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* Obama to name LaHood transportation head

* LaHood would be first Peorian in Cabinet

* Republican LaHood Likely Obama’s Transportation Pick

Representative Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican known for his willingness to criticize his own party and to work with Democrats, is likely to be named by President-elect Barack Obama as his choice for transportation secretary, according to a person familiar with the selection.

LaHood, 63, whose district includes the headquarters of Peoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar Inc., has known Obama for more than a decade and is close to Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois congressman designated by the president-elect as White House chief of staff. He is retiring from Congress this year after serving seven terms.

The announcement may come as soon as Friday, said the person, who spoke condition of anonymity.

* Success, of a fashion, with welfare reform

* City schools still have a long way to go

* Laid-Off Union Workers Get Job Training

When Michael Reese Hospital announced it was closing in June, union workers and community activists rallied and protested.

They demanded that the city recognize the 200-plus laid-off workers from the Service Employees International Union. The city has ponyed up $272,000 for retraining. If city officials have their way, the hospital land will be a 2016 Olympic site.

* Alderman Wants to Use Reserves for Snow Removal

Alderman Tom Allen, though, is leading the call to use some of that money. He says he wants $3-million to make sure the city can deploy enough plows through the winter.

ALLEN: Snow and making our streets safe is not every problem. It’s a very necessary public service that we have an obligation to provide.

* Race at issue in Games bid

* Aldermen Approve Hospital Site Deal for Olympics

Aldermen are letting the City of Chicago buy the land where Michael Reese Hospital sits. They say the $86-million deal could help in the city’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics. The plan is to use the land for the Olympic Village, then turn the development into mixed use housing. Alderman Toni Preckwinkle says the price is a steal.

posted by Kevin Fanning
Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 8:56 am

Comments

I’ve added to my growing collection of Blago toons with “hair today, gone tomorrow”. Or so we all hope. Over 50 toons so far and counting. Illinois Held Hostage, Day 10.

Comment by IrishPirate Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 8:57 am
Can we all agree that just because LaHood has an R next to his name does not necessarily make him a Republican? This would be like a Republican President naming Lieberman to the cabinet and claiming that he named a Democrat.

Comment by Bakersfield Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:04 am
Wasn’t Sam Skinner from Peoria? And Jack Block was from Gilson about 20 miles from Peoria. both of these guys were cabinet members.

Comment by One of the 35 Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:11 am
The proposed appointment of Mr. LaHood to Transportation (jokes about the impending bumpy ride ahead notwithstanding) demonstrates our president-elect’s predilection for picking fruit that is not too far from his tree. Glad we will be getting all the benefits of innovative thinking and fresh ideas these appointments will bring to the upcoming administration.

Comment by Captain Flume Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:11 am
Bakersfield has a valid point. LaHood is a decent guy but he has never set that well with the conservative wing of the Illinois GOP. He is a “tepid” Republican at best. However, by choosing a hybrid like LaHood, Barack managed to remain true to his word. Smart political move on Barack’s part.

Comment by Beowulf Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:13 am
There is going to be a lot of money to hand out for roads and bridges with the stimulus bill… I assume having someone you can trust with that bank trumps partisanship.

Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:14 am
I really do not like LaHood (or LaRINO as others call him) but I have no problem with the move. Transportation Secretary has very little impact in our lives other than getting to ride trains and stuff, plus it gets him out of Illinois for a few years.

Comment by Bakersfield Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:15 am
LaHood was and is definetly an R, along with Ryan, Topinka and others who were moderates.

Lieberman is not a good example, as leiberman decided he did not wish to be in the em party. laHood has never shed his desire to be in the R party, even if there are some R’s who do not want him there.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:16 am
In any case, this is good news for The Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:21 am
The President-Elect has learned an awful lot in Illinois. Take care of your base before they take care of you.

The Reese deal is huge waste of taxpayer money. The city is broke. No, the city is 400 million in the red, yet it has 86 million to buy the Reese property?

I wonder how that deal was fast tracked to the City Council Finance Committee. Ed Burke still run that show?

But there was actual opposition to the deal. Then this happened.

Anyone else pumped to see this practice on the national stage?

Comment by Gabriel Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:22 am
===Can we all agree that just because LaHood has an R next to his name does not necessarily make him a Republican? ===

What a truly stupid thing to say. No wonder the IL GOP is in such dire straits. If you kick out the LaHood’s of your party, you will have almost nobody left but the wingers. Is that really what you’re after? A tiny yet pure party? I’m sure the Dems would be happy to hear that.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:23 am
You gotta love the right wing jihad against fellow Republicans who don’t tow the line on their small list of “50 issues you have to agree with” or be tossed out of the party.

The reason Republicans have gotten their teeth handed to them statewide recently is because of the right wing idiots they pick to run. Need I mention the milk man? Alan Keyes?

If the GOP plans to have a chance in this state they need to be open to guys like LaHood and Kirk.

Personally, as a democrat with a bad moon rising, I hope the Repubs keep picking nutjobs on the right. As a citizen of Illinois I hope the GOP picks competitive candidates which should make both parties better. Dare I hope.

Comment by IrishPirate Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:27 am
Rich, I don’t mind the moderate thing. I would much rather have a complete Republican Party. Of course none of that matters if your leaders are not loyal to the party. LaHood’s always been the first rat off any sinking GOP ship. He’s the guy ripping Palin, the first guy going after Jack Ryan. No wonder Obama wants him in his cabinet- he’s been one of his best assets.

Comment by Bakersfield Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:31 am
Rich, they are a tiny and insignificant party now… Nonfactors in the Senate, losing seats in the house and can’t hold their seats in Congress. 2010 redistricting will finish them off for good… Even with the blago mess, they’ll still lose seats

Comment by legal scholar Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:31 am
Perhaps LaHood decided to criticize Palin after watching another intellectually and morally challenged Governor harm Illinois.

Imagine Blago on the national ticket. Scary? Yea. Imagine Palin? Scary?

Sometimes party loyalty demands too much.

I’m a Democrat, yet I voted for Judy Baar Topinka.

As for Jack Ryan he brought on his demise by lying to the press about his divorce files. End of story.

Comment by IrishPirate Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:39 am
appointed LaHood

Do we remember this: Peter needs a primary opponent? It seems someone does.

Nice payback for making his Senate run just a bit easier.

Comment by Pat Collins Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:42 am
Bakersfield===Transportation Secretary has very little impact in our lives other than getting to ride trains and stuff===
Unless there is a Cabinet position of Comfortable Mattresses, I would think Transportation Sec. impacts our lives almost more than any other. If you don’t drive, you at least take the train, as you said. The decision to widen a highway or not has a huge impact on the people in that area. Plus the jobs it creates. This pick is a huge plus to Illinois, especially downstate.

Comment by Been There Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 9:54 am
Eh, that’s all done by locals. It’s a low-profile position with few responsibilities other than looking good in a hard hat and cutting ribbons.

Comment by Bakersfield Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 10:01 am
Legal Scholar, 2010 will be a better year, for Republicans, than 1994, since Obama is more liberal than Clinton.

LaHood’s only qualification for being the secretary of transportation is that he has a drivers license. If Obama wanted to choose a republican Illinois congressman, he should have chosen Tim Johnson. Johnson is a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, but LaHood isn’t a member of that committee. In 2000, when then-St. Rep. Johnson ran for Congress, he promised that he wouldn’t be in the U.S. House for more than three terms. Later, he changed his mind and broke his promise. Last month, he was elected to his fifth term. If Johnson leaves Congress, he might be replaced by St. Sen. Bill Brady, who is more conservative than Johnson.

Comment by Phil Collins Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 10:17 am
LaHood’s only qualification for being the secretary of transportation is that he has a drivers license.

You’ll have to do better than that.

From CNN-

LaHood, who did not run for re-election, served several terms on the House Transportation Committee before leaving to take a post on the more influential House Appropriations Committee. In that position, he worked with his state’s Democratic senators, Obama and Dick Durbin, to obtain funding for Illinois (hint-the 2005 SAFETEA-LU transportation bill)

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 10:46 am
During the current congress, Rep. LaHood’s committees are appropriations and select intelligence. He’s more qualified to be the secretary of commerce, director of OMB, ambassador to the UN, or director of the CIA. Since he’s not a member of a transportation committee and hasn’t held a high-ranking non-government job, in a transportation-related company, he’s not qualified for that position.

Comment by Phil Collins Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 11:05 am
So, you’re complaining that LaHood, who served for years on the US House Transportation Committee and has a long history of working on transportation projects in his district, is not qualified because he got “promoted” from Transportation during his House tenure? Honestly, I’m trying to give you constructive criticism so you can make a better case, but you seem to keep digging a bigger hole.

Here’s a local angle:

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1231767262/LaHood-showed-18th-District-the-money

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 11:37 am
Good for Ray. It is unfortunate, now, that it appears he will not be making a run for Gov or Senator. The party needs more like him.

Comment by Heartless Libertarian Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 12:54 pm
Rich, you are absolutely right in your smack down of the wingnuts who would purge Ray LaHood from the GOP. Illinois has not necessarily become more “blue” so much as the right wing has undermined the GOP to an absurd degree.

To the LaHood topic–There are a couple of serious weaknesses in this pick. Ray has zero meaningful administrative experience. This is critically important in overseeing a cabinet agency. It doesn’t mean he can’t succeed, it just means he lacks key management tools that are important. Some very good cabinet picks have not run a big organization, but in this age and in this particular department, that skill is needed. Also, Ray is by no means known as a transportation expert on the Hill. He spend a while on the T&I committee, but this is a huge assignement for someone with scant experience.

Of course, the Obama people will really be running the show. Ray will be window dressing so this apparently less than optimal fit is not likely to be a big problem. Ray will fly around giving speeches and being important (which he will like very much) and good Dems will steer the ship at DOT.

Comment by Random Task Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 4:23 pm
good Dems will steer the ship at DOT

More correctly, good long-time apolitical federal bureaucrats will steer the ship at USDOT (as they always have), with occasional policy guidance from a few well-placed Obama Administration policy wonks.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Dec 18, 08 @ 6:00 pm