Finally Noticing the House Is on Fire

The headline reads, “Democrats Fret Aloud Over Obama’s Re-election.”

“The alarms have already gone off in the Democratic grass roots,” said Robert Zimmerman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from New York, who hopes the president’s jobs plan can be a turning point. “If the Obama administration hasn’t heard them, they should check the wiring of their alarm system.”

Three for Thursday

* Obama unforced errors watch: President Obama Has All The Legal Authority He Needs To Make Recess Appointments Right Now.

* Science fiction hegemony watch: Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey Invalidates Apple’s Design Patent On The iPad, Says Samsung.

* And the misery caucus is already looking to get out ahead of Hurricane Irene.

Six Reasons Gibbs’s Outburst Doesn’t Make Much Sense

It’s a new day, so perhaps we’re all over it, but just in case we’re not: Here are six reasons Gibbs’ outburst doesn’t make much sense, not counting the fact that it will generate hundreds of articles like this. I especially endorse #1, #3, and #4.

Just Ridiculous

Robert Gibbs has already inartfully walked back his Kinsley gaffe that left critics of the Obama administration “ought to be drug-tested,” but he ought to be drug-tested should probably resign / be fired anyway. He’s the press secretary; his whole freaking job is to stay on-message. Screwing up like this is not okay.

More importantly, this White House needs to remember who its friends are. By my count the Left has fallen into line every time it has been asked, often against its better judgment. It’s the Joe Liebermans and Ben Nelsons of the party who have repeatedly and gleefully betrayed the White House when it mattered, not the dirty hippies…

* Nate Silver: “I don’t know whether Gibbs was going “off-message” out of frustration, or whether the White House has become so jaded that they actually think this was a good strategy. Either way, it speaks to the need for some fresh blood and some fresh ideas in the White House. The famously unflappable Obama is losing his cool.”

* Glenn Greenwald: “The Democrats have been concerned about a lack of enthusiasm on the part of their base headed into the midterm elections. These sorts of rabid, caricatured, Fox-News-copying attacks on the Left will undoubtedly help generate more enthusiasm — more loud clapping — for the Democrats. I know I’m eager to go canvass and clap for Democrats after reading Gibbs’ noble, inspiring vision. If it were Gibbs’ goal to be as petulant and self-pitying as possible, what could he have done differently?”

* Chris Bowers: “Secondly, and more sadly, reaching out to the left by hating on it has a long, established tradition in Democratic politics. Many Democratic elected officials feel that reaching out to moderates and conservatives means bending over backward to show those voters that they share their views. However, many of those same elected officials consider left-wing outreach to be telling progressives to shut the fuck up and get in line. With outreach like that, it is probably no wonder that President Obama’s main problem with his approval rating right now is among self-identified liberals.”

* David Frum: “More proof of my longtime thesis, Repub pols fear the GOP base; Dem pols hate the Dem base.”

* John Cole: “Way to help the GOTV efforts, Gibbs. Asshole.”

Some Obama Grumbling

* About those unforced errors: NBC says it’s definitely Kagan. Too bad.

* Secretary of Energy Steven Chu confirms literally nothing could ever happen that would make our illustrious leaders rethink the wisdom of offshore drilling. Via Therem in the comments.

* The only thing worse than surrendering preemptively is surrendering immediately after you draw a line in the sand: for no reason I can see, the Obama administration has capitulated to the mindless Miranda-haters on the right.

* Pentagon still building its plan to create a task force devoted to writing a memo that will authorize a team to propose the elimination of don’t ask don’t tell.

* Let’s find one bright spot: Robert Gates has made a major speech promising cuts in defense spending. More here and here. We’ll see.

Unforced Errors

At this point the case against Elena Kagan has been so well-articulated, and arguments in her favor so sparse, that it’s a little disheartening to hear Obama’s probably just going to go ahead and nominate her anyway.

Hillary Clinton, working as hard as ever to make it impossible to support the Democrats in 2008.