What are the odds you figure that Senate Republicans would have demanded another round of entitlement or discretionary spending cuts in exchanging for approving another Treasury Secretary?

Tim Geithner has agreed to President Obama’s request to stay on as Treasury Secretary through the Fall of 2012. It may not be a popular thing to say. And in its own way it may amount to faint or not quite voluble praise. But it is difficult not to conclude that Geithner has had the most challenging tenure as Treasury Secretary as anyone since World War II, quite possibly as anyone since the mid-1930s, seventy-five years ago. (Next up after him is likely Hank Paulson, his immediate predecessor.) Read More

It’s pretty clear that Republican intransigence over allowing new tax revenues was a major factor behind the S&P downgrade. But will that mean the GOPers mend their ways in the coming weeks, especially as the new deficit “super committee” cranks into gear? President Obama and Harry Reid certainly seem to hope so.

Back on Thursday we reported that a mysterious firm had donated $1 million to a pro-Romney Super PAC and had then suddenly been dissolved. Well, the man behind the money has now come forward. Find out who he is – here.

The Republican presidential candidates all agree on one thing: that President Obama is to blame for the S&P credit downgrade. The thing is, though, they can’t seem to agree on why.