Nightwatch: Tu to Wednesday

I guess I shouldn't be amazed--well, yes I should--that news of ongoing major disasters killing, poisoning, relocating, injurying, sickening etc. millions of people, are currently being highlighted only by Jeff Master's blog on Weather Underground. I quoted extensively from his Monday edition on Russia; Tuesday he wrote about the effects of monsoon rains in China, India, Afghanistan and especially Pakistan. "The number of people affected or needing assistance has been estimated to be as high as 13 million people--8% of the nation's population. The disaster is the worst natural disaster in Pakistan's history, and is rightfully being called "Pakistan's Katrina."

But hey, that's not as important as a ticked off air attendant, or Sarah Palin's latest tweet. Or Robert Gibbs' inartful comments.

Daily Kos was all shook up today over comments made by the White House Press Secretary. Marc Ambinder puts them in context.

Primaries in Colorado, Conn. and some other states had the kind of mixed and mixed up results we're likely to see in November. At least one observer says they were good for Dems. And the NYT, coming around to my POV, sees a more complicated November with maybe even something for the hopey-changey thing as suggested in Colorado. The Washington Post has an interesting take on the possible roles for Michelle Obama in 2010 Dem campaigns. She's been specifically requested by Barbara Boxer in CA and Joe Sestak in PA.

An uptick in calls for bolder action on the economy, not just on cable Tuesday but in the Wednesday New York Times, in separate columns by Bob Herbert and Paul Krugman. Herbert writes about how dire the employment situation really is, and Krugman about how dire the infrastructure situation is as well as state and local governments' ability to function. Put them together and what do you get? WPA, anyone? Yeah, Robert Reich uttered those letters on Tuesday, too.

Meanwhile, President Obama signed the $26 billion emergency aid to states bill. And here's an interesting poll, from Public Policy: 51% of undecided voters pin the bad economy on Bush, 27% on Obama. Presumably the same 27 (actually 28%) pine for GW, while 55% are happier with Obama. Not happy, exactly, but happier.

In Obama hoop news, more word getting around about the Dream Team pickup game for injured troops, involving current and past NBA greats. Magic Johnson was one, and though no video/photos or accounts and descriptions of these games have surfaced, Magic let it slip that in one of the games, President Obama hit the winning shot.

Finally, on the pop psych front, a study concluding that your personality in first grade is--your personality, forever.