Thursday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Still waiting to hear if the "top kill" has worked to plug the oil that's been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. We should find out today. There are hearings all over Capitol Hill on the oil spill and its aftermath all day.

The President is holding a press conference at 12:45 PM. According to the Daily Guidance, he "will deliver remarks and take questions in the East Room." He hasn't taken questions for awhile.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is doing its markup of the compromise Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal bill. It's a closed meeting and will go on all day. Last night, Senator Robert Byrd agreed to vote for the legislation -- after adding a 60-day review period at the end of the administrative review. It's still unclear when the discharges will actually end.

The House will take up the Defense Authorization bill later today, but the vote to repeal DADT could get pushed back til tomorrow.

There's also legislation to extend unemployment benefits pending on the Hill. The recession is far from over for many Americans, but it's unclear if Republicans, who created the economic crisis, understand that.

Busy day...