Yeah, remembering gubernatorial transitions I’ve survived is fun, though it also brings back moments of sheer occupational terror. One thing I bring to this blogging thing that your average 24-year-old whiz kid cannot is some practical experience in politics and government on account of being old. I hope you enjoy, and do not find tedious, all the anecdotes. Either way, I can be incentivized (as Mitt Romney might put it) to come up with newer and better anecdotes via a donation to Washington Monthly in whatever amount you can afford. Thanks so much!
And now for some midday news/views items of assorted shapes and sizes:
* Great Rick Perry quote from another puffy Rick Perry profile: “Running for the presidency is not an IQ Test.” He better hope not.
* Study shows five trillion pieces of plastic floating in the world’s oceans.
* Sean Trende argues Southern Democratic nadir not necessarily permament.
* Jeanne Shaheen and Joe Manchin–not known as big lefities–join opposition to nomination of Antonio Weiss.
* Kevin Drum derides anonymous, “virgin birth” origin of “cromnibus” provision lifting caps on contributions to party committees.
And in non-political news:
* Big California storm–just now approaching the Monterey Peninsula–knocked out power for 50,000 in San Francisco.
As we break for lunch, here’s Sam Cooke performing “Bring it On Home To Me” in Harlem in 1963.
