Under The Bus

The next person under the Obama bus may be his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, who apparently was in contact many times with Governor Blagojevich regarding filling Obama's vacant Senate seat. That is, if Obama really is "appalled."

Not the Rod Blagojevich I knew? Not the Rahm Emmanuel I knew?

Interesting that now, Blagojevich will be in a position to offer information about corruption in Illinois politics to save his own skin. Tony Rezko apparently is singing like a bird in advance of his sentencing, which has now been put off.

Stay tuned for details to emerge about that shady house purchase deal between Rezko and Obama. (Not the Tony Rezko I knew.)

Jennifer Rubin has comments about Obama's emotional response to bad news:

President-elect Barack Obama, who played little if any role in the final negotiations on the car bailout, pronounces himself “disappointed” by the collapse of the legislation. Better than”sad,” which was his self-described state of mind, before realizing he was really “appalled” by Gov. Blagojevich’s misdeeds. Disappointment, sadness — rather passive and melodramatic reactions for the leader of the Free World. But this has been his default state whenever things go wrong — Rev. Wright, legislation, criminality, etc.

It is an odd emotional reaction, but one designed to deflect responsibility ( Why didn’t he join the car bailout negotiations?) or commitment. Most of all, the vagueness perpetuates the moral equivalence that dominates his thinking and suggests that bad actors are really just misunderstood. Be prepared to hear President Obama is misty-eyed at the news that North Korea has reneged on another treaty obligation, melancholy that the Senate sees fit to fully investigate Eric Holder’s conduct, and down-right glum about Hamas’s refusal to cease violence against Israel. It will be hard to remain filled with hope.

Why Didn't They Say So In The First Place?

Finally. A real reason to support an Automaker Bailout: NASCAR may go down with them!

If the Big Three Detroit automakers go down, it could mean a very bumpy road ahead for America's No. 1 spectator sport. If GM, Ford and Chrysler are forced to reorganize — or even to go out of business — some fear the wheels could come off for NASCAR.

What would my hubby do without NASCAR?

Satire, I Hope

From Iowahawk:

It's in the way you dress. The way you boogie down. The way you sign your unemployment check. You're a man who likes to do things your own way. And on those special odd-numbered Saturdays when driving is permitted, you want it in your car. It's that special feeling of a zero-emissions wind at your back and a road ahead meandering with possibilities. The kind of feeling you get behind the wheel of the Pelosi GTxi SS/Rt Sport Edition from Congressional Motors.

This Might Have Something To Do With Their Bottom Line

No pun intended.

Lifestyle drugs -- chiefly Viagra -- are costing General Motors $17 million dollars a year and the cost is passed along to car, truck and SUV consumers. The blue pill is covered under GM's labor agreement with United Auto Workers, as well as benefit plans for salaried employees.

And then there's this:

Ken Pool is making good money. On weekdays, he shows up at 7 a.m. at Ford Motor Co.'s Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, signs in, and then starts working -- on a crossword puzzle. Pool hates the monotony, but the pay is good: more than $31 an hour, plus benefits.

"We just go in and play crossword puzzles, watch videos that someone brings in or read the newspaper," he says. "Otherwise, I've just sat."

Pool is one of more than 12,000 American autoworkers who, instead of installing windshields or bending sheet metal, spend their days counting the hours in a jobs bank set up by Detroit automakers and Delphi Corp. as part of an extraordinary job security agreement with the United Auto Workers union.

Hey! I would do that crossword puzzle job for $21 an hour.

Wait... would I have to move to Wayne? Never mind.