Open Thread and Diary Rescue

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are ybruti, vcmvo2, srkp23, grog and dadanation, with claude helping to sift the muck while also shuffling the scrolls...

The Rangers dredged up these noteworthy diaries from "the ... ooze that is gunking up the works at the Big Orange", as one of the Rangers put it. Please use your diary privilege responsibly; it makes our job easier.

• bored now thoroughly analyzes each candidate who's running for Rahm Emmanuel's congressional seat in Who's Up in the 5th (IL -05)? (vcmvo2)
• Dragon5616 begins a series on the history of Presidential Inaugural Speeches with The Inaugural Address, Part 1. (claude)
• odum explains how Obama rescued his campaign in March 2008: The Speech that Changed America Forever. (ybruti)
• Moonflowrr reports on The Undeclared War On African American Trans Women in light of a recent murder in Indianapolis. (grog)
• StephenLeser gives us a thoughful and detailed examination and explains why The Real Bailout Needed is a Consumer Bailout - Part 2. (claude)
• murrayewv shares his Letter to Barack Obama. If just half of this stuff gets accomplished, this will be considered an outstanding presidency. (grog)
• Veterans of george's War Want a Bailout. Tireless crusader for veterans care jimstaro hips us to some moves afoot to help them get it. (claude)
• socratic shares his experience with youthful, civic activism in Becoming Leaders: YMCA In Government. (vcmvo2)

jotter has this Week's High Impact Diaries: December 27, 2008 - January 2, 2009 AND High Impact Diaries, January 3, 2009.

va dare has tonight's Top Comments 1.4.09 Old Crow Medicine Show.

Open Thread. Play nice!