Good Thursday morning. 11 days until Hanukkah, 14 days until Christmas, 15 days until Kwanzaa. These are the stories a wet Washington is watching today...

The Congress
The House approved the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act last night on a 237 to 170 vote, though the hurdles the bill faces in the Senate could spell its doom. The bill would provide a $14 billion loan within days to the Big Three automakers. The White House supports the measure and wants a Senate vote today if possible.

"Today, we are considering legislation not as life-support to sustain a dying industry, but a jump start for an industry that is essential to our country's economic health," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said from the House floor last night. "One in 10 American jobs is linked to the domestic auto industry, and it is a key pillar in an American manufacturing sector critical to our national security and economic competitiveness for decades to come."

The Transition
President-elect Obama will name former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services today at his 10 a.m. CT press conference in Chicago. The new administration's energy and environmental team is also starting to take shape, with four names reported yesterday: Steven Chu, as Energy Secretary; Lisa Jackson, as EPA administrator; Carol Browner, as energy czar; and Nancy Sutley, to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality. These four will likely be officially announced in the coming weeks.

The Corruption
Obama, through a spokesman, yesterday called on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign. He wasn't the only one, the New York Times's Saulny writes. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn called on Blagojevich to resign, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned Blagojevich not to appoint anyone to Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Reid also distributed a letter among Senate Democrats calling on Blagojevich to step down, and every member of the Democratic Caucus signed it.