The Breakfast Club (Normal People)

Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungover we’ve been bailed out we’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.

This Day in History

The Christmas poem ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ is first published; Former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo is executed; Mormon religion founder Joseph Smith, Jr. is born; North Korea releases the 82 U.S. Seamen.

Breakfast Tunes

Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac

The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.

Alfred Adler

Breakfast News

US News

US close on deal with Pfizer for millions more vaccine doses

California health system buckling under COVID-19 pandemic

A season of fear, not cheer, as virus changes Christmas

Police kept Black man naked in yard while looking for teens

Mayor: Body cam not activated in police killing of Black man

Oregon case reflects extremists’ need of online presence

Feds sue Walmart over role in opioid crisis

FBI: White supremacists plotted attack on US power grid

NYT’s ‘Caliphate’ podcast withdrawn as Pulitzer finalist

Lava lake forms as Hawaii volcano erupts after 2-year break

US Politics

Trump threatens to torpedo COVID relief with new demands

A look at pardons, clemency in waning weeks of Trump tenure

Writing off more of that 3-martini lunch is causing a stir

The Latest: Biden says months to fix Trump border policies

Biden picks Connecticut schools chief as education secretary

California’s 1st Latino US senator brings cheers, anger

Dominion worker sues Trump campaign and conservative media

Biden: Trump ‘failed’ to shore up nation’s cybersecurity

Iowa Democrat asks House to review 6-vote race, cites errors

International News

Pandemic reaches Antarctica, last untouched continent

Global virus rules for Christmas: Tough, mild or none at all

The Latest: 60% of Belgians want vaccine shot right away

In France, a pandemic dilemma over holiday rights for elders

After months of calm, Thailand grapples with virus outbreak

Isolation of UK eases but backlog could take days to clear

5 to midnight on Brexit talks? No pressure! says France

Turkish court convicts journalist Dundar on terror charges

German regional newspaper group hit by cyberattack

Mexico alleges Luz del Mundo, 4 other groups laundered money

Sports

Braun carries No. 3 Kansas past No. 7 West Virginia 79-65

Auburn hires Boise State’s Harsin to lead football program

Struggling Steelers in midst of historic collapse

Behind the screen: How networks have adjusted to airing NFL

George scores 33, Clippers beat Lakers 116-109 on ring night

Durant returns with 22 and a 125-99 Nets rout of Warriors

Breakfast Blogs

Republican Leaders in Congress Could Stop This at Any Point. They Choose Not To. Charles P. Pierce, Esquire Politics

The Next Gang of Thieves and War Criminals emptywheel aka Marcy Wheeler, emptywheel

What happens if Trump orders the military to do what Michael Flynn says? digby aka Heather Digby Partonm[, Digby’s Hullabaloo

Extreme Makeover: Republican Edition Tom Sullivan, Digby’ Hullabaloo

US Attorney Blames Violent Crime Spike In Austin, Texas On Police Budget Cuts That Haven’t Even Been Implemented Yet Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Pardongate 2.0: Prosecutors and Congress Investigated Clinton’s Pardons. The Same Should Happen to Trump. Jared Davidson and Aditi Juneja, Just Security

A Judge Fast-Tracked Martin Shkreli’s Grilling in Case That Could Get Him Banned for Life from Drug Industry—Here’s Why the Timing Matters Adam Klasfeld, Law & Crime

Women File Lawsuit Alleging Non-Consensual Gynecological Procedures at ICE Detention Center: ‘The Most Medical Way of Being Raped You Could Possibly Experience’ Jerry Lambe, Law & Crime

Reflections on the SolarWinds Breach Herb Lin, Lawfare

The last days of Donald Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns and Money

The Haaland Agenda Erik Loomis, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Our grifter problem Scott Lemieux, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Today In “Republicans Walking Away From Explosions”: Charlie Sykes driftglass, at his blog

What a Relief Yastreblyansky, The Rectification of Names

BANNON’S REVENGE? Steve M., No More Mister Nice Blog

Trump Mulling Immunity For Mohammed bin Salman, Because Is Murdering US Journalists Even A Crime? Jamie Lynn Crofts, Wonkette

All The Kool Konservative Kids Are At Charlie Kirk’s Palm Beach Superspreader Party Evan Hurst, Wonkette

Proud Boys Don’t Want Any Ladies Joining Their He-Man Woman-Haters Club Robyn Pennacchia, Wonkette

Rand Paul’s Brain Is Full of Spiders. There’s Also Garlic In His Soul. Stephen Robinson, Wonkette

Rudy Giuliani Can’t Out-Crazy Sidney Powell, But He’s Trying Liz Dye, Wonkette

Suspicious Lack Of National Guard As ‘Patriots’ Storm Oregon Lege For Some Dumb F*cking Reason Doktor Zoom, Wonkette