UPDATED 9:06 AM ET, Nov. 27: Amb. Susan Rice will be on Capitol Hill the next two days to meet privately with select senators, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), regarding the attacks in Benghazi last September, Capitol Hill and State Department sources tell NBC News.

Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, requested two meetings with senators this week. On Tuesday, she'll meet with McCain, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R), and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).

On Wednesday, Rice will meet with with Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.

Another hint of Rice's clout and the White House's intention to armor her, Acting CIA Director Mike Morrell will accompany her on all her Senate meetings. It was the CIA  that wrote the unclassified talking points - that went through Director of National Intelligence Gen. James Clapper - that she says she relied "solely and squarely on" when doing those Sunday talk shows on Benghazi.   

These are significant because McCain, Graham and Ayotte are prominent GOP national-security voices and have been among Rice's harshest critics for her handling of the situation in Benghazi.

Asked about McCain's criticism last week, Rice said, "I do believe some of the statements he has made about me are unfounded, and I look forward at the appropriate time to have a chance to respond."

Most notably, Republicans have seized on her appearance on Meet the Press days after the attack, in which she said the administration believed an inflammatory video had been at least partially responsible for the violence in Benghazi, which killed four Americans, including an ambassador. It was later revealed to be a terrorist plot.

On Sunday, McCain was noticeably less critical of her, saying: "I'd give everyone the benefit of explaining their position and the actions that they took. I'd be glad to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with her."

Rice is thought to be among the final two -- Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee being the other -- to be considered by President Obama to replace outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

Rice has not been nominated yet, but all signs are pointing toward her being the president's first choice. If she were nominated, the Senate would have to confirm her.

Kerry, ironically, would chair her confirmation hearings. If Rice is nominated to succeed Clinton, it is possible Kerry would be nominated to be Secretary of Defense. 

McCain said Rice called him to request the meeting with him as well as Ayotte and Graham. Ayotte said the meeting is crucial to her ability to decide whether Rice is fit to be Secretary of State.

"If President Obama nominates her for Secretary of State, I would hold the nomination until sufficient answers regarding the Benghazi attack were given, then judge based on those answers," Ayotte said. She added that it "would be helpful to see some documents."

Those documents will likely come with Morell.

McCain said he has a number of questions for Rice, and hopes this meeting will clear up concerns he's had with Rice's characterization of the attack.

"My concerns are obviously that she told the American people things that were patently false, that were not true," McCain said, "and that, as I said at the time, people don't go to demonstrations with mortars and rocket propelled grenades. But most of this goes back to the the president and his responsibility, and his failure to tell the American people the truth in the second debate that he had with Mitt Romney when he said he had called it a terrorist attack in the Rose Garden when, in fact, he hadn't. The president is the one who's responsible."

The president did, in fact, use the phrase "acts of terror" in his White House address from the Rose Garden that McCain references. "No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for," Obama said.

But the president did not make clear that he believed the attacks were a terrorist plot - not the result of a the anti-Islamic video. Obama, in fact, alluded to the video when he said that the U.S. is "a nation that respects all faiths. We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others.  But there is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence. None."

The election is over but there is still plenty of politics to discuss Inside the Boiler Room! We want to hear from you so post any questions you may have for Mark and Domenico below. You can also tweet us, @NBCFirstRead, @mmurraypolitics or@DomenicoNBC, or post on our Facebook page.

On the Senate's first day back after its Thanksgiving recess, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stressed the urgency of finding middle ground on upcoming issues -- but also found himself disagreeing with the opposition over making changes in wielding the filibuster in the chamber.

Reid began by quoting the late Dwight Eisenhower, "People talk about the middle of the road as though it is unacceptable to make the point that too often Republicans and Democrats in Washington face off from positions never realizing solutions rest not on one side or the other, but somewhere in the middle." The majority leader said he hoped members "used Thanksgiving not only to give thanks, but to reflect on the monumental times ahead."

In response, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed that the Senate has a full plate in the coming weeks, and the importance of the decisions made. He also touched on the importance reaching a middle ground. "The only balanced approach is one that includes real and lasting reforms," he said. "So republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone. We've been clear about what we will do and what we won't. And yet we remain at an impasse."

McConnell added, "The election is over... The time for campaigning is over. It's time for the president to lead. We'll continue to wait on the president, and hope that he has what it takes to bring people together to forge a compromise. If he does, we'll get there. If he doesn't, we won't. It's as simple as that."

But then came the disagreement -- over an effort by some Democrats to alter the rules of the Senate.

McConnell called these proposed changes an "affront to the American people," saying that "shutting off [the minority's] right to express the views of our constituents, as is being proposed, would effectively shut these people out of the process." He repeatedly said that Reid plans to "break the rules in order to change the rules."

Reid countered that the changes he is proposing would only help to make the senate "more efficient" by fixing problems with the filibuster. He said "Americans believe Congress is broken. The only ones who disagree are Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party."

According to Politico, Democrats are considering several options to reform the filibuster.

The menu of options has included banning filibusters that block the start of floor debates and House-Senate conference committees from convening. Another change would force senators to actually get up and talk endlessly in order to filibuster legislation – in the mold of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

Also on the table is a so-called “nuclear option,” which would call for just a simple majority, or 51 votes, to change Senate rules. Changing the rules usually requires two-thirds of the chamber, or 67 votes. The proposed package of changes, which will come in the beginning of the next Congress, has yet to be finalized.

First Read has confirmed that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) today filed his paperwork for his 2013 re-election campaign.

The AP has more:

The technical step allows Christie to set up a campaign headquarters, hire staff and raise money toward his re-election, said the people, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak before the governor makes a formal announcement in a few weeks.

[snip]

Christie, who has become a national figure during his first term, is riding an unprecedented wave of popularity because of how he handled the storm. Even Democrats have applauded his hands-on response. He appeared on "Saturday Night Live" in his trademark fleece pullover this month to lampoon his own nationally televised storm briefings.

The outstanding question is whether Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) decides to challenge Christie. Booker is probably the only New Jersey Democrat capable of beating the incumbent governor.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue is at the White House meeting with Chief of Staff Jack Lew and other senior administration officials about the so-called "fiscal cliff," a spokesperson at the GOP-leaning Chamber of Commerce told NBC News.

"This meeting is part of the ongoing dialogue on the fiscal cliff. The business community is always interested in being a positive force in addressing the economic challenges facing our country," the Chamber's spokesperson said. "Chamber members have been involved in many meetings with the administration in the past few weeks, and there are more meetings scheduled, as the business community continues to urge Congress and the administration to work together to avert the fiscal cliff."  

Meanwhile, NBC News confirms that President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner spoke on the phone on Saturday. Both sides agreed to not characterize the call, only to acknowledge that it happened.

Some Republicans appear to be softening what was once a hard stance on their no-taxes pledge as the end-of-the-year deadline on the so-called “fiscal cliff” approaches.

But it’s not clear how far they would go – if they would raise rates on the wealthiest, as President Obama wants, or if they are simply willing to go along with eliminating some loopholes and deductions to raise revenue. And those who have been outspoken on the topic thus far are not seen as the key players in the ongoing negotiations.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

Select Committee on Intelligence ranking member Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) gets on the Senate subway as he leaves after a hearing on the Benghazi attack November 16, 2012 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

“I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia told a local TV station from his home state. “If we do it his way then we’ll continue in debt, and I just have a disagreement with him about that.”

Chambliss is one of several congressional Republicans who have indicated they might break with an anti-tax pledge pushed by activist Grover Norquist.

On the Sunday shows and Monday morning TV, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bob Corker (R-TN), as well as Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA) -- the House minority leader -- and Peter King (R-NY), joined Chambliss in downplaying the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Norquist’s 58-word pledge has been a mainstay in Republican politics since 1986. In 2011, every GOP presidential hopeful, including Mitt Romney (and excluding Jon Huntsman) signed it.

“I agree with Grover — we shouldn’t raise rates,” Graham said on ABC, “but I think Grover is wrong when it comes to we can’t cap deductions and buy down debt.” Graham added, “I will violate the pledge, long story short, for the good of the country, only if Democrats will do entitlement reform.”

Corker told CBS on Monday: “I’m not obligated on the pledge. I made Tennesseans aware, I was just elected, the only thing I’m honoring is the oath I take when I serve, when I’m sworn in this January.”

King, of New York, said on Meet the Press Sunday: “I agree entirely with Saxby Chambliss -- a pledge you signed 20 years ago, 18 years ago, is for that Congress... I think everything should be on the table.”

Norquist, in fact, says the fact that no House Republican has voted for a tax increase in 22 years is directly a product of his pledge. Norquist does not just mandate that lawmakers not vote for tax increases, but also that any bill they sign onto has to be “revenue neutral.”

In other words, cutting deductions and loopholes, for example, would also be out if not offset by further tax cuts. But Republicans and Democrats face an end-of-the-year deadline to try and figure out a way to avert the steep military and domestic spending cuts and taxes going up for everyone when the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of the year.

That some senators appear ready to talk revenue is not as significant as what House members say. It is widely believed that a deal would be struck between the White House and the House GOP, not with the Senate.

House Speaker John Boehner has said that “revenue” is on the table, but the president wants to raise rates for the wealthiest. Obama campaigned on the idea, but it’s not at all clear whether the House Republican rank-and-file would sign on to any rate increase.

Cantor, who wields some influence with the GOP conference’s more conservative members, is seen as more of a keystone, and he, too, seemed willing to go along with at least some revenue increases.

“There has been a lot said about this pledge,” Cantor said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe Monday. “When I go to the constituents, it’s not about that pledge. It’s about trying to solve problems. House Speaker John Boehner went to the White House and said, ‘Hey, Republicans in the House are willing to put revenues on the table.’ That’s a big move.”

“We were elected to fix problems,” Cantor said, before adding, “Even if you raise all those taxes, it doesn’t fix your problem.”

In a follow-up interview, Cantor’s office stressed that he remains against raising tax rates.

“Republicans aren't against tax rate hikes because of any one man or pledge,” spokeswoman Megan Whittemore said. “We are against hiking rates, because they're bad for the economy and hurt jobs. We've put ideas on the table that bring more money in while keeping tax rates where they are to produce job growth. It's now time for President Obama to put his ideas on the table for spending cuts and entitlement reform if he truly embraces a balanced approach.”

For his part, Norquist isn’t backing down. In a statement to NBC News, he took shots at the GOP senators and expressed confidence that no one would violate the pledge.

"Chambliss has been pushing this line since he joined the Gang of Six,” Norquist said. “Lindsey Graham has for two years said he would raise taxes if he got a 10:1 ratio of spending cuts through entitlement reform that could not be undone. There is no news in these two 'changing.'”

And he added, “They have not voted for a tax hike. They have had impure thoughts on present. Their impure thoughts did not change a single GOP vote in the 2011 fight over the debt ceiling which had a real deadline looming. One might have argued that the pledge died in 1990 when a sitting president and many in House leadership broke the pledge. However, the opposite happened, the pledge became more powerful when breaking it was seen to have very real consequence in 1992. After the 1994 election a majority of the House and Senate had signed the pledge."

Citing a request from the Department of Justice, the House Ethics Committee has announced that they have deferred consideration of violations Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) may have committed while running for office in 2010.

In June of 2012, the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) sent a referral to the House Ethics Committee regarding whether Grimm may have violated federal campaign finance laws before being elected. 

Grimm is accused of accepting prohibited campaign contributions, providing false information in campaign finance reports, and improperly seeking assistance from a foreign national in soliciting campaign contributions in exchange for offering to use his official position to assist that individual in obtaining a green card.

NBC's Pete Williams reported in August that the FBI contacted congressional offices, including that of Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), asking for information about Grimm. 

According to a statement by the Ethics Committee, there was initially some question about whether they had jurisdiction over Grimm's alleged violations, considering they would have been committed before he was a member of Congress. 

The committee contends, citing precedent, that it does, in fact, have jurisdiction since Grimm was running for Congress, but it has still deferred any action on the case to the Justice Department while it completes its investigation.

With the Obama administration posing no objection, the U.S. Supreme Court today gave a Christian college in Virginia a chance to carry on its claim that the Obama health care law violates religious freedom.

Liberty University was among the first challengers of the law, arguing that two provisions violate its religious freedom -- the individual mandate and the requirement that employers provide health insurance or pay a penalty. The case was never fully developed, however, because the court of appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the law could not be challenged before it went into effect. On the first time through the courts, the trial judge ruled against the school, but the appeals court said a federal law that imposes a tax cannot be challenged ahead of time.

Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

Today's action by the Supreme Court does not mean that the justices think Liberty University is right. It simply means the court has concluded that the school should be given a chance to start over rather than leaving the question unresolved.

The Obama administration had told the court that it poses no objection to giving Liberty a shot at making its religion arguments, even though the government believes "those claims lack merit."

Good news, bad news in averting the fiscal cliff… A potential compromise?... More GOPers say they’re willing to break Norquist’s tax pledge… Team Obama gets its cease fire in Gaza… McCain softens his criticism of Susan Rice… And Shelley Moore Capito and the potential 2014 retirees.

*** Good news, bad news in averting the fiscal cliff: With Congress returning from its Thanksgiving break, here’s the good news for those looking to avoid the upcoming so-called “fiscal cliff”: Members of both parties do agree on one LARGE point -- taxes for the wealthy should go up. “It's fair to ask my party to put revenue on the table. We're below historic averages,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) said on ABC yesterday, adding: “But to do this, I just don't want to promise the spending cuts. I want entitlement reforms.” And, as it turns out, some Democrats are willing to look at some entitlement reform. “We can make meaningful reforms in Medicare and Medicaid without compromising the integrity of the program, making sure that the beneficiaries are not paying the price for it, except perhaps the high-income beneficiaries. That to me is a reasonable approach,” Sen. Dick Durbin explained on ABC. But here’s the bad news: The two sides can’t agree on how to raise the taxes on the wealthiest. Democrats are adamant that the Bush tax cuts must expire for them (which would raise their tax rate), while Republicans insist that rates can’t increase.

Roger L. Wollenberg / Getty Images

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speak to the media at the White House on November 16, 2012 in Washington, DC.

*** A potential compromise here? Both Democrats and Republicans point to poll numbers to bolster their argument over the rates. In the national exit poll, a combined 60% of voters in the presidential election said that income tax rates should either increase for all or on income above $250,000; just 35% said tax rates shouldn’t increase for anyone. In addition, a new CNN poll finds that two-thirds of adults (67%) believe that deficit reduction should come from a mix of spending cuts and tax increases. But according to a survey conducted by Republican pollster David Winston, 61% say the better way to raise revenue is through closing loopholes and reforming the tax code; only 28% said the better way is through raising tax rates on those making $250,000. (As with all polling, it matters how you word the questions.) Yet over the holiday weekend, the New York Times mentioned one possible compromise here: “allow effective tax rates to rise for the wealthy without technically raising the top tax rate of 35 percent.” Per the Times, “One possible change would tax the entire salary earned by those making more than a certain level — $400,000 or so — at the top rate of 35 percent rather than allowing them to pay lower rates before they reach the target, as is the standard formula.”

*** Willing to break Norquist’s pledge: The other “fiscal cliff”-related development over the long holiday weekend was that more Republicans said they were willing to break Grover Norquist’s pledge not to raise taxes, National Journal writes. “I think Grover is wrong when it comes to ‘We can't cap deductions and buy down debt,’” Lindsey Graham said on ABC. “I will violate the pledge, long story short, for the good of the country, only if Democrats will do entitlement reform.” That followed these comments from Sen. Saxby Chambliss. "I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge." But here’s the thing: These statements are coming from Senate Republicans, not House Republicans who have to worry more about primaries than general contests. The exception here is Rep. Peter King (R-NY), who said on “Meet the Press”: “I agree entirely with Saxby Chambliss: A pledge you signed 20 years ago, 18 years ago, is for that Congress... I think everything should be on the table.” Then again, Peter King isn’t your typical House Republican. Folks, don’t get caught up in the Conventional Wisdom trap of the Senate. Right now, these senators are nothing more than elected pundits. The talks are between the White House and House Republicans.

*** Team Obama gets its cease fire Gaza: Before we departed for the long Thanksgiving weekend, we wrote that the Obama administration needed to get a negotiated cease fire between Israel and Hamas ASAP, because a full-blown war in Gaza wouldn’t have been a good development for anyone. Well, as it turns out, Team Obama got exactly that -- a negotiated cease fire -- after it dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Middle East. So getting the cease fire was a big deal. The complicating factor, however, is that the U.S. partner in brokering the cease fire, Egyptian President Morsi, is now facing some serious problems in his own country. The New York Times: “Cracks appeared on Sunday in the government of President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, as he faces mounting pressure over his sweeping decree seeking to elevate his edicts above the reach of any court until a new constitution is approved.” The leadership may be new in Egypt, but the complications for the U.S. remain the same: The Egyptians are needed to broker any peace in the Middle East, but does the price of working with them come with having to overlook how the leader governs at home?

*** McCain softens his criticism of Rice: And speaking of secretary of state, Sen. John McCain appeared to soften his critique on potential Hillary Clinton successor Susan Rice. “I'd give everyone the benefit of explaining their position and the actions that they took. I'd be glad to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with her,” McCain said on FOX yesterday. Of course, this doesn’t mean that any Rice hearing would be less contentious or that Benghazi wouldn’t be an issue. But it does seem -- for now at least -- that Benghazi might not be fatal for Rice, if Obama nominates her. The White House is going to get a Benghazi proxy fight at some point in the Senate, perhaps it’s during the Rice confirmation, or perhaps during the confirmation of a new CIA director, or maybe it’s all unavoidable giving the president the leeway to go with Rice without fear of creating a NEW political problem for himself on the Hill. By the way, the State job is down to Rice and John Kerry; there really isn’t a third contender being vetted, we’ve learned. And look for an announcement about State to happen in the next week or so.

*** Shelley Moore Capito and the potential 2014 retirees: Lastly, looking ahead to the 2014 midterms, Senate Republicans got some good news: Rep. Shelley Moore Capito will today announce she’s running for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia, per Roll Call. To us, this may be an indication that incumbent Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D), 75, probably won’t seek re-election. And retirements could be a big story for Democrats in 2014, with potential retirees in Rockefeller, Tom Harkin (IA), Dick Durbin (IL), Max Baucus (MT), Tim Johnson (SD), and Carl Levin (MI). Then again, with Democrats likely to hold the Senate for a couple of cycles now, will these veteran senators decide they enjoy their committee gavels too much to retire? 

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*** Monday’s “MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts” line-up: Craig Melvin, filling in for Thomas Roberts, interviews Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amb. Marc Ginsberg and Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign.  Today’s Power Panel includes: Democratic strategist Karen Finney, Republican Strategist Hogan Gidley and the National Journal’s Reid Wilson.

*** Monday's Jansing & Co. line up: Nick Confessore, Erin McPike & Rep. John Yarmuth on fiscal cliff negotiations; Michael Singh on Cairo and Mideast tensions;  Adm. Joe Sestak & Chip Saltsman on the White House strategy to achieve tax goals; National Journal Hotline’s Josh Kraushaar on the five “brush fires” the GOP needs to extinguish to prevent the next round of unelectable candidates; and Pete Williams previews the supreme court’s Gay Marriage plans. 

*** Monday’s “NOW with Alex Wagner” line-up: Alex Wagner’s guests include the New York Times’ Jodi Kantor, Georgetown U. Professor Michael Eric Dyson, Politico’s Ben White, Time’s Rana Foroohar, and the ACLU’s Jameel Jaffer

*** Monday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews MSNBC Mideast Policy Analyst Dennis Ross, Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), Romney Campaign Economic Advisor Vin Weber, Fmr. Gov. Ed Rendell, The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart and U.S. Institute of Peace Sr. Advisor Stephen Hadley.

*** Monday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviews Politico’s Lois Romano, NBC Latino contributor Raul Reye, Keith Boykin and Time’s Jim Frederick.

Reuters: “A White House report says that if that Congress allows taxes to go up on middle-class families, consumers will spend $200 billion less in 2013.”

USA Today: “President Obama's economic team is combining Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping season with a warning about the perils of the fiscal cliff. A report released Monday details what the White House calls ‘the impact to retailers and consumer spending if Congress fails to act to avoid taxes going up on 98 percent of Americans at the end of the year.’”

Mother Jones’ Corn argues that the notion that Obama “caved in” on the Bush tax cuts in 2010 is a myth. “Obama didn't wave the white flag in 2010. He turned a face-off over the Bush tax cuts into an opportunity to enact a second stimulus that he otherwise could not get past Senate Republicans. His failure at that time was not that he mustered insufficient mettle; he failed to convey to the world that he had ju-jitsued the GOPers.”

“After two decades in which gay rights moved from the margin to capture the support of most Americans, the Supreme Court justices will go behind closed doors this week to decide whether now is the time to rule on whether gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry,” the L.A. Times reports.

“The Obama administration faces major logistical and financial challenges in creating health insurance exchanges for states that have declined to set up their own systems,” The Hill writes, adding, “Sixteen states — most of them governed by Republicans — have said they will not set up their own systems, forcing the federal government to come up with one instead. Another five states said they want a federal-state partnership, while four others are considering partnerships. It's a situation no one anticipated when the Affordable Care Act was written. The law assumed states would create and operate their own exchanges, and set aside billions in grants for that purpose.”

“Vice President Biden took a swim in the frigid waters off Nantucket on Thursday as part of a fundraiser for the island's public library for children,” The Hill writes. “Biden, who turned 70 on Tuesday, was in Nantucket to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with his family. It is the vice president's 36th Thanksgiving on the island, according to the Boston Herald, and the 11th year for the Cold Turkey Plunge fundraiser.”

“Responding to violent protests over the last four days, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi insisted that he assumed control of the judiciary to stabilize the country – not to concentrate power,” per NBCNews.com. Protesters say that Morsi, who became the country’s first democratically-elected president on June 30, issued a decree of near-total executive power to elevate himself to Pharaoh-like status. They also worry that Morsi and his supporters will draft a constitution that will put Egypt on track to becoming like Turkey or religiously conservative Iran. Morsi’s supporters say his control of the courts is temporary – a necessary move, they say, because the courts are governed by former President Hosni Mubarak appointees who have blocked the country's transition to democracy.”

“A pair of congressional Republicans reiterated their willingness Sunday to violate an anti-tax pledge in order to strike a deal on the ‘fiscal cliff,’ echoing Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the Georgia Republican who suggested last week that the oath may be outdated,” the Washington Post reports. “Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said he was prepared to set aside Grover Norquist’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge if Democrats will make an effort to reform entitlements, and Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) suggested the pledge may be out of step in the present economy.”

The L.A. Times: “Graham, King depart from Norquist's anti-tax pledge.”

Peter King (R-NY) on Meet the Press: “I agree entirely with Saxby Chambliss. A pledge you signed 20 years ago, 18 years ago, is for that Congress,” King said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He continued: “For instance, if I were in Congress in 1941, I would have signed a declaration of war against Japan. I’m not going to attack Japan today. The world has changed, and the economic situation is different.”

(By the way, the New York Daily News reports King will be stepping down as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. (King, a Republican, is giving up the top spot under self-imposed Republican rules that limit members to serving no more than six years as a committee chairman. King already had a waiver to serve a seventh year, which he is now completing.)

But as the L.A. Times also writes: “When Republicans in Congress say they are willing to put tax revenues on the table in budget talks with President Obama, that offer obscures a divide within their ranks that could thwart a year-end fiscal compromise.”

AP: “House Republicans still smarting from their poor showing among Hispanics in the presidential election are planning a vote next week on immigration legislation that would both expand visas for foreign science and technology students and make it easier for those with green cards to bring their immediate families to the U.S.”

“[A]s advocates mobilize for what is likely to be a two-year drive to get an immigration law enacted, their optimism may be tested by a dose of reality,” Reuters writes. “However sympathetic Obama might be, he will be preoccupied with fiscal battles well into next year and less likely to engage in the kind of salesmanship analysts believe is essential to sell broad immigration policy changes to the public.”

“U.S. lawmakers have made little progress in the past 10 days toward a compromise to avoid the harsh tax increases and government spending cuts scheduled for January 1, a senior Democratic senator said on Sunday,” Reuters writes of Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) appearance on a Sunday show.

“Republican Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) on Monday touted his proposal for avoiding the ‘fiscal cliff’ and urged lawmakers to ‘rip the band aid off’ and pass a meaningful deficit-reduction package before January,” The Hill writes.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Sunday he could change his mind about Susan Rice becoming secretary of state, but would want to hear from her first.

The L.A. Times says McCain “softens opposition to Rice.”

Meanwhile, in other McCain news: “McCain said on Sunday the GOP needs to embrace a bigger tent and immigration reform - and leave abortion "alone” in the wake of the disappointing 2012 presidential elections,” Politico writes.

Chicago Tribune: “Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. resigned from Congress on Wednesday, saying in a letter that he is cooperating with a federal investigation ‘into my activities’ but blaming his health problems for his decision to step down just two weeks after his reelection. Jackson's letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner was his first acknowledgment of the ongoing corruption inquiry into his  alleged misuse of campaign dollars.”

“Nancy Pelosi decided to take one more crack at winning back the House, but a big obstacle stands between the Democratic leader and the speaker’s gavel in 2014: the six-year itch,” Politico writes.

Democrats are already gearing up outside groups for 2014.

NORTH CAROLINA: “Republican state Sen. David Rouzer, who trails North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre by 655 votes, is requesting a recount in the last House race yet to be decided after the Nov. 6 elections,” Roll Call reports.

VIRGINIA: “Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., announced Tuesday that he will not seek a return to the governorship next year, setting up a likely bid for re-election in 2014,” Roll Call writes.

WEST VIRGINIA: “West Virginia Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito will announce Monday morning that she is running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Jay Rockefeller,” West Virginia Metro News reports.

President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign infrastructure shifted gears Wednesday, beginning Phase 2 of its existence: pushing for the president’s second term agenda items.

A week after Obama for America asked supporters to take a survey on what they would want the organization to focus on post-election, the @BarackObama Twitter handle and corresponding email address sent out blasts about the president’s priorities for dealing with the fiscal cliff.

“Thanks to your feedback, we're taking immediate action on one of your suggestions: keeping you informed about how the President is fighting for you so you can continue to talk to your friends, family, and neighbors,” the email reads, above a graphic outlining Obama’s preferences for higher taxes on wealthy people, lower taxes for the middle class and $3 trillion in spending cuts.

The email, as well as an identical post on the OFA website, continues: "This is the President's plan, but he's not wedded to every detail. He is determined to work with Congress to find compromise and common ground. His guiding principle throughout this debate will be what's best for the middle class. He'll be fighting for you.”

This campaign is the first iteration of what campaign manager Jim Messina said he planned on being the extension of the successful re-election campaign.

“Some of it will absolutely live on,” Messina said at a post-Nov. 6 Politico breakfast.

Obama himself had expressed a desire to have a campaign-like apparatus in place after the election to help sell his policy agenda, coupled with more of his own outside-the-Beltway travel, something he’s previously suggested he didn’t do enough of during his first term.

“One of my pledges for a second term is to get out of Washington more often,” he said on a post-election conference call according to the Huffington Post.

Updated 2:59 p.m. ET — Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., resigned from Congress on Wednesday following a prolonged treatment for mental health issues.

An aide to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told NBC News that the speaker's office received a letter from the Illinois congressman this afternoon.

"During this journey, I have made my share of mistakes," Jackson wrote in his letter. "I am aware of the ongoing federal investigation into my activities, and I am doing my best to address the situation responsibly, cooperate with the investigators, and accept responsibility for my mistakes, for they are my mistakes and mine alone. None of us is immune from our share of shortcomings or human frailties and I pray that I will be remembered for what I did right."

The son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, Jackson, Jr. had sought treatment for bipolar depression at the Mayo Clinic for much of the past summer and fall. His last vote in Congress was on June 10, and his mysterious disappearance from official duties prompted speculation about the reason for the Democrat's prolonged absence.

Jackson was first elected to Congress in 1995 in a Chicago-area district's special election, and had won re-election to eight full terms since then. He won re-election just 15 days ago by a 40-point margin in the heavily Democratic district. Jackson also survived a Democratic primary challenge this summer from former Rep. Debbie Halvorson. President Barack Obama and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) each endorsed Jackson in the primary.

Amid his battles against mental illness, Jackson has also been embroiled in ethics allegations, which prompted the congressman to reportedly hire an attorney in recent weeks.

In particular, Jackson's efforts to convince then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to appoint him as Barack Obama's successor in the Senate have drawn scrutiny. Blagojevich, a Democrat, was subsequently convicted of having sought favors and donations in exchange for the appointment.

UPDATED 1:30 pm ET: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced from Cairo a cease-fire fire between Israel and Hamas in a deal brokered by Egypt.

Clinton described the crisis as "a critical moment for the region." 

The agreement  is effective at 2:00 pm ET Wednesday, according to the AP.

President Obama also played a key role. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the cease-fire after Obama urged it, Israeli ambassador the U.S. Michael Oren said on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports. 

NBC’s Jim Maceda reports the agreement has two phases – (1) in the short term, a truce to stop the violence in Gaza, and (2) in the long term, to continue negotiations on the thorny issues that have been the underpinnings of tensions.

Israel wants something done about arms smuggling into Gaza and Sinai; Hamas wants a lifting of the six-year blockade. There was no agreement on those issues. The discussions will continue and be monitored by the Egyptians with Clinton also involved.

But NBC's Andy Eckardt reports that in the peace agreement, Israel will guarantee not to assassinate any leaders of Hamas or any other organization, according to Palestinian intelligence sources. Israel and Hamas will also commit to abide to restoring calm on both sides. And, after a few months, Israel will consider to ease the movement for Palestinians.

NBC’s Ali Weinberg reports from the White House that the president spoke to Netanyahu and Egyptian President Morsi.

To Netanyahu, Obama “reiterated his commitment to Israel's security,” according to a readout of their conversation. “The President made clear that no country can be expected to tolerate rocket attacks against civilians."

The readout adds that the president requested Netanyahu work with Egypt and to agree to this cease-fire.

Obama also noted, however, “that Israel maintains the right to defend itself.” And that the U.S. “would use the opportunity offered by a cease-fire to intensify efforts to help Israel address its security needs, especially the issue of the smuggling of weapons and explosives into Gaza.”

That was echoed by Oren on Andrea Mitchell Reports, when he said that Israel "reserves the right to defend itself if Hamas resumes to fire on our citizens."

Obama thanked Morsi for his work and leadership on the cease-fire. The readout also notes that Obama and Morsi "agreed on the importance of working toward a more durable solution."

There were questions as to how Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, would handle the situation. Many saw this as a critical first test for the new leader. It appears that despite his sympathies with the Palestinian people, he may be willing to play something of the traditional Egyptian role of trying to maintain peace.

President Obama "welcomed President Morsi's commitment to regional security," according to the White House readout.

NBC’s Andrew Gross reports from the State Department that Secretary Clinton spent 30 minutes with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah today, according to Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner. But Abbas has been largely sidelined in these negotiations with Hamas in control.

Toner said the U.S. still considers Abbas to be "relevant" and that "we will continue to work with him."

Toner added that the onus for the violence falls squarely on Hamas and their rocket attacks and that the firing must stop for there to be peace.

The White House was optimistic there would be at least a cease-fire with someone at the level of Clinton heading to the region.

The fighting has killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis, according to an AP tally.

It's a quiet day on the politics front so far before Thanksgiving tomorrow.

President Obama will be back at the White House today after his trip to Asia. And his first act will be to pardon one of two turkeys. It's become a presidential tradition, but there's been some confusion about its history.

Bill Clinton started the confusion 15 years ago when he declared that Harry Truman was the first president to pardon a turkey. But that's not true. In fact, he was presented a turkey, but most believe he ate it. 

The first to actually pardon a Thanksgiving turkey was John F. Kennedy in 1963. The first to formalize turkey pardoning as a tradition at the White House was George H.W. Bush in 1989. 

Abraham Lincoln was the first to pardon a turkey. BUT it was a Christmas turkey. It was destined for the Christmas dinner table, but the tale goes that his son took a liking to the bird and Lincoln gave it a reprieve.

And an important note about these pardoned birds. They're bred to be eaten, and they only live an average of two years after the leave the White House.

In other news, unbelievably there are some 2016 rumblings. In Iowa, there's an intra-G-O-P fight. The governor said he thinks the Ames straw poll has run its course. But that annoyed the Iowa GOP chairman, who said the governor is wrong and that it's a party and candidate decision. This is a big fundraiser for the party, which is why the party wants to keep it. Gov. Terry Branstad is worried about keeping Iowa's caucuses relevant.

Jeb Bush Jr. said yesterday he doesn't know if his father will run for president in 20-16, but he hopes he does. And Jeb Bush swatted back at Florida Senator Marco Rubio for his answer about the age of the Earth. Rubio said there was a "dispute" with "theologians" about the age of the Earth. Bush wasn't buying it, calling it a "head-scratching type of answer." And that the GOP has "got to be kind of a pro-science and pro-technology party."

Updated 1:42 p.m. — A major staple of the Republican presidential nominating process -- the straw poll of Republicans at the Iowa State University in Ames -- could go by the wayside if Iowa's GOP governor gets his way.

Gov. Terry Branstad, who's currently serving his fifth term as governor of the Hawkeye State, told the Wall Street Journal that the straw poll was no longer relevant.

© Brian Frank / Reuters / REUTERS

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad speaks as U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack looks on during a news conference at the Iowa State Capitol March 28, 2012.

"I think the straw poll has outlived its usefulness,"Branstad told the paper. "It has been a great fundraiser for the party but I think its days are over."

The governor's comments earned a rebuke from the chairman of the state Republican party.

"I believe the Iowa Straw Poll is possibly the best way for a presidential campaign to organize (put in place county and precinct leaders & activate them) for Iowa’s First in the Nation Caucus," said A.J. Spiker, the party chairman. "I think it is detrimental for any campaign to skip the opportunity presented in Ames and I disagree with Governor Branstad about ending our Iowa Straw Poll."

Ronda Churchill / AP

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, left, Indiana Gov.-Elect Mike Pence, center, and Republican Governors Association Chairman and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell participate in the RGA Annual Conference on Nov. 15, 2012, in Las Vegas.

The straw poll has more often offered a glimpse of candidates' organizational strength in Iowa, which traditionally hosts the first nominating contest in a presidential contest, than a good predictor of the nominee. Candidates often spend thousands (if not more) on courting votes in the straw poll, hosting elaborate barbecues and musical acts in hopes of emerging from the event with a burst of strength.

But the winner hasn't always gone onto the nomination. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann won the straw poll this summer, earning a boomlet for her longshot bid for the nomination that fizzled weeks thereafter. Mitt Romney, the eventual Republican presidential nominee, didn't participate in the straw poll (though he stopped at the state fair during the same weekend); he lost the Iowa caucuses to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum by just a few votes, despite not having campaigned in the state.

"You saw what happened the last time," Branstad told the Journal. "I don’t think candidates will spend the time or money to participate in a straw poll if they don’t see any real benefit coming out of it."

The event was consequential -- in a negative way -- for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who had been thought to be a major contender versus Romney for the GOP nomination. But after Pawlenty's campaign bet almost all of its chips on the Ames event, he ended his bid for the presidency.

Still, the event is a major fundraiser for the Iowa GOP, and future candidates looking to add some momentum to their own campaigns might elect to participate anyway in the straw poll, a bit of presidential pageantry dating back to the 1980 election.

Republicans' soul searching following the 2012 election could shortchange social conservatives, who say they're hardly to blame for the party's difficulties at the polls.

The snapshot analysis as for why Republican nominee Mitt Romney and a slew of downballot GOP candidates fell short on Nov. 6 has centered on changing demographics — an increasingly diverse electorate, but also softening views toward hot-button social issues.

Republicans have always likened their party to a three-legged stool, one leg representing economic conservatives, one representing national security conservatives, and one representing social conservatives — all acting in concert to support the party. And social conservatives are arguing that opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights, among other issues, are as intrinsic to the Republican Party’s identity as ever.

In their reading of the election, Mitt Romney’s strict focus on economic issues and a refusal to engage President Barack Obama on social issues helped fuel his loss to the Democratic incumbent.

“If you have a party that says not to talk about social issues, it’s going to be awfully hard to convince an electorate of why we should celebrate life,” said Bob Vander Plaats, the evangelical leader in Iowa who played an influential role in that state’s caucuses earlier this year.

To hear some conservative leaders tell their story, Romney erred in refusing to engage social issues forcefully enough. When the president endorsed same-sex marriage, Romney largely demurred; the GOP nominee largely left bread-and-butter social issues out of his stump speech, focusing almost exclusively on the economy — the top issue for voters.

"I think, clearly, the Republican Party didn’t win on the issue on which it invested a billion dollars," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony list, a women's anti-abortion group.

She argued, too, that it's difficult to blame the GOP's social conservatism for four losses among House Republicans who support abortion rights: Reps. Mary Bono Mack of California, Nan Hayworth of New York, Judy Biggert of Illinois, and Charlie Bass of New Hampshire. "My point is that everyone lost. Republican candidates didn’t lose because of their pro-life positions," she said.

But at the same time, Obama's campaign and Democrats pounded away at Romney's pledge to do away with federal support for Planned Parenthood. And Republicans gave their opponents additional fodder when they tried to counter an Obama administration regulation requiring religious employers to offer coverage for contraception with a more sweeping proposal allowing most employers to refuse covering any form of birth control. Compounding matters were the controversial comments made about rape by Republican senatorial candidates Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana.

Whitney Curtis / Getty Images

Senate candidate, Rep. Todd Akin , son, Wynn Akin, and his wife, Lulli Akin wait in line to vote Nov. 6, 2012 in Wildwood, Mo.

"We have to get out of people's lives, get out of people's bedrooms, and we have to be a national party or else we are going to lose," outgoing Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio, said on CNN following the election.

Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, speaking Nov. 7 on MSNBC, called Akin and Mourdock’s shortcomings “very disappointing,” saying,  “I think that everybody knows that some of the comments that were made were wrong, and it cost us at the polls."

Moreover, national exit polls found that voters in 2012 favored allowing for abortion to be legal, 59 percent to 36 percent. Obama won supporters of abortion rights by 36 points and Romney won opponents of abortion right by 56 points.

Americans also narrowly favored same-sex marriage, 49 percent to 46 percent. Obama won proponents of gay and lesbian marriages by 48 points, and Romney won opponents of it by 49 points. If nothing else, those figures would seem to mark a sea change from the 2004 election, when 13 states overwhelmingly voted to ban same-sex marriage — a topic  which President George W. Bush used to motivate his supporters that cycle.

But to social conservatives, the challenge going forward is not a question of moderating; they argue that to rip out their leg from under the GOP would be to cripple the party politically. Rather, they argue the question is whether the party is able to find a more articulate messenger of social concerns.

Dannenfelser argued that Texas Sen.-elect Ted Cruz and Indiana Governor-elect Mike Pence (an outgoing congressman) are primed to lead social conservatives.

She and Vander Plaats, who could play an out-sized role in the still-very-distant 2016 Iowa caucuses, both also mentioned Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as a leading voice on those issues.

Steve Pope / Getty Images

Sen. Marco Rubio speaks on Nov. 17 in Altoona, Iowa.

To that end, in an interview with GQ magazine published Monday, Rubio argued that it was "unfair" to expect Republicans to stop voicing their opinions on social issues.

"There are a very significant number of Americans that feel very strongly about the issue of life, about the issue of marriage and are we saying that they should be silenced or not allowed to speak or voice their opinion?" he told the magazine. "There's a way to do that that is respectful and productive. There are things we'll always disagree on, but it doesn't mean we go to war over them or divide our country over them."

"I think Gov. Bobby Jindal is going to be a very compelling candidate in 2016, and he has some of that same conservative demeanor," Vander Plaats added of the Louisiana governor.

The Iowa conservative also said he thought that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whom Vander Plaats supported in 2008 but declined to run in 2012, might consider running again in 2016.

UPDATED Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012 at 11:45 am ET: President Obama ranks ninth among candidates for president in electoral-vote averages since 1896, according to a First Read analysis. 

Mitt Romney's 203 EVs puts him 22nd of the 44 candidates who have gotten at least one electoral vote in that 116-year history.

First Read averaged the electoral-vote score of each of the runs for president for each candidate (who got at least one electoral vote).

Ronald Reagan takes the top spot with his average EV score of 507, followed by Lyndon B. Johnson's 486 in 1964 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is third with his average of 469 across four successful presidential runs. Dwight Eisenhower follows with an average 449.5 across his two campaigns in the 1950s.

Bill Clinton, who comes in at No. 7, edges Obama 374.5 to 348.5. 

George W. Bush is 15th with his 278.5, two spots behind his father's average of 297.

Al Gore's 266 lands him at 16; John Kerry's 251 puts him at 19.

John McCain's 173 EVs in 2008 put him at No. 24, tied with Jimmy Carter's average between 1976 and 1980.

Note: Prior to the 1908 election, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Washington, DC, did not yet count. Oklahoma was first counted in in 1908. In 1912, Arizona and New Mexico were added. Hawaii and Alaska began being counted in 1960. DC came into play for the first time in 1964. In addition, California began getting at least 40 electoral votes in 1964. In the early part of the 1900s, up until the 1930s, California was below 20 EVs. States like New York have been on a steady decline in electoral votes, while states like Florida and Texas have seen a steady increase.

Presidential candidates, ranked by average Electoral College votes

1. Reagan 507
2. LBJ 486
3. FDR 469
4. Eisenhower 449.5
5. Harding 404
6. Coolidge 382
7. Clinton 374.5
8. Wilson 356
9. Obama 348.5
10. Nixon 346.7
11. Truman 303
11. Kennedy 303
13. H.W. Bush 297
14. McKinley 281.5
15. W. Bush 278.5
16. Gore 266
17. Hughes 254
18. Hoover 251.5
19. Kerry 251
20. Ford 240
21. T. Roosevelt 212
22. Romney 203
23. Humphrey 191
24. McCain 173
24. Carter 173
26. Taft 164.5
27. Bryan 164.3
28. Dole 159
29. Dewey 144
30. Parker 140
31. Davis 136
32. Cox 127
33. Dukakis 111
34. Smith 87
35. Wilkie 82
36. Stevenson 81
37. Goldwater 52
38. Wallace 46
39. Thurmond 39
40. McGovern 17
41. Byrd 15
42. Mondale 13
43. LaFollette 13
44. Landon 8

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly noted Harry Truman's Electoral College score. It should be 303 and is corrected above.

YAKOTA AFB, Japan — President Barack Obama spoke with Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi for the third time in a 24-hour period while flying back from a trip to southeast Asia aboard Air Force One.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the call was to continue the discussions both presidents have had about Egypt's ability to help end the rocket-fire in Gaza. 

"He also underscored that President Morsi's efforts reinforce the important role that President Morsi and Egypt play on behalf of regional security and the pursuit of broader peace between the Palestinians and Israelis," Rhodes said of the call, which occurred en route a refueling stop in Japan following Obama's three-day trip overseas.

Recommended: Vote in 'urban areas' up, but doesn't fully explain election outcome

This call comes as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes her way to the region to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Palestinian and Egyptian leaders. It is unclear about whether she will sit down with Morsi while in the Middle East.

Rhodes said the president has made clear that the primary objective at this moment is the deescalation of violence, and commended Morsi for sharing that goal.

"Without an end to rocket fire into Israel from Gaza, Israel can't be assured of the security of its people," Rhodes said.

The president believes the "preferred outcome" of all of the leaders involved is an end to the loss of life in the region.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., did little to tamp down speculation that he's under consideration to become the next CIA director, saying he could neither confirm nor deny conversations with the Obama administration about the vacant position. 

Speaking Tuesday on WJR radio in Detroit, Rogers, a former FBI agent who's helmed the intelligence panel for the past two years, acknowledged that his name has been among those in public discussion to replace David Petraeus as leader of the CIA. But he said he hd "every expectation" he would continue to serve as Intelligence Committee chairman.

A New York Times report following Petraeus's resignation in an adultery scandal named Rogers — along with deputy CIA Director Michael Morrell, Obama counterterrorism adviser John O. Brennan and former National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter — as potential picks to helm the CIA.

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Obama has shown a willingness during his first term to name Republicans to top security roles. For instance, he continued to involve Petraeus — a GOP favorite whose tenure begun under President George W. Bush — in security efforts, and kept Robert Gates as his defense secretary until mid-2011. 

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of relevant portions of Rogers's conversation Tuesday with WJR host Paul W. Smith:

Paul W. Smith: If you don't want the job, you can say so here and now, but it seems like you'd be a perfect fit for that kind of position, with your background.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R): Certainly, that name has been bandied about. They're going through a process now for that position. I have every expectation I will be the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which is a great job, it's where I want to be, and it's the kind of worth that I think is important for the country. 

[…]

Smith: Have you had any conversation that you can share with us, without getting into the details, regarding the position of director of the CIA with people who could be involved in that kind of decision-making process?

Rogers: I would not be able to confirm nor deny any discussions on the process they may be going through on the CIA director. I can tell you I have every expectation that I will be the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee in January.

[…]

Smith: Anything else, Mr. Director — I mean, congressman — that we need to talk about?

Rogers (laughing): It's going to be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, a role that I'm honored and proud to serve in. And there's just a ton of work we're going to have to do in the next year. 

Smith: That doesn't mean you wouldn't accept the position, should it be offered.

Rogers: A) I doubt that's likely to happen, and B) I think it's important to have somebody that can walk in the office and sit down and have a level of trust.

UPDATED Noon ET: Paul Ryan’s claimed that the “urban areas” were a principal reason for President Obama’s win. And while turnout increased in many population centers in swing states Obama won, they don't fully explain Obama's sweeping win.

“The surprise was some of the turnout, some of the turnout especially in urban areas, which gave President Obama the big margin to win this race,” Ryan claimed last week. “When we watched Virginia and Ohio coming in, and those ones coming in as tight as they were, and looking like we were going to lose them, that’s when it became clear we weren't going to win.”

With provisional ballots counted in the last few days, the president did increase his vote total in many "urban areas" in swing states he won. On Election Night, as votes were coming in, it wasn't the case that the president was running up the score.

The president's margins weren't atypical for Democrats. They run up margins in population centers, and President Obama is no different. And certainly Obama's margins in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is, and Northern Virginia, put the president over the edge. But they weren't unusual or particularly high.

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So far, in Ohio and Pennsylvania, in fact, his vote totals are off from 2008, though ballots are still being counted and election results will change as more votes are counted. In 2008, more than nine million votes were counted after Election Day.

The one place where Obama did increase his totals significantly in population centers was Florida. There, he gained 56,000 more votes than 2008 in three counties – Miami-Dade, Hillsborough (Tampa), and Orange (Orlando). That’s 76% of his winning margin in the state.

In other swing states Obama won -- like Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nevada -- Obama increased his vote totals, but not enough to significantly impact the overall vote margins in those states.

The “urban areas" vote

FLORIDA: +56,000 (Obama’s FL margin was +74,000)
Miami-Dade: +42,000
Hillsborough (Tampa): +13,500
Orange (Orlando): +700

VIRGINIA: +12,000 (Obama’s VA margin +149,000)
NoVA (Alexandria +3,000, Arlington +2,000, Fairfax +5,000, Fairfax City +100, Falls Church +400): +9,500
Richmond: +2,000 

WISCONSIN: +11,000 (Obama’s WI margin was 205,000)
Milwaukee: +800
Dane (Madison): +10,000

IOWA: +7,500 (Obama’s IA margin was 92,000)
Polk (Des Moines): +7,500

COLORADO: +6,000 (Obama’s CO margin +123,000)
Denver: +5,000
Boulder: +1,000

NEVADA: +5,000 (Obama’s NV margin was 68,000)
Clark (Las Vegas): +9,000
Washoe (Reno): -4,000

OHIO: -60,000 (Obama’s OH margin +106,000)
Cuyahoga (Cleveland): -37,000
Franklin (Columbus): -9,000
Lucas (Toledo): -14,000 

PENNSYLVANIA: -61,000 (Obama’s PA margin +284,000)
Philadelphia: -37,000
Allegheny (Pittsburgh): -24,000