Three Strikes

Barack Obama: Populist
Stocks took a hit in the previous session, dropping to new lows for the year after President Barack Obama proposed the most extensive curbs on market speculation by banks since the outbreak of the recent financial crisis, sending bank shares tumbling. (WSJ.com, 1/22/10)

After a stinging defeat in Massachusetts in which President Obama derided Republican Scott Brown’s pick-up truck, the President’s advisers have decided to make him over….as a populist. First target: the American public, by way of the banks. Upset at losses in your 401(k) plan over the past three days? Blame Obama.

The Man Who Would Be President
Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has finally come forward to admit that he fathered a child with a videographer he hired before his second White House bid. "It was wrong for me to ever deny she was my daughter," he said Thursday. (AP 1/21/10)

Edwards, a multimillionaire trial lawyer who made his fortune suing obstetricians, was about as sanctimonious a politician as could be found. Nonetheless, it is truly sad to see someone fall so far, so fast.

Grounded
Liberal talk radio network Air America is planning to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the company said Thursday. "The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business," according to a statement on the network's Web site. It cited a "perfect storm" in the media industry and plummeting advertising revenues. (CNNMoney.com, 1/22/10)

Somehow, radio talk show titan Rush Limbaugh has managed to avoid that “perfect storm.” Reminds us of Ann Coulter’s line about why conservative radio is so popular: it is listened to by people driving in cars to jobs.