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It's Newt's night, huh? No place to go but up? They've all been front runner - it's his turn. Thrice married and ethically challenged? Keeper!

Open thread now...

A nice thought from Ann Coulter on Fox New's Channel's Hannity & colmes:

I think it's unquestionable that Republicans are more likely to prevent the next attack. However, I will grant that John Kerry will improve the economy in the emergency services and body bag industry.

We're very excited here at C&L to have Rep. Barney Frank join us tomorrow afternoon at 12/PST-3PM Eastern Time to spend at least an hour of his time answering the many questions we all have about the state of the economy as the country tries to move forward.

He is the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee and as a result has been very busy on the TV circuit, so we're happy that he is taking the time to come to the blogosphere.

See you tomorrow.

Have you noticed that every person suddenly knows everything there is to know about how the economy works? Wow, it's all so simple. Activists now know all there is about the dollar and oil prices and mortgages. I wonder why they never chimed in before...I started asking people for their stock tips since they are all experts now. We will all get rich quick. Right?

Here's a great new ad against McCain and his position that the economy is fundamentally strong.....This ad is going to the placed in the swing states....

Our great Media should be shouting down these claims as soon as they come out of the president's mouth. Factcheck.org

Summary

The ad by the pro-Bush group Progress for America Voter Fund claims the economy was already in a recession when Bush took office, but the National Bureau of Economic Research (which dates business cycles) says the recession actually began in March 2001, after Bush took office in January.

The facts also get stretched when the ad claims "41 million seniors now have access to lower cost prescriptions (emphasis added)." Bush's new prescription drug benefit will cover seniors on Medicare for an extra premium of about $35 a month, but not until 2006. Even the currently available drug discount cards have been used much less than expected. Current enrollment is less than 5 million.

Although FOX News is crawling with them, it's pretty hard to find a bigger right-wing hack than Fred Barnes. Thursday on FOX News' "Special Report," Barnes called Gramm's insensitive and bone-headed remarks about struggling Americans "straight-talk," and reiterated Gramm's view that Americans are whiners because they acknowledge how poorly the economy is doing.

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Transcript via Think Progress:

BARNES: He wasn’t wrong to say that. You know what this was? This was straight talk that McCain always says he’s giving it, and this is exactly what Phil Gramm did. He gave straight talk…They claim about how bad the economy is–and it’s weak, no question about that. …They’re whining all the way through it.

Happy Valley News Hour: Dick Cheney sends the Terminator back in time to eliminate Joe Wilson's mother.

TBogg: Since Megan McArdle can't seem to wrap her head around this crazy little thing called "poor", perhaps she'd like to take the Food Stamp Challenge for a week or two.

American Street: The myth that Republicans are fiscally responsible stewards of the economy simply means that the vast majority of Americans know nothing about politics or economics.

D-Day: Look for the Union label...

The Opinion Mill: Bookchat

Show Me Progress: Does anyone really believe Matt Blunt's 'spend more time with my family' dodge?

The Satirical Political Report: Huckleberry promises a "WMD Roll" on the White House lawn

So, how did you spend that 300.00 rebate check you got from long ago? I doubt individuals will give it back to the economy. The reason---Bills, bills, bills.... Anyway, all you economists please comment on the Bush economy speech...

Kevin Drum picks up on the tax cut point and says:

Bernanke is saying, as clearly as he can, that a temporary economic downturn shouldn't be used as a cynical excuse to pass new long-term tax cuts or to make existing tax cuts permanent. Not only would that have no effect on the economy right now, but it would likely make future economic problems even more intractable.

Martian Anthropologist: “…Once you’re used to living in a lawless world, the transition back to civilization will be stressful at best…” Our lawless mercenaries and what could very well be an uneasy re-integration into civil society

Mia Culpa: Friday night, Members of the Union League of Philadelphia arrived in tuxedos and gowns to honor Donald Rumsfeld and give him A Medal!

The Osterley Times: Millions of people are being assigned a risk assessment score designed to identify their terrorist potential as they enter the US, including the US's own citizens. The information is garnered from several US departments, including intelligence, and is to be held on file for forty years.

Rozius Unbound: BushCo is doing for the economy what they've done for America's standing in the eyes of the rest of the world

Suburban Guerrilla: A "terrorist" is anyone who says no to the Bush Crime Family

Bob Geiger: Best of the week's editorial cartoons