12/19 Roundup: White Knight to the Rescue, Deep Throat Six Deep, Sledges vs. Extinguishers

Leader: White Knight to the Rescue

-  In the wake of the Senate's refusal to bail out the big Detroit auto makers, the White House has come up with a $17 billion package to rescue GM and Chrysler. The bailout is dependent on serious restructuring within the corporations, particularly the reduction of their debt obligations and renegotiation of their agreements with the UAW union.  $13.4 billion will come as an immediate emergency loan, and another $4 billion will come in February.

- WH Press Secretary Dana Perino made everyone's teeth chatter yesterday when she suggested that the administration was considering opting for an "orderly" bankruptcy process.

- As a bonus measure, the White House is sticking it to the man, by demanding that the auto execs get rid of their corporate jets, and sacrifice some of their pay.

Politics

- Ron Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas, will serve as Obama's trade representative. A member of NDN's advisory board, Kirk brings strong free trade credentials to the job.

- Rep. Hilda Solis will be Secretary of Labor.  She served on the Education and Workforce committee, and will be a powerful voice for working America.

- Mark Felt, better known as "Deep Throat," died at 95 yesterday.  The famous anonymous source helped bring down Richard Nixon.

- You've heard of a millie, and even a billie, but Obama's stimulus plan, which just keeps growing, is approaching a trillie.  There's all sorts of good stuff in there.

International

- The majority party in South Korea blockaded themselves into a committee session yesterday, in an attempt to move forward a free trade deal with the US.  The minority party busted into the meeting with sledgehammers, only to be sprayed in the face with fire extinguishers.  The deal has not yet been passed.

- The US military conducted a raid of an Afghan village near the Pakistani border yesterday. The military is calling it a successful counterterrorism operation, and the Afghans are calling it a massacre of civilians.  This is just the latest episode in rising tensions between the states.

One More Thing

- Alaska keeps it classy.