Here's a look at some of the stories that caught my eye on the interwebs this morning. I'll have today's Outlook and Underbuzzed a little later on, so check on back this afternoon.
TODAY
- Pres. Obama addresses Parliament.
- Competency hearing for Jared Loughner, alleged shooter of Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ).
NY-26
- Whether the GOP sees it as a referendum on Medicare could determine whether it becomes one.
- Nate Silver sees it as a referendum on Medicare.
- Rep. Peter King (R-NY) gets it.
- GOP PAC American Crossroads kinda gets it, too.
- Strategists in both parties get it.
- Does Pres. Obama get it?
- Analysis: Dionne says ignore public bluster, Republicans look on this with fear.
- Can Democrats now run against Speaker Boehner?
- Will Democrats blow it by joining the GOP Medicare-cutters?
- Democrats eye another special election where Ryan's Medicare plan might play a role.
- Dems plan to export what worked in New York to other races.
- RNC Chair cites Gingrich in special-election victory.
- VIDEO: Ryan's not backing down; releases new video holding his ground.
- Neighboring-district Republican who just voted to extend Medicare cuts hits Democrat who also supported those cuts.
- Playbook observes Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) just cost his party the seat once held by his boss Jack Kemp.
- Analysis: GOP often falters in special elections.
- Weigel addresses the spoiler question.
- A reax roundup.
AUTO INDUSTRY
- Dems target Romney's 2008 op-ed urging the government to let Detroit die.
WALL ST. / BANKS
- State AGs threaten banks with billions in lawsuits over improper foreclosures.
- Tea Partiers who swept to power raging against Wall St. now do Wall St.'s bidding.
- A banking lackey loses all decorum going after CFPB chief Elizabeth Warren.
- US taxpayers make small profit on sale of AIG stock.
GAS PRICES
- CFTC sues two companies for alleged manipulation of gas prices.
- Suit marks first specific instance of speculators contributing to the high price of gas back in 2008.
ENERGY
- Hertz introduces electric vehicles to its DC fleet today.
- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor blocks climate-change measure to fund relief for extreme weather.
- Sen. David Vitter's (R-LA) pay threat to Interior Sec. Ken Salazar may have been illegal.
BUDGET
- Running whip count on debt ceiling.
- More Republican senators bolt from the Ryan plan.
- VP Biden and company say they've identified $1 trillion in cuts.
- Biden says an increase in tax revenue must be part of the deal.
- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says nothing matters more than the debt; except taxes.
- Democratic women blast GOP for putting the burden of budget cuts on the backs of women.
- Poll: Voters in battleground states confirm deficit-panic is ginned up.
- House GOP to allow vote on clean bill raising debt ceiling; why wouldn't Dems vote for it?
- Senate Leader Harry Reid explains why House test vote on debt ceiling is irresponsible.
- Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) assures Wall St. on the debt ceiling.
- GOP now looks to start kicking people off Medicaid.
- GOP claim that cuts help growth is rejected by most economists.
- Poll: Americans say they're more worried about debt than default. So much for applying kitchen-table budgeting.
- Poll: Voters would blame Obama for entitlement cuts.
- Ezra Klein: A deal to cut federal spending will help the GOP take Ryan plan off the table.
- HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius: GOP budget would cost seniors and disabled the savings they enjoy under health-care reform.
JOBS / JOBLESS
- GOP pushes to renege on 2010 deal to fund unemployment insurance in return for extending the Bush tax cuts.
AFGHANISTAN
- Dems expecting to launch bid to accelerate US withdrawal.
TORNADOES
- Republicans push back against Cantor's threat to withhold tornado relief.
- Another night of deadly tornadoes.
- The Huddle gets it wrong on the Bush-Obama comparison. Bush was pilloried because of the federal response. What Obama's doing doesn't matter as long as the government he's running is doing what it should be.
HEALTH CARE
- Some providers seek to silence criticism by their patients.
- Health-care reform is already saving seniors and the disabled hundreds of dollars a year.
EDUCATION
- Public schools are shifting costs to parents.
JOHN EDWARDS
- Expected to be indicted for violation of campaign-finance laws.
LATINOPHOBIA
- South Carolina House approves an Arizona-style immigration bill.
- Wisconsin legislator introduces bill requiring everyone to carry ID.
OBAMA 2012
- The campaign courts Clinton donors.
TIM PAWLENTY
- He's still taking money for speeches.
NEWT GINGRICH
- Tiffany & Co. was lobbying wife's committee while extending them interest-free credit.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
- Poll: Approval rating in NJ reaches new low.
- Refuses to respect state Supreme Court ruling ordering him to restore funding for state's poorest schools.
MITT ROMNEY
- Freedomworks has him in their crosshairs.
RICK SCOTT
- Most Florida voters disapprove of their governor's performance; fewer than a third approve.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
- Marvel cancels his comic book and cartoon show.
AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
- David Brooks renounces it; though I wonder if he realizes it.
BUSH ADMINISTRATION
- Former AG Gonzales says he's disappointed in his performance.
(What I'm reading: Greg Sargent's Plum Line, Think Progress, Matt Yglesias, The Wonk Room, Talking Points Memo, TPMDC, Taegan Goddard's Political Wire, the National Journal, Ezra Klein, Politico's Playbook and Huddle, Dave Weigel, Firedoglake, the NYT Caucus. What Jango has me listening to: I Will Survive, as covered by Cake.)