President Barack Obama Talks to Bret Baier About Health Care Reform Bill  —  This is a rush transcript of “Special Report With Bret Baier” from March 17, 2010.  This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.  —  BRET BAIER, “SPECIAL REPORT” HOST: Welcome to Washington.

Rahm, vindicated?  —  Greg Sargent notes a new poll today indicating that liberal voters are totally unified behind passing the health care plan.  A mere three percent oppose it.  That's a public sentiment that makes it a whole lot easier for even Dennis Kucinich to come along.

Bibi's Tense Time-Out  —  So, Barack Obama can lose his temper without a teleprompter.  And we have the supremely aggravating Bibi Netanyahu to thank for that.  —  On St. Patrick's Day, of all days, we wouldn't want to think that our president did not know how to pick his donnybrooks.

Oberstar will back final bill  —  Minnesota Rep. James Oberstar, an ardent backer of the House abortion restrictions, will vote for the final package after a further review of the Senate's language, giving top Democrats a critical endorsement as they lean on their rank-and-file to back the Senate bill.

The Kucinich Switch And The Whip Count  —  Dennis Kucinich's reversal and decision to support the health care bill changes the dynamic around the vote, but the ultimate question of whether or not the bill will pass was always going to be decided by the right flank of the caucus.

Al-Qaeda crippled as leaders stay in hiding, CIA chief says  —  Relentless attacks against al-Qaeda in the Pakistan tribal region appear to have driven Osama bin Laden and other top leaders deeper into hiding, leaving the organization rudderless and incapable of planning sophisticated operations …

The Medicus Firm Physician Survey: Health Reforms Potential Impact on Physician Supply and Quality of Medical Care  —  Key Findings from The Medicus Firm Survey  —  Physician Support of Health Reform in General  —  62.7% of physicians feel that health reform is needed but should be implemented …

Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage  —  (Reuters) - In May, 2002, Jerome Mitchell, a 17-year old college freshman from rural South Carolina, learned he had contracted HIV.  The news, of course, was devastating, but Mitchell believed that he had one thing going for him …

Guilty of Practicing Good Government  —  It's Wednesday morning.  House leaders have indicated they want to vote on both the Senate health care bill and amendments to it by Saturday night.  But, as you may have noticed, they still haven't said precisely what the wording of those amendments will be.

Rep. Mike Pence: What Dems Are Doing Is Unconstitutional; I Did It Too  —  Indiana Congressman Mike Pence, the number 3 Republican in terms of leadership in the House, told The Daily Caller he thinks the self-executing rule is unconstitutional, and then admits he used it himself three times (via Steve Benen)

Catholic nuns urge passage of Obama's health bill  —  WASHINGTON — Catholic nuns are urging Congress to pass President Barack Obama's health care plan, in an unusual public break with bishops who say it would subsidize abortion.  —  Some 60 leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 …

Joint Statement of Timothy F. Geithner, Peter R. Orszag, and Christina D. Romer  —  Before the Committee on the Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives  —  Chairman Obey, Ranking Member Lewis, and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting us to testify this afternoon about the Troika forecast …

Feinstein Insurance Reform Kicked Out Of Health Care Bill  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  The Senate parliamentarian told Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Wednesday afternoon that her proposal to create a National Insurance Rate Authority runs afoul of reconciliation rules, Feinstein told HuffPost after the conversation.

Allies everywhere feeling snubbed by President Obama  —  The contretemps between President Obama and Israel needs to be seen in a broader global context.  The president who ran against “unilateralism” in the 2008 campaign has worse relations overall with American allies than George W. Bush did in his second term.

Excise tax questions re-emerging  —  AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is headed into a meeting with President Obama this afternoon after the White House and Congressional leaders have begun to discuss a higher-than-expected excise tax on some health care plans, in order to maintain their claim …

Historians blast proposed Texas social studies curriculum  —  Historians criticized proposed revisions to the Texas social studies curriculum Tuesday, saying that many of the changes are historically inaccurate and that they would affect textbooks and classrooms far beyond the state's borders.

New Poll Finds Americans Really, Really Do Not Want ObamaCare (PJM Exclusive)  —  A national poll, conducted by the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest Advance with PJM, shows massive opposition to the bill during its final week.  (Click here for poll results.)

Purported al-Awlaki message calls for jihad against U.S.  —  London, England (CNN) — American-born Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki is calling for jihad against America, claiming “America is evil” in a new audio message obtained exclusively by CNN.  —  “With the American invasion of Iraq …