And if you want more, check out Jeanie Most's wonderful piece for Headline News. She's one of the true treasures in today's news, a modern-day Charles Kuralt. Love her stuff. (Rachel Maddow even did an amusing piece.)

By the way, Mr. President--no earmarks? Really? The $4-8 billion in earmarks (depending on what you include) is a drop in this huge bucket. But still....

Roll Calls reports that the President tried to minimize earmarks, but ran into a Congress that didn't care to listen. "Obama pressed the lawmakers to keep earmarks out of spending bills but was resisted... Democratic leaders defended the practice, insisting that it was Members' constitutional right to insert them on behalf of constituents' projects that they deemed worthy, that Congress had markedly reduced the practice, and that earmarks represented 1 percent of spending."

Two of the Swampland bloggers reported for Time on the earmark debate. Governing is about compromise, people say. To get this bill passed, the President no doubt had to bend. But it was no doubt a learning experience, and I trust that as he goes along, he'll be able to manage the strong-willed Congressman a little better. I don't expect him to have it figured out the first time.