The New York Times Editorial board wonders if Obama's economic team - specifically Geithner and Summers - have "recognized their past mistakes" and will be able to provide the leadership the economy needs. The Dallas Morning News Editorial board says yes, they have.
Also, Richard Rodriguez gives a lengthy interview to Salon detailing why he thinks churches are afraid of gay marriage and a new investigation is launched in California over the Mormon Church's role in Prop 8.
And, you can help Alaskans battle Sarah Palin by supporting the Alaskans for Truth PAC.
The New York Times Editorial board casts a critical eye on Obama's economic team:
Both men, however, have played central roles in policies that helped provoke today’s financial crisis. Mr. Geithner, currently the president of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, also has helped shape the Bush administration’s erratic and often inscrutable responses to the current financial meltdown, up to and including this past weekend’s multibillion-dollar bailout of Citigroup.
Given that history, the question that most needs answering is not whether Mr. Geithner and Mr. Summers are men of talent — obviously they are — but whether they have learned from their mistakes, and if so, what.
We are not asking for moral mea culpas. But unless they recognize their past mistakes, there is little hope that they can provide the sound judgment and leadership that the country needs to dig out of this desperate mess.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News Editorial board is optimistic about the choices and thinks "there are signs that all three have learned from the mistakes of the past." Your thoughts?
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Meanwhile, Eugene Robinson attempts to explain why Bush is showing absolutely no leadership on the economy:
In part, Bush's inaction stems from ideology. If the free market is always right, it ought to correct itself and get back on course. All the government really needs to do is take care of a few emergencies such as Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, IndyMac, AIG, Wachovia, Citigroup . . . and, of course, whatever comes next. Not the auto companies, however: In Bushworld, the firms that created the toxic mortgage-backed securities that threaten to bring down the global financial system are somehow morally superior to the companies that created the Mustang, the Malibu and the minivan.
It is rather curious. Justin Fox at TIME says it's because "banks are different."
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Oh, and AIG and Citibank have no plans to cancel their multi-million dollar sports sponsorships.
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Jeanne Carstensen has an interview with author Richard Rodriguez on Salon, as he attempts to explain why churches fear gay marriage:
For author Richard Rodriguez, no one is talking about the real issues behind Proposition 8.
While conservative churches are busy trying to whip up another round of culture wars over same-sex marriage, Rodriquez says the real reason for their panic lies elsewhere: the breakdown of the traditional heterosexual family and the shifting role of women in society and the church itself. As the American family fractures and the majority of women choose to live without men, churches are losing their grip on power and scapegoating gays and lesbians for their failures.
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The AP reports that the California Fair Political Practices Commission will be investigating whether the Mormon Church "accurately described" it's role in the Yes on Prop. 8 campaign:
Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, accuses the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of failing to report the value of work it did to support Proposition 8.
Also interesting, theLos Angeles Times attempts to uncover why Justice Joyce L. Kennard was the sole justice on the California Supreme Court to vote against hearing the challenges to Prop. 8.
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Politico reports on some local Democratic grumbling over Biden's replacement in the Senate:
Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s (D) decision to appoint Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s longtime aide Ted Kaufman to the Senate has upset local Democrats who believe the move was a ham-handed attempt to engineer the election of Biden’s son, Beau, to the Senate in 2010.
Apparently some local Dems were rooting for Lt. Gov. John Carney to get the seat. Without the two-year head start, Politico suggests that Carney would have an "uphill battle" against Beau Biden in the primaries in 2010. I could see why Carney supporters might be upset, but should the Governor really make the selection based on making sure Carney has an easier time of it in the primaries? I know almost nothing about Delaware politics, so anyone who does, please enlighten me!
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Barbara Walters is interviewing the Obamas for a special that will air Wednesday night on ABC. I wonder if it will bring 60 Minutes ratings? Of course, ABC will also farm it out piecemeal to pretty much every show on the network including Good Morning America, World News and Nightline.
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John McCain (who?) is holding a press conference today to "talk about his political future." Some local commentators in Arizona aren't too thrilled that he'll be running for a fifth term in the Senate when he has spent the last decade running for President instead of actually representing the interests of the citizens of Arizona. Anne Denogean writes in the Tucson Citizen:
In a previous column about McCain, I suggested his one-sided relationship with Arizona was best described in the title of a popular dating book of 2004: "He's Just Not that into You."
There was a follow-up to that book in 2005, the title of which sums of the feelings of many Arizonans after years of senatorial neglect:
"Be Honest - You're Not that into Him Either."
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It looks like things could get interesting for Sarah Palin up in Alaska. The AP reports on a new PAC that is urging lawmakers to censure Palin over the Branchflower Troopergate report:
Alaskans for Truth, a PAC formed just last week, is calling for Palin to be censured, and that contempt charges be sought against her husband, Todd, based on the findings of the first report. The group also wants hearings held to find out if Palin and her husband lied in sworn statements to the Personnel Board's independent counsel, Timothy Petumenos.
The group also wants an independent investigation into whether there was witness tampering in advance of the Branchflower investigation, including that on the part of Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg.
Palin's spokesman dismissed the claims calling the PAC a "far left wing group." Meanwhile, Mudflats encourages readers (even those outside Alaska) to contact the Alaskan State Legislature and urge them to take action on the Troopergate report. A complete email list can be found at Alaskans for Truth.
UPDATE: Didn't realize there was another diary about this already. For more see Philip Munger.
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Guess the Republican!! Roger Simon at Politico interviews an unnamed Republican Senator who has a pretty glum view of his post-election party. This Senator apparently did rallies with Palin but says:
Sarah Palin is not the voice of our party.
He also says that Republicans aren't learning the lessons they should from the election:
"I don’t think we have learned much from the election in terms of what people want to see,” he says. “We have the same gridlock."
This mysterious unnamed Republican Senator also describes himself as a moderate on immigration. I have no idea who it is - do you?
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Speaking of Republicans, Joan Walsh writes with some glee about Ari Fleischer's failed organization, Freedom Watch:
Given the state of the economy, it's hard to cheer when any organization shuts down, but I enjoyed a Nevada newspaper's report that funder Sheldon Adelson is set to pull the plug on Ari Fleischer's silly Freedom's Watch.
Fleischer launched the conservative advocacy group, set up to support pro-war GOP candidates, with self-aggrandizing bravado, announcing, "For people who believe in peace through strength, the cavalry is coming."
Too bad, so sad. The group spent $30 million this last election cycle and refuses to provide a list to the media of the races it was involved in - it must have been that good for them.
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Now this is speculation I can get into (food? where?)... who will be the Obama's executive chef?
A spokesman for President-elect Obama said it's too early to comment whether there will be a new executive chef. But outside speculation has focused on Art Smith, Oprah Winfrey's personal chef; NBA star Carmelo Anthony's personal chef, Daniel Young, who cooked for Obama at the Democratic National Convention; and Rick Bayless, whose Chicago restaurant Topolobampo is a favorite of Obama's.
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So what's on your mind this morning?