Let’s Make Sure No Obama Critics Tell Jokes, Either

The New York Post headlines its front page with the words ”No Joke,” critical of President Obama for having the temerity to appear on “The Tonight Show” while the “economy burns.”

President Obama last night got comfy on “The Tonight Show” couch, cracking jokes about his bowling, a promised pooch and his job even as critics slammed his appearance, and a foray into basketball predictions, as distractions from a critically ill economy.

Featured is Charles Hurt’s column, “It’s Foul Joke On Taxpayers,” again going after the president for “yukking it up” on Leno.

Despite the fury, Obama with …

Obama’s Comedy Gutterball

Somehow I’m guessing that we’ll be hearing more about this from the right-wing echo chamber.

ABC’s Jake Tapper reports:

President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled.

Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he’s gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley.

He bowled a 129, the president said.

“That’s very good, Mr. President,” Leno said sarcastically.

It’s “like the Special Olympics or something,” the …

Just How Dumb Are People?

Or, to put it a bit more delicately, just how uninformed?

A new study has some troubling answers to that question.

• Only 53% of adults know how long it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun.

• Only 59% of adults know that the earliest humans and dinosaurs did not live at the same time.

• Only 47% of adults can roughly approximate the percent of the Earth’s surface that is covered with water.*

• Only 21% of adults answered all three questions correctly.

* The approximately correct answer range for this question was defined as …

On Thursday’s Radio Show…

Guest host Ellis Henican fills in for Alan.…

Is Dick Cheney Feeling The Heat?

Bobby Ghosh writing for TIME asks, “What’s Behind Dick Cheney’s New Attacks?”  It seemed as though it was about more than just protecting his legacy.

Several observers think Cheney may be starting to feel the heat from Democrats’ efforts to investigate the Bush Administration’s counterterrorism policies – policies Cheney himself advocated, and for which his proteges allegedly provided the legal basis. But if he was trying to deflect attention from Bush-era policies, Cheney’s aggression will likely have the opposite effect. “If his goal was to tamp down talk of a Truth Commission, he has probably exacerbated the problem,” a …

W’s Book

Former President Bush’s post-presidency book is tentatively titled Decision Points.

“I want people to understand the environment in which I was making decisions. I want people to get a sense of how decisions were made and I want people to understand the options that were placed before me,” Bush said in an interview Wednesday from his office in Dallas.

 News of the book emerged Tuesday when Bush spoke in Canada. Tentatively called “Decision Points,” the book is scheduled for a 2010 release by Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, which in turn is a division of …

Ted Haggard And Wife To Appear On “Divorce Court”

What’s unusual about this is that Ted and Gayle Haggard are appearing to talk about how wonderful their marriage is now that Ted has shown repentance and Gayle has found forgiveness.  Their marriage survived a relationship Ted Haggard had with a male prostitute who alleged pay for play.

The Haggards say their marriage and Christian faith are stronger than ever, and they want people to know that divorce is not the answer.

“This is part of Ted’s journey,” Gayle Haggard said. “It’s made him a better man. I see what has happened as a divine rescue.”

She …

Reasons To Prosecute BushCo. Have They No Shame?

Lawrence Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, has some fine words for the Bush administration and, in particular, the recent reasoning of former Vice President Cheney.

On Wednesday’s Radio Show…

Guest host Ellis Henican fills in for Alan.…

Legal + Constitutional Doesn’t Always = Proper

Nate Silver has an excellent post about what Congress may or may not do about AIG and other firms taking taxpayer dollars.  The Senate has a bill to tax 98% of  bonus money.  The House is looking at taxing 100% of bonus money over $100,000. 

There’s been some discussion about whether levying a tax of this nature would be legal, or instead would represent an unconstitutional bill of attainder. Lawrence Tribe of Harvard Law School says the bill would probably pass constitutional muster, although the answer is less than 100 percent clear.

I’m not sure that’s the whole crux …

Bush Supports Obama

In fact, W. says “it’s essential” to support O., in his first public appearance since leaving office, ironically, outside the US in Calgary, Alberta.  Unlike GOP leader Limbaugh and his deputy Dick Cheney, the former president says the new president has enough critics and “deserves my silence.” 

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has said that Obama’s decisions threatened America’s safety. Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has said he hoped Obama would fail.

“I love my country a lot more than I love politics,” Bush said. “I think it is essential that he be helped in office.”

While Bush …