Washington in 60 Seconds: Rush Dumped by NFL Buyers; the 'New Palin' Takes Congress

Good morning, Capitolists! The president goes to the Big Easy today, but that's the only thing that seems Easy for Obama these days. Still waiting for him in Washington: A major decision on the war in Afghanistan, a health care bill that's moving left but needs support from the right, and other matters you can read about in the next 60 seconds.

Here's what's making news in Washington today:

* The president heads to Louisiana to speak at a town-hall meeting in New Orleans. The topic: Recovery from Hurricane Katrina. The progress: Not so good. On Obama's evening schedule tonight: A DNC fundraiser in San Francisco.

* The Hill reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working to move the House version of health care reform so far to the left that it will still be palatable to her liberal caucus once its watered down by the Senate in conference committee. Will the moderates in her caucus stick with her in the meantime? Time will tell.

* Great news everybody! The market's up, life insurance derivatives are the new credit default swaps, and Goldman Sachs' partners are back on top of the world and getting paid more than ever, reports the Wall Street Journal. We can all relax now.

* The New York Times pens a profile of the thinking man's Sarah Palin, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). The conservative lawyer/accountant/mother of five has rocketed to GOP prominence in her three years in Congress and rankled Democrats along the way. The Times quotes Sean Hannity calling her "the second-most-hated Republican woman in the country, second to Governor Palin, which is a good position."

* USA Today reports that the group making a bid for the NFL's St. Louis Rams announced yesterday that they've dropped Rush Limbaugh from their roster since he had "complicated" their efforts to buy the team. No hard feelings, right? Here's how Limbaugh reacted to the news: "This is about the ongoing effort by the left in this country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democrat Party, or wherever, to destroy conservatism, to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is prominent as a conservative. Therefore, this is about the future of the United States of America and what kind of country we're going to have."