Jessica Yellin | BIO
Congressional Correspondent

President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden today announced the following White House staff: Patrick Gaspard, Director of the Office of Political Affairs; Jackie Norris, Chief of Staff to First Lady; Catherine (Cathy) M. Russell, Chief of Staff for Dr. Jill Biden; Cynthia Hogan, Counsel to the Vice President; and Moises (Moe) V. Vela, Jr., Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President.

President-Elect Barack Obama said, “This group of public servants will bring decades of expertise to my administration, and I’ll rely on their counsel and hard work as we fix our struggling economy and meet the great challenges of our time. Vice President-Elect Biden and I look forward to continuing our work with these outstanding individuals who have dedicated their careers to a better America.”

Vice President-Elect Joe Biden said, “These individuals all possess incredible integrity and an unmatched commitment to public service. Cathy Russell has a unique blend of policy and management experience, combined with an ardent commitment to ending injustices around the world. Cynthia Hogan is a brilliant lawyer who was instrumental in guiding the Senate Judiciary Committee though some of its most important challenges in both crime control and judicial selection, and has shown incredible legal acumen and integrity over her career. I’m grateful to have Moe Vela, a man with experience in White House management and broad outreach skills on my team. Their combined experience, diverse leadership and esteemed counsel will be essential in helping the Obama-Biden Administration bring the change we need to America.”

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Jessica Yellin | BIO
Congressional Correspondent

One senior republican tells cnn that it was just *in the last 2 days* that members started getting voter calls urging them to support the bill.

(Until then most members were getting constituent calls 90 to 1 urging them to vote AGAINST the bill.)

So just over the weekend they started hearing “from the guy who can’t get a loan for his tractor because of the credit crunch”.

Republican leaders say - they expect members will get many more outraged calls in support of the bill and when members come back on Thurs they will be in a different frame of mind.

They still think the bill needs to change a bit (give members a fig leaf) but the wall st drop on its own could do the trick.

House Republican Whip Roy Blunt, (R), is pursued by reporters after the House voted down the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Jessica Yellin
CNN Congressional Correspondent

Deirdre Walsh and I spoke with Minority Whip Roy Blunt. He BELIEVES an altered version of the current bill can pass the House. He believes the bill does need change. He suggests it should go to the Senate first but Senate leadership has indicated that they’re *not* inclined to have the Senate vote first. Blunt also says if the stock market continues to fall that could help change votes.

On what’s next? Blunt said he’s talked to Paulson, Democrats, and Republicans in the House and Senate. Suggested it could be helpful if the Senate were to vote first. Blunt we’re “looking to see if there’s anything we need to do to improve this bipartisan bill on Senate side so that the House could deal with this in a few days.”

Suggests falling stock market and credit crunch could change votes: “Members on the House side will have a few days now to look at impact of no immediate action on the marketplace and see what happens.” “It will also make a difference if the international credit situation begins to push its way down more to the banks we live. If the banker you know calls you and says I’m seeing this credit restriction is real — that will make an impact on what next.”

“Let’s see what happens tomorrow and the next day. You don’t want to react to just one day.”

Should we expect changes in the bill: “My sense is that this exact same bill couldn’t pass. But this bill could be the basis for final congressional action.” “They’d have to expect some changes.”

Editor’s note: Here are some early reactions to the breakdown of the bailout bill, from the presidential candidates, congressmen, and our reporters and producers.

From Jessica Yellin, CNN Congressional Correspondent:

We’re getting this message from multiple republican congressional aides but can’t give you names:
“Pelosi’s hyper-partisan floor speech infuriated a lot of our members and it has torpedoed this bill.”

Dem aides say: “We delivered our votes — they did not deliver theirs.”
Another Dem aide: “They were worried about voting for this now they are responsible for rescue going down…they are suggesting that 100 republicans were ready to vote for this an hour ago and then switch based on a speech? That suggests that vote was never about the economy.”

From Ted Barrett, CNN Congressional Producer:

I just spoke to Boehner as he walked off the House floor looking gloomy. Asked if he was disappointed by the vote he said, “very. Not because of the vote but what it means for our country.” He said he did not know if lawmakers knew the market was tanking during the vote. Asked if he did he responded, “no, I was working to get every vote.” He said he was not aware of what the next legislative step would be.

From Rep. Barney Frank, (D-Mass.), a lead organizer of the bail-out package:

We don’t believe they had the votes and I think they are covering up the embarrassment of not having the votes. But think about this: somebody hurt my feelings so I will punish the country. I mean that’s hardly plausible. And there were twelve Republicans who were ready to stand up for the economic interest of America but not if anybody insulted them. I’ll make an offer: Give me those twelve people’s names and I will go talk uncharacteristically nicely to them and tell them what wonderful people they are, and maybe they’ll now think about the country.

From Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), a lead opponent of the bailout package:

“To be honest, somebody finding out that Nancy Pelosi made a partisan speech? I’m shocked.” He said claims that her speech shifted votes are “nonsense.”

From Sen. McCain’s speech:

I call on Congress to get back, obviously, immediately to address this is crisis. Our leaders are expected to leave partisanship at the door and come to the table to solve our problems. Senator Obama and his allies in Congress infused unnecessary partisanship into the process. Now is not the time to fix the blame. It’s time to fix the problem.

From Sen. Obama’s speech:

One of the messages I have to Congress is get this done. Democrats and Republicans, step up to plate, get it done and understand that even as you get it done to stabilize the markets we have more work to do to make sure that Main Street is getting the same kind of help Wall Street is getting. We cannot forget who this is for. This is for the American people. This shouldn’t be for a few insiders…

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Jessica Yellin | BIO
CNN Congressional Correspondent

“I was shocked,” former Clinton Commerce Secretary Bill Daley tells CNN of a new McCain ad “I always had a good relationship with him [McCain] or I thought I did.”

He’s referring to a new McCain ad that attacks Obama for ties (or alleged ties) to some unsavory Chicago personalities, and includes Daley in the bunch. The ad features Daley along with convicted felon Tony Rezko and indicted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. It ends with the claim “With friends like that, Obama is not ready to lead.”

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Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin shakes hands in the crowd after Republican presidential candidate John McCain's acceptance speech during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, Thursday.

Jessica Yellin | Bio
CNN Congressional Correspondent

It was a small thing, but perhaps telling.

As John and Cindy McCain stood on stage giving their final wave last night - Gov. Sarah Palin was on the convention floor swamped by an adoring crowd. When the McCains turned and walked off stage there was Palin still in the audience - signing autographs, shaking hands, posing for photos with delegates jostling to get near her.

A video replay shows Palin stayed back for two minutes after McCain left - he exited at 11:19, she at 11:21. That may seem insignificant but in television - it’s a lifetime. More time than a reporter is typically allotted for a story on a network newscast.

Maybe it’s nothing - she’s new to this. The two of them have yet to fall into a rhythm. But in a presidential campaign the VP just doesn’t soak up the glow after the presidential candidate has left the stage - especially on the night the candidate accepts the nomination. It’ll be interesting to see if it becomes a pattern. Not many lead singers are pleased when their drummer takes the longer bow.

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Jessica Yellin
CNN Congressional Correspondent

In her stump speech, Michelle Obama often says that America is not yet where it needs to be. “We are still a nation that’s too divided. We live in isolation and because of that isolation we fear one another,” she explains. She says her husband will help us come together.

Seems she’s ready to help.

In what could be a valiant effort to bridge those divides, Michelle Obama is going where few mortals venture: New York high society.

At two fundraisers tonight she rubs elbows with le tout monde New York – the types whose names are often in print, always in bold. These include hosts Calvin Klein, the fashion designer; Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue; and Andre Leon Talley, Vogue Editor-at-large and darling of the haute couture set. (You’ll often find him in an oversized fur coat surrounded by emaciated celebrities).

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Jessica Yellin
Congressional Correspondent

I find myself in an interesting position. Today the blogs lit up with comments I made last night on AC360° and suddenly I’m being reported on.

It’s not the most comfortable position for a reporter.

So let me clarify what I said and what I experienced.

First, this involved my time on MSNBC where I worked during the lead up to war. I worked as a segment producer, overnight anchor, field reporter, and briefly covered the White House, the Pentagon, and general Washington stories.

Also, let me say: No, senior corporate leadership never asked me to take out a line in a script or re-write an anchor intro. I did not mean to leave the impression that corporate executives were interfering in my daily work; my interaction was with senior producers. What was clear to me is that many people running the broadcasts wanted coverage that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the country at the time. It was clear to me they wanted their coverage to reflect the mood of the country.

And now I’m going back to work covering the Puerto Rico primary from San Juan.

________________
Editor’s Note: Here is an excerpt from last night’s discussion:

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The RNC likes to call Barack Obama the most liberal (or among the most liberal) member of the US Senate. This could provide more fodder.

Sen. Obama declined an opportunity to co-sponor Sen. Russ Feingold’s latest bill – now before the Senate – to get troops out of Iraq.  Senator Clinton is a co-sponsor.

But an Obama aide explains the Illinois Senator isn’t co-sponsoring because the bill does not include a withdrawal date.  It mandates troops must start drawing down within 120 days –  but doesn’t include a timeline.  That’s consistent with Obama’s stated position, and the bill isn’t going to pass.

But here’s the catch: Moveon.org supports this bill. They’ve been phone banking and e-mailing their members telling them to urge their senator to vote for it.  So Obama is to the left of Moveon.org on this issue.

That might not be a problem for Obama in the primary. Could it become an issue in the general election?

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It wasn’t your typical pre-game speech for a Hillary Clinton rally.
 
In remarks before Hillary Clinton came on stage here in Youngstown, Ohio  — and just as the news shows were projecting a Wisconsin win for Barack Obama – Thomas Buffenbarger,  International President of the Machinists and Aerospace Workers union, addressed the crowd and ripped into Barack Obama. He described Clinton’s opponent as “Janus, the two-faced god of Roman times… just a trained thespian, a terrific shadow boxer.” At one point he called for the crowd to “boo” obama and they obliged – briefly.

Recall, Clinton tries not to refer to Obama by name. And the campaign insists they keep their criticism on the substance.

Not Buffenbarger. Some choice lines:

-”Watch the junior senator from Illinois carefully. As he delivers his best lines, he cocks his head back lifts his nose up and turns his ear so he hears the roar of his adoring crowd. It’s a trained thespian’s move. But unlike some, we in the machinists union have seen this act before.”

-”He can act like a friend of the working man even as he dances to the tune dictated by billionaires.”

-”There he is with his nose in the air pontificating when the coast is clear, and as soon as anyone throws a punch, he’s in a bum’s rush to get away from a conflict.”

Apparently, not a lot of love lost there.

His main gripe? Obama didn’t intervene in a labor dispute. He apparently blames him for lost jobs and damaged lives.

And then there was this – read into it what you will: “What is new and novel and unusual is Barack Obama’s boxing show… Outside the ring he pretends he can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.  Great moves, great combinations, great footwork. But brothers and sisters, I’ve seen Ali in action.  He could rope-a-dope with Foremen inside the ring. He could go toe-to-toe with Liston inside the ring, he could get his jaw broken by Norton and keep fighting inside the ring. But Barack Obama is no Muhammad Ali. He took a walk everytime there was a tough vote in the Illinois State Senate, he took a walk more than 130 times.  That’s what a shadow boxer does.  All the right moves, all the right combinations, all the right footwork, but he never steps into the ring.”

A few minutes later, the crowd drowned out Buffenbarger, chanting, “Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!” The next speaker introduced the New York Senator who subsequently took the stage – with no mention of Janus or the shadow boxer.

 -Jessica Yellin, 360° Correspondent