Good Monday morning, and welcome to the buzz.

We took the weekend to upload all of the great (and even the not so great) routines from Stu Bykofsky’s Candidates’ Comedy Night. Click here to check out the best acts of the night – Mayor Nutter, Councilman Bill Green, and former Councilman Rick Mariano (who broke parole to attend) – and get a link to the entire video playlist. And Bykofsky’s take on the event is the subject of his Daily News column today.

Having a less jovial weekend was team Obama, which was certainly disappointed by very weak numbers coming out of Muhlenberg on Friday. Political analysts say Obama will need a win in Pennsylvania to retain the White House, but his approval dipped to 35 percent approval among the state’s registered voters.

Also feeling down is former House Speaker John Perzel, whose chief of staff entered guilty pleas Friday to two felonies in exchange for testimony against Republican co-defendants, possibly including Perzel.

“…Every Pennsylvania political observer I spoke with deemed Romney the early front-runner in the Philly ‘burbs, and I agree,” radio host Michael Smerconish wrote in Friday’s Inky. “That is, as long as it’s Romney the moderate former Massachusetts governor making the obligatory visits to the Italian Market, and not the more conservative ’08 also-ran who struggled to curry favor with the GOP base.”

And in case you missed ’em, check out Friday’s Ups & Downs!

National
The Hill: 5 most vulnerable Dems re: redistricting (Critz is number 3)
Washington Post: Republicans say they’re confident of putting up a major challenger against US senator from Pa.
The Big Tent: Santorum Says He’s More Electable In Swing States
National Journal (Sam Rohrer): Recess Town Halls Far Fewer and Boisterous than in 2009
Pennsylvania Ave: Obama numbers low in PA
National Journal: Former Rep. Chris Carney lands defense contracting job
USA Today: PA Man Charged With Espionage in Iran
Wall St. Journal: FDIC Shuts Down PA Bank
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: PA Has One Of Richest Congressman (Mike Kelly)

Statewide
Capitol Ideas: In Redistricting It’s Give A Little to Take A Little
State House Sound Bites: State schools enrollment down, casinos eye competition & veteran policy-maker on voucher
PA Independent – Auditor General Fuming Over Heating Assistance Program’s Problems
Patriot News Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board warned of clouds on the horizon
Patriot-News: Is Toomey The Next Pennsylvania Kingmaker?
Patriot-News: Gov. Corbett Names Deputy Attorney General Chairman of Gaming Control Board
Times-Tribune: At 40th, Pa. Lottery Survives Casino Competition
Post Gazette: Gas less polluting than coal in the long run, CMU study says
Wayne Independent: 3rd House GOP defendant pleads in corruption case
Citizen Voice: House GOP will take up energy mandate

Philly
Inquirer: Carl Lewis Can Continue His Senate Run – For Now
Inquirer: Philadelphia Willing To Work Deal On Late Taxes If There’s Hardship
Inquirer: Ackerman’s Removal Seen As Imminent
Inquirer: Philadelphia Aims To Boost Volume Of Sheriff Sales
Inquirer: Council candidate David Oh will contest report that he exaggerated military service

Philly Suburbs
Inquirer:  Philadelphia’s suburbs are critical to Republicans

Pittsburgh
Post Gazette: City-county homeless program out of money

Lehigh Valley
Reading Eagle: Schools to reopen with shrunken staffs

South Central
Patriot-News: The Hershey Co. Doesn’t Want Publicity From Protest

NEPA
Go Lackawanna: Hearing Rails Against Cuts – School officials, Democrats agree budget is ‘direct assault’ on most vulnerable

North By Northwest
Courier Express: Rep. Bud George applauds settlement for ethanol plant
Courier Express: Funding cuts hurting school programs
Courier Express: Marcellus drilling operation goes on display
Courier Express: Protesters gather at Marcellus industry picnic near previous well blowout
Erie Times-News: 3rd House GOP candidate pleads in corruption case
Sun Gazette: Congressman – Housing shortage needs action, not talk
Times-News: Erie’s Nonprofits Scrutinized As City, Others Search For Cash

Opinions
Patriot News Editorial: State Parks too valuable to ignore
Tribune-Review Analysis: What Fate Perzel?
Karen Heller, Inquirer: Montco, frequent target of gerrymandering, will likely get it again in 2011
John Baer, Daily News: Maybe Hershey Foreign Workers Are All-Day Suckers
Patriot-News Column: Commissions For Women, Minorities Are In Limbo In Cost-Cutting Corbett Administration
Inquirer Editorial: City’s Efforts Appear To Be Inadequate
Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: City’s efforts appear to be inadequate
Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: Skip the flash-mob psychobabble
2 Political Junkies: Hershies Sour Kisses: Denying Pensylvanians Jobs
PA Water Cooler: Obama’s Approval Plummets in Pennsylvania
Penn Patriot Blog: Understanding the importance of competition when it comes to electricity
Trib Live Editorial: Laurels & Lances
Keystone Politics: Defiant Ackerman Dares Bosses to Fire Her
Philly Now: Nutter Still Making the ‘Flash Mob’ Rounds
Capitol Ideas: The Sunday Brunch: In Redistricting, It’s Give a Little To Get a Little
Capitol Ideas: Friday Morning Coffee: Letting the Dice Roll On Small Games Of Chance
Times Leader: From Hip to Foot, Perry Takes a Shot
Lancaster Era: Put country 1st, is all we’re saying
Deborah Bohn, Patriot News Op-Ed: Adequate nurse staffing levels needed at Carlisle Regional Hospital and beyond