Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: The mask slips, and what's underneath is revealed

kieranhealy.org via Ezra Klein

Last night was a candlelight vigil in Newtown where the First Selectwoman (that's like the town mayor) was given a national sympathy card'with over 2 million signatures from around the world:

'We wish to express our deepest sympathies to all of the families of those lost, to the survivors and their families, and to the others impacted by the senseless and unthinkable tragedy that unfolded at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We cannot begin to comprehend the depth of your sadness and grief. Please know that we care deeply for you and we join with you in sharing your sorrow and pain. We only hope that you receive some measure of comfort in the knowledge that we, and an entire nation, stand with you during this extraordinarily difficult time.'

Thank you two million times over. Things like this help.

And then there's the NRA.

WaPo:

The vice president of the National Rifle Association said steps other than gun control, like cracking down on criminals and fighting violence in the media, would be most effective.

Let's put tanks in the library and nuclear weapons in the cafeteria. Nice try, but the American people recognize this for the cowardly dodge away from assault weapons control that it is. Try representing gun owners instead of gun manufacturers for a change, okay?

And, no, this isn't a frickin' horse race.

But what LaPierre's press conference did is make clear that those who had begun to call the Newtown shooting a tipping point in the gun control debate may have to rethink that assessment.

And even if it were, you guys are not very good at calling them anyway. In any case, stop rolling over on your back when the NRA barks.

NPR:

The NRA chief's statement was interrupted twice by protesters ' including one who said the NRA had blood on its hands.

In response to LaPierre, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein noted that about a third of the nation's schools already have armed guards.

"Is this the answer? That America should become an armed camp?" said Feinstein, who is sponsoring legislation to reinstate a ban on assault weapons. "I don't think so, and I don't think that's the American dream."

Jonathan Capehart:

When the NRA broke its silence on Dec. 18, the gun rights group promised it was 'prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.' LaPierre failed miserably at that task. What he had to say was not what the American people wanted to hear, needed to hear. What he said was an insult.

Marginalized Third Way founders try to stay relevant by claiming common sense ideas are theirs and theirs alone.

If Democrats and their progressive allies are to achieve real gains during Obama's second term, they must understand how we got here, and they must be willing to challenge some of their most cherished ideas and messages. If they do not, this historic opportunity could easily be squandered.

Uh-huh. Read the article and try to find something new and unique that isn't already part of the Democratic message. The blindingly obvious, offered as wisdom and insight.

NY Times:

But if anything has been learned since [the election], it's that the president's power in Washington remains severely constrained by a Republican opposition establishment that is bitter about its losses, unmoved by Mr. Obama's victory and unwilling to compromise on social policy, economics or foreign affairs. House Republicans, in particular, argue that they won elections as well and they see their ability to retain control of the House as granting them the right to stick to their own views even when they clash strongly with the president's.

So the Times is calling them bitter and uncompromising dead-enders? Accurate observation.

How bad is it for the GOP? So bad that even Jennifer Rubin gets it:

This sort of display suggests Republicans are not capable of governing. What was an argument by Democrats (They are unreasonable! They only care for the rich!) is now a political reality.

When I posed the question 'What next?' to several senior Republicans, the answer came back, ' I really don't know' or 'Good question.' What we do know is that House Republicans may have confirmed the good judgment of the American people in keeping divided government. Goodness knows none of these people can be trusted.

...

Priscilla Gilman:

Let me clear up a few misconceptions. For one thing, Asperger's and autism are not forms of mental illness; they are neurodevelopmental disorders or disabilities. Autism is a lifelong condition that manifests before the age of 3; most mental illnesses do not appear until the teen or young adult years. Medications rarely work to curb the symptoms of autism, but they can be indispensable in treating mental illness like obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.