James Rosen and Steven Thomma write for McClatchy Newspapers:

Whether by design or necessity, Obama appeared to be using the deepening economic crisis to step to the forefront and seize the stage in order to reassure a nervous nation two months before he takes office.

One prominent Republican, former Secretary of Treasury James Baker, suggested that Obama and President George W. Bush take the almost unprecedented step of sitting down and trying to work together to address the crisis.

Let me guess — Baker lost a ton of money on the stock market. Well, you’re the one who got him into the White House, Jimbo.