Rolling Stones - Time Is On My Side - Tempe, AZ concert Dec. 1981

Maybe it's the audacity of the Magical Legacy Recovery Tour™ or the fact that they have two Israeli officials to one Palestinian spokesperson on Late Edition or that C-Span actually invited indicted and disgraced Tom Delay on to give his impression of the new administration and the 111th Congress, but I get the distinct impression that we've all been told the same things we're gonna hear this morning before and that those with the microphones and cameras trained on them have every confidence that time (and repetition) is on their side.

ABC's "This Week" - Senate appointee and former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, D-Ill.; Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Vice President Dick Cheney.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Joe Klein, Erin Burnett, Norah O'Donnell, David Brooks. Topics: Can Obama keep his many campaign promises? Will 2009 be as good a year for Obama as '08?

CNN's "Late Edition" - Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat; Govs. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., and Mark Sanford, R-S.C.; former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.; Queen Noor of Jordan; Israeli Cabinet Minister Isaac Herzog; Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyu.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - no topic listed.

"Fox News Sunday" - Former President George H.W. Bush.

Shrub is sending out Daddy this time to try to make nice on Fox News Sunday and the big Dick himself will be appearing on Face The Nation. Also of note is the Blagojevich-nominated Roland Burris to plead his case to the American public of why he should be seated in Obama's vacated Senate seat on This Week.

Oh yeah, time is definitely on their side. The sad part is, I don't think that it's on ours.

What's catching your eye this morning?

JibJab's "2008 Year in Review"

This is it, our final Sunday together for 2008. And judging from the guest list, it appears that most people are more interested in gearing up for New Year's festivities than do the Sunday shows, which may be a blessing in and of itself. The Chris Matthews Show and Late Edition will look at the last year, but Meet the Press, Face the Nation and This Week will be looking to the future with the incoming Obama presidency. But the most pathetic of all, Fox News Sunday (naturally) gives First Lady Laura Bush a big, wet, sloppy kiss goodbye.

ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Robert Gibbs, incoming press secretary to Barack Obama.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn; David Axelrod, senior adviser to Obama; Paul Krugman, Nobel Memorial Prize-winning economist.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Axelrod.

CNN's "Late Edition" - A compilation of interviews from 2008 featuring New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, and CNN founder Ted Turner.

"Fox News Sunday" - First Lady Laura Bush.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Howard Fineman, Michele Norris, Norah O'Donnell and David Brooks. Topics: 2008 in review -- the good, the bad, and the ugly! Who were the heroes of 2008?

So, what's catching your eye this morning?

Sondre Lerche - "Say It All"

I read the most extraordinarily un-self-examined op-ed piece by WaPo's Leonard Downie yesterday: Could We Uncover Watergate Today? and I had to laugh at the cluelessness of it all. For the last eight years, we have had an administration that is WORST than any Watergate atrocity (from a man who knows firsthand). How well has WaPo (or any of the remaining corporate media) done in uncovering atrocities that we in the blogosphere have been regularly finding? And they wonder why newspapers are going bankrupt. I'm just sayin'...

And this weekend is another perfect example that Deep Throat and the Watergate scandal is a distant memory in journalism, supplanted by the uncritical regurgitation of talking points. Don't believe me? Catch the Revisionist History Tour with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on "Meet the Press" and Darth Cheney himself on Fox News Sunday (a network on which he could eat babies and STILL be defended). The man has already admitted to approving torture. Think any other war crimes will come to light?

ABC's "This Week" - Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Kerry Kennedy, cousin of Caroline Kennedy; Reps. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y.; Peter King, R-N.Y., and Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.; Joel Klein, chancellor, New York City Department of Education.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Eric Cantor, R-Va.; Laura Tyson, former Clinton economic adviser; Carly Fiorina,

"Fox News Sunday" - Vice President Dick Cheney.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Joe Klein, Katty Kay, John Heileman, Helene Cooper. Topics: How big is Obama's mandate for change? Is Caroline Kennedy a smart choice to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate?

So what's catching your eye this morning?

That's right, David Gregory is dancing his way into his first official hosting duties on Meet the Press. And he has a full house with which to contend: Illinois politicos to discuss the ongoing Blago saga and past and present CEOs, undoubtedly to discuss their take on the union busting auto bailout. Hmmm....let's see how much Republican spin Gregory will allow without context, like his predecessor Brokaw. I'm guessing, especially considering the conservative-weighted line up, that a guy willing to be part of Karl Rove's dance posse is willing to put up with quite a bit of conservative crap.

Former Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain will be on This Week. What are the chances that George Stephanopoulos will question him about the report he co-authored fixing the blame for our torture policies squarely on Donald Rumsfeld and George Bush? Or will he be asked for his sage economic advice? You know, the stuff that Joe the Plumber found appalling?

ABC's "This Week" - Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., Bob Corker, R-Tenn, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan; Michael Eric Dyson, sociology professor at Georgetown University.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Madigan; Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn; Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich.; former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.; former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina; Wal-Mart President & CEO Lee Scott; Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Bob Casey, D-Pa.; Gene Sperling, former Clinton economic adviser; Ron Gettelfinger, president of United Auto Workers.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Question of the Week: What do you think was the most important international story of 2008? and why?

"Fox News Sunday" - Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Corker.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Andrea Mitchell, Andrew Sullivan, Eugene Robinson, Ceci Connolly. Topics: How big is Obama's mandate for change? Will the comedy shows find humor in Obama? Meter Questions: Does Obama have a blank check for his economic stimulus plan? YES: 9 NO: 3; Will Hillary Clinton have more influence on Obama's foreign policy than Joe Biden? YES: 10 No: 2

So what's catching your eye this morning?

Sting - Brand New Day

This weekend, we took out all our Christmas decorations, as I had promised my kids we'd do, because they love the little rituals of decorating for Christmas. Specific ornaments must be hung on the tree, the little Christmas village must be set just so. Tchotchkes and their wrappings are strewn all over as well as those annoying pine needles that never can be completely vacuumed up. In short, the house looks like a Yule bomb was set off in it. I got slightly depressed looking at the state of the house, knowing that it would be my job to clean it back up to a reasonable level again. And then I thought about Barack Obama, and how daunting his new job must seem. Can you imagine having to clean up after 8 years of destruction and detritus left by the Bush administration? Oy.

Outgoing GOP flack Tom Brokaw will be asking the President-elect about the sisyphean task before him on Meet the Press. Meanwhile, Condoleezza Rice will tell George Stephanopoulos that no one could ever have anticipated Pakistani terrorism against India on This Week and Chris Matthews is still trying to find an anti-Hillary framing that will stick on The Chris Matthews Show. Some things never change.

ABC's "This Week" - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Ron Gettelfinger, president, United Auto Workers.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - President-elect Barack Obama.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Rice; Govs. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., and Ed Rendell, D-Pa.

CNN's "GPS with Fareed Zakaria" - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell

"Fox News Sunday" - Rice, Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Andrea Mitchell, Joe Kernan, John Heilemann, Kathleen Parker. Topics: Does Obama have a blank check to fix the economy? Who will have more influence on Obama: Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton? Meter Questions: Does Obama have a blank check for his economic stimulus plan? YES: 9 NO: 3; Will Hillary Clinton have more influence on Obama's foreign policy than Joe Biden? YES: 10 NO: 2

So, what's catching your eye this morning?

Joe Jackson, "Sunday Papers," from 1979.

Pretty spare offerings this Sunday. The Villagers' obsessive use of movement conservatives seems to be abating somewhat, but you'll notice once again that very few bona fide liberals are few and far between still:

ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Authors round table.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - First lady Laura Bush; Said Jawad, Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S.; Ted Turner, CNN founder and author of a new memoir.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Sajjan Gohel, director of international security, Asia-Pacific Foundation; Ron Gettelfinger, president of United Auto Workers; Gene Sperling, former Clinton administration economic adviser; Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, the commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq.

CNN's "GPS with Fareed Zakaria" - This week, Fareed speaks to world experts about foreign policy challenges facing Barack Obama.

"Fox News Sunday" - Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: David Ignatius, Ceci Connolly, Katty Kay, Mark Whitaker. Topics: Will the right and left give Obama a honeymoon? How will Islamic extremists view Obama's presidency?

What's catching your eye this morning?

Norah Jones - Don't Miss You At All

It's Sunday, and you know what that means? Another sanctimonious talking head appearance by Holy Joe Lieberman on Meet the Press. How can we miss him if he won't ever go away? That man has one serious love of the spotlight. In all seriousness, given that the President-elect Obama and Democrats in the Senate want to rise above any and all trespasses by Lieberman, it seems to me that the best way for him to truly be punished is to simply ignore him. He loves being the center of attention so much that I'm sure it would just kill him to have no one pay attention to him. Other than that, it looks like the economy will be topic one with lots of Republicans to assert that they have the solution, or to accuse Obama that he doesn't. Considering their own track record, I wish that just once some host would ask them why they should ever be trusted. And isn't it funny how the media has already written off all Bush administration figures already?

ABC's "This Week" - David Axelrod, senior adviser to President-elect Barack Obama; Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Austan Goolsbee, economic adviser to Obama.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former Secretary of State James Baker; former Commerce Secretary William Daley; Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas; Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich.; former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.; Forbes Inc. CEO Steve Forbes; former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - This week on GPS, an exclusive interview with Former Vice President Al Gore. Also, Fareed and an all-star panel of guests -- Tom Friedman, Niall Ferguson and Anne-Marie Slaughter -- discuss the US economic crisis.

"Fox News Sunday" - Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and John Boehner, R-Ohio; Axelrod.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Bob Woodward, Gloria Borger, Katty Kay, David Gregory. Topics: How will Obama specifically represent change from Bush? Is Hillary a smart choice for Secretary of State? Meter Questions: Will Hillary be more of an Obama rival in the Senate instead of State? YES: 10 NO: 2; Will the GOP pick a young rising star instead of an older "heir apparent" in 2012? YES: 12 No: 0

So what's catching your eye this morning?

It's no coincidence that right wing/Conservative guests far outnumber the left wing guests this week on the Sunday talkers. The country just rejected Conservatives and the entire GOP and gave Obama a complete mandate, but does that matter to the networks?

Atrios:

Highlighted this before, but on the teevee on Sunday we have:

7 Appearances by Republican current elected officeholders
3 Appearances by Democratic current elected officeholders.
2 Appearances by Republican former elected officeholders.
1 Appearance by a Bush Cabinet Secretary.
T. Boone Pickens
Ted Turner.

On FOX News Sunday, they have this line up:

''Fox News Sunday'' -- Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.; former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, R-Md.

CBS' ''Face the Nation'' -- Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La.; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.

Wow, FOX found it in the kindness of their hearts to put on Dorgan. And Newt's presidential run gets a boost from CBS. Do any of these networks think America might like to know what and how change is going to happen? It looks like the Corporate media are going to try and make this a center-right nation at all costs.

Howard Jones - No One Is To Blame

Okay, here we go. I pull myself from my sickbed to look at the Sunday line up and you know what it looks like to me? A bunch of Republican jokers lining up their rationalizations and justifications and figuring out the best way to divest themselves of any and all responsibility and to pin all failures on the yet-to-even-start Obama presidency. We got Ahnuld on This Week, as well as the reliably partisan Newt Gingrich and Bobby Jindahl on Face the Nation, Marsha Blackburn on Late Edition, Tim Pawlenty and wannabe RNC head Michael Steele on Fox News. But the major "tell" is good ol' Tweety himself. What kind of framing is this? Who is in charge while the economy tanks -- Bush or Obama? and When Obama takes office, will he postpone much of his ambitious agenda? Really? So the poor man hasn't even taken the Oath of Office and we're already looking at blaming him for the economy and assuming that he'll flake out on his platform?

ABC's "This Week" - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La.; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.; Shelby; T. Boone Pickens, chairman of the energy investment fund BP Capital.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez; Reps. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Ted Turner, CNN founder and author of a new memoir.

"Fox News Sunday" - Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.; former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, R-Md.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Howard Fineman, Erin Burnett, Michelle Norris and Michael Duffy. Topics: Who is in charge while the economy tanks -- Bush or Obama? Will Republican leaders try to stop Palin from becoming their 2012 nominee? Meter Questions: When Obama takes office, will he postpone much of his ambitious agenda? YES: 4 NO: 8 Will the GOP pick a young rising star instead of an older "heir apparent" in 2012? YES: 12 No: 0

Sigh. So what's catching your eye this morning?

Download | Play    Download | Play (h/t Heather)

Rahm Emanuel made his first appearance on the talk shows after accepting the Chief of staff position from Obama with ABC's THIS WEEK and made it very clear that Obama is going to be focused on the economy and tax cuts for the middle class.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And I understand that, that's going to be the focus, but clearly, you just said that the president-elect is going to move on the middle class tax cut right away. I'm just asking if he wants to postpone, not cancel but postpone, the tax increase on the wealthier Americans.

EMANUEL: The core economic part of his strategy is the middle class. That is the basis of it, George. And the economic plan was built on that. And whether -- when it's dealing with, A, the first year of the tax cut, but also the immediate things of dealing with the reforms that are related to both education, health care, energy, taxes.

The Villagers are promoting the right wing talking point that Obama shouldn't govern the way he wants because of the problems the country is facing, but that's exactly why he should do what he promised during his campaign and Paul Krugman agrees...He got elected to do these things. Please Villagers, stop watching the Saturday Morning FOX Stock Show round ups.

I know there's been a lot of talk regarding Rahm on the web and elsewhere. You know my feelings about Rahm so I won't repeat myself, but I think I'd rather see Rahm out of the Congress so we'll be able to have more liberals and Progressives elected there so it really didn't bother me at all. And if Republicans are complaining about him, well, that's a good thing too.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I know that the president-elect also believes he
has the right economic plan, overall, which includes a tax increase on
wealthy Americans. But is he willing to consider postponing that tax increase until the country has emerged from the recession?

EMANUEL: George, President-elect Obama and Vice President --President-elect Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have all said that their economic plan at this juncture is based on giving 95 percent of the working Americans a tax cut, about $1,000.

Continue reading »

From "Putting It Together: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim"

The art of politics is not far from Sondheim's art of making art. It is a process of building bit by bit, part by part and trying not to lose your vision or your voice as others chime in. And certainly, right now the focus is on how Barack Obama will bring in those who will execute his vision. Therefore, his newly named Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is all over the morning shows, as are transition team members John Podesta and Valerie Jarrett. Will they reassure us that they are going to be the change they promise?

One interesting non-Obama note: former British prime minister and current Middle East envoy Tony Blair will be on Late Edition. Cernig thinks that Blair is desperate to keep his sinecure, but I'm sure that he has just tons of relevant information for us about Iraq, don't you?

ABC's "This Week" - Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chief of staff to President-elect Obama.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Emanuel.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Valerie Jarrett, adviser in Obama's transition team; Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.; Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.; Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Obama transition chief transition chief John Podesta; Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif.; Tony Blair, Middle East envoy.

"Fox News Sunday" - Podesta; Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind., and Eric Cantor, R-Va.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Elisabeth Bumiller, Dan Rather, Cynthia Tucker and David Brooks. Topics: Does Obama's successful campaign predict a successful presidency? McCain called for Republicans to support Obama -- will they? Meter Questions: Will Republicans get behind Obama? YES: 6 NO: 6; Will the high expectations for Obama help him accomplish his agenda? YES: 7 NO: 5

What's catching your eye this morning?

Europe - The Final Countdown (yes, I'm a grew up in the '80s and hair bands are embedded in my DNA)

This is it. The final countdown to November 4th, the most historic election in modern history. And dare I say it? The lineup this Sunday looks a little lame. I guess I shouldn't expect the actual candidates to stop their crisscrossing campaigning to sit down with Wallace or Brokaw or Schieffer or Stephanopoulos one more time, but who can get excited by a line-up that includes the yawn-inducing John Kerry against the coma-inducing Fred Thompson, making their cases for their respective candidates on Meet the Press? It makes Bob Casey vs. Arlen Specter on Late Edition seem almost a blockbuster match up, doesn't it?

ABC's "This Week" - David Axelrod, campaign adviser for Barack Obama; Rick Davis, campaign manager for John McCain.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Axelrod; Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and John Ensign, R-Nev.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.; former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Govs. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Sanford, R-S.C., Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., and Deval Patrick, D-Mass.

"Fox News Sunday" - Davis; David Plouffe, campaign manager for Obama.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Joe Klein, Norah O'Donnell, Katty Kay, Eugene Robinson. Topics: Will Americans elect Barack Obama on Tuesday? What will be the Clintons' role in American politics?

So fortified with that extra hour of sleep this morning, tell me, what's catching your eye?

I don't know if the McCain campaign is being unintentionally ironic or if they're just completely tone deaf to symbolism, but John McCain has agreed to be Tom Brokaw's guest for the entire hour of Meet the Press. However, McCain opted not to leave the campaign trail to do it, so he'll be speaking to Brokaw from Iowa...Waterloo, Iowa. Really? The namesake of the battle location that ended Napoleon's reign in Europe? What are his campaign advisers thinking?

ABC's "This Week" - Jack Welch, former chief executive of General Electric Co.; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Robert Rubin, former Treasury secretary and adviser to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.; Doug Holtz-Eakin, adviser to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Govs. Ed Rendell, D-Pa., and Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - McCain.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.; Reps. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Fla., and Heather Wilson, R-N.M.

"Fox News Sunday" - Gov. Tim Kaine, D-Va.; former Gov. Tom Ridge, R-Pa.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Andrea Mitchell, John Heilemann, Clarence Page, Anne Kornblut; Topics: Is America heading for a major political realignment? Was McCain's choice of Palin a mistake?

So, what's catching your eye this morning?

"No More Kings" from Schoolhouse Rock

It's stunning to me that 30 years later, I can still recite the Preamble and describe the process in which a bill becomes a law thanks to Schoolhouse Rock. All those songs are lodged deep in the recesses of my brain. And it occurred to me this week that there are many in positions of power in this country who need some refresher courses in history, government and all the rights we fought hard to have here. But given the anti-intellectualism of the new McCarthyites like Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin and John McCain, perhaps it would be best to ease them into it with some Schoolhouse Rock.

The big story this week is whether Colin Powell, appearing on Meet the Press, will endorse Barack Obama. And if he does, will the McCain campaign dismiss him as being too...partisan?

ABC's "This Week" - Newt Gingrich, former GOP speaker of the House.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Virginia Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.; Missouri Republican Gov. Matt Blunt; former Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

CNN's "Late Edition" - Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., House minority whip; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala.; Ed Lazear, chairman, White House Council on Economic Advisers.

"Fox News Sunday" - Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

"The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Mark Whitaker, Katty Kay, Kathleen Parker, Andrew Sullivan. Topics: Can McCain rescue his campaign as the economy sinks? Who benefits as McCain and Obama question each other's character?

So what's catching your eye this morning?

Download | Play    Download | Play

After Rick Davis tried to downplay the news that Palin was found to have abused her power in Alasks with the Troopergate scandal, a heated exchange appeared on FNS with Chris Wallace, when Obama's campaign manager told McCain's camp guru Rick Davis that he's selling access for McCain to lobbyists...

Axelrod: Look I think the way you root out corruption in Washington is first take on the lobbyist culture and you know what we can't have are lobbyists making millions of dollars selling access to public officials as Rick has done selling access to Sen McCain. That is not how you clean up Washington.

Is it false that you sell access to Senator McCain. Do you sell access to Sen. McCain?

Davis immediately cuts him off and starts yelling at David. It was like this a lot. It's been reported over and over again that McCain's campaign is chock full of lobbyists who were paid off...How can Rick Davis talk about cleaning up DC when he's one of the leading causes of its downfall?

Davis floats around a new canard for McCain---that it'll be bad for America if the White House and Congress go to the Democratic party.
I know it would be just exquisite for Rick Davis if it all remained a total Republican Congress and White House just like before. He didn't complain when Bush and his cronies were rubber stamping each other.
If the country is lucky enough, we will have kicked out the people that are responsible for the political corruption that has helped destroy our economy and give us a chance to rebuild America....
And don't worry, the Conservatives will do everything they can to block any good piece of legislation anyway they can no matter who's in charge.