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Not yet confirmed by anyone but Fox:
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones will replace President-elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate, a source told Fox News.
WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
From Lynn Sweet:
A caretaker Senator is not off the table. And there something to be said for letting Illinois Democrats decide who their Senator should be for the long-term.In a phone interview, I asked Blagojevich if he considered the vacancy an African-American seat. "I think it is a factor of a great deal of weight in my mind but it is not the only factor or the only consideration, and somebody could be the next Barack Obama who happens not to be the African American, and that person would be hard not to make a U.S. senator."
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"He's got a right to do it," Blagojevich said, "and he obviously believes in himself as a candidate for the United States Senate and his public campaign is, you know, something he obviously believes appropriate and helpful, and all power to him."
The governor, I learned, is trying to set up an interview with Jackson to discuss the vacancy. He's already talked to Dem Representatives Jan Schakowsky; Danny Davis, who is becoming more vocal about wanting the seat, and Luis Gutierrez. Former state Senate President Emil Jones, Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth, and Attorney General Lisa Madigan are near the top of what the governor said was a long list.
A few days ago, Gutierrez issued a statement saying he was interested in filling only the two years remaining in Obama's term.
"Not a deal-breaker," the governor said. While Blagojevich has a strong preference to pick someone who will try to keep the seat, he said if he found "the right person," it "wouldn't necessarily preclude him or her from being the choice."
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Today we will all spend some time today trying to sort out in our minds what happened in Mumbai (Bombay) last week, who did what, and what happens next?
But a few other things will be going on today also:
Last spring, Edward "Uncle Teddy" Kennedy was supposed to receive a honourary degree at Harvard last spring, and deliver the commencement address. Illness prevented that, but today, he will receive the award.
The honor is in recognition of Kennedy’s lifelong commitment to public service and his tireless efforts as a champion for a range of social issues including health care, civil rights, labor, employment, the environment, and education.Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend.
Over in Illinois, Governor Rod Blagojevich is still looking for someone to replace President-elect Obama in the Senate. He spoke with Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who turned him down. According to Gutierrez: Governor Blagojevich shared with me today that he was very interested in me as a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat, but that his preference is to appoint someone who will run for a full term in 2010.WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate -- one of the highest honors and privileges of my life -- I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.
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More than two decades ago, I arrived in Illinois as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America. On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn't easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had. It's an education that led me to organize a voter registration project in Chicago, stand up for the rights of Illinois families as an attorney and eventually run for the Illinois state Senate.
It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge -- farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst. Later, when I made the decision to run for the United States Senate, the core decency and generosity of the American people is exactly what I saw as I traveled across our great state -- from Chicago to Cairo; from Decatur to Quincy.
I still remember the young woman in East St. Louis who had the grades, the drive and the will but not the money to go to college. I remember the young men and women I met at VFW halls across the state who serve our nation bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I will never forget the workers in Galesburg who faced the closing of a plant they had given their lives to, who wondered how they would provide health care to their sick children with no job and little savings.
Stories like these are why I came to Illinois all those years ago, and they will stay with me when I go to the White House in January. The challenges we face as a nation are now more numerous and difficult than when I first arrived in Chicago, but I have no doubt that we can meet them. For throughout my years in Illinois, I have heard hope as often as I have heard heartache. Where I have seen struggle, I have seen great strength. And in a state as broad and diverse in background and belief as any in our nation, I have found a spirit of unity and purpose that can steer us through the most troubled waters.
It was long ago that another son of Illinois left for Washington. A greater man who spoke to a nation far more divided, Abraham Lincoln, said of his home, "To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything." Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to "confidently hope that all will yet be well."
With your help, along with the service and sacrifice of Americans across the nation who are hungry for change and ready to bring it about, I have faith that all will in fact be well. And it is with that faith, and the high hopes I have for the enduring power of the American idea, that I offer the people of my beloved home a very affectionate thanks.
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Matt reported yesterday that Valerie Jarrett was President-elect Obama's choice to replace him in the Senate.
The decision, however, is not his, and another hat has been thrown into the ring. Jesse Jackson, Jr sent out the following e-mail today:
Dear Friend,Update from Matt: It's a good thing Jackson's being coy about whether he wants the job...
I want to share with you today's editorial in the SouthtownStar strongly recommending me to fill President-elect Barack Obama's soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat. I'm honored to receive the newspaper's endorsement, which stated this: "No one is better suited to fill the seat than U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr."
I hope that you will take a moment to read the attached editorial and share your thoughts with me.
- Jesse
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A prominent Democratic source close to Barack Obama confirmed Sunday that Valerie Jarrett is Obama’s choice to replace him in the Senate.
Jarrett is a Chicago lawyer and one of Obama’s closest advisers. She is also one of the leaders of Obama’s transition team.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the incoming chief of staff, said Sunday that he had not seen the report from Chicago’s WLS-TV that named Jarrett as Obama’s top pick, but he praised her as a “valuable ally.”
“People should know that Valerie Jarrett is — and people do know — she is a very dear friend of the president-elect and a valuable ally of his, not only prior to running for president, in his Senate life, and just personally for Michelle and Barack,” Emanuel said on ABC’s “This Week.” - CNN
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Sure, if you've been following DCW, you can name all the Senators up next Tuesday. But there are other changes afoot. We could talk TLB Joe Lieberman, but not now. Nor Robert Byrd, who might be giving up his Chairmanship, and instead becoming "Chairman Emeritus". We could also talk who would get the Minority Leader if McConnell loses, but that is premature. That, along with the discussion I'm holding for after the election about how the Senate Republicans function if their entire 'tenured' bunch is gone. Who takes the reins? Who leads, who follows? Does their Senate agenda moderate or move further right?
For now, I'm talking about the fact that there will be either one brand new Senate face if McCain wins, and two if the Obama-Biden ticket wins. So who might replace them?
There are different state laws in place here. First, let's talk Arizona. I know, your initial thought is: can't Governor Nepolitano appoint whomever she wants? Actually, no, she is required by state law to appoint someone of the same party leaving the seat.
Her term (term limited) is up in 2010, and rumour has it that she'd like to run for the Senate. Therefore, she will probably be thinking of who she wants to run against. There are a couple of people interested in filling the position. Rumour has it former Rep. Jim Kolbe is high on her list. When he retired from the House last year, Napolitano appointed Kolbe to the Canamex Corridor Task Force, which deals with trade between Arizona, Mexico and Canada. However, he might not be acceptable to the GOP, since he is openly gay. Whoever gets the seat would fill out John's term, and therefore run in 2010.
On to Illinois. If Senator Obama becomes President Obama, his seat can be filled by a member of either party, and the appointment will come from Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Certainly, you've heard Jesse Jackson, Jr. express interest in the position, and rumours about the seat going to Tammy Duckworth have been floating for months.
But let's talk Rod. To say that he has potential ethics problems is like saying that Ted Stevens once accepted as a gift, a metal folding chair, instead of a $3000 Shiatsu Massage Chair. Also, under Illinois law, he can appoint himself. Remember, there's precedent about how the Senate deals with potential felons. I'm not saying the Senate would be safer than the governor's mansion, but....Also, he might want to appoint the state AG, there's a long-time "family feud", plus she might run against Rod, and this would take her out of the state.
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