• Eunice Kennedy Shriver, former President John F. Kennedy’s sister and founder of The Special Olympics, has died. The 88-year-old Shriver had been hospitalized in Massachusetts since last week. Members of her extended family had gathered at her bedside at Cape Cod Hospital in Barnstable.

• President Obama said yesterday that the United States remains Mexico’s partner in the fight against drug cartels, despite some calls in the U.S. to delay counter-narcotics aid because of alleged human rights violations by Mexican soldiers. Mexican President Felipe Calderon reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and human rights in his offensive against the cartels.

• President Obama yesterday praised the spirited debate over his health care plan and predicted “sensible and reasoned arguments” would ultimately prevail in Congress. Obama faces a potentially boisterous health care reform town hall in New Hampshire today.

• South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) broke state law when he charged taxpayers for more expensive business and first-class flights, according to the chairman of the legislative committee investigating Sanford’s international travel. State Sen. David Thomas (R) said that is an impeachable offense.

• Administration officials defended President Obama’s broad health care proposals yesterday and urged a skeptical public not to judge the Dems’ overhaul until Congress writes the final version. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that it’s “a work in progress,” and said “more will be done. The House and Senate are committed to working with the president to get this done.

• Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the top GOPer on the Senate committee reviewing Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination said yesterday her testimony did not settle his concerns about elevating her to the Supreme Court. “I was troubled by a number of the things the nominee has said, a number of the rulings she has made,” he said.

• The House Intelligence Committee will investigate whether the CIA broke the law by not telling Congress earlier about a secret program to deploy hit teams to kill individual Al Qaida members. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) announced the investigation in a statement on Friday.

• A self-described “more contrite” South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford wrote an op-ed, published in newspapers around South Carolina yesterday, trying to win forgiveness after admitting to an affair and being incommunicado while he left the state for several days. He vowed to “begin the journey of trying to get things more right with you and others.”

John Fugelsang

Of course, the big topic of the morning will be Michael Jackson’s death, but we will also touch on Farrah Fawcett’s death, and weave a little Iran and Mark Sanford in there.  Enjoy!

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• Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.

• Penn Jillette calls in at 8:05am Pacific to talk about the new season of “Penn & Teller: Bullsh**” on Showtime

• Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about movement on the energy reform bill.

• South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R), just back from a secret trip to Argentina unknown to his staff or his wife, admitted yesterday he has carried on an extramarital affair with a woman in Buenos Aires. In a press conference yesterday, Sanford apologized to his wife and 4 sons, his staff and supporters, and said he would resign immediately as the head of the Republican Governors’ Association.

• A ceremony today to remember the victims of Iran’s post-election protests has been postponed – a day after security forces crushed a planned demonstration with a show of force. The event has been postponed for a week, but no specific rescheduled date was given.

• President Obama took his case for major health care reform to the airwaves last night in a nationally televised health care forum while congressional negotiators tackled numerous proposals relating to coverage and cost control.

• Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.

• Comedian Hal Sparks joins us in studio at 8:05am Pacific to hang out and talk about the news of the day.

• President Obama sharpened his language on Iran yesterday, saying at a news conference, “The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days,” adding that he strongly condemns “these unjust actions.”

• President Obama yesterday squared off with the insurance lobby over industry charges that a government health plan he back would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for 50 years and overtake the system.

• South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s aides say he was stunned by all the fuss over his five-day absence and would cut short a secretive hike along the Appalachian Trail. He is expected back in his office today.

• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) apologized to his GOP colleagues for his affair with a staff member, which has already caused him to step down from his party leadership post and could threaten his Senate career.