Washington in 60 Seconds: Why Patrick Kennedy Is Right
Patricia Murphy
Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Posted:
03/11/10
Good morning, Capitolists! As you may have heard, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) went ballistic on the House floor yesterday over the tsunami of media coverage of now-former Rep. Eric Massa's tickle fights, compared to the trickle of coverage generated by the ongoing House debate about America's plans for the war in Afghanistan. (Our estimable David Wood not included.)
I, for one, would like to confess to being guilty as charged by the congressman. The joy of covering Capitol Hill for me is the drama that its 535 very human subjects bleed from their pores. Still, when shiny but questionably relevant stories overshadow the truly important, it's time to rearrange the priorities.
So here's what's making news in Washington today, outside of the sad Massa mess.
* Remember Us? President Obama has one of his more interesting and illustrative daily schedules in recent memory today. First he'll meet with Hispanic House members, who are beyond frustrated with his lack of action on immigration reform and downright furious about his choice to keep restrictions on illegal immigrants purchasing insurance in the health care bill. Then he meets with Sens. John Kerry and Lindsay Graham about moving the sputtering climate change legislation. Finally, he sits down with an agitated Black Caucus, led by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who said recently, "I'm getting tired of saving Obama's can."
* More COBRA and Unemployment Bennies on the Way. The Senate passed a bill yesterday to extended unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits for a full year, along with billions of dollars in tax cuts and credits for businesses. That's good news for those getting relief in these difficult times, but bad news for deficit hawks. Most of the bill has been declared emergency spending, and is financed with still more deficit spending.
* Friends Don't Let Friends Build Settlements. The BBC reports about "the row" in Israel over some of Vice President Joe Biden's comments yesterday. Biden declared that America has "no better friend" than Israel, but also condemned the government's decision to build more settlements in East Jerusalem. "Sometimes only a friend can deliver the hardest truth," Biden said.
* Kickbacks for Everybody! Kathleen Parker of The Washington Post's editorial page makes a crucial observation about the new-and-improved health care bill from the president, which, he proudly announced, no longer gives Nebraska special treatment. That's because every state gets a slightly narrower version of the deal Nelson negotiated for his state. In her words, "We're all Nebraskans now."
* Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together. Peanut butter and jelly. Mutt and Jeff. Public officials and prison cells. Some things just go together. The latest bold-faced name headed for the pokey is Monica Conyers, the wife of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers. Mrs. Conyers was sentenced to 37 months in jail yesterday for bribery, reports The Detroit News, but not without serious drama. The "fuming" former Detroit city councilwoman had pleaded guilty to bribery, then tried to withdraw her plea, and told the judge, "I just don't feel that I should go to jail for something that I didn't do."
I, for one, would like to confess to being guilty as charged by the congressman. The joy of covering Capitol Hill for me is the drama that its 535 very human subjects bleed from their pores. Still, when shiny but questionably relevant stories overshadow the truly important, it's time to rearrange the priorities.
So here's what's making news in Washington today, outside of the sad Massa mess.
* Remember Us? President Obama has one of his more interesting and illustrative daily schedules in recent memory today. First he'll meet with Hispanic House members, who are beyond frustrated with his lack of action on immigration reform and downright furious about his choice to keep restrictions on illegal immigrants purchasing insurance in the health care bill. Then he meets with Sens. John Kerry and Lindsay Graham about moving the sputtering climate change legislation. Finally, he sits down with an agitated Black Caucus, led by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who said recently, "I'm getting tired of saving Obama's can."
* More COBRA and Unemployment Bennies on the Way. The Senate passed a bill yesterday to extended unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits for a full year, along with billions of dollars in tax cuts and credits for businesses. That's good news for those getting relief in these difficult times, but bad news for deficit hawks. Most of the bill has been declared emergency spending, and is financed with still more deficit spending.
* Friends Don't Let Friends Build Settlements. The BBC reports about "the row" in Israel over some of Vice President Joe Biden's comments yesterday. Biden declared that America has "no better friend" than Israel, but also condemned the government's decision to build more settlements in East Jerusalem. "Sometimes only a friend can deliver the hardest truth," Biden said.
* Kickbacks for Everybody! Kathleen Parker of The Washington Post's editorial page makes a crucial observation about the new-and-improved health care bill from the president, which, he proudly announced, no longer gives Nebraska special treatment. That's because every state gets a slightly narrower version of the deal Nelson negotiated for his state. In her words, "We're all Nebraskans now."
* Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together. Peanut butter and jelly. Mutt and Jeff. Public officials and prison cells. Some things just go together. The latest bold-faced name headed for the pokey is Monica Conyers, the wife of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers. Mrs. Conyers was sentenced to 37 months in jail yesterday for bribery, reports The Detroit News, but not without serious drama. The "fuming" former Detroit city councilwoman had pleaded guilty to bribery, then tried to withdraw her plea, and told the judge, "I just don't feel that I should go to jail for something that I didn't do."