· Gotcha: When asked if Blagojevich would ride Amtrak if the extra trips between Chicago and Springfield were implemented, Vanover replied: “Is this a serious question?”

· YDD lays the smackdown.

· Tribune editorial: The Dan Ryan honey pot

· Free Ryan defense could get expensive

· Republican pollster Jan van Lohuizen, in a memo written for RNC chairman Ken Mehlman, warns that if members of Congress try to drive a wedge between themselves and Pres. Bush, it’d be akin to adding weight to an anchor.

· Stroger’s son says it will be months before his father’s political future is determined.

· Ryan jurors dig in, ask for transcripts, details of tax count

· Free or low-cost Internet access should be a no-brainer. And, Illinois moves at dial-up speed in the Information Age

· Ex-Clinton aide to lead tollway

· Sex offenders missing from registered addresses

· Krol’s column. Good as always.

· Fighting Predatory Lending… Some Realtors Would Like To See Amendment To Bill

· Bolingbrook Workers Accused Of Fraud

· More weirdness in Kane County. Major growing pains there.

· Note to the DCCC: If you’re going to send me a link to a video, make sure it works. I won’t pass it along here if I can’t see it myself.

· People’s Weekly World (not the usual type of link): The wild card in the [Melissa Bean] race could be the independent campaign of Bill Scheurer, running as a pro-union, antiwar, anti-abortion candidate and supported by the Teamsters and UAW.