SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:06 P.M. ET: 

STRIKEOUT – From The Hill:  "The Senate failed on Wednesday to override President Obama’s veto of legislation approving the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline, falling five votes short of the two-thirds majority needed in a 62-37 vote.  It’s the first time Congress has voted on whether to override a veto from Obama and could be a sign of things to come, with Republicans in charge of the House and Senate.  Eight Democrats voted with Republicans to override Obama: Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Mark Warner (Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Bob Casey Jr. (Pa.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Tom Carper (Del.) and Jon Tester (Mont.).  Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), who backs the pipeline, missed the vote."  Disgraceful, just disgraceful.  The nation backs the pipeline in every poll.  Congress voted it.  Workers need it.  And Obama vetoes it to satisfy environmental extremists.  Too bad there weren't more independent-thinking Democrats who would buck this radical president.

DEPRESSING – Dem Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate to succeed the retiring Barbara Mikulski.  Van Hollen is typical of the "progressive" Democrats who now dominate the once-responsible Democratic Party.  He's a favorite of Nancy Pelosi and favors the Palestinian side in the Mideast.  (His daughter lives in Ramallah, on the West Bank.)  Not good news for those who wish the Democratic Party would grow up.  Maryland is a Democratic state, although it just elected a Republican governor.  Anything can happen in the Senate race.

DUMP HILLARY? – Latest revelations about Hillary Clinton maintaining a private, unapproved, insecure e-mail account, with a private server, while secretary of state, are adding to Dem apprehensions about her as a candidate.  It's clear the base of the party would prefer someone to her left.  Clinton is still well ahead of any challenger for the nomination, but that could change if more comes out that reinforces an already bad image of her as secretive, dishonest, and someone who doesn't believe the rules apply to her.  If Clinton's presidential effort should weaken, Dems would be hard pressed to come up with a winning candidate.  Elizabeth Warren would be the quick favorite, but watching Warren campaign is about as exciting as emptying the dishwasher.

COLD CAUCUS – From The Hill:  "Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Wednesday that senators were launching an Arctic caucus, which will focus on helping build U.S. leadership in the region.  The Alaska Republican and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) are forming the caucus, which will include discussions on a range of issues including defense, energy, environment and trade.  'I'm calling on colleagues in the Senate to join me, to step up, to help us not only build out policy initiatives, but really take that leadership role we should be doing as an Arctic nation,' she said from the Senate floor. 'Embrace your inner-Arctic self.'"  I think they should make Al Gore an honorary member, and prove to him that there's still ice in America.

March 4, 2015