Morning Buzz: Feb. 7, 2008

Senate Democrats are looking hangdog today after their Republican colleagues blocked a Democrat-backed effort to add $44 billion to the economic stimulus package that is stalled in the Senate. Legislators are now under increasing pressure from the White House to pass the House-approved plan. "To be effective, this economic growth package must be timely, so it is crucial that the Senate now move quickly to pass a bill that will deliver relief to our economy," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

It appears that Barack Obama's financial standing is rising along with his political fortune. His campaign raised nearly $6 million yesterday, the day after he won primaries or caucuses in 13 states.

The ravaging winds have died down, and cleanup and healing have just begun for residents living in the Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama towns trashed by this week's series of tornadoes, which killed at least 55 people and injured hundreds more. The set of twisters that tore up the South was the deadliest in more than two decades. The National Weather Service had issued more than 1,000 tornado warnings from 3 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. yesterday in 11 states.