Paul Krugman: Unions are crucial to progressivism, and have, over the past few decades, been utterly decimated. The Democratic candidate will both require their support through the election and need to work on leveling the playing field for union organizing after the election. So it's worrisome that Barack Obama is criticizing some union-funded 527s running ads on Edwards' behalf. This seems wrong to me. The Democratic candidate will need to be a practiced hand at turning the expenditures of shadowy 527s against the candidates they're actually connected to. That Obama is doing this against a union-funded 527 that's running ads against him is perfectly natural, and doesn't necessarily imply anything about his support for unions in office or willingness to accept their help if he wins the nomination. Kate Colquhoun: The British had plum pudding and, over the years, totally screwed it up. Americans got pumpkin pie and, over the years, kept it delicious. So: Rock on, America. Slajov Zizek: The problems with Beethoven's Ode to Joy are much like the problems with the European Union. In particular, the Turks aren't included. Roger Cohen: Cohen thinks the interesting part of this minor financial scandal involving some Italian guy is its tenuous connection to Bill Clinton. Cohen, however, is wrong. It's the Anne Hathaway involvement that makes it exciting.
