Let me just say I have been a big fan of Paul Krugman’s for quite a while now. Even prior to September 11, Dr. Krugman had the Bush administration figured out for what they were. And in the insanity of 2002 and 2003 he was one of the very few mainstream voices that recognized the dangerous path we were pursuing. But this election season, Krugman has taken a turn away from economics (his specialty) and its intersection with politics. He’s repeatedly inserted himself into the race as an opponent of Barack Obama over his health care plan.

I understand his argument and even agree with parts of it, but Krugman has now crossed the line from Obama critic to Clinton shill. Witness his op-ed today about the Fed and financial markets. It’s full of interesting observations about the economy that help a layman like me understand this increasingly chaotic and complex element of our national debate. But he ends the whole thing with a non sequitur Clinton talking point:

But hope is not a plan.

At least we can now put all his past denials behind us and acknowledge that for all intents and purposes Paul Krugman is now a Clinton surrogate.