The Wednesday edition of your semi-daily open thread. Yesterday was a weird day, wasn’t it? Share what’s on your mind below.
The ultimate prospects for democracy in Tunisia are still very uncertain. While the former head of the secular, autocratic government, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, has fled the country in the face of a popular uprising, efforts to form a government and prepare for elections are facing significant obstacles.
Nevertheless, here in the U.S., The Post’s Jennifer Rubin is already field testing the narrative that President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq somehow led to the uprising in Tunisia:
Recall when President George W. Bush talked about democracy taking hold in Iraq and then the region? Now Bush’s vision seems very prescient.
Rubin doesn’t even attempt to prove causation — eight years ago, the U.S. invaded Iraq, and last week there was an uprising in Tunisia. Ergo Bush deserves the credit. This is deeply paternalistic — in Rubin’s version of history, the Tunisians who faced down the security forces of an autocratic regime are practically bit players in their own political upheaval.
The George W. Bush legacy rehabilitation project is in full swing.
I guess accusing her critics of “blood libel” didn’t
really help Sarah Palin.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows Sarah Palin’s favorable rating has dropped to 38%, her lowest since just after bursting onto the national scene as Sen. John McCain’s running mate in 2008. In the wake of controversy over her response to the Tucson
shooting, her unfavorable rating hit a new high at
53%.
She’s entering Christine O’Donnell territory there. I doubt her interview with Hannity helped her at all, she’s only preaching to the choir.
There were some election 2012 announcements. North Dakota’s Kent Conrad announced his retirement in 2012. This is an expected Republican pickup. Today Joe Lieberman is also expected to announce his retirement.. I’m happy to see Lieberman go but thanks for the DADT repeal! Indiana’s Dick Lugar announced he will run for re-election in 2012. He is expected to face a Tea Party candidate in a primary.