I was manifest(o)ly wrong

Several days ago, I echoed Steve Diamond‘s argument that the dueling manifestoes this week are related to “the battle for the soul of Barack Obama.” Larry Mishel took me to task in comments, and I will now publicly apologize, since David Brooks has now made the same point Diamond and I did. In his Manichean spin, Brooks claims that one cannot agree with both manifestoes, and that they represent the status quo camp and the reform camp. But wait: isn’t NCLB the status quo, and high-stakes accountability the status quo in many states before that? And how does Brooks’ one-or-the-other story jibe with Arne Duncan’s being a signatory on both? (And per Eduwonk’s offhand remark, do we really need another controversial local superintendent bumped up to Secretary of Education?) Quick, everyone: post sentries at the camp entrances!