Good morning, curious Capitolists! The Senate is out of session and the president has hit the road for a trip out of town. Was it something we said?

No matter. The day is full of news and events, and if you've got 60 seconds, you can read all about them now. Here's what's making news in Washington today:

* President Obama continues his cash crusade today, heading to Massachusetts to raise money for Gov. Deval Patrick, and then to Connecticut to headline a fundraiser for Sen. Chris Dodd. The prez will have public policy speeches sandwiched in between the money events.

* The House is in session and Nancy Pelosi will hold a press conference on health care reform. You know we'll keep you posted on that one.

* Is the public option dead or alive? The New York Times writes that Harry Reid is looking to give the measure the paddles of life by allowing states to opt out of the program if they don't want it. The compromise could win enough votes in the Senate to succeed, but could also alienate liberals who see opt-out as a cop out.

* If Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee for Virginia governor, loses in November, the White House wants you to know it's not President Obama's fault. As my colleague Carl Cannon points out, two unnamed Obama officials took a preemptive strike at the Deeds campaign, telling The Washington Post that the candidate has blown it all by himself. "Obama, Kaine and others had drawn a road map to victory in Virginia. Deeds chose another path," said one.

* Happy almost-anniversary, Obama Nation. As the one-year mark of Election Day 2008 approaches, USA Today writes up a poll on how Americans now feel. Most are still unhappy with the direction the country is heading, half say they approve of the job Obama is doing, and a majority say race relations will get better in the president's term.

* The wife of Rep. Joe Wilson has been feeling queasy, cold and clammy recently, and she has swine flu. No lie, CNN has the details. Get well soon, Mrs. Wilson!

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