So why is Michael Steele being criticized by some RNC members? "I don't see stories about the internal operations of the DNC that I see about this operation," Steele said in an interview with the Washingtonian magazine. "Why? Is it because Michael Steele is the chairman, or is it because a black man is chairman?"

Then he told ABC: "It's not because of my race, but race is more of a factor than it ordinarily would be -- just as it is for Barack Obama… Look, I've been in this political world for a long, long time. And it was no different when I ran for lieutenant governor, no different when I became state party chairman. There is a different way of looking at how, particularly as a Republican, how we approach issues, how we approach problems. The general mindset when you see, hear or read about an African American, you think, politically, Democrat. And all of a sudden, you've got this brother who's a Republican and you go, 'OK now, what does that look like and how does it manifest itself?' That's it. More curiosity than anything else. It's just one of the things you've got to live with."

ARKANSAS: "Rep. Marion Berry's chief of staff, Chad Causey, announced Tuesday that he's running for the seat his boss plans to vacate after seven terms in office," Politico reports. "Causey, who has spent the last decade as an aide to Berry and became his chief of staff in 2006, is the first Democrat to formally declare his candidacy in Arkansas's 1st congressional district."

FLORIDA: Grover Norquist endorsed Marco Rubio. Gov. Charlie Crist, meanwhile, received the endorsement of the Florida Association of State Troopers, which "beefs up Crist's 'tough-on-crime' street cred."

NEW YORK: So Gov. David Paterson's chief aide wants the New York Times to apologize for a story it hasn't even published? 

"Most governors facing unsubstantiated rumors and unspoken innuendo would either say nothing or issue a forceful denial and move on," the New York Daily News writes. "Not in Albany. Not our accidental governor, David Paterson, bless his heart." 

"In his first press conference since the speculation that impending revelations about his personal life would force his resignation kicked into high gear, an angry and defiant Gov. David Paterson reiterated he has no plans to step down or aside," the Daily News adds. At a press conference "ostensibly called to brief the media on preparations for the coming snow storm," Paterson told reporters, "The only way I'm not going to be governor next year is at the ballot box, and the only way that I'll be leaving before is in a box."

"Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. has opened an investigation into a mysterious $750,000 poll-watching operation funded by Mayor Bloomberg last year through the state Independence Party, sources said yesterday," The New York Post reports. "Vance has subpoenaed records from Frank MacKay, the party chairman, and John Haggerty Jr., the Bloomberg campaign aide who hastily created a company that was supposed to monitor the polls on Election Day, according to the sources. But the secretive firm, Special Election Operations LLC, didn't register with the state secretary of state until a month after the election."

WISCONSIN: Developer Terrence Wall, running as a Republican challenger to Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) is up with a new ad, pegging Feingold as a 28-year Washington insider, compared with his "businessman-not-a-politician" rep.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Mark Murray
On a 52-33 vote, Illinois labor attorney Craig Becker's nomination to serve on the National Labor Relations Board failed, as expected. 

This was a cloture vote to end debate, and not the actual nomination up or down.

Senate Democrats needed 60 votes. Among those voting no: the newest member, Sen. Scott Brown (R).

The AFL-CIO released this statement: "It is reprehensible that a minority in the U.S. Senate has blocked an up-or-down vote on Craig Becker, nominated seven months ago by President Obama to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Once again, a Republican-led filibuster has put political interests over the needs of America's working families. For more than two years, the NLRB has had only two of its five members. Without a fully staffed NLRB, working families face a major disadvantage in winning justice in the workplace."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce countered: "While the Chamber rarely takes issue with presidential nominees, today's vote reflects a bipartisan rejection of the ideology behind the Card Check bill and this nominee's out-of-the-mainstream views about the rights of job creators in unionizing drives."

The Chamber also warned, "A recess appointment of this controversial nominee, instead of a new consensus candidate, definitely would send the wrong signal given the clear lack of support expressed by the Senate. The two other NLRB nominees have bipartisan backing, and the White House should use those as a model for who should be appointed to the board."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Speaking of today's talk of bipartisanship -- or the lack therof (here and here) -- a new Washington Post/ABC poll finds that 58% of Americans believe the Republican Party is doing too little to compromise with President Obama, while just 30% say it's the right amount.

By comparison, 45% say Obama has compromised the right amount with Republicans, versus 44% who believe he has compromised too little.

From the Post article: "Among independents, 56 percent see the Republicans in Congress as too unbending and 50 percent say so of the president; 28 percent of independents say both sides are doing too little to find agreement."

From NBC's Mark Murray
The AP:

New Hampshire authorities say the man who took hostages at a Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign office in 2007 has cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and is a fugitive.

Strafford County Attorney Thomas Velardi says Leeland Eisenberg cut off the bracelet Tuesday morning. That was a day after Verlardi says he was given a "last chance" at freedom by a judge who released him despite probation violations.

Velardi says Eisenberg is a danger to the public and should not be approached.

Leland spent about two years behind bars for the November 2007 siege at Clinton's campaign office in Rochester. He was released on probation last November. His first violation occurred soon after his release, when he failed to charge his monitoring bracelet.

From NBC's Mark Murray
There's news today relating to Tim Kaine and Michael Steele, the respective DNC and RNC chairman.

Regarding Kaine, former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder (D) has written an op-ed arguing that Kaine -- a fellow former VA governor -- is not a good fit for DNC chair. (Do note that Wilder has been an unpredictable Democrat; in last year's gubernatorial race in Virginia, Wilder refused to endorse Creigh Deeds.)

Tim Kaine is a friend who I respect. I personally pushed for his consideration by Obama for the vice-presidency because Tim was the first governor outside of Obama's home state to endorse him, and it was a bold step away from our state's past history... There are several reasons why I felt then and do now that it is not a good fit for Tim, the party, or President Obama.

[snip]

Republicans are surely going to remind voters, nationwide, that Chairman Kaine tried to balance his budget in his last days by proposing a $1 Billion Dollar plus personal income tax increase. This measure was "shot down" in the first week of the legislative session with not a single person, including Democrats, voting for it (0-97). Even the patron of the bill abstained. Kaine's recommendation to the Justice Department to transfer one of Virginia's inmates to a Federal Jurisdiction and ultimately to Germany, for possible parole in two years, was almost immediately withdrawn by the incoming Republican Governor and the Republican Attorney General. Due to the serious nature of these heinous murders and the clearest evidence of guilt, many are still asking why? Is that who this president wants to be arm-in-arm with as we enter a pivotal election year? For his sake, it shouldn't be. The President has enough to worry about and defend without this detracting sideshow as to feckless party leadership.

Regarding Steele, the RNC chairman said in an interview with Washingtonian magazine that much of the criticism he has received is due to the color of his skin.

Steele acknowledges that at times he has a tendency to take things too far. "And I get checked on that, just as when I was a young boy and I pushed the envelope too far and my Mama was there to check me."

But there's an edge to his voice when he talks about a double standard that he believes has been applied by his critics, and he posits racism as the cause: "I don't see stories about the internal operations of the DNC that I see about this operation. Why? Is it because Michael Steele is the chairman, or is it because a black man is chairman?"

From NBC's Scott Foster and Athena Jones
Today was the third time President Obama has made a surprise visit to the White House briefing room during the daily briefing.

May 1, 2009: Remarks about retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

Nov. 5, 2009: Remarks to hail AARP and AMA support for the House health-care bill.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office offered up this summary of today's White House/congressional leadership meeting:

McConnell said the best way to accomplish these job-creating measures is to bring them to the Senate floor as stand-alone measures, not attached to other controversial provisions, "to produce immediate bipartisan accomplishments that will grow jobs here at home."

McConnell offered to work with the President on four specific items from the State of the Union:
-- Increase clean nuclear energy in America
-- Expand exploration of offshore areas for oil and gas development
-- Develop Clean Coal technologies
-- Expand American exports through free trade agreements

From NBC's Mark Murray and Scott Foster
For just the third time in his presidency, President Obama today made a surprise visit to the White House press briefing room to update reporters about his meeting this morning with congressional leaders.

Obama's visit turned into a full-fledged news conference, where he took questions on health care, the economy, Iran, and the state of bipartisanship in Washington. 

At the outset, the president said that his meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders -- on jobs and the economy -- "went well," adding that there are ideas of spurring job growth (like additional tax cuts for small businesses) that could get bipartisan agreement.

"There are legitimate and genuine differences between the parties," he said. "But there are many issues upon which -- and we should -- agree." Americans, he continued, "are tired of every day being Election Day in Washington."

Yet Obama maintained that he explained to GOP leaders John Boehner and Mitch McConnell that bipartisanship can't be something in which he agrees to what Republicans want, but in which they don't reciprocate. "There has got to be some give and take."

Obama's remarks on bipartisanship today was his latest effort since his State of the Union address to elevate himself above the partisan fray and to encourage both parties to seek agreement on key issues like the economy and health care.

The president also discussed how some of his executive nominations have languished in the Senate -- including one nominee to head the General Services Administration whom he said was denied a vote for nine months, and then confirmed by a 96-0 vote. "That is not advice and consent. That is delay and obstruct."

"If the Senate does not act to confirm these nominees, I will consider making several recess appointments during the recess."

During the Q&A with reporters, Obama was asked about GOP demands that he start over from scratch on health care. He replied that he has three goals for health care (reduce health care costs and spending; deal with insurance abuses; and expand coverage to those who don't have it), and argued that he would be open to any idea -- Republican or Democratic -- to achieve those goals. But he maintained that he doesn't want to spend an additional year debating the legislation in Congress. "I don't want another year of partisan wrangling."

On energy, Obama stated that he was open both to the expansion of clean energy and offshore oil drilling. "Let's be practical and let's do both."

On Iran, he suggested that the international community was moving toward sanctions, given the news that Iran has begun enriching its stockpile of uranium. "The next step is sanctions," he said. "They have made their choice so far, but the door is still open" to engagement.

And on the upcoming bipartisan meeting on health care, Obama said he didn't want it to turn into "political theater."

"I want a substantive discussion," he added. "Let's establish the common facts, and let's test out in front of the American people what ideas work and what ideas don't."

Bipartisanship -- or the lack thereof -- is on full display today… Congressional Democratic and GOP leaders head to the White House to talk about the jobs bill… But Boehner and Cantor lay out conditions for their participation at the upcoming meeting on health care… And Senate poised to filibuster NLRB pick… It looks like engagement with Iran is over… Discussion and buzz over Obama's inner circle… And pressure's on the NRCC in the special to fill Jack Murtha's seat. 

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Gridlock: The state of bipartisanship in Washington -- or the lack thereof -- is on full display today. On the one hand, President Obama meets at the White House at 10:15 am ET with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader John Boehner, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to discuss legislation to spur more job growth. On the other hand, Boehner and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor yesterday sent a letter to the White House, laying out conditions for their participation in the upcoming Feb. 25 bipartisan meeting on health care. Adding to the perception of gridlock, the Senate holds a cloture vote this afternoon on National Labor Relations Board nominee Craig Becker, and both Democratic and Republican aides tell First Read that it's unlikely he'll receive the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster. In fact, this will probably be Sen. Scott Brown (R)'s first vote since being sworn in last week. Perhaps the most bipartisan aspect of the Becker nomination is the fact that Sen. Ben Nelson (D) is expected to join the GOP filibuster (which prompted the AFL-CIO to point out how Nelson supported cloture for controversial Bush nominees like John Bolton). 

*** 9 in 10 Americans agree…: So what does the public think of all of this? As our NBC/WSJ poll last month found, Americans are completely fed up with Washington. Only 28% say that the federal government is working, versus 70% who disagree. What's more, 93% believe there's too much partisan fighting; 84% think the special interests have too much influence over legislation; and an equal 61% complain that both Democrats and Republicans in Congress aren't willing to compromise. And 48% blame congressional Republicans for not being able to find solutions to the country's problems, 41% blame congressional Democrats, and 27% blame Obama. The good news: Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (R) dropped his hold of those 70 Obama nominees. But he also has said he'll continue to block other nominees.  http://bit.ly/b2ojdo

*** Health care gamesmanship? Back to the Boehner-Cantor letter raising the prospect that they might not attend the upcoming Feb. 25 bipartisan meeting on health care…. They asked Emanuel questions like: Will Obama start over on health care? Will he take reconciliation off the table? And will the meeting include congressional Democrats who have opposed the reform efforts? "Your answers to these critical questions will help determine whether this will be a truly open, bipartisan discussion or merely an intramural exercise before Democrats attempt to jam through a job-killing health care bill that the American people can't afford and don't support," they wrote. At first glance, this looks a lot like negotiating and gamesmanship, and the expectation is that Republicans will attend. Would Republicans really not attend the meeting, risking that the percentage blaming them for Washington's ills goes higher?

*** The end of engagement? Speaking of negotiating and gamesmanship, it's being reported that Iran has begun enriching its stockpile of uranium. And that news most likely means that engagement with Iran is over. The New York Times: "In Paris, the visiting United States defense secretary, Robert M. Gates, said the Obama administration and its allies had done all they could to entice Iran to negotiate. 'All of these initiatives have been rejected,' he said. While 'we must still try and find a peaceful way to resolve this issue, ' he said, 'the only path that is left to us at this point, it seems to me, is that pressure track. But it will require all of the international community to work together.'"

*** Obama's inner circle: We should have mentioned these two pieces earlier -- in the Financial Times and the Washington Note -- that make some key observations about Obama's inner circle, and are getting a fair amount of buzz. One excerpt: "The Obama White House is geared for campaigning rather than governing, [observers] say. In dozens of interviews with his closest allies and friends in Washington - most of them given unattributably in order to protect their access to the Oval Office - each observes that the president draws on the advice of a very tight circle. The inner core consists of just four people - Rahm Emanuel, the pugnacious chief of staff; David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, his senior advisers; and Robert Gibbs, his communications chief... With the exception of Mr Emanuel, who was a senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, all were an integral part of Mr Obama's brilliantly managed campaign. Apart from Mr Gibbs, who is from Alabama, all are Chicagoans - like the president. And barring Richard Nixon's White House, few can think of an administration that has been so dominated by such a small inner circle."

*** Pressure's on the NRCC: Yesterday's passing of Rep. John Murtha (D) sets off a special selection that will take place sometime this spring (perhaps in the May 18 primary), which will be a real test for the National Republican Congressional Committee. In the last two years, the NRCC has had an abysmal record in special elections, losing in places from Mississippi and Louisiana to Upstate New York (NY-20 and NY-23). Make no mistake, this special has the potential to be VERY competitive. Murtha held his seat since 1974. But John McCain narrowly won the district in 2008; in fact, Murtha's district in Western Pennsylvania was the only one in the country that voted for John Kerry in '04 and for McCain in '08. This is a hugely important contest for the NRCC; the early pressure is on them – especially after losing both New York specials in this political environment.

*** Look at all these rumors, surrounding me everyday: New York Gov. David Paterson (D) is in the news. First, the Wall Street Journal quotes a key adviser saying that Paterson is definitely running for election. Next, per the New York Post, he "strongly denied rampant rumors of extramarital affairs and drug use as he blasted the media for printing 'callous and sleazy' allegations. In an interview with The Associated Press, Paterson lashed out at the press for 'stretching the bounds of journalism' in an effort to confirm reports and gossip about his personal escapades. The rumors have fueled rampant speculation that the governor is about to resign. 'For the last couple of weeks, I have been the subject of what, even by Albany standards, has been a spate of outrageous rumors about me,' Paterson said."

*** More midterm news: The New York Times profiles the primary challenge John McCain is getting from J.D. Hayworth… In Florida, Marco Rubio bested Charlie Crist in another FL GOP straw poll… And in Texas, the Democrats running for governor -- including Dem front-runner Bill White -- debated yesterday.  
 
Countdown to TX primary: 23 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 268 days

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The Washington Post: "Leading House Republicans raised the prospect Monday night that they might refuse to participate in President Obama's proposed health care summit if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over. In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) expressed frustration at reports that Obama intends to put the Democratic bills on the table for discussion at the Feb. 25 summit. 'If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate,' Boehner and Cantor wrote."

Politico adds, "Republicans say they're open to compromise — as long as Obama tears up the House and Senate bills, restarts the legislative process and drops several key parts of his wish list. Democrats say, not a chance. And in fact, Obama hopes to walk into the Feb. 25 summit with an agreement in hand between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on a final Democratic bill, so they can move ahead with a reform package after the sit-down."

Meanwhile, the New York Times looks at the GOP ideas on health care. "The Republicans rely more on the market and less on government. They would not require employers to provide insurance. They oppose the Democrats' call for a big expansion of Medicaid, which Republicans say would burden states with huge long-term liabilities."

A Marist poll shows Obama's approval at 44% and disapproval at 47%. "Perhaps, particularly concerning for Mr. Obama is the drop in support among Independents," Marist writes. "For the first time since taking office, a majority of Independents -- 57% -- disapproves of how he is doing in the role.  29% approve, and 14% are unsure. Not surprisingly, Democrats and Republicans are polarized.  81% of Democrats approve of the president's job performance while a similar proportion of Republicans -- 80% -- disapproves."

White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan has a USA Today op-ed that repeats what he said on "Meet the Press" last Sunday. "It's naive to think that transferring Abdulmutallab to military custody would have caused an outpouring of information. There is little difference between military and civilian custody, other than an interrogator with a uniform. The suspect gets access to a lawyer, and interrogation rules are nearly identical. Would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid was read his Miranda rights five minutes after being taken off a plane he tried to blow up. The same people who criticize the president today were silent back then."

More: "Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda. Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. They will, however, be dismantled and destroyed, by our military, our intelligence services and our law enforcement community. And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd."

"First lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday plans to unveil a campaign to fight childhood obesity, a cause that is becoming her top policy priority," the Wall Street Journal says. "In an event at the White House scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Obama plans to outline an effort months in the making to improve childhood nutrition and physical activity. The White House in recent days has contacted some of the nation's largest food companies to prepare them for its push."

"Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, a gruff ex-Marine who used his immense power in military spending to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to his hard-luck district and who became an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, died on Monday. He was 77," the New York Times writes. "He died at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, where he was being treated for complications of gallbladder surgery, his office said. Mr. Murtha's death came two days after he became the longest-serving congressman in Pennsylvania history, his office said, surpassing the record of Joseph M. McDade, a Scranton Republican who served from 1963 to 1999."

"Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has released his controversial 'holds' on more than 70 pending presidential nominations, his office said Monday night," the Washington Post says. "Senate Democratic aides confirmed that Shelby had released most holds, but Shelby said he would continue to block other, unnamed nominees. 'The purpose of placing numerous holds was to get the White House's attention on two issues that are critical to our national security -- the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the FBI's Terrorist Device Analytical Center (TEDAC),' Shelby's office said in a statement. 'With that accomplished, Sen. Shelby has decided to release his holds on all but a few nominees directly related to the Air Force tanker acquisition.'"

Meanwhile, "Blue Dog Democrats want Congress to go further than President Barack Obama's proposal to freeze spending in next year's budget," The Hill writes. "The group of House centrists will soon introduce a bill capping discretionary spending at specific levels."

"Several possible 2012 Republican contenders are using their political action committees to dole out large amounts of cash to an array of GOP members and candidates this cycle," CQ writes. "Leading the way in largesse are South Dakota Sen. John Thune 's Heartland Values PAC, which made $118,000 in contributions in 2009, all to Republican senators or would-be senators running in 2010, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Free and Strong America PAC, which gave $87,500 to federal and state candidates last year."

ARIZONA: The New York Times is the latest to look at John McCain's shift to the right, given his August primary challenge. "Mr. McCain now sharply criticizes the bailout bill he voted for, pivoted from his earlier position that the Guantánamo Bay detention facility should be closed, offered only a muted response to the Supreme Court's decision undoing campaign finance laws and backed down from statements that gays in the military would be O.K. by him if the military brass were on board."

FLORIDA: "The conservative Rubio trounced centrist Gov. Charlie Crist in a straw poll among [Brevard County] Republicans Friday night," Florida Today reports. "Rubio beat Crist 321-45 in balloting at the local GOP's annual Lincoln Day Dinner… It was at least the 18th such poll Rubio has won in recent months among local executive committees, loyal party donors and members of various Republican clubs."  

ILLINOIS: The Washington Times notes that, with Illinois Sen. Roland Burris not seeking another term and tough campaign paths for African-American candidates in Florida, Texas and North Carolina, "That historically all-white club known as the U.S. Senate is likely to lose what little diversity it has after November's elections… black candidates face daunting uphill battles to join the august body. They are having difficulties raising cash and building name recognition against better-known, better-financed rivals."

MASSACHUSETTS: Gov. Deval "Patrick's blunt acknowledgement that he let his most powerful political muscle atrophy captures the daunting challenge he now faces," the Boston Globe writes. "As he prepares for a tough reelection fight, the governor is trying to revive and rebuild his network of supporters, by shoring up his original base, pulling the disillusioned back to his corner, and recruiting new faces. The central question, though, is whether he can do it as an incumbent."

MICHIGAN: Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero announced his candidacy for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination yesterday, the Detroit News reports.

MISSOURI: Ed Martin, a Republican challenging Rep. Russ Carnahan for his seat, releases a dramatic-sounding Web ad branding Carnahan "Rubber Stamp Russ" and linking his image with those of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

NEW YORK: The Wall Street Journal quotes an adviser saying that David Paterson (D) is going to run for a full term as governor. "Amid churning doubts over his political future, New York Gov. David Paterson has told one of his closest advisers that he will officially announce his campaign for governor next week. William Lynch, a Harlem lobbyist and political aide, said Mr. Paterson will give a 'major statement on why he's running' and will travel around the state to make clear his intentions. 'He's running,' Mr. Lynch said."

Still waiting for that Times story on Gov. David Paterson. But Paterson is trying to head a potential story off. He defended himself to AP, met with the Times' editorial board and plans to meet with reporters and editors there in coming days, the New York Post reports.

PENNSYLVANIA: "Gov. Ed Rendell says he'll soon decide whether to have a special election to fill U.S. Rep. John Murtha's seat in Congress or whether to hold the election on primary day, May 18," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. "He said Monday that his 'inclination is to save the state money by holding the special election on primary day in May.'"

TEXAS: Two Democratic gubernatorial candidates faced off at a debate yesterday, with former Houston mayor Bill White "staked out more conservative positions on taxes, crime and the environment than his opponent, Houston businessman Farouk Shami," the Dallas Morning News reports. "Shami, a political newcomer, concentrated on surviving the March 2 primary."

From NBC's Mark Murray
According to Pennsylvania's Secretary of State's office, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) has 10 days to set a date for a special election to fill the remainder of John Murtha's term. That date cannot come any sooner than 60 days after issuing this writ of election -- so the earliest that it could occur is in two months.

To save money, it is possible that Rendell decides to wrap this special election into the state's already-scheduled May 18 primary elections. (So you could have two different tracks of races for this congressional seat -- the Democratic and GOP primaries, and the special election to fill out the remainder of Murtha's term.)

The special election has the potential to be competitive. Murtha has controlled this seat since 1974. But John McCain narrowly won the district in 2008. In fact, Murtha's district was the only congressional seat in the country that voted for John Kerry in 2004 and for McCain in '08.

From NBC's Luke Russert
An aide to the House leadership has confirmed to NBC News that Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha (D) died today as a result of complications from an operation to his gallbladder last week.

He was 77.

From NBC's Luke Russert
The House of Representatives was slated to return to session Tuesday, with votes scheduled at 6:30 pm ET.

But right now, it's up in the air about whether or not the House will be in session tomorrow.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office is in discussions with rank-and-file members, and it looks like a call will be made later this afternoon to see whether or not they can get back from their home districts.

The House is scheduled for a "district work period" -- i.e., recess -- next week, which means Democratic leaders would like to get at least some work done in the next few days.

Although with the likelihood of snow coming tomorrow night and Wednesday, one Hill staffer told NBC this week, "Could be a total wash."

More to come this afternoon.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
As expected, the Senate's votes scheduled for today -- including the one on Craig Becker's nomination to serve on the National Labor Relations Board -- will be postponed to Tuesday, Feb. 9 due to the weather and flight schedules for members unable to return to DC.

The Senate will convene Tuesday at 2:00 pm ET, and the previously scheduled Monday votes will occur at 5:00 pm Tuesday.

Today, the Senate will convene at 2:00 pm, but only to make official the change of votes schedule.

Brennan's security shot at congressional Republicans… GOP returns the fire… Is Obama's Feb. 25 meeting on health care political cover for reconciliation?... Sarah Palin talks about 2012… Democrats appear to be throwing the kitchen sink at Dan Coats… And Scott Lee Cohen, in tearful news conference, ends his Lt. Gov. bid in Illinois.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Brennan's shot: On a Sunday already filled with plenty of news -- the Saints' Super Bowl win, the D.C. area shoveling out of Snowmaggedon, and the aftermath of Sarah Palin's speech at the Tea Party convention -- the biggest political shot might have come from White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan. "I'm tiring of politicians using national security issues such as terrorism as a political football," said Brennan, who has worked for both Democratic and GOP administrations, said on "Meet the Press." "They are going out there, they're, they're unknowing of the facts, and they're making charges and allegations that are not anchored in reality." He added, "On Christmas night, I called a number of senior members of Congress. I spoke to Senators McConnell and Bond; I spoke to Representative Boehner and Hoekstra. I explained to them that he was in FBI custody, that Mr. Abdulmutallab was, in fact, talking, that he was cooperating at that point. They knew that 'in FBI custody' means that there's a process then you follow as far as Mirandizing and presenting him in front of a magistrate. None of those individuals raised any concerns with me at that point." 

*** GOP returns the fire: Those Republicans naturally fired back at Brennan. "Brennan never told me any of plans to Mirandize the Christmas Day bomber -- if he had I would have told him the Administration was making a mistake," GOP Sen. Kit Bond said in a statement. "The truth is that the Administration did not even consult our intelligence chiefs, as DNI Blair testified, so its absurd to try to blame Congressional leaders for this dangerous decision that gave terrorists a five week head start to cover their tracks." President Obama also got into the fray. "The most important thing for the public to understand is we're not handling any of these cases any different than the Bush administration handled them all through 9/11," the president said in an interview with CBS. "They prosecuted 190 folks in these Article Three courts," referring to civilian courts. "Got convictions. And those folks are in maximum security prisons right now. And there have been no escapes." 

*** Is the White House re-thinking how it proceeds? Largely missed in this security back-and-forth was the administration's suggestion that it's rethinking how it proceeds with future terrorist apprehensions. The Washington Post: "During the 'Meet the Press' interview, Brennan said the right thing had been done on Christmas, but he made clear that the administration may be rethinking that decision. He said the president had ordered a new look at the processes "and whether or not we can enhance and strengthen them, and that's what we're looking at right now." And in his CBS interview, Obama said that the practice of reading terrorists Miranda rights is being reviewed. "Absolutely, everything should be reviewed," he said. So while the White House has decided to fight back big time on this issue of whether reading Miranda rights was the right thing to do with the Christmas bomber, they are also hinting that the next terrorist may NOT get Miranda rights so quickly.

*** Cover for reconciliation? The other political news that Obama made yesterday was his announcement that he's convening a half-day, bipartisan meeting on health care on Feb. 25. And get this: It's going to be televised. "I want to come back and have a large meeting, Republicans and Democrats, to go through systematically all the best ideas that are out there and move it forward," he said. Some Democrats are seeing -- or perhaps hoping -- this bipartisan summit as the president's final attempt to gain political cover to go the reconciliation route. This goes to the latest White House political strategy on ALL things of late, and that is attempt to include the Republicans in more policy debates in an attempt to create a "choice" election for 2010 rather than facing simply a referendum (see Plouffe's interview from the weekend).

*** Palin and 2012: Is Sarah Palin truly considering a presidential run in 2012? You be the judge. "I think it would be absurd to not consider what I can do for my country," she said yesterday on FOX News Sunday, per NBC's Andrea Mitchell. "I won't close a door that perhaps could be opened for me in the future." Don't forget that as long as Palin flirts with a 2012 bid, 1) the political press will always be more interested in what she has to say, and 2) she'll command top-dollar speaking fees. So why shut that door? But it also doesn't mean that she's running… In fact, it seems like many a headline writer went out of their ways to interpret her comments as "SHE MIGHT RUN, SHE MIGHT RUN; THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!!!"

*** Regarding those Todd e-mails…: Also in her FOX interview, Palin also responded on camera for the first time to a specific question about an MSNBC.com/NBC report on emails showing husband Todd's involvement in key matters while Palin was Alaska governor, NBC's Mitchell adds. Sarah Palin said it was "absolutely" appropriate for Todd to be so involved. "There are so few people in the political world that I can trust," adding that "he's my husband; he's my closest adviser. And she said, "Todd helped as Alaska's First Dude with no staff, with no office" and that he helped with workplace development issues for the state. "He helped with workplace development issues, he never got into the minutia of politics; he hates this political bull-dot that we go through."

*** Coats gets the kitchen sink: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee seems to be throwing the kitchen sink at ex-Sen. Dan Coats (R), perhaps in an effort to persuade him not to challenge Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (D) in November. The latest revelation/oppo dump is that Coats was a foreign lobbyist for India, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The Hill writes, "Yemen isn't exactly a country you want your name tied to right now, and the lobbying documentation provides Democrats with a ready-made attack ad to use against Coats. Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said the foreign lobbying brings things to a whole new level for Coats. 'It's one thing to be a lobbyist; it's another to be lobbying for Yemen,' she said. 'He'll have that hung around his neck day in and day out.'" After all of these revelations about Coats -- former lobbyist, a voter registration in Virginia (not Indiana), a reported desire to retire to North Carolina -- do we think he's definitely in the race? The Democrats are hoping this oppo dump creates doubt in Coats' mind. Filing deadline is Feb. 19.

*** Scott Lee, you are a madman … when you stole that cow: The craziest Illinois political story since Blago/Jack Ryan/Blair Hull came to an end last night, when Democratic Lt. Gov. nominee Scott Lee Cohen announced he was quitting the race. Cohen -- who we found out AFTER his primary win Tuesday has allegedly abused his ex-wife, used steroids, didn't pay child support, and placed a knife to the neck of an ex-girlfriend who was a prostitute -- said at a teary news conference during the halftime of the Super Bowl, "For the good of the people … I will resign." Per the Chicago Tribune, it's now up to the 38-member Democratic State Central Committee to pick a replacement. "The Democratic panel is scheduled to meet March 17, though a meeting could be held sooner," the Tribune adds. "The state central committee is not bound to select any of the candidates who lost to Cohen in last week's primary." 

*** More midterm news: In Arizona, John McCain's campaign announced that Scott Brown will stump for the Arizona senator next month, March 5-6… In Florida, Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are dueling over whether illegal immigrants should be counted in the 2010 Census… And in Texas, Palin campaigned for Rick Perry in that gubernatorial primary taking place less than a month from now.
 
Countdown to TX primary: 24 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 269 days

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"President Obama said Sunday that he would convene a half-day bipartisan health care session at the White House to be televised live this month, a high-profile gambit that will allow Americans to watch as Democrats and Republicans try to break their political impasse. Mr. Obama made the announcement in an interview on CBS during the Super Bowl pre-game show, capitalizing on a vast television audience. He set out a plan that would put Republicans on the spot to offer their own ideas on health care and show whether both sides are willing to work together. 'I want to come back and have a large meeting, Republicans and Democrats, to go through systematically all the best ideas that are out there and move it forward,' Mr. Obama said in the interview from the White House Library." 

The Washington Post: "The invitation to meet together on Feb. 25 -- and to do so live in front of the American public -- represents an effort by Obama to hit the reset button on the top domestic priority of his first year in office. It also reflects a recognition that he must have at least some Republican support if he hopes to see health-care reform pass." 

John Brennan, the president's deputy national security adviser, said on "Meet the Press" that he is "tiring of politicians using national security issues, such as terrorism, as a political football," NBC's Andrew Rafferty notes.  Brennan said on Christmas night he called Republicans McConnell, Bond, Boehner and Hoekstra to inform them Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was in FBI custody, but none of the GOP leaders raised concerns about the terrorist being Mirandized - a fact they have since become critical of.  "I'm just very concerned on behalf of the counterterrorism professionals throughout our government that politicians continue to make this a political football".

The Wall Street Journal: "Democrats gearing up for a possible Supreme Court vacancy are divided over whether President Barack Obama should appoint a prominent liberal voice while their party still commands a large Senate majority, or go with someone less likely to stoke Republican opposition."

The New York Times writes how Wall Street is threatening to no longer shower the Democratic Party with campaign contributions -- and is even beginning to donate more to Republicans -- now with the White House pushing for financial reform. 

Could the White House and Democrats have asked for a better headline here?

"In the aftermath of the weekend snowstorm that has paralyzed the national capital region, the Senate leadership has postponed votes on two nominations that were set for Monday evening," the New York Times writes. Officials said the Senate would instead meet briefly only to enter into an agreement to put the votes off until Tuesday. One of the scheduled votes - the nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board – is highly contentious and Democrats are scrambling to assemble 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster against Mr. Becker, a legal adviser to major labor unions."

More: "The Senate will convene for business at 2 p.m. Tuesday and take the votes at 5 p.m. The House was not scheduled to return until Tuesday, and given the state of the transportation system in the Washington area, lawmakers may be slow to make it back from their home districts."

The Washington Post's Rucker and Gerhart: "Sarah Palin chose a gathering of tea party activists on Saturday as the backdrop for her first major political speech since accepting the Republican Party's nomination for vice president 18 months ago. With her remarks, greeted with wild enthusiasm here and carried live by all three major cable news networks, Palin moved firmly to reestablish herself as a politician capable of national office." 

AP's Sidoti calls Palin's speech "short on ideas but big on enthusiasm." "Palin's 45-minute talk was filled with her trademark folksy jokes and amounted to a pep talk for the coalition and promotion of its principles. The speech also was rife with criticism for Obama and the Democrats who control Congress, but delivered with a light touch. Aside from broad conservative principles like lower taxes and a strong national defense, the speech was short on Palin's own policy ideas that typically indicate someone is seriously laying the groundwork to run for the White House. Indeed, Republican observers say she's seemingly done more lately to establish herself as a political celebrity focused on publicity rather than a political candidate focused on policy."

Wall Street Journal's Davis' lead on Palin's speech: "Sarah Palin is not an official leader of the Tea Party movement, but her presence at the National Tea Party Convention here Saturday night underscored the depth of support for the former Alaska governor as someone who captures the spirit of the conservative grassroots movement." 

The New York Post's Hurt: "[I]n a 40-minute, remarkably detailed speech, Palin laid out what could only be described as the framework of a presidential-campaign platform. She ran through a host of specifics about recent failures of national-security and economic policies. And she wrapped it up in a heavy sheen of good political rhetoric."

Politico's Vogel: "Sarah Palin told the National Tea Party Convention on Saturday night that 'America is ready for another revolution,' and that the tea party movement would lead it."

By the way, Palin who took a shot at President Obama for using teleprompters, apparently had notes scribbled on her hand. She referred to them during the question-and-answer session, in which the questions were pre-screened and pre-selected. The Wall Street Journal's Davis: "An enlarged photograph ... appears to show the words 'energy,' 'tax,' and 'Lift American spirits' written on Palin's left hand."

On Sunday, Palin campaigned with Texas Gov. Rick Perry locked in a primary fight with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison for re-election. "Sunday's event in the Cypress area offered all the trappings of a rock concert -- driving music, a boisterous crowd and a genuine star. It also included a screeching guitar rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Ted Nugent that sounded as if the vintage rocker and outspoken conservative channeled Jimi Hendrix," the Houston Chronicle noted of the Palin/Perry event. "Wearing a black velvet dress and knee-high suede boots of an Aggie-maroon hue, Palin entered the arena on Perry's arm. The audience responded with a raucous standing ovation, whistles, 'We love you, Sarah' shouts and flashing cameras. Some had waited outside for a couple of hours in chilly, overcast weather. The 9,500-seat arena was about two-thirds full for the free event."

AP's Sidoti's analysis of the Tea Party movement: "No one is quite sure what to make of this leaderless morass of people, born not even a year ago in communities from coast to coast. But everyone seems to want a piece of it. Republicans are trying to co-opt it. Democrats are trying to marginalize it. And people with personal aspirations -- whether financial or political -- are trying to take advantage of it." She concludes: "Like any coalition, it includes people at the far ends of the political spectrum pushing their extreme ideology, and it probably also includes people whose anger is actually rooted in distrust of the country's first black president. But many who call themselves 'tea partiers' are simply real people with real concerns who have real voices and want to force real change. And, as history has shown, politicians of all political stripes ignore such uprisings at their own peril." 

Per Politico, "Senate Republicans -- hoping to capitalize on the momentum of Scott Brown's Massachusetts victory -- are holding 66 big-money fundraisers over the next 54 days, hosted by lobbyists, energy industry execs and political headliners like Mary Matalin, according to an internal scheduling memo … a handful are veritable mini-vacations, including Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso's four-person 'Ski Pass' ($5,000) to Jackson Hole on March 5-6, which includes an 'industry dinner' in Washington."

Is David Plouffe borrowing a page from the Ken Mehlman book? He wants the 2010 election to be a "choice, not a referendum." Remember when Mehlman would say that 'til he was blue in the face? 

CALIFORNIA: Cathleen Decker of the L.A. Times comments on the "bizarre" state of California campaigns over the past week, touching on gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman (R)'s first ad, which glosses over the fact that she hasn't lived in the state for 30 years; Whitman's GOP opponent Steve Poizner's attempt "to criminalize the Whitman campaign's effort to push him out" of the primary; and the news that "trampled" both developments: the "demon sheep" video posted by Carly Fiorina's Senate campaign: "Apart from the ad's blunt contention that Campbell, a former congressman and state finance director, was a wolf in sheep's clothing when it comes to taxes, the subplots were hard to divine… How did the sheep get onto that pedestal anyway? And how much did they have to pay someone to dress up in sheep-drag and crawl in a field?"

ILLINOIS: "The Democratic nominee for Illinois lieutenant governor has dropped out of the race amid a political uproar about his past less than a week after he won the nomination. The nominee, Scott Lee Cohen, announced his decision Sunday night at a Chicago bar."

Last week, it was Scott Lee Cohen's (D) ex-wife who was standing by him, NBC's John Yang says. His ex-girlfriend? Not so much. An attorney for Amanda Eneman, the convicted prostitute who accused Cohen of holding a knife to her throat and slamming her head against a wall during a 2005 argument, released a statement. "Based on her personal observations during the course of their relationship and his behavior, Miss Eneman does not believe that he is fit to hold any public office." Her attorney, by the way, is high-profile Los Angeles lawyer Gloria Allred. Misdemeanor charges against Cohen were dropped when Eneman failed to appear in court. Meanwhile, Yang notes, the list of Democrats calling for Cohen to drop out now include Sen. Dick Durbin and state Attorney General Lisa Madigan. But Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is being more cautious, saying that Cohen won the party's primary. "It's a constitutional dilemma. Once you get elected in the primary, no mayor, no newspaper, no citizen can ask you to resign because I don't like you anymore."

LOUISIANA: The second time was the charm for Mitch Landrieu, who lost his mayoral bid to Ray Nagin in 2005. "In the 1970s, Mayor Moon Landrieu led the desegregation of City Hall, and on Saturday his son, Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, won an extraordinary showing of support from both blacks and whites to become the first white mayor of New Orleans since his father left office 32 years ago. According to Greg Rigamer, an election analyst, Mr. Landrieu won 70 percent of the white vote, 63 percent of the black vote and all but one of the city's 366 precincts."

MISSOURI: In an interview with the Springfield News-Leader editorial board, Senate candidate and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) seemingly tried to distance herself from the national political establishment by referring several times to the "folks" and goings-on in Washington. When asked about specific financial reforms she thinks would be feasible, Carnahan responded, "since the folks in Washington decided to wash their hands of their responsibility to regulate, we've had a lot more to do, and I'm proud that we've been able to get tens of billions of dollars back for people that really needed it from financial institutions that have taken advantage of them. But in Washington what they need to do, number one, is make sure that these banks pay back their TARP money, bailout money." 

NEW YORK: The Daily News unearths some of Senate hopeful Harold Ford Jr's opinion columns during his time at the University of Pennsylvania: "In his columns, Ford always held true to his Democratic roots -- his father, Harold Sr., was then a congressman from Tennessee. But the younger Ford, who later succeeded his father, wrestled often with the larger issue of black empowerment, even wondering once whether African-Americans might be better off in the GOP. 'We must remove the hood of political predictability that has stunted the growth of the black politic. We must venture into the Republican Party,' he wrote in September 1991.'"

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin's speech Saturday night sounded like a pretty good preview of what a candidate Palin might sound like -- in 2010 and possibly, 2012.

She sought to channel some of the anger in the country -- at banks, at Wall Street, at spending, and for those that disagree with this administration's approach, at President Obama.

It all "makes us less free and should tick us all off," said Palin, who spoke for 42 minutes and then took nine pre-screened, pre-selected questions.

It was hit after hit on the Obama administration on the stimulus, unemployment, debt, health-care reform, and foreign policy.

"How's that hopey, changey thing working out for you," Palin said.

Though Palin said people "don't need an office or a title" to make a difference, she didn't dissuade the possibility of running for higher office. (Palin is herself without an office or a title currently. She resigned as Alaska governor in the middle of her term last year.)

There are "two words that scare liberals," organizer Judson Phillips said to Palin during the question-and-answer session -- "President Palin."

That was greeted with chants from the crowd of "Run, Sarah, Run."

Phillips stopped short of asking directly if she would run for president. He instead asked what her priorities would be if she were president.

"If I were in that position," she began, and then laid out three priorities: (1) Energy (an all of the above approach); (2) reduce spending; and (3) no promises of false bipartisanship.

The no promises of bipartisanship and her overt invoking of religion were perhaps the two most eyebrow-raising moments.

When asked to lay out the priorities for a potentially GOP-controlled Congress after 2010, Palin said, (1) spending; (2) energy projects (oil, gas coal); and (3) not being "afraid to go back to our roots as a God-fearing nation" and "start seeking some divine intervention" and to "proclaim your alliance with our creator."

She noted she would hit the campaign trail this year in Republican primary politics -- and that her endorsements would probably upset some. She's stumping with Rick Perry today in Texas. Perry has a gubernatorial primary against Bush-Cheney endorsed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Palin will also campaign next month for her former running mate John McCain, who faces a primary from the conservative J.D. Hayworth. There was no love lost at this convention for McCain, by the way.

She laid out a three-point litmus test for candidates to endorse: (1) Ask if they believe if they're taxed enough; (2) that they'd be committed to doing something about it; and (3) that they believe in limited government.

She also invoked some of the anti-intellectualism (anti-"elite") that has come to be a part of her rhetoric and the Tea Party movement's, generally. Palin said that a resume isn't what's important in a candidate, that she'd rather see average, everyday people run for office who may or not have ever been involved in politics.

One thing is for certain, with a schedule that is quickly filling up in the next few months, we are going to hear a lot more politics from Palin as Election Day 2010 nears. Saturday night's speech was the kickoff.

VIDEO: Live from Nashville, NBC's Domenico Montanaro discusses Sarah Palin's speech Saturday night at the Tea Party Nation Convention.

Here's a brief clip:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin is expected to take the stage here tonight at 9, and speak for about 30 to 45 minutes. She will then take about 15 minutes of pre-screened, pre-selected questions.

Organizers say they aren't sure if Palin has seen the questions in advance.

Andrew Breitbart, who runs a conservative Web site, will introduce Palin. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessean, was originally scheduled to introduce her before she pulled out of the conference in response to the for-profit nature of the convention.

There are some questions as to whether Palin is or wants to be a leader of the Tea Party movement. In some respects, this seems a false question. People here don't consider Palin the leader, because they don't want the movement to have one. It started as grassroots, they want it to continue as grassroots, they said. There is a problem, however, that can present. When it comes to political organization, it becomes difficult for a grassroots movement to focus its efforts like a laser beam.

That said, most here acknowledge Palin is A leader of the movement. If the definition of a leader is someone people follow, clearly she's a leader of the tea party movement. This is her base.

There's also a question of whether or not the press covers her too much, because as we asked in First Thoughts on Friday – is she a politician or a political celebrity? She has great potential, and any politician would love to have such a fervent base. But she hasn't expanded her base at all since running as the Republican vice-presidential nominee with John McCain. The questions about her then were whether or not she could win over independents. Despite her financial success, whether she can win over independents is still a question. She hasn't moved the ball in the past year with them at all. Polls still show more independents have an unfavorable opinion of her than have a favorable one.

That's fine for being a millionaire, but it's not a likely winning national formula.

Palin doesn't feel she needs to take questions from the dreaded mainstream media. She still hasn't appeared on shows like Meet the Press to answer the serious questions and engage in a meaningful back and forth. Instead, she continues to preach to the choir. She has been named a Fox News contributor. And will be on Fox News Sunday tomorrow.

While that doesn't matter to her base of supporters, including many here, it does matter to many independents and others, who believe politicians should have to answer tough questions, that they should be intellectually tested and challenged. If they don't prove they can run the gauntlet, that may be interpreted by some voters as weakness.