I hope that I am not showing my age but the New York Times used to proclaim that it contained "All the News Fit to Print" and it was essentially good to its word. This iconic newspaper is still the best source of main stream intelligentia. It is no longer the newspaper of Harrison Salisbury, David Halberstam, James Reston, Tom Wicker, Anthony Lewis or William Safire but we can all be grateful that it hasn't been purchased by Rupert Murdoch (at least NOT YET!).
HOWEVER, when a hack like me is a week ahead of it by reading the better blogs, we should all be concerned (or you should all be reading me!).
Geithner is getting questioned about AIG. Banks are in trouble. Obama wants to increase regulation of financial institutions. Goldman Sachs has decided to go easier on the bonuses.
Bernanke is feeling the pressure. Paulson's judgements are now suspect. Volker has been summoned to restore order (when an early Reagan confidante is seen as the answer to our problems, you can be sure that times have changed).
I gather that Obama has given the State of the Union address tonight. I passed on it. That charade has more applause signals than the typical sitcom. Wouldn't it be nice to hear him say that he messed up......misplaced priorities......would atone for past errors in judgement influenced by political motivations. What would we do with the truth? What if Clinton had told us that in fact he was playing with an intern and that it was none of our business so long as it was consensual? What if Tiger Woods told us that it was damned near impossible for him to resist the women that threw themselves at him? Aren't you all waiting for it to happen? Not me.
I would have to stop believing in the Easter Bunny.
