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- The reflexive conservative explanation for the "unraveling" Obama presidency is that the public is recoiling in horror at the administration's "radical" policies. This is, of course, not true, because the state of the economy is still overwhelmingly voters' top concern, and the economy is lousy. But I wish conservatives would stop pretending that the public is on their -- or worse -- the GOP's side.
- Fourteen paragraphs in, this New York Times piece stops talking about Obama's strategy of accusing Republicans of blocking popular legislation and observes that "the president’s offensive, however, comes as Congressional Republicans are emboldened. A fragile economy and stubbornly high unemployment have helped to drag down support in the polls for the president and Congressional Democrats, threatening their party’s control of Congress this November." Context!
- Back in 2006, conservative activists attempted a primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Lincoln Chafee in the form of right-wing Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey. The Republican establishment successfully prevented this outcome, making the strategic choice that Chafee would be the stronger candidate in the general election. Chafee did eventually lose, but the reason I'm bringing up this history is to point out that something very similar seems to be happening in Delaware, and this time the establishment seems powerless to prevent it.
- Remainders: Six questions for Bruce Bartlett; Charlie Cook breaks down the particulars of maintaining a Democratic majority in the House; John Boehner fantasizes about a Republican majority in Congress; and there are more important things than pointing out Megan McArdle's mendacity, but it really is quite stunning that The Atlantic tolerates it.
--Mori Dinauer
