Every day we ask influential politicos to send us their top three bullet points that are driving the day's conversation inside and outside Washington.

It’s Wednesday. Growing up in Boston that meant “Prince Spaghetti Day.” Here in Washington, it is Jay Carney debut day. White House press secretary is a great job, an awful job and an awkward job — all at once. It’s not easy being a paid advocate for the president AND a conduit for questions from the press corps. Add in the pressure of a huge spending debate and the coming of the re-election campaign. Fun. Spending is the biggest debate in town today, with the Obama Cabinet fanned across Capitol Hill to defend the president’s budget and Republicans greeting them with complaints it doesn’t cut enough. It’s the early round of a protracted debate about government priorities, and at the moment more a political exercise than a legitimate policy discussion. Hopefully that will follow. Erick and Jane weigh in with their observations below: Mr. Erickson’s No. 3 is curious, and as always Jane focuses on what she sees as hypocrisy from the top. Enjoy your day. – John King

RedState.Com Editor Erick-Woods Erickson:

– Jay Carney takes over the podium today at the White House as Press Secretary. Is anyone going to ask him about the big payout from Time magazine?

– Republicans who keep asking about Barack Obama's birth certificate continue making themselves look crazy. But it is pretty funny that the Governor of Hawaii had to back away from displaying the birth certificate.

– There's buzz over a new potential GOP Presidential candidate Chris Christie. Has the man who asked if he'd have to commit suicide to prove he wasn't running suddenly had a change of heart? I'm hearing that he is talking to people.

Firedoglake.com Blogger/Founder Jane Hamsher:

– Judge: Government Can Shield Its Conversations about Engaging in Torture.

– Dear Poor People, Thanks for Going Without Heat So We Can Buy Another Week of War.

– Iran's Hypocrisy Matched by Obama and Clinton.