————–

————–

————–

Next Right:

“Governor Sanford is the most articulate Republican out there right now and the other Republicans ought to pay attention,” said Luntz a couple of days ago on Fox. “Or if they don’t, their numbers will continue to languish.”

Teagan Goddard:

Vanity Fair interviewed Nancy Reagan for her perspective on a wide range of subjects, including her view of the Obamas and the Bushes.

On the Obamas:

Michelle Obama called Nancy Reagan for “advice” and “suggestions,” and in the course of a 45-minute conversation, Mrs. Reagan encouraged Mrs. Obama to have lots of state dinners. In contrast, the Bushes were “famously averse” to entertaining at the White House.

She feels President Obama missed an opportunity when he did not invite her to the ceremony announcing his reversal of Bush’s policy on embryonic-stem-cell research. Said Mrs. Reagan: “I would have gone, and you know I don’t like to travel. Politically it would have been a good thing for him to do. Oh, well, nobody’s perfect. He called and thanked me for working on it. But he could have gotten more mileage out of it.”

Bloomberg:

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev may discuss his proposal to create a new world currency when he meets counterparts from Brazil, India and China this month, Natalya Timakova, a spokeswoman for the president, told reporters by phone today. Medvedev first proposed seeking alternatives to the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency in March. (more…)

Wired:

Why does Google even need a chief economist? The simplest reason is that the company is an economy unto itself. The ad auction, marinated in that special sauce, is a seething laboratory of fiduciary forensics, with customers ranging from giant multinationals to dorm-room entrepreneurs, all billed by the world’s largest micropayment system. (more…)

Source:

“Almost seven months after a U.S. Senate election that was too close to call, five justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday on whether problems with absentee ballots justify reversing a lower-court ruling that declared Al Franken (D) a 312-vote winner over Norm Coleman (R), the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

“A decision upholding the lower-court ruling could end the protracted struggle and allow Franken to join the Senate, giving Democrats an invincible majority. A ruling for Coleman wouldn’t return him to the Senate, but could keep his hopes alive and delay a final decision for months.”

CNN:

The committee is launching radio ads Monday against Rep. Brian Bilbray of California’s 50th congressional district; Rep. Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania’s 15th congressional district; Rep. Peter King, New York’s 3rd congressional district; Rep. Thad McCotter, Michigan’s 11th congressional district; Rep. Tom Rooney, Florida’s 16th congressional district, and Alaska’s Rep. Don Young. The ads will run for a week, according to the DCCC

Jaltcoh:

Disclaimer: I specify that these are cliches for “women” to avoid only because they’re the ones whose profiles I’ve looked at. I’m not saying men don’t make the same mistakes; I’m simply not qualified to judge their profiles.
….
10. “Looking for someone at least 6 feet tall.” Do you really want to limit yourself to 15% of the male population? Are you sure you’d reject someone who’s 5’11″-even if he’s intelligent, attractive, interesting, and successful? Also, consider how you’d react to a man’s profile that said he’s not interested in women over a specific body-mass index or under a specific bra size. If your reaction would be, “Ugh, how shallow!” … then think twice about specifying height.
….
13. “I hate liars.” Really? How odd-I love them!
….
16. “Looking for a partner in crime.” This is adorable … the first time you read it. And maybe the second or third time. Once you’ve read it 100 times, not so much.

CQ Politics with story.

WSJ:

The phrase “bankrupt General Motors,” which we expect to hear uttered on Monday, leaves Americans my age in economic shock. The words are as melodramatic as “Mom’s nude photos.” And, indeed, if we want to understand what doomed the American automobile, we should give up on economics and turn to melodrama.

Politicians, journalists, financial analysts and other purveyors of banality have been looking at cars as if a convertible were a business. Fire the MBAs and hire a poet. The fate of Detroit isn’t a matter of financial crisis, foreign competition, corporate greed, union intransigence, energy costs or measuring the shoe size of the footprints in the carbon. It’s a tragic romance-unleashed passions, titanic clashes, lost love and wild horses.

Club:

Susquehanna Polling and Research just did a poll on the Pennsylvania Senate race. Among registered voters, Specter leads by only nine points, 46% to 37%. (more…)

Pro Sports Daily:

“If he’s judged healthy enough to return within the next few days, Orlando Magic all-star point guard Jameer Nelson will play against the team he was instrumental in beating twice this season – the Los Angeles Lakers – in the NBA Finals.

Game 1 is Thursday night in Los Angeles.

General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel on Sunday that Nelson would only play if he passes “a litany of tests” and the club is comfortable with a decision that won’t risk his future.

RCP:

WASHINGTON — The Obama infatuation is a great unreported story of our time. Has any recent president basked in so much favorable media coverage? Well, maybe John Kennedy for a moment; but no president since. On the whole, this is not healthy for America. (more…)

Prime Buzz:

For the first time in its history the Johnson County Community College is extending health benefits to domestic partners as well as legal spouses. (more…)