The Commentariat -- January 4, 2012

My column in today's New York Times eXaminer is on David Brooks' "Real America." The NYTX front page is here. Also, please consider making a contribution to NYTX, which is doing a very good job of keeping 'em honest over at the Times. ...

... Case in Point: Mike Elk: "The New York Times Company gave departing CEO Janet Robinson a nearly $15 million severance package while demanding that its current employees take benefit and pay cuts."

Prof. Amar Bhidé, in a New York Times op-ed, writes "bring back boring banks" with "radical, 1930s-style measures.... If the average examiner can’t understand it, it shouldn’t be allowed." Bhidé reminds us that "Deposit insurance was also a long shot in 1933 — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Treasury secretary, the comptroller of the currency and the American Bankers Association opposed it. Somehow advocates rallied public opinion."

Driftglass on Glenn Greenwald & Andrew Sullivan: "Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Sullivan both exist quite comfortably in a parallel dimension made up of dorm rooms debates bolted together with abstractions, and where the ugly specter of imperfect political reality does not intrude. It is a fine place, safely above it all, where you can fire in all directions with impunity, and impugn the motives of anyone who disagrees with you with all the righteous fury of the perfectly pure."

David Kirkpatrick & Steven Lee Myers of the New York Times: "With the Muslim Brotherhood pulling within reach of an outright majority in Egypt’s new Parliament, the Obama administration has begun to reverse decades of mistrust and hostility as it seeks to forge closer ties with an organization once viewed as irreconcilably opposed to United States interests."

Right Wing World

Borowitz Report: "Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was overjoyed today after finishing the Iowa caucuses in a virtual tie with a walking joke who wears sweater vests. 'The eight people have spoken!' exclaimed Mr. Romney, who was joined by supporters celebrating his .0006% margin of victory." Thanks to Haley S. for the link.

Andy Rosenthal, New York Times editorial page editor: "There has been a racist undertone to many of the Republican attacks leveled against President Obama for the last three years, and in this dawning presidential campaign."

Art via or by Driftglass.Melinda Henneberger in the Washington Post: "Have you ever seen a glummer or grouchier bunch of presidential aspirants than the current GOP crop? You’d be working those frown lines, too, I guess, if you thought, as Rick Santorum does, that this year’s race will decide “whether we will be a free people.” Or believed, as Michele Bachmann told Sean Hannity on Monday, that Iran might go nuclear before Inauguration Day. Of course, Ron Paul is as cataclysmic as ever...."

... Philip Rucker of the Washington Post: "There was a dark side to Mitt Romney’s close finish in the Iowa caucuses. After first approaching Iowa with reservation and then scrambling hard in the final weeks to win, he leaves here with about the same share of votes he snagged four years ago in the Republican presidential caucuses.... His Iowa showing — finishing just eight votes ahead of former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) — highlighted the big problems that still dog Romney: suspicions about his avowed conservatism, struggles to connect with voters and an inability to rally more Republicans around his candidacy." ...

... Dave Weigel of Slate with some lessons Republicans should learn from Iowa. ...

... Main lesson, from Philip Klein of the Washington Examiner: "Though turnout was up from the 2008 caucuses, it was only up by a few thousand votes, even as GOP voter registration grew, more candidates were contesting the state and more Democrats and independents voted on the Republican side because there was no competitive Democratic race this time. Romney actually got six fewer votes this time than he did four years ago...."

... Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times: "All year long the story of the Republican race for president was Mitt Romney and a rotating cast playing the role of Someone Else. On Tuesday night, Someone Else was played by two candidates: Rick Santorum, the longtime champion of social conservative issues that were supposedly taking a backseat in this jobs-centric presidential race, and Ron Paul, the noninterventionist Texan who represents an almost 180-degree turn from the Republican Party’s direction." ...

... David Firestone of the New York Times: "It is jarring, in an age of irony and nuance, to hear Mitt Romney conclude his stump speeches with a riff on the hymn, 'America the Beautiful.' ... He sees its vision as matching his, and that is where he makes a serious mistake.... The lyrics were written in 1894 by the Massachusetts poet Katharine Lee Bates, an ardent feminist and lesbian who was deeply disillusioned by the greed and excess of the Gilded Age. Her original third verse was an expression of that anger:

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

      ... Bates’ revulsion at the inequality and corruption she saw around her ... became the core of the Progressive Movement. President Obama ... has a better claim to the spirit of the song than does Mr. Romney, who appears to have no problem with inequality." Thanks to Bill C. for the link.

Quote of the Day. I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money. I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money and provide for themselves and their families. -- Rick Caucasian Santorum

Steve Benen: when Newt Gingrich called Mitt Romney a liar on CBS, the hosts Nora O'Donnell & Bob Schieffer were visibly "shocked." And that's the really shocking story: that Newt did what the media will not: regularly call out candidates for lying. ...

... Benen on Mitt Romney's lies about jobs -- with charts. ...

... Paul Krugman on Mitt Romney's lies about jobs -- with charts. Seriously, read both posts. CW: If you thought Willard was a benign Ken doll, you may want to change out your toy collection for a Willard voodoo doll. He is just one smarmy, hateful liar.

Paul Krugman on "Wingnut Welfare." Why are Republicans willing to take far-out, radical-right positions that could cost them elections? Because there is always a far-out, radical-right special-interest "think tank" jobs waiting for them.

News Ledes

Gut-sy! The White House announces NLRB appointments: "President Obama announced today his intent to recess appoint four individuals to fill key administration posts that have been left vacant.

• Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Sharon Block, Member, National Labor Relations Board
• Terence F. Flynn, Member, National Labor Relations Board
• Richard Griffin, Member, National Labor Relations Board"

President Obama will speak about the economy in Cleveland, Ohio, at 1:15 pm ET. There are hints afloat he may make a recess appointment of Richard Cordray, former Ohio AG, as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Wall Street Journal: "White House attorneys have concluded they have the legal authority to make a recess appointment despite Republican efforts to block the move, Democrats said Tuesday, and administration officials say they reserve the option to install Richard Cordray as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau without Senate approval." ...

     ... New York Times Update: "President Obama will challenge Republican foes of the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by naming Richard Cordray as its director while Congress is out of town." ...

     ... Washington Post Update: "In a bold act of political defiance, President Obama installed Richard Cordray as head of a new consumer watchdog agency Wednesday, bypassing Republican opposition in the Senate that derailed his nomination last month. Obama cast the move as an effort to protect the interests of middle-class Americans who have suffered as a result of the Great Recession, which stemmed in part from abuses in the financial system."

Washington Post: "Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) were deadlocked for the lead in the Iowa caucuses late Tuesday night, ahead in a splintered and increasingly fractious field as the GOP presidential primary race moves to New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida. With all but two precincts reporting at 1:20 a.m. Eastern, former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) was in a virtual tie with Romney, leading him by just 18 votes. Both hovered around 24.5 percent of the total. Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) was headed for a close but disappointing third-place finish...." ...

... Update: On MSNBC at 1:50 am ET, Chris Hayes said Santorum's lead over Romney had been reduced to 4 votes. ...

... Update 2: at 2:30 am ET, the Iowa Republican party leader announced that Mitt Romney won by 8 votes. No link. (Both he & Santorum will get 11 delegates, whom the party will choose later.) ...

... The New York Times has the final numbers here. ...

... Arlington, Texas Star-Telegram: "Gov Rick Perry was heading back to Texas today after his fifth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, and aides said he could decide as early as Thursday whether to remain in the 2012 presidential race." ...

     ... San Francisco Chronicle Update: "After perhaps the shortest presidential campaign reassessment on record, Texas Gov. Rick Perry bounded out of Iowa on Wednesday saying he will continue his run for the White House, convinced he can still emerge as the leading conservative in the GOP race."

... AP: "Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has cancelled her South Carolina trip and will hold a press conference at 11AM ET according to NBC News." ...

     ... New York Times Update: "Mrs. Bachmann said on Wednesday morning that she would not continue her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination."

New York Times: the NYPD has arrested a man who has admitted to making five firebomb attacks in Queens.

The Commentariat -- January 3, 2012

** NEW. If you're an Iowa Democrat, you should caucus tonight, too, beginning at 6:30 pm (CT, I presume). John Nichols of The Nation tells why. You can find your caucus site here.

My column in today's New York Times eXaminer is on Frank Bruni's apologia for Mitt Romney's flip-flops. The NYTX front page is here. You can contribute to NYTX here, and I hope you do.

** Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas, an undocumented American journalist, in a Guardian op-ed on "the changing face of Iowa."

Peter Maer of CBS News: "The Obama campaign is mapping out plans for the president to speak to his supporters via live web chat at locations across Iowa Tuesday night. A campaign official told CBS News the effort will use technology that was not available four years ago. Screens will show the president, in Washington, communicating with people simultaneously at various gathering places in the Hawkeye State."

Right Wing World

Greg Sargent: rabid Tea Party leader Rep. Steve King (RTP-Iowa) publicly admits to Congressional Tea Party hostage-taking strategy.

Dan Balz of the Washington Post: in Right Wing World, the tail -- being the Tea Party -- is wagging the dog -- the GOP presidential candidates.

Here's Nate Silver's final forecast on the Iowa Caucuses.

In case you think campaign advertising doesn't matter because Americans (a) are smart enough to see through them and/or (b) can make up their own minds -- Kevin Liptak of CNN: "Anyone seeking an explanation of GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's recent drop in Iowa polls may find answers in a new analysis of Iowa political advertising. The survey, conducted by Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group, finds 45% of all political ads in Iowa have been attack spots against Gingrich. Only 6% were supportive of the former House speaker." ...

... M. J. Lee of Politico: on CBS News' "Early Show" today, Newt called Mitt a liar. Update: here's the videotape:

The Rupert Bump? Brian Stelter of the New York Times: "The media mogul Rupert Murdoch signaled his support for Rick Santorum on Monday evening, calling him the 'only candidate with genuine big vision' for the United States. His comments were significant not only because Mr. Murdoch controls Fox News Channel and The Wall Street Journal, but also because they were made on Twitter, a Web site that allowed for his support to be forwarded far and wide on the eve of the Iowa caucuses. Mr. Santorum was a paid analyst for Fox News before he announced his bid for the presidency last year." ...

Ron Paul does not want [Iran] to have a nuclear weapon, but the question is do you want someone who’s trigger happy to be your commander in chief? He's also someone who never served in the military. Ron Paul served in the military, will use force against our enemies if it’s required and if Congress approves of it, but I’m a little concerned about someone who didn’t serve in the military like Santorum, who’s a little over-eager to bomb countries because I don’t think he’s maturely thinking through the process and the consequences of war. -- Sen. Rand Paul, Son of Ron on Iowa talk radio (Thanks to Jeanne B. for the link) ...

... BuzzFeed: "Ron Paul -- poised to finish strong in the Iowa caucuses -- has begun to implement a quiet, complex plan to force a long battle with Mitt Romney for delegates to the Republican National Convention in August. His advantages: Experience, organization, and the legacy of the 2010 Tea Party revival, which convinced Republicans that anti-government figures like Paul just aren’t as weird as they’d thought. Paul is following the roadmap set by Barack Obama's 2008 strategy: Start early, learn the rules, and use superior organization and devoted young supporters to dominate the arcane but crucial party procedures in states your rivals are ignoring...."

Burgess Everett of Politico: despite their constant criticisms of President Obama's jobs creation plans, none of the GOP presidential candidates has anything to say about programs to help repair the nation's infamous "crumbling infrastructure."

News Ledes

     ... Update: here's a full transcript.

The Des Moines Register is probably the go-to place for news on the Iowa caucuses. Especially if you are an Iowa Republican, the Register is helpful for such musts as where to find your caucus location.

New York Times: "Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is set this week to reveal his strategy that will guide the Pentagon in cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from its budget, and with it the Obama administration’s vision of the military that the United States needs to meet 21st-century threats, according to senior officials. In a shift of doctrine driven by fiscal reality and a deal last summer that kept the United States from defaulting on its debts, Mr. Panetta is expected to outline plans for carefully shrinking the military — and in so doing make it clear that the Pentagon will not maintain the ability to fight two sustained ground wars at once."

New York Times: "Giving its first major public sign that it may be ready for peace talks, the Taliban announced on Tuesday that it had struck a deal to open a peace mission in Qatar. The step was a sharp reversal of the Taliban’s longstanding public denials that it was involved or interested in any negotiations to end its insurgency in Afghanistan."

AP: "Iran’s army chief on Tuesday warned an American aircraft carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf in Tehran’s latest tough rhetoric over the strategic waterway, part of a feud with the United States over new sanctions that has sparked a jump in oil prices."

New York Times: "The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s mainstream Islamist party, edged closer to winning a controlling majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament as voters went to the polls Tuesday in the final round of the first elections since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak."

New York Times: "An Iranian court on Tuesday sentenced the daughter of the country’s former president to six months in prison for spreading what it termed 'propaganda against the Islamic system,' the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported.... The sentencing of [Faezeh] Hashemi was the latest in a series of moves by Iran’s leaders to stamp out potential dissent ahead of planned parliamentary elections in March, the first ballot since a disputed presidential vote in 2009 that sparked national protests and a vicious government crackdown."

Los Angeles Times: police have arrested Harry Burkhart, a 24-year-old German suspected in the spree of arsons in Los Angeles. There have been no additional suspicious fires since Burkhart's arrest. More L.A. Times related stories here.

Los Angeles Times: Benjamin Colton Barnes, "a troubled veteran of the war in Iraq suspected in the fatal shooting of a park ranger, was found dead Monday near a steep, snowy slope not far from Mt. Rainier, ending an intense, 24-hour manhunt that left tourists locked down in fear at a visitors center while 200 law enforcement officers combed the wilderness with dogs and planes." The Seattle Times story is here.

Look past the bias of the reporter when you read this CBS News report on "Occupy the Rose Parade." And if you're really, really afraid of Americans exercising their First Amendment rights, no need to worry: "Behind the protesters came three truckloads of Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies in riot gear but no arrests were immediately made and the protest was noisy but peaceful."

The Commentariat -- January 2, 2012

My column in today's in the New York Times eXaminer is Part 2 of a grim retrospective of 2011: "The Year You Lost Your Civil Rights." Part 1 is here. The NYTX front page is here. Also, please consider donating to NYTX. You can do so here.

"Nobody Understands Debt." Elaborating on his blogposts and discussing what we have been writing about at the New York Times eXaminer and on Off Times Square, Paul Krugman explains the meaning of debt to us -- and to David Brooks. (For the fullest discussion of Krugman's previous posts & for links to all of them, see my NYTX column on the subject.)

Prof. Thomas Edsell in a New York Times op-ed: there's a reason Washington politicians think poverty is "a black thing." Edsell explains. And he demonstrates that the politicians' view is just plain wrong.

Right Wing World

Peter Wallsten of the Washington Post: "GOP officials in Washington are quietly and methodically finishing what operatives are calling 'the book' — 500 pages of Obama quotes and video links that will form the backbone of the party’s attack strategy against the president leading up to Election Day 2012. The document ... lays out how GOP officials plan to use Obama’s words and voice as they build an argument for his defeat: that he made specific promises and entered office with lofty expectations and has failed to deliver on both." ...

... Greg Sargent: "Of course, Obama had barely been sworn into office before the national Republican leadership mounted a concerted and determined effort to prevent any of Obama’s solutions to our severe national problems from passing, even as they openly declared they were doing so only to destroy him politically. Republicans have admitted on the record that deliberately denying Obama any bipartisan support for, well, anything at all was absolutely crucial to prevent voters from concluding that Obama had successfully forged ideological common ground over the way out of the myriad disasters Obama inherited from them."

Ashley Parker of the New York Times: Mitt Romney, the "moderate" GOP presidential candidate, says he would veto the Dream Act if Congress passed it while he was president. The act "would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were brought into the country at a young age and then went on to attend college." ...

... Steve Benen: "... the DREAM Act is arguably the least controversial, bipartisan immigration reform measure. The proposal is just humane. But Romney doesn’t care. He’s running for the Republican presidential nomination, for Pete’s sake."

Oh, Santorum. Alex Altman of Time: "It took about 375 events, but Rick Santorum is finally Iowa’s man of the moment. A candidate who once seemed permanently relegated to campaign footnotes is commanding crowds befitting a front-runner...."

Ron Paul tells Jake Tapper of ABC News that his line of questioning is "off the wall":

... But Is It? Chris Johnson of Little Green Footballs: "Ron Paul’s angry denials should be weighed against his regular appearances on the Alex Jones radio show, since Jones is one of the loudest, most deranged 9/11 Truthers in America. If a journalist ever wanted to follow up on this, they could also ask Ron Paul about his association with antisemitic 9/11 Truther James Jaeger."

Kelefa Sannah of the New Yorker has another profile of Frontrunner for a Week (That Has Passed) Newt Gingrich.

"America's 'Iron Lady'"?:

AND Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker lists the top five electoral outcomes journalists are secretly rooting for. He isn't kidding, but it's a funny post.

News Ledes

New York Times: "Iran announced on Monday that it had successfully test fired a cruise missile during naval exercises near the Strait of Hormuz that have heightened tensions in a diplomatic standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions."

Los Angeles Times: "Los Angeles police this morning have detained and are questioning a 'person of interest' in the spate of arson fires around the city since Friday. The suspect, believed to be the man in a video police released Sunday, was detained near Sunset Boulevard this morning, said an LAPD source familiar with the investigation into the case. However, in a statement, a Los Angeles fire official said 'it is too early to speculate if this person responsible for the spree arson fires.'”

New York Times: "The Coast Guard in December formally put into effect rules requiring certain passenger vessels to comply with its new Assumed Average Weight per Person. That new weight, 185 pounds, is a full 25 pounds more than the previous average, 160, a figure put in place about half a century ago...."

Washington Post: "Saying the Korean Peninsula was 'at a turning point,' South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Monday offered North Korea a 'window of opportunity' to improve relations but warned of a powerful retaliation if Pyongyang launches another military strike."

The Corn Won't Produce So Much Green in Iowa. New York Times: "A federal tax credit for ethanol expired on Saturday, ending an era in which the federal government provided more than $20 billion in subsidies for use of the product. The tax break, created more than 30 years ago, had long seemed untouchable. But in the last year, during which Congress was preoccupied with deficits and debt..., fiscal conservatives joined liberal environmentalists to kill it, with help from a diverse coalition of outside groups. In the United States, most ethanol is produced from corn. The demise of the subsidy is all the more remarkable because it comes at the peak of the political season in Iowa, where corn is king."