RNC: Obama Explanation “Insufficient”
EmailABC News’ Karen Travers and Rick Klein Report: A statement from Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan breaks the national GOP’s silence on the news concerning Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill.
Duncan is calling President-elect Barack Obama’s comments on the matter “insufficient at best.”
Duncan’s statement: “Leaders of both political parties have a responsibility to clearly condemn the actions by Governor Rod Blagojevich as alleged by federal prosecutors today. Americans expect strong leadership, but President-elect Barack Obama’s comments on the matter are insufficient at best. Given the President-elect’s history of supporting and advising Governor Blagojevich, he has a responsibility to speak out and fully address the issue.”
Obama gave Republicans some ammunition in his comments: a contradiction. As ABC’s Jake Tapper reports, while Obama said Tuesday that he’s “had no contact with the governor or his office” regarding the Senate vacancy, his chief adviser, David Axelrod, said something much different in a televised interview last month.
Team Obama says Axelrod misspoke — but this isn’t going to go away quietly.
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Let the RNC clean up their house first. They’ve got war criminals in the White House, for heaven sake!!
Posted by: hang | December 9, 2008, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
Here we go, the republicans will try to link Obama with this guy, not with evidence of any wrong doing on Obama’s part but instead by association. Well, I always thought Bush comments on Randy Cunningham were “Insufficient” too.
Posted by: JR | December 9, 2008, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
Political corruption in Illnois! Shocking!!! What people need to understand dems./rep. doesnt matter! Power corrupts and its amazing how stupid this governor is! Talk about arrogance! Maybe he can have a cell next to the rest of the governors or congressmen from this state.
Posted by: robert | December 9, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
For the locals, we’re all well aware of Obama’s connection with the corrupt Chicago political machine, and it won’t be a surprise when it officially comes to light.
Posted by: chris | December 9, 2008, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Leave it to the dysfunctional Republicans. They can’t stand that Obama won the Presidency, so they will do everything possible to ruin him even before he takes office. Let’s not forget it is the Republican Party that got us to the terrible place the country is today. Shame, shame.
Posted by: Michael J | December 9, 2008, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
Since all conversations with Blagojevich were taped then Fitzgerald will have all the tapes. Apparently there were no tapes of Obama speaking to the Governor so Obama is fine.
Posted by: Cameron | December 9, 2008, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm
Obama has a history of hanging out with some unsavory sorts. If there is something to his connection it needs to come out. Come on JR, how does evidence come out? By everyone giving him a free pass because he’s “Obama?” If he has nothing to hide, he has nothing to fear, even from the evil neocons.
Posted by: D.Z. | December 9, 2008, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm
Hey Michael J, If Obama is ruined, he will do it all on his own.
Posted by: A.B. | December 9, 2008, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
This is no matter for the RNC to get involved in. The media cand the Right Wing types can fairly debate how much contact Obama or his team had with Blago over the seat, but the FBI compliant clearly shows no real connection with Obama in this case. Fitzgerald said the very same in his presser today.
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | December 9, 2008, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
republican bottom feeders.
Posted by: dem in chicago | December 9, 2008, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm
Bwahahahahahah….
This looks HORRIBLE for Obama. First Obama says today he hasn’t talked with the governor about any senate appointments, yet Sean Hannity has audio clip of David Axelrod 2 weeks ago saying HE HAS!!!
Not even sworn in and Obama already in huge scandal!!
Love it!!
Posted by: Jo | December 9, 2008, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
Good times, good times….
Posted by: Jo | December 9, 2008, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
Typical of Obama
Give him time and he will come up with a “Obama” spin on this.
Posted by: HH | December 9, 2008, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
Look at these Republican corrupt hypocrites.
What are you salivating about.
This is nothing compared to the treasonable acts of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | December 9, 2008, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Translation of Duncan’s statement:
Obama and Blagojevich have been less than friendly for the two years Obama has been running for president, as Obama has put as much distance from the Illinois governor as possible.
There is absolutely no reason Obama should distract himself from working behind the scenes trying to repair the damage the Republicans have done to the economy.
Posted by: John | December 9, 2008, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
It’s kind of funny that Obama can bold faced lie, get caught, and mass neocrats still love him! Wow!
Posted by: A.B. | December 9, 2008, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
Not even sworn in and Obama already in huge scandal!!
Good times, good times….
Love it!!
Jo,Jo,Jo…..don’t get too excited (remember you’re talking about Hannity, for pity sake).
Posted by: JDL | December 9, 2008, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
All Republicans including JDL and Jo are just crooks and liars…
They are so low now that they have to look up just to see down.
Hey Jo, I am sure you’re right Obama is probably in trouble here… Especially since in the indictment they have Blagojevich on tape (from his tapped phone) calling Obama a Mother F**ker!
You ignorant southern Republicans just won’t give up will you! Why don’t “you all” go take a long dirt nap with your hero McCain!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!!!!!
Posted by: Davis | December 9, 2008, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
From what I’ve seen in local (Chicago) reports, not only did Obama’s camp want NOTHING to do with any sideways Blago dealings. They (Rahm Emanuel) may have been instrumental in helping to bring him down.
I guess we’ll see how it plays out but if Repubs over reach right out the gate, before Obama even has a chance to take office it could just make matters worse for them…
Posted by: Chapman | December 9, 2008, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
Jo, who the hell cares what Sean Hannity thinks? His pathalogical hatred of Obama is just plain wierd.
Posted by: stonerscum | December 9, 2008, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm
Americans, “We the People” need to have zero tolerance for corruption. Before republicans point fingers at anyone they should look at their own party the last eight years with the likes of Tom Delay (R) indicted for conspiracy and money laundering, Randy Cunningham (R) guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of tax evasion, Ted Stevens (R) guilty lying about bribes he took, Norm Coleman (R) being investigated for corruption, Rick Renzi (R) indicted for wire fraud, money laundering, insurance fraud and extortion, Larry Craig (R) soliciting a male undercover prostitute, Mark Deli Siljander (R) was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to Al-Qaeda terrorists, Mark Foley (R) pedophile. I live in Louisiana a state with their share of corruption with David Vitter (R) soliciting prostitution and William “Cold Cash” Jefferson (D) indicted for racketeering and bribery charges. Ironically Jefferson was defeated by Republican challenger Anh “Joseph” Cao, an attorney and community organizer. Hopefully the next to see jail time will be Tom Delay, William Jefferson and Gov. Rod Blagojevich! Whether you’re Democrat, Republican or Independent “We the People” need to have zero tolerance for corruption.
Posted by: rickyt1234 | December 9, 2008, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
What I find so two faced about Republicans is that after all the malfeasance out of Bush, any Republican has the nerve to make such a statement about Obama, when in fact, Republicans have covered up the bush malfeasance for all these years. I was a Republican until finally I had to, in all honesty, admit that the Republican party is totally in the hands of people who have no concern for honesty and truthfulness. Then of course, these very people who did not clean up the Iran-Contra mess, who stood by while a Republican President lied us into the war in Iraq and now want to bad mouth Obama when it is clear Obama had nothing to do with this guys malfeasance. But this is so like Republicans in this era. Constantly badmouthing Democrats while deep in malfeasance themselves. But in the end, God knows the facts and Republicans will pay dearly for this mess they leave our country in.
Posted by: MariJJ | December 9, 2008, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
C’mon! Enough already! Name a single POLITICIAN whose hands are clean. Name ONE! Huh? What? You can’t find a single one? Oh my, what a surprise. Obama has a history of hanging around “unsavory” people. What a revelation! HE’S A POLITICIAN!!!!! THEY ARE ALL UNSAVORY!!!!! DEMS, REPUBS, INDEPENDS, OTHER… THE WHOLE LOT ARE UNSAVORY!!!!! Get a life, get a grip… people!
Posted by: Change Is Coming | December 10, 2008, 11:29 am 11:29 am
Change Is Coming ?.?.?.?.?.?.?.?.?.?. Now It Seems the ‘change’ will worse not better ……………………….. I was hopeful he was going to try to be an truthful president with good morals………….But………….. Now we can see an glimpse of next 4 years, Before He steps into the office with another presidential scandal………………………….. When/How we can find and elect an President with good morals ?????????????????
We know now President Obama’s term will be “insufficient at best.”
Posted by: An Democrat Now - Next Election I Am Not Sure? | December 10, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm