Barbara Boxer is one of the few good senators and it is encouraging to learn that her reelection seems likely.

It would be even more encouraging if the dumbs in California could get a progressive to run against Dianne Feinstein in her next election.

Boxer is an example of a public servant who deserves reelection. Feinstein is an example of a self-serving corporate dumbocrap who deserves to be retired.

Amen to above.

Ahnold shows "Terminator Limits" is needed, only for him.

the MN Sup Ct did, however, offer a pointed reminder that the US Senate can seat Franken any time it wants, even before the MN courts are finished.

they should take the hint.

Pawlenty should not run for president in 2012.

He should run for the vacant senate seat in 2014 that was won by Al Franken and prevented from being seated by the republican senate majority of 41.

Then he can run for president in 2016 when he does not have to face a popular incumbent.

Another WTF for the Washington Post!

Another 'opinion page' full of neo-cons & critics of Obama!

For god's sake - why the hell does anyone give Robert Kagan a part of the air on our planet, let alone editorial page space?

Re the Franken case, see the interesting analysis of the MInn Sup. Court Decision

http://www.minnpost.com/ericblackblog/2009/03/06/7221/franken_may_have_won_by_losing_at_mn_supreme_court

in which the legal meaning is clarified; by bringing this now, the Franken people are outflanking the Coleman / Republican stonewallers

Y'know, using Limbaugh to smack down the GOP is a good idea, but I think that the good folks over at AU could do even more by using the GOP to smack down Limbaugh. Tie all the GOP stupidities to Limbaugh, and you just might tear some big holes in his fan-base. I mean, after all---even a dittohead would hate being exposed to his fellow dittoheads as a "Michael-Steele" brand of stupid....

Re: Rep. Neil Abercrombie:

Thanks for the coverage of Hawaii, Steve. Of the potential candidates listed, only Senate President Hanabusa and Mayor Hanneman (the singing mayor, who opened his State of the City Address last month by crooning to the audience) are considered likely. The leading GOP contender is Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, a Christian fundamentalist.

The others mentioned (former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, State Democratic Party Chair Brian Schatz, and current Honolulu Managing Director Kirk Caldwell) are likely to run either for Abercrombie's vacated seat or lieutenant governor.

Governor is a tough race because Oahu politicians are generally not well known on the neighbor islands where about 30% of the voters reside. That's why Abercrombie is currently back home campaigning on Hawaii, Maui and Kauai. Unless Hanneman jumps in, Abercrombie is the odds on favorite.

Paul Krugman and E.J. Dionne had virtually identical columns today, although Krugman's, as always, more thorough and hardhitting. Unemployment is already close to what Obama predicted for the year, and we're only two-thirds of the way through the first quarter. Unless O and his fumbling, Wall Street scraping economic team get control of the situation through more stimulus to Main St. (preferably paid for by Wall St.), we're all going to lose. Krugman offers this prophecy:

"It’s September 2009, the unemployment rate has passed 9 percent, and despite the early round of stimulus spending it’s still headed up. Mr. Obama finally concedes that a bigger stimulus is needed. But he can’t get his new plan through Congress because approval for his economic policies has plummeted, partly because his policies are seen to have failed, partly because job-creation policies are conflated in the public mind with deeply unpopular bank bailouts. And as a result, the recession rages on, unchecked."

Sounds all too likely. This is also the lead story on the Huffington Post. Tent cities in California, 700 applicants for one janitor's job in Ohio, mostly from men in their late 40s and 50s. Welcome to Spring in the new century. There's a reason why The Watchmen is the most popular movie, and it ain't superior graphics.

"Undeterred from claims that this represents the White House violating a pledge not to politic, Americans United for Change is up with another installment in its series linking the Republican Party to Rush Limbaugh."

The fact is, Republicans are politicin' like crazy right now. If the GOP wants to act like it's in perpetual campaign mode, why do they think only they should be allowed? And why do they believe EVERY organization from the left is being run by the Obama administration?

In the words of Jon Stewart, "F*ck You". Until the GOP grows up and participates at the policy table, I say run more ads like this.

Hawaii has governors and senators and political campaigns? But, but... it's so exotic!