The debt-ceiling fight continues to dominate the headlines -- and that's a phrase I expect to use for the rest of the month. The Murdoch scandal is also expanding -- and I've got a point to make on that in today's Outlook that I haven't seen anywhere else, so check on back. Meantime, here's your Morning EDition for today:
TODAY
- Pres. Obama gives interview to CBS News.
- The president meets with congressional leaders this afternoon.
- The GOP House votes on America's #1 issue today: Light bulbs.
BUDGET
- Stalemate.
- "Excuse us for trying to lead." Speaker Boehner, after Pres. Obama called him out for claiming it's hard for GOP to cut entitlements even though they joyfully did so with Ryan plan.
- Report: Congress looking at staying in session the week after the deadline. In order to meet it.
- Why the president thinks he's on firm political footing.
- Was Obama's "big deal" offered to scare Dems into caving to GOP demands?
- Senate Dems not happy about the suggestion they drop their Medicare advantage.
- Pres. Obama tells GOP he won't accept stopgap deal, or one that lets the rich off the hook.
- Dems reject Medicare cuts without revenue hikes.
- House Dem Whip Steny Hoyer tells GOP, don't expect a single Dem vote without revenue hikes.
- Business leaders continue pushing for a debt-ceiling deal.
- GOP says debt ceiling must be raised, and they also want concessions for raising it.
- Speaker Boehner says raising the debt ceiling is the GOP's concession.
- Is Boehner letting GOP Leader Cantor taking lead, so he can see how tough it is?
- Or is Cantor in the lead because he can sell to the rank and file? A menu of possible cuts.
- Some see Boehner having to seek Dem support.
- Steve Benen makes the case better than I have: A clean bill can end this mess in five minutes.
- Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) objects to cuts in Social Security or Medicare.
- "Kicking the can down the road" may not be the best way to think about this stuff.
- Tax cuts save jobs? Cisco is lobbying for a big one -- and laying off 10,000.
- Chart: Borrowing money now would actually save us money.
- House GOP wants to claw back $1.5 billion in high-speed-rail money.
- David Brooks amps up his criticism of the GOP. Villagers will take note.
- How Brooks and the Village didn't see this coming. The usual suspects did.
- Eugene Robinson puts it another way: The blame here is not spread 50-50.
- Some MSM still insist on the improbable claim that blame is always EXACTLY EQUAL on both sides.
- Josh Marshall says constitutional requirement to pay debt will force Social Security freeze instead.
- Flashback chart: We don't have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem.
- VIDEO: Joint chiefs chairman warns what default will do to military families.
CLASS WARFARE
- VIDEO: GOP says the rich aren't like Thurston Howell III.
- VIDEO: Conservative GOP group leader advocates for tax cuts that will kill jobs.
HOUSING
- Pres. Obama reportedly looking at ideas to revive housing market.
- Relief for borrowers could be in the works.
- Tens of thousands may lose their homes more quickly under proposed deal.
WALL ST. / BANKS
- Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) tries to stave off a push for looser regulations...coming from liberals.
- Banks are offering looser credit terms...to hedge funds.
EDUCATION
- Pro-voucher Tea Party group admits the real agenda: No more public schools.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
- Unlike Anthony Weiner, this Republican politician's sexting wasn't consensual.
SECURITY STATE
- Human Rights Watch calls for investigations of US renditions, torture.
IRAQ
- Defense Sec. Panetta pushes Iraq to make a call on its need for US troops.
- Iraq is in talks to buy billions worth of weaponry from US military
AFGHANISTAN
- Pres. Karzai's brother is murdered.
- VIDEO: Brother had ties to CIA. And heroin.
- VIDEO: Liz Cheney's group airs new ad blasting Obama on Afghanistan drawdown. (Like they did after Tora Bora. Right?)
INDIANA
- Indiana Republicans accidentally eliminated the state's largest agency.
ELECTIONS
- The House probes White House meetings with donors. Because, y'know, Democratic president.
WISCONSIN
- The recall-election primaries are today.
CA-36
- Voters go to the polls in "stripper ad" special election.
MITT ROMNEY
- Romney takes heat over the debt ceiling.
MICHELE BACHMANN
- Bachmann says she would vote for debt-ceiling deal, if it repeals health-care reform.
- VIDEO: Praying away the gay. (Undercover videographer John Becker joins Ed exclusively tonight.)
TIM PAWLENTY
- Pawlenty has an op-ed saying something about something.
MARCO RUBIO
- Florida senator's family figured in drug probe.
RIGHT-WING MEDIA
- Murdoch's company could face US prosecution for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- CREW calls for a congressional investigation into Fox's parent company.
- David Cay Johnston lays out how Murdoch avoids paying taxes, and actually makes money off US taxpayers.
(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 Washington Monthly, the National Journal, Ezra Klein, Politico's Playbook and Huddle, Dave Weigel, Wonkette, Firedoglake, the NYT Caucus, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars. What my iPod has me listening to: When You Give It Away by Bruce Cockburn.)
Follow Senior Producer Jonathan Larsen (@jtlarsen) on Twitter