*Fascinating and frightening cover story about President Obama and the ugliness of America in this week's New York magazine. Read it here.

*Interesting interview of Glenn Beck by Imus the other morning on WABC radio. Beck was funny and self-deprecating, not the dangerous cartoonish figure he portrays on TV.

*The fallacy of baseball's wild card system was in full display last night in the Bronx when the Red Sox essentially threw in the towel midway through their loss to the Yankees, even though they were in striking distance of coming from behind and winning a game which would have put some heat on the first place Bombers. Boston manager Terry Francona cleared his bench like it was a spring training game, rather than attempt to apply pressure on the Yankees' relievers. Unfortunately, the Red Sox know from experience that you can win a World Series as the wild card. So why break your back to make a longshot bid at overtaking the Yankees? Fifty thousand people paid big bucks to watch a big game and instead witnessed a veritable exhibition contest.

*Must-see TV: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Bored to Death.

*The Eliot Spitzer resurrection tour continued last night on Real Time with Bill Maher. A pity. Spitzer is a brilliant man with so much to offer. But he'll forever be nothing more than a sideshow in the wake of the scandal that cost him the governership and ended his ambition of being president.