Washington in 60 Seconds: Newt vs. Fred Thompson, Democrats vs. Each Other

Good morning, Capitolists! It's time for your 60-second rundown of what's up in the nation's capital. Here's what's making news in Washington today:

* Who's on first, who's voting for which health care bill, where's the public option and whose side is Joe Lieberman on? The Hill has the most reliable overview we've seen this morning of the intricate details bedeviling the Democrats' efforts to craft a bill that can pass.

* The president will sign the defense funding bill this afternoon and then host a reception to celebrate the passage of a bill to extend hate crimes protections to gays and lesbians, a measure that was ironically attached to the Pentagon spending bill.

* The House Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on head injuries in football. We're not sure what that has to do with the House or the Judiciary, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will testify.

* The health care message wars continue today, with packs of Democrats and Republicans holding dueling press conferences on why the public option is essential (that's Chuck Schumer's newser) and why the public option will hurt seniors (look for John Boehner at that one). We'll help you sort out both throughout the day.

* The First and Second Ladies, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, will be at the Yankees-Phillies game tonight, where it's not only the start of the World Series but also Military Appreciation Night.

* Speaking of NYC, the mayor's race there heated up last night with a debate The New York Post called "Yankee BaseBrawl." The usually sedate Mike Bloomberg blew up after his opponent, Bill Thompson, challenged him. "He said so many things, I can't keep straight who he's going to tax, but he's going to tax somebody," Bloomie warned.

* Did you know the swine flu will not only make you feverish and achy, it could also crash your server? A new government report warns that with the expected spike in telecommuting by parents and video gaming by their sick kids, America's Internet infrastructure is at risk of getting seriously sick. Great. The Washington Post has the story.

* And finally, how did we know Newt Gingrich hinting at a run for president would ruffle other big shots' feathers? Andy Barr at Politico writes that Fred Thompson, a former White House hopeful, went after Gingrich after the former speaker said it was "misguided" to back a third-party conservative in a New York congressional race. Said Fred, "You know, just because we're Republicans doesn't mean that we're deaf, dumb and blind."