Top Items:
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Depends on how you define “contact”; Update: Blago newsletter photo included — Barack Obama has gone out of his way to make his incoming administration Clintonesque. Not only has he built 63% of his transition team from Clinton administration officials, he even picked Hillary Clinton for a Cabinet post.
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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.
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.
New York Times:
Scandal Is an Early Test for Obama Team
Scandal Is an Early Test for Obama Team
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, The Caucus, The Politico, The Campaign Spot, Gateway Pundit, Chicago Tribune, Slate, Ben Smith's Blogs, NY Daily News, Commentary, Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, The Note, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Trust, But Verify, Buck Naked Politics and Jules Crittenden
Sabato's Crystal Ball:
CORRUPTION MOST FOUL — Revisiting the Timeless Principles of Corruption in Politics
CORRUPTION MOST FOUL — Revisiting the Timeless Principles of Corruption in Politics
New York Times:
Auto Bailout Appears Dead in Senate as G.O.P. Resists — WASHINGTON — The prospects of a $14 billion government rescue of the American auto industry seemed to vaporize Thursday morning as the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, spoke out forcefully against the bill …
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David Rogers / The Politico:
McConnell deals major blow to bailout — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell broke with the White House Thursday over a proposed $14 billion loan package for ailing automakers, all but assuring its defeat this week and forcing the administration to consider other emergency steps …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, Associated Press, Trust, But Verify, Below The Beltway, The Politico and DownWithTyranny!
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
McConnell opposes auto bailout
McConnell opposes auto bailout
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Think Progress, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Telegraph and Bloomberg
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.
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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.
New York Times:
Obama's Health Care Briefing — The following is a transcript of Barack Obama's press conference about his health care team and the Blagojevich scandal, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions. — Speakers: — President-elect Barack Obama — Former Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota
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Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Obama Promises Health Care Reform “This Year”
Obama Promises Health Care Reform “This Year”
Discussion:
Washington Wire, The New Republic, Washington Monthly, New York Times, MyDD, The Politico and Booman Tribune
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 …
Charles Lane / Washington Post:
The Unreal Bill Ayers — Three Decades After the Weather Underground's End, He's Still Justifying Its Means — I never thought Barack Obama's acquaintance with former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers disqualified him for the White House. And now that Obama has been elected …
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, The Politico, Commentary, Democracy in America and Wonkette
CNBC.com:
Jobless Claims at 26-Year High; Import Prices Fall — The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits surged to a 26-year high last week, Labor Department data showed on Thursday, as a deepening recession forced employers to cut back on hirings.
Discussion:
Calculated Risk
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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.
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.
Wall Street Journal:
Whitewashing Fannie Mae — Congress begins its self-absolution campaign. — Henry Waxman's House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform met Tuesday to examine “The Role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the Financial Crisis.” Alas, Mr. Waxman didn't come to bury Fan and Fred, but to bury the truth.
David Sterrett / Chicago Business:
AFL-CIO, SEIU attack McDonald's stance on labor law — (Crain's) — Two of America's largest unions have denounced McDonald's Corp. this week following Crain's story that the company is mobilizing franchisees against a law designed to make it easier for workers to unionize.