Independent Nation gives you the day’s 5 essential reads for independents and centrists:
1. “Lee Atwater’s Infamous 1981 Interview on the Southern Strategy,” in The Nation.Before there was Mitt Romney’s 47 percent rant, there was Lee Atwater.
2. “Romney Earned Zero Votes in Some Urban Precincts,” at CBS News.In the heart of the city,there ain’t no love for Mitt.
3. “Dick Morris Admits That He is a Partisan Hack,” at The Huffington Post.This is what happens when you let your gut do arithmetic for you.
4. “Post-Pew Poll: Fiscal Cliff Negotiations Predicted to Fail,” at The Washington Post.53 percent of Americans say they are likely to blame Republicans if a fiscal-cliff deal falls through.
5. “Will Obama Agree to Entitlement Cuts? He Already Has,” at The New York Times.It wouldn’t be the first time Obama OK’ed cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Send stories for the Independent Rundown to matt.deluca@newsweekdailybeast.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DeLucaMattS.