reines said in the statement. 'Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required.'

Clinton was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night.

Watch below, via NBC:

David Gregory's Obama Interview: Where Was The Passion He Displayed Questioning NRA?

Following David Gregory's interview with President Obama, CNN's Howard Kurtz noticed a marked difference in the Meet the Press host's approach compared to last week, when he interviewed NRA head Wayne LaPierre. It 'didn't pop,' he said.

RELATED: Obama Hits GOP Refusal To Negotiate On Fiscal Cliff In Wide-Ranging Meet The Press Interview

Gregory 'didn't brandish any weapons or show much firepower.' And while he did press the president on certain points (accountability for Washington dysfunction, throwing Susan Rice under the bus), Kurtz said Obama's low-key, measured responses gave the interview the air of a press conference.

Overall, however, Kurtz was underwhelmed:

The interview didn't pop. It didn't make any news. That was mainly Obama's fault, thanks to his long monologues that were allowed to proceed uninterrupted. But Gregory could have showed a little more of the passion he displayed last Sunday.

Hard to argue with. This week certainly brought forth a much more subdued performance from Gregory ' a far cry from the ammunition-wielding segment that prompted an official investigation.

(h/t Daily Download)

Pawlenty To Howard Dean: 'We Don't Want A Howard Dean Scream As Country Bungee Jumps' Off Fiscal Cliff

During This Week's roundtable, Tim Pawlenty took a swipe at fellow panelist Howard Dean as he spoke of falling off the fiscal cliff. Noting everyone's desire to avoid that situation, T-Paw alluded to the good ole' 'Dean scream.'

Karl pointed to Pawlenty's earlier remarks stating Republicans should stand their ground on the issue of tax increases ' and asked whether he still encourages his party to 'push the president against the wall.'

'Well, the financial services part of the economy, as well as the economy more broadly, wants to avoid the cliff,' Pawlenty said. 'We don't want a Howard Dean scream as the country bungee jumps into the cliff.'

The quip elicited laughter from the roundtable, as Dean replied, 'You might need one. I was right then, and I'm right now.'

Video below, via ABC:

Howard Dean: 'If We Go Over The Cliff, Then The President Has A Lot More Leverage'

On ABC's This Week, former DNC Chair Howard Dean noted a possible political gain for President Obama if Congress doesn't reach a deal on the fiscal cliff. 'I believe'that if we go over the cliff, then the president has a lot more leverage.'

Vanity Fair National Editor Todd Purdum agreed with temporary host Jonathan Karl that it's 'ultimately' the president's economy. 'The tough issues are not being dealt with,' he said.

Dean agreed and noted the 'frustrating thing' for him is that 'Washington is incapable of making a deal that will help the country.' With politicians too focused on deals that will help themselves, an effective deal isn't on the table.

According to Dean, going over the fiscal cliff means an automatic tax hike on the middle class and 'that will be bad for every politician in Washington.' Expressing more pessimism on the politics of the deal, Dean said an automatic increase in taxes might inspire Congress to 'actually get something done.' Doubling down on his comments, Dean opined, 'At this late hour, I think almost any deal they come up with is worse than going over the cliff.'

Asked about the deal currently being negotiated, Dean agreed with Karl that it would effectively reduce tax rates and 'make the deficit worse.'

Watch the full clip below, via ABC:

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Michelle Malkin: Krauthammer Was Right About GOP Civil War, Obama's 'Strategy' Was To 'Drive A Wedge'

Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin stopped by Fox & Friends Saturday morning to agree with her Republican colleague Charles Krauthammer about the 'internal civil war' within the GOP. Malkin called it 'obvious' that President Obama's strategy was to 'drive a wedge' between Republicans.

According to Malkin, Obama and the White House have 'narrative setters in the liberal media' who are 'raring' to blame Republicans for a fall over the fiscal cliff. She claimed, 'House Republican conservatives who are holding the line aren't going to get what they want.'

Malkin criticized some of her fellow Republicans saying there is now a split between 'House conservative Republicans and House 'capitulationist' Republicans.' According to her, Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid will sit down later today to attempt a compromise and that's 'never a good thing.' She continued accusing Obama of setting up the GOP war, claiming,

'If they don't come up with something, again that wedge gets driven further and Obama can sit in the catbird seat and blame, blame, blame Republicans for their obstructionism.'

Malkin says a compromise acceptable to conservative GOP members is unlikely, as House Republicans will claim 'deal with the tough issues later' but will never actually get to 'later.'

Watch the full clip below, via Fox News:

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Piers Morgan Remains Lighthearted About Deportation: Most Americans 'Presumably Want Me To Stay'

Nearly 100,000 people have signed a petition to deport Piers Morgan following his calls for increased gun control in America, but if the British national is upset by it, he's hiding it well. In a Tweet Friday, Morgan noted to his followers, 'Still only 90,000 Americans have signed the White House petition to deport me. That leaves 310,910,00 who presumably want me to stay.'

Morgan, seemingly unaffected by the both petitions about him ' one calling for his deportation from America and one calling for him to stay because the U.K. doesn't want him back ' has taken a vacation to England.

He mockingly told one of his Twitter critics to 'relax' when he was told to get out of the country, saying, 'I am out of your country.'

h/t HuffPo

Can't Focus Because Of Social Media Anxiety? Try These New 'Tweet Seats!'

An arts theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota has capitalized on the growing trend of American's inability to pay attention to anything for long periods of time. Can't sit through a full act without checking your social media? No problem! Try The Guthrie Theater's new 'Tweet seats' where you can post on Twitter to your attention deficit heart's content!

Audience members are 'encouraged' to post comments about the live performance, according to The Daily Mail, in a balcony section that's roped off specifically for Tweeters. Management says it 'will not be disruptive to other patrons' who actually can focus for longer than two minutes without their social media.

The Guthrie isn't alone in embracing Tweeters: The Palm Beach Opera in Florida and the Public Theater in New York are among arts institutions experimenting with the idea of allowing patrons to Tweet during live shows.

Theaters may have realized they can't fight these social media addicts, so they've instead created a special place for them, where the bright lights of iPhones and Androids won't bother other customers. Executives at The Guthrie believe social media could even enrich the experience of seeing a live play. External Relations Director Trish Santini said,

'If there were ever a Guthrie show to host Tweet Seats, it's The Servant of Two Masters. This cast is an incredible ensemble of comedians, and night after night they're riffing and improvising-it's the kind of show that makes you ask, 'Did they just say that?' Usually they did ' and tweeting should be a great way to talk about it.'

Maybe, but will Tweeting about shows actually add anything to the discussion? Peter Funt of the New York Times doesn't think so: 'According to actual postings during a concert featuring works of Mozart, furnished by the Cincinnati Symphony, withak53 wrote: 'Music hall looks a lot prettier from the top balcony.'

h/t The Daily Mail
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Video Shows Woman Bolting From Scene After Allegedly Pushing Man To His Death On Subway Tracks

On Thursday night, a man died after being pushed in front of a subway train in New York City. Police released surveillance video today that shows a woman, the suspect, running away from the station afterward.

RELATED: NY Post Publishes Images Of Man Pushed Onto Subway Tracks And Fatally Injured By Train

Police have described the incident thusly (via WSJ):

Police said a man was pushed onto the tracks at a Queens subway station Thursday night by a woman who was described by witnesses as mumbling to herself before the attack. She didn't appear to know her victim, who was killed by a No. 7 train as it barreled into the elevated 40th Street-Lowery Street station in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

The surveillance video is from a business on Queens Boulevard, and shows the woman fleeing. Five witnesses on the platform apparently saw the incident ' and the suspect was described as a Hispanic woman about 5-feet-5-inches tall, who appeared to be in her 20s.

The victim hasn't yet been identified and was declared dead at the scene.

It marks the second fatal subway-pushing incident in the last month, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg highlighted that such occurrences remain rare. 'To say that it's only two in, you know, a long period of time doesn't help either person,' Bloomberg said on Friday. 'I don't know what happened here.'

The video below, via AP:

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Deploying 'Armed Posse' To Protect Schools

Following the Newtown massacre, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County in Arizona, said he plans to send a volunteer armed posse to protect schools.

Arpaio said he has the 'authority to mobilize private citizens and fight crime in this county.' According to AZFamily.com, 'he'll use members of his 3,000 strong posse to patrol schools in towns that fall under sole jurisdiction of the sheriff's office.'

Admitting he doesn't yet know whether all schools will agree to the measure, Arpaio said he'd coordinate with them. He also asserted that such a program has been effective in malls, so it can be applicable to schools as well.

'We're not talking about placing the posse in the schools right now but in the outlying ' the perimeters of the school ' to detect any criminal activity,' he said.

Per the report:

Arpaio first started using his posse to protect malls during the holiday shopping season in 1993 in response to violent incidents in prior years. Since then he said malls where his posse members are on patrol have had zero violent re-occurrences and patrols by his all-volunteer squad during the 2012 shopping season netted a record 31 arrests.

112th Congress Set To Become The Least Productive Since 1940s

With just days left in the 112th Congress, this session of legislators is set to become the least productive in modern American history, according to a review by The Huffington Post. President Barack Obama has signed just 219 bills into law since January, 2011. This Congress would need to pass another 100 bills between now and the close of this Congress' business in order to surpass the 104th Congress which, up to now, has had the honor of being the least productive Congress since records going back to 1947 have been kept by the U.S. Clerk's office.

Both the 104th (1995-1996) and the 112th Congress share the distinction of including a number of Republican legislators swept into office after a wave election. They also governed during a Democratic presidential administration.

'The 112th Congress has done far less than the 80th Congress (1947-1948), which President Harry Truman infamously dubbed the 'Do-Nothing Congress.' Those lawmakers passed 906 bills that became law,' writes the Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel.

Furthermore, many of the bills passed by this Congress, including those awaiting President Obama's signature, deal with relatively inconsequential or ceremonial matters like the renaming of public buildings.

While some may conclude that a Congress that does the least can do the least harm, still others would determine that ' given the many problems facing the nation ' the lack of productivity by this Congress is inexcusable.

Read the full report in The Huffington Post

> >Follow Noah Rothman (@Noah_C_Rothman) on Twitter

The Jane Dough's Top Ten Most Sexist Comments Of 2012

Awful

The Top Ten Worst Sexist Remarks of 2012

12:30 pm, December 27th | by Colette McIntyre

 

Misogynists say the darndest things, don't they? And by 'the dardnest things', we mean 'the most rage-inducing things that make you wish you had the crafty Rube Goldberg-esque skills of a young Kevin McCallister and the home address of every He-Man Woman Hater in the world so that you could reap revenge for womynkind while maintaining your manicure.' Oh, this year there was many a white man shaking his jowls over what womankind is up to these days. But who succeeded in saying the most deluded, most ignorant, most misogynistic remark of 2012? Check out our list of the top ten worst sexist remarks of the year.

[Photos via ArtInfo, Campus Progress, Army Times, TalkingPointsMemo, Creativity Post, National Journal, ABC News, Slate, The Globe and Mail, My Brown Baby]

TAGS: daniel tosh | Donald Trump | Rush Limbaugh | todd akin

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• So, are the statistics as Glenn Grothman described them?

• How is what Romney said any different than, say, a woman going to some 'INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S FORUM' (very communistic sounding) such as the author of the blog before this one?

• Yes, they have tried to quietly back off the notion that there is a gap between men and women doing the SAME JOB (actually, women get paid MORE for that.) No, they just want to compare the two groups as a whole. Nevermind that men work more dangerous jobs and die at workplaces at a higher rate'..no calls to correct THAT gap'.

• What Rick says is correct, too. In fact, it is expected with 'women and children first.' You can't have it both ways.

• If Akin is wrong, then so are specialists in conception.

• I'm not sure I agree with Donald Trump being so high up the list'if Alred hadn't mentioned his junk, then he probably wouldn't have either. She opened the door, he stepped through, yes, but I think that makes him only slightly more out of line.

• Everyone else, especially 4 thru 1, I wish could be voted off this island Earth, though'a serious bunch of asshats, and it's appalling that none of them are censured with fines or anything else for what they've said.

Gun Debate Exposes Media's Bias, David Gregory Exposed Their Hypocrisy

It is hard to recall a moment in recent history in which the gap between members of the media and the public they claim to serve has been so wide as the 'national conversation' about stricter gun laws which has followed the tragic shooting death of 26 children and teachers in Newtown, Connecticut. But if the media is slightly ' just slightly ' out of step with the public regarding their unashamed support for new gun laws, their response to the NBC anchor David Gregory's recent trials with the law after he brandished a high capacity magazine on television verges on blatant hypocrisy.

The atrocity in Newtown has caused support for strengthened laws covering the sale of firearms to increase fairly dramatically. In a poll conducted by Gallup from December 19 ' 22, support for new laws restricting the purchase of guns has increased from 43 percent in 2011 to 58 percent today. Support for new gun laws in the wake of the tragedy in Connecticut has also increased from 35 percent earlier this year to 47 percent today (while 46 percent oppose new gun laws and support only the enforcement of gun laws presently on the books.) American adults also favor limits to gun show sales and high-capacity magazines, like those used in mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut.

However, that same survey found that a majority of Americans oppose a ban on semi-automatic 'assault rifles.' By 51 to 44 percent, Americans oppose a law which would make it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess so-called 'assault rifles.' Public opinion on this topic has remained virtually unchanged by 2012's high profile mass shooting incidents.

If one spent the majority of their time consuming print and television news coverage of the topic of stricter gun laws since the attack in Newtown on December 14, one could be forgiven for presuming that stricter gun laws are a national priority eclipsing all other issues of consequence. The Washington Examiner's Byron York details a disconcerting number of straight news journalists on a variety of cable news networks who have thrown off the shackles of unbiased coverage of the gun control debate and embraced advocacy ' and embarrassing hyperbole that they must assuredly believe justifies the ends.

MSNBC dayside anchor Thomas Roberts lashed out at a sitting Congressman when he suggested that European nations with stricter gun control laws than many parts of the United States continue to cope with gun crime and mass murder. 'So, we need to just be complacent in the fact that we can send our children to school to be assassinated,' Roberts fired back.

'I just have to say, your position completely boggles me, honestly,' said CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien to Florida Gov. Rick Scott after he declined to outline what new gun laws he would support to prevent future Newtown massacres. Her colleagues Don Lemon and Piers Morgan have also expressed their unqualified support for stricter gun laws ' in Lemon's case, in the face of evidence that gun violence is on the decline.

Gone are the days when it was a news anchors job to report the political position of America's elected officials. Today, it is acceptable ' even commendable ' to berate them on camera for holding views with which the anchor disagrees.

While many in the nation's establishment news media display naked contempt for lawmakers who may differ with them on the necessity of more gun laws, the loathing with which they regard the National Rifle Association is unparalleled.

Last Friday, when NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre held a press conference, the incandescent rage which emerged from journalists on Twitter towards his suggestion that schools should invest in armed guards was staggering. The Daily Caller has compiled a post featuring the most over-the-top reactions form members of the fourth estate. When Jeffrey Goldberg, columnist for The Atlantic, noted his surprise at the outburst of anger towards LaPierre, the response he received from The New Republic's Marc Tracy was perhaps the most illustrative of the elite media's opinion regarding the NRA. 'So either reporters on Twitter are crazy or the NRA is uniquely hateful. Which do you think it is,' Tracy asked pointedly. '[Reporters] think they are smarter and better than a retrograde, evil organization? They are! We are!'

Once again, members of the media show how out of step they are with public opinion. USA Today/Gallup found in a poll released yesterday (helpfully placed in the final paragraph of their release) that 54 percent of adults have a favorable opinion of the NRA.

It would be interesting to have a media that was a mistrustful of this 'uniquely hateful' lobbying group as they were of, say, the various groups in Washington dedicated to protecting sugar beet subsides. That would be an informative national conversation which would have profound implications for the American economy and expose a powerful set of entrenched interests which have a near stranglehold on Washington's lawmakers.

Misplaced priorities are one thing ' they are easily exposed and, maybe, just as easily forgiven; the necessities of making compelling television or newspaper copy supported by advertising being what they are. Hypocrisy, on the other hand, should be unforgivable. The 'national conversation' has, in a way, been blessed with a glaring example of the media's hypocrisy in a rather silly incident in which NBC's Meet the Press anchor David Gregory ran afoul of local gun laws in Washington D.C. when he displayed a high capacity magazine on camera this past Sunday.

Members of the media, on the right and the left, rushed to his defense with a collective eye-roll. Gregory's infraction is '[n]ow officially the dumbest media story of 2012,' wrote New York University professor Jay Rosen on Twitter. 'Dumb, dumb, dumb.' Media critic Jeff Jarvis used 'nonstory' twice in one sentence to describe Gregory's predicament. 'A total waste of time,' declared CNN media critic Howard Kurtz when describing the police probe into Gregory's display of the offending magazine.

'How much time and money is going to be spent (wasted) investigating [Gregory],' asked Fox News Channel host Greta Van Susteren. 'I will bet my right arm David Gregory is not going to go out and commit some crime with that magazine'or that he intended to flaunt the law (if it was against the law.) At worst, it was a stupid TV stunt (and so what!).'

Even the Wall Street Journal's editorial board went out of their way to attempt to exonerate Gregory's actions. Their argument is, in essence, his intentions were pure, even if his actions violated the letter of the law. 'So here we have a possible indictment that would be entirely nonsensical of a journalist who was trying to embarrass an NRA official over an ammunition ban whose impact would be entirely symbolic,' reads a Thursday WSJ editorial. 'It isn't clear that Mr. Gregory is guilty of anything other than perhaps overzealousness in pursuit of the conventional gun-control wisdom, which is not a crime unless we want to empty newsrooms and fill up jails from coast to coast.'

The media's argument in favor of treating Gregory differently from any other citizen who does not anchor a popular Sunday news broadcast is, essentially, 'come on! Really?'

Yes, really. The media's defense of Gregory is entirely personal ' he is a member of the media simply doing what the media does. Even if this law is applicable to Gregory (a fact which the media seems prepared to debate), this particular infraction should not result in any penalties. At no point has any member of the media asked if Washington D.C.'s law, which is aimed at reducing the glamour of these extended magazines, is absurd. If Gregory was an anonymous reporter producing this clip during a local news broadcast, or even in private, the media's response to his infraction would probably have been much different. In fact, as a reader of POLITICO's Dylan Byers points out, there is historical evidence that suggests it was different not long ago.

While interviewing Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) in his office, journalist Jack Anderson revealed a handgun from his pocket. His intention was to demonstrate security lapses in Washington. Capitol Hill police did not take the incident lightly. Neither did Anderson's colleagues. 'A committee of journalists reprimanded the columnist Jack Anderson today for his role in bringing a gun into the Capitol for a television program on terrorism, but the panel did not revoke his press credentials,' reads a 1989 Associated Press report detailing their response to an infection by a fellow member of the tribe. At least, the media's reaction was swift and unambiguous when their access to newsmakers was threatened by a fellow journalist.

L'affaire de Gregory has exposed an unseemly sense of entitlement in the elite media. If the post-Newtown debate over gun control has shown that the media is somewhat out of touch with average Americans, the Gregory episode has revealed that they do not regard themselves as average Americans.

> >Follow Noah Rothman (@Noah_C_Rothman) on Twitter

NRA President: David Gregory's 'Silly Felony' Illustrates 'Craziness' Of Some Gun Laws

National Rifle Association President David Keene paid a visit to CNN on Thursday to respond to several issues including a newspaper's publication of gun permit holders' personal information, as well as the saga surrounding David Gregory and the now-infamous gun magazine he displayed on Meet the Press.

Asked if Gregory should be prosecuted, Keene said no. 'I'm not a vindictive guy who wants to go after David Gregory,' he said.

But there are two lessons to be drawn from the situation, Keene elaborated.

'One, Don't ask the government what's legal and what isn't legal because half the people don't know,' he said. 'And secondly, that's a silly felony. It's a felony in Washington, D.C., to own that magazine or to be caught with the cartridge. I really think what David Gregory did while he was inadvertently flouting the law was illustrating in a very graphic way, perhaps not intentionally, but in a graphic way just how silly some of these laws are.'

When host Carol Costello clarified whether it's the NRA's position to enforce the laws that are on the book, Keene maintained that it's not necessary to go after Gregory. 'I think it illustrates the craziness of some of the laws,' he said.

Watch below, via CNN:

Watch Kathie Lee And Hoda In Wine-Fueled, Chaotic Game Of Gawking At Shirtless Men

On a sleepy Boxing Day, many of the nation's newsmakers are still on holiday and those of us at Mediaite enjoy the rare opportunity to peruse the standard fare which graces daytime broadcast television. Not that we often take the opportunity, but today I stumbled across a tip that I just could not ignore. I determined that it would be a dereliction of my responsibility to not bring this episode to your attention as well, dear reader.

Allow me to review my journey into the daytime TV abyss this morning.

While sifting through the barren post-holiday television landscape for content, I stumbled across this tweet by POLITICO reporter Glenn Thrush:

Haplessly intrigued, I embarked on a quest to find said clip of Kathie Lee Gifford and her Sancho Panza, Hoda Kotb, to determine for myself just how morning-wasted they were. What I found exceeded every expectation I had for what daytime television can and should be.

Joining Anderson Cooper on Fox's Anderson Live, the eponymous host and his guest hosts spent the morning sipping on vampire-themed wine with a co-star of the final episode of the Twilight series. After a few healthy sips of the vino, the group went into a break.

When they returned, Kathie Lee and Hoda played another wine-theme game ' at least, it appeared to be a game. What I witnessed was an indecipherable series of muscle spasms that an expert may identify as intentional, but my amateur eye shrugged off as involuntary. In this game, Kathie Lee and Hoda continually throw balls at oversized wine glasses without rhyme or reason amid efforts to identify a variety of shirtless male celebrity from their pictures. Along the way, they drink wine, seemingly, whenever they feel like it.

It was a chaotic exercise. My reaction resembled what I imagine a time traveler would experience watching a group of Inca tribesmen frantically whipping balls into hoops and at one another with a logic and consistency known only to them. Head cocked to a perfect 45 degree angle, I watched the escapade ' captivated ' but unsure whether this was post-worthy.

I came to the conclusion that it was, not because this segment is unusual or noteworthy, but because it is, in all likelihood, a common and regular sight for daytime television. There is no better window into American culture.

This segment merits the focus of esteemed anthropologists. NASA should look into loading this segment on an Ares 1 so it can be fired into interstellar space on an errant probe to serve as Earth's singular ambassador to the universe ' this drunken game exemplifies what human culture can be at its best. No single television award enjoys the stature or high repute required to bestow the proper recognition this brilliant and glorious moment in entertainment deserves.

So, what is, in my opinion, the clearest takeaway from this deeply edifying Wednesday morning? That Glenn Thrush's television viewing habits are deserving of renewed appreciation.

> >Follow Noah Rothman (@Noah_C_Rothman) on Twitter

O'Reilly Snags Top Spots Among NY Times Best-Sellers: 'I Can Write 1,000 Words In My Sleep'

Bill O'Reilly is now the most popular historian in the country: his books on the assassinations and historical aftermath of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy have claimed the top two spots on The New York Times best seller list.

In his interview with The Times, he discussed his work habits with no false modesty present: 'I can write 1,000 words in my sleep.'

He described how 'nobody' edits him, with which his editor agreed. 'I work harder now than I have ever worked in my life, which is kind of insane,' O'Reilly said, explaining that he not only writes and edits his own books but also personally writes the scripts for his cable news show, The O'Reilly Factor.

Lincoln, according to O'Reilly, would have been a fan of his book 'because it is simple and he was a really simple guy, straightforward guy.' O'Reilly says, 'He didn't like a lot of subterfuge or a lot of nonsense.'

He's not so sure, however, if Kennedy would enjoy the work about him 'because it really lays him out as far as what he did, and some of it wasn't very nice..'

He won't yet reveal the subject of his next book but predicts it 'will be a blockbuster of epic proportions.'
'
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NBC Reportedly Requested High-Capacity Clip For Meet The Press, Was Denied By Police

NBC News asked Washington D.C. police for a high-capacity magazine clip to use on Meet the Press, but was denied, according to a report by Washington Post. The information comes amid an investigation into host David Gregory's use of a 30-round magazine on the show.

RELATED: NBC's David Gregory Displays 30-Round Magazine On TV, Matter Is 'Under Investigation' By Police

'It's not clear where the prop used during the show was obtained, or who obtained it,' the report noted.

The Post alludes emails from the police department posted online:

After the show, people contacted D.C. police asking whether they would charge Gregory with a crime. A response from the department's customer service section send to a group called Patriot Perspective and confirmed as accurate by a police spokeswoman ' said 'The Metropolitan Police Department is in receipt of your e-mail regarding David Gregory segment on 'Meet the Press.'

'MPD has received numerous e-mails informing us of the segment,' the e-mail continued. 'NBC contacted MPD inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for their segment. NBC was informed that possession of a high capacity magazines is not permissible and their request was denied. This matter is currently being investigated. Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention.'

Authorities declined to say who at NBC asked for the ammunition clip, citing an ongoing investigation. A police spokesman, Officer Araz Alali, said the e-mail would stand as the department's statement on the matter while the investigation was ongoing.

The report also added that 'any request to use a magazine would have been turned down as a matter of course, the official saids, because it would have implicated police in an illegal act.'

Police are looking into whether he violated D.C. laws by displaying it on television. The District's code says: 'District's code says that 'No person in the District shall possess, sell, or transfer any large capacity ammunition feeding device' whether or not it is attached to a firearm.'

(h/t WaPo)

Police Officers Across Connecticut Volunteer To Give Newtown Precinct Christmas Off

In a generous act of goodwill, police officers across the state of Connecticut have volunteered their time today to give law enforcement in Newtown a Christmas holiday. It's rare for officers to get holidays off, but Sgt. Steve Santucci of Newtown told CNN, 'Patrol officers and sworn personnel will be given the day off to be home on Christmas. Officers from surrounding towns will be patrolling Newtown.'

Since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown police officers have been working nonstop.

Lt. Bob Kozlowsky of the Shelton, Connecticut police department, described it as simply 'a police thing' to help out law enforcement brethren. 'We'll always try to help out neighboring towns,' he said. 'Any time there's a tragedy, we'll try our best to lend a helping hand.'

The Shelton P.D. has been involved in helping the Newtown force since the shooting:

'We've sent officers, dispatchers, and even our chief of police has gone to Newtown to help out. We've helped with dispatching, traffic, miscellaneous calls. Our chief of police has gone to assist their chief of police with administrative duties.'

Officer Jeffrey Nielsen of the Milford police department adeed, 'It's important to help out. We'll continue to provide help as long as they need it.'
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>> Follow Anjali Sareen (@AnjaliSareen) On Twitter

Top 7 Silliest Cable News Gifts You Might Have Gotten For Christmas

This Christmas (or Hanukkah' or Kwanzaa), you may have received a few kitschy gifts here and there. (We know you got that Honey Boo Boo 'You Betta Redneckogize' trucker hat ' just admit it.)

But did any of that kitsch involve cable news personalities?

If you're a regular reader of this website, we imagine your bedroom is lined with framed pictures of your favorite cable news 'clashes' and 'battles' of all-time, your kitchen stocked with customized coffee mugs with your favorite 'slams' and 'blasts' from cable news hosts, and your closet full of t-shirts with the best cable news screenshots.

But since none of those things are available in the real world, these seven cable news collectibles, available online, would have sufficed:

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>> Follow Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) on Twitter

'Santa Claus' Returns To Fox & Friends For A Tough Christmas Day Grilling

'Santa Claus' returned to Fox & Friends again, this time for some tough Christmas Day Q&A, after delivering gifts to all the children (or taking the subway from the Brooklyn Macy's where he normally sets up shop).

For some odd reason, Santa looked much different than last time he appeared on Fox. But nevertheless, this Santa (or Santa impostor?!?!) took on some challenging questions from Facebook and Twitter.

During the two-minute shakedown, Santa was forced to reveal: his sleigh travels as fast as Mach 2; Mrs. Claus has gone on the global trip with him several times; that the reindeer hate cars so they will come back later to pick him up from the Fox green room; and that his 'naughty' and 'nice' list-making begins in January of each year.

However, no one asked Santa how he magically aged backwards and slimmed down a bit since his last Fox appearance. Perhaps he's laid off all the 'lady-pleasing' and renounced his 'dirty old man' ways?

Watch the tough confrontation below, via Fox:

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CNBC Anchor Goes Off On Democratic Congressman: 'Are You Guys Incompetent Or What?'

During an interview last week, CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo went off on Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) over what she perceived to be his frustrating insistence that the Republicans are not offering a 'balanced approach' in the ongoing 'fiscal cliff' negotiations.

'Are you guys incompetent, or what?' Bartiromo pointedly asked the senator, emphasizing that both his party and the opposing Republicans repeatedly accuse each other of not having a 'balanced approach' in negotiation to avoid the so-called 'cliff.'

She continued to berate Cardin: 'If you can't do what the American people pay you to do, why don't you just step aside and put somebody in there who can actually get a deal done?'

Cardin responded that he'd like to get a deal done, but the Republican leadership ' namely House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) ' have prevented talks from moving forward. This statement set Bartiromo off:

'So how come you're not moving forward? What's the problem? Because the American people are so tired of this, and they are really tired of the lawmakers thinking that the American people are stupid. You can't keep coming on the show every week saying the same thing: 'It's not a balanced approach.''

At this point, Bartiromo began shaking her head and laughing as Cardin insisted that the Democrats have long been ready to move forward with a deal. Unconvinced and clearly agitated, Bartiromo pointed at the screen and directly confronted Cardin about whether he'd be willing to consider tax code reform as a means to obtaining new revenue.

The senator's response essentially boiled down to 'No,' and so Bartiromo went off on him again: 'You're talking about $1.2 trillion in revenue, but you're not prepared to put anything on the table. People are not stupid!'

Cardin then replied that 'the easiest way to get the revenues is to [raise taxes on] the highest income brackets,' Bartiromo had enough and ended the conversation: 'That's all you want to do. That's it. It's your way or the highway. Raise the rates on the rich. No other way. Your way or the highway. That's it. That's where we are. Thank you, Senator.'

As soon as the interview ends, the Wall Street trading floor behind Bartiromo erupts into applause, prompting the anchor to blush and hide her face in hands.

Watch below, via CNBC:

[h/t TheBlaze]
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The 11 Most Shocking Celebrity Chef Moments In 2012

Celebrity chefs: we think we know them so well. We think we know how they're going to cook, or what they're going to endorse, or even what sort of jokes they're going to tell. But chefs are people, too, and when they surprise us, boy do they surprise us. 2012 was a year where the shocks just got bigger and bigger, and here are the 11 that made our heads spin.