And That's the Way It Is....

News giant Walter Cronkite has died.

For those my age (give or take a decade), Walter Cronkite WAS the news for three decades. Given the changes in media, there will most likely never again be one man who was so present and trusted in the news biz. For those born after Watergate, it's not possible to comprehend his presence.

As LBJ said, basically writing off the Vietnam War because Cronkite had turned against it, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost middle America." Where was our modern Cronkite in 2003, during the Iraq run up? (crickets.... crickets....)

All Hell About to Break Loose

It looks like the erupting scandal regarding the CIA (et al) not notifying Congress about programs is coalescing around one specific program. No details as yet, but it doesn't look good (altho it does not look like it's the purported Cheney assassination squad(s).

Lots of info on all the sites listed to the right (particularly FDL.) Additionally, Ambinder opines and Marcy covers. Memorize the terms PSP and President's Surveillance Program. You'll hear them a lot.

Middle Ground

Noam Levey has an article in this morning's LATimes more or less extolling the remarkable bipartisanship of Baucus and Grassley for seeking the 'middle ground' on health care reform legislation. Let's ignore for the fact that for Grassley, the middle ground is defined as his way. The key fact to remember is that the idea is to reform healthcare to make it available (and affordable) to everyone (not a majority, not some, everyone). Bipartisan unity and comity is not the goal, getting healthcare to everyone is...

As Governor Dean said:

The bottom line on healthcare reform is that it is not worth doing if it is not done right....

And let's remember that for Hitler and Stalin, the middle ground was Poland.

Public Option

Avedon, writing at Eschaton, sums up the public option position perfectly:

But when someone claims they oppose healthcare reform because it is too expensive, there really is only one sensible response: "If you are worried about costs, why don't you support single-payer, which will save hundreds of billions of dollars?"

Palin Out

Poster girl for Dumericans, Sarah Palin, is resigning as Governor of Alaska, effective 7/25. No real reason has been given. There's something here we haven't heard yet; should be FASCINATING once we do!!