The Commentariat -- September 17

Delusions of Grover. Clyde Haberman of the New York Times on New York's Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino: "On [Paladino']s campaign Web site, prominently displayed near the top of the home page, is a notice that says in large white-on-black type, 'The last NY governor from Buffalo became president of the United States.' ...  The two men have things in common, including fiscal conservatism and a distaste for political patronage and bossism. Oh, there’s one other matter: Both acknowledged having fathered children who in a quainter time were described as — pass the smelling salts — illegitimate."

** The Unwashed Candidates. Glenn Greenwald makes a cogent argument as to why the GOP is all aflutter over the ascendency of tea party candidates -- it isn't that the tea partiers' political ideas are any different from what Republicans have been pushing for decades; rather, it's their unsophisticated way of expressing themselves. "And it's especially uncouth when the person [is] some poor, unprivileged, very ordinary Walmart shopper like Christine O'Donnell." ...

... Andrew Sullivan argues that "it isn't class snobbery. It's the difference between those who use far right convictions and those who actually hold them."

Jeffrey Smith of the Washington Post: "From the moment Boston-based OneUnited Bank began seeking a federal bailout in the summer of 2008, it received special treatment that went beyond what the Treasury Department or the bank and its political supporters have previously disclosed.... A close look at how OneUnited - which is now at the center of an ethics investigation involving Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) - won bailout money shows how the Treasury Department, federal regulators and another influential lawmaker helped it despite its record of bad investments and extravagant spending."

Roger Cohen of the New York Times on Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the British Isles: "Britain would have done well to heed tradition and deny the honor of a state visit to this pope, a blunder-prone spiritual leader of rigid intellect and uncommunicative soul, too remote to heal a church in crisis."

Howard Kurtz in the Washington Post: Robert Gibbs calls a Forbes cover story by Dinesh D'Souza, which "accuses President Obama of adopting 'the cause of anti-colonialism from his Kenyan father,'" "a new low." Forbes stands by its story.

Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post laments the collapse of the political center. "This is the way wealthy nations become poor. There are no vibrant economies without effective political systems, and there are no effective political systems without a vibrant center.... In the end, there are no winners - except, perhaps, for the Chinese."

Conor Dougherty & Sara Murray of the Wall Street Journal: "The downturn that some have dubbed the 'Great Recession' has trimmed the typical household's income significantly, new Census data show, following years of stagnant wage growth that made the past decade the worst for American families in at least half a century." ...

... BUT. Tiny Violins, Please. Mark Whitehouse of the Wall Street Journal: "It's not as easy to be rich as it used to be."

Peter Wallsten & Danny Yadron of the Wall Street Journal report on the Tea Party Express, which "played a central role upending Republican primaries in Nevada, Alaska and, this week, Delaware, raising millions of dollars to help topple candidates favored by GOP bosses.... The Tea Party Express ... is driven by ... Sal Russo..., a longtime California GOP operative and former aide to Ronald Reagan, [who] runs Tea Party Express out of his Sacramento, Calif., consulting firm."

New York Times: "Jon Stewart ... plans to stage a rally in Washington to counter what he identified as extremists on either side of the political spectrum. Mr. Stewart told his audience the show had secured the National Mall in Washington on Oct. 30 for what he called 'The Rally to Restore Sanity.'”

Jon Stewart announces his Rally to Restore Sanity October 30:

Contra Stewart, Stephen Colbert announces his March to Keep Fear Alive:

Also, see Stewart's extended interview of President Clinton here. It's a four-parter, so I'm not posting it, but it's worth clicking thru.

     ... New York Times Update: "A day after the 'Daily Show' star Jon Stewart announced plans to stage an ambitious public rally to counter what he identified as extremists on either side of the political spectrum, specifics were in short supply on Friday, with most of the details still to be worked out." The Website established by the rally is www.rallytorestoresanity.com.