85,000 jobs lost in Dec., but Nov. revision shows jobs growth

Any good news is really good news.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy lost more jobs in December and the unemployment rate was unchanged, as a sluggish economic recovery has yet to revive hiring among the country's employers.

The Labor Department said Friday that employers cut 85,000 jobs last month, worse than the 8,000 drop analysts expected.

(snip)

Revisions to the previous two months' data showed the economy actually generated 4,000 jobs in November, the first gain in nearly two years, while it lost 16,000 more than previously estimated in October. The net result for the two months was a job loss of 1,000

Max Baucus: Relationship Was Not An 'Affair'

By GottaLaff

Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) wasn't really having an affair with his former State Director Melodee Hanes, see. And we believe him, because what possible reason would he have to mislead anyone?

“Mel and I have a wonderful relationship. We are living together and enjoying spending time with each other and our families. I'm as happy as I've ever been. Mel and I were both separated from our former spouses when we got together. It wasn't an ‘affair.’ As we grew closer and things progressed, we knew it was time to begin the process of Mel transitioning out of my Senate office” [...]

Baucus also didn't really nominate "Mel" for U.S. attorney in Montana.

“As a highly qualified prosecutor who tried more than 100 jury trials and as a former law professor, Mel would have been an excellent U.S. Attorney for Montana. [...] I for one did not want her relationship with me to disqualify her from applying for the position. I appointed an independent, third-party reviewer and established an open and fair process that resulted in 3 names being sent, unranked, to the White House for consideration,” Baucus said in the statement.

So they thought the better of it, you see, and Mel withdrew her name.

And then they lived together.

And then Mel applied for the DoJ job all by her lonesome. And lo and behold, she got it.

So the not-affair not-affected and not-led to the not-job that she got on her own.

Not-clear?

Texas Tech professors oppose hiring Alberto Gonzales

By GottaLaff

Objection! Sustained:

After a long, desperate search, Alberto Gonzales has finally found a job.

The former attorney-general under President George W. Bush will soon be teaching "Contemporary Issues in the Executive Branch" at Texas Tech -- a job for which, at least 40 of the school's professors say, Gonzales is profoundly unqualified.

As of last count, 45 staffers at Texas Tech have signed a petition urging the school's chancellor to rescind the offer of a teaching job to Gonzales, reports the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

According to Texas Tech philosophy professor Walter Schaller, the primary reason for the petition against Gonzales is his record as attorney-general. [...]

"With the emphasis on ethics the university has adopted, a guy that misled Congress is not the kind of person we want to represent Texas Tech," Schaller told the Avalanche-Journal.

"It is unclear what Gonzales has done that makes him deserving of employment at Texas Tech. Does he have a noteworthy academic record? Does he have a record of publishing in law reviews? Was his service to his country particularly distinguished?," the petition reads.

The document goes on to list Gonzales "ethical failings," including: frequently misleading Congress and the American people; rejecting the Geneva Conventions; denying the constitutional right of habeas corpus; and showing more loyalty to President George W. Bush than to the Constitution.

The petition also objects to the process by which Gonzales was hired: Evidently, the Bush administration alum was hired directly by the school's chancellor, Kent Hance, whom the petition describes as a "good friend" of Gonzales.

Nepoteegery.

The goal: Filling 325 jobs by inauguration

By GottaLaff

Somebody's got his hands full, and his name is Barack Obama. Via Ben:

Obama, I'm told, has an 11:00 p.m. nightly call to look at slates of personnel, casting his attention as deep as the assistant secretary level — that is, well into senior agency staff, suggesting a strong White House hand at the agencies, which isn't unexpected.

The goal: Filling 325 jobs by inauguration.

Of particular interest to some of Obama's prominent supporters: The first call about ambassadorial posts is tonight, though none will be named until after Jan. 20.

As Ben says, he is deeply, personally involved with the hiring. He's a busy, busy guy.