Top Items:
Huma Khan / Political Punch:
Questions Arise About the Obama/Blagojevich Relationship — “Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney's office today,” said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint …
Discussion:
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Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:
Chicago reporter suggests Rahm Emanuel may have ‘tipped’ off federal investigators about Blagojevich.» — Marcy Wheeler catches local Chicago press reporting that Rahm Emanuel may have tipped off federal investigators that Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was engaging in corrupt acts.
Carol E. Lee / The Politico:
Attorney: Blagojevich has no plans of resigning — CHICAGO— The attorney for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the governor will be vindicated and he has no plans to resign. — “He didn't do anything wrong,” attorney Sheldon Sorosky told reporters after Blagojevich was arraigned.
Greg Hinz / Chicago Business:
Illinois' top lawmakers to strip Blago of senate pick power — (Crain's) — The state's top two legislative leaders Tuesday said they will move fast to seize control of the process of selecting a replacement for Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, taking that power away from Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Blago calls Obama “motherf—er” — The tapes reveal a two-term governor who no longer wants his job, badly wants cash and is determined to leverage a financial benefit out of his appointment powers. — He also appears to think little of the president-elect, whom he calls a “motherf***er” at one point.
New York Times:
Obama's Intervention Indirectly Led to Case — In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama's rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat …
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Aide: Ax ‘misspoke’ — An Obama aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity, took back David Axelrod's remark last month that Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich had spoken recently. — “What the president-elect said today is correct, David Axelrod misspoke,” the aide said.
Discussion:
RedState
Associated Press:
Obama works to distance himself from Ill. governor — WASHINGTON (AP) - Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor - concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less - are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear.
Marc Ambinder:
Blago Complaint: Who Is Senate Candidate 5? — Gov. Blagojevich's own words make it clear that he did not believe that Barack Obama wanted a person called “Senate Candidate 5” to be appointed to the Senate. … In other words — if Blago doesn't get what he wanted, then he'd stiff the PEOTUS …
Discussion:
The Capitol Fax Blog, American Thinker, Daily Kos, Gawker, ArchPundit, TPMMuckraker, The New Republic, Eunomia, TalkLeft, DownWithTyranny! and The Smoking Gun
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Source: ‘SEIU official’ was Stern — A Democratic source confirms that SEIU President Andy Stern is the “SEIU official” referred to in the federal complaint against Rod Blagojevich. — There's no allegation that the SEIU official did anything wrong, and what appears to be a wiretap transcript …
Joe Weisenthal / Silicon Alley Insider:Alleged: Blago Hoped To Shake Down Warren Buffett!
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DealBook
Ron Kampeas / JTA:Blagojevich arrest could send Jewish rep to Senate
Discussion:
Sunlight Foundation
Michaelscherer / Swampland:BlagoGate: Obama's Burden
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Political Punch, Chicago Business, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, The New Republic, Hot Air and RedState
WBBM-TV:Details Of Complaint Against Blagojevich
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Chicago Tribune, Change of Subject, Clout St, The New Republic, GINA COBB, Wizbang, 24Ahead, Gateway Pundit and Fox News
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:‘Senate Candidate 5’ — Capitol Fax's Rich Miller updates …
Discussion:
The Capitol Fax Blog
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:A tip from Rahm? — Jack Connaty, of Chicago's Fox affiliate, reported this morning:
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Joe the Plumber: McCain ‘appalled me’ — Joe Wurzelbacher lashed out at former GOP presidential nominee John McCain Tuesday, the man who made Wurzelbacher famous as “Joe the Plumber.” — Wurzelbacher told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that he felt “dirty” after “being on the campaign trail …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs
Dee Dee Myers / Vanity Fair:
Favreau's Sexist Photo Is No Laughing Matter — Oh, what to do. An incredibly talented young aide, to an impossibly idealistic new president, gets caught doing something indefensibly stupid and undeniably sexist. Everyone is uncomfortable. But should anyone be held accountable? Apparently not.
Ross Douthat:
The Case For Caroline? — After allowing that her head tells her to “recoil from political dynasties,” Ruth Marcus lets her heart make the case for Senator Kennedy of New York: … I don't know about Jesse Ventura, but I find Schwarzenegger and Sonny Bono's pre-political careers as self …
Discussion:
The Heretik
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Amanda Terkel / Think Progress:
O'Reilly And Rove Agree: Reports On The Bad Economy Are Part Of A Media Cabal To Help Obama — Yesterday on Fox News, Bill O'Reilly and Karl Rove went on a tirade against the media for hyping the struggling state of the economy. They claimed that it's not as bad as reports are making it out to be …
Discussion:
danieldrezner.com
Bloomberg:
Treasury Bills Trade at Negative Rates as Haven Demand Surges — A A A — Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) — Treasuries rose, pushing rates on the three-month bill negative for the first time, as investors gravitate toward the safety of U.S. government debt amid the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Discussion:
Newshoggers.com
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Christopher Drew / New York Times:
A Fighter Jet's Fate Poses a Quandary for Obama — Two of President-elect Barack Obama's stated goals — cutting wasteful spending and saving or creating millions of jobs — are on a collision course in a looming decision over whether to keep building the F-22 fighter jet.
CNN:
Man who lost family when jet hit house: I don't blame pilot — SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) — A Korean immigrant who lost his wife, two children and mother-in-law when a Marine Corps jet slammed into the family's house said Tuesday he did not blame the pilot, who ejected and survived.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin
Matt Cooper / Portfolio:
Dear Governor Blagojevich: — I know you've had a long day. — Apparently, federal agents showed up at your house to arrest you at 6 a.m. for trying to sell Barack Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder. — You're probably wondering what to do. I have some advice.
Discussion:
TalkLeft
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
QUOTE OF THE DAY.... A new national poll from CNN/Opinion Research Corporation finds 79% of Americans approve of the job Barack Obama has done so far. That's probably not too significant — this is still the transition period, when exercising one's limited authority is a lot easier — but 79% is still a pretty solid number.
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