Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein is up with a piece on Senator Bernie Sanders’ and former DNC Chair Howard Dean’s criticizm of Rahm Emanuel’s comments on the trigger for a public option.

One of the smartest, most exciting and energetic blogs around — The Seminal — will be joining the Firedoglake family later this week. They’ll be taking over the helm at Oxdown Gazette, our community diary blog, and jazzing the place up with more posts, more regular authors, and more areas of expertise. Welcome friends, old and new!

Ever since the stunning decision to quit her elected office, and abandon her constituents, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska has been relentlessly repeating the line that she has been victorious in every ethics investigation against her. This ABC News report is typical:But she said a major factor in the decision was the mounting legal bills she and the state have had to incur to fight ethics charges from her political

Ezra Klein argues several health reform elements are even more important than a public health insurance plan, and Atrios seems to disagree in part, ultimately arguing the public plan is essential. They’re both right.

Wall Street doesn’t screw around with weasel words.  They know what’s good for the insurance industry, and triggers are very very good for the insurance industry.  

Note that they don’t take Obama’s statement to contradict what Rahm said.   Neither do I.

Call House progressives and tell them to stand up to Rahm about “triggers” when they meet with him tonight at 7pm.

Sources say that there will be a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus tonight to discuss health care with Rahm Emanuel.

Rahm told the WSJ that he is open to the idea of “triggers.” Some are hailing Obama for walking it back, but I frankly don’t see how this is any different from what Rahm said:

I am pleased by the progress we’re making on health care reform

More fodder for those snobby, secular East Coast elites in New York and Washington who passed 3rd grade history.

Criminy. The woman has been governor of Alaska for the last few years. And she just finished a run at the Vice Presidency wherein, by admission of McCain campaign staffers, they tried to stuff her brain full of governmental knowledge in massive cram sessions for the Veep debate.

And THIS is what comes tra-la-ing out of Bailin’ Palin’s mouth on ABC?

Eight months after the November 2008 elections, Al Franken is about to be sworn in, on Paul Wellstone’s family Bible, as a United States Senator from the State of Minnesota. You can watch it here starting at 11:00 am Central (12:00 noon Eastern) thanks to The UpTake.

Cheney’s lawyer attended Cheney’s Fitzgerald interview. Does the cover story he told reflect what Cheney said in his interview?