Rahm's calls on tape
The Blago scandal . . .
Sneed hears rumbles President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is reportedly on 21 different taped conversations by the feds -- dealing with his boss' vacant Senate seat!
A lot of chit-chat?
Hot air?
Or trouble?
• • To date: Rahm's been mum. Stay tuned.
The big wait: James Alan Wilkowski, the Bishop of the Evangelical Catholic (not Roman Catholic) Diocese of the Northwest, dispatched a letter to President Bush Dec. 5 petitioning him to commute the sentence of former Gov. George Ryan. "[He] has clearly demonstrated his regrets and has unconditionally accepted responsibility for any and all of his actions," the letter stated.
It's called the Blago cocktail . . . or, the "Impeach Effen Blago Cocktail."
• • The tip: The $6 drink, which is being sold at Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse, is named after the gov, who was taped by the feds using the "F" word numerous times.
• • The tipler: The eatery is also selling a drink entitled "The Senate Seat." Same recipe -- plus the addition of a green color to symbolize money. It costs $100.
• • The kicker: Leave it to Grant "The Bartman Ball" DePorter to give birth to the brew.
Checking up! Sneed hears Chief Circuit Court Judge Tim Evans quietly slipped into Central Bond Court Monday, at 26th and California, to see if one of his new reforms -- turning off the video cams during bond hearings -- was working. It was.
• • Translation: Arrestees will now physically appear before a judge for bail hearings instead of appearing via closed circuit television.
Is Sneed's memory correct? The decision by the White House not to permit President-elect Obama a two-week early access to Blair House before the inaugural -- netted this blurred recollection: Wasn't outgoing President Jimmy Carter angry when a gossip column reported President Ronald Reagan and wife, Nancy, wanted Carter to exit the White House early so Mrs. Reagan could redecorate?
Dateline: The doghouse at the veep's house. . . . Veep-elect Joe Biden's new German shepherd pooch will not head to the veep's new quarters in Washington until he's housebroken and spends six weeks training to be a proper veep dog, don't chaknow.
Dateline: The doghouse at the White House. . . . The First Family's last White House doggie holiday video stars first canine Barney, the Bush's Scottish Terrier -- and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. Barney reportedly gets a "10" for napping. Prime Minister Tony Blair starred in a past "Barney" Xmas video.
Ivana Trump, real estate mogul Donald Trump's first ex-wife, is denying reports she is now carrying on with a 22-year-old French model.
• • Translation: Their canoodlesome behavior in Paris was explained as fun during dinner following an event where she gave the young man an award.
• • Further translation: Hey, the guy probably wanted to add a little more glitter to the award, huh?
Today's birthdays: Liv Ullmann, 70; William Perry, 46; Steven Bochco, 65; Benjamin Bratt, 45, and Pat Quinn, 60.