On October 16th, I picked up a new book by Bob Kuttner (longtime political journalist and co-founder of The American Prospect), titled Obama’s Challenge. I seldom buy brand-new books at retail—I like to wait until I can get them discounted or used—but this one seemed very much of the moment.
Indeed, I concluded with amazement that Kuttner must have finished writing it and had it rushed through production within the preceding three weeks or so: he wrote in detail about the ongoing economic collapse that began in mid-September, and moreover wrote with the assurance that Obama would win the election and be the next president. In the last few weeks there has been no end of commentary, analysis, and speculation about what Obama can and should do, policywise, not just after his inauguration but right now… but Kuttner beat everyone out of the gate.
I’m going toss a few ingredients of my own into that bubbling brew of public discourse, in a linked series of posts starting with this one, today. My thoughts and expectations are evolving, and they may as well do so in print. And for a starting point, one could certainly do worse than to consider Kuttner’s book, and the distinctive historical perspective he brings to the topic.
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