I watched a bit of David Gregory on MSNBC. He's talking about how angry people are and how this might create a third-party candidate for president. Fine, but how about a third-party version of David Gregory? 

See, the story isn't anything like what Gregory, who is supposed to be a reporter, says it is.  

This is the story. 

1. Raising the debt ceiling is a routine thing. 

2. It's never been a political issue. 

3. The Republicans decided to withhold their approval. 

4. Which is a form of blackmail. 

5. The victims of the blackmail are everyone but the Republican politicians, including most of the people who vote Republican. 

Until Gregory reports that as the basic story, he's overdue for toppling.  

One of these days people are going to figure it out.  

BTW, thanks to Howard Weaver for digging up this clip from Season 6 of the West Wing, where they, in a just a minute, explain what the debt ceiling is about. 

If a bunch of actors can figure it out, why can't a professional correspondent for NBC? (Answer, of course he can, and has.)