VOL. 4 NO. 167 POLITIthursday, january 13, 2011CO www.politico.com Politics Edges Into Moment of Mourning Crowds throng to hear Obama Palin grabs spotlight with Capitol Hill tries to find new at Tucson memorial service ‘blood libel’ video response normal after emotional week

By Jo s h Ge r s t e i n By Jo n a t h a n Al l e n By La u r a McGa n n

The national debate over the weekend attack On a day that political leaders in Washington Four days after a gunman killed six people, in- on Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords grew more and Arizona devoted to honoring Rep. Gabrielle jured 14 others and rocked the Capitol Hill com- heated Wednesday as members of both parties courtesy of youtube Giffords and other victims of Saturday’s mass munity, leaving one of its own in critical condi- continued to spar over the political meaning of the Some lawmakers shooting in Tucson, Sarah Palin proved once tion, normal is nowhere in sight for Congress. shootings ahead of an evening memorial service in say the timing of again that her bully pulpit is second to none in On Wednesday, Congress set aside planned Tucson, Ariz. Sarah Palin’s video commanding the attention and passions of the business to take up an itinerary that pulled a President Barack Obama and a large Washington — which was posted political world. shocked community between matters of the heart contingent that included House Minority Leader on a day honor- As Democratic and Republican lawmakers and those of basic physical security, with a string Nancy Pelosi landed in southern Arizona late in the ing the victims filed into the well of the House to offer prayers for of events that sought to soothe mournful souls and afternoon for the service to honor victims of Satur- in Tucson — was the severely wounded Giffords and the six people rattled nerves. day’s attack. insensitive. who were killed, Palin’s eight-minute Facebook The House introduced a resolution condemning The president and first lady Michelle Obama im- mediately went to University Medical Center to visit See palin on Page 15 See security on Page 14 Giffords and her husband, as well as other victims. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said, “The president wanted to begin this solemn trip by stopping first at the hospital where Congresswom- an Giffords and others continue to recuperate.” Hours before the service, thousands of people lined up to enter the heavily secured McKale Cen- ter, with one line stretching for at least one mile and police estimating that as many as 40,000 people were in the streets. There was little new information about Gif- fords’s medical condition, and the prosecution of the accused gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, will not proceed for more than a week. A University of Ari- zona doctor said Giffords’s treatment is “going as anticipated.” But the rhetorical jousting continued. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin released an 8-minute video Wednesday to push back on detractors who have criticized her for having used cross hairs to mark Giffords’s district on an electoral map. Also defending a history of strident rhetoric Wednesday was former Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle, who once referred to seeking “Sec- ond Amendment remedies” to government over- reach. “The irresponsible assignment of blame to me, Sarah Palin or the tea party movement by com- mentators and elected officials puts all who gather to redress grievances in danger,” Angle said in a statement. For full details and analysis of Wednesday night’s ap event, visit politico.com. Thousands were expected to attend a memorial service at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., to honor the victims of Saturday’s shootings

NFL Players Take Case GOP Budget Cuts Offer Against Owners to Hill Bush-Era Spending Levels

By Ch r i s Fr a t e s before the March 3 deadline. By Da v i d Ro g e r s House — have been extended It’s not an easy sell. Realizing through the life of President Ba- As the specter of a year without that there’s little sympathy for mul- To the surprise of even them- rack Obama’s first term. And pro football looms, the National timillion-dollar athletes clashing selves, the Republicans’ battle having blocked a bipartisan com- Football League Players Associa- with billionaire owners over the cry in the budget wars this year promise, Republicans now want tion is taking its case to the halls size of their paydays, the players comes down more and more to Obama to roll back domestic ap- of Congress — mounting an ag- set about writing a narrative that one refrain: “Bring back Bush.” propriations to the 2008 levels set gressive lobbying and public rela- casts them more as the scrappy Reuters Already, George W. Bush’s sig- in a Christmas omnibus bill three tions campaign urging lawmakers The NFL spent almost $1.1 nature high-end tax cuts — once to push the owners to strike a deal See NFL on Page 17 million on lobbying in 2010. opposed by the current White See appropriations on Page 12 inside

Courtesy CONGRESS DEFENSE POLITICS of Penguin CLICK Capitol Police releases security Navy drone fleet is far from flying Tragedy mutes rhetoric, but some Group Madeline and author John Bemel- manual for lawmakers, staff. under the radar. foresee return to politics as usual. mans Marciano come to D.C. Page 6 Page 8 Page 19 Page 25