Specter Stumbles, Joe the Plumber, National Day of Prayer, and D.C. Vouchers

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

Who Are You Calling a Republican?

The Fix's Chris Cillizza wonders whether Democrats might want to give Sen. Arlen Specter back to the GOP before it's too late. Perhaps they can have Joe the Plumber instead. Yup, Samuel Wurzelbacher has party issues, too. Says Eric Kleefeld at TPM of "Mr. The Plumber": "If he's not willing to call himself a Republican, they're really in trouble." At least Mr. The Plumber has a choice. As Mary Kate Cary shares from our Thomas Jefferson Street blog, Rush Limbaugh has ordered Colin Powell out of the GOP. Was it something he said? Oh, yes. And Cary has something to add: "Powell is right. Limbaugh is killing the Republican Party." Some Dems feel "David Obey (D-Incredibly Irresponsible)" is killing theirs, says Michael Goldfarb at the Weekly Standard.

Politics and Religion Don't Mix

The religious right left behind? Political Animal's Steve Benen wonders how a snub from the GOP will go over with social conservatives. "What I suspect will happen is that Boehner, Steele, and others will start quietly telling religious right leaders, 'Don't worry, we're still with you. We're not talking about your issues, but this is just p.r.' " His prediction: not gonna work. And how about that National Day of Prayer? Jimmy Orr at the Christian Science Monitor reminds that "Obama did not outlaw tradition," he just changed things up. It's a free country. And in that spirit, those who disagree felt free to loudly ... disagree. Wayne Slater at the Dallas Morning News settles it by pulling out the big gun, a biblical blogger by the name of Matthew. Yeah, what he said.

A Raise by Any Other Name

House members are hoping to boost their office budgets by $90 million for expected expenses of the 2010 election year. According to the request, "In an election year the expenditures increase and then decrease in a non-election year" Huh? Ed Morrissey at Hot Air smells a rat: "An election year should present the same cost as any other year, not a biannual drain on the Treasury to allow incumbents to protect themselves at public expense." RedState's Moe Lane doesn't mince words. Just guessing we'll hear more on this.

... Meanwhile ...

Tim Geithner: "Too big to fail" ... Jim Geraghty at NRO's Campaign Spot wonders who really persuaded President Obama to do an about-face on D.C. school vouchers (hint: they recently got their way on a pooch, too)... and that insect Stephen Colbert...