Boehner Blasts Ex-Rep. Tauzin For PhRMA Working With "Bully" Obama On Health Care Reform
The Hill reports that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has sent a letter to PhRMA president Billy Tauzin, who is a former Republican Congressman from Louisiana, castigating Tauzin and PhRMA for working constructively with President Obama on health care reform. "When a bully asks for your lunch money, you may have no choice but to fork it over," Boehner wrote. "But cutting a deal with the bully is a different story, particularly if the 'deal' means helping him steal others' money as the price of protecting your own."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will met one-on-one with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at 11:10 a.m. ET, with an expanded meeting at 11:30 a.m. ET, and a working lunch at 12:30 p.m. ET. Obama will meet with Sec. of State Hillary Clinton at 1:30 p.m. ET, with Vice President Biden at 2:30 p.m. ET, and with former President Bill Clinton at 4 p.m. ET.

LAT: Biden And Obama In "Courtship After The Marriage"
The Los Angeles Times reports that despite some of his gaffes and fumbles, Vice President Biden has emerged as a key player in the administration. "Coming to the political partnership with no real friendship to speak of, Biden has sought to cultivate one with Obama since the swearing-in," the paper reports. "A Biden aide calls the process a 'courtship after the marriage.'"

Burmese State Media: Webb Visit Shows Our Respect For Human Rights
The state-run media in Myanmar is celebrating the government's role in the recent visit by U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), who secured the release of an American prisoner. "The Myanmar government was able to show a positive and friendly attitude in the area of international relations," the state's newspapers said. "It has also been able to show its respect of humanitarianism and human rights."

WaPo: Hillary Making Women's Rights A Signature Issue
The Washington Post reports that Sec. of State Hillary Clinton has been using her role to promote the rights of women, such as on her recent trip to Africa. "It's just a constant effort to elevate people who, in their societies, may not even be known by their own leaders," said Clinton. "My coming gives them a platform, which then gives us the chance to try and change the priorities of the governments."

NYT: Co-Op Proposal Muddies Debate, Insurance Companies Still Against It
The New York Times reports that the co-op proposal has in many ways served to muddy the health care debate -- many liberals oppose it as not going far enough, and at the same time the insurance industry is just as opposed to this other means of government-established competition. Said Karen Ignagni of the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans: "It may sound benign, but it may use administered prices. I'm not sure it solves any problems."

Lincoln Diaz-Balart Won't Accept Appointment To Senate Seat
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) has announced that he will not seek the appointment to the the Senate seat of resigning GOP Sen. Mel Martinez. Republican Gov. Charlie Crist had mentioned Diaz-Balart as a possible appointee, but accepting the job would have had a serious pitfall for any serious politician -- that Crist, who has been running for the seat, would likely appoint someone to only serve as a placeholder.

Jim Doyle Takes Shot At Palin: I'm Not Resigning
Gov. Jim Doyle (D-WI) announced yesterday that he would not be running for a third term -- and took an apparent shot at Saran Palin, when he made it clear that he will serve out his term. "Maybe I am old fashioned, but I believe strongly that when you run for a term, you serve the term," Doyle said. "You work hard every day in that term and I am going to work as hard as humanly possible over this time to help the people of Wisconsin."