A headline you never thought you'd see

For lead story in today's New York Times --

OBAMA WILL FACE A DEFIANT WORLD ON FOREIGN VISIT

True lefty indeed

Caller on Ed Schultz's radio show today --

I'm what you'd call a true lefty and when I debate with centrist Democrat friends, I feel myself beginning to lose it at a certain point, I'm so sure I'm right.

Ed Schultz to bump David Shuster on MSNBC?

It's no secret that liberal radio host Ed Schultz is negotiating with MSNBC for a weeknight show, with Schultz having guest hosted for David Shuster on "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" twice in the last couple of weeks (and again tomorrow night).

But is something more in the works at MSNBC? Possibly so, based on what Schultz told his listeners on Friday --

Somebody must have the flu over there or something. I don't know, they just wanted me to do the show and I think Shuster's going to be doing another show and so the musical chairs there for just a few days I think continue.

Report: Fannie Mae Doling Out $1 Million Bonuses

... With Freddie Mac planning to follow suit, according to a Moneynews story this morning --

Fannie Mae plans to pay retention bonuses of at least $1 million to four key executives as part of a plan to keep hundreds of employees from leaving the government-controlled company.

Rival mortgage finance company Freddie Mac is planning similar awards, but has not yet reported on which executives will benefit.

The two companies, which together own or back more than half of the home mortgages in the country, have been hobbled by skyrocketing loan defaults. Fannie recently requested $15 billion in federal aid, while Freddie has sought a total of almost $45 billion ...

Timing is everything

"Freddie Mac Puts Restrictions on Refinances" -- headline of story in today's Wall Street Journal, page A3

Ah, thanks for clarifying that

Correction in today's New York Times --

An article on March 2 about President Obama's plan to sign a $410 spending bill that included thousands of lawmakers' pet projects misstated his campaign promise about projects of this type, known as earmarks. Mr. Obama promised to reform the earmark process, not to end it.

After all, Obama was still engaged in the "process" when he made that promise.

The real purpose behind Obama's health care reform initiative

When health care reform falls short, as it invariably does, Obama will claim that failure to enact the specific reforms he sought is why the stimulus plan failed to revive the economy to the extent he claimed it would.

Not if you keep handing them out

"Will these bailouts ever end?" -- liberal talker Ed Schultz, guest hosting today on "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, referring to GM and Chrysler seeking $35 billion more in federal largesse.

MSNBC possibly grooming Ed Schultz for TV show

Wouldn't surprise me in the least, seeing how Schultz's politics dovetail so neatly with those of MSNBC hosts Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow.

As reported today by The New York Observer --

On the morning of Monday, March 9th, liberal talk radio host Ed Schultz, who bills himself as the "most listened-to progressive radio talk show host in America," announced on his Web site that he would be guest-hosting MSNBC's 6 p.m. show 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue the following evening.

Word of the announcement promptly touched off a fresh set of rumors among MSNBC staffers that the network's president Phil Griffin might be grooming Mr. Schultz to join the channel on a fulltime basis ...

Follow this link for the rest of the Observer story.

Limbaugh challenges Obama to debate

Seeing how Rush Limbaugh now leads the Republican Party, at least according to the Obama White House, and Obama's willingness to negotiate with nearly anyone, will Obama accept Limbaugh's challenge? Not a chance in hell.

We're crazy, but not that crazy

Former DNC chairman Howard Dean on Rachel Maddow's show last night, commenting on Rush Limbaugh saying he wants Obama to "fail" --

"I didn't want George Bush to fail, uh, even as a Democrat."

Is Obama trying to wreck the economy?

Capping carbon emissions, thereby increasing energy costs -- in this economy? And having the gall to also claim, as Obama did last week in his first speech before Congress, that anyone earning less than $250,000 a year won't see their taxes increase "by a dime"? Maybe so, but energy costs are certainly going up under Obama's proposal, which White House budget chief Peter Orszag could not deny when challenged by George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" this past Sunday.

As Newt Gingrich said at this year's CPAC gathering over the weekend, taxes won't go up for anyone earning less than $250,000 annually -- unless you use electricity. Or buy gasoline. or home heating oil ...