The news seemed as hot as the weather this week.
The radio program (Highlights version below) again demonstrated the value of each side keeping the other on her toes and why listeners might be surprised at unexpected agreements (Polanski) and unexpected disagreements (on a mother/hood issue like obesity).
On the Economy: Arianna belittled conservatives who argue that unemployment benefits cause unemployment -- "what planet are they on?" -- citing her recent conversations with the jobless for her forthcoming book, Third World America. Mary supported an extension but only if it "was paid for" and not deficit-financed, unlike under Bush 43. Mary slammed the just-enacted Wall Street Reform bill because of all the later regulations it'll spur (Sarbanes-Oxley 16; Wall St. 553); Arianna worried not that it did too much but too little (nothing on too-big-to-fail). And neither thought it likely that President Obama's new political framing -- the same old GOP policies that created this mess vs. 44's policies that are digging us out -- could hold back the big wave of anxiety about the economy.
Were the Republicans "rooting for failure" economically by focusing on November over America? "Absolutely" said Arianna, while Mary said absolutely not, citing real philosophical differences between the two parties.
On Palin & politics: Mary argued that Palin's video imagery of a Mama Grizzly protecting her cubs struck a nerve (Arianna concurred) but MM went on to add that it was merely "elitist" for critics to say that Palin "didn't know anything." Well, could she actually be the GOP nominee or even President? The panelists didn't engage this hypothetical but Arianna -- and then Mary -- did answer that it's more likely Jeb Bush would run in 2012 and be competitive. Really? (Today's Intrade.com gives him a 4% chance of being the nominee.) Given W's miserable recent performance, maybe "Jeb" but not "Bush."
Finally, Quick-Takes: There was: agreement that 30+ plus years later, the LAPD shouldn't be seeking to extradite Roman Polanski, notwithstanding his horrible conduct; disagreement about Interior's new proposed deep-drilling Moratorium in the Gulf; and a surprising clash about the First Lady's anti-obesity drive, with Mary asserting that it was nanny-ish and overprotective of poor kids while Arianna wondered what could be wrong with the White House promoting healthier children.
And listen to "Your Week" as Mary dishes lasagna in New Orleans and Arianna celebrates a birthday in New York.
-Mark Green, host of Both Sides Now
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