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- Yesterday, David Weigel noted that compared to four years ago, no one has so much as launched a presidential exploratory committee, but as of today Herman Cain has thrown his hat in the ring. Who's Herman Cain? Read Weigel's follow-up for that. Jonathan Bernstein explores the reasons why there's such a slow start for the 2012 race, but it seems pretty clear that there is no advantage in jumping in now. Long shots, like Cain, need to establish name recognition, I suppose.
- For what it's worth, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has said raising the debt ceiling "will be done," which I think is a pretty clear indication that any Republican bluster on this issue is, well, bluster. Moreover, having a debt ceiling is extraordinarily bad policy. As Felix Salmon says, "The existence of the debt ceiling can cause lots of harm, while it does no good whatsoever." Unless giving members of Congress another issue to act "principled" on is good.
- According to Sen. James Webb, Obama erred in letting Congress draft health-care reform, because the debate generated a lot of misinformation: "People got scared. People got mad. .... Both sides made bad mistakes." However, it's not clear to me that Obama could have prevented Republican counter-narratives and misinformation.
- Remainders: Apparently Mitch Daniels is insufficiently committed to social conservatism to warrant a CPAC speaking slot dedicated to St. Reagan; more evidence of the worthlessness of cable news; and what's the matter with South Carolina?
--Mori Dinauer
