Not that either elected official is hurting when it comes to household income, but President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. each will be getting a substantial raise by leaping from Capitol Hill to the White House.
The rundown of salaries for the executive and legislative branches, as of Jan. 1, 2008:
President: $400,000
Vice president: $221,100
House speaker: $188,100
Senators/congressmen: $169,300
Actually, Mr. Biden and his wife, Jill, probably can use the extra dough. She's a teacher, after all, and he's spent most of his professional career in the Senate (Mr. Biden also teaches part time at the Widener University School of Law).
The couple's 2007 joint tax return lists a total income of $319,853, all but $66,546 (Mrs. Biden's teaching salary) earned by the senator.
Meanwhile, Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, have seen their incomes increase in 2007 to more than $4.2 million, much of it coming from book royalties.
LIVE ELVIS
President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration is such a big deal that even Elvis is making an appearance.
The Creative Coalition of artists and entertainers says Elvis Costello will be the featured musical guest at its Inaugural Ball on Tuesday, Jan. 20, one of several balls throughout the city.
OH, HENRY
A heavy lineup of Washington VIPs, including tribute speakers who need no introduction - Colin Powell, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Alexander Haig and Alan Greenspan - will join senators and congressmen, as well as administration, military and diplomatic officials Tuesday evening as Henry Kissinger is presented with the prestigous American Patriot Award.
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