The buck stops here

Bravo! Great response! When was the last time we had a President who took responsibility for his actions (and even other people's actions!). In fact, when was the last time we had a President who even acknowledged problems -- let alone one who denies he ever messed up or created his own reality about a war he started! (More about that tomorrow, the 5th anniversary of the ill-advised and disastrous war!)

President Barack Obama said he will take the blame for bonuses being paid at AIG Inc. if it will settle an intense finger pointing under way over how such payments were possible at a company that has received tremendous taxpayer aid.

"Washington is all in a tizzy and everybody is pointing fingers at each other and saying it's their fault, the Democrats' fault, the Republicans' fault," he said at a town hall meeting Wednesday. "Listen, I'll take responsibility. I'm the President." He also make clear that it isn't really his fault. "We didn't grant these contracts," he said.

But he added: "So for everybody in Washington who's busy scrambling, trying to figure out how to blame somebody else, just go ahead and talk to me, because it's my job to make sure that we fix these messes, even if I don't make them."

The comments were an effort to change the subject, which has engulfed Washington this week, and pivot to his push to overhaul financial regulations that govern the system and that many blame for the underlying problems.