The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

Which Would Make It the Big Eleven
” ‘Right Time’: Big Ten Weighs Adding 12th School”–headline, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), Dec. 16

Stop Me Before I Spend Again
“President Obama told ABC News’ Charles Gibson in an interview that if Congress does not pass health care legislation that will bring down costs, the federal government ‘will go bankrupt,’ ” ABC News reports. Apparently the president hasn’t received the memo from Harry Reid to “stop the fear mongering.”

You almost have to admire Obama’s chutzpah in issuing this warning the same day as this, from CBS News:

The latest calculation of the National Debt as posted by the Treasury Department has–at least numerically–exceeded the statutory Debt Limit approved by Congress last February as part of the Recovery Act stimulus bill.

The ceiling was set at $12.104 trillion dollars [sic]. The latest posting by Treasury shows the National Debt at nearly $12.135 trillion.

You’ve got to love that qualification “at least numerically.” As opposed to how? As CBS notes: “Pending in Congress is a measure to increase the Debt Limit by $290 billion. . . . The White House projects a record $1.5 trillion dollars deficit this year alone, and a 5-year deficit total of $4.97 trillion.” Which we suppose means that Obama is technically right: The country is headed for bankruptcy absent ObamaCare. He just didn’t mention that it’s also headed for bankruptcy if ObamaCare does not pass.

The Associated Press–again fearlessly holding those no longer in power to account–helpfully notes:

Debate over the measure [raising the debt ceiling] broke, predictably, along partisan lines. Because Democrats control both Congress and the White House, it was their job to muster the votes required to advance the bill, even though much of the increase is required due to economic conditions inherited by President Barack Obama as he took office.

Even the Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne has come out with a column titled “Democrats Can’t Blame Bush for Their Troubles.” What does it tell you when the AP adheres more strongly to the White House’s tropes than an acknowledged liberal partisan?

For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.