Obama to address Congress on reform  —  President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress on health care reform in prime time on Wednesday, Sept. 9, a senior official tells POLITICO.  —  Obama plans to give lawmakers a more specific prescription for health care legislation than he has in the past, aides said.

“I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama”  —  As if I needed any more evidence to bolster today's column about the Obama junior lobbyist campaign in America's schools, here's another item fresh from the headlines in Utah:

Levi Johnston: “Me and Mrs. Palin”  —  Left, photograph by Nigel Parry/CPi Syndication.  Right, photograph by Mark Seliger.  —  Three days after Sarah Palin was announced as the Republican vice-presidential candidate, the McCain campaign released a statement saying that her 17-year-old unwed daughter, Bristol, was pregnant.

Buchanan's Apologia for Hitler  —  As if some neocon were setting out to parody dovish thinking on contemporary issues, paleocon Pat Buchanan has gone and written a “blame Britian first” account of the origins of World War II.  Apparently, according to Buchanan, Hitler was just seeking …

Sentenced to death on the NHS  —  Patients with terminal illnesses are being made to die prematurely under an NHS scheme to help end their lives, leading doctors warn today.  —  In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, a group of experts who care for the terminally ill claim that some patients are being wrongly judged as close to death.

Senate hopeful of the day: Curt Schilling  —  Add another name to the growing list of pols and would-be pols eyeing a run for Edward M. Kennedy's Senate seat: Former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling.  —  That's right, Mr. Bloody Sock himself apparently told NECN's Brad Puffer in an interview today …

Florida GOP: Keep Obama Out of Our Schools!  —  I just spoke with Florida Republican Party press secretary Katie Gordon, regarding state party chairman Jim Greer's denunciation of President Obama's upcoming national address to schoolchildren on Tuesday.  Gordon stood by the party's press release …

Rankings  —  Below are the Washington Monthly's 2009 national university college rankings.  We rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs) …

Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election  —  Virginia Governor: McDonnell 51% Deeds 42%  —  In the race to become the next Governor of Virginia, Republican Robert F. McDonnell retains a steady lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds.  —  The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey …

Congressional Favorability at 24-Year Low  —  Midterm Voting Intentions Evenly Divided  —  Americans are extremely displeased with Congress, and there are already some signs that this could take a toll on the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections.  Currently, 37% express a favorable opinion …

Democratic Advantage in Party Affiliation Shrinks  —  Gap now 5 points, down from 17 in January  —  PRINCETON, NJ — In August, an average of 45% of Americans identified as Democrats or leaned to the Democratic Party, while 40% identified as Republicans or leaned to the Republican Party.

Lincoln: Public option too expensive  —  LITTLE ROCK — U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln said today she opposes a public health insurance option because it would be too expensive.  —  “For some in my caucus, when they talk about a public option they're talking about another entitlement program …

Kennedy Memoir Talks of Chappaquiddick, J.F.K. and Other Presidents  —  In a memoir being published posthumously, Senator Edward M. Kennedy talks remorsefully about the car accident that claimed the life of Mary Jo Kopechne - a turn of events many consider a chief reason that he was never able …

Another View: Lock the Law School Doors  —  Dan Slater, a former litigator, argues that there are too many places at too many law schools, especially with the current hiring slump at law firms.  —  This summer, in the staid world of legal education, where curriculum is uniform and scholars …

The Obama Administration: MIA on Afghanistan?  —  So I was on the Newshour last night debating Afghanistan with a favorite of this blog and its readers, Andrew Bacevich.  As readers of this blog know, I am uncomfortable when placed in the position of being expected to lustily defend the war.

Justice Stevens slows his hiring at high court  —  WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has hired fewer law clerks than usual, generating speculation that the leader of the court's liberals will retire next year.  —  If Stevens does step down, he would give President Barack Obama …

Potential Senate candidacy  —  While my family is obviously the priority, and 38 Studios is a priority, I do have some interest in the possibility.  That being said, to get to there from where I am today, many many things would have to align themselves for that to truly happen.

Poll: Ted Kennedy's Favorability Was Lower Among GOP, Independents, Southerners  —  When I was reporting Monday's story on the lack of Republican worry about a “Kennedy effect” on health care, I asked CNN for the breakdowns on what ended up being the final measure of Kennedy's favorable/unfavorable ratings.

First on the CNN Ticker: DNC takes aim at Cheney  —  (CNN) — The Democratic National Committee is taking aim at Dick Cheney over his string of high-profile media appearances during which the former vice president has been highly critical of President Obama's national security policies.