The Hill looks at the "minefield of political hazards" posed by the revival of the McCain-Kennedy immigration overhaul bill, not only to McCain but to all six senators running for president. 

The Financial Times comments that the FEC's ruling last week that "White House hopefuls can raise private money without prejudicing their access to federal cash might prove to be the last twitch of the public financing system for the presidency," given how the candidates all seem inclined not to participate in it.  This cycle probably will be the first since 1972 "in which both candidates relied solely on private money to fuel their campaigns." 

"House Democratic leaders will add nearly $4 billion for farmers to a bill funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to attract conservative Democrats concerned that the measure would wrongly constrict President Bush's power as commander in chief," says The Hill.  "Republican House leaders anticipated such sweeteners" and warned their ranks not to fall for it. 

Sen. Charles Grassley (R) of Iowa is facing some tough opposition from his constituents over the Iraq war.  Anti-war activists are "confronting him at town meetings and staging an 'occupation' at his Iowa offices earlier this week" reports the Des Moines Register.  "But Grassley said Wednesday that he remains committed to approving money for a troop buildup in Iraq, based on the opinions of military commanders that an increase in forces can quell ongoing violence in the region." 

"Rep. John Murtha is rankling some of his fellow Democrats who worry his outspokenness sometimes upstages even Speaker Nancy Pelosi," The Politico says.  "Some political observers say that Murtha's style hearkens back to another political era -- one in which lawmakers spent less time framing their actions for the press, and individual members, especially committee chairmen, enjoyed more autonomy.  Members did not rely so much on press secretaries nor did they formulate elaborate messaging plans." 

Also in advance of CPAC, the Boston Globe looks at how and why conservatives are shifting their focus to key 2008 congressional races instead of the presidential race.  The Globe writes that "faced with a pack of GOP presidential contenders with spotty conservative credentials, the party's fiscal and social conservatives say they are making a special effort to reclaim power on Capitol Hill to hold the next White House in line." 

Per the New York Times, two Bush Cabinet officials testifying yesterday before a Senate committee vowed to work with Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform "but publicly distanced themselves from proposals that would place most illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship…  It was unclear whether the officials were simply trying to ease conservative concerns about the citizenship question or whether Mr. Bush had actually shifted his position." 

Per the Dallas Morning News, Bush is cleaning out some old campaign accounts to fund his own presidential library. 

The Washington Times previews Bush's fundraiser tomorrow for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is tasked with carrying Bush's water in that chamber. 

Bush's former campaign manager Ken Mehlman, the just-retired chair of the Republican National Committee, has joined forces with a mega lobbying firm to "provide 'political intelligence' to hedge funds trying to gauge developments in their investment strategies." 

The Washington Post's Kurtz covers the sometimes absurd insistence by senior Bush Administration officials to remain on background with reporters even when it's clear who the sources are. 

The Republican 527 group Progress for America, which supported Bush's re-election in 2004, has agreed to pay a $750,000 fine as part of a settlement with the FEC for violating campaign finance laws by spending more than $30 million on ads and mailings.   The New York Times:  "The agency found that the group, the Progress for America Voter Fund, operated as a political action committee, soliciting money and financing advertisements…  Its actions violated campaign laws because it was not registered as a political action committee that would be subject to strict limits on donations.  The agency said it circumvented a ban on corporate money and accepted contributions that well exceeded the caps on individual donations." 

And, as of last night, members of the Hispanic Caucus appeared likely to oust their chairman, Rep. Joe Baca (D), "over the allocation of funds to election campaigns involving Baca's sons and the accusation that the reviled chairman insulted one colleague, calling her a 'whore.'"