This morning’s Jolt, now off to the editors, closes with a surprising column from Susan Estrich and a wow-that’s-good column from Andrea Tantaros:

Tantaros closes, “I don’t begrudge anyone rest and relaxation when they work hard. We all need downtime — the First Family included. It’s the extravagance of Michelle Obama’s trip and glitzy destination contrasted with President Obama’s demonization of the rich that smacks of hypocrisy and perpetuates a disconnect between the country and its leaders. Toning down the flash would humanize the Obamas and signify that they sympathize with the setbacks of the people they were elected to serve.”
Economists say the recession began in January 2008; I think most Americans felt like hard times really started with the jump in gas prices that summer. By Lehman’s collapse, the Great Recession was at full speed. But 2009 was pretty crappy, and 2010 doesn’t feel so hot, either. Maybe we’ve stopped falling, but it feels like we’re floundering. The economist nicknamed Doctor Doom — really, Nouriel Roubini should embrace the image and get a cape, mask, suit of armor, the whole works — is telling us that compared to the past six months, the next six months will be sluggish. Sluggish? This economy already feels like it has the metabolism of Sidney Greenstreet.
Obama says he knows times are tough, but it’s tough to believe he feels it.

The latest unemployment numbers come out at 8:30 a.m. eastern.