Obama-Illinois Governor

WASHINGTON (AP) - A top adviser to President-elect Barack Obama had reportedly been in talks with the Illinois governor’s office about possible Senate replacements for Obama.

Rahm Emanuel has been tapped by Obama to be his White House chief of staff. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Emanuel has had such conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration since before the Nov. 4 election.

Emanuel is a Chicago congressman who has long been close to both Blagojevich and Obama. He reportedly gave Blagojevich’s chief of staff a list of Democrats who Obama would find acceptable to fill his Senate seat.

The report did not suggest there was any dealmaking in the conversations, which were captured on court-ordered wiretaps.

Republicans, meanwhile, are criticizing Obama’s silence over contacts his aides may have had with the disgraced Illinois governor.