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 …
Discussion:
Marc Ambinder, Washington Post, protein wisdom, The Politico, The Hill, The Swamp, Ben Smith's Blogs, Power Line, NewsBusters.org, Slate, New York Times, Whiskey Fire, Sweetness & Light, Chicago Business, Washington Monthly, Right Wing Nut House, Gawker, Portfolio, Weekly Standard, The Gun Toting Liberal, Becoming 44, On Deadline, The Note, Jules Crittenden, Political Machine, Philly.com, National Review, Brilliant at Breakfast, Fausta's Blog, George's Bottom Line, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Prairie Weather, The Caucus, Commentary and Gateway Pundit
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Brian Ross / ABCNEWS:
Sources Say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is ‘Senate Candidate #5’ — Feds Plan to Interview Chicago Congressman as Part of Blagojevich Probe — Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous “Senate Candidate #5” whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered …
Discussion:
The Fix, Firedoglake, Scorecard's Blogs, Ben Smith's Blogs, Marc Ambinder, Sunlight Foundation, Ta-Nehisi Coates, TPMMuckraker and ProPublica
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.
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, The Swamp, Soccer Dad, The Hill, TPM Election Central, TIME.com, Fausta's Blog and Riehl World View
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.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blogs, Marc Ambinder, Political Punch, The Campaign Spot, The Corner and Real Clear Politics
Susan Saulny / New York Times:
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 …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, JustOneMinute, protein wisdom, Likelihood of Success, The Volokh Conspiracy, marbury and Slate
Michelle Malkin:
Boomerang: The Democrat culture of corruption — My syndicated column today looks at how the Democrat “culture of corruption” boomerang has returned to smack the donkeys right back in the face. — The Democrat culture of corruption — by Michelle Malkin — Creators Syndicate
Stacy St. Clair / Chicago Tribune:Governor's wife supported his pay-to-play Senate scheme, complaint alleges
Discussion:
Associated Press, BuzzFlash.org, The Minority Report, TIME.com and Chicago Breaking News
The Politico:Blagojevich scandal will test Obama
Discussion:
Associated Press, MSNBC, Democrats.com, Time, TIME.com, George's Bottom Line, marbury and Political Punch
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 …
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Jesse McKinley / New York Times:
Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists — SAN FRANCISCO — They're calling it Stonewall 2.0. — Outraged by California voters' ban on same-sex marriage, a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, have pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement …
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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.
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THE INEVITABLE PUSH.... It's only been 24 hours, and it's pretty obvious that reports like this one, from the AP's Liz Sidoti, are going to quickly become mind-numbing. … There's just no reason for reporting like this. Is Obama connected to Blagojevich's scandal? No, but the scandal is “threatening to dog him.”
RELATED:
Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:Analysis: Scandal threatens to dog Obama
Discussion:
New York Post, Washington Post, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit, The Politico and Jules Crittenden
Erika Lovley / The Politico:
Browner to be named new energy czar — Former Clinton Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner is expected to be named chief of energy and environmental issues in the new Obama White House, according to a published report. — The announcement, along with other top jobs …
Discussion:
TIME.com
RELATED:
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.
Agence France Presse:
Obama plans major address in Islamic capital: interview — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON, (AFP) - President-elect Barack Obama plans to give “a major address” in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world …
Manu Raju / The Crypt's Blogs:
McConnell: Bailout votes aren't there — The auto industry bailout politics are a mess this morning. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that Republicans are not prepared to back the massive auto-bailout package being negotiated by the White House and congressional Democrats.
Discussion:
Townhall.com
Josh Israel / The Center for Public Integrity:
OUR BROKEN GOVERNMENT — The 2008 presidential race produced its share of philosophical and political disputes, but one broad area of agreement underlined the campaigns of both nominees: The federal government is not functioning as it should. A McCain ad began, “Washington's broken.
Washington Post:
Pakistan Detains Extremist Leader — U.S., India Question Effort's Seriousness — For the second time in a decade, suspected Pakistani terrorist leader Masood Azhar was placed under house arrest yesterday after being linked to attacks in India. His detention, announced by Pakistan's Defense Ministry …
Los Angeles Times:
Obama speaks out in his first newspaper interview — The president-elect discusses Gov. Blagojevich, the economy, Islam and civil rights, among other topics. … Have you ever spoken to [ Illinois] Gov. [ Rod R.] Blagojevich about the Senate seat? — I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time.
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