All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

It's only November, but fears over the H1N1 virus have already hit a fever pitch, with some Americans uneasy about their lack of access to a vaccine that's in relatively short supply.

There are signs, however, that H1N1 may turn out to be less deadly than many feared. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a report last week which shows similarities between H1N1 and other strains circulating in the population since 1988. According to the NIH, healthy adults may have a degree of immunity that can blunt the severity of an H1N1 infection.

Quest Diagnostics, which provides clinical laboratory services globally, also released a report last Friday stating that rates of infection by the H1N1 virus may have peaked in late October due to the impact of H1N1 vaccinations and changes in physician test-ordering practices.

So how bad is this pandemic really turning out to be? Some medical experts are calling for officials to inform the public that, despite the hype, the worst-case scenario has not, and likely will not, come to pass.

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On "Washington Unplugged" Thursday, CBS News' Marc Ambinder said that while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has an uphill battle getting the health care he bill introduced last night passed, not all hope is lost

He noted how important the votes of Democratic Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.) , Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), as well Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), are to the bill's chance of passage. "Their biggest stated concern is that the bill will add to the deficit over ten years," Ambinder explained, adding that the White House and Democratic leaders are encouraged because the Reid plan was estimated to decrease the deficit.

"It removes a major obstacle to moderates supporting it," he said. And the White House may have reason to rejoice.

"The White House strategy amounts to three words," CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller said. "Get it passed."

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Hundreds gathered at the Barnes & Noble in Grand Rapids, Mich., in the wee hours of the morning, facing temperatures that dipped into the 30's. But the crowd didn't mind a sleepless night in the cold, as long as they got the chance to meet Sarah Palin, who will be signing copies of her book, "Going Rouge" later today.

Reporter Jessica Wheeler with CBS affiliate WWMT spoke with fans of the former Governor of Alaska. "She's got a lot of support here in Grand Rapids -- as you can see," said Brad Osburn, a Palin supporter.

As some fans praised Palin, others offered their support. "She's a strong woman -- she says what she means and means what she says," said resident Tamara Miller.

"I think the media has crucified her and I'm here to support her," added Emese Kalmoki.

Palin continues her book tour Thursday in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Watch Jessica Wheeler's full report above.

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Attorney General Eric Holder's decision last week to try five detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison facility in New York City, among them self-proclaimed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, has come under fire from many Republican lawmakers and some family members of those killed in the terrorist attacks.

Most Democrats are defending the decision, noting that New York has been the setting for other high-profile terrorism trials. But Republicans argue that the detainees are war criminals and should be tried in military tribunals.

Several questions have been raised since the announcement, chief among them this: Will New Yorkers be in more danger than they otherwise would be when the trials takes place? And on the other side, will it serve to illustrate the ideals of the American legal system?

On Monday's "Washington Unplugged," Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, the former Commanding General of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team in Iraq and now a Senior Advisor with the National Security Network, and Hamilton Peterson of Keep America Safe, who lost his father and stepmother on United Flight 93, debated the issue.

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It was a night of stars in Washington at the Kennedy Center as many famous names came to honor their friend and comic legend Bill Cosby, who became the 12th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for Humor. Past winners include Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg and George Carlin.

Washington Unplugged caught up with Cosby and some of Hollywood's biggest names at the event Monday night.

Cosby kept his trademark sense of humor as fans were cheering behind him for Jerry Seinfeld, "We're having a wonderful time and it's supposed to be about me, but you can hear that they're cheering some other people, so I just feel lost."

"Mr. Cosby saved a network. He also presented one of the most truthful and positive images of America to the entire world," said Phylicia Rashad, his co-star for 8 seasons on The Cosby Show.

"I don't even think this award begins to acknowledge his contribution to American comedy. I think he's the greatest American comedian that has ever lived," said Seinfeld.

"He's written me a lot of checks to not make jokes about him," quipped Chris Rock and added, "Bill Cosby's about as good as it gets. He's the best comedian I've ever seen. He's the best comedian working today."

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In Monday's Washington Post, Pentagon Correspondent Greg Jaffe and Associate Editor Karen DeYoung reported that Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, oversaw a secret "war-game" earlier this month, evaluating two military options put forward by the Pentagon. The Obama Administration is weighing these strategies as part of a review of the war in Afghanistan.

Jaffe spoke with CBS News' John Dickerson on Monday's Washington Unplugged. "They had a war game in the basement of the Pentagon; they brought in outsiders to play the Taliban, to play the Pakistani Government, to play the Afghan Government."

What were those two scenarios? Jaffe explains, "One is 10-15,000 soldier increase, which would primarily accelerate the growth of the Afghan Security Forces. The other was a 44,000 increase which would allow them to do what they think of as a full-blown insurgency strategy."

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In an ongoing investigation into the serious breaches by security guards during wild parties at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, CBS News learned that complaints against ArmorGroup, the private company that provides the Embassy security, reached the office of Former State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard in 2007.

Yet nothing was done, as the complaint was apparently "lost."

Krongard faced a serious conflict of interest: His brother Buzzy was on ArmorGroup's board of directors at the time. CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson asked Howard Krongard if he was aware of his brother's position on "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday.

"No. 1 I'm not sure why I should've known, but No. 2 he never told me," he responded.

Krongard maintains there was no conflict because he and his brother "lead separate lives."

When asked if he would have liked to have known in retrospect, Krongard replied, "If you're asking me do I think that either ArmorGroup or he should have told me, yes. It wouldn't have made any difference, as I say; I never had anything to do with ArmorGroup."

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President Obama got heckled again today, this time at a health care rally at the University of Maryland.

One angry attendee at the rally in College Park, Md., shouted "Obama you're a liar. Obama, your health care kills children. Abortion is murder."

The heckler drew boos from the supportive crowd and, as he was escorted out of the building by officials, some threw cups and crumpled bags at him.

Only pausing for a moment, the president asked, "What's going on?" and quickly picked up from where he left off. Watch the video at left.

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Perhaps there was too much dust in the room, or a bad case of allergies prevented NBC's Chuck Todd from covering his mouth when he sneezed as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was speaking during Thursday's White House briefing.

Sebelius gave Todd a mock scolding, pantomiming the correct way to cover up a sneeze. She asked the other reporters in the room, "Who's got some Purell? Give that to Mr. Todd right away."

Sebelius jokingly suggested Elmo, fresh off his public health ad campaign which, among other things, promotes sneezing into ones arms, give Todd a special briefing. "Elmo knows how to sneeze," Sebelius quipped.

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President Obama gave an impassioned speech to turn the tide of dissent over health care reform, but was it enough?

According to Steve Chaggaris, CBS News Director of Political Coverage, "It will take a few days to shake out whether Americans were swayed by what he said tonight."

Chaggaris also notes that his decision to keep a public option plan isn't going over well with some moderate Republicans he hopes to court, namely Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who expressed her wish that the President took a public option off the table.

Watch Steve Chaggaris' analysis of President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress above.