12/2 Roundup: It's Official, Solving Kashmir, Bush Concedes Something

Leader: It's Official

- In perhaps the least surprising headline story in history, we discover today that our country is (this time officially) in a recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research has finally confirmed what most Americans have suspected for some time. Congratulations, everyone.  It turns out that we've been in a recession for a year now, making it already the longest recession since the 1980s, and projections indicate that this one could last into 2010-- which may mean that it will turn out to be the worst recession since the 1930s. Ladies and Gentlemen, tighten your belts.

Politics

- Barack Obama's national security team was announced yesterday.  No surprises. But with Hillary Clinton officially slated to serve at State, the surprises can begin-- who will replace her in the Senate?  Frontrunner Rep. Nita Lowey, who was going to run for Senate in New York in 2000 until Hillary showed up on the scene, has officially withdrawn from contention. New Yorker William J. Clinton has also clarified that he's not particularly interested in the seat. So who will it be? Andrew Cuomo? Byron Brown? Adolofo Carrion? Thomas Suozzi? Robert Kennedy Jr.? Hold your breath.

International

- As the dust settles, many are asking how the United States ought to respond to the terror attacks in Mumbai. Pankaj Mishra, writing on the NY Times Op-Ed page, suggests that the key to reconciliation between India and Pakistan is a peaceful, mutually acceptable resolution to the Kashmir conflict. Peter Bergen of the New America Foundation has an idea to make the seemingly impossible: Send negotiations wizard Richard Holbrooke as a special envoy to the conflict.

One More Thing

- President Bush acknowledged that the recent election was a repudiation of Republicans, and conceded that many people probably voted for Barack Obama "because of me."  In related news, the Texas indictments against Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzalez have been dismissed.

- Last, Jon Stewart on the partisan cable news channel of the future: