In a week that started with President Obama travelling west to California for a night of fundraising to New York City to take on financial reform, there have been a few political stories that have gone unnoticed.

So in case you missed them, here are some from this week you MAY have missed.

For some reason, a lot have to do with food.

1. The "Schumwich" – Senator Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) staff has dubbed his favorite lunch bite, and it is one you HAVE to check out.  Onions, peppers, pickles and more.  You've got to see it to believe it. (NYPost)

2. Six years ago, actor Tom Hanks visited with the press at the White House and noticed they did not have a good coffee machine, so he bought them one.  Last month, he returned to the White House and promised the press corps a new one.  It arrived this week. (WHC Insider)

3. Remember Crawford, Texas?  Former President Bush still has his ranch there, but apparently a lot of the businesses have closed.  The president's last trip was back in July, and he got a burger and jalapeno fries while he was there.  Sorry, no picture of those. (NY Times)

4. Either Harold or Kumar got mugged outside the White House.  Kal Penn, who currently works in the Office of Public Liaison at the White House was robbed at gunpoint.  No word on whether he was heading to a White Castle or not.

Posted by: LKL Producer Hunter Waters
Filed under: Politics is King • President Bush • Tom Hanks

In a week that started off with the largest gathering ever of foreign leaders in Washington, D.C. for a nuclear security summit and ended with the final stop of the Tea Party Express in the same city, there's been a lot of political news.

However, here are some of the stories you MAY have missed this week (click on the links for the full story!):

1. Former U.S. Secretary of State is 'crazy' for his iPhone.  Who knew?? (USNews)

2. A few months after her divorce with SC Governor Mark Sanford was finalized, former SC First Lady Jenny Sanford has a new boyfriend! (fitsnews)

3. Why did former Gov. Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann draw such a huge crowd at a Minn. rally? Bill Maher believes its because they are 'MILFs'.  What's a MILF, you ask?  Click here. (NowPublic)

4. One of these people sang "I Got Friends in Low Places" to the other: Garth Brooks and Senator Dick Durbin. You're first guess is probably wrong. (politico)

5. Former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer's call girl posed for "Playboy."  The pictures are out there, but not linking them up here. You can certainly google them, though.

Posted by: LKL Producer Eleanor McManus, LKL Producer Hunter Waters
Filed under: Bill Maher • Colin Powell • Jenny Sanford • Michele Bachmann • Politics • Politics is King

Filed under: Larry King Live • Politics is King

NOTE: DAVID FRUM WILL BE OUR GUEST ON LKL TONIGHT AND WILL DISCUSS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HIS DISMISSAL FROM AEI, WHICH IS THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH, FOLLOWING HIS CRITICISM OF GOP HEALTH CARE STRATEGY.

After my dismissal from AEI Thursday, I posted in this space my letter of resignation. I declined television interviews, but I did speak to print journalists about the basic facts, in a way that expressed respect for AEI and its leadership.

I spent most of today flying from Washington to San Francisco and emerged from the plane to a fierce counter-attack, including an especially unpleasant piece from Charles Murray.

Let me respond here to some specific issues in this matter.

1) Was the firing political? Obviously I cannot enter into people’s minds, and at my termination lunch AEI President Arthur Brooks insisted that politics had nothing to do with the decision. So let’s just follow the time line. Waterloo piece is posted Sunday March 22. Wall Street Journal editorial denouncing me appears March 23. Summons to lunch arrives mid-morning of March 23. At lunch I am told that AEI wishes to terminate my salary, office, benefits, and research assistance. I am however at liberty to continue to consider myself part of the AEI family. I declined that offer and wrote a letter of resignation.

(READ MORE)

Filed under: Politics is King

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry

Washington (CNN) – In the White House room where Abigail Adams used to air out her clean laundry, Vice President Joe Biden used some dirty language.

A microphone picked up Biden uttering the "F" word Tuesday in the majestic East Room of the White House, as President Obama signed the historic health care reform bill into law.

After delivering a rousing introduction of the president in which he praised Obama's "perseverance" and "clarity of purpose," Biden turned to embrace his boss.

As the crowd of approximately 300 people cheered wildly, Biden turned to Obama and said with a big smile, "This is a big f– deal!"

The president did not react to the comment, apparently aware that the microphones may have picked up the words.

Shortly after the ceremony, White House Press Secretary used his Twitter feed to try and diffuse any controversy.

"And yes Mr. Vice President, you're right..." Gibbs tweeted from his @PressSec Twitter account.

An aide to the vice president pointed reporters seeking comment to Gibb's tweet.

The vice president is known for unscripted moments, but not in such a high-profile setting as a bill-signing ceremony in the East Room. According to the White House Historical Association, first lady Abigail Adams was famous for using the room to dry her laundry. President John F. Kennedy lay in state in the East Room after his assassination in 1963.

Filed under: Politics is King • Vice President Biden

By Manu Raju
via Politico.com

Senate Democrats on Wednesday sought to inject fresh momentum into efforts to overhaul the filibuster, with top Democrats laying the groundwork to reform the procedural weapon next year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has long been opposed to changing the filibuster, said Wednesday that the Senate was "likely" going to have to make changes to the tool next year – complaining that it has been abused by Republicans.

"The filibuster has been abused. I believe that the Senate should be different than the House and will continue to be different than the House," Reid told liberal bloggers, according to the Huffington Post. "But we're going to take a look at the filibuster. Next Congress, we're going to take a look at it. We are likely to have to make some changes in it, because the Republicans have abused that just like the spitball was abused in baseball and the four-corner offense was abused in basketball."

Reid comments came as we was preparing to meet Wednesday afternoon with junior Democrats who are clamoring for a more confrontational approach to the GOP minority – including a more sustained effort to overhaul the filibuster. And they came after Sen. Chuck Schumer, No. 3 in Senate leadership, announced that his Rules and Administration Committee would hold a series of hearings looking at overhauling the practice.

(READ MORE)

Filed under: Politics is King

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

A spokesman for Marco Rubio says the Senate hopeful, pictured, never charged a back wax to his Republican Party of Florida credit card.

(CNN) – Florida Senate hopeful Marco Rubio never charged a back wax to his Republican Party of Florida credit card, his campaign spokesman told CNN Tuesday, rebutting Gov. Charlie Crist's curious allegation about his Republican primary rival's grooming habits.

So what exactly did Rubio put on his tab during his $134 visit to an upscale Miami salon when he was Florida House speaker?

Rubio's spokesman Alex Burgos has the details:

"Marco paid $20 for a haircut with a razor on the neck, and he bought some items that went into a silent auction, including gift certificates," he said.

Burgos said the salon in question, Churchill's Barber Shop, sells "travel kits and other gift sets that people usually buy around the holidays as gifts."

Filed under: Politics is King

A Primetime Exclusive with former Rep. Eric Massa!

On why he suddenly resigned from Congress…
His admission that he grouped a staffer…
And why he called Pres. Obama’s chief of staff “son of the devil’s spawn”

Massa says he was pushed out of his job over his opposition to the health care reform bill…the White House says that’s “crazy”

We’ll ask him all about it…
Send us your questions for Mr. Massa: Facebook.com/CNNLarryKingLive

PLUS 

Actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch on their climb to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Why did they do it?
How did they do it?  

They punished their bodies and minds…find out what happened as they reached the summit…

Filed under: Africa • Larry King Live • Politics is King

Filed under: Jesse Ventura • Larry King Live • Politics is King • Tea Party

Rep. Eric Massa will be our guest on LKL tonight.  Lots to talk about, including allegations he sexually harassed a male member of his staff.

By Jake Sherman
via Politico.com

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says Rep. Eric Massa’s charge that he was pushed out of the House because of his opposition to the Democrats’ health care bill is “absurd” and “absolutely untrue.”

In a radio interview Sunday, Massa – a Democrat from New York – said that he’s the deciding vote on health care reform and suggested that Democratic leaders had orchestrated his departure from the House in order to get him out of the way.

“This administration and this House leadership have said, quote-unquote, they will stop at nothing to pass this health care bill, and now they’ve gotten rid of me and it will pass,” Massa said. “You connect the dots.”

Hoyer denied the charge in a session with reporters Tuesday morning.

Massa also attacked Rahm Emanuel during the radio interview, accusing the White House chief of staff of accosting him about President Barack Obama’s budget while both men were naked in the house gym.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs had harsh words for Massa Tuesday.

(READ MORE)

Filed under: Larry King Live • Politics is King