The Race Card? Blagojevich Picks Roland Burris

Former Ill. Attorney General Roland Burris, right, takes questions after Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Burris as his choice to fill President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 in Chicago.

AP Photo/Paul Beaty

On Tuesday, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich went against Senate Democrat demands and appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill the Senate seat left open by Barack Obama.

Burris, an African American, was never seriously considered for the post, but is highly regarded in the state political arena. Now, some argue that Blagojevich is playing the race card with this decision. His gamble? That no U.S. Senator would be willing to deny an African American a seat at the table, despite the dubious circumstances.

U.S. Congressman Bobby L. Rush didn't make things any easier, appearing alongside the Governor and Burris at their Tuesday press conference. Supporting Roland Burris, Rush said, don't "hang or lynch the appointee, as you try to castigate the appointer." This racially charged language heated up the issue, even managing to wrangle in President-elect Obama -- who wasn't eager to directly respond to Rush.

According to The Huffington Post:

"I believe the best resolution would be for the governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place."

"They cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat," Obama said in a statement. "I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it."

Burris said Wednesday that Blagojevich "has the constitutional and statutory authority to make those appointments ... and I have absolutely nothing to do with those problems."

"I will not be tainted because the governor has followed the constitution," Burris told NBC. "And I am confident that when all is said and done, I will be a United States senator."

Naturally, the seat should go to the most qualified person. While Roland Burris may be that person, time will tell if his quasi-appointment by Blagojevich will even be recognized by state officials (let alone by the Senators on Capitol Hill).

Geoffrey Gardner

11:13 AM ET | 12-31-2008 | permalink

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Share Your Memories Of 2008

Nobody can say that 2008 was uneventful. As the year draws to a close, it's a good time to look back on what was ...

We were inspired by an historic election, swashbuckled by Somali pirates, and scared by the threat of a new Great Depression.

We reached out to each other with "terrorist fist jabs," fell for a Bigfoot hoax, and rooted for Michael Phelps.

We learned way too much about Eliot "Client #9" Spitzer, not enough about where our tax dollars are going, and just enough about Governor Sarah Palin.

Yes, we've been through a lot over the past 12 months.

Please share your memories of 2008 with us below. To help out, feel free to look back at what News & Views was blogging about throughout the year:

• January 2008 Archive
• February 2008 Archive
• March 2008 Archive
• April 2008 Archive
• May 2008 Archive
• June 2008 Archive
• July 2008 Archive
• August 2008 Archive
• September 2008 Archive
• October 2008 Archive
• November 2008 Archive
• December 2008 Archive

Geoffrey Gardner

11:40 AM ET | 12-30-2008 | permalink

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'Barack The Magic Negro' Causes RNC Rift

Chip Saltsman was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's campaign manager during the Republican presidential primaries.

AP Photo

On Friday, news reports revealed former Tennessee GOP leader Chip Saltsman -- who also ran Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign -- had distributed a Christmas CD to Republican National Committee members, featuring a song called "Barack the Magic Negro." Based on the tune "Puff the Magic Dragon," the parody has hit all the right nerves on both sides of the aisle.

Naturally, Democrats aren't amused and Republican leaders are left scampering this week to either defend or reject the ballad. The RNC is currently seeking a new chairman and the row over this song has seemingly created a divide within the party leaders vying for the job.

Chip Saltsman, who is up for the chairmanship himself, released a statement saying that "our party leaders should ... refuse to pander to the media's desire for scandal."

On Politico.com, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell -- who is black -- has also come to Saltsman's defense.

"When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal," he said. "All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."

Not everyone agrees with Ken Blackwell. According to CBS News:

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer, who has reportedly been mulling a run for the RNC chair, released a statement supporting candidates for the chairmanship who have taken a "firm position" on Saltsman's decision to distribute the "racially-insulting song":

"As the GOP Chairman in one of our nation's most ethnically and culturally diverse states, I am especially disappointed by the inappropriate words and actions we've seen over the past few days," he said. "I am proud of those party leaders who have stood up in firm opposition to this type of behavior."

"Actions such as the distribution of this CD, regardless of intent, only serves to promote divisiveness and distracts us from our common goal of building our party," added Greer.

Here is the song in question (via YouTube):

Let us know what you think.

Geoffrey Gardner

12:14 PM ET | 12-29-2008 | permalink

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With the holidays upon us, News & Views is turning off the lights. We'll be back on Monday, December 29th. Our newsletter will return on Monday, January 5.

You can continue listening to News & Notes each weekday at its regularly scheduled time. Beginning Thursday, December 25th and continuing through Friday, January 2nd, we'll be airing broadcasts compiled of our best and most popular interviews and reports.

We'll be back with new shows on Monday, January 5.

All the best of the holiday season to you and yours!

Geoffrey Bennett

11:52 AM ET | 12-23-2008 | permalink

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Vietnamese-American Rep. To Black Caucus: Let Me In

Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao waves as he holds his daughter Betsy Cao, 4, with his wife Kate Hieu Hoang, right, at his victory party after defeating Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., for the 4th Congressional District in New Orleans.

Alex Brandon, AP Photo

The first Vietnamese-American elected to Congress -- Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao -- wants to be the first Vietnamese-American to join the Congressional Black Caucus.

Cao defeated Democrat William Jefferson earlier this month. Though Cao represents a largely black district, the CBC has reportedly never admitted a non-black member.

You tell us: Should the CBC let Cao join? Take a listen to what our bloggers said on today's roundtable.

Related: Rep. Cao's Interest In CBC Could Spark Clash

Geoffrey Bennett

1:47 PM ET | 12-22-2008 | permalink

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Will Your TV Go Dark In February?

"On Feb. 18, there will be a tremendous amount of finger-pointing," media analyst Richard Doherty tells The New York Times.

As the transmission of television signals over the air moves to a digital format, those foil-wrapped TV antennas will be useless and many Americans will be caught off guard.

More from the Times:

According to surveys conducted by the Consumers Union, a consumer advocacy group that also publishes Consumer Reports magazine, while 90 percent of the nation is aware of the transition, 25 percent mistakenly believe that one must subscribe to cable or satellite after February, and 41 percent think that every TV in a house must have a new converter box, even those that are already connected to cable or satellite.

To help reduce the expense of acquiring the converter boxes, which cost about $50 for basic models, consumers can get two government rebate vouchers worth $40 a box.

About 40 million coupons have been requested, but to date 16 million have been redeemed, compared with an estimated 35 million televisions that will lose a signal. Adding to the problem: people who obtained coupons early this year, but never redeemed them, have discovered that they expire after 90 days. They are not allowed to reapply for vouchers (though they could use someone else's coupon).

...With time running short, the government is now urging Americans to request a coupon by the end of the year, assuming that it will take about six weeks to receive the coupon, buy a box and reconfigure the antenna to find the digital signals.

To apply for a converter box voucher, click here or call 888-388-2009. And you can sign up a relative or friend, too -- might make for a nice (free!) holiday gift.

Geoffrey Bennett

1:19 PM ET | 12-22-2008 | permalink

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Bloggers Respond To Obama's Invocation Choice Of Rick Warren

Then presidential candidate Barack Obama shakes hands with Pastor Rick Warren during the Saddleback Forum in Lake Forrest, Calif.

Alex Brandon, AP Photo

It's what some see as the first major rift between President-elect Obama and his progressive supporters: his choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inauguration invocation.

Warren supported a California initiative aimed at banning gay marriage and says he disapproves of homosexuality.

For his part, Obama said of his controversial decision: "That dialogue, I think, is part of what my campaign's been all about: That we're not going to agree on every single issue. But what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere when we -- where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

Below is a sampling of what some of our regular bloggers' roundtable guests think. (Click the links to read the full posts.)

Corey Richardson of Vexed In The City in a post titled, "Gay People, Please Calm Down":

Rick Warren isn't your enemy because Rick Warren can't do anything to you or for you. He's just another guy who has an opinion that you don't share. Get over it, move on.

Your real enemies are the people who you don't know. Your real enemies are the ones who silently went into the voting booth and voted YES on Prop 8, then returned to work, had a cup of coffee with you and asked you if the jeans they were wearing made their butt look big. Your real enemy isn't the person who would speak his mind against you, your real enemy is the person who would conspire their thoughts to harm you and say nothing of it.

... So instead of throwing your well manicured and gay hands in the air in protest, be cool. You know who Rick Warren is and what he's about and there's nothing you can do to change him or that fact.

And for those who want to get mad at Barack Obama for asking him to deliver the invocation, I got some bad news for you too. A lot of people voted for Obama and a lot of the folks who voted for him aren't down with gay marriage either. That's why Prop 8 passed. It's called democracy. The people vote and sometimes they make choices you don't like (see President George W. Bush 2000/2004). That's what being a minority is about sometimes, not getting your way ... Black folks know the deal, we dealt with that slavery sh*t for a minute.

Jill Tubman of Jack & Jill Politics:

Boo ... hiss ... claws scratching at the air -- this was a major misstep IMHO. I salute the instinct to unify the nation symbolically. But this guy is on the wrong side of some basic human rights issues. ... [The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery] is the man who should be giving the invocation, not Warren. It is his courage, values and example that should precede Obama's swearing in, not Warren's. He's most recently known for bravely castigating Bush's policies at Coretta Scott King's funeral two years ago in front of 4 U.S. presidents, including Bush himself. Here's a quote: "We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we know that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor!"

Jasmyne Cannick in a post directed at "white gays."

The man isn't even in office yet and you are all up in arms over the inaugural invitation of evangelical pastor Rick Warren by President-elect Barack Obama just because Warren opposes gay marriage.

Look -- America already knows that you are unhappy with the outcome of Prop. 8, but ... you have no one to blame for that but yourself.

Instead of denouncing Obama's choice to invite Warren, you should be hailing it, as it shows a continued effort on Obama's behalf to reach across the aisle in an effort to bring everyone to the table. You know, that thing that you haven't quite learned how to do yet.

If no one ever told you -- the world doesn't revolve around gay marriage. If it did, let's face it, Obama wouldn't be the President-elect, now would he?

And Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend:

How's the whole fundie outreach thing going, Team Obama? Look at who's giving you praise for giving Rick Warren the mic at the inaugural -- Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, the man who paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,500 for his mailing list. Are you scratching from the fleas yet?

What do you think? Share your thoughts below.

Geoffrey Bennett

11:37 AM ET | 12-22-2008 | permalink

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New Image Reveals The 'True Cleopatra'

This new composite image reveals Cleopatra to be a mixed-race Queen.

Image Foundry Studios Ltd.

Move over Liz Taylor -- the real Cleopatra just showed up. Researchers have unveiled a new composite image which they say more accurately portrays the ancient seductress. Renowned for her legendary ability to beguile men like Julius Caesar and Roman General Mark Antony, she probably didn't attain her reputation by being entirely unattractive.

The computer-enhanced image takes into account her geography, family history, and various items bearing her likeness. Daily Mail has more:

Pieced together from images on ancient artifacts, including a ring dating from Cleopatra's reign 2,000 years ago, it is the culmination of more than a year of painstaking research.

The result is a beautiful young woman of mixed ethnicity - very different to the porcelain-skinned Westernised version portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1961 movie Cleopatra.

Dr Ashton, of Cambridge University, said the images, to be broadcast as part of a Five documentary on Cleopatra, reflect the monarch's Greek heritage as well as her Egyptian upbringing.

"She probably wasn't just completely European. You've got to remember that her family had actually lived in Egypt for 300 years by the time she came to power."

So, if Hollywood were to remake Cleopatra with this mixed-race image in mind, who would you like to see play the title role?

Geoffrey Gardner

5:30 PM ET | 12-18-2008 | permalink

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Brazile: Jackson Jr. Claim Doesn't Meet The 'Smell Test'

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill., pauses during last Wednesday's news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

On today's show, Democratic strategist and News & Notes regular contributor Donna Brazile said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s claim that he is not an informant in a federal investigation of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
"didn't meet the smell test."

Farai Chideya: ... What's the status in your mind of Congressman Jackson's ability to frame the debate around his role, or lack thereof in this?

Donna Brazile: You know, when you start issuing press releases every other day, things become a little bit murky. After his first press conference, I called him to say I thought he did a great job in laying out the facts, and essentially acknowledging that he was "Candidate 5."

Now with this new revelation that he may or may not have served as a government informant, and then another press release indicating that he did nothing wrong -- all he was doing as a public servant was informing federal officials something that was going on -- that didn't meet the smell test.

I have to tell you, I too, am one of those Americans that's waiting for Mr. Fitzgerald to lay out all of the information to give us a complete account on what happened and to see the evidence. Right now, it's a lot of innuendo, a lot of hearsay, a lot of talk. But this seems to be a web that is going to ensnare a lot more than the governor, and it worries me deeply.

Listen to the entire segment here.

CNN quotes Jackson spokesman Kenneth Edmonds on the matter: "As a responsible citizen and elected official, Congressman Jackson has in the past provided information to federal authorities regarding his personal knowledge of perceived corruption and governmental misconduct. ... This was completely unrelated to the current investigation regarding the U.S. Senate appointment. And it is absolutely inaccurate to describe the congressman as an informant."

Do you agree with Brazile's assessment?

Geoffrey Bennett

6:26 PM ET | 12-17-2008 | permalink

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Fashion Designers Suggest Obama Inaugural Duds

Sean John suggests this look for the President-elect.

Women's Wear Daily

After suggesting inauguration dress ideas for Michelle Obama, top fashion designers now have President-elect Barack Obama in their sights.

The fashion magazine Women's Wear Daily is back with a photo gallery of suggested looks for a range of inaugural events ... with the man of the house in mind.

Take a look, pick your favorite(s), and fill us in below.

Flashback: Fashion Desginers Try To Size Up Michelle Obama

Geoffrey Bennett

2:56 PM ET | 12-16-2008 | permalink

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The Cost Of A Beer In Zimbabwe

Rabid inflation causes prices to skyrocket.

Richard Byrom

While here in the U.S., we are battling what economists call "deflation," or the devaluation of the dollar, our friends in Zimbabwe have a different problem. For a number of reasons, their monetary system has undergone massive inflation over the past couple years -- to a disastrously high degree.

The picture above was taken at Country Club bar in Zimbabwe on November 24th, 2007. At that time, a single beer would put you back Z$1 million. According to the photographer, Richard Byrom, the bar patron had been to the bank and was supplied with their remaining $500 bills. In case your math is rusty, that comes out to 250,000 notes for one cold, frosty ale.

We still think paying $8 for a Budweiser is highway robbery, but it's nothing compared to this.

Geoffrey Gardner

12:15 PM ET | 12-16-2008 | permalink

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NY Gov. Paterson Calls 'SNL' Spoof A 'Third-Grade' Attempt

New York Governor David Paterson says a Saturday Night Live sketch, aimed at spoofing his blindness, was nothing more than a "third-grade depiction of people and the way they look." It also sparked the ire of some activists in the blind community.

Continuing a trend of what some deem "more acceptable" blackface, cast member Fred Armisen portrayed the governor during SNL's "Weekend Update" segment.

Here's more via the New York Post.

... Paterson and advocates for the visually impaired didn't appreciate stock blind jokes that had Armisen pretending to be disoriented and wandering aimlessly.

"I can take a joke," Paterson told reporters.

But he called the SNL spoof a "third-grade depiction of people and the way they look" that could lead others to believe that "disability goes hand-in-hand with an inability to run a government or business."

"I run the place I work in, so I don't have to be worried about being discriminated against," noted Paterson.

Although Paterson is legally blind and has aides help him with some tasks, the governor is rarely out of step with his surroundings and seems comfortable in virtually all settings.

Watch the sketch, and tell us what you think:

Geoffrey Bennett

12:20 PM ET | 12-15-2008 | permalink

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More Answers About The Future Of 'News & Notes'

(UPDATED 12/17/08)

From covering the news to being the news ...

As word of our cancellation spread, so too did the headlines. Here's a sampling of reaction from frequent guests, our regular team of bloggers, and friends of the show. (Feel free to post additional links below.)

Vexed In The City: I'm Now A Victim Of The Recession ...
Average Bro: My Five-Year Plan For Media Domination Hits A Snag
Melissa Harris Lacewell: Post-Racial Media? White Noise replaces News and Notes
Jasmyne Cannick: For NPR, Blacks Are Still Last to Be Hired and First to be Fired
Jack & Jill Politics: NPR Cancels Only Black-Issues Program, News & Notes
Washington Post: NPR to Cut 64 Jobs and Two Shows
Culture Kitchen: NPR cancels "New and Notes" and enters a world of suckitude
Jasmyne Cannick: Unemployment Line: NPR Cancels Only African-American Focused Show 'News & Notes'
The Daily Voice: NPR cancels 'News and Notes' black radio program
Pam's House Blend: NPR cancels News & Notes, Day to Day, and lays off dozens
LA Eastside: NPR is cancelling News and Notes with Farai Chideya
Obenson Report: Damn! NPR Cancels Only African American-Themed Program
African American Political Pundit: Economy Hits NPR, Farai Chideya, News and Notes and Black Bloggers
Black Informant: NPR's "News & Notes" Gets Canned
Black Politics On The Web: NPR to cut 7 percent of workers, cancels African-American focused 'News & Notes'
Baratunde: NPR Cancels Only Black-Issues Program, News & Notes
Mother Jones: NPR Lays Off Staff, Cuts Shows

One listener even started a special Facebook group, with the goal of saving the show.

Now to some of your more recent questions:

Matthew Scallon wrote: Like The BPP, maybe your last week could have a week-long bloggers' roundtable, with each day going through the Five Stages of Grief ....
Thanks for the suggestion, Matthew. Beyond that, thanks for being such a loyal reader of our blog over the last few months. We've valued your comments and insight.

To all of you, please keep the suggestions coming. Tell us what you want to hear in these final three months -- including segments you want to hear again, as part of our planned "Best Of" compilations.

Lynsey Saunders wrote: I've been listening to News & Notes since middle school when Tavis Smiley was around. To Farai, you've made the show your own, and I loved listening to the podcasts. ***sniffle*** Where will I get my black journalistic inspiration from now?
If only we knew ... if only we knew ...

ernise s wrote: I've truly enjoyed listening over the years. I'm curious to know if you all will be absorbed into other NPR shows?
There isn't a definitive answer to your question yet, Ernise, but NPR has said it will try to accommodate as many of us as possible.

monica mclendon wrote: Can you guys move to a less costly area? The South has all kinds of options. Please reconsider.
That's not really a viable option for us at the moment, Monica. But we did have a fantastic time during our week-long visit to Atlanta.

N Wood wrote: What can we do? Tell us.
You can continue to listen each weekday through March 20; come back to our blog and Facebook page; sign up for our newsletter; or check out our YouTube video archive. Your concern and words of support are more than enough right now.

Geoffrey Bennett

6:24 PM ET | 12-12-2008 | permalink

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So ... Now What?

Top (L-R): producer Roy Hurst, senior supervising producer Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, alternate host Tony Cox, producer Devin Robins, editor Sasa Woodruff, executive producer Nicole Childers, Web producer Geoffrey Bennett / Middle (L-R): Web producer Geoffrey Gardner, producer Zach Slobig, host Farai Chideya / Seated: former producer Christopher Johnson
Not Pictured: director Sonata Lee Narcisse and engineer Sherene Strausberg
Credit: Erin Mikosz, NPR

To News & Notes' fans and friends:

A sincere thanks for your words of support posted here and elsewhere.

If only the circumstances were different ...

For those of you who posed questions about the immediate future of our show, here's what we know:

How long can I continue listening to News & Notes?
We'll continue to bring you new programming until we take our final collective breath on March 20. On some days, you might hear "best-of" compilations or extended roundtable conversations.
As you can imagine, it will be increasingly more difficult to produce our hour-long show, if our already small staff begins to dwindle ... but we are committed to bringing you the same great show to which you've grown accustomed.

What about News & Views?
Our blog -- and daily newsletter -- will sunset along with the show on March 20. But our Facebook fan page will remain active. After News & Notes goes off the air, you'll still have access to the show's archives via NPR.org -- much like the now shuttered Bryant Park Project.

What can I do to keep News & Notes on the air?
The decision, as it stands, is final ... but that hasn't stopped some people.

Have a question or comment? Post it, and we'll respond. We are reading all of your comments.

Geoffrey Bennett

11:59 AM ET | 12-11-2008 | permalink

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We Love You! (And, Yes, We Are Cancelled)

The host seat in NPR West's Studio B

Geoffrey Bennett, NPR

We, the News & Notes staff and crew, love you, our listeners and collaborators.

I was just in Miami and met with so many amazing listeners, including some of the artists in the 30 Americans exhibit we featured on air.

We got your love in St. Louis, Atlanta, Baltimore, and beyond.

And we're still here for you ... for a while.

Massive budget shortages have brought NPR to the space between a rock and a hard place ... that is: cancellation time.

Both News & Notes and Day to Day (the two wholly West Coast-based shows) will end production on March 20.

We are still dealing with the news, but we are committed to making sure we give you our best, now and as long as we've got.

Peace and joy,
Farai

Farai Chideya

4:38 PM ET | 12-10-2008 | permalink

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Viola Davis Tackles Fear, Shines In 'Doubt'

Tony Award-winning actress Viola Davis has managed to stay out of the Hollywood limelight, despite a consistent acting resume that includes roles in everything from TV shows like Law & Order to films like Antwone Fisher.

Now, a new movie could win her some well-deserved recognition. She plays a key role in the new film, Doubt, based on the Broadway play of the same name. It's a story about recriminations and allegations at an all-white Catholic school in the Bronx during the 1960s.

Geoffrey Gardner

12:31 PM ET | 12-10-2008 | permalink

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ABC News: Jesse Jackson Jr. Tapped In Blagojevich Case

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, left, is congratulated by The Rev. Jesse Jackson, right, and Jackson's son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. D-Ill., second from right, after Blagojevich delivered his State of the State address to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly in the House of Representatives at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005.

Seth Perlman, AP Photo

ABC News' Brian Ross is reporting the following: "Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous 'Senate Candidate #5' whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered up to a million dollars to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News."

Here's more:

According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich "stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH" with something "tangible up front."

Jackson Jr. said this morning he was contacted yesterday by federal prosecutors in Chicago who he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process."

Jackson Jr. said "I don't know" when asked if he was Candidate #5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation."

Jackson Jr. said he agreed to talk with federal investigators "as quickly as possible" after he consults with a lawyer.

Read the rest, and share your reaction below.

Flashback: Jesse Jackson, Jr. Helps Obama Win Black Vote

UPDATE: Jackson: "I Am Not A Target Of This Investigation"

Geoffrey Bennett

11:52 AM ET | 12-10-2008 | permalink

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Politicians Behaving (Really) Badly

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich speaks to the media on December 8, 2008.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his top aide were arrested today on federal corruption charges.

The most egregious claim: The 51-year-old governor essentially tried to sell to the highest bidder the open Senate seat that once belonged to President-elect Barack Obama.

Here's a partial listing of what's contained in the complaint, as reported by NPR:

* Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

* Blagojevich allegedly proposed: getting a salary from a non-profit organization or a labor union affiliate; putting his wife in paid positions on corporate boards for as much as $150,000 a year; campaign contributions; and an ambassadorship for himself.

* Blagojevich discussed using his authority to get an appointment to the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration.

The governor even -- allegedly -- tried to shake down a local children's hospital, linking state funding to personal campaign contributions.

If the allegations are true, Blagojevich can be added to a growing list of modern-day politicians gone bad -- including former Rep. William Jefferson, former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, Detroit ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and Newark ex-mayor Sharpe James ... to name a few.

What do you think of Blagojevich's arrest and the revelations contained in the complaint?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:26 PM ET | 12- 9-2008 | permalink

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The Rev. Wright Ad That McCain Didn't Run

A former staffer of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign has given ABC News an advertisement the campaign produced -- and later nixed -- because of Sen. McCain's misgivings about using Rev. Wright to attack then Sen. Obama.

Take a look and tell us what you think:

Geoffrey Bennett

7:51 PM ET | 12- 8-2008 | permalink

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President Bush To Move Into Racially Exclusive Neighborhood?

Real estate broker Doug Newby says there is "no protest that this is the house" the Bushes will move into after leaving the White House.

Courtesy blog.dougnewby.com

Is President Bush about to move into an exclusive Dallas neighborhood, which until 2000 had a "whites only" rule on the books?

Several national and local outlets have picked up a story reported by Raw Story's Andrew McLemore (emphasis ours):

Traffic has already begun to clog the narrow streets around the home, causing neighbors to call the police -- who expect the hullabaloo to continue.

"When the Bushes are here full time, I imagine we'll be here full time," said Officer Michael Bratcher of the Dallas Police Department, who was directing traffic.

But the exclusive Dallas community the Bush family will soon join has a troubled history of its own.

Until 2000, the neighborhood association's covenant said only white people were allowed to live there, though an exception was made for servants.

Enacted in 1956, part of the original document reads: "Said property shall be used and occupied by white persons except those shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of different race or nationality in the employ of a tenant."

The entire covenant can be seen here.

When asked about his new home in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, Bush "played coy."

"Mr. President -- you excited about your house in Dallas?" Todd Gillman asked.

"Todd, why do you care?" Bush responded. "You live in Washington, D.C."

The neighborhood is home to many famous people, including former presidential candidate Ross Perot and Mark Cuban, the billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner.

President Bush's new house abuts the 14-acre lair of real-estate investor Gene Phillips, who just had a trout-filled lake installed on his property.

Though the Fair Housing Act would render such an archaic neighborhood ordinance unenforceable, we turned to Dallas real estate broker Douglas Newby for insight. He was among the first to report the Bush family's house hunting on his blog.

Newby says the Bushes have chosen a home in Mayflower Estates -- "a little known Preston Hollow estate area neighborhood
of just over 100 houses" -- within Dallas.

Though the Preston Hollow enclave is largely white, Newby says nearby John J Pershing Elementary School is ethnically and racially diverse.

So if the Bush family's new neighborhood is racially exclusive, it may have more to do with who has the money to purchase the million-dollar homes located there.

And, for what it's worth, Newby says the talk of Bush living close to Perot and Cuban is overblown: "[They] aren't anywhere near this neighborhood!"

Geoffrey Bennett

2:51 PM ET | 12- 8-2008 | permalink

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Will You Purchase A "Piece Of History"?

Celebrate Obama's victory by purchasing this decorative plate.

VictoryPlate.com

Change has come, and now you can commemorate the election of Barack Obama with the purchase of your very own ... plate! That's right, the people behind the new Victory Plates are offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to eat off the President-elect's face anytime you want.

Now you can own a piece of history! Celebrate the victorious election of our 44th President of the United States, America's first African American Commander, with the commemorative plate from the American Historic Society(tm). The Historic Victory Plate(tm) is a priceless work of art featuring the triumphant President-Elect surrounded by the American flag and spectacular fireworks celebration.

The commercial selling the Historic Victory plates, featuring Barack Obama's likeness, is priceless in and of itself. Judge for yourself by watching the following:

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Geoffrey Gardner

1:41 PM ET | 12- 8-2008 | permalink

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O.J. Simpson Sentenced To At Least 15 Years

O.J. Simpson's booking photo at the Clark County Detention Center after being found guilty on all charges in his Las Vegas kidnapping and robbery case.

AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

This from CNN.com:

Former football great O.J. Simpson was sentenced today to at least 15 years in prison for his role in a confrontation in a Las Vegas hotel in 2007.

Simpson told the judge before the sentence was read that he did not mean to hurt anyone and did not know he was doing anything illegal.

"I didn't mean to steal anything from anybody."

Simpson, 61, asked for a sentence of no more than six years. What do you think of the case's outcome?

Geoffrey Bennett

1:41 PM ET | 12- 5-2008 | permalink

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An Inauguration For The People

Million Dollar Man? Earl W. Stafford, Sr. is backing inauguration plans with a large amount of cash.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

The Stafford Foundation, founded by Earl Stafford Sr. in 2002, is a private foundation committed to helping under-served, marginalized, and distressed individuals.

Recently, the foundation announced its inauguration plans to celebrate the election of Barack Obama. Most notable in the plans is the inclusion of injured and forgotten vets, the terminally ill, financially challenged, homeless, physically disabled and others who would otherwise find it impossible to attend the historic inauguration.

Black Voices has more:

"Our foundation is thrilled about the unprecedented opportunity to bring Americans of every walk of life together for a momentous celebration," said Earl W. Stafford, Sr., who founded the Stafford Foundation in 2002. "We are committed to giving the underserved a chance to prosper and thrive, and these events will offer them a front-row seat to our nation's historic celebration in downtown Washington."

Thanks to the foundation's $1 million investment, participants will attend the events and stay at the JW Marriott free of charge. A third of the tickets for all the Stafford Foundation events will be distributed to hundreds of marginalized Americans who have demonstrated a positive example by embodying hope and facilitating change in their communities. The Marriott will serve as the central point to welcome the group of diverse people who come to celebrate America's new president.

Mr. Stafford added, "The People's Inaugural Project offers the underprivileged in our society a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to our nation's capital and join in the watershed inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. It's a historic investment for our foundation."

Geoffrey Gardner

12:48 PM ET | 12- 5-2008 | permalink

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African-American Art Gaining Popularity, Higher Prices

Frederick C. Flemister's "Self-Portrait," ca. 1941, oil on canvas

Robert L. Johnson from the Barnett Aden Collection, Washington, D.C.

The huge, international contemporary art exhibition, Art Basel, kicks off in Miami this week. (Our own Farai Chideya is there; she'll be calling in with a report on tomorrow's show.)

Though the U.S. economy is struggling, the art market is thriving, by comparison -- especially works by African Americans.

Susan Adams of Forbes.com explains why in an article titled, "Why African-American Art Is So Hot."

Though mainstream museums and galleries have been slow to appreciate work by African-Americans, the black community has been collecting for decades.

Bill and Camille Cosby have built a collection of 400 works, including artists like Bearden, Lawrence, late-19th-century landscape painter Edward Mitchell Bannister, self-taught 20th-century artist Horace Pippin and 1960s abstract painter Alma Thomas.

Basketball star Grant Hill owns a collection of midcentury work. Entertainer Harry Belafonte has been collecting African-American art since the 1950s and Oprah Winfrey has been buying a mix of work, including pieces by contemporary artists like Whitfield Lovell. Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Parsons and Kenneth Chenault also collect.

Now white collectors and institutions are discovering these long overlooked works.

"What's happened in the last five years is a paradigm shift," observes Steven L. Jones, 61, an African-American dealer in Philadelphia. "This means that the best work is going up exponentially in value."

Last year Swann Auction Galleries in New York became the first auction house to create a department of African-American art and in February sold a 1944 modernist oil by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas for $600,000.

... Prices continue to climb for quality pieces, even while other collecting categories founder.

Manhattan dealer Michael Rosenfeld says business is strong; he made three six-figure sales during two weeks of stock market turmoil in November. The highest prices for artwork by African-Americans come in the still overheated contemporary art market, where Andy Warhol protege Jean-Michel Basquiat is the reigning star, with a 2007 auction record of $14.6 million. Kara Walker, 39, who makes large cut-paper silhouettes containing sexual images and black stereotypes like pickaninnies, stirs controversy and commands prices over $400,000.

Who are some of your favorite African American artists?

Related: Black Masters (Photo Gallery)

Geoffrey Bennett

1:55 PM ET | 12- 4-2008 | permalink

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Fashion Desginers Try To Size Up Michelle Obama

Credit: Composite Image

Julia Turner of Slate's XX Factor blog took a look at Woman Wear Daily's slideshow of commissioned Michelle Obama inauguration gowns and asked: "Is it so hard to draw a woman with black skin?"

The fashion world is notoriously inhospitable to black women -- if Michelle Obama lands the cover of Vogue, as has been rumored, she'll be one of the few black non-models ever to grace it -- but these sketches suggest a discomfort with blackness that's truly startling.

Take a look, and tell us what you think.

Geoffrey Bennett

1:15 PM ET | 12- 4-2008 | permalink

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McDonald's Going Too Far To Market Their McNuggets?

When an "urban-focused" commercial for McDonald's begins with a black guy singing, "I woke up and found you creepin' / Oh girl, I know your secret," you just know someone's going to cry foul.

Take a look:

And here's another, also posted on the company's YouTube channel.

Both commercials are generating a range of reaction online, including these comments:

"If you don't find this commercial at least just a little funny, I seriously question your sense of humor."

"It's sad that this is how the marketing exec's at the McDonald's corporate office THINK they can attract the urban consumer."

"Aarrgghh!""

"I [expletive] hate these ads. Especially the one with the two little black kids talking to the cashier about how they're going to run a McDonald's when they get older. I hate McDonald's."

So what do you think? Funny or offensive? A hat tip to Stereohyped for this story, which we are covering on today's bloggers' roundtable.

We reached out to McDonald's for a response. Danya Proud, spokesperson for McDonald's USA, told News & Notes, "We have a responsibility to all of our customers to effectively reach them. We certainly take pride in all of our advertising and try to make it relevant and appealing." She later added: "We work with a dedicated African-American advertising agency that works with us to develop relevant, contemporary creative for our brand, that will resonate with this demographic. Again, as with all our advertising, these commercials reflect a light-hearted, fun approach to our brand, our menu and our customers' experience with our brand."

Geoffrey Bennett

12:19 PM ET | 12- 3-2008 | permalink

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American Folk Singer Odetta Dies At 77

We'll pay tribute to Odetta and her musical contribution to the Civil Rights Movement on today's show.

Related: Odetta, Voice of Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 77

Geoffrey Bennett

12:13 PM ET | 12- 3-2008 | permalink

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DeBarge Unsung

In my neon-colored-clothes days (that would be junior high school), I loved the sounds of a group called DeBarge. In addition to singing dreamy pop love songs, they were all brothers and sisters ... well, one sister ... and I thought that was crazy cool.

Well, as it turns out, it may have been closer to plain crazy. A new TV One documentary series called "Unsung" tracks the lives of musicians who went down the sad side alleys of life ... into drugs, depression, even suicide.

The episode on DeBarge moved me. Not one or two but virtually all of the family members struggled with abuse and/or drugs. At this point, the ones who are still alive are fighting to rebuild their lives, keep a connection to faith, and in some cases to rebuild their careers.

We spoke to brother and sister Chico and Bunny DeBarge about being survivors ... the roads they've walked and the prices they've paid.

Take a listen. If you remember the days when DeBarge ruled the airwaves, it's hard not to be moved by their struggle.

Farai Chideya

7:03 PM ET | 12- 2-2008 | permalink

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HBCUs Suggested To Merge With Majority Schools

Should historically black colleges merge with white-majority schools to save money?

iStockPhoto

The state of Georgia is looking to cut costs by up to 10 percent, and some lawmakers are suggesting that historically black colleges should merge with their white-majority neighbors to save money.

Under the plan, historically black Savannah State University would be merged with Armstrong Atlantic University in Savannah, and historically black Albany State would be merged with Darton College in Albany. The institutions were formed during a time when education in Georgia was segregated.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has more:

Any decision to merge the schools would have to be made by the University System's Board of Regents. The system receives about $2.3 billion in annual state funding, but the governing body makes decisions about the system's 35 schools.

System Chancellor Erroll Davis said merging historically black colleges is more than an economic issue because the schools have a long history of providing education to African-Americans in Georgia. The idea would probably face strong opposition from supporters of historically black colleges nationally.

Do you support these cost-saving measures, or do you feel there is still a need in the African-American community for historically black colleges?

Geoffrey Gardner

12:41 PM ET | 12- 2-2008 | permalink

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Do You Have GOOD News In Bad Times?

Maybe you got into a business that actually does BETTER during hard times ... like auto repairs.

Maybe someone steered you to the right job, or you got out of school with just the right credentials.

Maybe you were willing to relocate and found a place that needed your skills.

If you're seeing the UPSIDE of the down economy... let us know. We'd love to put you on air.

By the way, here's what we posted asking for people to share their stories about being laid off. You can follow the same process if you want to tell us your good news.

If you're recently unemployed, we want to get some firsthand stories of how you're coping, looking for work, or changing your spending habits and your life.

Leave us a comment below, and we'll reach out to you.

Or, you can go go to the main page of npr.org and click on "Contact Us." Be sure that in the comment box you use the pull-down menu to tell us the comment is for News & Notes.

Thank you!

Because of our post about people who had lost their jobs, we had a moving conversation today with James Smith, who would consider moving out of the country to find work.

Please take a listen. And James, we definitely want to talk to you again as you continue (and hopefully find a happy end to) your search.

Farai Chideya

6:34 PM ET | 12- 1-2008 | permalink

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Obama Names Clinton In National Security Team Rollout

President-elect Barack Obama, left, stands with his choice to be secretary of state, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, at a news conference in Chicago today.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

Following weeks of speculation, President-elect Barack Obama nominated one-time Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State.

Here's more from NPR's Linton Weeks:

President-elect Barack Obama introduced Sen. Hillary Clinton, his archrival in the 2008 Democratic presidential race, as his secretary of state on Monday.

"I have known Hillary Clinton as a friend, a colleague, a source of counsel, and as a campaign opponent. She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic," said Obama, speaking at a news conference in Chicago where he has been managing his transition. "Hillary's appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances."

In introducing his national security team, Obama said he will keep Robert Gates as secretary of defense. "I will be giving Secretary Gates and our military a new mission as soon as I take office: responsibly ending the war in Iraq through a successful transition to Iraqi control," Obama said.

... The president-elect also formally nominated Eric Holder as attorney general, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations. Obama named retired Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser.

By choosing Clinton as his secretary of state, Obama may be solving several problems. Because of her long, variegated political experience, Clinton is one of the most qualified people for the prestigious position.

Rice and Holder would be the first African Americans to hold those respective positions.

What do you think of Obama's chosen war Cabinet? What does this selection of prominent names say about the President-elect and how he will govern?

Geoffrey Bennett

1:20 PM ET | 12- 1-2008 | permalink

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Researchers Discover Lost Slave Ship

A marine archaeologist compares the hull remains of known shipwrecks off East Caicos.

REUTERS/NOAA

For the first time, remains of a wrecked slave ship have been uncovered. Marine archaeologists located the ship off the Turks and Caicos Islands, where it sank in 1841. This accident set free the ancestors of many current residents of those islands, as 192 Africans survived the sinking of the Spanish ship Trouvadore.

Over the years the ship had been forgotten, said researcher Don Keith, so when the discovery connected the ship to current residents the first response "was a kind of shock, a lack of comprehension," he explained in a briefing organized by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

But after word got out "people really got on board with it," he said, and the local museum has assisted the researchers. He said this is the only known wreck of a ship engaged in the illegal slave trade.

When the Trouvadore sank, the importation of slaves had been internationally banned but still flourished via pirate ships and illegal slavers that eluded British and U.S. naval forces in the region. The ship's 20 crewmen were arrested and sent in chains to Cuba for trial on what was a hanging offense, though their fate is not known.

About 20 of the African passengers were resettled in Nassau in the Bahamas. The rest were apprenticed to work in the salt ponds in the Turks and Caicos for a year in order to pay for their rescue, and then freed.

The artifact salesman noted in his letter nearly four decades after the shipwreck that "their descendants form ... the pith of our present laboring population."

Have you ever tried tracing your roots? If so, please share your own "discovery" stories with us below.

Geoffrey Gardner

11:40 AM ET | 12- 1-2008 | permalink

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After Black Friday, It's Cyber Monday!

iStockphoto.com

Happy Cyber Monday! It's the unofficial start of the online shopping season.

Black Friday wasn't a total disaster for retailers, as some had worried.

Your e-mail inbox has no doubt been inundated today with offers ranging from free shipping to steep discounts.

If you are still looking for some of the best deals, check out CyberMonday.com and these tech deals from PC World.

And if you hear of other good offers, leave a comment below.

Geoffrey Bennett

11:38 AM ET | 12- 1-2008 | permalink

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