No news...

...is better than FOX News. Literally...

From the "Ain't it the truth" file.

E.J. Dionne, Jr., on Libya specifically, but certainly applicable more generally...

Obama Can’t Win for Winning

Found on the net…

Mark Twain…

"If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed."

Still true, formats notwithstanding.

An answer, perhaps…

…to one of the questions that occurred below…


Hat tip to Anne Laurie.

A reminder…

…from Jonathan Bernstein.

Remember, almost all of what we're seeing is either bargaining, spin, or some other form of posturing or misinformation. That's not bad -- but it is what it is, and there's no point in pretending that it's anything else.

If you think you know what's going to happen based on what they're - no matter who "they" are - saying, you should probably keep a good recipe for crow pie handy.

Regarding Rep. Bachmann…

…it's not the headaches she has, it's the headaches she'd cause that bother me.

They don't bother me much, though, because Michele Bachmann will never, ever be President of the United States, though the Republicans might nominate anything these days.

From the "Math is hard" file.

While Dave Reichert gathers bouquets for his bold break with his caucus over the twisted light bulb issue, when you do the math the valor of the deed seems somewhat diminished.

With the measure falling over 50 votes short of passage, it didn't much matter what he did, and his sponsors understand that once in awhile Dave's gotta take one of those votes to keep the tree huggers at bay.

Dave Reichert - The man to count on when it doesn't count.

Seems to me…

…that you can get "several Republican and Democratic sources" to say just about anything, especially off the record.

Just sayin'...

From the "Me too" file.

I don't know anything about who Casey Anderson is or what she did or didn't do, and I don't know any good reason that I should. Life without cable can be very rewarding. As a matter of principle, though, I agree with Miami attorney Brian Tannebaum...

To all those asking what I think of the verdict? I think a jury of 12 people agreed the state didn't prove the case, and when 12 people can read instructions and evaluate evidence and come to a unanimous decision, I am happy that the Constitution is still a part of our system, no matter how many politicians and self hating lawyers try to tear it down.

Me too.

Dear Mike Allen...

If your lede begins with "President Bill Clinton says…," you're writing the wrong story.

Love,

Upper Left

And Bill, how can we miss you if you won't go away?

Yep.

Joe Sudbay...

If Halperin thinks Obama was a dick, Obama must be doing something right.

I wonder, wonder, wonder, wonder...

...why anybody's still covering Newt Gingrich.

And who the heck did write the Book Of Love? Which is, in the grand scheme, a lot more important.

From the "Since you asked…" file.

Patrick Caldwell wonders…

...can we all agree it is finally time to stop covering Trump?

Since you asked, yes.

If you'd asked a week ago, or a month ago, or, in fact, anytime at all, the anwer would still have been yes.

From the "Since you asked" file.

Regarding the White House Correspondents Dinner, Balloon Juice reports that Newsbusters wonders...

Isn’t it nice to know that folks who will be covering the upcoming presidential race have no qualms about publicly expressing their displeasure for one of the possible candidates?

Since you asked, yes, it is.

There are, in fact, a few more I wish they'd weigh in on.

Good question…

…or two from David Weigel…

In the seven years and four months of George W. Bush’s presidency after 9/11, how many times did reporters ask “9/11 Truth” questions in White House briefings? How many times did they ask it of the president himself?

Good question..

...from Heather at Crooks And Liars...

Why Can't MSNBC Have a Debate on Race or Immigration Without Including Their Favorite Racist, Uncle Pat Buchanan?

I don't know why anybody talks to the bigoted bully about anything at all. His feelings are well known, widely published and generally ignored.

MSNBC, we're tired of your racist friend.

Wouldn't be Chart of the day week...

...without lifting something from Ezra...




Wanna play 'Find the FOX viewer'?

From the "Me too" file.

Steve Benen...

Four federal district courts have heard challenges testing the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Two judges concluded the law is legally permissible, two came to the opposite conclusion.

But it occurs to me the public has heard quite a bit more about the latter than the former.

Me too.

Map of the day.

The problem isn't that I think it's real, because I'm not sure. The problem is that I'm not sure...

While this thing's still on…

…I suppose I should say something about the impending State Of The Union speech, but I've seen dozens of these things and stopped taking them very seriously years ago. I'm sure whatever Obama has to say will be said well and neither satisfy my fondest hopes nor propose my worst fears. Besides, the way the media narrative shapes up over the next couple of days will have more impact in the near term than anything the President actually says.

Me, I'll miss it. Left my pocket radio at work yesterday, and when the speech starts I'll be in transit from here to there for my weekly act of sedition via public performance of folk music. Might slip Steve Earle's "Rich Man's War" into a set tonight. That usually separates the reds from the blues for a minute until somebody asks "Where'd that come from?" and I tell 'em "Steve Earle. From Texas. Made an album with Del McCoury." and everybody nods and relaxes.

I may or may not be able to check in when I get home, but I'll be back...