Durbin: No pre-recess vote on healthcare  —  Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time that a pre-recess vote on healthcare reform is unlikely.  —  “We're going to take a little longer to get it right,” Durbin told The Hill when asked …

White House declines to disclose visits by health industry executives  —  Citing an argument used by the Bush administration, the Secret Service rejects a request from a watchdog group to list those who have visited the White House to discuss the healthcare overhaul.

Imperfect Health Reform Still Beats the Status Quo  —  Among the range of options for health-care reform, there's one that is sure to raise your taxes, increase your out-of-pocket medical expenses, swell the federal deficit, leave more Americans without insurance and guarantee that wages will remain stagnant.

Liz Cheney: No question on citizenship  —  Liz Cheney is taking some heat today for, amid a discussion on Larry King Live of the fringe movement that doubts Obama's citizenship, appearing to defend it.  —  “People are fundamentally uncomfortable, and they're fundamentally increasingly uncomfortable …

Gates is Right—and We're Not Post-Racial Until He's Wrong  —  There is nothing glib to say, in any responsible sense, about Henry Louis Gates' arrest last week, which is this week's big race story.  Its value is as an object lesson in why, with a black President, there remains a contingent convinced …

'You're Going To Destroy My Presidency'  —  Recall Barack Obama whining the other day how “this isn't about me”?  —  Well, that's nonsense.  Of course it's all about him. … Somebody please send Baracky a waaaahmbulance.  —  Oh wait, are they covered by his plan?

Dude, Where's My Sperm?  —  I've been freaking myself out over the past 24 hours by reading Reece Rushing's CAP report on dangerous chemicals impairing American fertility.  For the fellows, there's reduced sperm count:  —  And the ladies aren't being spared either:  —  What's to blame?  Well:

Will Obama's health care plan mirror Clinton's '94 failure?  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — In 1994, universal health care was a key policy plan for then-President Bill Clinton.  It eventually failed.  —  Now, 15 years later, another Democratic president is taking on the challenge …

Drunkblogging ObamaCare  —  Stephen Green listens carefully to President Obama's press conference on health care — and tries to determine whether care of his vodka-challenged liver will be covered.  (Watch PJTV's virtual health care forum here.)  —  4:48PM I'm watching Fox News tonight, instead of the usual CNN.

Next up for Sanford: 2-week European vacation with family  —  Gov. Mark Sanford said he is leaving the state Thursday with his wife and sons for a two-week European vacation.  —  Sanford said the trip long has been scheduled and was meant as a last family getaway with his family's four sons while they all still are living at home.

Would You Stand on Short Flights if It Meant Cheaper Fares?  —  Irish-based discount airline Ryanair recently polled 120,000 passengers on its Web site with the following question: would you be willing to stand on short flights?  —  The answer was an overwhelming “yes” - if the tickets were free.

L.I. Man Helped Qaeda, Then Informed  —  He grew up in the solid middle class of Suffolk County, the son of an engineer, the child of a couple that had emigrated from South America, a fan of football and video games, an altar boy and, eventually, a Boy Scout.

Oooh, Don't Forget, ‘Now Is The Time To Act’!  —  Senate Republicans e-mail me: … It's good, don't get me wrong, but they left off a few of my favorite Obama cliches, some of which are straw men, some of which are rhetorical crutches: “We inherited these problems”; “the alternative is to do nothing” …

Orrin Hatch quits health care talks  —  The health care Gang of Seven is now down to six.  —  Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), one of seven senators involved in bipartisan Finance Committee negotiations, has left the talks.  —  Hatch informed Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Wednesday afternoon …

After Senate vote, F-22 loses House support  —  The Senate's decisive vote this week to cut off the F-22 program is resonating in the House, where leading appropriators on Wednesday said they would back away from an effort to continue production of the radar-evading fighter.

53% Now Oppose Congressional Health Care Reform  —  The health care reform legislation working its way through Congress has lost support over the past month.  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of U.S. voters are at least somewhat in favor of the reform effort while 53% are at least somewhat opposed.

Democrats Defeat Concealed Weapons Amendment  —  In a 58-39 vote, supporters of the looser gun law — including all but two Republicans and 20 moderate Democrats — fell two votes short of the 60 they needed under Senate rules to approve the measure.  The amendment, sponsored by Sen. John Thune …

Obama: Greedy doctors are coming after your tonsils or something  —  Gee, I'm really sorry I decided to skip this for “Ghost Hunters.”  Watching The One explain how the medical industry has designs on your body parts would have been much better in hindsight.

Rep. Blackburn: “We're Not Going To Cry ‘Emergency’ Every Time We Have A Katrina” … THE MEANING OF “EMERGENCY”  —  While extolling the virtues of a balanced budget during a PAYGO debate on the floor of the House, Rep. Marsha Blackburn shamefully exclaimed: … This statement is shocking on many levels.

Sarah Palin: Report She Violated Ethics Laws Is ‘Misguided’ And ‘Factually In Error’  —  Leaked Report Says Alaska Governor's Trust Fund Could Violate Ethics Act  —  Independent Counsel Sympathetic to Palin  —  Despite finding probable cause to investigate, Daniel said he was …

Obama Talks Health Care  —  In a telephone interview with editorial page editor Fred Hiatt Wednesday afternoon, President Obama said he will not accept a health-care reform bill, even one that is deficit-neutral, if it does not also begin to reduce the cost of care.

PETA video shows Ringling Bros. handlers beating elephants  —  The world-famous Ringling Bros. circus faces fresh accusations of animal abuse today after undercover videos show handlers beating elephants before they enter the ring.  —  The tape, made by a man who posed as a stagehand for six months …