Anna Sale

Director Charles Ferguson and producer Audrey Marrs, winners of the award for Best Documentary for 'Inside Job.' (Getty)

Dealbook on the Oscars:"a searing piece of muckraking on the causes of the financial crisis." (NY Times)

NYC Layoff List:"the only teachers who would be spared from layoffs are those who teach special education, English as a second language and speech improvement, positions that are harder to fill." (NY Times)

Mulgrew on the List:"create fear and panic for political purposes," "pathetic," "irresponsible." (Wall Street Journal)

CT v NJ:"Mr. Malloy’s program of flat budgets, tax increases and union givebacks is driving against the traffic, but a report last week by Janney Capital Markets on the state’s debts said Connecticut’s approach was preferable to New Jersey’s as credit-market policy." (NY Times)

Gov. Malloy's Budget:"the real debate is about the essence of the man, not the details of his budget." (Connecticut Mirror)

Closed for Business:NY landmarks that will shutter with government shutdown. (NY Daily News)

Superintendents Pay: Cuomo wants to cap it. (Associated Press)

Watching Wisconsin: "Mayors, whose bargaining powers are often set by state law, have been watching the battle closely." (NY Times)

Data Mess at Public Housing: "The snag comes at an inopportune time for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who, despite having a reputation as a tech-savvy manager, has faced major information-technology problems in his third term." (NY Times)

Palin Ally's Nickname for Christie:"'Mr. Smug." (The Hill)

Declared Dead: no higher taxes for New Yorkers earning over $200,000 (NY Post)

Christie on Maryland Gov. O’Malley: “If he doesn’t like my style then we don’t have to date." (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Cuomo's Political Placements: "Ms. Ty was a top aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and an Assembly staff member for 15 years until Mr. Cuomo tapped her in December to be deputy secretary for legislative affairs." (Crains)

Oregon Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio organized the House Democratic caucus voteagainst Obama's tax cut compromise with Republicans.

He also says he's open to supporting another Democrat for president in 2012.

In an interview on The Takeaway this morning, Rep. DeFazio said he will withhold support for an Obama reelection bid "until I see who's on the ballot."

Here's the exchange with Celeste Headlee and John Hockenberry:

CH: "But isn't a question of what you can and can't pragmatically get accomplished, Senator DeFazio? Part of the reason the president is dealing with the Republicans is because he can't seem to get anything else through congress."

DeFazio: "When's the last time that Senator Harry Reid made him do a filibuster? What if the senate was in session on Christmas Eve and a good jobs package, a good tax relief package, a targeted package including unemployment benefits, was on the floor of the senate? And the Republicans were saying 'No, we won't do this, and we want to take away people's unemployment for Christmas.' For once, we could kind of turn the tide here as opposed to exceeding to all their demands and letting the minority run the government."

JH: "So you think your president has lost his fight?"

DeFazio: "I haven't seen the fight, so I can't say he's lost it. Where's it been? Remember the stimulus? 300 billion in tax cuts for three Republican senate votes?"

JH: "So would you support a Democratic challenge to Obama in 2012?"

DeFazio: "I don't ... I'm going to withhold my support until I see who's on the ballot."

JH: "Withhold your support? To an incumbent president?"

DeFazio: "Until I see who's on the ballot. The president needs to be pushed. I want him to be the president he campaigned as. As one member of the house democratic caucus, and with a caucus that voted nearly unanimously and historically and in an unprecedented way to not support the tax package he brought forward yesterday, I think there's a lot of concern here about the lack of fight. And where did the guy go who we were so thrilled about?"

Expecting a censure vote on the House floor as early as today, Rep. Charles Rangel sent this email to supporters this morning (and included the number of the Capitol switchboard):

Dear

Sixty years ago last night, on November 30, 1950, I was wounded fighting in Korea.  I was able to lead my men to safety, and my life journey took a dramatic turn.  There have been highs and lows along the way, but I never doubted for a moment that I was truly blessed.

At some point today or tomorrow, the House of Representatives, a body which I honor and love dearly, will vote on what level of sanction to administer for my errors.  I am truly sorry for mistakes and would like your help in seeing that I am treated fairly.

Please call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 to urge your Member of Congress to speak against the sanction resolution and encourage them to vote against the censure on the House floor.

I have posted material on my website which shows that the recommendation for censure is excessive and that my lapses do not rise to the level of transgressions of those censured in the past.

I have spent my entire life standing up for those in need and now I am asking that you please stand with me in this hour of need.  Thank you again for all your help and support.

Sincerely,

Charles B. Rangel
Member of Congress

At Cuomo's rally in Queens, Queens boro president Helen Marshall said
Democratic State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli "needs to stay there" in office.

DiNapoli is not at the event, and has not been endorsed by Cuomo, who
says he is "officially neutral" in the comptroller's race.