Ezra Klein (Washington Post): I had some issues with David Brooks’s column Friday on the two parties’ sequester positions …. A transcript of our conversation follows.
Ezra Klein: In the column, you said that the Obama administration doesn’t have a plan to replace the sequester. I feel like I’ve had to spend a substantial portion of my life reading their various budgets and plans to replace the sequester, and my sense is that you’ve had to do this, too. So, what am I missing?
David Brooks: First, the column was a bit of an over-the-top lampooning column about dance moves. I probably went a bit too far when saying the president didn’t have a response to the sequester save to raise taxes on the rich. In the cool light of day, I can say that’s over the top. There’s chained CPI and $400 billion in health proposals. So I should say I was unfair. I’m going to attach a note to the column, if it’s not up already.
More here
As David Roberts (@drgrist) put it on Twitter: “Seriously, David Brooks’ answer to this first question is remarkable. Why wouldn’t you fire him for this?”
* 3:0: Delivers remarks at The Delta Center, Milwaukee *
4:20: Departs Milwaukee
5:05: Arrives Dubuque, Iowa
* 5:25: Delivers remarks at Washington Park, Dubuque *
6:50: Departs Dubuque
EDT
9:45: Arrives Bristow, Virginia
* 10:40: Delivers remarks at Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow (with Bill Clinton) *
11:35: Departs Bristow en route Washington, DC
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OFA
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Sunday:
EDT
8:0: Departs the White House
9:30: Arrives Concord, New Hampshire
10:25: Delivers remarks at Capitol Square, Concord
11:50: Departs Manchester, New Hampshire
2:50: Arrives Hollywood, Florida
3:40: Delivers remarks at McArthur High School, Hollywood
5:0: Departs Hollywood
7:10: Arrives Cincinnati, Ohio
7:55: Delivers remarks at 5th/3rd Arena, Cincinnati
9:10: Departs Cincinnati
MDT
9:50: Arrives Aurora, Colorado
10:25: Delivers remarks at Community College of Aurora at Lowry
11:30: Departs Aurora
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Monday: The President will travel to Madison, Wisconsin and Columbus, Ohio for campaign events. In the afternoon, the President and the First Lady will travel to Des Moines, Iowa for a campaign event. In the evening, they will travel to Chicago where they will remain overnight.
Tuesday: The First Family will spend Election day in Chicago.
Wednesday: The First Family will return to Washington, DC.
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NYT Editorial: …. The truth is that Mr. Obama was right when he talked about “real progress” in the economy during a campaign swing in Ohio, where the state unemployment rate has declined from 8.6 percent a year ago to 7 percent recently. Republican obstructionism has made it much harder to achieve the improvement we have seen, but it has failed in its seeming intent to ensure stagnation.
That left Mr. Romney flailing around for a response. His proclamation that the economy was at a “virtual standstill” is believable only if you adopt Mr. Romney’s denial of stark reality. A candidate who could ignore Chrysler’s announcement of 1,100 new jobs in Toledo and claim that Chrysler was moving jobs to China can just as easily see a flat line in an upward trend.
…. Republicans have been determined to keep the economy as weak as possible to hurt Mr. Obama’s campaign. The Republicans’ last-minute tactic has been a cynical one — to make it clear that they will continue obstructing Mr. Obama if he wins. That is a hollow argument for Mr. Romney. And it does not change the fact that Mr. Romney has no good ideas and Mr. Obama has plenty.
White House.gov