TUESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Russia isn’t quite on board yet with the U.S. plans regarding Iran.
* When President Obama sent 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March, he also approved sending an additional 13,000 support troops, which the Pentagon is now deploying.
* AHIP seems to be getting increasingly desperate to derail health care reform.
* Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) used to say the public option isn’t worth pursuing because it doesn’t have 60 votes. Now he’s saying it’s not worth pursuing because he just doesn’t like the idea. (Update: With additional information, it now appears that Conrad is primarily concerned with tying the public option to Medicare costs.)
* A couple of House Blue Dogs explain why they’re breaking with their center-right group on health care reform.
* The always-helpful Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has some worthwhile analysis of the Senate Finance Committee reform bill, and it’s need for improvements.
* The National Jewish Democratic Council believes conservative use of Nazi rhetoric to criticize Democratic policies has reached “epidemic proportions.”
* Republican attacks on the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) may be tricky in light of the series of contributions Republicans have accepted from SEIU.
* Have you noticed all of those GOP lawmakers who just hate the stimulus, except for the money going to their state/district? Add Rep. Phil Gingrey (R) of Georgia to the list.
* I have no idea what the Washington Post‘s Ed O’Keefe is talking about here.
* Abstaining from Academic Abstention.
* Rush Limbaugh’s chances of becoming an NFL owner appear remote.
* Eugene Robinson reflects on far-right attitudes on America lately: “Why, oh why, do conservatives hate America so? Okay, I know, it’s just some conservatives who’ve been exhibiting what they, in a different context, surely would describe as ‘Hanoi Jane’ behavior…. ‘I’m With the Taliban Against America’ is not likely to be a winning slogan.”
* On a related note, Rachel Maddow’s segment on this on Friday was excellent.
* And speaking of things worth watching, if you missed Jon Stewart’s segment on CNN last night, take the time to savor every second. Here’s hoping CNN’s executives didn’t miss it, either.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
