In the Headlines

"Emanuel to Be Chief of Staff" (Anne Kornblut and Karen DeYoung, Washington Post) - President-elect Barack Obama made the first appointment of his new administration yesterday, choosing Rep. Rahm Emanuel to serve as White House chief of staff when he takes office in January.

"In the End, McCain Played to the GOP" (Laura Meckler, Wall Street Journal) - Heading into the 2008 presidential race, many Republicans thought Sen. John McCain's image as a deal-making maverick made him the one Republican who might win in an anti-GOP year. His defeat now has observers wondering what might have been had he stuck to his persona.

"Among Democrats' Leadership Questions: What to Do With Lieberman?" (David Herszenhorn and Carl Hulse, New York Times) - As election returns in Oregon gave Democrats a sixth new seat in the Senate, Democratic leaders on Thursday began to confront some of the crucial personnel questions that would shape the next Congress, including the fate of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut after his ardent backing of Senator John McCain for president.

"Blunt quits No. 2 post as House GOP prepares for combat" (David Lightman, McClatchy) - Rep. Roy Blunt, the House of Representatives' second-ranking Republican, stepped down from his leadership post Thursday as the House GOP moved quickly to reposition itself as more conservative, unified and eager to fight Democrats in the Obama era.

On the Morning Shows

Today - Senior McCain aide Nicole Wallace, on Palin leaks: "It is a sad and unfortunate tradition of losing campaigns. ... Gov. Palin did nothing wrong ... She is perhaps the most un-diva politicians I've ever seen."