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- After a week of setbacks (Tom Daschle withdrawing, the Senate centrist hostage situation), a campaign-vintage Barack Obama gave mostly extemporaneous remarks and a direct challenge to Republican churlishness at the annual House Democrats retreat in Williamsburg, VA (video here). What remains to be seen is whether the fired up president on display for a receptive audience last night will emerge when he hits the road to build public support for the economic stimulus package that will define the early days of his presidency.
- Today the president announced the creation of an Economic Recovery Advisory Board while the Senate continued to play imaginary give-and-take with so-called "centrists" who are crafting nearly $100 billion in arbitrary cuts from the stimulus bill. The good news is that Harry Reid has requested a trimming of the $275 billion in tax cuts from Olympia Snowe, and Claire McCaskill has succeeded in inserting executive salary caps into the stimulus bill for firms receiving federal bailout money.
- As Tim points out, public support for the stimulus might be tainted but remains relatively high, which is remarkable given the steady stream of unchallenged conservative misinformation that continues to pollute cable news. And it isn't just the guests. Read Paul Krugman's column today and then watch him try to grapple with the breathtaking ignorance, inanity and inability to comprehend reality displayed by the hosts of Morning Joe. It's nothing less than a national embarrassment in a time of crisis. If this is what passes for public affairs commentary on cable TV then perhaps we really are doomed.
- While it's true that Steve Pearlstein's op-ed in the Post makes good points about the economic fantasy world conservatives continue to inhabit, I'm afraid the problem isn't merely ignorance, but closer to this unconvincing exegesis by Ross Douthat who, as Jon Chait points out, is making the a priori assumption that liberals wish to expand government as an end unto itself. And if that's your belief, then of course you're going to want to derail any government spending under the leadership of Democrats.
- Although it appears TN Gov. Phil Bredesen is the likeliest candidate for HHS secretary, the temptation to return to the glory days of presidential transition cabinet speculation is irresistible.
- Remainders: Andy Card still doesn't get it, the cult of Reagan continues to blind conservatives, there's more on Anthony Zinni's undiplomatic ouster, most Americans unsurprisingly find Rush Limbaugh to be repulsive, the Steele-led RNC decides to scrap plans for a "Center for Republican Renewal" think tank, and Greg Sargent takes us through the etymological history of the term "The Villagers."
- And Finally, the 44th president, cut, edited, but definitely uncensored.
--Mori Dinauer
