Obamas denied early move request
The White House has turned down a request from the family of President-elect Barack Obama to move into Blair House in early January so that his daughters can start school on Jan. 5.
The Obamas were told that the guest house for visiting dignitaries, where incoming presidents usually stay during the five days before Inauguration Day, is booked in early January, a spokesperson to the Obama transition said. They will be allowed in on Jan. 15, and Obama will be sworn in on Jan. 20.
Sally McDonough, spokeswoman for first lady Laura Bush, would not say who is staying in Blair House in early January. "It's not a question of outranking the Obamas," she said. "There's nothing more to say other than that it's not available and won't be available until January 15. You're trying to make a story out of something that's not a story."
Obama has been staying in Chicago with his family since the election; the Obamas have decided to send their daughters, Malia and Sasha, to Sidwell Friends School in Washington. Obama transition officials said that the family is considering other housing options and are hopeful the girls will not miss the start of school.
NEW YORK TIMES
Group lobbies for Obama to pick lesbian for Cabinet
A Boston-based equal rights group announced yesterday it is coordinating a grass-roots lobbying push for President-elect Barack Obama to name the first openly gay Cabinet member in the nation's history.
Equal Rep is urging supporters to call or e-mail Obama's transition office Dec. 17-19 on behalf of labor activist Mary Beth Maxwell, founder of American Rights at Work, who is reported to be under consideration for labor secretary.
"With 2008 being such a historic year for shattering glass ceilings, now is the time to shatter one more for gay Americans and equal representation," Paul Sousa, Equal Rep's founder, said in a statement.
Maxwell has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the Change to Win Federation, and the Human Rights Campaign. Other possible contenders for the post are Ed McElroy, former president of the American Federation of Teachers; Linda Chavez-Thompson, a former AFL-CIO vice president; Maria Echaveste, former Clinton White House adviser; and Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan.
GLOBE STAFF
AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
Obama committee unveils online database of donors
Saying it shows his commitment to openness, President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural committee yesterday unveiled a searchable database of donors.
"This tool demonstrates the new administration's commitment to changing business-as-usual in Washington, D.C.," John W. Rogers Jr., a committee cochairman, said in a statement.
The online database will include information on any donor who gives at least $200 and will be updated regularly, with information on each new donation appearing within 48 hours, the committee said.
It also announced that for the first time it will disclose information on donors who bundle contributions for the inaugural committee, including the amount they have bundled, which will be capped at $300,000. Individuals are restricted to $50,000 each, and the committee is not accepting money from corporations, political action committees, labor unions, current federally registered lobbyists, noncitizens, or registered foreign agents.
The biggest-dollar donors include John F. Cogan Jr. of Cambridge, former chairman and managing partner of what is now the WilmerHale law firm, and Paul Egerman of Weston, chairman of eScription, and his wife, Joanne.
FOON RHEE
Franken wins 2 victories in Minnesota vote recount
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Democrat Al Franken won a pair of victories yesterday before the state board overseeing the recount for the last unresolved US Senate seat from the Nov. 4 elections, including a decision that as many as 1,500 incorrectly rejected absentee ballots should be included.
The board also opted to recommend use of election night results in a Franken-leaning Minneapolis precinct where 133 ballots went missing, a decision that could have cost him 46 votes if it had gone the other way.
With all precincts recounted, Franken trails Republican incumbent Norm Coleman by 192 votes.
Going into the recount, Coleman was up by 215 votes. Besides the absentee ballots, the two campaigns are challenging about 3,450 ballots.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Inauguration head count will not be released
WASHINGTON - Even if it looks to be a record crowd at Barack Obama's inauguration, don't expect an official head count for history.
A million or more people may show up on the National Mall and along the parade route for the inauguration of the country's first black president, federal and local authorities predict. But officials have no plans to release turnout estimates that day - or any day, for that matter.
Some local lawmakers are calling for an official crowd estimate.
ASSOCIATED PRESS 