Senate Queasy on Spending in Obama Stimulus

The level of spending in Barack Obama’s House-approved $819 billion stimulus package will complicate its Senate passage, say two senators whose support will be crucial. “Unfortunately, this bill has become a Christmas tree,” Republican Susan Collins told CNN, while Democratic colleague Ben Nelson said, “There’s no pork in this, but there may be some sacred cows.” Elsewhere around the dial:

• GOP Sen. Jon Kyl told Fox News Sunday that support for the "wasteful" package is “eroding.” His solution: “Start from scratch and reconstruct this.”
• Even if Obama taps Republican Sen. Judd Gregg to be his commerce secretary, Democrats won’t gain a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority, insisted Mitch McConnell, adding that the Senate will take a wait-and-see approach on Tom Daschle’s tax scandal.

(More Susan Collins stories.)