SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

FRANCE – The attack today was the worst terror attack in France since the Algerian war of the 1960s.  The question being asked by Americans is whether such an attack is imminent here.  It's inevitable that our enemies are planning one or more.  A second question is whether this attack, no matter how ugly it was, will actually move the elites of the European Union to change their "sophisticated" views and admit that Europe has a serious problem with radical Islam.  Don't hold your breath. 

THE OBAMANS SPEAK – Both President Obama and Secretary Kerry condemned the Paris attack, but in language that was strangely distant.  It took hours for the administration to inject the word "terror" into its language.  Obama's attitudes have made it harder to fight terror around the world since allies look for American leadership, which has been unenthusiastic.

OPEN IT UP – From Fox:  "Congressional lawmakers on Wednesday ramped up efforts to get President Obama to release 28 top-secret pages from a 9/11 report that allegedly detail Saudi Arabia's involvement in the terror attacks.  Lawmakers and advocacy groups have pushed for the declassification for years. The effort already had bipartisan House support but now has the backing of retired Florida Democratic Sen. Bob Graham, a former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman whom supporters hope will help garner enough congressional backing to pressure Obama into releasing the confidential information."  It's about time.  But the Saudi lobby, which has much power in Washington and in the oil industry, may still be able to prevent a release.

A SIGNAL – From The Hill:  "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is staffing up for a potential 2016 White House bid, hiring a potential campaign manager and reportedly planning to launch a new political organization.  Walker has hired former Republican National Committee political director Rick Wiley to pull together a political operation, CNN reported Wednesday afternoon.  Wiley, a national political strategist, has left his position at the consulting firm Mercury LLC, a source confirmed with The Hill. He worked there since March 2013, along with Michael DuHaime, chief political strategist for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), a likely presidential rival to Walker should both enter the race."  Game on.

January 7, 2015