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- Barack Obama hosted a health care conference at the White House today, reiterating his commitment to lowering costs and expanding coverage, in a speech Ezra calls "the banality of progress." Recently knighted Senator Edward Kennedy was on hand, his first major public appearance since suffering a stroke on Inauguration Day. And what is it with Utah Republicans? Marc Ambinder quotes Sen. Bob Bennett at a separate event saying "Republicans are coming to the understanding that their opposition to universal coverage is misplaced...Let's understand that when we say we cover everybody...that is not a step toward a single-payer government-run system." Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) must not have been one of those Republicans Bennett was referring to, telling MSNBC that "health care is a privilege" and that "for some people it’s a right. But for everyone, frankly, it’s not necessarily a right."
- Some funny stuff in this Fox News poll [PDF]. First, a clear majority (55 percent) believes "asking the wealthiest Americans to pay more in taxes is a good idea because it levels the economic and social playing field" while only 39 percent though it was "a bad idea because it punishes work and success." Then there's the old "celebrity or world leader" Obama question, with 35 percent siding with "celebrity" and 49 percent voting for "world leader." Finally, it turns out Obama's economic policies beat Reagan's by nine points (although some people are having trouble accepting that it's no longer a new morning in America). In other polling news, USA Today/Gallup found that Americans have a more favorable view of China than they do of the GOP.
- This whole feigned ignorance shtick by people like John McCain about spending provisions is getting really old. It's not as if these things can't be looked up in a fraction of a second and there's no reason journalists should be playing along with it. Then there's the people who are truly ignorant, hate expertise, and use their power to berate witnesses.
- From the I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it files, Karl Rove and Harriet Miers are actually going to comply with the House Judiciary Committee's endless subpoena attempts to question them about their role in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal. According to documents obtained by TPM, the White House inserted itself into the negotiations to broker the deal.
- Despite Jim Cramer's insistence that "the only thought" on his mind is "helping people with their money," it's obvious the guy wants to frighten the public into believing that the Democrats are conspiring to turn the United States into a Leninist dystopia, and that only wise investors like himself can help Americans keep their 401(k)s. Frankly, I have no idea why anyone would take financial advice from some angry loudmouth who paces around a television set setting off sound effects, but I think Jon Stewart can probably explain it better than I can.
- Remainders: John Boehner reviews a fine whine in the Post; Ben Smith surveys the barren wasteland that is the Republican party; someone at The Corner actually writes an accurate assessment of political reality; Obama picks the first chief technology officer; the GOP puts a hold on Obama's deputy AG nominee while the "family values" crowd prepares to protest; and Ned Lamont mulls another run for public office.
--Mori Dinauer
