In a way, this Gallup poll result is stunning:

While no more than 41% of Americans favor a criminal investigation into any of the matters, at least 6 in 10 say there should be either a criminal investigation or an independent probe into all three [torture, DOJ firings and politicization and warrantless wiretapping.] This includes 62% who favor some type of investigation into the possible use of torture when interrogating terrorism suspects, 63% who do so with respect to the possible use of telephone wiretaps without obtaining a warrant, and 71% who support investigating possible attempts to use the Justice Department for political purposes.

(Emphasis supplied.) But to be honest, what it really is is a lesson in how poll results are so dependent on the question asked. I'll explain on the flip.

Drug Reform groups and others are beginning to react to the reports that President Obama will choose Seattle police chief Gil Kerlikowske as the new Drug Czar:

• Paul Armentano at NORML

The day the U.S. government finally — and properly — recognizes that drug use is a public health problem and not solely a criminal justice issue will be the day that the President appoints a White House ‘Drug Czar’ who possesses a professional background in public health, addiction, and treatment rather than in law enforcement.

But until that day arrives, perhaps the best we reformers can hope for is a cop who appreciates that pot poses less of a danger to the public than alcohol, and who recognizes that from a practical and fiscal standpoint, targeting and arresting adults who engage in the responsible use of cannabis doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense.

[More...]

President Barack Obama will name Seattle Police Gil Kerlikowske as the nation's new Drug Czar. He will be director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and it's a cabinet position.

A career cop, here's an interesting tidbit.

He has said he discovered his love for law enforcement in 1965 while fingerprinting criminals at a Florida jail.

Reactions from Drug law reformers:Not an ally by any means but we could have done worse: [More...]

NBC reports that Patrick Fitzgerald will stay on as U.S. Attorney in Illinois.

I don't think this was in doubt. When the Chicago Tribune editorial board interviewed Obama in March during the campaign, he was asked about this and said:

Politico notes:

With the revelation last week that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is suffering from pancreatic cancer, the political stakes for Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the next solicitor general were raised dramatically. President Barack Obama has nominated Elena Kagan, dean of Harvard Law School, to become the 46th solicitor general . . . While her confirmation is widely expected by both sides, Democrats and Republicans consider the fight over Kagan’s nomination to be a dry run for a future Supreme Court nomination battle.

It makes watching Kagan's confirmation hearing more interesting today.

Unlike some of his sycophants, President Obama seems open to learning from his mistakes. In response to yet another question about "bipartisanship" in last night's press conference, this one from Mara Liasson, President Obama said in part:

Now, just in terms of the historic record here, the Republicans were brought in early and were consulted. And you'll remember that when we initially introduced our framework, they were pleasantly surprised and complimentary about the tax cuts that were presented in that framework. Those tax cuts are still in there. I mean, I suppose what I could have done is started off with no tax cuts, knowing that I was going to want some, and then let them take credit for all of them. And maybe that's the lesson I learned.

(Emphasis supplied.) Indeed Mr. President. It is good to see President Obama does not believe the press clippings from his sycophants and is willing to learn. Now that is change I can believe in from the previous 8 years. Also, Faiz Shakir at Think Progress had it last night.

Speaking for me only

The Obama press conference is on. You'd have to be on Mars not to be seeing it online or on tv, so I'm not going to live blog.

Speech part is over. (Text here.) Shorter version: This is the worst economy since the Depression. If we don't act now, we'll be in dire straits.

In answer to first question, he backtracked of an earlier statement today implying we'll never get out of it if we don't act now. He says he meant it will be difficult to get back on track. Shorter version: He avoids Doomsday scenario.

He seems very presidential and in control. Good for him and us.

Here's a thread for reactions.

The Associated Press reports:

The $827 billion [stimulus] measure is likely to pass next week despite stiff opposition from the GOP and disappointment among Democrats, including the new president who labeled it imperfect. "We can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary," President Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address, sounding a note of pragmatism that liberal followers rarely heard on the campaign trail.

(emphasis added) Rarely heard? The Obama campaign made clear the candidate's belief that the political process is one of compromise, and that "change" meant working to get things done in contrast to the GOP's polarizing "our way or no way" strategy of governance. Obama even used the "perfect is the enemy of the good" quotation during the campaign.

There are legitimate reasons to question the wisdom of some comprises to which Senate Democrats have agreed, but the president's willingness to indulge compromise in a pragmatic effort to pass a stimulus bill should surprise none of his "liberal followers."

The latest Cabinet nominee to encounter difficulty is Hilda Solis, President Obama's choice to head the Department of Labor. A scheduled hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has been postponed in light of news that Solis' husband had $6,400 in tax liens against his business for many years, liens he paid only yesterday.

Robert Gibbs reacted to the news appropriately:

"She's not a partner in that business," Gibbs said. "We're not going to penalize her for her husband's business mistakes."

The larger question is why the issue, which Gibbs said was uncovered during the vetting process, wasn't disclosed earlier. The tax liens shouldn't mar Solis' candidacy, but an earlier disclosure of their existence would have smoothed her confirmation. The Senate committee apparently didn't learn about the problem until today. [more ...]

Digby d-day writes:

The upshot is that this [stimulus] bill, with the entire goal of stopping a careening disaster in the economy and putting people to work, is seriously off the rails. And I've got to say, a lot of it is because the Obama Administration isn't answering the critics with any kind of force or action plan.

I disagree with Digby d-day. The entire plan went off the rails from the word go, because Obama put the post-partisan unity schtick as a higher priority than the actual efficacy of the plan from the beginning - meaning his own timid and inadequate initial proposal.

So the question is this - how's that 11 dimensional political chess working out for you now? It's not so easy when Clinton Derangement Syndrome is not in the mix.

Speaking for me only

WaPo:

President Obama named Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) as his Commerce Secretary on Tuesday, reaching across the aisle to pick a fiscal conservative with whom he openly disagrees on certain issues to round out his Cabinet.

Gregg brokered a deal with the New Hampshire governor that he would be replaced by a Republican in order to not shift the balance of power in the Senate. Gov. John Lynch is expected to name Bonnie Newman, Gregg's former chief of staff, as an interim caretaker in the role.

I assume interim caretaker means Newman won't run in 2010. The real question then is will she join GOP filibusters. I do not know the answer to that question.

Speaking for me only

My first post at TalkLeft in 2006 was titled "What Obama Needs To Learn From Hofstadter, Lincoln and FDR." A precursor to that piece was a post I wrote in 2004 at daily kos, Lessons from Lincoln. In these posts, I liberally borrowed from the writings of Digby, of "What Digby Said" fame.

Digby returns to that theme in this post: