• 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.

• Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) calls in at 7:06am Pacific to talk about the omnibus spending bill and earmarks.

• Karl Frisch with Media Matters for America calls in at 8:06am Pacific to talk about their monitoring of Rush Limbaugh and his diatribes of hate.

• Two Senate Dems, Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, urged President Obama yesterday to veto a $410 billion spending bill and said they are going to vote against it, criticizing it for its cost and for including too many personal pet projects.

• The Obama administration’s foreclosure prevention program was launched yesterday. It calls for companies to help as many as 4 million struggling borrowers by modifying loans so housing payments are no more than 31% of monthly gross income, and it will allow some to refinance into lower-cost loans even if they have little or no equity.

• Former White House political adviser Karl Rove and counsel Harriet Miers have agreed to face questions from Congress about allegations of improper political influence in the Justice Department. Both will give depositions to investigators from the committee, and claims of privilege will be “significantly limited.”

• Former first lady Barbara Bush underwent heart surgery yesterday in Texas. She is said to be “fine” and “awake” today.

Hey everyone… as you probably can tell, Steph isn’t here today because she’s taking care of a family emergency, so enjoy Frangela and The Mooks today!!

• Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about President Obama’s new budget, the economy, and Obama’s speech to Congress this week.

• President Obama told congressional leaders yesterday he’s planning to pull all combat troops out of Iraq by August 2010, which falls short of his campaign promise of bringing all combat forces home within 16 months. Obama also said he plans to keep 35,000 to 50,000 support troops on the ground in Iraq after combat troops are out.

• President Obama yesterday unveiled a $3 trillion-plus budget that he says will halve the federal deficit by the end of his first term. The budget for fiscal year 2010 includes substantial investments in health care reform, renewable energy, and education. Obama also projects the deficit for fiscal year 2009 will reach $1.75 trillion.

• The government is on the verge of closing a deal that could significantly boost its ownership stake in Citigroup to 40% from 8% today. In return, it will demand changes be made on the troubled banking giant’s board and other conditions.

• The mayor of Los Alamitos, CA says he will resign after being criticized for sharing an e-mail picture depicting the White House lawn planted with watermelons under the title “No Easter egg hunt this year.”