The Dish

The dream of so many for so long: the Northwest Passage is open for the first time in human history. Money quote:

According to Leif Toudal Pedersen from the Danish National Space Centre, the ice-covered area (light green in this image) is currently around 3 million sq km, which is about 1 million sq km less than the previous minimum levels recorded in 2005/6. Over the last ten years the sea ice coverage has shrunk by around 100,000 sq km per year, so a drop of 1 million sq km in just one year is an enormous change.

You can say that again. Can we please have a serious gas tax while there’s still ice at the North Pole?

An inflammatory request for a visit. But why not?

An Atlantic classic from 1915 by Walter Prichard Eaton. Money quote:

"The line of demarcation between theatrical audiences and movie audiences will grow ever sharper, the one representing entirely the bourgeoisie and upper classes, and the other the proletariat."

Prophetic, no?

"We sound like we don’t want immigration; we sound like we don’t want black people to vote for us. What are we going to do — meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we’re going to be competitive with people of color, we’ve got to ask them for their vote," – Jack Kemp. Notice no mention of gays as a group of people Republicans could address – from a Big Tenter.

A movie line contest reminder. It’s becoming a tighter race. Life of Brian and Apocalypse Now are gaining. Vote here.

As far as public opinion about the fundamental course of the war, it was zero, according to Gallup. And he may have reminded people of the catastrophe he inherited:

The number of Americans who say it was a mistake to send troops to Iraq ticked up to 58 percent from 54 percent in the USA TODAY Poll a week earlier.

Polarization is still gob-smackingly high:

Neither Bush nor congressional Democrats get high marks as someone who can be trusted to recommend the right thing on Iraq. Congressional Democrats are trusted by 35 percent, Bush by 27 percent. More than one in four trust neither.

The partisan divide on that question is extraordinarily sharp: Just 4% of Democrats trust Bush to recommend the right thing; just 9% of Republicans trust congressional Democrats to do so. Only one in 10 Americans trust both.

Sigh.

Dale Carpenter looks at the state of marriage equality suits across the country. They’re not that encouraging for those who want marriage rights enforced by courts. Happily, in the first state, Massachusetts, marriage equality is here to stay – and we have a fascinating experiment in its impact. And in the biggest state, California, the legislature has now passed marriage equality twice – only to be vetoed by the governor. If the courts and governor allow the California legislature to rule, this debate will enter a new and decisive phase.

Marc Ambinder remembers something from the early 1990s Rudy tries to forget:

"They can send me a signal and vote for me on the liberal line."

Ryan Sager pours a bucket of cold water over the senator’s polling bump.

Heartburn for Hewitt: the candidacy of principle is gaining while the candidacy of whatever-the-Christianists-want is fading. Nationally, Ron Paul has doubled support to 4 percent of Republicans (tied with Huckabee), while Romney has drifted down to 7 percent. Now think of the money differential and how much cash Romney has poured into this campaign this early, while Paul has relied on far skimpier funding. Bonus Hewitt squirm: McCain has now reversed places with Romney and is at 18 percent – up from 11 percent only a few weeks ago.