We've been inundated for months with profiles (some quite good) of Max Baucus, Chuck Grassley, even Peter Orszag, maybe the first celebrity budgeteer. Now, Henry Waxman finally gets some ink-stained love as he works to get sweeping legislation, which would give all Americans affordable health care they can count on, through his committee this week.

During the Bush administration, as the top Democrat (ranking, then chairman) on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Waxman investigated topics ranging from pre-war intelligence on Iraq to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. From that perch, Waxman was widely seen as fiercely partisan. That goes with the territory (and he is of course a liberal Democrat who disagreed strongly with Bush policies). But Politico's Patrick O'Connor reminds us that Waxman, now chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, isn't just a dogged investigator. He's also a gifted legislator. He steered the climate bill to passage, between the demands of liberals and moderates. Now he's aiming to do the same for health. O'Connor writes:

Waxman might be the most powerful chairman on Capitol Hill today. He possesses all the qualities of a master legislator. He's intelligent, calm under pressure and a devoted student, both of policy and the people with whom he works. He's disciplined and never gives an inch more ground than he needs to in order to get what he wants.

He knows how to squeeze every ounce of power from the Energy and Commerce panel. And he'll need every drop.

The timetable (which we know is ambitious given the stance of some of the committee's Blue Dogs) is to finish working on the health bill Wednesday. Then it's on to anti-terrorism measures at chemical facilities...