Washington in 60 Seconds: Is Glenn Beck a 'Mad Man'?

patricia-murphy

Patricia Murphy

Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Posted:
09/17/09

Good morning, Capitolists! It's a busy day in Washington, and here's what's making news today:

* Are Glenn Beck and the mainstream media dysfunctional co-dependents? Today's example, Time magazine calls Beck a "mad man" and the "entrepreneur of angst," and then puts him on the cover. Well played, Beck. Well played.

* President Obama goes to the University of Maryland this morning for a "rally on health insurance reform." We've never been to a health care pep rally, but we can tell you this: Fear the turtle, Caps. Fear it.

* While Obama holds his pep rally on health care, Democrats hold a come-to-Harry meeting for their wayward colleagues on the topic when Senate Democrats huddle behind closed doors. With the Baucus bill out and two Democrats already announcing they won't vote for it without a public option, Reid will be looking for some team unity today.



* Not helping on the unity front, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) writes about "health care reform's missing ingredient" in an op-ed in the New York Times today.

* In addition to the president's five announced television appearances to sell health care reform, Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been selling it like a mad woman, too. Today, she'll take the unusual step of joining Robert Gibbs at the White House press briefing.

* The Czech prime minister has announced that the United States will abandon Bush-era plans of staging a missile shield in Europe, according to the BBC. The Pentagon has not confirmed the new strategy, but has said a major announcement about missile defense will come today. Stand by.

* After a week of nasty headlines and several whacks at its federal funding, ACORN has announced it will launch an internal investigation into "the indefensible action of a handful of our employees," the Washington Post reports.