New York Housing Chief Is Chosen for Cabinet  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama has picked the widely respected housing commissioner for New York City, Shaun Donovan, to be the secretary of housing in his cabinet.  —  Assuming that Mr. Donovan, 42, is confirmed by the Senate …

They Can't Be That Desperate  —  Dear God: … I honestly don't know quite how to deal with this.  Over the past year I have strained and even broken treasured friendships over the idea that allowing a Republican to win over a Democrat, no matter how bad he or she is …

Fund Fraud Hits Big Names  —  Madoff's Clients Included Mets Owner, GMAC Chairman, Country-Club Recruits  —  New potential victims emerged of Wall Street veteran Bernard Madoff's alleged giant Ponzi scheme, with international banks, hedge funds and wealthy private investors among those sorting …

Our Sen. Kennedy?  Tipsville . . .  Is Chris Kennedy, the son of the late, great U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a possible entrant on the list to fill Presidentelect Barack Obama's Senate seat?  —  •  • To wit: Sneed hears Kennedy's name has been wafted into the inner circle of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn …

Obama logo ideas that weren't chosen  —  Sol Sender, who led a design team for the Obama 08 logo, was recently interviewed about the project.  —  Here's a walk through the various logo options, with some of Sol's thoughts.  The full interview videos can be watched on the website of VSA Partners (where Sol is now a strategist).

Sorry, Obamas, Early Check-In Isn't Available  —  CHICAGO — To the list of people having trouble finding somewhere in Washington to stay in early January, there can now be added one more entry: the Obama family.  —  President Bush's aides have turned down a request from President-elect Barack Obama …

Obama's Friends Form Strategy to Stay Close  —  Last Sunday night, President-elect Barack Obama's three closest friends — Valerie Jarrett, Martin Nesbitt and Dr. Eric Whitaker — sat down in the study of Mr. Nesbitt's house in Chicago for one of their increasingly frequent heart-to-hearts.

Meet the GOP's wrecking crew  —  Why did a small group of Southern Republicans turn the auto bailout into a demolition derby?  Introducing the senators who hate unions and love foreign cars.  —  WASHINGTON — On July 15, Bob Corker was a happy man.  —  “I cannot think of a more exciting day …

The Obama Administration Is Now Damaged Goods, Obama Lied To America  —  Update: A consensus is brewing about Obama's pending troubles - see here, here, here and here.  —  Major Update Below!  —  The big dominos seem to be falling already, less than a week from the news breaking.

Blago could decide future by Monday  —  Gov. Blagojevich will decide early next week — perhaps as early as Monday — whether he should resign, a source close to the governor told the Chicago Sun-Times.  —  “He was blindsided by this,” the source said.  “He needs some time to digest what's going on.

Separated At Birth ?  —  Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich:  —  And, the Bob's Big Boy Guy:  —  You decide.

Lawyer Seen as Bold Enough to Cheat the Best of Investors  —  Marc S. Dreier knew the 45th-floor conference room of Solow Realty well.  He had been in it many times as a trusted lawyer for the company's founder.  —  So nothing seemed amiss when he showed up one afternoon in October and told …

Troops to Stay Longer in Iraq as Support, U.S. Says  —  BALAD, Iraq — The top American commander in Iraq said Saturday that some soldiers would remain in a support role in cities beyond summer 2009, when a new security agreement calls for the removal of American combat troops from urban areas.