Top Items:
John Fund / Wall Street Journal:
Obama Was Mute on Illinois Corruption — The president-elect could use his bully pulpit to drive a clean-up. — This week Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on charges that he conspired to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, among other misdeeds.
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway, Fausta's Blog, Commentary, The Other McCain and Jack & Jill Politics
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New York Times:
Scandal Is an Early Test for Obama Team — WASHINGTON — When Representative Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, began exploring whether she might fill Barack Obama's seat in the United States Senate, she called Rahm Emanuel. They served in the House together and, more important …
Rasmussen Reports:
84% of Illinois Voters Say Blagojevich Should Resign — Eighty-four percent (84%) of Illinois voters say indicted Governor Rod Blagojevich should resign, according to a Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state Wednesday night. Just nine percent (9%) disagree.
Washington Post:
Rezko Is Talking With Prosecutors, Blagojevich Complaint Confirms — A footnote to the 76-page criminal complaint and affidavit charging Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) with soliciting bribes confirms what has long been rumored — that a former longtime friend and fundraiser …
Sabato's Crystal Ball:CORRUPTION MOST FOUL — Revisiting the Timeless Principles of Corruption in Politics
Discussion:
Clive Crook
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:Depends on how you define “contact”; Update: Blago newsletter photo included
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Riehl World View, Trust, But Verify, Hotline On Call, The Volokh Conspiracy and American Thinker
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:Blagojevich questions censored on Transition site
Discussion:
The Swamp, TPMMuckraker, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Chicago Tribune, JammieWearingFool, Balloon Juice, The Politico, Lost in Transition, Political Machine, Sister Toldjah, Commentary, Macsmind, Jules Crittenden, Wonkette, CANNONFIRE, The Heretik, CNET News, The Caucus, NewsBusters.org, Political Punch, Publius Endures, Below The Beltway, Gateway Pundit, Pejman_Yousefzadeh's blog, Don Surber, Gawker, NO QUARTER, Mashable!, Megan McArdle, The Other McCain, Tim Blair, Hot Air, Sunlight Foundation, 24Ahead and The Washington Independent
Robert Block / The Write Stuff:
NASA has become a transition problem for Obama — CAPE CANAVERAL - NASA administrator Mike Griffin is not cooperating with President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, is obstructing its efforts to get information and has told its leader that she is “not qualified” to judge his rocket program, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.
Discussion:
The Washington Independent
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
TRANSITION TROUBLE AT NASA.... Almost immediately after the elections last month, George W. Bush publicly vowed a smooth transition, and for the most part, it's been going well. There is, however, a rather glaring example to the contrary. (via Ben Smith) … NASA, as an agency, has struggled over the last eight years.
Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:
How the GOP Should Prepare for a Comeback — Organization and ideas are what matters. — What a difference a month makes. Since November's election, the GOP is three wins, no losses. — The first win came in Georgia, where Sen. Saxby Chambliss crushed his Democratic opponent by 15 points in a run-off election on Dec. 2.
Discussion:
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Democracy in America, The Politico, Commentary and Wonkette
Wall Street Journal:
Daschle to Oversee Health Reform Office — WASHINGTON — Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will pull double duty in the Obama administration, where he will serve not only as the Health and Human Services secretary but also oversee a new White House Office of Health Reform.
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David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
A VERY RAW DEAL — It's looking increasingly like Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., was truly uninvolved in Rod Blagojevich's alleged Senate-seat-for-sale scheme, other than expressing the usual interest in getting the appointment. Most telling was the report from Jackson's lawyer today …
Discussion:
The Anonymous Liberal
Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
FIRST THOUGHTS: NO ORDINARY HONEYMOON — From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann — *** No ordinary honeymoon: While the political world continues to focus on the Blagojevich scandal, which at this point has been only a headache for the incoming Obama administration …
David Ignatius / Washington Post:
A Spy CEO for Obama — What should President-elect Barack Obama do about the intelligence community? He has appointed the other top members of his national security team, but intrigue still surrounds his choices for director of national intelligence and director of the CIA.
Houston Chronicle:
Surprise flurries warm Houston hearts — Fluffy flakes bring delight to some, consternation to others — and tie a 64-year-old record — Falling snowflakes glimmered in streetlights, so wide that they billowed to the ground like parachutes, and so tantalizing that even awestruck adults reached …
Marc Morano / U.S. Senate Committee …:
UN Blowback: More Than 650 International Scientists Dissent Over Man-Made Global Warming Claims — Study: Half of warming due to Sun! -Sea Levels Fail to Rise? - Warming Fears in ‘Dustbin of History’ — POZNAN, Poland - The UN global warming conference currently underway in Poland …
Aluf Benn / Haaretz:
Obama's atomic umbrella: U.S. nuclear strike if Iran nukes Israel — U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's administration will offer Israel a “nuclear umbrella” against the threat of a nuclear attack by Iran, a well-placed American source said earlier this week.
Discussion:
The Raw Story, Power Line, Israel Matzav, The Campaign Spot, International Herald Tribune and The Agonist
Audrey McAvoy / Associated Press:
Hawaii man charged with threatening to kill Obama — HONOLULU (AP) — Federal agents have arrested a Hawaii man after he allegedly threatened to attack and kill President-elect Barack Obama when he visits Hawaii on vacation this month. — Mark Miyashiro allegedly made the threats Dec. 3 …
Discussion:
TIME.com
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight.com:
Appointed Senators Rarely Win Re-Election — In November, two Republicans, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and John Barrasso of Wyoming, appeared on the ballot for the first time as candidates for U.S. Senate, after having been appointed to the chamber midway through the 110th Congress as replacements …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
Paul Krugman:
The economic consequences of Herr Steinbrueck — There's an extraordinary — and extraordinarily depressing — interview in Newsweek with Peer Steinbrueck, the Germany finance minister. The world economy is in a terrifying nosedive, visible everywhere. Yet Mr. Steinbrueck is standing firm …
Rex W. Huppke / Chicago Tribune:
Rod Blagojevich shows foulmouthed side — Etiquette experts say such language still unprofessional — If the wiretapped dialogue in the criminal complaint against Rod Blagojevich reveals anything, it's that the governor can deftly hold his own in the pantheon of political profanity.
Fredric U. Dicker / New York Post:
CAROLINE ‘EQUALS J.LO’: DEM — REP. TAKES SWIPE AT CAMELOT CELEB POWER — ALBANY - A prominent New York Democratic congressman publicly questioned Caroline Kennedy's credentials to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying she's no more qualified to hold office than Jennifer Lopez.
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