1.) 73% of Americans have given up pretending — If you’re worried about where America is headed, you’re not alone. TheDC’s Alexis Levinson reports: “Three-quarters of Americans now believe the country is on the wrong track, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday. The poll, conducted from August 4 through August 8, a period during which the stock market plunged and Standard & Poor’s downgraded the United States’ credit rating, found just 21 percent saying the country is heading in the right direction, and 73 percent concerned that it’s on the wrong track. That pessimism extends to the economy, of which a slight plurality of respondents — 47 percent — say the worst is yet to come. Of those polled, 43 percent said the economy has stabilized, but not yet improved, and just 6 percent believe it has turned the corner. President Barack Obama’s approval rating is seeing the impact from this negativity, with more Americans now saying they disapprove of his job performance than approve of it. Some 45 percent now say they approve, while 52 percent disapprove.” So what’s happening here is obvious: 73% of Americans are either too stupid to understand what a great job Obama is doing or too dishonest to admit it. Also: racist.
2.) Just keep Fred Armisen away from the set — But hey, remember when Obama bravely gave the go-ahead to kill the mastermind of 9/11? Then you’re going to love the major motion picture. That’s what the White House is hoping, at least. But by cooperating with Sony Pictures on the development of the propaganda piece — er, film — is the White House undermining national security? Is that worth helping Obama get a second term? TheDC’s Neil Munro reports: “It is ‘ridiculous’ to think that White House officials are providing extra help to Hollywood producers working on a movie about President Barack Obama’s successful killing of Osama bin Laden, spokesman Jay Carney declared today. ‘We do our best to accommodate them to make sure the facts are correct,’ he said at his midday press conference. ‘That is hardly a novel approach.’ The response came after New York Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, urged an investigation into reports the administration granted Sony Pictures director Kathryn Bigelow ‘high-level access’ for a movie about the killing of the Islamic terror chief. The move is slated to open in theaters one month before Election Day 2012, and is likely to focus attention on Obama’s actions prior to the mission, which temporarily bumped the president’s approval rating over 50 percent.” This is just like when the Bush administration helped with the major motion picture about the capture of Saddam Hussein, right? No? Oh. Well, the Bin Laden movie will definitely improve Obama’s re-election prospects, assuming anybody can still afford a movie ticket by then.
3.) Yay, another debate… — People aren’t happy about where things are going, but do the Republican candidates for president have any better ideas? We’ll find out tonight. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports: “Will Mitt Romney play the role of dignified front-runner? Will Jon Huntsman remind voters he’s running for president? It’s debate time again, and eight GOP presidential candidates will take the stage Thursday night at Iowa State University ahead of this weekend’s Ames Straw Poll. Those participating in the Fox News-sponsored debate include [Mitt] Romney, [Jon] Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.” And TheDC’s Amanda Carey has more on Huntsman: “The former Utah governor and ambassador to China will appear alongside his Republican rivals for the first time, and in a state where he remains little known in the race for the Republican presidential nomination… Huntsman’s rocky start, low poll numbers, staff turmoil and the reluctance on the part of many tea party members to embrace his candidacy make for a less than comfortable combination going into the debate.” Well, at least he’s got nothing to lose!
4.) Santelli’s no nervous nelly — All this uncertainty about the future is a bad thing, right? Not necessarily, according to Rick Santelli. TheDC’s Jeff Poor reports: “During an appearance on the Wednesday episode of Sean Hannity’s radio program, the so-called ‘father of the tea party movement’ offered his views on the implications of the Standard & Poor’s downgrade. ‘You know, you really get to see the world, Sean, for what it is when there’s anxiety and financial upheavals,’ Santelli remarked. ‘And what do you see as we go through that exact point in time, the last couple of weeks, today specifically when the Dow is down over 500? What you see is that the rating agencies kept jumping to reaffirm the French and the French banks, but the French bank stocks are plummeting. S&P downgraded the U.S. and all you’ve seen is interest rates move to historic levels… [Y]ou really get to see the emperor without clothes during anxiety. What value represents to an investor who is filled with anxiety is the only reality that matters… What the world is seeing now in the global marketplace are market forces finally acting on the reality of the situation.” In other words, this could be America’s moment of clarity. Let’s hope he’s right.
5.) Babies hate politicians — Shaking hands and kissing babies. You gotta do it if you want to be president. But the babies aren’t always thrilled about it. TheDC’s Laura Donovan reports: “If you have ever unsuccessfully tried to console a screaming baby, perhaps you can sympathize with the politicians who simply never acquired the magic touch to soothe sad little tykes. Even Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, the biological mother of five and foster mom for dozens, could not quell the anxieties of three-month-old Reese Benjamin during an appearance Tuesday in Iowa. If she cannot do it, who can?” Enjoy the slideshow of pols holding miserable children. If you think it’s bad now, kids, just wait until you’re old enough to pay taxes.
6.) Today’s words of wisdom from Adam Baldwin’s Twitter feed — “Saying, ‘There’s no political agenda behind the actions of UK rioters’ is like saying V.I. Lenin had no ‘Useful Idiots.'”
VIDEO: Tina Brown takes a break from writing Princess Di fanfic to explain how she’s destroying Newsweek
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