From NBC's Kelly Paice
Today Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, National Security Advisor James Jones, and House and Senate leaders and members gathered at the Capitol to remember the late Congressman John Murtha (D-PA) who died Feb. 8 at the age of 77.

Biden opened his remarks with, "To the Murtha clan, your dad was one hell of a guy."

Biden spoke of his first interaction with the late congressman, when he received a phone call from "a guy named Murtha" who was running in a special election in Pennsylvania and asked the then young Biden to campaign for him. Biden spoke of later inviting Murtha to sit on the porch of the vice president's house, seeking Murtha's advice on the way forward in the nation's current wars.

Biden went on to say, "A few people have that intangible thing, that sixth sense...you know they'll get your back" and Murtha had that in Biden's opinion. Biden spoke of how Murtha would stand up for what was not always popular and said, "The part I liked about him best, he was just one stand up son of a gun." Biden concluded, "I don't know anybody who did his duty better than Jack."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Murtha "a great legislator, a courageous soldier, and a public servant to the end."

Pelosi spoke of Rep. Murtha's "courage to speak out against the war in Iraq," saying that "in doing so, he taught us very clearly to make the distinction between the war and the warrior." She concluded, "I am quite certain we will never see his like again."

"When I think of Jack Murtha, I think leadership, commitment," said Gen. Jones. He continued, "Those of us privileged to serve with Congressman Murtha will always remember his concept of the citizen soldier."

Jones went on to speak of what he called Murtha's deep compassion and dedication to America's service members: "Wherever the danger was he went there to see how the men and women were. He devoted countless hours...he worked tirelessly for the needs of men and women in uniform."

Pelosi also talked about Murtha's love of visiting returning service members at Walter Reed Army hospital describing "his affection for them was as a father."

Gates told the story of making the decision to stay at the Defense Department through the Obama administration: "Jack said, 'If [Obama] asks, you have to do it...I want you to stay.' Coming from Jack, that had a great impact on me."

Several congressmen opened the memorial with short remarks.

"We lost our father confessor," Rep. Paul Kanjorski said. "We lost our validator, but we haven't lost our treasure...what he gave to the House."

Rep. Tim Holden talked of Murtha's service to the country not only as a congressman, but his service in the Marine Corps during the wars in Korea and Vietnam. Holden spoke of what he saw as Murtha's sincere compassion and devotion to caring for the country's men and women in uniform: "He made sure our veterans had the care they deserve."

Rep. Robert Brady presented Murtha's widow with the American flag that flew over the Capitol in the late congressman's honor, the same flag that was placed on Murtha's House seat in the so-called "Pennsylvania corner."

Rep. Marcy Kaptur remembered Murtha as "brave, bold, direct, and bipartisan."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier today in First Thoughts, we noted the role that process has played in the health-care debate -- and how the GOP has been able to use it as a weapon.

But in her piece on the health debate in the latest issue of The New York Review of Books, journalist Elizabeth Drew criticizes the media's role in amplifying the process over the substance.

Drew writes:

But citizens who were so turned off by the Nelson deal that they were ready to give up on the health care bill weren't adequately informed about the bill itself, and this gets back to the treatment of the health issue in the press and on television and the Internet. The Nelson story was a big story; what was in the health care bill was not. The messiness and the anger on Capitol Hill were the story. The media also had a large part in polarizing the public over the bill. As cable outlets and blogs become more ideological, on both the left and the right, people have become more inclined to seek out the ones they agree with. And the outlets stir up ratings through exaggeration and combat.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
There is now more clarity on how Congressional Democrats plan to use reconciliation (recon) to push the comprehensive health care bill across the finish line. There are three steps:

Step No. 1: The House must pass the Senate's version of the bill.
Step No. 2: The House must pass a reconciliation bill that makes "fixes" and any other ideas from the president's proposal.
Step No. 3: The Senate must pass the same reconciliation bill as the House.

While the path for final passage may be clear, it's a perilous one, according to Democratic senators and staff. Two critical, intertwined components are missing within the Democratic ranks: votes and trust. And they're shackled together.

In order for House Dems to VOTE for the Senate bill (step #1), they have to TRUST the Senate to pass the fixes through recon (step #3). While the House must also pass recon (step #2), the rules allow them to do it in a way that insures the bill remains intact, without changes. Pelosi, using the rules, can limit or restrict the bill from being amended.

But in the Senate, recon is much more complicated. There, the rules allow for  literally an endless number of amendments that can be offered. And equally important, there are more than a dozen ways things can be taken out through "budget points of order." 

The fundamental question from House Democrats to their Senate counterparts: if we stick our necks out and pass the Senate bill and then pass the fixes, how can you guarantee those fixes will survive the Senate's meat grinder known as reconciliation?

The answer from the Senate: "We can't make that guarantee." No one can.

"That's one of the needles we'll have to thread," Chuck Schumer said today, but added, "There are some ideas."

The easiest solution would be for the Senate to do recon first, proving what it was capable of passing. But after much discussion between the two chambers about the Congressional rules, sources say, the general consensus is the House must go first.

Another option that's been discussed is having at least 51 Democrats sign a letter to Pelosi saying essentially, 'We promise to vote for the fixes the House wants." Asked about such a letter yesterday, Sen. Dick Durbin said, "I don't know if it's a letter, but we have to make it clear to the speaker that we have 51 votes."

But the central problem remains, even if such a letter is sent: the Senate cannot guarantee the recon bill they start with will be the one they pass. And if changes are made to the Senate bill, the recon bill would have to go back to the house.

From NBC's Mark Murray
The White House has just released excerpts of the speech on health-care President Obama will deliver later this afternoon. According to the excerpts, the president will say that his health-care proposal contains "the best ideas" from Democrats and Republicans, and that it also removes some of the more noxious provisions -- like the infamous "Cornhusker Kickback."

Obama will say:

So this is our proposal.  This is where we've ended up. It's an approach that has been debated and changed and I believe improved over the last year. It incorporates the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans – including some of the ideas that Republicans offered during the health care summit, like funding state grants on medical malpractice reform and curbing waste, fraud, and abuse in the health care system. My proposal also gets rid of many of the provisions that had no place in health care reform – provisions that were more about winning individual votes in Congress than improving health care for all Americans. 

Also:

At stake right now is not just our ability to solve this problem, but our ability to solve any problem. The American people want to know if it's still possible for Washington to look out for their interests and their future.  They are waiting for us to act. They are waiting for us to lead. And as long as I hold this office, I intend to provide that leadership. I don't know how this plays politically, but I know it's right. And so I ask Congress to finish its work, and I look forward to signing this reform into law.

From NBC's Mark Murray
These haven't been the best of times for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

After starting the 2010 cycle off with a bang -- getting GOP retirements in FL, MO, NH, OH -- the DSCC hasn't had a lot of good news to tout lately. North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan's (D) retirement essentially handed the Senate seat to the Republicans. Beau Biden's (D) decision not to run for his father's old seat gives Rep. Mike Castle (R) the clear advantage in Delaware. And then Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (D) stunned the political world when he said he wouldn't run for re-election, giving the GOP another pick-up opportunity.

As it now stands, the top eight races on First Read's Top 10 Senate takeover list are Democratic seats -- including ND, DE, and IN -- that could flip to the GOP.

Despite that slew of bad news, however, the Democratic committee has enjoyed a pretty good last couple of weeks. First, about two weeks ago, Indiana Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D) entered the race to replace Bayh, giving Dems a solid chance at holding on to that seat. Then, on Monday night, Harold Ford Jr. opted not to challenge New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a Democratic primary. And last night, wealthy publisher Mort Zuckerman said he wouldn't take on Gillibrand, either -- which likely means November will be a cakewalk for her.

What's more, a new Quinnipiac poll showed Sen. Arlen Specter (D) back ahead of Pat Toomey, 49%-42%, after the two were tied in December. (However, a recent Franklin & Marshall poll has Toomey ahead by 10 points.)

To be sure, two weeks' worth of good news doesn't change the dynamics of this pro-GOP political environment. But after the past couple of months, the DSCC will gladly take it.

*** UPDATE *** NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh counters, "If the last two weeks were good because of Ellsworth, Ford and Zuckerman, that streak ended today....

Politico: Heitkamp passes on Senate campaign

Chicago Tribune: Giannoulias seeks to blunt damage, says family bank likely to fail

Arkansas News: AFL-CIO dumps Lincoln, backs Halter

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Domenico Montanaro
Democratic senators announced they plan to offer legislation to prevent Recovery Act funds from going to a create jobs outside of the U.S. -- namely in China. 

They are also sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner asking him to block funds for a specific project that could benefit from taxpayer money, they announced at a news conference this morning.

The project: A $1.5-billion wind farm in West Texas expected to receive $450 million in stimulus funds. The senators say ALMOST ALL of the jobs would be in China, where wind turbines would be built.

According to the Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bob Casey (D-PA)., the Energy Department has responded that it is powerless to stop the project from receiving the $450 million in grant money -- despite the fact that the project would create only 300 jobs in the United States, compared to up to 3,000 jobs in China.

Democratic sources say their bottom line is that of $2.1 billion awarded under clean-energy grant program in the stimulus, 79 percent has gone to foreign companies.

Why? It's an old story: Companies outsource the building of products, because they are made more cheaply in countries like China. Others have warned that this would happen and wanted to push for stronger "Buy American" provisions in the original stimulus.

*** UPDATE *** The Department of Energy responds: "The Recovery Act has doubled the pace of investment in America's wind industry -- including helping attract more than $10 billion of foreign investment to create U.S. jobs,"  Press Secretary Stephanie Mueller said. "Every dollar awarded through the 1603 program helps put Americans to work, and the funding only goes to projects built in the United States.  The best way to stimulate our manufacturing  base is to stimulate demand for wind turbines in America, since manufacturers tend to locate where the demand is.  We will work with Congress on any proposal to further improve this program, but suspending it now would cause immediate layoffs of American workers at American manufacturing plants.  Other countries are not pressing the pause button on clean energy industries, and they will move quickly to capture America's share of the global market while we sit on the sidelines.  The longer we delay, the longer we remain dependent on foreign oil instead of America's homegrown, clean energy resources."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro, Luke Russert and Shawna Thomas
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) announced at a 9:00 am ET news conference that he was temporarily stepping aside from his post as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

He did not take questions, but made a point of saying that he has previously made this offer to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As CNBC's John Harwood told NBC's Chuck Todd on MSNBC's The Daily Rundown this morning, Republicans were set to introduce a resolution against Rangel that would have forced Democrats -- in this election year -- to say whether they were with or against Rangel. Democrats didn't want that vote to take place.

As we noted in First Thoughts this morning, "As for whether Pete Stark or Sandy Levin replaces Rangel... Eventually, it's probably going to be Levin, but Stark may get it temporarily if Rangel simply gives it up temporarily. But for the long term, Levin is the preferred choice among the Dem leadership. And even if Stark gets the gavel, his health problems may prevent him for truly running the committee, giving Levin de facto control."

Who will be in charge has not sorted itself out quite yet. The first meeting of the committee since Rangel's announcement has been unexpectedly cancelled. That means that Democrats still do not know who the chairman of the committee is going to be.

Minority Leader John Boehner said he doesn't know how Rangel temporarily stepping aside will be interpreted under House rules.

"Either you are the chairman or you are not," he said.

Pelosi said of Rangel: "Chairman Charlie Rangel has informed me of his request for a leave of absence from his duties and responsibilities as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. I will honor his request. I commend Chairman Rangel for his decades of leadership on jobs, health care, and the most significant economic issues of the day."

*** UPDATE *** Here is Rangel's letter to Pelosi:

March 3, 2010

Dear Madam Speaker:

"I respectfully request a leave of absence from my duties and responsibilities as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means until such time as the Committee on Standards completes its findings on the review currently underway."

The Honorable Charles B. Rangel

Here is the email sent to committee members canceling this morning's meeting:

FYI:
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED
-------------------------------------

NOTICE OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Dear Committee Member,

The Chairman has scheduled a meeting of the Committee to be held in Room 1100 Longworth House Office Building on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.

Markup of:

Views and Estimates Letter to the Committee on the Budget

Respectfully,

________________________
Chief Counsel and Staff Director

Obama delivers a speech at 1:45 pm ET making his final push for health care… Did the White House win the battle over appearances from last week's Blair House Project?... How appearances and process have become weapons in the health-care debate… Bunning ends his blockade… Democrats wrangle with Rangel over his chairmanship… Rick Perry trounces KBH in Texas, and will face Bill White in the general election… Mort Zuckerman says no to Senate bid in New York, leaving the GOP without a real candidate… Jerry Brown's back… And the RNC picks its date for the 2012 GOP convention.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** The final push: At 1:45 pm ET, President Obama will deliver a speech at the White House on how to move forward on health care. To put it simply, today is the LAST ... FINAL ... PUSH by Obama on this issue. (He swears.) The new deadline to get this done -- have the House pass the Senate bill plus the fixes to that legislation, and then have the Senate pass the fixes via reconciliation -- is Easter (or even the day the president leaves for Indonesia on March 18). If Democrats can't get a vote in the House by then, we'll know if this last push is in trouble. Also, at 5:30 pm, Obama hosts a reception at the White House thanking members of Congress for their efforts to pass pay-as-go legislation. Translation: This is an opportunity for the president to give some love to the Blue Dogs who back PAYGO and whose arms will need to be twisted to pass health care. 

*** Appearances matter: Of course, little has changed -- surprise, surprise -- after Thursday's Blair House Project health-care summit. In his letter to congressional leaders yesterday, Obama offered to consider four GOP ideas (medical malpractice pilot programs, expanding HSAs, cracking down on fraud, and increasing Medicaid payments to doctors). Republican leaders summarily dismissed the offer ("There is no reason to lump sensible proposals into a fundamentally-flawed 2,000-page bill," John Boehner said). And in his letter yesterday, Obama vowed to press on with reform (both parties "should agree that it's just not an option to walk away from the millions of American families and business owners counting on reform"). Still, appearances matter, and the White House seems to have gotten what it wanted, even if these GOP ideas are small bore. One, they got this headline in the Washington Post: "Obama reaches out to GOP on health-care bill." And two, the gesture to Republicans seems to have resonated with conservative Democrats. "I like the idea that the president is working with Republicans and trying to find common ground," said Sen. Mark Pryor told the AP. "I think that's a good place to be for him, I think that's what the American people want to see." A tad bit of irony: These new GOP ideas the president's embracing can ONLY be passed into law via reconciliation.

*** Process as a weapon: Why all the attention on appearances and process? It's because appearances and process have been surprising weapons in the health-care debate. In politics, the maxim has usually been: If you're talking process, you're losing. But that's no longer the case -- whether we're talking about reconciliation, sweetheart deals like the so-called "Cornhusker Kickback" and the "Louisiana Purchase," and the cry for all negotiations to be broadcast on C-Span. To be sure, President Obama upped the ante on process when he promised to change the ways of Washington, which he has been unable to do in his first year-plus in office. Still, it's amazing that commonplace activities like reconciliation, securing pork for districts and states, and offering sweetheart deals to on-the-fence lawmakers have become so politically toxic. It's the equivalent of NFL fans and opposing teams suddenly railing against trick plays (reverses, flea-flickers, surprise on-side kicks) when they're legal and used by everyone. But this is where the Republicans deserve credit; process has been a BIG political loser for the president and not hurt the out-of-power GOP.

*** Bunning ends his blockade: Speaking of process and appearances, GOP Sen. Jim Bunning dropped his blockade last night on legislation extending unemployment benefits and paying for transportation programs and personnel. Roll Call says the standstill "tied Republicans in knots: Some defended him, some criticized him and still others -- like Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) -- just wanted the whole thing to go away. Bunning ultimately dropped his demands Tuesday night that the $10 billion package be fully paid for, but not before causing a major headache for his party. And equally troubling for Republicans was that it reminded them of Bunning's erratic behavior of last year, when he repeatedly clashed with his leadership over whether he should retire or run for a third term."

*** Rangel-ing with Rangel: Also in Congress last night, the House Democratic leadership thought it had a deal with embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D) to give up his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee. And then Rangel got second thoughts. Still, we can confidently say that Rangel won't be running the committee by the end of the day. The only question is whether he goes willingly -- or gets his post stripped. He can't survive a vote, and that was made clear to him. By the way, as for whether Pete Stark or Sandy Levin replaces Rangel... Eventually, it's probably going to be Levin, but Stark may get it temporarily if Rangel simply gives it up temporarily. But for the long term, Levin is the preferred choice among the Dem leadership. And even if Stark gets the gavel, his health problems may prevent him for truly running the committee, giving Levin de facto control.

*** Perry trounces KBH: Last night in Texas, incumbent Gov. Rick Perry trounced Kay Bailey Hutchison in the GOP gubernatorial primary, winning a clear majority to avoid a run-off. With 98% of precincts reporting, per the Houston Chronicle, Perry captured 51% of the vote, Hutchison got 30%, and Tea Party favorite Debra Medina got 18.5% -- an impressive showing considering her remarks sympathizing with questions whether 9/11 was an inside job. In November's general election, Perry will face off against ex-Houston Mayor Bill White, who cruised to victory in the Democratic primary. Last night, Perry made it clear that he would use the same strategy against White that he used against KBH: tie him to Washington. "It is clear the Obama administration and their allies already have Texas in their cross hairs," Perry said in his victory speech. White countered with this at his own election night party: "They'll point fingers at Washington and talk about the alarming growth in government in Washington so you won't notice the alarming growth in government in Austin."

*** Sizing up Perry vs. White: While White gives the Democrats their best chance of winning the governor's mansion since Ann Richards in the 1990s, Perry starts out with the numerical advantage in this red state. Nearly 1.5 million voted in last night's GOP gubernatorial primary, versus 675,000 who turned out in the Dem primary -- a more than 2-to-1 advantage for the Republicans. Yet White got some help last night when former AFL-CIO leader Linda Chavez-Thompson won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, which puts an Hispanic woman on the ticket (and could lead to extra AFL cash in this race because the group will feel compelled to support a former national officer). White's path to victory includes mobilizing Hispanics, African Americans, Democrats, and disaffected Hutchison voters. But for all the talk we're hearing about KBH voters who might vote for White in the fall, remember that we heard the same thing about Hillary Clinton supporters voting for McCain in 2008. And that didn't happen.

*** Start spreading the news … the GOP (in NY) is leaving today: You'd think that Republicans would be able to capitalize in New York, given the Paterson mess and Gillibrand's potential vulnerability. But with Mort Zuckerman's decision yesterday not to challenge Gillibrand for the Senate, it leaves the GOP without a real opponent here in November. And in the governors race, the likely Republican nominee is … Rick Lazio. If Republicans can't win in New York in this environment, when can they win here? Actually, forget winning: If Republicans can't find credible CANDIDATES in this environment, then what's the point of the party in New York? Of course, there's still time; filing deadline is a ways away.

*** Guess who's back … back again … Jerry's back … tell a friend: The re-re-re-re-invention of Jerry Brown (D) -- who announced his bid for California governor yesterday -- is one of the more fascinating stories of 2010. Gone are the mock turtle necks; he had good 'ol suit and tie in his announcement video. He also had a no-new-taxes pledge (unless VOTERS approve), and he had a message that was aimed directly at tying Arnold to Meg Whitman...

*** 2012 watch: Last night, the Republican National Committee announced that it has picked the date for its 2012 convention: the week of August 27. The three cities under consideration to host the convention: Tampa FL, Salt Lake City UT, and Phoenix AZ. Looking at this list, is it fair to call Phoenix the frontrunner? One, the GOP needs to make a western and Hispanic comeback to win the White House. Two, does the GOP and potential nominee Mitt Romney want a focus on the Mormon church during a Salt Lake convention? Three, while Tampa hasn't been hit DIRECTLY by a hurricane in quite some time, it's the heart of hurricane season; can the Republicans risk that?

*** Programming note: MSNBC's "Daily Rundown" has former Reagan Chief of Staff Ken Duberstein on to talk about the Obama White House, as well as DSCC Chair Bob Menendez. MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports," which airs at 1:00 pm ET, interviews GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe.

Countdown to AR filing deadline: 5 days
Countdown to OR, PA filing deadlines: 6 days
Countdown to CA, NV filing deadlines: 9 days
Countdown to IA, UT filing deadlines: 16 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 244 days

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The AP: "Gov. Rick Perry easily dispatched Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to win the Republican nomination for Texas governor on Tuesday in a heated primary that highlighted the growing anti-Washington mood among voters in this year's midterm elections."   
 
"Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison insists she will quit her Senate seat this year, whether she wins or loses her challenge to incumbent Gov. Rick Perry in Tuesday's Texas primary," CQ reports.  
 
In his victory speech last night, Rick Perry said, per the Texas Tribune: "There are some folks who watched in 2008, and they started to celebrate what they thought to be the end of the Republican Party and the final nail in the coffin of American conservatism. Well, there was a victory in New Jersey, a victory in Virginia, a victory in Massachusetts. Now there's been a victory in Texas." He added, "I think the message is pretty clear. Conservatism has never been stronger than it is today. We're taking our country back, one vote at a time, one election at a time."  
 
The Dallas Morning News has more from Perry: "It is clear that the Obama administration and its allies already have Texas in their cross hairs." (People in the crowd shouted, "Bring it on!") The governor continued, "I can probably assure you that we're going to get all kinds of special attention in the future. But until Washington gets its priorities into order, and it retreats to the proper boundaries that are detailed in the 10th Amendment, we're going to move forward in this state to sustain the economy here in Texas."

The Houston Chronicle details White's line of attack at Perry: "White told supporters in Houston he expects Perry to try to 'perpetuate' himself with politics of division and distraction to avoid talking about Texas issues, such as high unemployment, state government growth and unfunded mandates for local governments. 'Texans deserve a new governor,' a leader who is 'more interested in the jobs of Texans than in preserving his own job,' White said."

More: White said he believes Perry will continue trying to put voters' attention on political debates in Washington. 'They'll point fingers at Washington and talk about the alarming growth in government in Washington so you won't notice the alarming growth in government in Austin,' the Democratic nominee said."

"The White House is bracing for an ugly unemployment report on Friday that is expected to be worse because of the three winter storms that hit the East Coast last month," The Hill writes. "Goldman Sachs predicted the economy will lose as many as 100,000 jobs in February due to blizzard-like conditions that kept employers and prospective hires from getting to the office. That could bump the 9.7 percent unemployment rate closer to 10, dealing a blow to Democrats hoping for a steady economic recovery in the months leading up to November's midterm elections." 

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates circulated a letter to military leaders Tuesday detailing the implementation for repealing the controversial 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, offering the latest push to end the policy this year," Roll Call writes, adding: "The letter's release Tuesday comes on the eve of a scheduled news conference in which Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) will officially introduce legislation that would repeal the policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military." 

"Some Republicans are dismissing a planned nine-month Pentagon study on gays in the military as biased because it assumes Congress will eventually repeal the 1993 law known as 'don't ask, don't tell," the AP writes. "GOP lawmakers are likely to use the argument to try to chip away at the credibility of the assessment, which Defense Secretary Robert Gates envisions as the first comprehensive look at the policy in its 17-year lifetime." 

The AP does its second-day Rahm story: "No-drama Obama was bound to get fireworks when he chose the expletive-spewing, hotheaded, never-at-rest Rahm Emanuel to be his White House chief of staff. The only questions were when -- and how big. The answers are now -- and pretty large, by inside-the-Beltway standards, anyway. And they're happening at a particularly unpleasant time in Barack Obama's presidency, which is struggling with problems in terrorist policy, health care reform and other matters that have the president in political hot water and down in the polls." 

The New Republic runs a timely cover story on Emanuel. "When Barack Obama won his U.S. Senate primary back in March 2004, the campaign suddenly required a whole new level of sophistication. The campaign manager at the time was a skilled, if little known operative named Jim Cauley, who realized the situation had changed and offered to step aside. Obama declined--even then, it wasn't his style to fire people. But he didn't exactly send Cauley a ringing endorsement, either. What he sent him was Rahm Emanuel."

"Though Emanuel had generally been aloof from the campaign, he was a longtime friend of Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod. So, with another Obama confidant, Valerie Jarrett, at his side, Emanuel spent two hours grilling Cauley about every facet of the upcoming race: how he would raise enough money, hire the right employees, beef up the turnout operation. The unmistakable message was that the Obama high command wasn't sure Cauley was up to the job. "He was very, 'Jimmy, pick your game up,'" Cauley says. 'Everyone understood where we were.'"

"For Emanuel, the assignment would in some ways foreshadow his role in Obamaland: He was not exactly of Team Obama, like Axelrod and Robert Gibbs, who'd arrived just after the primary to oversee communications strategy. But he was sometimes enlisted by Team Obama to perform the tasks Obama was loath to perform himself." 

Finally, at the Roosevelt Institute in New York today, a group of liberal-leaning economists and regulators will issue a new report calling on Congress and the Obama administration "to take drastic actions to reform the nation's financial system," per a release. "The Roosevelt Institute's new report, 'Make Markets Be Markets: Restoring the Integrity of the U.S. Financial System' offers a set of concrete, actionable reforms that must be enacted before the job of restoring the integrity of the U.S. markets is complete," the release adds.

*** UPDATE *** Rep. Charlie Rangel announced at a 9:00 am ET news conference that he was relinquishing his post temporarily as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He did not take questions. He made a point of saying that he has previously offered this to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

As CNBC's John Harwood told NBC's Chuck Todd on MSNBC's The Daily Rundown this morning, Republicans were set to introduce a resolution against Rangel that would have forced Democrats -- in this election year -- to say whether they were with or against Rangel. Democrats didn't want that vote to take place.

Roll Call: "A senior Democratic source told Roll Call late Tuesday night that House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) still plans to give up his gavel Wednesday despite his public protestations to the contrary. 'The long and short of it is he has decided to step down temporarily,' the source said. 'I think he just wants to do it on his own terms.'"  
 
"Rep. Charles Rangel's turbulent reign as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee looked headed for an inglorious, embarrassing end on Tuesday night. Rangel was bluntly told he doesn't have the votes to hang onto his powerful perch atop the tax-writing committee, and he will have to quit as chairman as soon as Wednesday, sources told the Daily News."  

"Democrats cannot afford to make any missteps on their road to final passage for a health care bill, even as they press for passage before the Easter break that begins in a scant four weeks, aides acknowledged," Roll Call writes. "The process they have tentatively agreed to involves three separate and difficult votes: House approval of the $871 billion Senate-passed bill, and House and Senate approval of a precooked budget reconciliation bill that addresses House complaints about the Senate measure.

More: "Obama's speech today is intended to provide some momentum for that plan, given that he is set to outline his own proposal and how he wants Congress to pass it. White House officials said to expect the president to unveil a "broad outline" of his roughly $950 billion final blueprint. But the president also faces one crucial task: instilling confidence in skeptical House Democrats that their initial support for the Senate bill -- the basis for his plan -- is a necessary means to enacting crucial reforms."  
 
Two-thousand Department of Transportation workers aren't getting paychecks, doctors were facing a major cut (21%) in Medicare payments to them, and about 200,000 unemployed lost federal benefits because of one man, Sen. Jim Bunning. Bunning last night finally dropped his objection, which was holding up "a $10 billion measure to maintain unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and provide stopgap funding for highway programs." The bill passed last night 78-19. "Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning had been holding up action for days but conceded after pressure intensified with Monday's cutoff of road funding and extended unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for the jobless," the New York Daily News writes.  
 
"Sen. Jim Bunning's (R-Ky.) five-day blockade of an extension of unemployment insurance and health benefits did more than bring the Senate to a virtual standstill," Roll Call writes. "It tied Republicans in knots: Some defended him, some criticized him and still others -- like Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) -- just wanted the whole thing to go away. Bunning ultimately dropped his demands Tuesday night that the $10 billion package be fully paid for, but not before causing a major headache for his party. And equally troubling for Republicans was that it reminded them of Bunning's erratic behavior of last year, when he repeatedly clashed with his leadership over whether he should retire or run for a third term."

On "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" last night, Sarah Palin poked fun at herself -- for those notes written on her hand. Before the show began, Leno was told they weren't using cue cards tonight. And then Palin appeared with notes written on her hand, "We're going old school tonight." The words read, "Good evening and welcome to 'The Tonight Show'"
 
She did a monologue/standup routine with one joke about the difference between Alaska and L.A. -- that when people in L.A. have a frozen look on their faces it's because of botox. She warned that people should show up to her speech at a gun-rights convention. "Be there, or else," she joked. And she said she's glad she's not vice president. "I would not know what to do with all that free time," she said. She also joked that she would play Tina Fey in Las Vegas.
 
About those notes, "She said she picked up the habit years ago from her father, a teacher, and 'I'm going to keep doing it.'" 
 
The AP got a copy of Karl Rove's memoir, officially out March 9th. In it, he says, per AP, "the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq badly damaged the Bush administration's credibility and led to dwindling public support for the war." But "he calls the 2003 invasion the most consequential act of the Bush presidency and a justifiable response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, even though Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden, not Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, were responsible." 

ARIZONA: Here are the details of Scott Brown's campaign stops for John McCain later this week.  
 
ARKANSAS: In an interview with liberal blogger Greg Sargent, newly announced Democratic Senate candidate Bill Halter said he supports a public health insurance plan and expects it to be an issue in his campaign against centrist Sen. Blanche Lincoln.   
 
MISSOURI: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty endorsed Rep. Roy Blunt for Senate.  
 
NEW YORK: Mort Zuckerman won't run for U.S. Senate.  
 
"The scandal engulfing Gov. Paterson claimed another victim last night as State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt was forced out after he came under fire for allowing a senior officer to repeatedly contact a woman who charged she was attacked by a top aide to the governor. Corbitt, handpicked for the job by Paterson, contended he had decided on his own to retire at the end of today -- but sources told The [New York] Post he had little choice but to get out or find himself fired because of his conduct." 

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Democratic sources say they are considering a plan to keep the Senate in session through the evening in order to repeatedly ask for unanimous consent.

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)  would need to be there to object each time.  Practically speaking, Democrats need to round up volunteers to stay and make speeches. 

Senior Democratic aides also say they are trying to work out a vote tonight on the 30-day package of benefits and spending and would plan to give Bunning one amendment. This is not resolved.

On the floor earlier Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) hinted at a late night to force Bunning to give up his objection.

"I hope that today we'll see the end," Boxer said. "If we don't, we're going to have to have a long, long night ahead of us to make the point that it's wrong for one senator to stop our people, our American people, from getting the help they deserve, from getting the jobs they deserve to have in the highway fund and the help they need while they're looking for work."

From NBC's Luke Russert and Domenico Montanaro
What do Barack Obama and Snooki from MTV's "Jersey Shore" have in common?

Not a whole lot. But a Georgia congressman actually found a way to draw the comparison, taking the rhetoric on Capitol Hill -- incredibly -- to a whole new low.

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA), a medical doctor who Republicans have continually put forward to discuss health care, said in a press release today, "Snookie, from the Jersey Shore, has more substance than President Obama's offer."

The reference is to Obama adopting more Republican ideas before his speech tomorrow on the way forward for health care.

Broun even brings "The Situation" into this.

The bigger question in all this: Who knew Broun was a Jersey Shore fan?

Here's Broun's full release:

Broun: Snookie has more substance than Obama's bipartisanship "offer"

(Washington, D.C.) U.S. Representative Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) released the following statement after President Barack Obama announced his intentions to incorporate only four minor Republican ideas into the 2,000-plus page health care bill:

"I don't know if we should be insulted or humored at the President's feeble attempts to incorporate Republican ideas into his latest health care proposal. Snookie, from the Jersey Shore, has more substance than President Obama's offer.

"Instead of listening to the American people, the President has once again demonstrated his arrogance and ignorance about what the nation expects from its leaders. This is "The Situation," Mr. President: the American people do not want unconstitutional mandates and job-killing tax increases. They are concerned with the costs of premiums, the quality of their health care and ensuring their children and grandchildren are not left with the bill. If you want to govern with the consent of the governed, you need to scrap this government take-over plan and embrace more of our commonsense solutions that protect the vital patient/doctor relationship and decrease the costs of premiums without adding to the national debt."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told NBC's Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports this afternoon that Harold Ford "underestimated" her.

"I think at the end of the day he may have underestimated me," Gillibrand said of Ford, who announced he would drop his intention to primary the sitting U.S. Senator from New York.

She added, "Only Harold Ford knows why he's not running. But I don't think there was a path for victory there for him. I've been running a very vigorous campaign. I've been working very hard on behalf of New Yorkers. And we had a very different record. And a very different vision for the state. Who we fight for was quite different. ... [H]e may well be disappointed that people will have chosen me over him but that is the reality of trying to earn the support of 20 million people."

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

On the potential threat by Daily News/U.S. News publisher Mort Zuckerman, Gillibrand said she has been outspent in 2006 and 2008, but "I was not outworked."

Here's a partial transcript of the interview:

Every candidate makes their own decision about whether to run or not. Harold made his decision. But I've been traveling around the state. I've been to every one of the 62 counties. I've spent time in every region of the state. And I know New Yorkers.

And the bottom line is I'm fighting for the issues they care most about. And I'm going to run a very tough campaign on the issues they care about -- on making sure we create jobs, on making sure we fight for women's rights and gay rights and equal justice and civil liberties. And that's what I've been doing.

ANDREA MITCHELL: Have you ever been to Staten Island?

GILLIBRAND: Yes, I have.

AM: By helicopter?

G: No, by car.
...

G: Only Harold Ford knows why he's not running. But I don't think there was a path for victory there for him. I've been running a very vigorous campaign. I've been working very hard on behalf of New Yorkers. And we had a very different record. And a very different vision for the state. Who we fight for was quite different.

And so, I think at the end of the day he may have underestimated me. But for my part I'm just focused on being the best senator I can be. And being a voice for New York.
...

AM: Your recognition needs some work

G: Our state is blessed with almost 20 million people. I haven't met all of them yet, but I will Andrea. I have about nine months to go. And I'm going to run the toughest campaign, be in every community and I know New York. I grew up in New York. I grew up in Upstate New York. I worked in New York City as a lawyer for almost 15 years. I know New Yorkers. I know what their issues are. I know what they care about. They want people who will fight for them. They want someone who will put their values and their priorities first. And that's what I've been doing for over a year now, and that's what I'm going to continue to do.

And when it comes to campaign time, they will know all they want to know about me because I will have communicated with them directly one on one and through the rest of the campaign.
...

AM: Reid/Schumer forced him out

G: I don't think that's true. I think that is a very misplaced allegation. At the end of the day, I've been working for a year now to earn the support of all New Yorkers. And traveling to all of the counties, meeting with leaders, advocacy groups, and all elected leaders, all advocacy groups will make their own decisions about who they think is best for New York.

And as a consequence because of that hard work, because of the record that I've developed, I've been endorsed by all of the gay rights groups, all of the women's groups, environmental groups, advocacy groups for civil liberties and elected leaders across the state, they've stated their preference. President Obama said he supports me because he thinks I'm a strong leader. That's what elected officials do. That's what community leaders do, that's what the New York voter does. And I've been trying to earn that support for well over a year now.

And he may well be disappointed that people will have chosen me over him but that is the reality of trying to earn the support of 20 million people.

From NBC's Scott Foster
SAVANNAH, GA -- President Obama traveled here today to announce a new rebate program designed to encourage Americans to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes.

Modeled after last year's popular "Cash for Clunkers" program, the White House hopes this "Homestar" plan will create thousands of new green jobs in the hard-hit construction industry.

Before his remarks at Savannah Technical College, Obama got a first-hand look at some of that construction work as several high school students were laying bricks in a program funded by stimulus. "You're building a whole house as we speak," he told the group, later jokingly telling the students not to get cement on his shoes.

In his remarks, the president outlined the $6 billion Homestar plan, which offers rebates of up to $3,000 for Americans who retrofit their homes with such energy-efficient upgrades on insulation, HVAC units, roofing, and doors.

He acknowledged homeowners may be reluctant to pay for the improvements given the tough economy, but he argued the "costs on the front end" are worth it.

In a nod the frustration he's experienced with Congress over passing his ambitious health care reform, the President explained,"...the same is true when it comes to trying to make our health-care system more affordable. The same is true when it comes to energy. Each of these things are hard. Some of them have some costs on the front end. And you know, working stuff through Congress is more than a notion."

"Just like a responsible home owner will invest in their homes in the near term to fortify their economic security in the long term, we've got do the same as a country," Obama told the several hundred attendees at the college.

So how does the plan work?

The White House explains there are two levels of rebates -- from the low-end $1,000 "Silver Star" rebate, to the $3,000 "Gold Star" rebate.

Homeowners who make simple upgrades -- such as repairs to insulation, duct sealing, windows, and doors -- would be eligible for 50% rebates up to $1,000.

Those interested in more complex energy retrofits tailored to achieve a 20% home energy savings would be eligible for the $3,000 rebate.

All rebates would be limited to those products made in the United States and installed by certified contractors.

Obama said the rebate money would be available directly from a hardware store or contractor -- to accommodate both do-it-yourself folks or professional workers. 

"If you really knew what you were doing, you might do it yourself, but you're probably going to have somebody come to the house to -- (laughter) -- carry out the insulation work, because you did the smart thing and you refused to let your husband do it himself," the president explained.

Later, after a tour at a Savannah steel factory, Obama rounded out his day-trip here with lunch at Mrs. Wilkes' Dinning Room -- an "old-time family style restaurant."

Seated next to the mayor with a table full of fried chicken, sweet potatoes, baked beans, and potato salad, the president -- who recently had a physical and was told to watch his cholesterol levels -- joked to the press, "I don't want any lectures about my cholesterol. Don't tell Michelle."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Democratic California Attorney General (and former Gov.) Jerry Brown made his gubernatorial bid official today, releasing this video.

[Youtube:EKl8XzIFHQc]

The Republican candidates vying for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner, released statements knocking Brown for his LONG tenure in California politics.

Whitman: "I welcome Jerry Brown to the race and look forward to an important conversation with Californians. Never before have voters had a bigger choice about the future. I have spent my career in the private sector, creating jobs and delivering results. Jerry Brown has had a 40-year career in politics which has resulted in a trail of failed experiments, undelivered promises, big government spending and higher taxes."

Poizner: "This election will be about the future of California, not the past. Our state needs bold, new conservative solutions that will jumpstart our economy and bring jobs back to California. We cannot fall prey to the same high-tax policies and special interest-run government that has led our state into a fiscal disaster. The next governor will need specific economic solutions, like my plan for across-the-board tax cuts, and also be willing to stand up to the powerful unions who control Sacramento."

From NBC's Athena Jones
President Obama is set to discuss the "way forward" on health care at an event tomorrow at the White House, but whether his remarks will focus on policy matters as well as the process of actually getting a bill to his desk is still up in the air.

During Monday's press briefing, White House Press Secetary Robert Gibbs said the president would outline the "next steps" on moving health-care legislation forward and that what the president "discusses will point toward not just a policy, but a process moving forward." But he was far less definitive today when he told reporters gathered in his West Wing office, "We'll leave process until after the president's announcement." And later: "I don't know how deeply ... he's gonna get into all of the process of this."

Another change? The location of the speech. Yesterday, Gibbs said it would "likely be off campus" but in the Washington, D.C., area. Today, he said it would likely take place at the White House -- an apparent indication that the president's staff is unsure of how to go about unveiling what Gibbs agreed could be called the beginning of the "final act" in the health-care overhaul saga. An off-campus speech often signals the White House wants to draw more attention to the subject.

The president and his staff are still working on what the plan announced tomorrow will look like, Gibbs has said, though there is expected to be a "decent amount of overlap" with the proposal posted on the White House Web site on Monday of last week, but could include new elements.

The whole matter of process is an important issue, because Republicans have sought to paint the reconciliation process -- by which the Senate can pass bills affecting the budget by 51 votes instead of the 60 needed to break a filibuster -- as undemocratic, even though past Republican-controlled Congresses have passed numerous bills through reconciliation, including two tax cuts during the Bush administration.

Though Gibbs has refused to be pinned down on the issue of reconciliation -- or what Democratic congressional leaders and the administration have preferred to call "a simple majority" or "an up and down vote" -- his message for Republicans threatening to delay the reconciliation process for weeks and weeks by offering dozens of amendments seemed to be, "Bring it on."

"If the Republicans have read the political environment to be that what the American people want is more obstruction and more game playing, then I would say more power to you," he said today. "It's, I think, a misreading of virtually everything that you would see about the view of-- from America outside of the District of Columbia. If what they took away from Massachusetts was more delay then-- or what they taken out of the first year or so of this is more delay. I think it's a misreading of what the American people want."

From NBC's Mark Murray
In Little Rock today, Arkansas Lt. Gov Bill Halter officially filed to challenge Sen. Blanche Lincoln in a Democratic primary.

Halter's campaign also announced that, beginning tonight, it will begin running a TV ad that will air in all of the state's major media markets.

[Youtube:CMloECSLbTM]

Script:
HALTER: I'm Bill Halter. My old football coach always said:
COACH: Get it done!
HALTER: So when Wall Street said:
CEO: Let's privatize Social Security.
HALTER: I helped stop them.
And when insiders said:
POLITICIAN: We don't want a scholarship lottery.
HALTER: I took it to the people.
Thanks to you, we'll help 28,000 families pay for college without raising taxes.
HALTER: Now, I'm running for the Senate to take on Washington special interests.
COACH: Run 'em off the field!
HALTER: With your help we can.
I'm Bill Halter and I approve of this message.
COACH: Me too!

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will be the subject of a Capitol Hill hearing tomorrow.

Before that hearing, proponents of a repeal of the policy -- or those on the fence -- got a boost from centrist group Third Way.

First Read obtained a memo from the group, touting its support of a repeal. The letter was sent to senior staff and members on Capitol Hill, senior administration officials, as well as influential members of the LGBT community.

The memo argues that public opinion has shifted in favor of a repeal since the mid-1990s when the policy was first instituted. And it offers talking points for moderates and independents.

"Our country has changed dramatically since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enacted, and the law has become a relic of the past," the memo states. "In 1993, when the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law was enacted, only 23% of Americans knew an openly gay person -- now, three-fourths of the country does. At the time the law was passed, no state provided any kind of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples, and only a handful protected employees from being fired from their job because they were gay.  Now, five states recognize marriages between gay and lesbian couples and nine others provide legal recognition to those couples, and 21 states have made it illegal to fire someone for being gay. And while in 1993 only 44% of Americans supported allowing gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the military, now three-fourths of the country holds that view, including 77% of Independents and 64% of Republicans."

It argues that members of the military have become more amenable to serving with openly gay servicemembers and that "opponents have abandoned their doomsday scenarios and resorted to simply pleading 'not right now.'"

It takes a shot particularly at House Minority Leader John Boehner and Sen. Jeff Sessions.

It quotes Boehner as having said, "In the middle of two wars and in the middle of this giant security threat, why would we want to get into this debate?" 

And Sessions: "I think we need an open and objective and a fair evaluation of this. …I think that's healthy." 

"This stark change in tone demonstrates that even opponents of repeal realize times have changed and this issue is no longer politically radioactive," the memo reads. 

One of the co-authors of the memo, Andy Johnson, former director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement to First Read: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a relic of the past. The American people, military leaders at the Pentagon, and even former proponents of the law agree that it no longer serves our armed forces well. We should put the focus back where it belongs: on the military mission, not an individual's personal life."

Here's the group's "recommended message" and talking points:

Recommended Message
I stand with our military and support the repeal of a policy that denies qualified, patriotic and courageous Americans the privilege of serving this country. Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell would put the focus back where it belongs: on the mission, not an individual's personal life.

Key Arguments for Moderates and Independents
· There are already an estimated 66,000 gay and lesbian people serving in our military.   Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell would not change the composition of our Armed Forces—it would merely allow those troops to continue to do their jobs well without worrying about being fired or blackmailed because someone found out about their personal life.
· Many prominent military leaders support repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Shalikashvili has said, "As a nation built on the principal of equality, we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger more cohesive military.  It is time to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' and allow our military leaders to create policy that holds our service members to a single standard of conduct and discipline."  Colin Powell, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs when Don't Ask, Don't Tell was implemented, has said it is time to overturn the law. "If the chiefs and commanders are comfortable with moving to change the policy, then I support it."
· In addition to the many military voices that support repealing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law, civilian leaders with unquestionable conservative credentials have also called for repeal.  Senator Barry Goldwater famously said, "You don't need to be 'straight' to fight and die for your country. You just need to shoot straight."  And Vice President Dick Cheney recently observed, "I'm reluctant to second-guess the military in this regard. When the chiefs come forward and say, 'We think we can do it,' then it strikes me that it's time to reconsider the policy."
· Our military is the most disciplined and professional in the world.  Those who say that our troops can't handle a change in the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law, or predict that they will react violently or insubordinately to such a change, are not giving our military professionals enough credit. When Don't Ask, Don't Tell is repealed, our troops will react as they normally do to policy changes by their superiors—they will follow orders and continue to do their jobs in an orderly and respectful way.
· The original rationale behind the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law is no longer applicable.  Many of our troops already serve side-by-side with openly gay and lesbian people, whether in missions with coalition forces from other countries, or with defense contractors who hire the best people for the job without regard to sexual orientation.  And among soldiers who knew that they had served with a gay or lesbian person, 72% reported that their presence had no impact (66%) or a positive impact (6%) on overall unit morale.  A recent study in Joint Forces Quarterly, a publication for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concluded that Don't Ask, Don't Tell "is ultimately more damaging to the unit cohesion its stated purpose is to preserve."  Admiral Mullen himself said he has knowingly served with gay troops since 1968, and that his experiences helped to convince him that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law should be repealed.
· On average, our military spends between $22,000 and $43,000 to replace each person discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law.   A 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission report estimated that Don't Ask, Don't Tell had already cost the nation over $360 million in administrative costs and lost training hours.  As we continue to fight two wars in the midst of an economic crisis, our military should not shoulder the administrative or financial burden of dismissing soldiers who are doing their jobs well.

Messages to Avoid
· Don't frame support for repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell as vindicating gay and lesbian people's "right to serve"—Americans do not see military service as a right.
· Don't argue about whether Don't Ask, Don't Tell was ever the right policy—it is not necessary to refight the battles of 1993 to secure repeal today.
· Don't focus on the stories of gay and lesbian soldiers who have been discharged after personally publicly disclosing their sexual orientation—they are less convincing as spokespeople because they knowingly broke the current rules of the military.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Democratic sources say the president's letter to leaders on Capitol Hill will be sent shortly.

President Obama will ask them to consider four areas that Republicans suggested:

-- Medicare Fraud (Coburn)
-- Medical Malpractice
-- Health Savings Accounts
-- Upping reimbursement to doctors who see Medicaid patients (Grassley)

The president is expected to tell Congress he supports a comprehensive approach and that he does not believe "piece meal" will work.

He will say good things about the Blair House Summit and everyone's participation.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
How about this for GOTV?

What say you, T-Pain?

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this post misspelled Mr. Pain's name. Apologies to him and Thomas Payne.

From NBC's Mark Murray
GOP Sen. Jim Bunning blocking the extension of unemployment insurance and transportation spending has now spilled over to the Senate race to succeed him.

Democrat Jack Conway, who's running to replace the retiring Bunning, has issued a petition demanding that Bunning end his blockage.

Conway is competing against Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo in the Democratic primary, and Mongiardo also has criticized Bunning here. The Republicans in the race are Rand Paul (Ron Paul's son) and Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, and both are supporting Bunning's block.

Below is Conway's petition....

In an appalling display of political posturing, Jim Bunning is blocking an urgent extension of unemployment and health care benefits. These critical benefits help over 100,000 Kentucky families and more than 1 million people across the nation. Jim Bunning's filibuster put them in great jeopardy.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree -- Republicans Rand Paul and Trey Grayson have shown that they'll follow in the footsteps of Jim Bunning. In fact, Rand Paul has even gone so far as to plan a rally in support of Bunning. How can you rally around the loss of benefits for over 100,000 Kentucky workers? I simply don't understand it. If you want to see Kentuckians get the benefits they need and deserve, then sign my petition.

&Stand with me to tell Jim Bunning to step aside and allow a vote on the urgent extension of unemployment and health benefits. <http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=2S4f7A%2BF1f00fm1ERNDhoVGQM6OteSox>

People are losing their jobs left and right. While we're focused on how to recover from one of the worst economic crises in generations, he's using this as a chance to engage in grandstanding. Kentucky deserves better.

This is one more example of how Washington isn't working for Kentuckians. We need to tell Jim Bunning that politics don't come first - the people of Kentucky do. Kentucky needs a fresh voice in Washington - a voice that will always put workers and families first.

&Stand with me to tell Jim Bunning - and his Republican shadows in this Senate race - to stop getting in the way of a critical extension of unemployment and health benefits that help millions of Americans. <http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4Nc8Zih1yM1UPGYdgplcolGQM6OteSox>

We've seen political gamesmanship take precedence over solving problems too many times. This is an outrageous example of what happens in Washington each and every day. With your help, we can change that, and start putting Kentucky first again. Thanks for doing your part.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Maine Republican Susan Collins was on the floor this morning and asked that the Senate move to consider the short-term unemployment benefits package that Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) stopped with his objection.

Collins said she was acting on behalf of several unnamed Republicans and, in effect, goes against Bunning.

Majority Leader Harry Reid said that his "friend from Kentucky has made his point and made it well."

However, Bunning restated his objection, so the short-term benefits extention goes nowhere.

What is Bunning's position?
-- Bunning says Reid did not follow Senate rules and procedures.
-- The jobless benefits package, a 30-day extention, would add $10 billion to the federal debt, because it was "not paid for" as required with spending offsets.
-- Reid waited until the eve of the expiration of benefits to ask for "unanimous consent" to pass the measure. Bunning objected. Bunning argued that Reid should have presented it on the Senate floor earlier and thus allow for the normal process of debate and an actual vote cast by each senator. Often the chamber is nearly empty when a "unanimous consent" request is made.
-- Bunning says he will support an extention and says he offered other ways to pay for it including using TARP funds.

What is Reid's position?
-- Reid says the temporary extention of jobless benefits is an emergency that would permit a shortcut to passage.
-- Reid says Bunning "has made his point" and it's time for him to withdraw his objection.
-- Reid plans to go around Bunning by offering a separate, larger, catch-all bill that would provide an extention of benefits for all of 2010 and the other funds for highway projects, etc.
-- Reid and Democrats talk about the needs of Americans hurting in a tough economy and argue that Bunning's objection is an affront to them.
-- Reid points out that Bunning has supported past deficit spending for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and did not vote for the "pay go" rule.