Washington in 60 Seconds: Who Is Scott Brown?

Good morning, Capitolists! It's January in Washington, but Democrats are sweating, and we mean sweating, over the suddenly hot Massachusetts race. Democrat Martha Coakley had been assumed the heavy favorite in the special election to replace Ted Kennedy, but that's not exactly how it's playing out in the Bay State.

Read about that and the rest of what has Washington tongues wagging in the next 60 seconds:

Who Is Scott Brown? So glad you asked. He's the square-jawed Republican state senator/National Guardsman giving Coakley a run for her money in the Massachusetts Senate race, forcing Democrats to do the unimaginable yesterday -- pump half a million dollars into the race everybody thought was over before it began. Keep an eye on this one, Caps.

Kicking Ford's Tires. The New York Times puts possible New York Senate candidate Harold Ford on its front page and then beats him over the head with details of a recent interview. The Times notes that the former congressman from Tennessee is usually chauffeured to work in a limo; takes the subway "intermittently"; visited Staten Island only by helicopter; has never been to Citi Field (where the Mets play); and, worst of all, "receives regular pedicures."

Bankers Explaining Themselves. The top bankers in the country will be on the Hill today testifying about what went wrong (or what didn't go wrong?) to cause the financial meltdown in 2008.

NFL at the Supreme Court. Sonia Sotomayor and the rest of the crazy kids at the Supreme Court will hear a case today between American Needle, a football jersey and souvenir maker, and the NFL, over whether the company can deal with each team individually, or if the NFL should be treated as a single business.

Rich Guys and Business Off the Hook on Health? The AP has a detailed report on what may or may not stay in the final health care reform bill once the House and Senate negotiations are complete. On the chopping block are the 5.4 percent surtax on people making more that $500,000, and the employer mandate that requires medium and large business to cover their employees. AP also says unions, still fighting mad about the "Cadillac tax," may get a special carve-out to exempt their members.

White House Health Huddle. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will go to the White House this morning to make the case to President Obama why their versions are the best.

Oh Craps, Governor! New York Gov. David Paterson's 15-year-old son was arrested and taken away in handcuffs yesterday for shooting craps outside of his elite private school in New York City and for having a debit card that had been reported missing. The New York Post reports on the incident, which a pal says involved a $1 game of craps. A pal's dad says, "The governor has a lot of political enemies, and they are trying to use that against him."