TUESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) believes the Senate can pass the health care reconciliation bill without any changes.
* Right-wing vandalism against the offices of pro-reform lawmakers is a national embarrassment.
* The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a Republican ally, but the USCOC will not support the party’s push for repeal of the new health care law.
* Paragraphs of the day, as published last August:
Despite his illness, Senator Kennedy made a forceful appearance at the Democratic convention in Denver, exhorting his party to victory and declaring that the fight for universal health insurance had been “the cause of my life.”
He pursued that cause vigorously, and even as his health declined, he spent days reaching out to colleagues to win support for a sweeping overhaul; when members of Obama’s administration questioned the president’s decision to spend so much political capital on the seemingly intractable health care issue, Obama reportedly replied, “I promised Teddy.”
* Legislation reforming the way Wall Street operates is headed to the Senate floor.
* A terrific behind-the-scenes look at how the White House approached the health care fight over the last few months.
* A.L. took a look at the state attorneys general’s lawsuit against the new health care law: “It is beyond frivolous. I can’t believe actual lawyers are willing to sign it.”
* Jamie Leigh Jones to get her day in court.
* Worth keeping an eye on: “Attorney General Eric Holder has appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to lead a probe into whether laws were broken after photos of undercover CIA agents were found in the cell of an alleged 9/11 conspirator at Guantanamo.”
* Bob Herbert would like to see Republicans address their “absence of class.” It’s good advice the party will no doubt ignore.
* Thomas Ricks seems to hold Marc Thiessen in low regard, too.
* Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) is an unusually foolish man.
* The late Jerry Falwell’s right-wing university wants to get in on the litigation against health care reform.
* Paul Krugman is right about Christiane Amanpour, Tom Shales is wrong.
* And I’m delighted to note that the Washington Monthly has been nominated for two Utne Independent Press Awards, in the categories of General Excellence and Political Coverage. It’s an honor to be nominated.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
