In the history of clumsy attempts to use Washington Monument syndrome, Obama's has to be the most clumsy. Here is the National Park Services' excuse for barricading the World War II Memorial: lack of CPR-trained staff and lack of maintenance crews. Our WWII heroes aren't letting him get away with it.
Yesterday, it was veterans from Iowa and Mississippi. (Read about the Mississippi group's homecoming, courtesy BenK). Today, veterans from Missouri and from Chicago will arrive. If you're in the D.C. area and happen to be not working, hie thee down to the Mall and talk to these guys. The Missouri groups are going to be there around 11am.
So where is all this going? Today, the House will again try and pass its mini-CRs on specific items. These three mini-CRs were defeated yesterday, but the House is reportedly going to take a second swing at them, this time under a rule allowing a majority vote. Sen. Reid says he won't take them up even if the House passes them.
House Republicans are getting the sense that this whole thing could stretch on until we hit the debt ceiling impasse around October 17.
Were in this fight. This is the moment. We all talk about doing something for our kids and our grandkids. If you want to do something for them, now is the time. We have to work together and win this fight, Boehner told members, according to a Republican in the room.
I still think this was poor strategy (and poor logic, too), that the debt ceiling fight was the way to go, and all the insults in the world haven't changed my mind. Well, it's looking pretty likely we'll get to try both! Allah had a noteworthy non-Eeyore post yesterday looking at political winners and losers in this fight. The winners: Sen. Paul and Govs. Christie, Walker, and Bush. I'd add Gov. Jindal to that.
Below the fold, check out How Star Trek Into Darkness Should Have Ended, and if you haven't checked out last week's very funny podcast with Iowahawk, those links are there too.