–Tension with Pakistan isn’t subsiding — “There’s no doubt [bin Laden] was protected by some in the ISI.” — but there’s no alternative to the relationship.
–Obama will visit Ground Zero today.
–Biden’s bipartisan deficit talks begin.
–It’s not impossible to imagine lawmakers agreeing at some point to a “trigger.”
–Uncharacteristic to their negotiating chops, Republicans tell the Washington Post they know Ryan’s Medicare reform is a nonstarter. (But they’re not “dropping it” as originally reported.)
–This local headline says it all about tonigh’s first GOP 2012 primary debate: “Some GOP hopefuls battle tonight in S.C.” It’ll be the pizza guy, the libertarians, the Google plagued ex-senator, and Tim Pawlenty.
–No one yet rates next to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire.
–Fox News has reportedly asked Mike Huckabee to make a decision by the end of the month.
–Mitch Daniels came to Washington to give an education speech, not a political one.
–Jesse Eisinger bemoans the Fed’s silence on bank regulation.
–Goldman is “totally freaked out about Volcker,” the Dodd-Frank rule that curtails proprietary trading.
–And only in Washington would anyone bother critiquing that C-SPAN music.