FRIDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* The finishing touches: “BP is confirming that it plans to use a relief well to shove mud and then cement into the underground reservoir feeding the blown-out Gulf of Mexico well…. Crews have already plugged up the well from the top with mud and cement. But federal officials want BP to plug it from the bottom to make sure it’s permanently sealed.”
* In light of the disappointing monthly jobs report, Christina Romer, chairwoman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, urged Congress to act swiftly on pending jobs bills. “[T]oday’s employment report emphasizes just how important the additional jobs measures before Congress are,” Romer said. “In addition to the state fiscal relief nearing passage, the president strongly supports the small business jobs bill and targeted incentives for clean energy investments.”
* In related news, Romer won’t be making her case much longer: she’s stepping down from her post next month.
* The first bill on tap when the Senate returns? The small business incentives measure Republicans blocked last week.
* After an odd week of on-again/off-again holds, the Senate approved James Clapper’s nomination as the new director of national intelligence.
* In an unexpected win for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senate also approved a $600 million border-security bill late yesterday.
* Democrats not only expanded the G.I. Bill, they’re also making the program more effective.
* I like Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), but his opposition to filibuster reform is very hard to understand.
* I don’t like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), and his aversion to our reality is even harder to understand.
* Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) finally said something about the proposed Cordoba House today. But his message was so cryptic, I’m still not sure what his position is.
* Eva Rodriguez is right; Marc Thiessen can be pretty crazy.
* I’m not sure how anyone can continue to defend the merits of the half-century-old Cuban trade embargo.
* Breitbart parts ways with Kevin Pezzi, concludes that Pezzi’s work does not reflect “the principles and values” of his far-right hatchet-job website.
* Given Liz Cheney advocacy work, isn’t it unethical for her to guest-host for Sean Hannity? It would, if Fox News had any professional standards at all.
* I know being a Republican tracker isn’t glamarous work, but the right really seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel this year. “Spencer” should probably pursue some other line of work.
* As if the RNC’s scandals weren’t enough, a longtime employee of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is filing a lawsuit, accusing Republican officials with creating a hostile environment for both of the NRSC’s African-American employees.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
