Biden: Obama Inheriting Tougher Problems Than FDR Faced
Speaking last night at a DNC event, Vice President Biden said: "This president has inherited the most difficult first 100 days of any president I would argue including Franklin Roosevelt - let me explain what I mean by that. It was clear the problem Roosevelt inherited. This is a more complicated economic [problem]. We've never ever been here before - here or in the world. Never ever been here before."

Obama's Day Ahead: The Budget, Defense, And St. Patrick's Day
President Obama and Vice President Biden are meeting at 9:20 a.m. ET with with Senate Budge Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-SC). At 9:40 a.m. he will give a statement to the press. At 10:50 a.m. Obama and Biden will meet with the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland Brian Cowen. At 11:35 a.m. the three of them will attend the Shamrock Ceremony, at 11:45 a.m. Obama will meet with officials from Northern Ireland, and at 12:30 p.m. ET the president will speak at Nancy Pelosi's St. Patrick's Day Lunch. At 4:30 p.m. ET, Obama will meet with Robert Gates. And Obama will attend St. Patrick's Day receptions at 7:45 p.m. ET and 8:10 p.m. ET.

Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will be attending Obama's various meetings mentioned above. He will also be meeting in the afternoon with Treasury Secretary Geithner and White House Economic Advisory Larry Summers, to discuss financial institutions.

WaPo: AIG Bonuses A Threat To Obama's Political Capital
The Washington Post warns this morning that the AIG bonuses pose a serious danger to President Obama's political standing: "President Obama's apparent inability to block executive bonuses at insurance giant AIG has dealt a sharp blow to his young administration and is threatening to derail both public and congressional support for his ambitious political agenda."

Poll: More Americans Fear Return Of Great Depression
A new CNN poll finds that 45% of Americans think another Great Depression will likely occur in the next year, compared to 38% who thought so this past December. The poll described the conditions of the Great Depression to respondents -- and a good number of them thought that situation was on its way back.

NYT: Obama To Make Appeals Court Appointment
The New York Times reports that President Obama is poised to make his first appointment to a federal appeals court, picking federal trial court Judge David Hamilton of Indiana for the appeals court based in Chicago. Hamilton is a former counsel to Evan Bayh, and nephew of Lee Hamilton, and will have the support of both Bayh and GOP Senator Dick Lugar.

CQ: Obama Administration Begins Outreach To Evangelical Groups
CQ reports that Joshua DuBois, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will hold a meeting today with representatives of the Family Research Council, Concerned Women of America and other evangelical groups, part of the White House's outreach to conservative Christian groups.