12/15 Roundup: Hardworking Rod, Ponzi Schemes, (lame) Ducking Shoes

Leader: What next, Blago?

- The ongoing saga of Crooked Rod continues.  Yesterday, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan suggested that Blago might step down today. Crooked Rod responded: "Like hell I will! There's work to be done!"  It's seriously hard to imagine him sitting behind the governor's desk, going about his business as usual.  Although, knowing what we now know about what "business at usual" means for him, maybe it's not so strange.

- John Heilemann takes a look at Obama's Chicago pol past, and wonders how "past" it even is. It's nearly impossible to completely escape that kind of a swamp, but we had better hope, for Obama's sake and our own, that this is the last we hear of this kind of thing in this presidency.

- Jon Alter has a tribute to Chicago journo Mike Royko, who would have carved up Crooked Rod from the moment he came on the stage.

Economy

- Thirty states are on the edge of insolvency, at risk of becoming unable to pay unemployment benefits.  Two states-- Michigan and Indiana-- are already themselves on the federal dole, to keep  individuals on the dole.

- The details of Bernard Madoff's stock trading operation-- the biggest Ponzi scheme in history-- are bizarre, convoluted and depressing, not unlike the details of the rest of our economy.

Politics

- At Salon, Tom Schaller talks to Steve Clemons, Rick Pearlstein, and Winnie Stachelberg about the numerous, colossal problems that will face Obama on day one, and how he should prioritize.

- James Steinberg is the likely pick for Deputy Secretary of State. Mark Lippert will be CoS at the NSC. Tom Roemer is the probably choice for the top intelligence job.  Which job that is remains to be seen. 

- Shaun Donovan will run HUD.  He's the former housing commissioner for New York City.

- John McCain isn't sure he'd support Sarah Palin in a 2012 run.  Coincidentally, Sarah Palin's church was set on fire Friday.

National

- Politico and Reuters have joined in a partnership, whereby third party publications can subscribe to and use the content of both news agencies together.  I applaud them for continuing to work to find ways to fill the vacuum and make the news business a functional business.

International

- President Bush made an unexpected trip to Iraq, to defend the war and insist the struggle is not yet done.  He has now moved on to Afghanistan for similar purposes.  The whole trip was overshadowed by [see video below]. 

One More Thing

- The Obamas wanted to move into the Blair House on January 15th-- ten days early-- so that their daughters could start school at Sidwell on time.  Response: Denied!

- Remember how Barack promised Sasha and Malia they could get a puppy when he won the election? Apparently Jill Biden made the same promise to Joe. It's sooooooo cute!

- Last, GWB suffered the gravest insult in the Middle Eastern books when a journalist, shouting and yelling, launched his shoes at the President's head. Let it be known that Bush's ducking skills are anything but lame: