Dinner?

Yeah, I've gotten several of these invites already. The last one suggested a $95 donation...

Though I think it's quite revealing, I don't really have any objection to Obama's efforts to persuade Wall Street and other oligarchs to (once again) fill his coffers with cash. Virtually every politician, especially at this level, is going to troll for money wherever they can get it, if, for no other reason, than to deprive their opponents of that cash. I just don't want to have to once again endure 18 months of the propagandizing (and false) mythologizing conceit that this is some sort of special campaign propelled by plucky, small-donor enthusiasts driving him back to the White House $5 and $10 at a time so that he can stand up on their behalf to special interests.

Iowa and the GOP

From this otherwise unremarkable and unenlightening article in today's Post, Dan Balz says:

The extent to which Romney solidified his position on Monday will also affect Jon Huntsman Jr. The former Utah governor and former U.S. ambassador to China in the Obama administration will announce his candidacy next week.

In so many ways he and Romney are competing for the same support. Both are former governors, both tout business experience, both are Mormons, and neither feels comfortable with the electorate in Iowa and therefore must take his stand in New Hampshire.

Not to concern-troll for Romney or Huntsman, but if the GOP wants to win the WH in 2012 I would assume winning Iowa would be part of that strategic calculus.

It's possible they figure that with other more evangelical conservatives in the race, especially with Minnesota neighbors Pawlenty and Bachmann competing in the Iowa caucuses, the two Utah Mormons need to make their stand elsewhere.

But if they aren't "comfortable with the Iowa electorate", that could make for a tougher general election as well.