►John Brennan forced out of consideration for CIA director by the Obama team, thanks in large part to liberal bloggers.
“Former CIA official John Brennan, once considered the top choice to serve as CIA director in President-elect Barack Obama's administration, was pressured by the Obama transition team to pull his name from consideration, according to friends and former intelligence associates.
Brennan's withdrawal, offered in a Nov. 25 letter to Obama, came after liberal bloggers mounted an opposition campaign against his possible appointment.”NPR
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►Wingnut Alert: Senate leadership to craft legislation that will clear the wingnut hurdle to Hillary Clinton's appointment as Secretary of State. Bolding is mine.
“the Senate leadership is working to craft legislation that will make it possible for her to take the post despite a Constitutional clause saying that members of Congress are ineligible to take an appointed post if the salary for the post in question has increased while the member was in elected office.
The Senate's efforts, which would cut the Secretary of State's salary back to what it was when Hillary was reelected to her current term, come in response to a declaration yesterday by the winger group Judicial Watch that the Constitution blocks her from serving.”
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►Obama stops ignoring Fox News at press conference.
“A few days ago, we related how President-Elect Barack Obama had been ignoring Fox News at his post-election press conferences. Patrick Gavin had Fox going 0-5, with even CBS' embarrassing complaint-ridden Dean Reynolds getting an inquiry in ahead of the network. Well, according to Michael Calderone, the ice age between Obama and Fox News has begun to thaw:”
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►As expected, today President-elect Obama announced Bill Richardson as his appointee for Commerce Secretary. View the video of the press conference, and ABC news commentary.
“President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday tapped New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be his Secretary of Commerce, bringing yet another former rival into his cabinet and the first Hispanic thus far. At a Chicago press conference this morning, Obama touted Richardson's ability to help lead the country out of its economic recession and expressed optimism that the nation had all the necessary tools to recover from the current crisis.”
:: Obama Pushes Back On Richardson Post As "Consolation Prize" To Latinos - HUFFPO
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►The best political cartoons on the web, imo, reside at The Cagle Post Cartoons and Commentary. Enjoy.
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►According to the Government Accountability Office, accountability, and transparency are lacking in the bank bailout, and the Treasury Dept. has no mechanisms in place to confirm that banks are complying with restrictions.
“WASHINGTON — Lawmakers want the Treasury to insist that banking institutions sharing in the $700 billion bailout comply with limits Congress imposed on executive salaries and use the money for its intended purposes.
In the first comprehensive review of the rescue package, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday that the Treasury Department has no mechanisms to ensure that banking institutions limit their top executives' pay and comply with other restrictions.”
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►Silicon Valley: Chinese-Americans protest Bill Richardson's appointment to any cabinet position, because of a decade-old case involving a Taiwanese-American.
The group is upset at the New Mexico governor for his handling of the nearly decade-old case of Taiwanese-American Wen Ho Lee, a former nuclear scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. U.S. officials once suspected Lee of giving nuclear secrets to China when Richardson was President Clinton's energy secretary.”
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►Jeb Bush considering a run for the Senate seat currently held by GOP Sen. Mel Martinez, who has announced his decision not to run for re-election in 2010. Say it loud and now: "No more Bush family!". And, especially not the guy who helped the GOP steal the 2000 election, for frack's sake!
“(CNN) - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is considering a bid for the United Sates Senate, Republican strategist Alex Castellanos told CNN Tuesday. Republicans are urging Bush, the president's younger brother, to strongly consider making a bid for the seat currently held by outgoing Republican Sen. Mel Martinez.”
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►An aide to President-elect Obama reaffirms Obama's support for union bill, the Employee Free Choice Act.
“An aide to Barack Obama reaffirmed the President-elect's support for the labor movement's chief legislative priority in a one-word statement issued to the Huffington Post on late Tuesday.”
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►President-elect Obama continues to clean house, sends out pink slips to all Bush politically-appointed ambassadors, directing them to vacate their offices/posts as of January 20.
“The incoming Obama administration has notified all politically-appointed ambassadors that they must vacate their posts as of Jan. 20, the day President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office, a State Department official said.”
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►GOP Senator, Saxby Chambliss, keeps his senate seat in the Georgia run-off yesterday.
“I tend to think that we should not be too dismissive of Saxby Chambliss's win in Georgia tonight. Although the outcome was expected, and although runoffs and special elections sometimes behave in idiosyncratic ways, moving from a 3-point margin of victory on November 4 to a 15-point margin of victory a month later is a significant accomplishment.”
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►Bush goes forward with "conscience" rule, despite protests. This rule could have far-reaching consequences, and could set the stage for controversy re abortion rights, early on in the Obama administration. As if he (Obama) hasn't enough to deal with.
“The outgoing Bush administration is planning to announce a broad new "right of conscience" rule permitting medical facilities, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers to refuse to participate in any procedure they find morally objectionable, including abortion and possibly even artificial insemination and birth control..”
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