cnn 2008-12-16
Download Audio Good morning, from the cnn Center here in Atlanta, I'm Melissa Long. It's Monday morning, December 15th. Here is a look at some of the stories happening NOW IN THE NEWS.
Will he or won't he? The question many in Illinois are asking as calls mount for the governor to step down. Republican lawmakers in Illinois are pushing for a special election by the voters to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat. The state Attorney General says the Governor Rod Blagojevich could step aside today, but an aide for the governor is simply denying that. Illinois legislature meets this afternoon and could pursue impeachment.
Now in the midst of all of these, President-elect Barack Obama is trying to stay focused. Obama will be meeting with his national security advisers today in Chicago. Sources tell cnn Secretary of State Nominee Hilary Clinton will attend along with Vice President-elect Joe Biden and current Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Later today, Obama is also expected to tap physicist Steven Chu as his energy secretary. That's at 5 pm eastern time news conference.
This video quickly making its way to the top of YouTube: the president coming under unfriendly fire at a press conference during his surprise visit to Iraq. His attacker's weapon of choice, yes, that was a shoe, in fact, two shoes. An angry Iraqi journalist hurled the shoes at the president. In Arab culture, throwing your shoes at someone is a sign of contempt. President Bush took the whole thing in stride and kept going with that interview. The journalist is now in police custody right now.
And it appears the future of Detroit's Big Three auto makers rest in the hands of the White House. President Bush says the administration is working on a way to keep the auto industry afloat. No announcement is expected today. But the president says using money from the 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout for emergency loans to carmakers, says it is still on the table. (www.hxen.net)
Plan long lines all day today if you need to mail something. The post office says today will likely be the single busiest mailing day of the holiday season. So bring patience if you are planning on mailing any gifts and cards today.
Those are the headlines making news at this hour. Do stay with cnn and cnn. com for more on these stories or other news of the day.