THE PROBLEM WITH SHORT MEMORIES.... Given all the public confusion, it's sometimes surprising President Obama's approval rating isn't lower.  Take this tidbit from the latest Pew Research report. … I guess the frequent Republican complaints about “bailouts” led much of the public …

U.S. SENATE RACE: Reid takes lead on Angle  —  New poll shows Republican losing support among every voter group  —  U.S. Sen. Harry Reid has opened a strong lead over Republican opponent Sharron Angle after pummeling her in a ubiquitous TV and radio ad campaign that portrays the Tea Party favorite as …

A Final Thought  —  Here is former head and current spokesperson for the Tea Party Express Mark Williams satirically responding to the NAACP: … Williams has since taken the original down and posted a half-hearted justification.  Mark Williams is the same man who has denounced Barack Obama as …

Senator Vitter suggests Rachel Maddow only looked like a woman “a long time ago”  —  UPDATE, 5:16 p.m.: Vitter has now written a note of apology to Maddow.  —  Original post:  —  Oh, what fun!  —  On a right wing radio station this morning, Senator David Vitter appeared to suggest …

The scariest jobs graph you've seen yet  —  That's job growth per month on the X axis, and how many months that level of job growth would take to get us back to pre-recession levels on the Y axis.  Notice that adding new jobs at a rate of 200,000 a month would take us 150 months — or 12.5 years — to get back to normalcy.

State Department warns employees about new website highlighting Top Secret facilities  —  The State Department is bracing for a potentially explosive new feature on the Washington Post website that would publish the names and locations of agencies and firms conducting Top Secret work on behalf …

A conservative dismisses right-wing Black Panther ‘fantasies’  —  A scholar whom President George W. Bush appointed vice chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Abigail Thernstrom has a reputation as a tough conservative critic of affirmative action and politically correct positions on race.

The incredible obviousness of the Democrats' political fortunes  —  The topic du jour appears to be the Obama paradox.  How, some writers are asking, can the Democrats be both passing a lot of legislation and be headed for a defeat at the polls?  —  But there's no contradiction.  No paradox.

Boehner: No more new Federal regulations!  —  UPDATE, 2:50 p.m.: DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen responds: … Original post:  —  A day after calling for repeal of the new financial regulatory reform bill, John Boehner is going even further: He's calling for a moratorium on all new Federal regulations — in the name of job creation.

On Mel Gibson, “Conservative” — By: Jonah Goldberg  —  For starters, I think it's all unseemly.  I don't think this is the kind of thing that should be spilled out for the public no matter who it is.  I think Gibson is clearly troubled and despite his well-documented paranoia, there are many long knives out with his name on them.

GOP Fairy Tales  —  Back in the day, one of the key Republican arguments against the estate tax was that it forced hardworking, salt-of-the-earth children of small farmers to sell the family plot in order to pay their taxes after dad died.  It was a sad story, but with one problem …

America's Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution  —  As over-leveraged investment houses began to fail in September 2008, the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties, of major corporations, and opinion leaders stretching from the National Review magazine (and the Wall Street Journal) …

Obama's next act  —  In the political marketplace, there's now a run on Obama shares.  The left is disappointed with the president.  Independents are abandoning him in droves.  And the right is already dancing on his political grave, salivating about November when, his own press secretary admitted Sunday …

What Went Wrong: The Rahm Factor  —  A fascinating and depressing interview with David Obey: … But remember, the Cossacks work for the czar.

David Cameron, don't follow Barack Obama  —  When David Cameron visits America next week he will learn a lot - about how not to run a country, says Peggy Noonan.  —  Dear Mr Cameron, welcome young friend.  Welcome to America.  Bring your bright, dashing self to our shores.

Aaron Sorkin to direct John Edwards film  —  ‘Social Network’ scribe to adapt ‘The Politician’  —  Aaron Sorkin — best known for creating “The West Wing” — will make his feature directorial debut with a John Edwards biopic.  —  Sorkin's adapting and producing Andrew Young's “The Politician …

Chelsea Clinton's A-List Wedding: Few Details, Many Questions  —  To the roaring, screeching Amtrak trains approaching Rhinecliff station from the north or south, add the occasional thwack-thwack-thwack of helicopter rotors.  —  Do those choppers carry Secret Service agents trying to secure …