Let me address a few questions that have come my way via the comment threads yesterday and today:
No, I do not have to leave California for New York for the new gig. I would not have taken it had that been a condition. But like WaMo’s management, New York‘s seems refreshingly free of the temptation to keep writers under foot as an instrument of control simply because a buyer’s market for labor makes it possible.
Yes, I am giving up the TPM column; any column ideas I have will be fully indulged by New York on a daily, not weekly, basis.
And no, I won’t be regularly doing the Washington Monthly Show on Bloggingheads TV. Actually, the future of said show is a bit up in the air due to some technical problems with Skype that keep popping up. But it if does resume, I assume I may be a guest at some point.
Here are some less personal midday news/views snacks:
* Trump and Huckabee both argue northern states like Minnesota just too cold for Syrians. Tell that to the Hmongs and Somalis who have flocked to the Gopher State for years.
* So far all the Paris attackers who have been identified are European nationals, not Syrians.
* Ryan calls for “pause” in Syrian refugee entries, but big question is whether he’ll attacked a mandatory “pause” to must-pass legislation and trigger government shutdown.
* Dave Weigel offers his own take over David Vitter’s last-gasp effort to make this weekend’s Louisiana Governor’s runoff all about Syrian immigrants and who supports Barack Obama.
* Rubio going after Cruz and Paul for “undermining” NSA surveillance program.
And in non-political news:
* Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year is actually the emoji for “tears of joy.”
As we break for lunch, here’s some more Tab Benoit, with the Buddy Guy-ish “Medicine.”
