The Commentariat -- July 23

I've posted an Open Thread on Off Times Square. ...

... President Obama's regularly weekly address:

... An angry President Obama holds a press briefing on the demise of the deficit reduction talks:

     The transcript is here.

... New York Times Editors: "At the White House podium..., the president radiated a righteous fury he rarely displays in public, finally placing the blame for this wholly unnecessary crisis squarely where it belongs: on Republicans who will do anything to upend his presidency and dismantle every social program they can find. 'Can they say yes to anything?' he asked, noting the paradox of Republicans, who claim that financial responsibility and debt reduction are their biggest priorities, rejecting yet another deal that would have cut that debt by at least $3 trillion." ...

At some point, I think, if you want to be a leader, then you've got to lead. -- Barack Obama, obviously referring to John Boehner ...

... Andrew Leonard of Salon: "After Obama finished speaking, Boehner addressed the nation and repeated the boilerplate from his letter: 'The White House won't get serious. We will.' But to anyone who has followed the ins and outs of the last few weeks of negotiation, his stance is nonsense. The truth is that Boehner simply cannot make a deal. His caucus forbids it. Compromise with Obama would mean the end of his political career."

... Law Profs. Eric Posner & Adrian Vermeule, in a New York Times op-ed: "President Obama should announce that he will raise the debt ceiling unilaterally if he cannot reach a deal with Congress. Constitutionally, he would be on solid ground. Politically, he can’t lose. The public wants a deal." ...

     ... Steve Benen parses President Obama's public statements & notes that Obama has not categorically ruled out the Constitutional option.

... Republican Bruce Bartlett of the Fiscal Times says what liberals have been saying for more than a year: "... Obama took office under roughly the same political and economic circumstances that Nixon did in 1968 except in a mirror opposite way. Instead of being forced to manage a slew of new liberal spending programs, as Nixon did, Obama had to cope with a revenue structure that had been decimated by Republicans.... Although Republicans routinely accuse [Obama] of being a socialist, an honest examination of his presidency must conclude that he has in fact been moderately conservative to exactly the same degree that Nixon was moderately liberal." Bartlett gives examples. ...

... Today is "Marie Was Right Day." First the law professors, then Bruce Bartlett, now Steve Benen, who has the solution that dare not speak its name: a clean debt ceiling bill.

Joe Nocera lands an exit interview with Elizabeth Warren.

Only Muslims Can Be "Terrorists." Glenn Greenwald: At least that's what the New Yorks Times thinks. "Terrorism has no objective meaning and, at least in American political discourse, has come functionally to mean: violence committed by Muslims whom the West dislikes, no matter the cause or the target.  Indeed, in many (though not all) media circles, discussion of the Oslo attack quickly morphed from this is Terrorism (when it was believed Muslims did it) to no, this isn't Terrorism, just extremism (once it became likely that Muslims didn't).

News Ledes

Reuters: "The United States has wasted some $34 billion on service contracts with the private sector in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a study being finalized for Congress."

AP (via the NYT): "Retired Army Gen. John Shalikashvili, the first foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who counseled President Bill Clinton on the use of troops in Bosnia and other trouble spots, has died, according to a statement from the White House. He was 75. Shalikashvili suffered a severe stroke on August 2004 that paralyzed his left side, and he underwent grueling physical therapy."

Guardian: "The singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her flat in north London at the age of 27. The award-winning artist, famous for hits including Rehab from the critically acclaimed album Back to Black, was discovered by police in the late afternoon. Her death was being treated on Saturday night as 'unexplained'." The Guardian's obituary is here. The Telegraph's obit is here.

President Obama & Vice President Biden meet with Congressional leadership this morning. AP story here. The New York Times has a post-meeting report: "But senior Congressional aides said privately that despite the White House session, the serious talks about a solution were now under way among top members of Congress."

The Guardian has a liveblog on the domestic terror attacks in Norway that killed at least 91 people. Here's the Guardian's lead story. AP: "Norway's national news agency says police are investigating whether a second suspect was involved in a shooting spree on an island where 84 people were killed."