The Hill Articles: February 4, 2010

Biden: Administration ‘working very hard’ on health reform New York Dem support for terror trials in Manhattan wanes Sherrod Brown: Senate should use 50-vote tactic on more than healthcare Robert Gibbs jokes he has margaritas before press briefings Sen. Brown sworn in, promises cross-aisle communication Kerry to take over Kennedy’s desk in the Senate chamber Gen. Clark applies tough tactics for ethanol industry Sen. Scott Brown sworn in, moved up date so he could ‘get to work’ RNC fills communications gaps with Heye, Wright Former Sen. Kirk says he has no future political plans Biden on Brown: ‘I’m not worried about anything’ Patrick Kennedy: Scott Brown’s candidacy ‘a joke’ House raises debt limit to $14.3 trillion Poll shows Mass. voters support ‘cap-and-trade’ bill Obama hails House’s passage of PAYGO Senate wraps up early to escape incoming blizzard Franken clashes with Comcast, NBC CEOs over ‘broken promises’ White House cancels daily press briefing over snowstorm White House cancels daily press briefing over snowstorm Snowed-in Washington weekend project: White House apple pie Apocalypse imagined DAY’S END ROUNDUP Comcast says merger is risky, but will not lay off workers Obama’s Iran test Dem meeting won’t be stopped by snow, sleet McKenna concedes, calls for quick resolution Kirk bids farewell to the Senate with Kennedy tribute Targeted NRCC chairman launches campaign Pelosi eager to move ahead with repeal of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ Blizzard barrels toward D.C.; Senate wraps up early to escape storm Congressman offers to hire Conan O’Brien Brown denies rushing to be sworn in to block Obama nominee Senate Dems weighing several offsets for jobs bill Restoring American values beyond Guantanamo Kerry to take over Kennedy desk, Schumer to take RFK’s Sen. Landrieu defends ‘Louisiana Purchase,’ says Jindal asked for it Franken: ‘I don’t trust promises’ of Comcast, NBC given past experience Kerry: Brown’s Senate arrival ‘might have been done a little more sensitively’ Rep. Tom Price heading to Iowa Abandoning human space flight is shortsighted Lawyers, lobbyist in money-laundering report take the Fifth at hearing Tea Party vs. GOP: The showdown TOP TWEETS Conyers wants Haiti relief official demoted over diversity deficit Boehner acknowledges pressing Wall St. for donations Spox, journo mix it up on Twitter Let’s be clear: Corporations are not people Bush was right?!?! Debt limit measure clears hurdle Gibbs to Sen. Bond: Apologize to law enforcement, White House for leak claim Obama’s aunt fighting deportation in court Feingold opposes constitutional amendment to overturn SCOTUS decision Brown to get Kennedy’s plush office Pelosi hails passage of cybersecurity bill Dem lawmakers pushing measure to speed immigration for some Haitians Baucus will ‘very seriously’ consider Obama push to repeal oil tax breaks Obama nominee’s fate in flux as labor lawyer loses GOP support WH to issue executive order on debt commission ‘shortly’ Rep. Walden joins House GOP leadership team Parker Griffith gets Energy and Commerce seat Gibbs: U.S-China can still cooperate, despite recent spats Hugo Chavez equates Twitter with terrorism Boehner accuses Obama of bipartisanship ‘shell game’ Comcast: Online NBC content stays free Webb supports potential ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal McCain chides Census for competing with Doritos during Super Bowl Wyden to Energy Secretary: ‘Knock heads’ on clean energy exports Oversight committee expands probe of Toyota Who needs Congress? California regulator limits carbon emissions Boxer, Webb target Wall Street bonuses McCain chides Census Bureau for competing with ‘Doritos’ during Super Bowl Google deputy counsel to testify on cybersecurity Ex-Bank of America chief sued for fraud MIDDAY ROUNDUP Rep. Jackson Lee celebrates Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s ‘Faces of America’ Tai Shan, cousin leave zoo for China Sen.-elect Brown to be sworn in at 5 p.m. Hynes concedes in Illinois gov. primary McCain still vowing to fight repeal of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ The Big Question: The bomber speaks. Are Obama’s policies right? Lawmaker remembers ‘the day the music died’ GOP senators propose earmark freeze, balanced budget amendment Former Ruth’s Chris CEO emerges to face Kosmas Boehner: No difference in beliefs between GOP and tea partiers Stearns: Comcast-NBC merger will lead to ‘greater innovation’ Dems, WH to huddle on healthcare Thursday Senate leaders set to move jobs bill as economic turbulence continues Pence to New Hampshire Scozzafava-ed again in New York? Candidate pledges his campaign will be a ‘demon-sheep free zone” The year of state sovereignty? Obama takes shot at birthers in speech to prayer breakfast Markey: Make sure Comcast-NBC merger does not create ‘fast lanes’ on Internet Sen. Sherrod Brown: Obama must push Dem lawmakers harder on healthcare Sens. Menendez, Schumer, Dodd all claim Volcker as a resident Lawmakers tweet the National Prayer Breakfast Visitors from Minn. get surprise visit from Obama Transportation safety board launches Toyota investigation China wind surge prompts U.S. industry warning Obama slams Ugandan anti-gay law at National Prayer Breakfast House bill to end ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ may have as many as 211 votes Republicans attack military leadership to defend ban on gays (Sen. John Kerry) Chopra to announce text message campaign for mothers DeVore declares ‘demon sheep free zone’ E2 Round-up: EPA’s gift to farmers, new biofuels in short supply, latest on Climategate Sanford attends National Prayer Breakfast AT&T allows new Slingbox app on network ‘Demon sheep’ ad rules Twitter Huffington Post Drudge Report MyDD Buzzflash RedState FrumForum MORNING READ Pelosi silent on money saved by promised crackdown on waste McCain protects right flank as primary looms House approves new method of selecting Architect of the Capitol Lobbyists hitting up federal agencies as earmark rate drops Health spending consumed record portion of economy in 2009, report says Tough talk comes after Obama exits Court ruling maybe less consequential than it seems Dems’ terror trials Napolitano to talk to Dems after flare-up Obama, FDIC don’t get it Worth the wait EPA ruling boosts ethanol after fierce lobbying effort for corn-based fuels Super Bowl wines? Not an oxymoron here Weyant’s World: February 4, 2010 Tucker Carlson, Jesse Jackson Jr. are tight Leahy snaps pics, Bayh takes grief in Obama meeting Fergie, Mary J. Blige, Dave Matthews press Congress for radio compensation Therapy benefit cap looms over patients and providers as healthcare bill stalled Doppelganger week: Capitol Hill edition Meek gets a boost from NASCAR news Lessons from Illinois: There are no absolutes Sens. Webb, Boxer, Slaughter would tax bonuses at bailout recipient firms Coats and Bayh finally set to do battle Illegal immigration translates into illegal employment Harkin applauds EPA ethanol rule – with a caveat Asian Americans’ stake in reform My ‘New IDEA’ — American jobs for American workers Reform has key role in fixing the economy First things first: Dealing with illegals Report: Lobbyists helped launder millions