The Night Before Christmas 107 Years Ago

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My colleague at The Atlantic Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg has posted a wonderful 107-year old film created by Edison Studios of “The Night Before Christmas.” Here is her framing of what you can watch above.

Merry Christmas White House Style

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Garance Franke-Ruta, Senior Editor and Chief of the Politics Channel at The Atlantic, and I were privileged to have this picture taken with President and Michelle Obama. It was a great evening — and the President said some great things about The Atlantic for which he has actually been a contributor.

DC Roundup: Arguments for and Against Chuck Hagel’s Nomination

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I have gathered some more views on Chuck Hagel’s potential — and challenged — nomination to serve as President Obama’s Secretary of Defense. Politico‘s Mike Allen is calling the nomination “toast” after Senator Chuck Schumer refused to say he would vote in favor of him.

Jeff Bingaman: Great US Senator Leaves Void

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Senator Jeff Bingaman is retiring after thirty years of shunning the spotlight and just getting great policy work done. I think he was a combination of Jimmy Stewart ala Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. — one of the nation’s wisest legal minds….ever.

Holiday Pic from Anderson & Low

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Anderson & Low Just received this wonderful holiday pic from London-based, turbo-talented photographers Jonathan Anderson & Edwin Low, called just “Anderson & Low” by their friends. I love stopping in at the National Portrait Gallery in London — and discovering photos there that they took. Kate Middleton enjoys their work also.

Best Books Read by Atlantic Editors in 2012

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Editors at The Atlantic shared notes about the best books they read during the past year. These books did not need to be published in 2012 — but read during the last twelve months. My selection was Adam Goodheart’s 1861: The Civil War Awakening.