memeorandum: Iowa Justices Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case (Kirk Johnson/New York Times)

12:35 PM ET, December 10, 2008

Top Items:

Brian Ross / ABCNEWS:

Sources Say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is ‘Senate Candidate #5’ — Feds Plan to Interview Chicago Congressman as Part of Blagojevich Probe — Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous “Senate Candidate #5” whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered …

Discussion: The Fix, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Firedoglake, Scorecard's Blogs, Ben Smith's Blogs, Marc Ambinder, The Raw Story, Gawker, Taylor Marsh, PoliticalBase.com Blog, Sunlight Foundation, Ta-Nehisi Coates, TPMMuckraker, ArchPundit and PoliBlog (TM)

New York Times:

Obama's Effort on Ethics Bill Had Role in Governor's Fall — In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama's rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall …

The Politico:

In scandal, risks for Obama — At first blush, Barack Obama comes out of the Rod Blagojevich scandal smelling like a rose. The prosecutor at a news conference seemed to give the president-elect a seal of approval, and the Illinois governor himself was caught on tape complaining that Obama was not interested in crooked schemes.

Discussion: The Capitol Fax Blog, Progress Illinois, Washington Post, The Caucus, Cold Fury, TPM Election Central, New York Times, Comments from Left Field and Associated Press

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:

Text of Obama's first newspaper interview as president-elect — In his first post-election newspaper interview, President-elect Barack Obama doesn't spill all the beans about his intentions upon taking office on Jan. 20. — But he does reveal some interesting details.

Discussion: Political Punch, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Campaign Spot and The Corner

Chicago Tribune:

Barack Obama plans to reach out to Muslim world — In exclusive interview, he says he plans to be sworn in like every other president, using his full name: Barack Hussein Obama — Barack Obama says his heart will remain in Chicago, even as he moves to Washington. (Alex Garcia / Tribune / December 9, 2008)

Discussion: Townhall.com, Los Angeles Times, The Swamp, The Hill, Soccer Dad, TPM Election Central, TIME.com, Fausta's Blog and Riehl World View

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

THE INEVITABLE PUSH.... It's only been 24 hours, and it's pretty obvious that reports like this one, from the AP's Liz Sidoti, are going to quickly become mind-numbing. … There's just no reason for reporting like this. Is Obama connected to Blagojevich's scandal? No, but the scandal is “threatening to dog him.”

Discussion: The Campaign Spot, Media Matters for America, volokh.powerblogs.com and Gateway Pundit

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:
Analysis: Scandal threatens to dog Obama

Discussion: The Huffington Post, New York Post, Washington Post, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit, Jules Crittenden and The Politico

Mike Allen / The Politico:
Swearing in: Barack Hussein Obama

Discussion: Philly.com

Hilzoy / Obsidian Wings: Blagojevich — Since everyone else has already noted …

The Politico:
Blagojevich scandal will test Obama

Discussion: MSNBC, Democrats.com, Time, TIME.com, George's Bottom Line, marbury and Political Punch

Pam Spaulding / Pam's House Blend:

Jon Stewart slays the homophobic Huckabeast without breaking a sweat — And entertains while doing so. Jon Stewart asked serious questions any hard-hitting progressive journalist or political commentator with a talk show is perfectly capable of asking. He made Huckabee explain his positions …

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Washington Monthly and Qnews

Ali Frick / Think Progress:

Stewart Grills Huckabee On Gay Marriage: ‘At What Age Did You Choose Not To Be Gay?’ — For over seven minutes last night, Jon Stewart grilled former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on his opposition to gay marriage. Huckabee is touring the country to promote his new book, “Do The Right Thing.”

Jesse McKinley / New York Times:

Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists — SAN FRANCISCO — They're calling it Stonewall 2.0. — Outraged by California voters' ban on same-sex marriage, a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, have pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement …

Discussion: Swords Crossed and Bark Bark Woof Woof

Michelle Malkin:

Boomerang: The Democrat culture of corruption — My syndicated column today looks at how the Democrat “culture of corruption” boomerang has returned to smack the donkeys right back in the face. — The Democrat culture of corruption — by Michelle Malkin — Creators Syndicate

Discussion: Right Wing News and New York Times

Susan Saulny / New York Times:
Portrait of a Politician: Vengeful and Profane

Discussion: CNN, Los Angeles Times, JustOneMinute, Likelihood of Success, protein wisdom, Slate, The Volokh Conspiracy, Connecting.the.Dots and marbury

Chicago Sun Times:
Gov. Blagojevich must go — right now

Discussion: Chicago Tribune, Below The Beltway, NewsBusters.org and Hotline On Call

Dave Orrick / TwinCities.com:

FBI reviewing allegations involving Norm Coleman ally, source says — Source: Inquiry involves alleged attempt to steer money toward senator — Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, NewsBusters.org, Think Progress, Minnesota Independent, Majikthise, Political Machine and MinnPost

Jason Hoppin / TwinCities.com:
U.S. Senate race: Error might mean 171 absentee ballots went uncounted …

Discussion: TPM Election Central and MinnPost

Agence France Presse:

Obama plans major address in Islamic capital: interview — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON, (AFP) - President-elect Barack Obama plans to give “a major address” in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Reuters, Associated Press and TPMCafe

Los Angeles Times:
Obama speaks out in his first newspaper interview

Discussion: The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Boston Globe, TIME.com and The Note

Los Angeles Times:
Obama says he hopes to help 'reboot America's image around the world'

Discussion: Outside The Beltway

David Leonhardt / New York Times:

$73 an Hour: Adding It Up — Seventy-three dollars an hour. — That figure — repeated on television and in newspapers as the average pay of a Big Three autoworker — has become a big symbol in the fight over what should happen to Detroit. To critics, it is a neat encapsulation …

Discussion: Wonkette, Kevin Drum, Buck Naked Politics, Lawyers, Guns and Money, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, American Prospect, Comments from Left Field, The Corner and Economist's View

Erika Lovley / The Politico:

Browner to be named new energy czar — Former Clinton Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner is expected to be named chief of energy and environmental issues in the new Obama White House, according to a published report. — The announcement, along with other top jobs …

Discussion: TIME.com

Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times: L.A. deputy mayor reportedly sought for Obama environment team

Joseph E. Stiglitz / Vanity Fair:

Capitalist Fools — Behind the debate over remaking U.S. financial policy will be a debate over who's to blame. It's crucial to get the history right, writes a Nobel-laureate economist, identifying five key mistakes—under Reagan, Clinton, and Bush II—and one national delusion.

Discussion: The Heretik, The Big Picture, Philly.com and Economist's View

Chicago Sun Times:

Madigan may take him to high court — SPRINGFIELD — If Gov. Blagojevich refuses to relinquish power and avoids impeachment, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is prepared to force his hand, aides said Tuesday. — The state's chief law enforcement officer is prepared to invoke …

Discussion: TIME.com, Political Machine, Chicago Business and TPM Election Central

Manu Raju / The Crypt's Blogs:

McConnell: Bailout votes aren't there — The auto industry bailout politics are a mess this morning. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that Republicans are not prepared to back the massive auto-bailout package being negotiated by the White House and congressional Democrats.

Discussion: Townhall.com

Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:

WSJ: Only Secret Illegal Surveillance Will Provide Accountability — I'd thought that one beneficial result of Barack Obama being elected president was that it might cause conservatives to think twice about their post-9/11 embrace of unlimited executive power.