Scandal Overshadows Environment

Today Obama confirmed the appointments of: Steven Chu, director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as Energy Secretary, former EPA chief Carol Browner as a coordinator of energy and Climate Policy, former New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson as EPA director, Senator Ken Salazar as Interior Secretary and Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley to run the White House Council on Environmental Quality. These appointments as well as Obama’s other environmental announcements were overshadowed by questions surrounding Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Apparently, when asked about the governor, Obama switched from saying "I have never spoken to the governor on this subject. I am confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat," to that his advisers were not involved in any “inappropriate” talks with Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich or his aides over the vacant Senate seat in Illinois to finally “I would ask your patience, as I do not want to interfere with an ongoing investigation.” Does this sound familiar? Wait! There’s more… Apparently US Attorney Scott Fitzgerald (even more familiar) did in fact ask the president elect to stay silent, and found that Obama’s appointed Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, is one of a “handful” of advisors who did in fact speak with Blagojevich about candidates to replace Obama as State senator. Nothing has directly tied Obama to the governor, despite the efforts of the RNC, except tapes in which Blagojevich refers to Obama as a mother #$%*-er. Thusfar, Obama is clean as it comes to this investigation. Although Obama seems to be surviving in the polls, we shall have to wait and see what happens to him and his administration as the investigations continue.

Obama Pledges Massive Public Works Program

With six weeks to his inauguration, Obama continued to announce more details about the make up of his administration and its priorities. He proposed a massive new public works program, designed to employ 2.5 million people by 2011. It will work on infrastructure improvements, ranging from bridge repairs, to school upgrades, to new highways.

Obama announced his appointments of retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki to lead the Department of Veterans affairs, and retired Marine Gen. James Jones as his National Security Adviser. Both were critical of the invasion of Iraq, and retired shortly after the fall of Baghdad. Also announced were the appointments of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary, Susan Rice as United Nations ambassador and Eric Holder as attorney general.

In other news, yet another suit questioning the legitimacy of Obama's birth certificate will go to the Supreme Court, which is expected to announce its verdict Monday.

Thanksgiving: A Break? Not for the Pres. Elect

Barack Obama had an extremely busy week this week. He started off Monday by naming Timothy Geithner, Lawrence Summers, Melody Barnes, and Christina D. Romer to his cabinet. He went on to say that the country is likely to lose at least a million jobs this year, and “the economy is likely to get worse before it gets better.” After this Carter-esc sentiment, he did go on to say that he has a plan to gain 2.5 million jobs back by 2010. It is speculated that this plan is to be supported by Obama’s plan to increase the taxes paid by those who make over $250,000 a year.

Tuesday, it was announced that the current Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, will remain Secretary of Defense for Obama, for at least one year. On Wednesday the 26, Obama not only went to a Food bank in Chicago, but he announced the Creation of his (the president’s) “Economic Recovery Advisory Board,” modeled after President Eisenhower’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. The ERAB will help advise the President through the current economic crisis of “historic proportions.”

On Thanksgiving, the President Elect gave out his weekly update, before Showing up on a Barbara Walters special on ABC. He spoke mostly of how bad the stock market and the economy were doing, but that we, as strong Americans, will push though the crisis. His thoughts were answered perhaps later that day, when the Stock Market closed with the DOW up over 1,000 points over the last four days, the largest increase in that time period since the great depression. Friday closed up 123 points.

http://stjoenews.net/news/2008/nov/27/dow-4th-straight-session/?business


http://www.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/live_streaming_obama_to_announce_cabinet_posts/11533/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081125/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_gates;_ylt=AopVO9dzWbqtSUfgNTMi5vms0NUE

http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/president_elect_barack_obama_establishes_presidents_economic_recovery_advis/

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/NATL-O-Conomic-Team-Takes-Shape-.html

http://thisweekwithbarackobama.blogspot.com/

This week Barack Obama officially resned from the senate. Although no one has yet been assigned to fill his position, many suspect that Jesse Jakson's son,Jesse Jackson Jr., will be taking the role of Illinois senator. However, Governor Rod Blagojevich says he will anounce Obama's succesor by the end of the year.

Obama also named Peter Rouse, his senate chief of staff, to be the senior advisor to the president. He also spoke in his second of what he plans to be weekly Addresses that have been released on YOUTUBE.

Obama plans to meet with Sen. John McCain in Chicago tomorrow in order to discuss how they can serve together to create a "more effective and efficient government."

YOUTUBE: Obama's Weekly Address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8f9Zqap6U

Next Illinois Senator
http://www.lasentinel.net/Will-Jesse-Jackson-Jr.-be-the-next-U.S.-Senator.html

Obama meets with McCain
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/16/AR2008111601840.html?hpid=topnews

Obama Begins Transition

President-elect Obama has had a busy week since the election. After promising his children a puppy, he witnessed his first President's Daily Brief, which will be given to him every morning by the CIA. The world is eagerly awaiting Mr. Obama's picks for his cabinet and administration posts, and was rewarded with one: Rahm Emanuel, Representative from Illinois, will be the Chief of Staff in the new Administration. Rep. Emanuel was the architect of the Democrat's successful bid to take control of Congress in 2006. An Obama aid said that the President-elect is not likely to make any cabinet picks this week, however. Obama also met with President Bush at the White House to talk about the transition.

Mr. President

You might have heard, but yesterday the first black president of the United States was Voted in yesterday, in a descisive Electoral victory, and a 3 point popular vote. Barak Obama, ladies and Gentleman, in now our official President Elect. This is indeed a historic day, and the begining of a very interesting four years. Obama said in his acceptance speech that he would 'tackle the nation’s broken economy, fight off global threats and support soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.' Whether or not this means that he will or will not be withdrawling troops from Iraq has yet to be seen. A very interesting four years indeed...

Barack Obama is the President-elect of the United States