Obama meets Gore on climate change, but things are still bad | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

But here's a [1-minute] news video with what Obama had to say about the meeting and its import, with an opening aside trying to salvage the day's media message about the arrest this morning of his homestate's Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges, surrounding the alleged sale of the governor's nomination to fill Obama's vacant Senate seat.

California: Lawmakers attend joint session on state finances

While the state is wallowing in a $28 billion deficit over the next 18 months, newly-elected lawmakers got new cars. From $32,000 hybrids to $46,000 Cadillacs, their new rides will cost taxpayers an estimated $1.3 million.

It is a perk included lawmakers' six-figure salaries.