ABC This Week with Jake Tapper: Treasury Secy. Tim Geithner, George Will, Peggy Noonan, Ruth Marcus, Al Hunt and John Podesta.

Bloomberg Political Capitol with Al Hunt: Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).

CBS Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

CNN GPS with Fareed Zakaria: Jordan's King Abdullah II.

CNN State of the Union with Candy Crowley: Secy. of State Hillary Clinton. Dana Bash, Chris Cillizza and Jane Mayer.

Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin; Mark Skoda, "tea party" spokesman; Bill Sammon; Bill Kristol; and Juan Williams and Mara Liasson of NPR.

NBC Meet the Press with David Gregory: John Brennan, presidential security adviser; former Treasury Secy. Henry Paulson; Alan Greenspan, ex-chairman Federal Reserve; Ed Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Dee Dee Myers, former press secretary to President Clinton.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Associated Press

ABC News reported late Friday night that former U.S. President Bill Clinton had denied any plans to effectively take over governing the impoverished and now devastated island country of Haiti.

Clinton, a Democrat who was term-limited out of U.S. office in 2001 after eight years, runs two foundations in Haiti, is the special United Nations envoy to that country and had said he was "prepared to spend years" there.

So, ABC's Cynthia McFadden reported on "Nightline," that she asked the 42d American president if he would effectively be taking over and running the country.

"No," said Clinton, who will turn 64 this year. "That's important."

The husband of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama's secretary of State, added:

Over time, Haiti has been through being abused and exploited by its neighbors, and being ignored. And then being helped in a way that was not designed to enable them to stand on their own two feet and help themselves. We don't want any of those three things.

Clinton is on his second trip to Haiti since it was struck by a massive earthquake that killed thousands on Jan. 12. McFadden asked Clinton if rebuilding would be a full-time job for him?

"I don't know," the former governor answered. "I'm still working through my authority and capacity for the United Nations."

He said the existing government there headed by President Rene Preval has many remaining serious challenges including improving food distribution and health and sanitary conditions. In fact, having lost all its buildings, offices and many senior employees, the national government is currently working out of a local police headquarters.

But the government is making long-term recovery plans, Clinton insisted.

"They're going to do much better," he added.

So, no Clinton inaugural balls in Haiti just yet.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Associated Press (file).

Ronald Reagan was born on this day 99 years ago, and his presidential library is preparing to mark the day in style with a live webcast of the festivities from the facility near Simi Valley, Calif.

The webcast will be streamed on the library’s website starting at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time. Elizabeth Dole will be the featured speaker.

As our colleague Richard Simon reports, plans are taking shape to mark the Reagan centennial next year:

"Events are planned across the country: A Reagan-themed float will grace Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena during the Rose Parade on Jan. 1. His boyhood home of Dixon, Ill., has commissioned an original piece of music — the “Reagan Suite” — to honor him. A program at Eureka College, from which Reagan graduated, will reflect on his Midwestern roots. Warner Bros. has been contacted about a possible event looking at the former president’s Hollywood years. An effort is even underway to name a mountain in Nevada after him."

 Follow this link for Simon’s full report.

 -- Steve Padilla

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Photo: Ronald Reagan in 1989. Credit: Los Angeles Times.

Weekly remarks by President Obama, as provided by the White House

Even though our economy is growing again, these are still tough times for America. Too many businesses are still shuttered.  Too many families can’t make ends meet. And while yesterday, we learned that the unemployment rate has dropped below 10% for the first time since summer, it is still unacceptably high – and too many Americans still can’t find work. 

But what we must remember at a time like this is that we are not helpless in the face of our difficulties.  As Americans, we make our own destiny.  We forge our own path.  And I am confident that if we come together and put aside the politics that keeps holding us back, we can do that again. We can rebuild this economy on a new, stronger foundation that leads to more jobs and greater prosperity.

I believe a key part of that foundation is America’s small businesses – the places where most new jobs begin. 

These companies represent the essence of the American spirit – the promise that anyone....

If the National Tea Party Convention hoped to keep its focus on political organizing and its message on limited government, it has had little success so far.

Capping the first full day of the meeting, right-wing instigator Joseph Farah spent much of his dinner speech questioning whether President Obama was born in Hawaii and casting doubt on whether the president was legitimately elected.

“The media, the politicians … all say, no, it’s all been settled. I say, if it’s been settled show us the birth certificate. Simple,” Farah’s said, as his remarks were cheered by the roughly 600 activists gathered in Nashville for the event.

Farah runs WorldNetDaily.com, a conservative tabloid, book publisher and tireless critic of the administration.  He dismissed those who say he is obsessed with the birth certificate issue saying, “I admit it, I’m obsessed with the Constitution.”

Farah said he believed establishing lineage was important for leaders, using Jesus’ genealogical ties to King David as an example. Obama has produced his official Hawaii birth certificate; though those associated with the “birther” movement claim they want to see a copy of the original document issued.

Farah’s comments followed remarks from former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo on Thursday night in which Tancredo called Obama a “committed socialist ideologue.”

Farah went on to urge tea party activists to think beyond winning congressional elections in November and “take over not only the political institutions, but the cultural institutions, like the press, the entertainment industry, the universities, and yes the churches.”

“Are you ready to engage in a cultural war after we take back Congress?”

“Yes!” the crowd yelled back.

-- Kathleen Hennessey

Photo: Bill Bruss of Winfield, Ill., gives away plastic bags in the vendor area at the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville on Friday. Credit: Associated Press.

Virtually everywhere President Obama goes outside the White House, a press pool follows, composed of media members taking turns on this usually thankless duty. Their notes are then distributed to many others as community property and provide the media fodder for much subsequent presidential coverage.

Today, Obama went to the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency, which is not so secretly located in Langley, Va. The solemn occasion was a memorial service for the seven CIA officers killed in a Dec. 30 suicide bombing in Afghanistan. We published the president's redacted remarks here earlier this afternoon.

The service was, however, closed like so many of Joe Biden's meetings, meaning no media allowed. So the media pool people were kept in a hallway carefully pre-swept of any secrets.

According to print pool reporter Mike Madden of Salon.com, after some serious negotiations with CIA police and Secret Service agents, the pool was permitted to move into the nearby CIA gift shop.

Right! A spy agency gift shop. Who knew?

Proceeds from the gift shop go to scholarships for children of CIA employees.

But at the cash register, Madden noticed a printed warning not intended for his non-covert eyes:

"Don't forget! If you are undercover, you cannot charge! It will blow your cover."

Make sure you destroy this item after reading.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Jason Reed / Reuters

If the 2008 presidential election were an Apple commercial, there's little question who would play the dorky PC and who would be the hip, laid-back Mac guy.

It's probably no surprise that President Obama's staffers are apparently slaves to the Mac. Take a look at the kid's corner in the photo on top -- three MacBook Pros.

We don't know if Obama himself is a member of the Apple or Windows party, but we do know he favors the BlackBerry over Apple's iPhone -- even though the administration's first foray into mobile was an iPhone app. But clearly several of the staff members who make his administration click are on the Mac bandwagon.

However, we did find this picture of the Outer Oval Office's desk adorned by what looks like a Dell computer. Naturally, the guy using the PC appears to lack that youthful glow of the Mac women above.

-- Mark Milian

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Photo: White House staff and others use laptop computers to monitor President  Obama's live interview on YouTube in the library of the White House on Monday.  Credit: Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

A week ago, Rick Boucher's seat as a Virginia House representative was very much in question. He may be losing popularity among a section of his constituents.

But the Democratic representative won some definite points on Thursday with a large tech-savvy crowd.

In Thursday's congressional hearing for the proposed Comcast-NBC Universal merger, Boucher revived an issue that infuriated a vocal sect of Internet TV consumers.

Boucher rather astutely asked the NBC Universal chief executive why his Hulu website had blocked a service called Boxee from accessing its content last year.

NBC's Jeff Zucker fumbled over the question, creating more doubts than answers. But technology commentators and observers went into a tizzy over this politician who was plugged-in enough to know what's worth asking.

Boxee is a media center program that runs on most computers and can be connected to a television set. Its nearly one-million early technology adopters use it to access various free television shows, music and movies on the Web -- including those offered by online television portal Hulu.

Boucher may be losing popularity among the heavy coal-producing constituents in his Virginia region thanks to his vote for cap-and-trade legislation last year. So much so that Boucher, who's faced with running for his 15th term this year, felt compelled to address the doubt head on.

"I am planning to seek reelection. I have given no consideration to retiring," Boucher wrote in a statement. "While I never make political announcements this early in the year, due to the press inquiries we are receiving, it is time to remove any doubt anyone has about my intentions."

He might consider pulling a Ron Paul. There's probably enough geeks in Virginia to make a grass-roots, Web-fueled campaign worthwhile.

-- Mark Milian

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Image: Rep. Rick Boucher. Captured from CSPAN video

On Dec. 30, seven operatives of the Central Intelligence Agency were killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

Today, both President Obama and CIA Director Leon Panetta spoke at a closed memorial service at the agency's Virginia headquarters. Seven new stars are added to the CIA's Memorial Wall.

Remarks by President Obama at CIA Memorial Service, as provided and redacted by the White House

THE PRESIDENT:  America’s intelligence agencies are a community, and the CIA is a family.  That is how we gather here today.  I speak as a grateful Commander-in-Chief who relies on you.  There are members of Congress here who support you.  Leaders -- Leon Panetta, Steve Kappes -- who guide you.  And most of all, family, friends and colleagues who love you and grieve with you.

For more than 60 years, the security of our nation has demanded that the work of this agency remain largely unknown. But today, our gratitude as citizens demands that we speak of seven American patriots who loved their country and gave their lives to defend it:

[Names redacted.]

They came from different corners of our country -- men and women -- and each walked their own path to that rugged base in the mountains. Some had come to this work after a lifetime of protecting others -- in law enforcement, in the military; one was just a few years out of college.

Some had devoted years, decades, even, to unraveling the dark web of terrorists that....

Quick update on the unfolding Republican primary race for Texas governor:

As The Ticket previously reported, incumbent Gov. Rick Perry is being challenged by GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and by Debra Medina, a businesswoman and Tea Party supporter who's become a wild-card third wheel in what was supposed to be a slugging match between two Establishment heavyweights who've never really liked each other anyway.

Last month they had their initial debate for the March 2 primary and everyone avoided any major gaffes, which is a major point of these confrontations. The lesser-known Medina, however, got valuable statewide TV exposure.

In another place at these perilous economic times the votes might become a referendum on the incumbent, Republican Perry, who is seeking an unprecedented third four-year term in a term-limit-free state.

But Texas has become Republican country, so the blame is aimed at the incumbent you-know-who in the White House who's spending all that taxpayer money.

In November of 2008 it wasn't even close for Democrat Obama, who lost Texas to John McCain, 55-44. Currently, only 41% of Texans approve of the Democrat's job, roughly 8-0 points below Obama's national approval.

A previous Rasmussen survey of likely Republican voters found Perry leading Hutchison 44-29 with Medina trailing at 16.

Now comes word, via a new Rasmussen Reports Poll, that Medina is gaining some traction and today all three of the Republicans lead the likely Democratic challenger, Houston Mayor Bill White.

Hutchison still performs the best, beating White by 13 points, 49-36. Perry is second-best in that hypothetical matchup, defeating White by nine, 48-39.

But now, Rasmussen's telephone poll finds, Medina would defeat White 41-38. That's a reversal from last month when White's totals put him ahead of her, 44-38. Medina has gone from 4% in November to 12% in January and now 16%, apparently by cutting into Hutchison's support.

The new results showing growth in support for the Tea Party candidate come as the party holds a national convention in Nashville, where Sarah Palin is the keynote speaker Saturday night. On Sunday, she campaigns in Houston with Perry.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Getty Images (file 2008); Debra Medina campaign.

President Obama has named Tim Purdon as the chief federal prosecutor for North Dakota.

As of early Friday morning, the White House transparent appointments website was not displaying the name of the 41-year-old Bismarck trial lawyer as being an Obama appointee.

But the White House released his name on Thursday and the entire North Dakota congressional delegation has already issued a public congratulations on his appointment.

According to the news release from Rep. Earl Pomeroy and Sens. Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad, all Democrats:

“Tim is an outstanding choice for U.S. Attorney. He is well respected and an example of how dedication, education, and hard work pay off.  He has a distinguished record and has proven his ability to enforce the law with conviction and courage,” the Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. 

“We are confident he will make a fine U.S. Attorney, upholding the Constitution and protecting all North Dakotans.”

Purdon is a prominent Democratic donor and fundraiser, a national committeeman and was state chairman for the aborted presidential campaign of John Edwards, another trial lawyer.

In a news release about Purdon and another nominee Obama was quoted as saying he has "no doubt that they will be relentless in their pursuit of justice."

Purdon tells the Bismarck Tribune he's "humbled" by the president's nomination and looks forward to Senate confirmation and starting work as replacement for the acting U.S. Attorney, Lynn Jordheim, who's been serving in the job since September when Drew Wrigley, a Bush appointee, resigned.

According to the Vogel law firm website, Purdon specializes in personal injury lawsuits, criminal defense and class action litigation for the plaintiffs.

A lawyer since 1995, Purdon has no experience as a prosecutor.

Federal Election Commission records, however, show Purdon has donated more than $12,000 in recent years to Obama, Dorgan, Pomeroy and Conrad, among others.

Bill Brudvik, a disappointed candidate for the U.S. Attorney's spot, told the Fargo Forum: "When President Obama said he wanted to restore the independence and dignity of the U.S. attorney’s office, in light of the Alberto Gonzales fiasco, and then appoints a political activist and party fundraiser, it seems a little to me more like ‘politics as usual’ than ‘change we can believe in.’"

To pick Purdon, Obama's Justice Department passed over Asst. U.S. Attorney Janice Morley.

It is, of course, common practice for presidents to name their own supporters to the 93 U.S. Attorney positions around the country, although many do have at least some prosecutorial experience.

When the last president, George W. Bush, tried to replace some U.S. Attorneys, there was such a hue and cry from Congress about a Republican administration "politicizing" the U.S. Justice Department. It was like some Attorneygate. The criticism and denunciations and even congressional hearings continued for some time because it was such a big deal.

Of course, that was when the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress.. And they still do. So Obama may have stirred up a real political hornets nest and face some very stern -- oh, wait! In 2008 voters added the White House to the control of Democrats.

So, the chances of a Democratic Congress making a stink for a Democratic president over the White House politicizing the Democratic Justice Department by naming a Democratic National Committee member and Democratic donor as a federal prosecutor is right around the temperature in North Dakota this time of year --  absolute zero.

Nevermind.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Vogel Law Firm   Hat Tip: Scott Hennen

The crucial independent voters of notoriously independent New Hampshire, the ones who were so vital to Barack Obama's 2008 victory there and nationally, are fast falling out of love with the Democrat.

A new WMUR Granite State Poll of 500 voters by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center finds the president's support has slipped below 50% now. In the early 2008 Democratic primary there, voters preferred Hillary Clinton to Obama, 39 to 36. But come November they gave the Illinoisan 54% to John McCain's 45%.

Now, only 48% approve of Obama's presidential job, and 47% disapprove. The Democrat's decline mirrors a national trend though slightly lower.

The new New Hampshire numbers reveal that the candidate who vowed to change the polarization of American politics has indeed done so, but not by dispelling it. Voters there are now....