Noted economist
-Headline of the day-
"Joe the Economist."
Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, famous for being used as an example in a presidential debate, is now an economist. So says House GOP congressional aides. They've announced a meeting on the economic stimulus package featuring the noted economic whiz and unlicensed plumber. "Wurzelbacher, who became a household name during the presidential election, will be focusing his talk on the proposed stimulus package," the announcement reads. "He’s apparently not a fan of the economic rescue package, according to members of the group."
"In case you weren’t planning to attend CWG tomorrow morning, you might want to reconsider because Joe the Plumber will be joining us!” Kimberly Wallner, an aide to South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, wrote in a message. Wow, an exclamation point. I'm waiting for "Balloons for the kids!"
"This is what it’s come to for Republican staffers in Congress," writes Steve Benne. "In the midst of an economic crisis, and after balking at a stimulus package, the GOP is turning to an unlicensed plumber/campaign prop to discuss legislative strategy on economic policy."
That's about the size of it. Worse, after electoral disaster in '06 and '08, Joe the Plumber's about the deepest thinker and biggest celebrity they've got left.
Next week, Tito the Builder holds a symposium on the challenges of health care management and medical cost overrun mitigation in the 21st century. (Think Progress)
-Behold, the power of the press!-
Tom Daschle, Obama's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, is no longer Obama's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Tax problems, ties to industry, and other bumps in the road gave him problems, but it was the Gray Lady who finally did him in.
According to the report, "NBC's Andrea Mitchell reported that Daschle got up Tuesday morning and read the New York Times and decided he couldn't pass health care. He told her it was too much of a burden to bear." So he withdrew his name and now the search starts again.
Daschle probably wasn't the guy for the job in retrospect, but remember how the press worked over Bush nominees until they finally realized they were too flawed to serve?
Yeah, neither do I. (Raw Story)
-Because every other crime in Richland County, SC has been solved-
When the news came out the Olympic Superfish Michael Phelps was caught firing up a bong, my first reaction was "Who cares?" One, it's not a performance-enhancing drug -- it's the opposite -- two, he was a college-aged guy at a party. These aren't kid parties. Did anyone think he was playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey there?
Yeah, yeah, yeah... "role model"... "public figure"... whatever. He's a guy who's really good at swimming for a living. Why this is supposed to come with any great responsibility is beyond me. He's not a freakin' candidate for Popehood or Popishness or whatever the hell it's called. He's an athlete.
It wasn't until South Carolina's Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott stepped into this that I got interested. "If someone breaks the law in Richland County, we have an obligation as law enforcement to investigate and to bring charges," Lott told reporters. "The Richland County Sheriff's Department is making an effort to determine if Mr. Phelps broke the law. If he did, he will be charged in the same manner as anyone else. The sheriff has a responsibility to be fair, to enforce the law and to not turn a blind eye because someone is a celebrity."
And to maybe to make big headlines because someone's a celebrity. Tell me, Leon, how many kids have you busted for posting photos of themselves smoking pot on Facebook or Myspace? How many photos of college students pulling bongs do you send deputies out to investigate? Somehow, I'm guessing that this is the very first time.
Prioritize, Leon. Prioritize. (CNN)
