Daily Briefing: Fearless and Inventive Scum

Dennis Hastert may look like “a cross between actor Wilford Brimley and Jabba the Hutt,” but “nobody really fears him.” [WP]
Tony Snow is the first White House press secretary to make fund raising appearances. He’ll quit if it interferes “with his day job.” [NYT]
Republicans are “effectively conceding some Senate and House seats with the goal of retaining at least a thin margin of control when the 110th Congress is seated next January.” [NYT]
Forsaken by leaders, the GOP tries to save Santorum with grassroots efforts. [LAT]
For insurance companies, American farms themselves are the cash crop. [WP]
Majority of Americans don’t vote in midterm elections due to restrictive registration rules, spite. [WSJ]
No deaths reported in yesterday’s powerful earthquake in Hawaii. [USAT]