Political Weekend

Just a reminder for those who do enjoy the political linkage, check out the Slate Political Gabfest and KCRW’s Left, Right and Center podcasts. Both are excellent. For the British politics, try the BBC’s Weekly Political Review.

UK

Gordon Brown is being put under pressure appoint a viable successor as deputy.

Allegedly, ‘Blair-ite’ left-wing figures are plotting and have approached someone to consider taking the job.

The leading candidate at the moment is Miliband.

What about Alan Johnson though?

John Rentoul says only Labour can really be blamed for this.

It should also be noted this week that our government rejected restrictions on IVF (which really pissed off The Daily Mail and therefore must be good) which would have discriminated against lesbian and gay couples seeking adoption and we voted to keep the current upper abortion limit at 24 weeks.

US

One must-read this week, George Packer’s excellent piece from The New Yorker on the fall of conservatism in America.

He’s been getting a few responses since publishing the essay.

Link Tha Police

The AV Club pays its respects at the altar of Beck’s Odelay.

PopMatters conducts an interview with the very Hottest of Chip.

Follow the events of Super Tuesday with analysis and other tidbits on The Guardian.

A biopic of puppet and muppet master Jim Henson is on the way.

Pitchfork has an uber-scene video of Black Kids playing on MTV.

Writers swapping shows? Writers from The Office taking on Friday Night Lights? Yes.

Slate revisits Sidney Poitier’s finest moment, In The Heat of the Night.

Here, literally right here, is a trailer for Morgan Spurlock’s new doc about Osama Bin Laden.

Iowa shows the love to Barack and Mike

So Obama takes the early, crucial lead against Hillary in essentially the race deciding who will be president. All honesty, if a Republican gets voted in again after the reign of Bush, something is up. Importantly though is the make up of the total voting. CNN has the detailed breakdown but the key is who came second. I’m a great believer that second is indeed nowhere but this time, it mattered. For John Edwards leaped over Hillary (joke in there?) to take second seeding in the Caucus. Of course, both fell well behind Obama.

The Republicans have a weak field of candidates this year so the little to choose came down, for my money, to two almighty words, Chuck Norris. Huckabee taking the Caucus in Iowa would have been a long shot a month or two ago but then boom. He gets a visual endorsement from Walker Texas Ranger and all of a sudden, he’s leaving the rest trailing. When Mike is looking for a running mate, he need look no further.

But the important figure is still Barack, striking a major blow to the Clinton campaign which now turns it’s head cautiously to the New Hampshire primary. Loss there for Hillary, and it’s all but over. Anyway. A few links on the subject for you guys.

The Guardian reports on the Caucus results.

Lionel Barber discusses it in the FT.

John Dickerson explores the success of Obama on Slate.

Joe Klein also weighs in on Barack for Time.

Also for Time, Michael Scherer talks Huckabee.

And David Brooks offers his opinion and experience for The New York Times.

But finally, watch the speech and understand why Barack is celebrating.