Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have agreed to help the U.S. disaster relief efforts in Haiti, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill Thursday.

Amtrak announced Thursday that its trains will now have free Wi-Fi. USA Today said that Acela Express trains serving D.C., New York and Boston will be able to use the new technology by March.
 
This comes with addition of leather seats, more electrical outlets and new tray tables, all an attempt to make passengers happy.

A new book about the 2008 election, Game Change, has comedian Stephen Colbert questioning author John Heilemann of New York Magazine about the accuracy and reliability of his sources. Heilemann was on The Colbert Report last night to talk about it.

John Heilemann on 'The Colbert Report'

Posted to New York Magazine by video on January 13, 2010

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Larsen called Zook's dad on Wednesday after he learned that Katie was on her way from Haiti to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for medical treatment.

"Next stop is to fly her to Miami, where [parents] Greg and Donna can meet her," Larsen said.

"It's part of what we do, we want to be helpful."

Larsen said he couldn't speculate on whether other members of Congress are facing similar situations, but "if the most Northwesterly district in the continental U.S. has people there, then the rest likely do, too."

Author Mark Heilmann sat down with Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert Wednesday, to talk about his best-selling book, "Game Change," which he co-authored with Mark Halperin.

Colbert's character, a conservative megalomaniac, ribbed Heilmann for the book's use of anonymous sources to make personal allegations, and he complained that he wasn't included in the book, which chronicles the 2008 presidential campaign.

"I ran for president and I'm not in your book," said Colbert, referring to his 2007 attempt to get on the ballot in his home state of South Carolina (his request was rejected, citing worries about his "seriousness").

Heilmann told Cobert that he and Halperin wrote an entire chapter about Colbert's short-lived bid, but it was rejected by publishers due to space constraints. The book is 464 pages.

Democrats on Capitol Hill have been out-tweeted by their counterparts. According to a New York Times article, Republicans have welcomed the social networking platform Twitter more than Democrats.
 
A new study released by the public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard said that Republicans in the House sent out 29,162 tweets through Jan. 3. Democrats only sent out 5,503. The Senate tally was 6,310 tweets for Republicans and 4,126 for Democrats.
 
The study analyzed Twitter feeds from members of Congress during the first week in November. The study will be available online on Thursday.
 

Amid recent controversies over the unauthorized use of images of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, the online retailer Blue Q has quietly been selling the "Mighty Michelle" shopping tote, which features an image of the first lady on a swing.

Blue Q told Obama food-o-rama, which first reported on the tote, that it has become one of the company's best sellers since it was introduced a few months ago.

While not officially approved by the White House, the bag is reusable, eco-friendly, and might be just right for a trip to a farmer's market. Mrs. Obama is a strong proponent of locally grown produce and farmers markets, and she's made healthy eating a cornerstone of her agenda.

A spokeswoman for the first lady's office declined to comment on the bag.

While it is not illegal to use an image of the president or the first lady in a commercial capacity, the White House discourages it, and usually requests that such images be taken down.

The Weatherproof Garment Company and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have both removed billboards in recent weeks with unauthorized images of the Obamas after the White House complained. 

H/T: Obama food-o-rama

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is using his old weight joke in a new fundraising plea for Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley's Senate campaign.

The e-mail states, "I fervently wish that we had not seen the de facto amendment to the U.S. Constitution that requires sixty votes to  pass any legislation in the Senate. But I also wish that I could eat more and not gain weight."

He adds, "I've learned not to act on my wishes when there is no short-term chance of their being accomplished."

Conservative pundits Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter on Tuesday night bickered with each other on the air.

During a panel discussion on Sen. Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) racially insensitive remarks, Coulter (pictured here with Hannity at an event for her book "Treason") told Hannity that his analogies "are terrible."

Coulter was annoyed that Rev. Al Sharpton and Hannity were discussing Rev. Jeremiah Wright in tackling the Reid controversy. Wright, the former pastor of former President Barack Obama, attracted many headlines during the 2008 presidential race.

After Coulter ripped Hannity's use of analogies, Hannity responded, "Why don't you get to your point instead of complaining about it? Go ahead!"

A smiling Sharpton said, "I'm so happy that I have the right fighting each other tonight."