LAT hypes Depression, with a capital D

On the front page today, the LAT says "Depression" isn't likely. That's why they brought it up. Makes sense to the LAT.

Obama analysis

Reading more and more about Obama and his preacher makes it more and more clear that those who complain the most about racism are the most guilty of it. Obama says we must cut his preacher some slack because his rage was triggered by his experiences. More likely, his preacher needs an anger management course.

Hillary: Iraq war cannot be won

According to the LAT, the Iraq war is a war "we cannot win" but "withdrawal is not defeat." "Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years." Does she support the troops? Of course.

LAT: Critics say Bush isn't doing enough

That's the headline over a front page article in today's LAT written by Maura Reynolds and Janet Hook. The suggestion that Bush has critics isn't news and doesn't deserve front page treatment.

The article is basically a hit piece. It focuses on a few words Bush spoke yesterday while complimenting Henry Paulson on the work he put in over the weekend. The words were off-the-cuff. They may not have been artful but they aren't important either. They do not have policy implications, they do not affect world markets. But they gave Reynolds and Hook a chance to poke fun at the president and the LAT went along with it, something a more reputable newspaper probably wouldn't do.

Reynolds and Hook tout Barney Frank's views and they seem to praise others who advocate more government oversight of financial markets. Government oversight may be part of the problem.

Obama speaks

In the written version of his speach, Obama seems to defend black rage by suggesting that all Americans are enraged, blacks no more than whites, the enemy being corporations and Washington insiders. He argues that blacks are justified in believing themselves victims because of America's racial history.

Blacks were enslaved 150 years ago and they are still enslaved, he seems to say. A race does not get over slavery, he seems to argue.

Blacks were discriminated against 50 years ago, and they are still discriminated against, he argues, because of their black skin. A race does not recover from discrimination, he seems to argue.

Obama does not speak much about black obligation. He does not mention that blacks ought to get married before they have children, the same as whites should. He does not mention that if blacks are to be treated the same as non-blacks that they should behave as non-blacks do, and speak as non-blacks do.

Obama speaks of black churches. Why? Shouldn't churches be colorblind? Why should black churches be different from white churches? Why do blacks choose to attend black churches? Obama doesn't say. Perhaps the question hasn't occurred to him.

Obama paints a bleak picture of America. Nobody has health care, nobody has a job because the jobs have been shipped overseas, Obama seems to suggest. But the unemployment rate is under 5 percent. How does Obama reconcile this? He doesn't. Everybody gets health care, though some get theirs at emergency rooms. Isn't this a good thing? Obama doesn't say.

If Obama (who is only half black) is representative of blacks then race relations have a long way to go.

Petruno at work

The LAT's Tom Petruno, aka Buzzard No. 1, is in his glory now that Carlyle Capital has collapsed and Bear Stearns has been bailed out. With a few more disasters, the Buzzard's stomach may bulge to the point of grounding, but he'll be happy. If only he'd choke on the remains of these decaying corpses.

O. C. Register sounds off on Spitzer

The Orange County Register wants a congressional investigation -- of the Spitzer outing. This is not a joke. The Register says prostitution should be legal and the Mann Act shouldn't be a law and the Justice Department misbehaved, though they don't have proof or even any facts suggesting that. That's why they want Congress to investigate -- to accumulate some facts to support their theory. It's another job for Henry Waxman, the indefatigable investigator-in-chief.