Alright, before we start the show, a quick plug. The NPR shop features gift items for the public

radio fans and your list, t-shirts, totes, hats, mugs, and more are available at shop.npr.org.

And if you need to stock up on podcasts for your holiday travel, NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour

teamed up with Lauren Ober from The Big Listen, the broadcast about podcasts. To tell you about some

of the best episodes of 2016, they've got highlights from shows both big and small,

and the scoop on some of the best newcomers of the year. Find our great big 2016 crossover

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Alright, here's the show.

Hey up, it's the NPR Politics Podcast here with our weekly roundup of political news.

We also have some special stuff in store today. We're going to reflect on some of the lighter

political moments this year. Also, someone in this booth was up late last night making KSO.

There are actually three small crockpots of it here in the studio. Not that small. Stay tuned.

I'm Sam Sanders reporter. I'm Tia Brinky, that cover the White House. I'm Scott Tetrroy

Cover Congress and the Lawsons that Scott Horsley just gave me is blowing my mind. It's really

good. Menthally, it's great. I'm Scott Horsley, Lawsons pusher. And you also cover the White House.

In my spare time. Alright, so we're going to set all this Arkansas, Texas, KSO debate.

It's been bubble. I didn't write this line, but it's been bubbling here on the podcast for a couple of weeks.

Pun, pun. But first, the news and to remind you guys, we cannot speak about everything going on

these days. There's just too much stuff going on. But keep up with just about everything by keeping

up with more of NPR's coverage on air and at npr.org. Let's begin with an update on the story that's

been dominating the news this week that terror attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany.

12 people were killed there on Monday. NPR's Sarasar Haudenosa reported today from Berlin that

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