* PI has posted an excerpt from David Axelrod’s interview on Fox Chicago Sunday…

Axelrod was asked whether Obama would be making endorsements in Illinois and Chicago politics….

“I haven’t had this discussion with him, so I don’t want to go too far, but I think his inclination’s gonna be to stick to the task he was sent to perform and not to try and be a kingmaker or boss here in Illinois.”

I suppose that rules out an endorsement of Bill for the US Senate. Still, I can’t help but wonder if this also applies to Alexi.

* Besides recruiting and running a potential “seat warmer” for Rahm Emanuel, there is another idea floating around…

In addition, political powers are discussing another option that would allow Mr. Emanuel to have his cake and eat it too without forcing anyone to play seat warmer.

Under that scenario, a new district for Mr. Emanuel to run in would be carved out in district reapportionment after the 2010 elections. Democrats are likely to run remap in Illinois, and with Chicago suburbs increasingly turning Democratic blue, it could be fairly easy to throw GOP incubmbents Peter Roskam and Judy Biggert into one district while peeling off Democratic sections to use as the basis for a new district that would extend into Chicago. That would allow Mr. Emanuel to return to the House and get back in line to become speaker some day, without having to force whoever wins the 5th District job to step down.

* Confusion at DNR after park closure announcements…

IDNR employees are in a state of befuddlement. That and similar remarks came from multiple employees at state sites on Monday. Are they staying or going? Will there be layoffs? If so, how many? […]

The question is whether those closures will mean layoffs of IDNR employees.

“You would think somebody would make decision,'’ said a state employee facing a forced move to another site.

“We are still determining how many employees will now be affected given these changes,'’ IDNR spokesman Chris McCloud said.

What a great way to kick off the holiday season, eh?

The above story also references this study which purports to show that the site closings were based on partisan politics.

* IMRF troubles ahead…

It’s not farfetched to think that virtually every extra cent of revenue coming to local governments in the next couple years will be used to pay increased pension obligations.

* The Peoria Journal-Star editorializes about the need for constitutional amendments on property taxes, the number of local governments, TIF districts, ethics reforms, the unfunded pension liability, etc., etc., etc. and then has this to say…

We fully expect good government groups to lead the charge in drafting and generating support for these amendments, to prove as some promised just how easy it is to amend Illinois’ Constitution without having to resort to something so radical as another Con-Con.

While they’re busy writing up amendments and getting the signatures necessary to put such citizen initiatives on the ballot - please, let’s not rely on the Legislature to do that for us - here’s one issue they should put at the top of their list.

Um, PJ Star? Those dreamy amendments of yours cannot make it onto the ballot without first clearing the General Assembly. Here’s a handy link for future reference.

The same paper recently endorsed Sen. James Clayborne for Senate President apparently without realizing that Clayborne was privately backed by Gov Blagojevich. Oops.

* Steve Thomma of McClatchy Newspapers filed this pool report earlier today…

It’s noteworthy that the press seats at the news conference have been divided into a White Sox section - to the South - and a Cubs section - to the North of the ballroom.

But in a crime against nature, your pooler - a genuine White Sox fan, a man who attended his first twi-night double header at the Old Comiskey in 1963, who sat behind third base for the 50th anniversary All Star Game there in ‘83, who knew Bill Veeck and the wonders of Disco Demolition night, who saw the great Ozzie play before he managed - has been assigned a seat in the Cubs section.

They should just ban all Cub fans from the proceedings.

And, yes, I’m just kidding. Sorta.