What I'm reading today, 2/3

1. Thomas Friedman examines how the economy may influence international relations in the coming year.
2. The consensus of opinion for what led to the economic meltdown is wrong or vastly simplified, according to Robert Samuelson.
3. Maureen Dowd is encouraged by what she saw from Adm. Mullen during yesterday's hearing on "don't ask, don't tell."
4. After yesterday's primary in Illinois, the race is set to find out if a Democrat can hang on to Barack Obama's former Senate seat - and things have already gone negative.