Washington in 60 Seconds: Carly Fiorina's California Confusion

Good morning, Capitolists! Part 2 of the Blizzard of 2010 has created white-out conditions on Capitol Hill and done what even the pre-Christmas two-foot dumping could not do -- close the House and Senate for business and keep your fearless leaders far from their day jobs, for better or worse.

The House won't vote again until Feb. 22, because the Presidents' Day recess begins Friday, but Harry Reid is keeping hope alive that he'll be at work tomorrow and voting on his long-promised jobs bill. We're dubious on both counts.

Here's what's making news in Washington in the meantime:

* Carly's Confusion. California Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina botched what should have been an easy question for the former CEO at a recent business forum. When asked if the cash-strapped state should file for bankruptcy, she said, "I think it should always be considered. Whether that is the right approach now, I don't know." The only problem, as Steve Peace writes at the California Independent Voter Network, is that states can't file for bankruptcy.

* 'Clintonistas' Still Pushing Health Reform. The AP has a fascinating look at alumni of the Clinton administration who are desperate to avoid another loss for health care reform. Now scattered across the capital -- in the White House, lobbying shops, and think tanks -- the "Clintonistas" are working in their own ways to get the current bill passed, but some are worried another defeat looms. "Many of us thought we were really at the 1-inch line, then literally it was like being hit by a freight train with about 10 seconds' warning," one said.

* S'no Break From Politics. If you thought two blizzards and more than three feet of snow in six days would put a chill on politics, you're not spending enough time inside the beltway. Emerging conservative pooh-bah Jim DeMint used the weather to put the 140-character hurt on global warming legislation yesterday when the South Carolina senator Tweeted, "It's going to keep snowing in D.C. until Al Gore cries 'Uncle.' "

* Hot Chocolate and a Roaring Table of Contents. How would you spend a rare day sequestered at home during a blizzard? While some Capitol-watchers might spend quality time watching back episodes of "The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love," Jamie Dupree, WSB Radio's Capitol Hill correspondent, is curling up with the table of contents of the Senate's jobs bill. Check back on the fun-loving reporter's blog to see if he finds anything interesting in there.

* Jenny Sanford's Not-So-Hired Help. The State newspaper out of Columbia, S.C., has the latest details on Sanford's book tour, including her interview with Larry King, when she told him about one bonus of living in the governor's mansion. "Among the perks?" the State writes. "Prison inmates who washed her two dogs."