The DC Morning 3/11/2010

Mike Riggs Contributor
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1.) GOP likely to call for massive Massa investigation — The Daily Caller learned Wednesday night that House Republicans would possibly introduce “a privileged resolution” Thursday, calling for an investigation of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s handling of allegations that former Rep. Eric Massa groped and sexually harassed male staffers in his office. According to a Pelosi aide, Massa chief of staff Joe Racalto first reported the congressman to Pelosi’s office in October for spending all his lunches with young gay Capitol Hill staffers, some of whom worked for Rep. Barney Frank. The GOP will likely argue that Pelosi can be held responsible for the failures of her staff–as Rep. Charlie Rangel was–even if she herself acted in good faith. Up next on As the World Turns: “Lily and Molly try to trick Damian into submission by fake fighting with each other and then attacking him. Damian draws his gun and he and Holden verbally abuse each other about their failings in their relationships with Lily. Holden informs Damian that what Lily and Holden have is pure. Molly breaks out of the closet Damian locked her in.”

2.) White House mobilizes naive, rabid ‘Organizing for America’ volunteers to sell health care — On Wednesday David Plouffe reached out to progressives who had supported Pres. Obama’s 2008 campaign in order to bolster support for the president’s health care bill, the Washington Post reports. “Each day until the vote, we’ll feature a powerful new way for [Organizing for America] supporters to speak out in our communities and weigh in directly with Congress,” Plouffe wrote in the email. Under Plouffe’s direction, OFA volunteers will disseminate fact sheets explaning “what’s in the health care bill (and, more importantly, what’s not).” The fact sheets will likely not fully explain the cost of the health care bill, which is OK, seeing as any number with more than 12 zeros isn’t a real number anyway.

3.) Harry Reid’s colleagues literally cannot wait to fight each other for his job — “Campaigns for Senate majority leader are raging on Capitol Hill,” reports TIME’s Jay Newton-Small, meaning that Sen. Harry Reid is probably feeling like crap that his two best dudes in the Senate can’t wait until November–or at least until his defeat is assured–to start casting lots for his tunic. Sure, barring a Tea Party miracle, Reid will likely lose his job in the coming election, but that doesn’t mean the guy doesn’t have feelings. Even worse than watching Reid’s self-esteem plummet, however, is listening to Senators Dick Durbin and Chuck Schumer talk about how much they value everyone’s contribution to the health care and jobs games. (Couldn’t get our butts beat without you, and you, and you! Thank you all so much!) “To watch them dance on his grave is awful and unseemly and uncomfortable,” said one Democrat. It also might be why Democrats can’t do anything with their majority.

4.) Rahm profiles are not Rahm’s fault, Rahm profiler says — Noam Scheiber’s profile of Rahm Emanuel in the New Republic wasn’t Rahm’s fault, Scheiber says in a wildly defensive column. Despite Rahm’s history of chumming the liberal press tank with dead Republican babies, “he surely knew that drawing attention to himself, and to the ways the president erred by rejecting his advice, would have been a recklessly self-defeating act,” Scheiber writes. This, and the claim that Rahm had nothing to do with initiating his New Republic profile, are the crux of Scheiber’s argument. I don’t know about you, but I am convinced! More babies!

5.) China to require all journalists to study, embrace Marxism — With its reputation being held together by knock-off Louis Vuitton patterns and cheap electrical tape that doesn’t stick as well as the more expensive stuff, China is initiating a certification system that will require all journalists to study the theories of Karl Marx. “Comrades who are going to be working on journalism’s front lines must learn theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics and be taught Marx’s view on news, plus media ethics and Communist Party discipline on news and propaganda,” said Li Dongdong, deputy director of the General Administration of Press and Publication.

6.) The Daily Caller launches Eye Street blog — On Wednesday The Daily Caller launched Eye Street, its news and analysis blog. Run by the DC’s crack reporting team, Eye Street is named for our location (1720 I St.) and for our ambitions (to be all-seeing), and on it, you’ll find news, analysis, aggregation, and even some commentary. Updated frequently throughout the day, Eye Street is the best place to watch Marco Rubio’s first campaign video, read lively explanations of murky and dull government-released figures and statistics, and digest quick reporting on everything from the Tea Party movement to the 2010 Congressional races.

Mike Riggs