Afternoon Arugula

Biden to play good cop to Rahm’s bad.

Ryan Lizza’s “How Obama Won” piece from the new New Yorker. Folks are going to pretend they’re shocked at how cocky he really is. Wouldn’t you have to be? Also, hasn’t he earned it?

Matt thinks that this compendium from the WaPo of “Day One” suggestions for Obama sort of misses one key issue: what’s going on in the world.

Ezra thinks that race is now just one of the myriad factors that influence electoral outcomes.

He also teaches us that all recessions are not created equally.

Must read Krugman column on “going big” to help the economy.

It finally hits Ta-Nehisi. He should check out the whole slideshow.

Marc wonders about the future of MyBO.

One TPM reader on today’s Obama-Bush meeting at the White House:

"I can't believe Obama is already sitting down with an unpopular, aggressive world leader without preconditions."

First sign that the presidential election is over: Nate Silver spends 2,000 words analyzing the likelihood of Al Franken winning the MN senate seat after a recount. And – shocking - his analysis is both fascinating and nuanced. I’m so glad this thing with FiveThirtyEight didn’t turn out to be a fling.

Mark Schmitt at the American Prospect grades the various election theories that got tossed around this year. The only A+ goes to FiveThirtyEight.

Also, be sure to check out the content at “Politico 44.” They are keeping a running diary of the Obama presidency, including his daily schedule, which today - seriously - includes the following:

“9AM - Obama takes his two daughters to school, walks them to the door and receives a kiss from both. He then heads to the gym.”

Indispensable.