It's a name that doesn't come up often. But it's a name that GOP presidential hopeful, Newt Gingrich has been repeatedly bringing up throughout his campaign. Alinsky was an influential community organizer in Chicago during the first half of the 20th century. And Gingrich uses the name when he wants to attack President Obama. So who was Alinsky and what is his role in American politics? Lynn Sweet is Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. Sandy Horwitt is author of "Let Them Call Me Rebel: The Life & Legacy of Saul Alinsky."

• WASHINGTON TAKEOUT: We talk to Lynn Sweet, Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times who describes the political cost of the president's upcoming meeting with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
• SPORTS TAKEOUT:  New York Times' sports reporter John Branch joins us from Vancouver with the latest Olympic news and previews the week of winter sports ahead.

The Obamas arrived back home this weekend after a two-week trip through Europe and Africa. Michelle Obama with her mom and two kids joined the president in Moscow, and from there went to Italy and Ghana. While the president's schedule was widely publicized, The Takeaway looks at what the rest of the family was up to. Lynn Sweet, who writes the column The Daily Flotus for Politics Daily and is Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times, talks about what the first family did on the trip.

How will the Blagojevich indictment impact the choice to fill Obama's seat?

"Obama is going to form a working coalition and put people in it that give him the votes when he needs them. If you think that you're going to have all Democrats, all highly partisan people, you may be disappointed."
--Lynn Sweet on the president-elect's cabinet choices