Competing explanations
Three competing rallies hit the streets of Cologne as women, neo-Nazis and anti-fascists send out different messages on the New Year’s Eve assaults against women. Is the story about women’s rights or asylum seekers or Angela Merkel’s future or all of the above? Via The Guardian.
Failed policy?
Amy Davidson on the attacks — do they have to mean that Merkel’s refugee policy in Germany has failed? Via The New Yorker.
Goodbye Merkel
Ross Douthat has determined that the attacks mean that Merkel, leader of one of the world’s most powerful countries, must go. Via The New York Times.
Unexpected victory
The Clinton nightmare scenario: What if Bernie Sanders beats Hillary Clinton in both Iowa and New Hampshire? The polls are close, and it just could happen. Via The Fix at The Washington Post.
Obvious endorsement
Clinton keeps attacking Sanders on guns, and now Gabby Giffords is set to endorse Clinton. Via Politico.
Rising Trump
Nate Silver still doesn’t believe that the Donald is going to win the GOP nomination, although he concedes it’s possible. He offers three explanations for Trump’s rise in the polls. Via fivethirtyeight.com
Open convention
Jeff Greenfield: Why the media is rooting for GOP chaos (because what political reporter isn’t rooting to cover at least one open convention in his/her lifetime). Via The Daily Beast.
Why cry?
Obama and his tearful speech on gun control: Who could imagine anyone crying for 20 dead first graders? Via Leonard Pitts at The Miami Herald.
Exploding sales
Every time there’s a gun massacre and Obama calls for Congress to try to address the problem or he tries to address it himself, the winners turn out to be gun shops, gun manufacturers and the gun lobby. Via The Atlantic.
Bad deal
Sean Penn and El Chapo — how Rolling Stone handled the scoop and why some are extremely unhappy about it. Via The New York Times.
Photo credit: Nina Hale, Creative Commons, Flickr.
