Good morning, here are some of the stories I'm looking at this morning. If you're interested in talking about Ed's apology or suspension, here's the place to do it. A little later, I'll have today's Outlook and Underbuzzed, so check back with us this afternoon. As for what's going on this morning, here's an incomplete look:
TODAY
- President Obama at G-8.
- VP Biden leads deficit-reduction talks.
BUDGET
- Ezra Klein makes the obvious-to-anyone-not-in-Congress argument about the asymmetrical negotiating over the debt ceiling.
- Sen. Paul Ryan (R-WI) urges GOP not to "go wobbly" on his plan; pushes for its inclusion in debt-ceiling talks.
- Bullet-pointed preview of the, um, jobs plan.
- Per Politico: Ryan knew he was mic'ed. But did Clinton know Ryan was mic'ed?
- Grover Norquist breeds a new generation of Ryans.
- Alan Simpson calls Norquist a nut. ALAN SIMPSON!
- GOP vow to go on the offensive. (Which is different how?)
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) says ending Medicare won't end Medicare.
- Newt Gingrich defends the Ryan Plan against Gingrichian attacks.
- VIDEO: Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA) followed up his admonition that people take care of themselves by justifying accepting his own government-paid health-care "because it's free."
- FLASHBACK: Ryan's complaints about demagoguery fly in the face of his own fear-mongering.
- FLASHBACK: Rove told Republicans America would lurv the Ryan Plan.
- House GOP unveiling a NEW new economic plan which -- surprise -- lowers taxes for the rich.
- The new House GOP tax cuts are actually a jobs plan! Whew!
- Despite Politico revealing the GOP's own polling warned them about this, they still claim the Ryan Plan's problem was messaging.
- Democrats are still open to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory; punishing seniors-to-be in the process.
- Reminder: Similar attacks on Medicaid matter, too.
- Joe Klein comes up with a novel way to save Medicare if we value it: Raise taxes. SHOCKER!
- EJ Dionne argues that NY-26 was broader than Medicare, a rejection of the GOP vision of government.
- Greg Sargent argues that NY-26 and Wisconsin show America is not a Tea Party country.
- VIDEO: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) supports Ryan because, well, he's gotta support something. His op-ed.
- VIDEO: Dems have a new video up reminding folks how much the GOP loves the Ryan Plan.
NY-26
- Turnout, baby.
AUTO BAILOUTS
- Another apocalyptic prediction from Romney emerges.
- Pres. Obama will visit Chrysler next week to tout the success of the auto bailouts.
WALL ST. / BANKS
- Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) admits he helped his ex-lover get a job at Fannie Mae in the '90s.
ELECTIONS
- The grassroots American Action Network operated last year on a grand total of eleven checks.
DIVIDED GOVERNMENT
- Republicans seek to block recess appointments by canceling recess.
- Judicial nominee supported even by Bush loyalists withdraws in the face of GOP filibustering.
WAR ON TERROR
- Senate set to extend several provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) says there's a secret USA PATRIOT Act. Wonder when that's up for extension?
JOBS
- Unemployment claims rose last week.
TORNADOES
- Obama team to Joplin to join FEMA chief, who we haven't heard of because he DOES HIS JOB.
- House GOP Leader Eric Cantor has secretly told lawmakers their states will get disaster relief.
GAS PRICES
- Friend-of-show oil trader Dan Dicker talks about a big voice weighing in on the gas-price debate.
- VIDEO: A prominent oil analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. gives a stunningly straight-forward explanation for how Wall St. is driving gas prices. Yes, he says "manipulation."
- Democratic senators meet with CFTC chair today to push for crackdowns on speculative trading.
FOOD PRICES
- Starbucks hikes coffee prices, blaming Wall St. speculators.
OBAMA 2012
- He's getting the 2008 band back together.
- Poll: Florida shows the president some love.
- His White House so far: Virtually scandal-free.
GOP 2012
- Poll: Steve Benen unpacks the new numbers.
- Is Obama's strength winnowing the field enough to give a dark horse a chance; a la Clinton in 1992?
TIM PAWLENTY
- Libertarian audience not happy with his pledge to maintain massive defense spending.
NEWT GINGRICH
- Poll: His GOP support has collapsed.
HERMAN CAIN
- Poll: He's on the move, heading up in the GOP field.
JON HUNTSMAN
- VIDEO: Conservative group compiles evidence of a lefty past.
MICHELLE BACHMANN
- Her money-bomb proves to be a dud.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
- After Koch pressure, New Jersey will pull out of regional greenhouse-gases initiative.
RICK PERRY
- He's not ruling out a presidential run.
JOHN KASICH
- Poll: Ohio's governor would lose if election were today.
(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, Firedoglake, the NYT Caucus. What Pandora has me listening to: Sugar Free Jazz, by Soul Coughing.)