* From Lynn Sweet…

If Barack Obama wins the White House on Tuesday, Gov. Blagojevich will appoint a search committee to advise him on who he should appoint as his replacement in the United States Senate, I learned Monday.

I’m told that Blagojevich will host a press conference later this week in Chicago in order to discuss the appointment, the criteria and give some insight into the process to replace Obama, elected to the Senate in 2004. […]

Blagojevich will not limit the pool of potential Obama replacements to elected officials.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Whoever takes this appointment could very well be doomed. The whiff of Blagojevich’s stank has so far been the kiss of death in legislative and congressional races this year. I can’t see his popularity getting much better in the run-up to 2010. It may get much, much worse if the feds catch up to him.

Enjoy your two years in the Senate, whoever you may be (if, of course, Obama pulls this out), because that may be all you get.

The only way out of this impending disaster (or, if you’re a Republican or a Democratic primary opponent, a gift from God) is to allow Obama to make the pick. Get this choice as far away from the governor as possible. A blue ribbon panel just won’t do the trick.

* Also, in case you care, Rasmussen Reports has a new poll showing Obama leading John McCain in Illinois 60-38.