The Hill Articles: April 14, 2009

Obama’s tax reckoning Protesters to hold 750 tea parties President to steer clear of hot-button issues on tour Pants on fire? Time to Tweet Steele: send a virtual tea-bag Murtha draws donations from PMA clients War-spending measure includes funding for Capitol Police radios SEC to probe role credit rating firms had in meltdown Lobbying guidelines criticized Democrats raise funds at fast pace Bottom Line Meek and Obama are playing nice Lobbying World Dems want clearer benchmarks from Obama on Afghanistan As Coleman’s hope dims, pursuit of seat questioned Increasing GAO powers Frank’s Internet gaming bill has broad, bipartisan support Letting off steam at the range Insightful alternative to polling Lake Woebegone mortgages Do Republicans Want to Win or Just Look Good Losing? Meet the Lawmaker: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) House staffer catches staph infection in congressional gym U.S.-Cuba thaw welcome Student loans: Obama right Walking on eggs and cracking skulls meet the office – Rep. PETE OLSON (R-TEXAS) States Rights Are Rapidly Eroding (Gov. Rick Perry) Conservative blogger: New Cuba Policies Reward Undeserving Regime (Rep. Albio Sires) Sen. Gillibrand’s absentee ballot challenged DAY’S END ROUNDUP Weyant’s World: April 15, 2009 Tapper: Murrow’s ghost will rise at puppy coverage Cox and Bellantoni the Woodward and Bernstein of First Puppies DSCC head: Coleman only delaying an inevitable loss NRCC urges supporters to join Tea Parties Jake Tapper is punny Burr told family to withdraw everything from bank Challenge gap in NY special may be exaggerated DHS warns of ‘right-wing extremism’ State senator weighs Kirk challenge Florida GOP chairman polls gov race without Crist Miami U. scoffs at alumnus Paul Ryan as graduation speaker Boxer hauls in $890K this period Blago pleads not guilty Payne: Mortar shells likely came from group influenced by ‘radicals outside Somalia’ TOP TWEETS MIDDAY ROUNDUP NRSC ‘firmly behind’ Coleman Issa’s social media quandary Cooper to decide ‘very soon’ whether to challenge Burr The return of Kinky Friedman Democratic state Sen. mulling a challenge to DeMint What is ‘Recess’? (Rep. Charles Rangel) Obama defends handling of the economy Paterson to introduce same-sex marriage bill Murtha immune from defamation suit Full text of Obama speech NY-20: Murphy up 56 Alan Keyes not cutting it for Erickson Democrat’s lead in N.Y. now at 47 votes McCaskill: Twitter makes for better government Meghan McCain to address Log Cabin GOP; Steele will not Rangel: Cuban-Americans more responsible for embargo than Cuba A Gentleman, Yes, But Not Yet a Scholar Tackling Immigration Reform (Sen. John Cornyn) Ford gets lobbying chief from Chamber Self-funder alert in KS-4 Bernanke offers optimism on economy Rubio rakes in $250K for Florida Senate bid CA-32: I’m Proud To Be Running For Congress (Judy Chu) Excerpts of President’s speech Gore: We must beat China (in electric cars) Chocola does Toomey’s legwork, responds to Specter Conway brings star power to kickoff rally NRSC formally backs Specter in 2010 Quigley to live in Capitol Hill office Meek and Obama join forces, awkwardly No hoax: Pass Employee Free Choice Act to revive economy Romney defends immigration statements Gregory mourns Phillies’ Kalas Bernanke: Crisis may be ‘abating’ Franken declares victory Buchanan got game Obama speech on economy today Laura Bush to deliver commencement address Kos and Gingrich talk shabu shabu McDonnell hauls in $2.2M in first quarter OpenSecrets.org goes OpenData! Obama Should Dump ‘Gay Quotas’ Fannie Mae chief to run bailout Bilbray-Busby rematch in the offing MORNING READ Huffington Post Drudge Report HotAir Daily Beast The Foundry DailyKos RedState Matthew Yglesias Townhall MyDD