President Obama and family attend church services at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Jan. 16.
(White House/Pete Souza)
–Gabrielle Giffords’s condition improves.
–Some federal authorities reportedly want Jared Loughner’s trial moved to San Diego. The Justice Department does not.
–Ryan Lizza writes a typically exhaustive profile of Rep. Darrell Issa, including accounts of his alleged car theft, alleged car insurance fraud, a car accident settlement, car alarm business and other non-auto related tales from his checkered youth.
–Jason Zengerle tells the grim and fascinating story of the downfall of Jeff Smith.
–George Allen is reportedly ready to announce he’ll seek his old Senate seat in Virginia. It remains unclear whether Jim Webb will stick around for the rematch.
–Tim Pawlenty opposes raising the debt ceiling. Prediction: This and TARP will become litmus tests of sorts in the coming presidential primary.
–Instantaneous default is not actually the danger with failing to raise the ceiling. James MacDonald explains what is.
–A draft Mike Pence movement launches. His advocates argue he’s the only prospective candidate who can unite the social, economic and foreign policy conservatives under one banner.
–Ross Douthat thinks Sarah Palin and the media should end their marriage of “mutual antipathy” and “co-dependency.”
—Christina Romer hopes Obama’s State of the Union includes concrete proposals for strengthened health care cost controls, defense cuts and, yes, tax reform designed to increase revenue.
—The incredible Stuxnet, further unraveled.
–And it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as good a time as any to link to Stanford’s excellent collection of documents and writings.