Mickey Kaus takes us through Obama-speak on the auto bailout. It all sounds perfectly reasonable — and perfectly opaque. Is he going to keep doling out the bailouts or pull the plug? Is he demanding wage concessions or not? Right now he is in campaign mode — telling everyone what they want to hear.

Perhaps his final decision will be the model of clarity and end the current state of perpetual bailout, which is politically unpopular and economically nonsensical. But you sense a coming compromise and further equivocation, rather than a bright line. Sometimes presidents need to be firm and definitive — especially when dealing with parties (e.g. the UAW) who will never get a less-than clear message. Not every problem can be resolved by a compromise, not all decisions are amenable to half-a- loaf solutions. One hopes the new President won’t be hesitant when needed to make the tough calls.