CQ Politics' Web Picks

New York Times: Two Sides of a Troubled Governor, Sinking Deeper

Blagojevich, 52, rarely turns up for work at his official state office in Chicago, former employees say, is unapologetically late to almost everything, and can treat employees with disdain, cursing and erupting in fury for failings as mundane as neglecting to have at hand at all times his preferred black Paul Mitchell hairbrush. He calls the brush "the football," an allusion to the "nuclear football," or the bomb codes never to be out of reach of a president.

New Yorker: Appointments

What if Governor Paterson, prompted by the squalor of his Illinois colleague's maneuverings, were to put aside mundane calculations and take full advantage of his theoretically unfettered freedom of choice in naming Hillary Clinton's successor? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, thoughtful and scholarly, would give the new President someone to shoot hoops with. Paul Krugman would provide ornery economic smarts. If you doubt that Lou Reed knows politics, listen to his album "New York." Toni Morrison's majestic voice would warm the Senate chamber.

Wall Street Journal: 'Czars' Ascend at White House

When a president wants to signal that an issue really matters, there is nothing like a czar. On Monday, Mr. Obama will name former Environmental Protection Agency chief Carol Browner as a White House energy czar. He is also planning to name an urban-affairs czar to work out of the White House, likely Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion. He has made former Sen. Tom Daschle a health czar of sorts. "There've been so many czars over last 50 years, and they've all been failures," said Paul Light, an expert on government at New York University.

Los Angeles Times: Daschle Has His Own Health Plan

In Daschle, Obama has also picked up a hardheaded political strategy for his push to overhaul the nation's healthcare system. Guided by lessons from President Clinton's healthcare debacle 15 years ago, Daschle has put a premium on cooperation between the White House, Congress and major healthcare interest groups, many of whom agree that major action on healthcare is vital.

Boston Globe: Groups Line Up for Share Of Stimulus Package

As President-elect Barack Obama and congressional leaders construct a behemoth economic stimulus package, a parade of interest groups is seeking shares of the portion that will go to infrastructure construction projects.

Salon: President Obama's First 100 Days

With many observers citing historical analogs like Abraham Lincoln in 1861 or Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, a Salon round table we explore a twofold question with sobering implications: What can Obama accomplish in his first 100 days, and what should he attempt?

National Review: Six Myths About the RNC Race

As Republicans reflect on which candidate for the RNC chair can best lead the party for the next two years, though, clouded thinking runs rampant -- much of it based on the misperception that winning a majority of the 165 votes needed to become chairman requires the same skill set as winning a general election. For the sake of clarity, let's clear up some myths about what makes a good party chairman.