TUESDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Tories and Liberal Democrats find agreement; Gordon Brown departs; and Conservative Party leader David Cameron becomes Prime Minister.
* BP oil spill: “Three big oil and oil service companies all pointed fingers at one another for blame in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in testimony Tuesday at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. While saying that it was too early to make a final determination of the cause of the April 20 blowout that started the spill, the companies stressed one another’s failures.’
* On a related note, this seems like an important data point: “BP makes enough profit in four days to cover the costs of the spill cleanup thus far.”
* Sounds to me like a good idea: “President Obama is proposing to split the agency that oversees offshore oil drilling into two parts, one to inspect oil rigs and enforce safety and the other to oversee leases for drilling and collect royalties, the White House said Tuesday.”
* Karzai comes for a visit: “Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Washington on Monday morning for a four-day visit designed to publicly turn the page in the often-testy relationship between his government and the Obama administration and to solidify a working partnership between them.”
* Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) sends the right signals on DADT repeal.
* David Roberts updates us on where things stand with the Kerry/Lieberman climate bill, which will be unveiled tomorrow. Its odds aren’t great, but the legislation is far from dead.
* Republican proposal to redo Fannie and Freddie is described as “disastrous.”
* I’m well aware of how spectacularly unpopular the bank bailout bill is, but there’s growing evidence of its merit.
* Taking a look at the student loan market, after the sweeping reform proposal became law.
* And finally, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) spoke yesterday at Emory University’s commencement. “I was also going to give a graduation speech in Arizona this weekend,” he told attendees. “But with my accent, I was afraid they would try to deport me.”
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
