Hotline After Dark -- Jackson's Believe It Or Not

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s (D-IL) public denial of offering money to IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) in exchange for an appointment to Pres.-elect Obama's Senate seat was the talk of the TV.

Chicago Sun-Times' Sweet: "He was the most overt campaigner for the job in a election where there was one voter, Blagojevich. He had gone around the state looking for endorsements, drumming up support, organizing. ... I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt right now. ... The denial that Jesse Jackson Jr. gave is about as strong as you could get. ... So I think that so many things that Blagojevich said just were out of the ballpark" ("1600," MSNBC, 12/10).

FNC's Hannity: "He came off as very credible and believable to me, but there's always a skeptical side of me. You know in the back of my mind, I hear that voice, 'I did not have sex.' I hear Bill Clinton" ("Hannity & Colmes," 12/10).

New York Daily News' Louis, on whether Jackson Jr. should still be running for the seat: "Oh, well, he is, whether anybody wants him to be or not. It was kind of a baffling part of his news conference. It almost sounded like a job interview. He started talking about his resume and what a good guy he is and how much people like him and what a good job he could do as a senator. But I think that ship has sailed. And he's going to learn that I think in the next few days" ("No Bias, No Bull," CNN, 12/10).

After the jump, more Blagojevich and the House passes auto bailout.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Washington Times' Birnbaum: "I think we're unlikely to have Senator Jackson. ... Even if there is a special election" ("Special Report," FNC, 12/10).

DLC Chair Harold Ford Jr.: "I believe his assertions today. I don't think he could much stronger, more emphatic. ... I thought his best line was when he said he thought that qualifications and credentials alone would be the determining factor. So I take him at his word" ("1600," MSNBC, 12/10).

Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "I think this whole episode for Jesse Jackson Jr. means he probably cannot be appointed by a sitting governor in Illinois. He could win the seat in an open election. And that's ... the direction in which the state legislature is going in Illinois" ("AC 360," CNN, 12/10).

A DEAD END?

Breaking news last night: The House passed a $14B bailout for the auto industry. Chances of the legislation passing in the Senate, however, appear slim.

CNN's Bash, on whether the bill will survive the Senate: "I just got off the phone with a Democratic leadership source, who gave me the old Monty Python line that it's not dead yet. However, I talked to people on both sides, and they say, look, it's just a fact that the votes don't seem to be there in the Senate to pass the bill that the House passed tonight" ("AC 360," 12/10).

Bill Bennett: "I don't think it will get out of the Senate. I think this was largely a symbolic vote in the House. I don't think the bill will be. I don't think there's support in the Senate. I think it will be filibustered" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 12/10).

MSNBC's Viqueira: "It's almost as if the White House has more influence on this legislation with Democrats than they do with Republicans at this point. ... Bailouts fatigue plus the fact that in the wake of those election losses, Republicans are trying to get back to their fiscally conservative roots and embracing it like it's a long lost friend. So it's sort of a perfect storm here in terms of Republican opposition. They do have a fairly solid wall in the Senate opposing this" ("Rachel Maddow Show," 12/10).

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), who supported the bill: "We don't know what's going to happen in the Senate. They're threatening to be a little bit obstreperous on this, and they may have the votes on a filibuster. So we may have to come back sometime next week, but we're hoping they'll be reasonable and take the bill" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 12/10).