Top Items:
New York Times:
Obama's Effort on Ethics Bill Had Role in Governor's Fall — 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 …
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Chicago Tribune:
Barack Obama plans to reach out to Muslim world — In exclusive interview, he says he plans to be sworn in like every other president, using his full name: Barack Hussein Obama — Barack Obama says his heart will remain in Chicago, even as he moves to Washington. (Alex Garcia / Tribune / December 9, 2008)
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Los Angeles Times, Soccer Dad, TIME.com, Riehl World View and JammieWearingFool
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:
Reuters, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, NewsBusters.org, The Other McCain, Below The Beltway, A Blog For All, Time, Political Machine, Right Wing Nut House, The Volokh Conspiracy, Bloomberg, The Strata-Sphere, American Power, George's Bottom Line, News Hounds, Scared Monkeys, Associated Press, American Thinker, The Moderate Voice, Silicon Alley Insider, The Politico, Power Line, Wizbang, Gateway Pundit, Minnesota Independent, techPresident, Hot Air, Classical Values, The Corner, The Jawa Report, Ben Smith's Blogs, Swampland, Hullabaloo, Blue Crab Boulevard, Clayton Cramer's BLOG, The Note, JammieWearingFool, NO QUARTER and Katie Allison Granju
Susan Saulny / New York Times:
A Portrait of a Politician: Vengeful and Profane — CHICAGO — Little in Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's background prepared the people of Illinois for the man who was revealed in the criminal complaint that dropped like a bombshell here on Tuesday. Delusional, narcissistic, vengeful and profane …
The Politico:
In scandal, risks for Obama — At first blush, Barack Obama comes out of the Rod Blagojevich scandal smelling like a rose. The prosecutor at a news conference seemed to give the president-elect a seal of approval, and the Illinois governor himself was caught on tape complaining that Obama was not interested in crooked schemes.
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Text of Obama's first newspaper interview as president-elect — In his first post-election newspaper interview President-elect Barack Obama doesn't spill all the beans about his intentions upon taking office on Jan. 20. — But he does reveal some interesting details.
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.
Discussion:
The Opinionator, Hot Air, FiveThirtyEight.com, Marc Ambinder, Political Machine, Associated Press, The Moderate Voice and Daily Kos
Stacy St. Clair / Chicago Tribune:Governor's wife supported his pay-to-play Senate scheme, complaint alleges
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:Criminal Complaint Alleges That Gov. Blagojevich Threatened …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:In the old days, buying a Senate seat was not unusual
Discussion:
The Swamp
Ron Kampeas / JTA:Blagojevich arrest could send Jewish rep to Senate
Discussion:
Marc Ambinder, The Volokh Conspiracy, Yourish.com, Sunlight Foundation and Washington Post
Dave Orrick / TwinCities.com:
FBI reviewing allegations involving Norm Coleman ally, source says — Source: Inquiry involves alleged attempt to steer money toward senator — Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned.
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:
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Wonkette, DownWithTyranny!, THE TOOT, Don Surber, Donklephant, VOTE, Little Green Footballs, The Heretik and Booman Tribune
David Leonhardt / New York Times:
$73 an Hour: Adding It Up — Seventy-three dollars an hour. — That figure — repeated on television and in newspapers as the average pay of a Big Three autoworker — has become a big symbol in the fight over what should happen to Detroit. To critics, it is a neat encapsulation …
Joseph E. Stiglitz / Vanity Fair:
Capitalist Fools — Behind the debate over remaking U.S. financial policy will be a debate over who's to blame. It's crucial to get the history right, writes a Nobel-laureate economist, identifying five key mistakes—under Reagan, Clinton, and Bush II—and one national delusion.
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.
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
CC SABATHIA PICKS YANKEES — LAS VEGAS - CC Sabathia is not going to play on the West Coast. He is not going to play in the National League. CC Sabathia is going to be a Yankee, The Post has learned exclusively. — After three straight days of face-to-face meetings between GM Brian Cashman …
James Richardson / The Skepticians:
BREAKING: Duncan Enters the Fray — The recent Republican victories in GA and MS gave pause to Mike Duncan, current Republican National Committee Chairman, who, until today, was unsure if he would seek a second term. According to individuals with close ties to Duncan …
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