The Hill Articles: April 29, 2009

Obama defends bailouts, interrogation memos release Top Dems rebel on Specter Reps: Please do not call it the swine flu Press dinner a weeklong extravaganza Dems push for changes on briefings Alexander staffer joins Democrats on EPW panel Harman hires Lanny Davis to feed the ‘beast’ NRSC using Dem voters to go after Specter Clyburn’s daughter gets FCC nod $3.5 trillion budget deal done, but the fight over pay-go just starting Union official: Don’t wait on ‘card-check’ LIVEBLOG: President Obama’s 100th day news conference Specter and the left begin to make nice Grassley eyes top Republican post on Judiciary Committee Democrats pushing back against ex-Rep. Porter Goss’s accusations House ethics panel hires new staff director Obama budget approved on party-line votes Lawmakers attend SCOTUS arguments in voting-rights case Psyched-out lawmakers battle through another Capital Challenge Obama to defend budget in prime-time address Letting their gardens grow Culinary Inquisition with Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) Swine flu fear spreads among reporters Weak countries pose threat, Pentagon says Q&A with Shyam Saran Republicans target lone Democrat in Louisiana Boehner gets primary challenge Specter: Toast of the town, or just toast? Breaking rank on banks Specter defies Democrats on first major vote since switch Future of the GOP In health reform, fix inequity that saddles emergency care AUDIO: GOP uses Bush against Specter in new ad RNC members seek tighter money controls Better hurry with big tent RIP, GOP Weyant’s World: April 30, 2009 Capt. Phillips to testify Swine flu gives Napolitano second chance DAY’S END ROUNDUP Rescued captain to testify on piracy Grassley’s predicament Specter’s lament over Jeffords Specter will ‘Meet the Press’ this Sunday LIVEBLOGGING Tonight’s White House Presser Specter will ‘Meet the Press’ this Sunday McConnell, other Specter donors want cash back Government-Run Health Care – A Proven Failure (Rep. Michele Bachmann) Schwarzenegger tweets flu awareness House ethics panel hires new staff director DSCC hits Crist with early TV ad N.H. legislature approves gay marriage The Supreme Court Today Questioned the Consitutionality of the Voting Rights Act, and So Should We (Rep. Lynn Westmoreland) Sestak: Specter has a few weeks to prove mettle GOP Needs Clear Message, Not Just Attacks Obama Has Failed to Deliver on His Bipartisan Rhetoric (Rep. Mary Fallin) POLL: Obama administration gets high marks on swine flu Less than one in four identify as Republican CAIR urges Mosques to spread flu awareness Carville dishes on Hillary campaign, slams Penn Boxer: We’ve tried to bring Snowe to the Dem. caucus as well POLL: Jindal popular, Vitter’s doing OK Well, now that you put it that way Dems Urge GOP to Take Back Party TOP TWEETS Huntsman: GOP needs ‘real ideas,’ not complaints One Hundred Days (Fmr. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright) Obama’s First 100 Days (Rep. Charles Boustany) Pawlenty: Specter switch has no impact on Franken-Coleman Snowe: GOP in ‘state of denial’ Cooper brings down the mood Liberal senators tout public health insurance Sen. Brown: Specter switch ‘overblown’ Reid’s Specter deal stirs senior Dems’ anger Inhofe: Specter switch foreshadows 2010 GOP landslide Senate wants Bybee to testify Specter Switches Solely to Save Political Career Clinton signals jettison of so-called ‘Bush doctrine’ Gregg defends reconciliation statements Challengers sign up vs. Calvert, Kirk GOPers to Specter: We want our money back! MIDDAY ROUNDUP Mass. lawmakers seek to save Boston Globe DeMint and Specter duke it out on Twitter DeMint and Specter duke it out on Twitter The Majority-Makers AUDIO: GOP senator calls Specter move ‘pitiful’ Obama: Flu demanded rapid swear-in of health chief House OKs budget on Obama’s 100th day Franken taps would-be chief of staff This Arlen Hasn’t Changed Rendell wants Torsella out Huntsman slammed over civil unions Days 641 and 1,376 Official: Don’t close border Google News joins Twitter WhiteHouse.gov: Pragmatism and the Nobility of Public Service Countdown to Zero (Queen Noor of Jordan) Former Sen. Chafee to run for R.I. governor Gibbs: Obama took 7 seconds to decide to endorse Specter Giuliani: NYC plane scare shows ‘clear lack of understanding’ about 9/11 HHS Secretary Sebelius to make public debut at flu event Carville emails for Macker Waters pegs the GOP’s woes on poor minority outreach Snowe: GOP in trouble Obama reverses endangered species rules Another Dem forms committee to challenge Gillibrand McCain waiting for other shoe to drop Ros-Lehtinen to have a WASP-y Wednesday Inglis calls out fellow lawmakers on 5K Casey declines to endorse Specter POLL: Obama approval solid at 100 days First swine flue death in U.S. Obama: Swine flu may shut some schools Obama, Biden welcome ‘one tough hombre’ Specter Sen. Graham: I’m calling Ridge Wed. about running against Specter Karl Rove, Arlen Specter and the Self-Immolation of the Republican Party Obama, Biden welcome ‘one tough hombre’ Specter Poll shows Cohen in little danger Running Away to Fight Another Day Morning Read Drudge Report Huffington Post The Foundry MyDD HotAir Firedoglake Powerline DailyKos RedState Matthew Yglesias