Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Good morning, Capitolists! Health care dominates the headlines as August in Washington drags on. What else is new? Bill Clinton in the Oval Office; Jenny Sanford in
Vogue; and Tom Delay on what could sink his chances on the dance floor.
Here's what's making news in Washington today:
* President Obama meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak this morning to talk Middle East peace, and with former President Bill Clinton this afternoon to talk about that "private mission" to North Korea.
* Explosions have rocked Kabul two days before elections in Afghanistan, one targeting the presidential palace and another targeting coalition and NATO soldiers,
the BBC reports.
* Liberals are calling on Democratic senators to pull the plug on negotiations with Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), one of six senators involved in deliberations on the health care bill. One activist told
The Hill that Dems should "do their own bill and not compromise with a bunch of Republicans who are not going to vote with them anyway."
* Jenny Sanford opens up in the new issue of
Vogue magazine, saying of meeting her husband, "We weren't madly in love, but we were compatible and good friends." Also, when John McCain considered Mark Sanford as his running mate, she "silently prayed it would not come to pass."
* Tom Delay
talks to USA Today about his new gig on "Dancing With the Stars
." He says he's been so swamped since ABC's announcement yesterday, "I can't keep up with my Facebook." He thinks his Texas roots and two-steppin' experience will work in his favor, but is there anything that might cost him votes? "My political enemies aren't going to vote for me, and I'm still indicted."