TUESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Have you noticed how fast Congress can move when it wants to? “Senate Democrats will seek to recoup $165 million in bonuses paid to executives of the troubled insurance giant American International Group through a narrowly focused tax, unless the money is returned voluntarily.”
* A better-than-expected housing market report helped push the major stock indexes up today.
* The reformist efforts in Iran suffer a setback with Mohammad Khatami’s withdrawal from Iran’s presidential race.
* Avigdor Lieberman? Israel’s next foreign minister?
* Ruth Bader Ginsburg will begin chemotherapy later this month, but does not expect to miss any court sessions. For a 76-year-old cancer patient, Ginsburg is pretty damn tough.
* Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) raised a few eyebrows yesterday when he suggesting some embattled AIG executives should “resign or commit suicide.” Today, he emphasized that he was speaking rhetorically.
* GM has plenty of problems, but at least it’s not AIG.
* Americans’ support for the war in Afghanistan is dropping quickly to all-time lows.
* Speaking of polls, Rasmussen is playing a little fast and loose again, this time with EFCA.
* Pittsburgh Steelers owner Daniel Rooney will be the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
* David Frum can’t believe the nonsense his fellow conservatives are putting on the air at Fox News. I can’t say I blame him; if I were conservative, I’d feel embarrassed and frustrated, too.
* Good for David Shuster for pushing back against Fox News’ most insulting nonsense.
* Rick Santelli is fine with excessive and unearned bonuses. It’s those “losers” who are losing their homes he doesn’t like.
* Remember, according to conservatives, MSNBC is supposed to be the liberal network: “Discussing AIG bonuses, MSNBC’s Francis says, ‘I’ve heard a lot of backlash from people saying, ‘What about Nancy Pelosi’s plane?’”
* Quote of the Day: “No one should face financial ruin because of a mishap with a fork and an avocado.” (Click the link; it’ll make sense.)
* And in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the White House somehow managed to turn the water in the fountains on the north and south lawns green. If I’m not mistaken, that’s a White House first.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
