Wednesday, February 25, 2009  

The Case Against Mayor Villaraigosa : "[V]irtually every major initiative from Villaraigosa has been a dismal failure."  Even among the ardent L.A. Dems I know, nobody isn't disappointed in this guy. It's amazing that he is essentially running unopposed. ... We need the  L.A. Times to go broke fast so we can start other publications, with a pulse, and begin to build a New York-style political culture. ... 10:36 A.M.

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009  

Nate Silver: The Final Humilation!  

Former genius Nate Silver's Oscar prediction record: 4 out of 6.

Fox blowhard Bill O'Reilly's Oscar prediction record: 5 out of 5.

O'Reilly says , "I am an oracle once again. But it wasn't even difficult." It was for Silver! ... P.S.: I've checked out O'Reilly's claim on NEXIS, and unfortunately it is accurate. Here is the relevant passage, from his Friday pre-Oscar show. (His secret methodology: He bet on Hollywood liberal politics.)

I believe "Slumdog" will win best picture, as it deserves.

Frank Langella should win best actor. His performance as President Nixon in "Frost-Nixon" is simply off-the-chart brilliant. But Mr. Langella was humanized Nixon, so he will lose political points from some members of the very liberal academy. That means it's between Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn. With gay marriage being a big Hollywood issue, you do the math.

Mr. Rourke, by the way, was great in "The Wrestler," but he is acting a bit strange this week here in L.A.

[runs video clip of Rourke saying "I should have been in that gay movie."]

"Check" is glad Rourke was not in "Milk."

Best actress, Kate Winslet. Best supporting actor, the late Heath Ledger. Best supporting actress, Penelope Cruz in the Woody Allen movie.

P.P.S.: O'Reilly did " predict this will be the lowest-rated Oscar telecast in history." It wasn't. ... P.P.P.S.:  And ... Frank Langella? ... 10:14 P.M.

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Cincinnotus: Steven Rattner isn't just leaving his investment firm to go work for the Treasury Department on the auto bailout .** He's leaving investment banking ("after 26 fulfilling years on Wall Street") to "begin a new phase of my life in the public sector ." [E.A.] Sounds like he doesn't intend for this to be his last Administration job. ... What if, you know, he succeeds and Detroit doesn't need bailing out in a year? Geithner, watch your back. ... [ via Gawker ]

**--where he will be either "a" lead advisor on the bailout or the lead advisor, depending on which part of the NYT 's account you read and how carefully you read it. ... P.S.:  He has my full support . ... 9:52 P.M.

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