The View From Here

Some reads from today...

1. David Brooks writes that the president must determine if he is committed to Afghanistan before he decides the future of the war.
2. The fairytale that was Goldman and Morgan should not be forgotten, writes Steven Pearlstein.
3. Polling shows Democrats tend to dislike a Democratically controlled Congress more than Republicans dislike a Republican controlled Congress.  Here are some theories why.
4. An inadvertently leaked document shows House ethics investigators are scrutinizing more than 30 members of Congress.  It could be especially bad news for Rep. Charles Rangel.
5. The New York Times urges the Senate to pay attention to the key provisions of the House health care reform bill.

Some reads for today...

1. Nancy Pelosi unveils an $894 billion health care bill - replete with several liberal compromises - and some Democrats are calling for the president's public endorsement of the House bill.
2. Karl Rove contends that Tuesday's gubernatorial elections should prove that "for Republicans... hope and change are on the way."  E.J. Dionne thinks that Democrats will continue to do well on election day if they learn to embrace the party's association with President Obama.
3. Robert Kagan argues that in dealing with Iran it's time for Obama to raise the stakes or fold his hand.
4. A day after a Taliban attack in Kabul killed 5 UN workers, Victor Sebestyen suggests that President Obama could learn from another national leader's military experience in Afghanistan:  Mikhail Gorbachev.

 

Wednesday - What I'm reading today...

1.  The New York Times today broke the story that Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s brother has been on the CIA payroll for the past eight years.  The story is getting attention in the states, but likely comes as no surprise to most Afghans.

 

2.  Just when it looked as if the public option was gaining some momentum, Sen. Joe Lieberman threatened to filibuster a health care reform bill with a public plan. 

 

3.  Sunday’s deadly Baghdad bombing proved the Iraq war cannot be forgotten.  Reihan Salam of The Daily Beast gives his recommendations for what Prime Minister al-Maliki should do to secure Iraq.

 

4.  Thomas Friedman writes that the U.S. should be looking to reduce its presence in Afghanistan, not send more troops.

Some reads for today...

1. Matthew Hoh, a former captain in the Iraq and a current State Department foreign officer, becomes the first American official to resign in protest of the war in Afghanistan.
2. Roger Cohen thinks the British decision on troop levels in Afghanistan is a good indication of where US policy is headed.
3. Are the Republicans crying crocodile tears over White House treatment of Fox News and other opposition voices?  Former Clinton adviser Mark Penn contends that  at worst the Democrats are simply stealing a page from Republican playbook .
4. The New York Times editorial staff advocates another stimulus lest "the worst recession in modern memory...become the weakest recovery in modern memory. 
5. Stuart Rothenberg expects the 2010 midterms to get nasty as imperiled incumbents like Harry Reid and Chris Dodd turn to scorched earth tactics to win re-election.

What I'm reading today...

1. Eugene Robinson writes that slashing salaries and perks at seven of the bailed-out companies is, while satisfying, not addressing the real problem.
2. While the White House is quick to remind us of the gravity of problems they inherited, Peggy Noonan writes it’s time for Obama to own his presidency.
3. David Rhode’s account of his seven-month kidnapping by the Taliban has made for some compelling reading on the front-page of the New York Times.  But his story is more than just an exciting read – it provides insight into the nature of the Taliban and the war in Afghanistan.
4. An interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin about his new book, “Too Big to Fail.”  Sorkin will join me Sunday.
5. Charles Krauthammer writes that the Obama administration’s war with Fox News is contrary to his post-partisan promises.

Above the fold today...

1. It's not the Obama administration or liberals who are afraid of the free market, writes Harold Meyerson of The Washington Post.  It's health insurers and big banks.
2. Maureen Dowd asks if the same vices that characterized newsrooms in their beginnings can now save them. 
3. The $1.4 trillion debt for fiscal year 2009 is drawing comparisons to the deficit the U.S. coped with after World War II. But the hole may be more difficult to emerge from this time around.
4. Bailouts and near record profits have Americans frustrated with Wall Street.  Still, there is some good news for those pushing for reform.
5. Vice President Biden has been vocal with his views on how to proceed in Afghanistan.  Here is a comparison between his take now and Donald Rumsfeld's in 2002.

Some reads for today...

1. Bob Herbert is disgusted by the latest round of Wall Street bonuses, and calls for the break up of Goldman Sachs and other "too-big-to-fail" firms.
2. Mitt Romney gives a speech at the AIPAC National Summit criticizing Obama's foreign policy for mistreating allies, such as Israel and Poland, while failing to confront and pressure Iran and Russia.
3. Stephen Biddle examines the possibility of a middle way in Afghanistan between withdrawal and escalation.
4. The New York Times reports that some within the armed forces are growing impatient with the deliberate pace of Obama's strategic review of Afghanistan.
5. President Obama gives a film recommendation to the children of America.

Some things I have my eye on today...

1. Tom Brokaw  has a suggestion for Obama's Nobel acceptance speech.
2. Robert Pape warns that troop levels in Afghanistan may already be too high and a surge may just pour gasoline on the fire.
3. George Will looks ahead to the 2010 midterm elections.  Is a Republican wave forming?
4. "Liberals, lay off Obama."  Peter Beinart refutes Obama's critics, including SNL, and argues that Obama is well on his way to being the most successful progressive president in recent memory.

Some reads for today...

1. Last night’s thrilling come-from-behind Dodgers victory sent a clear signal to all of baseball – Joe Torre’s squad will not give up.
2. President Obama has won the title of peacemaker with his Nobel Prize, but the fact remains he is a war president.  What will it mean for the rest of his term?  And world leaders show a mix of delight, shock and suspicion.

3. The New York Times calls on Democrats to stand up to Washington corruption and not protect Rep. Charles Rangel.

4. Charles Krauthammer questions why the president is opposing the Afghan strategy he previously endorsed.
5. With so much going on in DC, is anything actually getting done?  Are Congress and the president simply overwhelmed?
6. Ronald Brownstein writes that new statistics show troubling signs in race relations.

Some reads for today...

1. Henry Kissinger lays out his strategy for winning in Afghanistan.
2. Eugene Robinson criticizes General McCrystal for his public calls for more troops in Afghanistan, saying the general needs to be more respectful of the commander in chief.
3. The Washington Post points out that failure in Afghanistan might have serious consequences beyond the return of Al-Qaeda - it might undermine the stability of the entire region.
4. Has the recent success of surgical strikes and drone attacks changed the Obama administration's calculus on the war in Afghanistan?  The New York Times reports on the Afghanistan strategy review discussions within the administration.
5. Brent Budowsky rails against the conventional wisdom, arguing that the Democrats can win in 2010 if they show resolve by leading the country left with conviction.
6. Despite a stress fracture in his foot, Tom Delay continued his improbable run on "Dancing With the Stars" with a hip-shaking samba and a colorful GOP themed costume.