Linkenblogs
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New stories in Election Results! & in White House/Cabinet Appointments today.
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Jay Leno likes to say Washington is Hollywood for ugly people. Not any more.
Getty Photo.
Christopher Beam of Slate: Henry Waxman's victory over John Dingall is a boon to the Obama Administration, which may have had a hand in the changeover.
Jonathan Martin of Politico: Obama irks NRA with Question #59.
The Constant Weader is way too classy to publish a video of Sarah Palin giving a press conference while men behind her -- and in camera range -- slaughter turkeys. But the CW is not too squeamish to link to the video. Palin, who had just "pardoned" one turkey, was reportedly okay with the scenic backdrop.
Gosh, looks like Treasury -- and therefore, we taxpayers -- got chumped again. A South Carolina banker walks out the door with $18 million days before Treasury gives his bank $347 million bailout bucks.
Senator Russ Feingold in Salon: Bush pardons of Administration wrongdoers would be unpardonable.
CNN Money: with bailout prospects fading for automakers, GM finds another way to get under the TARP.
Timothy Egan, blogging for the New York Times, on bailout fatigue.
The very clever Rick Hertzberg proves that Palinistas are pro-choice.
Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post on the Obama transition sieve.
Ben Smith of Politico has a smart, (unintentionally?) funny column about the potential risks Hillary and her baggage (a/k/a Bill) present to the Obama Administration.
Andy Borowitz is concerned about Obama's controversial tendency to speak in complete sentences. He cites Sarah Palin's objection (at least it seems to be an objection -- hard to tell).
Odious Joe tells Glenn Thrush of Politico that the Democratic caucus didn't sanction him; he gave up his subcommittee seat instead "in the spirit of cooperation." Other Senators and aides disagreed. CW: are there any adjectives derogatory enough to describe Joe Lieberman?
Greg Sargent of Talking Points Memo: Obama appointments and other signals give healthcare reform advocates hope for early action.
The Hartford Courant is running a survey question: "Do you think the Senate Democrats acted appropriately?" re: Lieberman. Please take a moment to vote here.
Natalie Sherman of Talking Points Memo searches the Eric Holder public record and finds he's no Gonzo.
Stan Simpson of the Hartford Courant on Lieberman & the Democratic "wimps" in the Senate.
Jane Hamsher of the Nation pushes back against the Romney, Will, et al., advocates for letting U.S. automakers fall into bankruptcy.
Glenn Greenwald of Salon: the Senate (and Obama) betray their base.
Joan Walsh of Salon: Pat Buchanan treats the left with more respect than do Senate Democrats.
Eamon Javers of Politico: how Rahm got rich -- quick.
Kenneth Vogel of Politico: Hillary Clinton's campaign owes vendors $7.6 million. Will she effectively declare bankruptcy?
Ted Kennedy offers Hillary Clinton a good job, too.
Here's NBC's report on Somalii piracy:
The Newt bangs the cultural war drum loudly, claiming, "there's a gay and secular fascism... that wants to impose its will on the rest of us...." That's the future of the Republican party, folks.
Sam Stein of the Huffington Post reports on retiring Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, unleashed!
Marc Ambinder says the Obama transition chief John Podesta has laid down the law to leakers.
President-Elect Obama speaks to attendees of the Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles.
Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz for Mother Jones on what the Bush years really cost.
Jonathan Chait of the New Republic on the Obama mandate.
Christopher Hayes of the Nation on why Clinton's Treasury A-Team (Rubin & Summers) should not be reinstalled at Treasury. And who should.
Glenn Greenwald: Democratic leaders think angering their base is a good thing.
Constant Weader: that might be politic when they're in the minority, not so true when their base is the majority. These old boys are none to quick to notice the times, they are a'changin'.
Doug Adams of NBC speculates on why Joe Biden hasn't resigned his Senate seat.
Rejoice! Some recession news to savor. The hard-right evangelical thugocracy Focus on the Family is laying off more than 200 employees, representing about 17.5% of their staff.
Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Treasury Secretary Paulson says he is likely to leave Obama with a chunk o'bailout change.
Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Obama taps his database to help victims of California fires; speaks to Gov. Schwartzenegger & LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic demonstrates how Sarah Palin is an apt role model for Alaska's educational system (ranked dead last on a couple of parameters). Best line: "...her youngest daughter, Piper, missed school all fall because she was being carted around the country in Neiman-Marcus underwear."
Walter Shapiro of Salon interviews Bill Ayers. CW: Ayers makes plenty of excuses, most of them unconvincing.
Newsweek has a preview of its commemorative issue celebrating "Obama's American Dream." The preview doesn't say much but has some excellent photographs. (The audio comes on automatically, but you can turn it off at the right corner above the picture.)
CBS News: the Bush Administration's Bureau of Land Management will hold what National Parks officials and environmentalists call a "shocking and disturbing" "fire sale" of oil and gas rights in national parklands in the West, compromising natural landmarks and wildlife habitats and spoiling pristine views.
Obama on Faith. One of the more fascinating interviews of a public person I have read.