Did Hank Paulson Use TARP as a “Ruse” to Rescue Citigroup?

Be sure you’re sitting down before you read this, Okay? Barry Rithholtz speculates in his forthcoming book, Bailout Nation that the entire multi-trillion dollar boondoggle was a giant ruse, a Hank Paulson engineered scam to cover up the simple fact that CitiGroup (C) was teetering on the brink of implosion. A loan just to Citi [...]

Palin Derangement Syndrome

From Real Clear Politics: While reading his top ten list Monday night, “Late Show” host David Letterman said Gov. Sarah Palin bought makeup from Bloomingdale’s to update her “slutty flight attendant” look. Palin was in New York over the weekend. It gets worse: VH1 comedian Chuck Nice appeared on Tuesday’s “Today” show and compared Alaska [...]

Promises, Promises

Via Lambert: Here’s the transcript: I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program.” (applause) “I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, spending 14 percent of its Gross National Product on health care cannot provide basic health insurance [...]

Your Breakfast Read, Served By The Confluence

Outbushing Bush Barack Obama invokes Jesus more than George W. Bush The references serve at once as an affirmation of his faith and a rebuke against a rumor that persists for some to this day. As president, Barack Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ in a number of high-profile public speeches — something his predecessor George [...]

Late Night: Video Killed the Radio Star. Literally.

Pass the bourbon.  What’s keeping you up tonight?