‘Tis the season for parodies from the Capitol Steps of some of our favorite Christmas carols. This week we bring you a double header, featuring “Little Plumber Boy” and “Have Yourself a Condoleezza Christmas”. Our guest is Steps star Elaina Newport.
Podcasts
Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan Addresses the Blagojevich Scandal and Explains Why He is Running for Another Term as Chairman
Does Barack Obama owe us a more detailed explanation of his transition team’s contact with Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the open senate seat? If so, what does he need to tell us? Is Obama hampered until all the facts are known? We ask Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan those questions and find out why he wants anothern term as head of the RNC.
Big Labor, the Bailout and Blagojevich
Why might a major legislative initiative of Big Labor be very harmful to the very workers it claims to represent? What responsibility do union leaders bear for the crisis in the domestic auto industry? And why is one major union allegedly connected to the scandal engulfing Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich? We ask Mark McKinnon of the Workforce Fairness Institute. He is also a former media adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain.
What’s Next in the Blagojevich Scandal?
Will scandal-plagued Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich step down or be forced out of office? How long will lawmakers and other state officials give him to leave willingly? How is the governor’s track record with the legislature working against any hope of him staying in office? Is this scandal seen just as the latest corruption in Illinois politics or is this story even shocking longtime observers of Chicago-style politics? And have we seen the worst charges that will be presented against Gov. Blagojevich or are many more coming down the pike? We ask Bernie Schoenberg, political writer and columnist for the State Journal-Register in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois.
The News
We have Thursday’s top news! What is Barack Obama saying today about the corruption scandal surrounding his home state governor? What steps is Obama taking to show his team has no connection to the scandal? What fate awaits Gov. Blagojevich if he does not resign? Who is Obama’s choice to lead the health care reform effort? What is the status of the auto industry bailout bill? And what happened on Wall Street today? We answer all these questions as we bring you the biggest stories for Thursday, December 11, 2008.
Texas Rep. Mike Conaway Discusses His Opposition to the Auto Bailout
The House of Representatives passed the $14 billion rescue plan for the auto industry, but did so without the support of Texas Rep. Mike Conaway. Why does Conaway believe this plan solves nothing? Why does he believe Chapter 11 is a better option for these automakers than government welfare? And how does he reconcile his vote for the Wall Street bailout with his opposition to aid for Detroit? We discuss all these issues with Rep. Conaway.
Gizzi on Politics
What will be the fallout of the Rod Blagojevich scandal in Illinois? Could Republicans be competitive in a special election? How will this impact Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.? What will happen with the auto bailout bill in the U.S. Senate? And what should we make of this week’s selections for the Obama cabinet? We ask John Gizzi, political editor at Human Events.
The Genesis of the Mortgage Mess
The auto industry and other sectors of the economy are suffering because of the lack of credit. And credit is scarce because too many loans were given out in recent years to people who had no hope of paying them back. So what are the key policies that triggered this mess? Why did banks have an incentive to hand out high-risk loans? And what are the lessons to learn so this doesn’t happen again? We ask Howard Husock, vice president for policy research at the Manhattan Institute.
Deputy White House Press Scretary Tony Fratto on Auto Rescue Plan
How close is the White House to a deal with Congressional leaders? What are the details? Where will the money come from? Is this a one-time deal or will the automakers be back for more? And how will the White House try to convince skeptical Republicans to vote its way? We ask Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto.
Reviewing the Obama Energy Team
On Wednesday we learned that Barack Obama plans to name Nobel winner Steven Chu as secretary of energy, Lisa Jackson as head of the Environmental Protection Agency and Carol Browner as energy czar. What the track records of these people? What do their nominations suggest about the policy track being pursued by Obama? What proposals in the early days of the administration should give us pause? We ask Dan Kish of the Institute for Energy Research.