From the "Credit where it's due" file.

At least Arizona Governor Jan Brewer makes me feel better about Washington Governor Christine Gregoire.

Not great, mind you, but better.

Stuff I learned on the internet…

…but should have known anyway. James Alm of Tulane University and Janet Rogers of the Nevada Department of Budget and Planning studied fifty years of data and concluded…

”Having a Republican governor is associated with lower rates of growth."

When you remember that real economic growth at the state level is largely driven by a small business sector that the Republican Party has never had a legitimate concern for, it's hardly a surprise, but the documentation is worth noting.

It is true…

…and Bill deserves a share of blame. I'm not crazy about the "Clintons" frame in Obama's recent mailing, though. Hillary wasn't the titular head of the Democratic Party in the 90's, and I think the relevance of her experience as first lady has been largely overblown. Since I'm disinclined to give her as much credit as she claims, I can't assign her all the blame Barack apparently wishes I would. Still, the numbers are real, and the picture ain't pretty...

8 years of the Clintons, major losses for Democrats across the nation.

Governors (-12 Ds)
30 Dems after the 1992 election
18 Dems after the 2000 election

U.S. Senators (-7 Ds)
57 Dems after the 1992 election
50 Dems after the 2000 election

Reps (-46 Ds)
258 Dems after the 1992 election
212 Dems after the 2000 election

It's fair, at least, to ask what she's learned and why her leadership would produce a different result. There could be very good answers to those questions. I'd like to hear them.