EXCLUSIVE: Emanuel accepts White House job  —  Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), a wily, aggressive West Wing strategist under President Bill Clinton, has accepted the post of White House chief of staff for President-elect Barack Obama, Democratic officials tell Politico.

Lieberman Meets With Reid, Tries To Cling To Senate Chairmanship  —  Bolstered by a newly expanded majority, Harry Reid met with Joe Lieberman on Thursday to sketch out the conditions by which the Connecticut independent could continue to caucus with Senate Democrats.

A Few Things You'd Have to Believe to Believe What McCain Staffers Say About Sarah Palin  —  Let's add some context to the Carl Cameron and Newsweek airing of rumors from anonymous McCain/Palin staffers.  The most controversial claims, all of which come without names attached because the purveyors …

Reason 142 to Homeschool: Obama Teachers Won't Bully Kids Who Support McCain  —  Welcome, HotAir Readers!  —  And Welcome Michelle Malkin Readers!  —  This is a video of Diantha Harris, a lifelong democrat and avid Barack Obama supporter.  She is also a lousy schoolteacher, as is evidenced by the mushmouthed kids in her class.

Obama's odds of getting Nebraska electoral vote increase  —  Good news for Barack Obama supporters.  —  His odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County.

Franken says recount is needed  —  The Democrat's deficit is down to 341 votes in his Senate battle with Norm Coleman.  —  Democrat Al Franken, locked in an overtime election battle with incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, said today that he is pushing ahead with the recount of Tuesday's voting.

A Chavista at the EPA?  —  According to the Washington Post, Barack Obama is “looking at possibly appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Environmental Protection Agency, according to sources familiar with the process, though he is eying several other prominent environmentalists as well.”

Election Analysis: America Can Take Pride In This Historic, Inspirational Disaster  —  Although I have not always been the most outspoken advocate of President-Elect Barack Obama, today I would like to congratulate him and add my voice to the millions of fellow citizens who are celebrating his historic and frightening election victory.

Matthews: My Job Is To Make Obama Presidency a Success  —  Just in time for the new James Bond movie, Chris Matthews has earned himself a new moniker: Odd Job.  Matthews says he sees his job as a journalist as doing everything he can to make the Obama presidency a success.

Barney Gets Territorial  —  Not everyone in the White House is taking the news of Barack Obama's victory with aplomb.  —  Reuters television White House correspondent Jon Decker reports that President Bush's dog Barney, going on a walk this morning on the North Lawn, let his reaction to the news show.

Brooklyn Marine & wife tortured, slain in Calif.; 4 Marines charged  —  A Brooklyn-raised Marine sergeant and his new bride were tortured and killed execution-style in their California home - allegedly by four other Marines under his command.  —  Sgt. Jan Pawel Pietrzak, who was raised in Bensonhurst …

Joe the Plumber is a welfare queen too...  John Amato's virtual online magazine...OK, It's a blog!  — Home- Archives  — Tags Directory  — Contact Us- Donate … Is there anything this guy hasn't been involved in?  What's next for Joe, “Dancing with the Stars?”

Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages  —  Updated:  —  Indianapolis - Lines were long and tempers flared Wednesday not to vote but to get paid for canvassing for Barack Obama.  Several hundred people are still waiting to get their pay for last-minute campaigning.

Report: '08 turnout same as or only slightly higher than '04  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new report from American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate concludes that voter turnout in Tuesday's election was the same in percentage terms as it was four years ago — or at most has risen by less than 1 percent.

Italy's Berlusconi hails “suntanned” Obama  —  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gave an enthusiastic, if unconventional, welcome on Thursday to the election of Barack Obama, citing among his attributes youth, good looks and a “suntan.”

NBC: Obama apparent winner in N.C.  —  Not enough uncounted ballots remain for McCain to close deficit  —  NEW YORK - President-elect Obama is the apparent winner in North Carolina, a symbolic triumph in a state that hadn't voted for a Democrat in more than a generation.

The Right's Inequality Challenge  —  In politics, there are lots of ways to win an election.  The best thing is to just be lucky.  If your opponent screws up enough, you'll win.  But it's one thing to win an election and another thing to implement a successful governing agenda.