First Word: Murray on going off the curb

Tonight, msnbc’s Lawrence O’Donnell will be talking to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, also known as “Sen. Thelma” to us, about the fiscal cliff budget negotiations. Here’s a look at more headlines shaping tonight’s rundown:

Recommended

Maddowblog

U.S. budget deficit soars over the summer, discrediting Trump’s claims

Steve Benen

Latest

Lawrence O’Donnell says GOP megabill is part of Trump’s wider ‘campaign of cruelty’

Allison Detzel

• House Republican Tom Cole urges GOP to take Obama deal

• Peter King says wife would ‘knock’ Grover Norquist’s head off

• Washington Post/ABC poll: 60% want tax rates to go up on the rich

• GOP cooks up new excuse to oppose Susan Rice

• Mitt Romney, Obama to meet for lunch at White House

• Supreme Court rejects plea to ban taping of police in Illinois

• John McCain and Hillary Clinton’s bipartisan bond