The Word on Illinois Governor

After weeks of accusations, allegations and denials, only a few words were needed by front pages in Illinois to report on the fate of Rod Blagojevich.

"Thrown Out," the Northwest Herald of Crystal Lake said after the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to impeach the embattled governor.

"He's Gone," The State Journal Register said from Springfield. The state capital newspaper noted that Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat once held by Barack Obama, was the first Illinois governor to be tossed from office. "Ousted," proclaimed the Daily Herald of suburban Chicago.

From "Bye-Bye Blago" to "Game Over" to "Blag-Gone," Illinois newspaper headlines reflected the gritty style of the state's first Democratic governor in 25 years. The Chicago Sun-Times quoted Blagojevich, the son of a transit ticket taker: "Sorry for what?"

The Chicago Tribune looked forward with a quote from Patrick Quinn, the No. 2 who immediately was sworn in as governor: "The ordeal is over."

The headline on the Southtown Star front page in Tinley Park was just a hair too cute, but it did sum up the news: "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow."

Inaugural Pages Celebrate Hometown Heroes

Washington is now home to Barack Obama and Joe Biden. But America's new president and vice president are tied to Chicago and Wilmington, Del. Hometown newspapers the Chicago Tribune and The News Journal provided extraordinary coverage of the inauguration. The Tribune's front page reversed a quote from Obama's inaugural address into a picture of the new president taking the oath of office. "A dream that once seemed inconceivable became an irrefutable fact on Tuesday," it said, with a reference to an inside commemorative section. The Chicago Sun-Times pictured a close-up of Obama with his right hand raised and an inset quote "So Help Me God."

The News Journal chose a photo that included members of the Obama family and incorporated its nameplate and a reference to 25 pages of coverage in its front-page design. "Delaware's Biden becomes nation's 47th vice president," it added with a photo of Joe Biden and his wife, Jill.

Obama is the first president from Hawaii, and The Honolulu Advertiser used the Getty Images photo that appeared on The News Journal and paired it with a photo of the crowd gathered for the ceremony. "President Barack Obama, born and raised in our Islands, launches the next chapter of American history."

Portraits of Obama and Scranton-native Biden appeared on the cover of a special section of The Times-Tribune in Pennsylvania. Its "Souvenir Edition" front page said: "Hope and History."

Wide Shot Stars at Inaugural

CBS' Bob Schieffer said in his analysis of the inauguration that the real star of the afternoon ceremony was the sea of humanity gathered at the Capitol and along the Mall to witness the historic event. "The star of this show is the wide shot," he said. CBS included a crowds photo gallery in its inauguration coverage, and USA TODAY used an image of the crowd on its Home Page. The Chicago Tribune's The Swamp blog quoted a Washington Post estimate of a record 2 million in attendance.

An Oath Anticipated Around the World

Through campaign stops, primaries and debates, images and stories from the American presidential election appeared on front pages around the world in 2008. The international media was especially captivated by the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Clinton has worldwide recognition as a former first lady. The history-making promise of Obama's campaign also was a tug for an international audience. Or maybe it was a worldwide need for change that created the interest. Whatever the reason, the interest was intense. So it is no surprise that Inauguration Day is front and center from Austria and the United Kingdom to Brazil and Chile to India and Indonesia. "The United States of Obama," said the front page of Die Presse in Vienna, Austria. "A Monumental Moment," declared The Namibian in Windhoek, Namibia. Like some U.S. newspapers, the international press used the U.S. ritual that happens every four years and the election of America's first African-American president to expressed hope. In a front-page column from Washington, The Guardian of London proclaimed the events as a "Magic spell that will open new American era."

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2009

"A-list stars and an equally diverse crowd jammed the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial to celebrate the nation and its historic president-elect yesterday," The Washington Post noted this morning. Indeed, "entertainment royalty" made headlines and images of Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Denzel Washington and others appeared in print and broadcast coverage. But today's most poignant image might actually come from Newsday on Long Island, almost 400 miles from the Mall in Washington. A photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. filled Newsday's tabloid front page. Inset was a photo of the president-elect with a quote that began among African Americans and went viral during the campaign: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama ran so we can all fly."

Along Historic Train Route

President-Elect Barack Obama and family boarded a train in Philadelphia on Saturday for a 137-mile journey into history. In a rally before departing for Washington, D.C., Obama paid tribute to his political hero -- President Abraham Lincoln. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted on its Sunday front page that the train trip "was meant to evoke Abraham Lincoln's travel by train to his inaugural in 1861."

2009's inaugural journey stopped in Wilmington, Del., to pick up another passenger -- Vice President-Elect Joe Biden. The News Journal of Wilmington noted that the train stopped to pick up Obama's "co-worker" and described the trip to the capital as "perhaps the most celebrated commute in history."

Before reaching Washington, the train also made a stop in Baltimore, where "Thousands brace the cold to see their next president." The Sun used its dominant image to focus on Obama and said, "Next stop: history."

"A Long Journey Ends," The Washington Post said atop its package of photos, stories and references to inside and Web site content. Its special coverage included a "Grab & Go" Metro section inaugural package and a commemorative Washington Post Magazine.

It might have been a vintage train car, but there isn't anything old-fashioned about new media coverage of the inaugural. The Post offered mobile inaugural alerts starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday. The News Journal led its inaugural Web site with the appropriate headline "Road to the White House Goes Through Delaware."

A Miracle on the Hudson

No deaths or serious injuries are being reported after a US Airways plane with 155 people on board went down in the Hudson River. The plane that took off from LaGuardia airport apparently hit a flock of birds that disabled two engines.

Newsday on Long Island published a staff-written story on its Web site: "Jet crashes into Hudson River; all passengers rescued." The site offered video and photos and asked readers for the names of passengers on the flight.

From the plane's destination in Charlotte, N.C., The Observer reported that a passenger called a neighbor by cell phone from a rescue ferry and that Bank of America and Wells Fargo confirmed some employees of the Charlotte-based banks were on the flight. The Observer also had a photo gallery of AP photos and stills taken from TV video. Among the photos was a shot of passengers standing on a wing waiting to be rescued.

"Ferries and other boats quickly converged to help with a rescue effort, as the plane drifted south in the water," The New York Times Web site said.

The Observer's "All survive crash of Charlotte-bound flight" and The Washington Post's "'A Miracle on the Hudson'" headlines were reminiscent of the "Miracle" headline in the first edition of USA TODAY.

Florida is No. 1

The University of Florida defeated Oklahoma 24-14 to win the BCS title game Thursday night in Miami. Hometown newspaper, the Gainesville Sun, celebrated with a "Three-rific" headline, a reference to the three national titles won by the Gators. A front-page note apologizing for the late delivery of the newspaper (blame the game's late start) accompanied a dominant photo, a main story and information on a victory event planned for Sunday. The Sun's Web site provided video highlights and photos of post-game celebrations. Disappointment appeared on the Tulsa World, as "OU Swamped. Gators hand Sooners fifth-straight BCS loss." The title game was played in Miami, where the Herald promoted the win by the in-state team with "No. 1!" Its front-page coverage was a photo and column -- "Game lived up to hype -- for unexpected reasons."

Mr. President Times Five

The Washington Post called it "Presidents' Day at the White House" as the current president, the three living former presidents and President-Elect Barack Obama met for 90 minutes over lunch. Obama requested the meeting -- the first White House gathering of all living U.S. presidents since the early 1980s. The Globe and Mail of Toronto called it "The fraternity of five." Newsday simply said, "Power Lunch." Pictures of the group -- George H.W. Bush, Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter -- made front pages far from Washington, including in South America and Europe.

What's That ..

... at the bottom of today's New York Times? An advertisement.

The newspaper joined others across the U.S. and around the world in printing ads on Page One. The first ad was bought by CBS, promoting its No. 1 status among networks. The headline in the ad: "Front Page News."

Still publishing sans advertisements (at least for now) is The Washington Post's Page One.

A Shocker in New Mexico

New Mexico's largest newspaper called the news a shocker after the state's governor withdrew from consideration as commerce secretary in the Obama administration. The Albuquerque Journal devoted three-quarters of Page One to the news that broke Sunday, along with reaction and a recap of the reason Bill Richardson withdrew -- a federal investigation into one of the governor's political donors. The New Mexican in Santa Fe said, "New grand jury will be impaneled to probe a possible 'pay-to-play' scheme." The newspaper broke out the fallout -- that the lieutenant governor's plans to take over for the governor have been put on hold. The New Mexican led its Web site today with Richardson's comment from this morning that he "was hurting" over the decision.