As I've mentioned, there's been a whole thing out in the blogosphere over the question of conservative epistemic closure, or whether the right is constrained by beliefs reinforced by their own informational circles. Again, I don't want to get into the academic debate. But I think it does enter into a question that's been on my mind of late: How will the GOP respond to a strong economic recovery?

It came down to a 6th-ballot choice between a black guy (Michael Steele) and a guy who until a few months ago belonged to a whites-only club (Katon Dawson), and the Republican National Committee members narrowly picked the black guy, 91-77.

For me, there's a symmetry to this. In 2004, the Republicans held their convention in New York, shortly after Illinois state senator Barack Obama stole the show in Boston with his keynote speech.

--As you can imagine, I am super-duper excited for today's RNC committee vote for chairman. Incidentally, I'm getting some chatter that incumbent Mike Duncan is now Mitt Romney's stalking-horse; meanwhile, former Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman (but actually, in my analysis, a stalking horse for Bill Frist), has dropped out on account of having absolutely no support whatsoever.

As the RNC gathers for its big meeting, and to elect a chairman (reports suggest Duncan, but don't count out Krazy Katon Dawson!):

--Dan rightly takes Jeff Jacoby to task for perpetuating the bogus CBO report figures, but I'll do him one better: the House Minority Whip (and 19th Scariest Conservative!) repeating the lie to Marc Ambinder last night as his #1 problem with the stimulus bill: "I think first of all you have to focus spending on actual stimulus.