As a result of Congress' failure to do its job, the dreaded sequester was released upon America this weekend; soon it will begin inflicting painful cuts throughout the land—just like it was designed to do.
President Obama called for a balanced approach to prevent this—warning about the risks to our border security, national security, and financial security if nothing was done—but his pleas fell on deaf, dumb, and blind Republicans.
And so, the poor and downtrodden, the old and infirm, the children, and those who generally feel entitled to things (like the right to vote), are now in danger.
But, really, their plight pales in comparison to that of '70s movie star Bob Woodward.
After the famed stenographer dared to speak truthiness to Obama's power, he got a stern talking-to from White House consigliere Gene Sperling, and then awoke to find a horse's head (Bill Ayers' calling card?) in his inbox.
If I were him, I'd stop digging.
Morning lineup:
Meet the Press: House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH); White House Senior Economic Adviser Gene Sperling; Roundtable: Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID); Kathleen Parker (Washington Post), Joy-Ann Reid (TheGrio.com), Chuck Todd (NBC News) and Tom Brokaw (NBC News).
Face the Nation: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ); Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Cardinal Timothy Dolan; Roundtable: Bob Woodward (Washington Post), David Sanger (New York Times), Rana Foroohar (TIME) and John Dickerson (CBS News).
This Week: White House Senior Economic Adviser Gene Sperling; Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH); Roundtable: Cokie Roberts (ABC News), GOP Strategist Matthew Dowd, Democratic Strategist James Carville, Paul Gigot (Wall Street Journal) and Mayor of Saratoga Springs, UT Mia Love (R).
Fox News Sunday: Obama Campaign Victims Mitt & Ann Romney; Roundtable: Bill Kristol (Weekly Standard), Mara Liasson (NPR), GOP Strategist Nick Ayers and Former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN).
State of the Union: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY); White House Senior Economic Adviser Gene Sperling; Stephen Moore (Wall Street Journal); Susan Page (USA Today); Mark Zandi (Moody's Analytics); Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY); Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR).
The Chris Matthews Show: Dan Rather (AXS TV); Katty Kay (BBC); Michael Duffy (TIME); Liz Marlantes (Christian Science Monitor).
Fareed Zakaria GPS: Iranian Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazee; Private Equity Investor Roger Altman; Zanny Minton Beddoes (The Economist); David Leonhardt (New York Times); Journalist Beppe Severgnini; Evan Osnos (The New Yorker); Neil MacFarquhar (New York Times).
Up with Chris Hayes: Josh Barro (Bloomberg News); Mattie Duppler (Americans for Tax Reform); Jim Antle (The American Spectator); University of Missouri-Kansas City Prof. Stephanie Kelton; NYU School of Law Professor Bryan Stevenson; GOP Strategist Liz Mair; David Sirota (Salon.com); Roberto Lovato (The Nation); Former Economic Adviser to Joe Biden Jared Bernstein.
Evening lineup:
60 Minutes will feature: a report on Clay Hunt—a wounded Marine diagnosed with PTSD and depression who tried to help other struggling veterans, but lost his own battle and committed suicide (preview); an interview with Zhang Xin—one of China's largest developers of office space, and one of the richest self-made women in the world (preview); and, a report on China's real estate bubble, which many fear could bring the world's second largest economy to a standstill (preview).
On Comedy Central...
Jon Stewart held a candlelight vigil for Bob Woodward.
The Daily Show
Monday: Actor Paul Rudd
Tuesday: Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
Wednesday: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
Thursday: New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin
And Stephen Colbert objected to federal intervention in the Oscars.
The Colbert Report
Monday: Kirk Bloodsworth (Witness to Innocence)
Tuesday: Actor James Franco
Wednesday: Painter Brendan O'Connell
Thursday: Author John Sexton
Elsewhere...
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) presumably received another HPV vaccination prior to making this claim.
"If you are a conservative you can never get anything wrong. I was very proud of the fact that I didn't get anything wrong that I said during the course of the debates. I didn't get anything wrong and that's a huge arena."
Bachmann then admitted she got John Wayne's birthplace wrong and Elvis Presley's birthday wrong, but "was right on all the others." Later a student questioned that statement and Bachmann accused the student of not having a sense of humor.
In other news...
New Hampshire state Rep. Mark Warden (R) defended Americans' right to be in abusive relationships.
"Some people could make the argument that a lot of people like being in abusive relationships," Warden said during a meeting held by the committee. "It's a love-hate relationship. It's very, very common for people to stick around with somebody they love who also abuses him or her."
He continued, "Is the solution to those kind of dysfunctional relationships going to be more government, another law? I tend to say no. People are always free to leave."
And, finally...
Televangelist Pat Robertson offered some sartorial advice to a member of his flock.
Usually when one buys clothes second-hand at shops like Goodwill, one just wonders whether it's been laundered properly. But Pat Robertson brought an entirely new worry to the fore on Monday's episode of his "700 Club" program. Responding to an email sent in by a viewer, the elderly televangelist said that, while not all clothes have demonic spirits attached to them, it never hurts to take some precautionary measures.
Robertson was answering a question from viewer Carrie, who wrote:
"I buy a lot of clothes and other items at Goodwill and other secondhand shops. Recently my mom told me that I need to pray over the items, bind familiar spirits and bless the items before I bring them into the house. Is my mother correct? Can demons attach themselves to material items?"
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
- Trix