By Carl Court/AFP/Getty
Today on the Dish, Andrew addressed David Cameron's refusal to cave to Merkozy, the GOP front-runners joined forces with Netanyahu, and we collected reax to the euro deal here. Gingrich's delusions were forged by science fiction, we're skeptical of his "emergency readiness," and Newt's surge benefited from impeccable timing. The GOP establishment tried to stop him, negative attacks may not work for Romney, and as a Gingrich nomination became an actual possibility, Ezra Klein braced for more extraordinary developments. We probably shouldn't bank on Huntsman 2016, the Tea Party should really go for Ron Paul in Iowa, and Obama's case for re-election mimicked Reagan's. In our AAA video, Andrew shared the story of his dogs (more on his "beagles" here).
We discussed next steps in Afghanistan, tracked events in Syria, and the protests in Russia grew stronger.
Your genes may determine how much you sleep you need, doctors often eschew aggressive life-prolonging treatment, and the death penalty shouldn't be about closure. How I Met Your Mother is about optimism, Tim Tebow practices Evangelism as opposed to Christianism, and small acts of generosity are the key to a happy marriage. "The 1 percent" fluctuated, readers weighed in on medical pricing, and Andrew is an "incompetent gay." We grappled with growing inequality, investigated the history of multiple personality disorder, and debated the Obama administration's decision to block over-the-counter emergency contraception for girls under 17.
Correction of the day here, quote for the day here, creepy ad watch here, VFYW here, MHB here, FOTD here, and correlation vs. causation here.
Thursday on the Dish, Jon Stewart marked the end of America, Andrew took stock of Perry's Christianism, and the Texas governor's campaign committed yet another amusing, unforced error. Gingrich embraced an anti-conservative and openly hostile foreign policy, he dangledJohn Bolton as secretary of state, and the GOP began to freak out. Some in the party eliteprayed for a February surprise, Mitt Romney wanted to be a career politician, the big endorsements may not make a dent, and Fox News continued to deny the ascendancy of Ron Paul. The GOP championed wealth redistribution, the Republican primaryresembled bad fiction, Rick Santorum inadvertently supported Obamacare, and GOP enthusiasm fizzled. In our AAA video, Andrew elaborated on "the successful and wealthy."
There's evidence that the Syrian regime is cracking up, the opposition harbored hope, and the Arab spring suffered from bad timing. Obama pursued a creative policy in East Asia, and irregular warfare persisted.
Retail clinics often do a better job, outward signs of aging can be misleading, and food drives are a waste. Readers dissected the Glenn Reynolds' student debt proposal, DOMA made things complicated in New York, and marijuana fueled the careers of accomplished actors and musicians. TNC reflected on race and the burden of the Civil War, Teddy Wayne enticed an overseas scam artist, and pit bulls are often misidentified. We studied the history of growing income inequality, and wondered about just war theory and cyberspace. Josh Barro called for medical pricing transparency, Ice Cube extolled the Eames, and Tebow's fans made their case.
Tweet of the day here, quotes for the day here and here, money money TR quote here, MHB here, VFYW here, and FOTD here.
Muncie, Indiana, 10.53 am
Wednesday on the Dish, the Syrian protestors braved the streets as Assad sat down with Barbara Walters. Andrew discussed Tim Tebow and prayer as public event (readers weighed in here), Newt's narcissism towers above the White House, his campaign embraced fiscal recklessness, and the Tea Party latched on. Erick Ericksonshared a confession, Michael Kazin is thrilled about the possibility of a Gingrich nomination, and the Trump sideshow continued. For 23 percent of white evangelicals, Mormonism is unforgivable, Romney put his marriage on display, and Gingrich remained fragile. Rick Perry condoned the beating and lynching of gays, Ron Paul recommended Frédéric Bastiat's The Law, international investors put their money on the US, and offering to take voluntary contributions does not represent a serious plan for deficit reduction. Limbaugh took on the GOP establishment, Obama set the stage for 2012, and Huntsman committed a soft pander.
We explored China's growing presence in Africa, the Middle East grappled with overt sectarian conflict, and Eli Lake uncovered pro-American institutions within the Pakistani services.
In our AAA video, Andrew remembered the moment he considered suicide. We approached our inevitable decline in slow motion, came back to the foreclosure crisis, and revisited the debate over women and combat. Conservatism is about modesty and moderation, circumcision is about self-determination, and kids are not political props. Glenn Reynolds wants to hold colleges responsible for student loans, pitt bull apologists made their case, and the locker-room nudity thread took a turn. We need humans at the helm, and should avoid projecting intelligence onto plants.
Email of the day here, chyron of the day here, FOTD here, VFYW here, MHB here, and the most devastating Huntsman ad yet here.
Finding Oregon from Uncage the Soul Productions on Vimeo.
Tuesday on the Dish, Ron Paul threatened to weaken Ailes in Iowa, the Trump debate saga dragged on, and the Mormon factor lingered. Gingrich is the candidate of Republican outsiders (and Fox News), the GOP establishment did its best, and Newt cannot guarantee the Hispanic vote.
Collaborative power spurred on the Arab spring, an Arab winter loomed, and Russia's democracy movement escalated. The killing in Syria continued, Andrew clarified his stance on Iran, and in our AAA video, he discussed US policy towards Cuba. Arab monarchies endured, drones may fight drones in the future, and Europe faced a choice between democracy and utopianism.
We learned more about sexual objectification, reflected on the changing face of Superman, and spotlighted the shadow economy. A poised Iowan made the case for marriage equality, knights experienced PTSD, and sports fans flocked to gay sports bars. The brains of abused children resemble the brains of soldiers, doctors die gently, and sometimes nothing works. We contemplated the future of the local news, entertained an expanded definition of acting, and wondered about the minds of plants. Some pit bulls were bred to be extremely aggressive, on some level procreation is about survival, and climate change is accelerating. The movie quote is dead, and the cheeseburger is a modern miracle.
The practice of flip-flopping explained here, Malkin award nominee here, tweets of the day here and here, quote for the day here, MHB here, FOTD here, VFYW here, VFYW contest winner #79 here, and VFYW globe here.
Monday on the Dish, Romney experienced significant downturns in the four states that will vote next month, he fended off the mainstream media, and the GOP electorate exchanged anti-intellectualism for faux intellectualism. Newt is not a general election candidate, Pelosi hinted at even more Gingrich baggage, and Romney's campaign embraced a postmodern approach to truth. Gingrich's candidacy preyed on cultural nostalgia, his record on civil liberties is atrocious, but he did stand up for online indecency in 1996. More in the conservative media pivoted to Huntsman, Friedersdorf pleaded with the Republican base, and Douthat speculated wildly about a Palin endorsement. Ginger White described boring sex with Cain, Rove scoffed at the Trump debate (as did Huntsman), Fox News defied the GOP, and liberals stuck with Obama. In our AAA video, Andrew addressed his history with women.
The war against Iran got less covert, the US gave Israel some tough love, and the peace process came to a well-orchestrated halt. We reflected on the deadliest month yet in Syria's possible civil war, Libya pushed for a massive bioengineering project in the Sahara, and Russia rebuked Putin. Merkozy called for a new EU Treaty, Ezra Klein issued a dispatch from Germany, and Belgium's soon-to-be prime minister is gay.
We checked in on racial and ethnic integration, tracked the artificial ripening of bananas, and debated density and space. Jason Brennan blamed corporatism on the left, American plutocrats are ultimately invested in the US, and history contradicted the Laffer Curve. Jaswinder Bolina discussed race and poetic voice, female readers weighed in on the locker-room nudity question, and the DEA employed terror tactics. Brooklyn epitomized the "hourglass economy," the laff box may help, and dogs are East Asian. Pit bulls suffer from a tragic feedback loop, and teen promiscuity may make sex safer.
MHB here, FOTD here, VFYW here, and Andrew's race and intelligence wrap here.
– M.A.
The Dish 