This morning, reading the paper, I was kicking myself because I missed a couple of late-breaking local stories (the full-time mayor recommendation and Sheheen releasing his tax records — both of which, to my shame, I had to read for the first time in the paper this morning) for yesterday’s front. But hey, I’ve got a reporting staff of one, so cut me a break.
The hard thing today is coming up with a lede. Here’s what I have at this hour:
- Obama Signs Sweeping Financial Overhaul Into Law (NPR) — Since this is anticlimactic, since we knew it was going to happen, this is a very low-key lede — one column, and maybe not quite at the top of the page. But it actually happened, unlike other things competing with it (Bernanke speculating; oil companies promising to do something), so lede it is.
- Bernanke Sees No Quick End to High Rate of Joblessness (NYT) — In testimony before Congress today.
- Oil Majors Building Disaster-Response System (WSJ) — The companies would pool resources to be able to respond properly next time — if there is a next time. There won’t be if drilling isn’t allowed, and this proposal is aimed to help persuade Washington to allow it.
- White House Apologizes to Fired Official (NYT) — Wow. It’s pretty amazing how easily the White House let itself get railroaded by a smear from a right-wing blogger.
- Sheheen Challenges Haley to be Transparent (The State) — This one’s old now because I failed to hear about it yesterday, but it’s significant as sort of the opening shot in the fall campaign.
- Panel urges full-time mayor (The State) — With the election of a mayor who actually ran on the issues, we seem poised to finally act on two long-overdue reforms that have never gotten anywhere: A strong-mayor system for Columbia, and consolidation of city and county services. Big stuff for Columbia’s future.
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Yes, but….the panel that recommended a strong mayor was selected by–ta da!–the new mayor who favors a strong mayor….
Not sure it was the White House that got “railroaded.” It seems they were deliberately hands-off and let Vilsack act alone. In this case, that was the wrong call.
It doesn’t really matter who did what to whom, the Obama folks will get the blame.
The timing was also suspicious, coming directly on the heels of the tea party/NAACP flareup last week.
Since Breitbart has some claim to journalism status, I hope he has a good slander lawyer.
A lot of work to put a blog together that’s read by what… 6-8 readers? I guess you have to keep it going, otherwise Kathryn wouldn’t have anything to do.
As for the Breitbart smear story I watched all 3 of the cable news channels spin this last night. The Obama administration needs to gather itself and focus on facts rather than let smearmeisters like Breitbart get their goat. Obama and company really looked bad.
But what was really funny was Fox News. After hammering away at Ms. Sherrod all night Monday they quickly shifted gears and started hammering away at the president. They were very dismissive of their own role in this commedy of errors and slander. But of course that’s to be expected of Fox. They have zero journalistic integrity. CNN was the best. They didn’t report the story until all the facts were in. And they hammered Fox for their callous disregard for journalistic integrity. Good for them.
But sadly this is yet another example of Obama’s attempting to please the moderate/conservative camp. He really should just play hardball with the GOP and try to push his agenda forward. This painful appeasment of the right is losing him support from his liberal base while doing zero to shore up support from independents. Hopefully he’ll learn this lesson soon.
There are 6-8 and at least another one who has not been allowed to post due to his naughty comments.
@bud
On one point we do agree. Since Obama won, I have been surprised at how much the Democrats have backed and been pushed around by the Republicans and Fox News.
Take for example the fact that the Democrats hold a clear majority in the Senate and House. Whenever any big bill comes up, the Republicans threaten to filibuster because the Democrats might not have the full 60 votes to shut down the filibuster. So? Let them do it. I want to see Republicans actually take the floor and actually filibuster. Who is going to do it? Let the American people watch a Senator stand up there for hours or days and hold the floor.
They don’t do it now, I think, because they don’t want to actually have to filibuster themselves when Republicans inevitably take over the Senate one day. It’s a “gentlemen’s agreement” between non-gentlemen.
Doug, One reason the filibuster is now such a serious problem is that it no longer requires that anyone actually stand up on the floor and talk. So, it is much too easy a way out.
Sticking this here:
If Obama wants to do something simple, why doesn’t he get the Social Security administration to recognize domestic partnerships?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/07/doma-in-real-life.html
If we had private retirement accounts, this wouldn’t be an issue. One partner could leave the assets to the other in is his/her will. Better to funnel it through the government and let the partner lose his house.