FRIDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Pakistan: “In the fifth terrorist attack this week in Pakistan, extremists set off twin suicide bombs Friday in the eastern city of Lahore, killing at least 43 people, a reminder of the continued threat to the country despite an overall fall in violence.”
* Clinton has some stern words for Israel: “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday that Israel had sent a “deeply negative signal” about the U.S.-Israeli relationship and urged him to take immediate steps to demonstrate it was interested in renewing efforts at a Middle East peace agreement.”
* Baby steps: “February was hardly an ideal month for retailers: snowstorms blanketed many parts of the country, and car dealerships faced an uproar over safety concerns. But sales for the month still rose solidly, the government reported Friday, raising hopes that Americans were growing more confident about the economy.”
* Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a 45-minute meeting with President Obama yesterday to discuss immigration reform. Graham thinks a bill is possible, but not if Democrats pass a budget fix to health care reform through reconciliation.
* On a related note, a good primer on reconciliation — in just 85 seconds.
* Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) conceded today that his bloc of pro-life Democratic votes on health care is starting to crack a little.
* Expect a House vote on health care by Friday or Saturday.
* The Obama administration eyes Janet Yellen as the new vice chairwoman of the Federal Reserve. Krugman approves.
* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) wife and daughter were in a serious car accident yesterday. The daughter has been released from the hospital, but Reid’s wife underwent surgery today.
* It appears Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) isn’t especially effective as a lawmaker — of the 97 bills Kucinich has sponsored since taking office over a decade ago, only three have become law, while 93 “didn’t even make it out of committee.”
* Are career colleges the way to boost additional graduates in the U.S. by 2020.
* A Mississippi school district cancelled its prom to prevent a lesbian couple from attending. The ACLU is suing.
* Quite a lurid story: “The Majority Leader of the Utah House took a nude hot-tub with a 15-year old employee, then paid her $150,000 and had her pledge to keep quiet, he admitted yesterday.”
* And wouldn’t you know it, Limbaugh hates “social justice,” too.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
