For weeks now, word was that President Obama plans to nominate Julius Genachowski, a Harvard chum and a major player in the tech world [5], to chair the morale-challenged Federal Communication Commission.

What's taking so long?

Politics, as usual. For starters, vetting by the FBI can take time. For another, the White House wants to pair Genachowski's nomination with that of a commissioner favored by Republicans -- either at the FCC or elsewhere -- to assure easy sailing through the Senate. And with several GOP names floating around, Senate Republicans have yet to tell the White House their choice.

In a post today, "Communications Daily [6]," a trade bible for the industry, said that the behind-the-scenes wrangling could delay the eventual changeover at the agency for months.

"If they just announce Julius and say he's the guy for our chair, and they don't announce the Republican seat, they can't expect anything to happen," said one industry official. Added another, "Going through a nomination and confirmation process is like entering a carnival house of mirrors."