Not Safe For Work: PhotOh! Chicago Republican website is hottt!

By GottaLaff

Correction (title edited to reflect): The site belongs to an individual who labels it Chicago GOP, but is apparently not affiliated with GOP. Thank you HeidiEKMassey. My information was wrong. ChicagoGOP.com is an unnofficial site for Republicans.

I've always admired the Rushpublic party for standing up for Family Values, labeling themselves the Family Values Party, being so Family Values pure of heart, condemning others for their prurient ways, raising their eyebrows at the mere mention of the Sex Word, shaking their fists angrily at extra curricular activities like extra marital affairs, visits to Voyeur-istic venues, revealing photos...

Why, I feel safer and more protected just knowing they are always looking out for the children and the more prim and proper among us. They'd never expose, say, readers to anything that comes close to racy. Certainly not a woman's bare boobuses!

Oh. Wait:

H/t: Misha44_

Jarrett: Accusations of "seedy Chicago politics" a "cheap shot"

By GottaLaff

You've all heard the "seedy Chicago politics" accusations about President Obama and his staff, I assume? They're pretty hard to avoid.

Okay then, if you're sick and tired of smeary, name-calling Rushpublics, raise your hand.

Higher.

1, 2, 3, 45676789... wait, I can't keep up! 10111213141516171819... Keep them raised, I'm still counting...

Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett pushed back against the Republican refrain in a year-end interview with Politics Daily. Jarrett focused specifically on Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) use of the phrase in a recent CNN interview.

"It was definitely a cheap shot and completely unwarranted," said Jarrett, who is one of several Chicagoans to join the Obama administration. "I think what people ought to do is to focus on how they can be constructive in their discourse and present fresh ideas for the president's consideration, and not lose focus on why they were all elected. They were elected to serve the people." [...]

"He does not spend time pulling his hair out worrying about the extreme views," she said. "It's not constructive and it's not going to improve the quality of life of everyday people who are out there struggling."

...101, 102, 103, 104...

...567, 568, 569...

...1234567, 1234568, 1234569....

Okay, hands down. I think we're all in agreement here.

Video- Fox News Is A 24/7 Political Operation: The Untouchables Edition

This is too easy, the guys at Media Matters have too much to pick from.

Video- Michelle Obama pushes Chicago's Olympic bid

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Let's hope it works 'cause we're sure to get some trickle down over in my neck of the woods.

Video- Second City's "Barack Stars" In D.C.

Video- Complete Speech By President Obama To The AMA

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I was pleasantly suprised by the amount of applause. Someone on the teevee said that this was his longest speech since becoming president, transcript here.

Previewing Obama's Health Care Speech

I'll have a streaming live video up for this when it happens. Via Taegan-

President Obama will speak to the American Medical Association in Chicago today to push his plan for health care overhaul. The speech is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET.

Playbook: "This is a speech people will remember. The president is going to make an irrefutable case for why the status quo can no longer be tolerated. And he will paint a powerful picture of how health care can be improved in the future. This is an important moment where the president makes the overall case, which is something only he can do and generate serious attention. The opposition has no leader to drive a counter-message."

Not Burris... yet: Feds indict Ald. Carothers on corruption charges

By GottaLaff

Burris will just have to wait his turn to get his very own indictment (if that even happens):

Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th), a staunch ally of Mayor Richard Daley, was indicted today on charges he accepted about $40,000 in improvements to his residence as well as meals and tickets to sporting events in exchange for backing a major project by a developer.

The developer, Calvin Boender, was also indicted.

Carothers, 54, was charged with four counts of wire and mail fraud and one count each of accepting a bribe and filing a false federal income tax return.

Boender was charged with four counts of wire and mail fraud, two counts of obstruction of justice, two misdemeanor counts of violating federal campaign finance laws and one count of paying a bribe.

U.S. indictment of elected official expected

By GottaLaff

Somethin' big's a-comin'!

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago said it will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today to announce public corruption charges. Sources say it is expected to be an indictment of an elected official.

Details to come.

Judge OKs release of secret recordings between Burris, Blagojevich's brother

Just when you thought The Hair had been forgotten.

A federal judge today authorized the release of audio tapes of secret recordings of coversations between U.S. Sen. Roland Burris and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother to a Senate ethics committee.

Burris’ criminal lawyer, Timothy Wright, federal prosecutors and an attorney for Robert Blagojevich were in court this morning before U.S. Judge James Holderman, who handles grand jury matters.

Reporters were kicked out of the courtroom as the hearing was set to begin.

Before the hearing, Wright said, “the truth will finally come out,’’ in an apparent reference to recordings that took place last November and involve discussions between Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund chair Robert Blagojevich and Burris regarding fund-raising for the ex-governor.

Obama issues personal message on behalf of Chicago

What a huge boost to the area this would be!

(CNN) - There's nothing like a personal message from a popular president to grab a little attention in the fierce battle to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

In a nearly four-minute video, the new occupant of the Oval Office does his best to make the case for his old home.

Chicago is "a city of broad shoulders, big dreams, and a bright future," the president says in the message to the International Olympic Committee. "It's a city where the world's races, and religions, and nationalities all live and work and play and reach for the American Dream that brought them here . . ."

A 16-member commission of the IOC is currently in Chicago evaluating the city's proposed venue sites for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Along with Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro are still in the running to host the summer 2016 games.

Burris Will Not Resign, Will Not Run in 2010

By GottaLaff

The bad news and the good news:

Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) meets with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today to attempt quell the storm surrounding his appointment to the Senate seat left empty by Barack Obama.

Lynn Sweet has the scoop: "Burris will also be sending, directly or indirectly (maybe this is it) two messages: he will not resign in the wake of the controversy surrounding his appointment by the ousted Gov. Blagojevich and he will not run for the seat in 2010. Burris has finally realized that not seeking election next year is the least price he will pay."

I'd like to personally thank him for the unnecessary distraction from much more important matters, and for enhancing the Democrats' image, all while providing cable outlets with weeks of entertainment. Sarcasm, folks.

Quickie: Valentine's Day in Chicago

By GottaLaff

Awww:

After a day trip to Illinois on Thursday, the Obama family travels back to Home Sweet Chicago for the weekend. This is first visit back to Kenwood as the First Family.

Obama White Sox Cap Strikes Out

By GottaLaff

This hat tip to President Obama struck out:

President Obama’s home team -– the Chicago White Sox -– has created a special baseball hat as a tribute to their most famous fan. But don't place your orders just yet -- for legal reasons, the White House isn't playing ball.

The hat incorporates the Sox's popular black-and-white emblem -– which Mr. Obama himself has sported numerous times -– with a twist, to include the Obama campaign’s O logo on the side. “Obama” is written on the back. [...]

The White Sox design team created two prototypes internally –- neither of which has been produced yet. The team has reached out to the administration to get their “approval and blessing” for use of Obama’s name and campaign logo first.

Additionally they have asked the new administration to tell them what charity Mr. Obama would like a portion of the proceeds of each hat’s sale to go to. [...]

White House aides say that for legal reasons a deal with the White Sox likely cannot be made –- the president and the White House do not engage in commercial activity of this kind.

A swing and a miss.

Okay, okay, I promise not to pitch any more baseball metaphors. You'd all balk if I did, and besides... jokes like those are so minor league and would be a sacrifice on my part. Although I'm sure you'd let me slide, I'd rather hit a home run than commit an error like that and then be the recipient of a lot of Bronx cheers in Comments... although I did have a few winners on deck. Then again, maybe I'd never get to first base.

All in all, I'd rather play it safe than foul up with a bunch of lame puns. That's why I'm not even going to play ball. I'm a team player.

Obama Could Head Home for Presidents' Day

He must really love Chicago. But then again, I'm sure the weather in D.C. won't be much better.

President Obama "may return to Chicago for a home visit as early as mid-February, during a time when Illinois will be awash in celebrations marking Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday," the Chicago Tribune reports.

"Aides declined to comment on Obama's February schedule, but a source close to him said he could make his first presidential visit to Chicago as early as Presidents' Day weekend, when his daughters have a three-day break from school."

VIDEOS: "Check Please!"-- Obama's lost episodes

By GottaLaff

Check this out: Our next president was on the Tee Vee Machine as an amateur restaurant critic:

In August, 2001, President-elect Barack Obama did a turn as amateur restaurant critic for a local Chicago television show called "Check, Please!". The premise of the show was that each week three amateur reviewers were invited to pick their favorite restaurant and review it, then they would review the picks of the other two critics.

After taping an episode with a local firefighter and a retail buyer, Obama's segment was shelved...until now. The vintage clip will be aired on January 16th.

The Chicago Tribune has more:

[T]he president-elect was too good--too thoughtful, too articulate, not enough of an amateur. He ended up dominating the conversation.

"It was unbalanced," Manilow said, "to put it charitably."

In other words, he was overqualified and realized he'd be better off as president of the United States. Here, he reviewed Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago:



The episode will air on January 16th at 8:00PM on WTTW.

H/t: Ellen

Obama choked up about leaving home

By GottaLaff

It will be difficult to leave a home he loves, but a few years in the beautiful, historic White House should perk him up:

President-elect Barack Obama says he choked up a little bit when he left his empty house before flying to Washington. [...]

His family went to Washington on Saturday and left him to wander around his Hyde Park home alone.

He said he found a photo album one of his daughter's friends left for the future first family and teared up when he looked through pictures.

Obama also said he wasn't looking forward to living in a hotel for the two weeks before he's allowed to move into his new home. He says he's lived in hotels during two years on the campaign trail.

He teared up... awww. Okay, time for a hug. I'll be right over. I'm almost sure the Secret Service will have no problem with that.

UPDATE:
Here's the quote:

"Well guys, I am looking forward to seeing you guys in Washington... I gotta say I choked up a little bit leaving my house today."

"Malia's friend had dropped off an album of the two of them together. They had been friends since pre-school and I just looked through the pages and the house was empty and it was a little tough, it got me."

Obama Heads Home to Chicago

By GottaLaff

Next stop: Washington D.C.

President-elect Barack Obama bid adieu to his native Hawaii on Thursday, wrapping up his 13-day pre-inaugural vacation here with a morning workout before returning home to Chicago.

Obama is scheduled to arrive in Chicago early Friday morning and will spend just over 48 hours at home before moving his family to Washington on Sunday, in time for his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to begin classes at Sidwell Friends School. The future first family will stay at the historic Hay-Adams Hotel, just steps from the White House, before moving to Blair House on Jan. 15.

Obama concluded a relaxing respite in Hawaii during which he remained largely secluded at a seaside vacation compound with his wife, Michelle, their two daughters and several friends from Chicago and their families. The president-elect maintained a relatively low profile in Hawaii, some days venturing out in public only for his morning workout at a Marine Corps base.

Me-oh-my, he's a real glutton for attention, isn't he? Amazing how all those nasty campaign accusations have been proved wrong over and over and over again.

Making his last stop at the gym Thursday morning, Obama was greeted by about 20 onlookers. "We love having you with us," one woman told the president-elect. Obama shook hands, posed for pictures and signed autographs with a red Sharpie.

"I wish I could hang out with you, but I've got to go home," Obama told the crowd.

This is about as normal a First Family as I can remember. I guess those "evil terrorist" rumors that squirted from the orifices of Palin and her wannabes turned out to be the duddiest of duds, huh? Although he could be hiding an IED in his Hawaii flip-flops.

On the other hand, I saw a post-election interview Wolf Blitzer had with DimBulb Palin in which she continued to voice concern about President-elect Obama's associations.

Funny, I don't seem to hear anything about his pallin' around with known druggies or having a dysfunctional family that would put Britney Spears' antics to shame. Nope. The Obamas are about as close-knit a family values family as you can get.

Blagojevich to hold 2 p.m. news conference

Oh joy, just when we thought it was being back burnered and right before Obama's late afternoon presser.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich scheduled a news conference today to make a statement to the media, his first public appearance since he was arrested last week on federal corruption charges.

Blagojevich has avoided the public eye for the most part since his arrest, but in recent days has told reporters camped outside his house that he is eager to talk to the people of Illinois.

The advisory released this morning from the governor's office said only that Blagojevich would make a statement to the press at 2 p.m. at the James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago.

Dear Joe Scarborough

Hey, it's me. I know you're busy manufacturing outrage and hot air over this whole Blagojevich thing, but I wanted to set your mind to ease on one little point.

You're going on and on (I presume it's a Rush talking point) over the "fact" that (and I paraphrase), "We sent 20 reporters to Wasilla, Alaska to dig into Sarah Palin but sent none to Chicago to dig into Obama".

Chicago is a major metropolitian city in the United States. Here is a link to the media in that city (much of it investigative award winning). Sometimes Chicago is even called "The Second City"! Imagine that. Wasilla Alaska has the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman, and a guess to the circulation of the paper would be less than the population of the city, so somewhere under 10,000.

I'd think there were plenty of reporters in Chicago willing to make their careers by uncovering any untoward activity by Obama (Remember the broohaha over releasing the Annenberg papers? Sure you do.) So, to summarize, there were plenty of reporters, time and effort put into investigating Obama's activity in Chicago and they came up with nothing.

Oh, and you're an ass.