CQ Politics' Web Picks

New York Times: Got a Room? Inauguration Is a Windfall

It's the capital's newest parlor game, literally: How much is your parlor worth? More precisely, how much is it worth to someone who is coming to town for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration in January and needs a place to stay?

Washington Post: Obama Memorabilia, Keeping Sales Aloft

In most election years, the candidate T-shirt and button market pretty much disappears after the ballots are counted. Not this time. Our next president has become a living, breathing stimulus package for a modest-size group of entrepreneurs who are slapping Obama's image on any surface it'll stick to.

Daily Beast: Irrational Obama Exuberance

This Camelot moment won't last . There will be mistakes, scandals, and missteps. But if you're feeling a dash of irrational exuberance you're not alone--and there are in fact real reasons to feel renewed optimism about the USA at the dawn of the age of Obama.

Los Angeles Times: Multiracial Families See Barack Obama as 'Other' Like Them

Some consider the president-elect's rise as a form of vindication in a society that hasn't always been kind to those who aren't easily defined by race.

Wall Street Journal: Deteriorating Economy Adds to Urgency for Obama

The accelerating U.S. downturn is increasing pressure on the coming administration to launch a massive effort aimed at containing the damage.

NPR: For Obama, Tight Deadline on Climate Change

The problems Obama will inherit are huge. Scientists say the world needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly over the coming decades. That means shifting from cheap energy like coal to cleaner, but more expensive, alternatives. And nations around the world must act together.