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- This Washington Post piece on the none-too-dynamic duo of Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner that Tim alluded to earlier doesn't instill me with much confidence in the administration's approach toward repairing the financial sector. Indeed, as the U.S. prepares to throw another $30 billion AIG's way, it's becoming increasingly clear that this approach is fundamentally flawed.
- Kathleen Sebelius was nominated by the Obama administration to head up Health and Human Services while Nancy Ann DeParle was chosen to for director of the Office of Health Reform. Ezra has more.
- It's become clear in the wake of CPAC that the future of the conservative movement and hence the Republican party is going to end up in the hands of Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich or Michael Steele. Limbaugh favors a policy-free approach, while Gingrich wants the GOP to be an ideas factory, and Steele is trying to play the role of serious party head instead of ugly radio entertainer. Then there's the reformist wing who could do worse than follow the lead of Jon Huntsman. It's not clear how this is all going to play out, but clearly the loudest faction is Limbaugh's root-for-failure caucus, whose ranks include the usual Limbaugh wannabes and former high ranking Republicans from the House and Senate. Meanwhile, I suppose it shouldn't surprise us that these "grassroots" anti-spending "tea parties" are merely an outgrowth of the conservative movement or that the false populism of Rick Santelli was merely part of a larger astroturf campaign funded by the Koch family.
- For some reason, The Washington Post can't seem to bring itself to treat journalism with any degree of professionalism, with the paper's ombudsman obscuring the entire issue of George Will versus his detractors, apparently oblivious of the fact that this has nothing to do with Will, but everything to do with a respected newspaper choosing to indulge its star conservative columnist instead of reporting fact-based information. Is there a George Will constituency out there I'm unaware of that holds disproportionate sway over the future of the paper?
- Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, last seen threatening to sue the GOP over next year's primary race, has decided instead to play a game of chicken with the Republican party, threatening to resign his seat before the election if his fundraising ability is muted by the RNC, allowing the state's Democratic governor to appoint a replacement.
- In his Saturday radio address, Barack Obama issued some tough rhetoric over his promise to fundamentally change budget priorities in Washington, declaring that "I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this: So am I." Of course, talk is cheap. But Obama has consistently followed up his campaign promises -- both good and bad -- with action, so it is worth taking statements like these seriously.
- Weekend remainders: Ben Smith on the birther conspiracy theorists; Mitt Romney wins a plurality in the CPAC straw poll with a wide open field of candidates; NewScientist releases a funny (if methodologically dubious) poll correlating political beliefs and porn consumption; CQ Politics ought to reconsider their wisdom of employing right-wing think tank hacks to write columns analogizing Bobby Jindal to Bill Clinton; Ron Paul will not run for president in 2012 because of the rate at which the country is "deteriorating financially"; and the Obama Justice Department defies a wiretapping court challenge.
--Mori Dinauer
