"So, How's the Legislative Session Going?"

Time was when Ed Koch, as mayor of New York City, famously and frequently asked folks, "How am I doing?" Keeping it simpler, perhaps, legislative leaders recently let reporters know that they think they're doing just fine.

"I am feeling very good about the progress made this session," said House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle.

And Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, shrugged off Republican criticisms that the Legislature is moving too slowly in writing a supplemental budget for the remainder of 2009.

"I feel good about the speed we've moved already with respect to the unemployment benefits and early reductions bills, and we will soon have a federal transportation stimulus bill on the governor's desk," Brown said. "We need to do more reductions. We will make those decisions after the caseload forecasts in March. ... We always wait until after the March forecast to do a supplemental budget."

The News Tribune's Joe Turner offered an unusually sharp counter. I won't summarize it here. But you should read it.