Stimulus Hits House Floor

Today, Obama’s stimulus plan hits the House floor, after the president personally lobbied several House and Senate Republicans. "His presentation was a tour de force,” New Hampshire Senator and tottering stimulus opponent Judd Gregg told Politico. “I felt much better. ... He’s clearly moving forward aggressively on all the different fronts. I was very impressed. If he puts it in the context of an integrated effort, I’d consider it.” The overall package swelled to near $900 billion, meanwhile, as Obama agreed to a $69 billion Republican proposal, spearheaded by Chuck Grassley, that would shield middle and upper-middle class families from the alternative minimum tax.