Today’s one of those days we may look back on with pleasure or with chagrin as typical of everything about Washington we long for or deplore. I’m in a better mood than I was earlier this morning, but still not optimistic.
Here are some mid-day news and views tasty-cakes:
* Krugman wants to know the intended audience for the president’s gestures on entitlement reform, and suggests it’s a phantom.
* TAP’s Paul Waldman takes a closer look at Manchin-Toomey on the merits, and concludes it’s better than nothing, but not much better.
* South Korean government tries a little carrot along with the stick in public diplomacy responding to wild threats by North Korea.
* Howard Fineman suggests Mitch McConnell’s erratic behavior of late totally about heading off very specific primary challenge from wealthy Kentuckian being courted by Tea Folk.
* WaPo’s Milbank notes Rand Paul’s difficulty–in the midst of a recitation of the pro-civil rights record of the GOP at Howard University–remembering or even accurately repeating the name of former Republican Senator Edward Brooke.
And in non-political news:
* A big shout-out to my Googleganger, Buffalo sports TV legend Ed Kilgore, on the occasion of his retirement from the airwaves to take a gig with the owner of the Buffalo Sabres.
Back after a break to chow down and check news.
