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The arrest of Blagojevich, 51, and his top aide, John Harris, 46, capped a lengthy investigation into public corruption at the highest levels of state government.

The two men will appear in a federal courthouse in Chicago at 1:30 p.m. Central time before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert D. Grant held a news conference at 11 a.m. in Chicago to provide details on the case.

"This is a sad day for government. It's a very sad day for Illinois government," Fitzgerald said at the news conference. "Governor Blagojevich has taken us to a new low . . . he attempted to sell the Senate seat, the Senate seat he had the sole right to appoint to replace President-elect Obama . . . The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave." 

U.S. automakers drew fresh skepticism from lawmakers Thursday in a rocky confrontation over their pleas for an expanded $34 billion rescue package they say they need to survive. Congressional analysts said one bailout plan under consideration would fall short of what the carmakers want.

With time on the current Congress running out, opposition to the bailout appeared to be as strong as last week - before Detroit's Big Three auto chiefs returned to Capitol Hill with more detailed plans on how they would spend the money.

Several lawmakers in both parties are pressing the automakers to consider a so-called "pre-packaged" bankruptcy in which they would negotiate with creditors in advance and downsize, then file for Chapter 11 protection in hopes of emerging quickly as stronger companies. The Big Three have publicly shunned the notion, saying it would kill sales by destroying customers' confidence - but executives have indicated in recent days that it might ultimately be necessary.

The executives all agreed in Thursday's hearing that a multibillion-dollar bailout deal would include a supervisory government board that could order major restructuring of the companies if deemed necessary for survival - similar to the results in many reorganizing efforts under bankruptcy law.

United Auto Worker union President Ron Gettelfinger, aligned with the industry in pressing for the aid, told senators at a Banking Committee hearing that any kind of bankruptcy, even a pre-packaged one, was not "a viable option." Gettelfinger said consumers would not buy autos from bankrupt companies, no matter the terms of the arrangement.

He also warned that in the absence of action by Congress: "I believe we could lose General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) by the end of this month." He said the situation was dire and time was of the essence.

The Big Three CEOs told the senators they hoped to make amends for past blunders. "We made mistakes, which we're learning from," General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner said. Ford CEO Alan Mulally also acknowledged big mistakes, saying his company's approach once was "You build it, they will come."

Rush Limbaugh has seldom been a fan of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. But the conservative radio pundit has given his blessing to her selection as the next secretary of state.

He calls it "a brilliant stroke" by President-elect Barack Obama, who opposed Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Limbaugh weighs in on the new administration as one of Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2008," which airs Thursday on ABC.

Says Limbaugh: "You know the old phrase, 'You keep your friends close and your enemies closer?' How can she run for president in 2012? She'd have to run against the incumbent and be critical of him - the one who made her secretary of state."

On Monday, Obama announced Clinton as his nominee for secretary of state.

Representative Rahm Emanuel (AP)

Rahm Emanuel Mulling Obama Job Offer

44 | Democratic caucus chairman and longtime ally of president-elect weighs offer to serve as chief of staff.

By Chris Cillizza
Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, is strongly considering an offer from President-elect Barack Obama to serve as White House chief of staff, according to Democratic sources.

Obama's offer comes less than 24 hours after he scored a sweeping victory over John McCain -- racking up 349 electoral votes (and counting).

Even before Obama had secured the presidency, rumors that he would choose Emanuel ran rampant among the political chattering class.

Continue reading at The Fix»

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the face of an economy in crisis and a deeply unpopular president, some analysts believe the situation is ripe to give Democrats a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate in November.

Analysts say Democrats may control the Senate after the November election.

It's "the perfect storm," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. "You've got Republican voters angry at Republicans, many Americans just petrified about the future...wanting change. And right now change appears to be coming in the form of Democrats."

Of the 35 Senate seats on the line this year, 23 are held by Republicans. Five Republican senators are retiring: Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Wayne Allard of Colorado, John Warner of Virginia, Larry Craig of Idaho and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

Democrats control the Senate. Although it's split evenly with 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans, two independents -- Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut -- caucus with the Democrats.

Winning a filibuster-proof majority of 60 Senate seats, commonly called the "magic 60," would virtually prevent Republicans from blocking legislation on the Senate floor.

The last time either party had this ability was in the 95th Congress of 1977-1979, when Democrats held 61 seats during President Jimmy Carter's administration. Carter faced concerns similar to those today -- economic instability, inflation and a 7.5 percent unemployment rate.

Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said Democrats have a good shot at reaching a 60-seat majority in November, a possibility he all but ruled out earlier this year.

"The fundamentals of this election year could not be more Democratic," Sabato said. "You've got a terrible economy, a deeply unpopular president and an unpopular war. You put those elements together and it's going to produce a Democratic victory. ... The only question is, what size?"

A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey found that Americans blame Republicans by a 2 to 1 ratio over Democrats for the financial meltdown.

Forty-seven percent of those questioned found Republicans more responsible for the problems facing the financial institutions; 24 percent said Democrats were more responsible.

Although Democrats say it's too early to predict whether they will get 60 Senate seats, they acknowledge that the focus on the economy has given them a bounce across the map.

"The economy was already the No. 1 issue in voter's minds," said Matthew Miller, communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "What the crisis did was focus attention like a laser on the fact that Republican economic policies have crippled the economy."

But, the next question is: Will Democrats need 60 or 61 seats to effectively block the Republican Party?

Some believe Democrats may actually need 61 seats in order to have a majority because of the "Lieberman factor."

"Not every Democrat will be with them on every measure and every bill," Rothenberg said.

Lieberman turned independent after being defeated in Connecticut's 2006 Democratic primary, but later went on to win the general election. He has been at odds with the Democratic Party -- particularly for his support of Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and the Iraq War.

But, according to a spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republicans are confident that they will, at the very least, keep their current seats.

"We feel relatively good about what is going to happen this year," said Rebecca Fisher, the communications director for the GOP committee. "We are very confident that we are going to defend our incumbents and a good shot at getting a majority of our open seats."

Pointing to low congressional approval ratings, Fisher said it's still uncertain which party will bear the brunt of the economic crisis.

"I think that people are generally unhappy with what's going on in Congress and [it's] not specifically aimed at one party," Fisher said.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday found 76 percent of the registered voters questioned disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job; only 23 percent said they approve.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties get fairly low approval ratings for their job performance in Congress. Only 34 percent of those surveyed said they approve of the way Democratic leaders are handling their jobs, while 64 percent disapprove; only 27 percent approve of Republican leaders' job handling while 71 percent disapprove.

Rothenberg says Republicans will likely bear the brunt of the economic crisis despite the bleak assessment of Congress as a whole.

"Maybe Americans will say it isn't Republicans' fault," Rothenberg said. "It's possible that Republican prospects could improve over the next month, but if they don't this year will be as bad as 2006 for the Republicans and worse in Senate races."

In 2006, Republicans lost six seats in the Senate and 30 seats in the House, shifting the majority to the Democratic Party.

Rothenberg and Sabato agree that Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado and New Hampshire are all but a lock for Democrats. With Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens on trial on corruption charges, Alaska could go to Democrats as well.

"Minnesota, Mississippi, and Kentucky are the three states most likely to determine whether Democrats get to 60," Rothenberg said, adding the unexpectedly tight race in North Carolina between incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole and state Sen. Kay Hagan could turn out detrimental for Republicans as well.

Both parties are feeling charged from the highly contested race for the White House between Sen. Barack Obama and McCain. But Democrats and Republicans agree the outcome of the Senate elections could come down to how many people come out to vote.