Jan 28th 2012 | LONDON AND NEW YORK | from the print edition

IF STEVE SCHWARZMAN thought it was valid in 2010 to compare Barack Obama's "war"� against business to Hitler's invasion of Poland, what can he be thinking now? Private-equity executives must be hoping the boss of Blackstone will keep his opinions to himself. More bad publicity is the last thing the industry needs. Other Republican presidential candidates are competing to see who can say the most damning thing about Mitt Romney's career at Bain Capital. Newt Gingrich's supporters have even made a sort of horror movie about what happens when private-equity firms like Bain Capital get their hands on otherwise...