The New Republic

Ed Kilgore is managing editor of The Democratic Strategist, a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute, and a frequent contributor to a variety of political journals. READ MORE >>

Tough times: Obama is now at sub-majority approval. There will be much talk in the coming weeks about whether Axelrod and Rahm and Orszag and Obama himself have been managing things wisely, but the truth is you don't inherit a near-Depression and come through it unscathed. READ MORE >>

At least this political dynasty should prove more entertaining than most.  --Michelle Cottle READ MORE >>

Ha'aretz: A U.S. delegation of Republican congressmen visiting Israel on Thursday said that the Obama administration's policy on Israel is misguided, puts too much emphasis on the issue of settlements and ignores the bigger threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Led by minority whip Eric Cantor from Virginia, the only Jewish Republican in Congress, the delegation of 25 Republicans said their weeklong mission is designed to show solidarity with Israel and promote Mideast peace.  READ MORE >>

One of the better chunks of Elizabeth Rubin's excellent New York Times Magazine profile of Hamid Karzai reports on Karzai's brothers, a number of whom are suspected of criminality. This has become a huge political problem for Karzai as he faces re-election. However, this comment from a U.N. official is more amusing than the official seems to realize.  READ MORE >>

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The News & Observer reports that Rielle Hunter showed up at the federal courthouse in Raleigh, North Carolina, today to speak the grand jury investigating whether John Edwards misused campaign funds to buy her silence about their affair. Who knows what Hunter told the grand jury, but it's curious she brought her 18-month-old daughter with her. --Jason Zengerle READ MORE >>

The WaPo has an amusing piece about how household-tips columnist Heloise is trying to connect with the new generation by giving seminars on campus-life to incoming college freshman.  Most invaluable tidbit: "If you drop your cellphone in the toilet, take out the battery, then blot the phone with a towel and blow-dry." READ MORE >>

Ed Kilgore is managing editor of The Democratic Strategist, a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute, and a frequent contributor to a variety of political journals.   It's one of those irresistible Dog Day stories, I suppose. The college football blog Every Day Should Be Saturday has the goods: READ MORE >>

Welcome news from the labor market.  I'm content to let Republicans continue their hysterical shrieking about socialism so long as economic indicators are moving in the right direction. My guess is that most of America will be as well.   --Michelle Cottle READ MORE >>