12/10/08-The Morning Reaction from Kula2316: Non-Blagojevich Stuff

Kula2316 features quality as usual, though it is heavy with the Blagojevich's story.
So, with that being said, take a look at the other stories listed down over there:

After the public outcry over bonuses at AIG, the organization said it would eliminate them for its senior management. Well, now they are not offering bonuses but rather "cash awards" based on a new retention program:

American International Group Inc., the insurer whose bonuses and perks are under fire from U.S. lawmakers, offered cash awards to another 38 executives in a retention program with payments of as much as $4 million.

The incentives range from $92,500 to $4 million for employees earning salaries between $160,000 and $1 million, Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy said in a letter dated Dec. 5 to Representative Elijah Cummings. The New York-based insurer had previously disclosed that 130 managers would get the awards and that one executive would get $3 million.

Hmmm... that sure sounds like bonuses to me. Oh, and the first half of the bailout - $350 billion - is almost gone, in case anyone was wondering.

And so far, so great, in terms of Obama's approval numbers:

Oh, a poll! A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg polls shows that Obama has earned strong public support during his transition:

Although nearly two-thirds of those surveyed believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the figure represents an improvement from October, when 84% said the country was on the wrong track. Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed feel positive about Obama's election as president, a figure that includes not just an overwhelming majority of his fellow Democrats but a substantial majority of independents and nearly a third of Republicans.

Overall, nearly 8 in 10 approve of the way Obama has handled his transition to the White House and nearly three-quarters approve of his Cabinet picks. Strong majorities endorsed two of Obama's most prominent choices: Democratic New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of State and Republican Robert M. Gates, a holdover from the Bush administration, as secretary of Defense.

Enjoy her entire read. Peace.