MONDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* For the first time since World War II, the global economy will fall into a global recession. The Obama administration will renew efforts to encourage world leaders to pursue stimulus packages of their own.
* Bloodshed in Baghdad: “A suicide bomber struck police lined up at the entrance of the main police academy in Baghdad on Sunday, killing more than two dozen people and wounding dozens of others, officials said.”
* Around the same time, the Pentagon announced that 12,000 U.S. troops will leave Iraq within the next six months.
* President Obama, like Gen. Petraeus, is open to negotiating with some elements of the Taliban.
* Some key Republican senators are prepared to let major banks fail. Be sure to read Kevin Drum’s post on their chutzpah.
* The White House is still filling empty offices at the Treasury Department.
* E.J. Dionne Jr. has some good advice for the president. So does Paul Krugman.
* Has the Republican Party largely ceded the foreign policy debate to the administration? Apparently so.
* Howard Dean is joining a powerful D.C. lobbying operation.
* Joe Lieberman seems to be far more impressed with Obama than he used to be.
* Nate Silver explains why Kevin Hassett’s criticism of the president’s economic policies lacks credibility.
* Hey, Jindal, still think volcano monitoring is a big joke?
* Republicans are getting organized in going after the administration over Chas Freeman. Liberal bloggers tend to have a far different position.
* Marty Peretz has assembled a group of investors to help him buy back The New Republic.
* Irony Watch: Jim Cramer denounces ad hominem attacks.
* Can someone remind me why Ralph Reed is allowed to show his face in public?
* Karl Rove is now trying to argue that Bush had no important role in the Wall Street bailout last fall. I often wonder if he can even hear the words coming out of his mouth.
* Good question: “[H]as anyone else noticed that the since there is a Democrat in the Oval, everything became his fault at 12:01 pm on January 20 — but everything that went wrong on 43s watch was Clinton’s fault?”
* Michael Steele criticized Rush Limbaugh on D.L. Hughley’s CNN show nine days ago, and at the time, Hughley was impressed. Since Steele apologized 48 hours later, Hughley has reconsidered his take on the RNC chairman: “Why is his name Steele? You should call him aluminum. He folded that fast.”
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
