TPMDC Morning Roundup

Lieberman Skips Health Care Talks
Roll Call reports that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has not been attending the meetings of centrist and liberal Democrats, aimed at working out a compromise on the public option. "The Senator was invited, but his position is clear on the public option and staff did attend," an aide told the paper.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. Obama will meet at 10:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers. Obama will deliver remarks on the economy at 11:15 a.m. ET, at the Brookings Institution. He will have lunch at 12:10 p.m. ET with Biden, and the two of them will meet at 1:15 p.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Today: The Massachusetts Special Senate Election Democratic Primary
Today is the Democratic primary in the Massachusetts special election for Senate, a vacancy created by the death of Ted Kennedy. The winner of the Democratic primary will be heavily likely to win the January 19 general election in this Dem state. The polls will close at 8 p.m. ET.

Gates Visits Afghanistan: 'We Are In This Thing To Win'
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Afghanistan today, telling reporters, "We are in this thing to win." Gates said he will assure Afghan President Hamid Karzai "that we are not going to repeat the situation in 1989," and that "we intend to be their partner for a long time to come."

Dems Sharpening Focus On Jobs For 2010
The Washington Post reports that President Obama's renewed focus on job numbers is part of a recognition by Democrats that jobs will be a top issue for 2010. Said Democratic pollster Mark Mellman: "There is a sense that we pick up that people are not only worried about the substantive issue, but they're not sure that Washington is focused on that issue and they'd like to see Washington focused much more on that issue."

Conyers: Obama Called Me, Said I Was 'Demeaning' Him
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) told The Hill that President Obama "called me and told me that he heard that I was demeaning him and I had to explain to him that it wasn't anything personal, it was an honest difference on the issues. And he said, 'Well, let's talk about it.'"

Man Arrested For Throwing Tomatoes At Palin; Missed And Hit Cop Instead
At Sarah Palin's book tour appearance yesterday at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, police arrested Jeremy Paul Olson for allegedly throwing tomatoes at Palin. The tomatoes missed her, and instead hit Bloomington Police Commander Mark Stehik.