From the Annals of Colossal Republican Nerve & Media Failure

From the NY Times article: “The president [Addington] said violated constitutional law. ‘I’m kind of surprised he did it, because more so than most presidents, this guy has a personal ability to assess the constitutional implications,’ Mr. Addington said, referring to Mr. Obama’s experience as a teacher of constitutional law. ‘It’s flabbergasting and, to be honest, a little chilling.’”

Nowhere in the following paragraphs does reporter Weisman point to the appalling and rich irony that this statement was made by a veteran of an administration that never failed to arrogate more power to itself. Surely, Weisman could have pointed at this without injecting the dreaded appearance of undue opinion-making into his piece. His editor should have insisted on more perspective in the story. It is journalism like this that makes news consumers like me disgusted with the New York Times and other media that consistently refuse to point out self-serving and tendentious statements made by partisan sources. // more. . .

#Fridayreads/Jan. 6

Finishing Philip Kerr’s spellbinding Field Gray; began Jon Ronson’s Them: Adventures w/Extremists. I dig Ronson’s  brand of participatory journalism, having earlier enjoyed his Men Who Stare at Goats and The Psychopath Test: Inside the Madness Industry.

A Political Freudian Slip

“With the leadership and backing of the American people, President Obama will turn this country around.”–John McCain, on the campaign trail in South Carolina with Mitt Romney. H/t TPM for the hilarious video.

Friday Night Fun


Enjoy this really sweet cover of The Band’s The Weight” performed backstage after a recent Wilco-Nick Lowe concert in Chicago. Magnificent Mavis Staples takes the lead vocal, and superbly plays the role of bandleader. What sweet sounds! Video provided courtesy of Yep Roc Records, Nick Lowe’s label.

Is the FBI probing Bain Capital?

A letter the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request suggests that an investigation of Bain Capital–the company that Mitt Romney worked at for many years, and from which the New York Times has reported continues to receive significant compensation–is ongoing or possibly commencing within the Bureau. The letter, viewable on Scribd.com, has had the name of the person requesting information redacted, as well as the date it was written. The top of the letter reads “Subject: Bain Capital” The relevant paragraph in the letter, signed by the FBI’s David Hardy, Records/Information Dissemination Section Chief reads,

“I have determined that the records responsive to your request are law enforcement records; that there is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records; and that the release of the information contained in these responsive records could reasonably be expected to interfere with the enforcement proceedings.” // see letter in post . . .

“Asymmetric Polarization” in American Politics

“Whoever is the standard-bearer, a Republican victory in 2012 would do nothing to reverse or restrain the radically rightward march of the party. The Tea Party movement has accelerated a process that has been under way for many years within the GOP, which is now firm in its identity as the insurgent party, set upon blowing up policies and public responsibilities that enjoyed bipartisan support for many decades. The Democrats are the status quo party— protective and pragmatic. The asymmetric polarization of the two camps is the most significant feature of contemporary American politics.”–from Washington Monthly’s issue devoted to the question, “What If Obama Loses?” // more. . .