The Note, 12/10/08: My Kind of Town
EmailBy RICK KLEIN
President-elect Barack Obama wanted to bring some Chicago with him to Washington. But with one stiff wind, Chicago has grabbed Obama and his transition — and blown it off-course for the first time since Election Day.
It isn’t about the direct implications — though having a senior adviser win a pseudonym in a Patrick Fitzgerald legal filing might be enough to keep a scandal around for a while.
What the stunning charges leveled against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill., mean for the heretofore flawless transition:
1. The underbelly of the Obama political operation, with all its Chicago tints and taints, is now fair game for reporters looking for a story.
2. Obama will not control a news cycle for a while — maybe until Christmas.
3. David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel (and Valerie Jarrett and Andy Stern, and especially Senate Candidate 5) will cringe with every BlackBerry vibration as Blagojevich and his chief of staff are pressed to name names by a no-BS prosecutor.
4. The culture of corruption has put its home on the market and is well into the process of moving to the other side of the aisle.
5. The most open and transparent transition in American history just by necessity got more closed and opaque.
6. Obama’s still-cautious political enemies have what they need to advance the story: a contradiction (and one involving no less an eminence than Axelrod).
It’s that contradiction that might give the story more legs than it might otherwise have, a genuine what-did-the-president-elect-know-and-when-did-he-know-it to keep Team Obama on defense.
None of it represents a staggering blow to Obama’s considerable momentum. But it’s more than enough to keep the transition off-balance and off-message during a critical period: Obama has his first media firestorm to manage, and he’s not even president yet.
In an interview with Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times reporters, Obama says flatly that he never discussed his possible replacement with Blagojevich — but can’t (or won’t) say the same about his staffers.
“I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time,” Obama said in the interview.
Asked whether any top aides spoke with the governor or his chief of staff, John Harris, Obama responded: “Let me stop you there because, as I said out there, it’s an ongoing investigation,” he said. “I think it would be inappropriate for me to, you know, remark on the situation beyond the facts that I know. And that’s the fact that I didn’t discuss this issue with the governor at all.”
That plus the answer the president-elect gave Tuesday — “I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so we were — I was not aware of what was happening” — will not be the end of it, not even close.
That’s partly because Axelrod’s now-disavowed statement — “I know he’s talked to the governor” — means a black-and-white contradiction. (Why did it take three weeks for Team Obama to realize Axelrod misspoke?)
As we anticipate the 2016 Democratic presidential primary battle between Blagojevich and Eliot Spitzer, look for Republicans to press — lightly, but firmly — a series of questions (isn’t that always how these things start?):
What are the full range of Team Obama’s contacts with Blagojevich and his top advisers, covering the period that drew Fitzgerald’s focus? Does his commitment to transparency extend to bad news as well as good?
Who in the Obama operation was in touch with the Blagojevich team — communicating at least enough so the governor’s aides knew Obama wasn’t going to play ball? Did they tattle to Fitzgerald? (Was Valerie Jarrett among those in touch — and was plucking her for the White House staff more than a case of fortuitous timing?)
Will the president-elect keep Fitzgerald as US attorney — or name a special prosecutor? Will he take pardons for Blago and others involved off the table?
And why did Obama catch himself and switch from “we” to “I” in his sole statement on the matter? Could it be that “we” know a lot more — or may know a lot more — than “I”?
“It does seem to indicate an unspoken acknowledgment that he doesn’t know the whole story, or at least didn’t at that point,” per ABC’s Jake Tapper. “On its website, President-elect Obama’s Transition Team is making a big deal about transparency, posting memos and information about meetings with various, largely supportive organizations. True transparency means a little more than that, one might posit. It means telling voters about matters that aren’t entirely comfortable to share.”
Don’t expect much from Obama Wednesday to advance the story, but the daily statement from the transition office is a bit more interesting in light of the latest: “President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden will both be in Chicago hosting private meetings. There are no public events scheduled.”
Did somebody say “Chicago”?: “The conspiracy allegedly dreamed up by Blagojevich was an unwelcome development in Obama’s transition to power, threatening something Obama has avoided throughout his career — the taint of Chicago politics,” Michael D. Shear and Chris Cillizza write in The Washington Post. “Obama was dragged at least tangentially into the scandal by virtue of repeated references to him in the 76-page indictment of Blagojevich. In one section, prosecutors described a deal the governor envisioned involving himself, a union and Obama.”
“Blagojevich and Obama have never been close, and Blagojevich is quoted in the affidavit as frequently speaking of the president-elect with profanity and scorn. But there is an overlap among some of their top political confidants,” Bob Secter and Rick Pearson report in the Chicago Tribune. “Axelrod ran Blagojevich’s successful 1996 campaign for a Northwest Side U.S. House seat, though the two later had a falling-out. When Blagojevich was elected governor in 2002, his replacement in Congress was Rahm Emanuel, now Obama’s designee as chief of staff. Emanuel and Blagojevich have since worked closely on several initiatives.”
There’s no suggestions of Obama culpability, but: “For politicians it’s never good news when a top-notch prosecutor has to go out of his way to distance you from a front-page scandal,” Time’s Massimo Calabresi writes. “And indeed, there are enough connections between the worlds of Blagojevich and Obama that the whole thing has the potential to grow beyond a colorful Chicago tale of corruption to entangle members of the Presidential transition team, to test Obama’s carefully cultivated reformist image and to distract the President-elect just as he is preparing to take office.”
“I think they’re more annoyed than anxious about this,” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos reported on “Good Morning America” Wednesday. “But they’re not that worried that anything will come up here that will put the president-elect in a bad light — and the irony here, of course, is that Blagojevich is the president-elect’s best character witness.”
When’s the next time Obama will get some focus on a Cabinet appointment? (And poor Al Gore.)
“The ultimate fallout is unclear. As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post,” per the AP’s Liz Sidoti.
“Obama’s relationship to the case appears tangential, though the charges lump his name in the same stories as Blagojevich at a time when he is trying to focus public attention on his plan to revive the U.S. economy,” Bloomberg’s Catherine Dodge and Michael Tackett write.
“The transition will be called to account for all of its members’ contacts with Blagojevich, and those Obama advisers who are mentioned by pseudonym — including Valerie Jarrett — will face pressure (and the candidate’s promise of transparency) to make a public accounting,” The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder reports.
It’s an “immediate test of leadership,” Politico’s Charles Mahtesian and Jonathan Martin write: “Between the criminal charges lodged against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the questions raised by the conduct of Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Obama must decide how bluntly — and how personally — to raise his voice against real-life allegations that epitomize what he has called “decades of broken politics in Washington. It’s hard to imagine a timelier moment, or a more compelling convergence of circumstances, for Obama to signal the seriousness of his promise to reform the way Washington goes about its business.”
What Obama has going for him: Lots of those bleeps were aimed at his direction.
“What’s hard to believe is that Blagojevich thought that Obama would appoint him to any slot in his administration,” Lynn Sweet writes in the Chicago Sun-Times. “Blagojevich was under a cloud during Obama’s entire presidential campaign, and the Obama team kept him at a distance. The Illinois governor never stumped for Obama — they did not want him — and unlike other Democratic governors, he did not play any significant role in the campaign.”
What else he has going for him (sort of): “In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich,” Mike McIntire and Jeff Zeleny write in The New York Times.
“Beyond the irony of its outcome, Mr. Obama’s unusual decision to inject himself into a statewide issue during the height of his presidential campaign was a reminder that despite his historic ascendancy to the White House, he has never quite escaped the murky and insular world of Illinois politics,” they write. “It is a world he has long navigated, to the consternation of his critics, by engaging in a kind of realpolitik, Chicago-style, which allowed him to draw strength from his relationships with important players without becoming compromised by their many weaknesses.”
A punch line with new punch: “ ‘I’m from Chicago,’ Barack Obama used to tell voters wondering whether he was tough enough to win the presidency, drawing laughs for referring to rough-and-tumble — and often corrupt — politics in his hometown,” Christina Bellantoni recalls in the Washington Times. “But the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on charges of trying to sell Mr. Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder is probably not what the president-elect had in mind.”
Toss in Eliot Spitzer, William Jefferson, and Charlie Rangel, and the Democrats could field a decent basketball team to take on Mark Foley, Larry Craig, and Tom DeLay.
“The arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on Tuesday marked the latest in a series of scandals involving Democratic politicians — an ironic turn for a party that won control of Congress in 2006 in part by saying it would end a ‘culture of corruption’ under Republican leadership,” Janet Hook reports in the Los Angeles Times. “The corruption charges against Blagojevich come as one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress, Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, is under investigation by a House ethics panel.”
(Of the Blagojevich allegations: “It straightened my hair,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.)
Other tidbits from Obama’s interview with Tribune Co. reporters: He will take the oath of office as “Barack Hussein Obama.” “I will follow the tradition, not trying to make a statement one way or the other,” he said.
He’ll make good on his promise of a speech in a Muslim capital: “This is something that I talked about doing in the campaign and it’s something that I intend to follow through on. What the time frame is, how we structure that, you know, is something that I will determine with my national security team in the coming weeks and months.”
No time-frame on card check: “I don’t want to anticipate right now what sequences will be on these issues.”
And he’s keeping roots in Chicago: “Let me explain to you, my Kennebunkport is on the South Side of Chicago. We own one piece of property, and that is our home in Chicago. It is 10 minutes away from where Michelle grew up and where her mother still has a house. Our friends are here. Our family is here. And so we are going to try to come back here as often as possible. My expectation would be that, depending on what my schedule looks like, you know, we’re going to try to get back here at least once every six weeks or couple months.”
As for Obama’s successor — who would want the job now, if it’s Blagojevich’s to give?
But it won’t be Blago’s job to give out, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos reports: “Right now, the state legislators say they’re going to come into session next week and pass a bill calling for a special election in February. . . . Even if that doesn’t pass, the Illinois secretary of state has the power to certify anybody picked by Gov. Blagojevich. And if that doesn’t happen, the United States senate has the power not to seat anybody picked by the Illinois Governor. Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill made it clear today that the Senate will not seat any Blagojevich appointee.”
He’s sticking around — at least for now (though he’s surely had happier birthdays than his 52nd, on Wednesday): “He didn’t do anything wrong,” attorney Sheldon Sorosky told reporters after Blagojevich appeared in court on Tuesday, per Politico’s Carol E. Lee. “A lot of this is just politics.”
Who’s who in the indictment? Senate Candidate 1 is clearly Valerie Jarrett (now out of the mix for the Senate anyway), and No. 2 looks like Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., tells The Hill that she might be Senate Candidate 3: “That’s the only one I could be,” Schakowsky said, “the one in that offhand mention.”
More from The Hill: “Senate Candidate 4 is a deputy governor, most likely Louanner Peters, whose name was floated as a potential Obama replacement even before the Democrat won the presidency. . . . Senate Candidate 6 is believed by the FBI to be a wealthy man from Illinois, though a top Blagojevich adviser expresses skepticism about the difficulty of appointing him to the Senate.”
Senate Candidate 5 is the one you probably don’t want to be.
So who is it? “Since the ‘long, productive discussion’ statement is believed to be untrue, that person could be Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. Congressman Jackson didn’t talk to the governor about the vacant seat until just recently,” Rich Miller reports on the Capitol Fax Blog out of Illinois. Or: “is SC5 Emil Jones? He has a ton of money in his personal campaign account that would be useless to him as a US Senator.”
Among the intermediaries: “The alleged role of the SEIU official was surprising, given that the union had not figured publicly in the investigation into Blagojevich (D). But on another level, the SEIU’s apparent involvement is an indication of the extent to which it has, under the leadership of its ambitious and controversial president, Andrew L. Stern, become an omnipresent force in Democratic politics,” Alec MacGillis writes in The Washington Post.
“With organized labor holding such high expectations for the Obama administration — notably, hopes for legislation fiercely opposed by business leaders that would make it easier to form unions — officials of other unions were hoping yesterday that the SEIU’s apparent involvement in the Illinois scandal would not undermine their cause in Washington.”
(And the Chicago Tribune held the story: “As the federal probe into Gov. Rod Blagojevich intensified in recent weeks, editors and reporters at the Chicago Tribune balanced a competitive story with a rare request from U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald’s office: To hold off on what they uncovered until a key phase in the investigation could be carried out,” per the Tribune.)
Tracking that other story: “The exact language in the bill is still being tweaked, but an agreement between Congressional Democrats and the White House on a bailout for the big three Detroit automakers has been reached, sources tell ABC News,” Jonathan Karl and Z. Byron Wolf report.
“There is agreement in concept and language is being exchanged back and forth to capture that agreement,” a senior Bush administration official tells ABC News.
Karl and Wolf: “The most important part of the agreement, sources say, is the idea that after the U.S. automakers receive financial rescue they must prove to the government that they are viable. If after a certain time period the U.S. automakers are not found to be viable then ‘the loan shall be called back to the government.’ ”
“The agreement, which is set for a vote in the House today, calls for the government to speed $15 billion in emergency loans to the car companies as soon as next week, and for President Bush to immediately name a car czar to oversee the bailout,” Lori Montgomery and Paul Kane write in The Washington Post. “The companies would be required by March 31 to cut costs, restructure debt and obtain concessions from labor sufficient to report a ‘positive net present value,’ according to a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because final language was still under discussion.”
Checking in on Minnesota: This won’t help with ballots, but it may with politics. “Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned. Agents with the FBI have talked to or made efforts to talk to people in Texas familiar with the allegations, according to a source familiar with the situation,” Dave Orrick reports.
RNC Chairman Mike Duncan — fresh off a statement calling Obama’s response “insufficient at best” — is formally in the race for another term as chairman.
“Despite one of the most challenging political climates our party has ever faced, we enjoyed some impressive achievements in the last election cycle,” Duncan writes in a letter to fellow Republicans. “Contrary to all predictions, we shattered fundraising records by attracting more donors than any other time in our history. We made use of the most current and effective technology to spread our message, reach record numbers of voters, and produce a national convention that resulted in our presidential candidate receiving an 11-point bump in the polls.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is doing Letterman Thursday night, ABC’s Bret Hovell reports. And he’s George Stephanopoulos’ exclusive guest Sunday on “This Week.”
The Kicker:
“They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F— them.” — Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill., as quoted in the criminal complaint filed against him.
“It is conduct that would make Lincoln roll over in his grave.” — US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=6424985&page=1
Bookmark the link below to get The Note’s daily morning analysis:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/the_note/index.html
And for up-to-the-minute political updates check out The Note’s new blog . . . all day every day:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/
Ferdous Al-Faruque contributed to this report.
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
No blogs????
Obama said he had no connection and didn’t know about Ayers pasts; he appoints his cabinet from the Chicago elite and now denies knowing anything about the Governor? I highly doubt it. This man has many many connections that seem suspicious! He’s never straightforward with his answers – and they thought Palin was bad????
Posted by: jill | December 10, 2008, 9:18 am 9:18 am
Can someone name 3 good firends of Obama.
Look at all his cronies
Posted by: adam | December 10, 2008, 9:27 am 9:27 am
How bout the FBI investigating Norm coleman???? is that news worthy here? ——- Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned.
Agents with the FBI have talked to or made efforts to talk to people in Texas familiar with the allegations, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Houston is where the first of two lawsuits was filed alleging Nasser Kazeminy, a Bloomington financier, tried to steer $100,000 to Coleman via his wife’s Minneapolis employer. The second suit, filed in Delaware, alleges Kazeminy initially tried to get money directly to the senator.
Posted by: BlueJersey | December 10, 2008, 9:27 am 9:27 am
ANY THING AND EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG OR EVEN CLOSE TO BEING WRONG FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONNA JUMP RIGHT ON THAT…. YOU NEV-A HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE WRONGS OF BUSH BEFORE HE CAME INTO OFFICE….. THE PEOPLE IN THIS UNITED STATES IS SICKENING WITH THIS MESS. “HE’S NOT ELIGIBLE CAUSE HE WASN’T BORN IN THE UNITED STATES”.. HOG WASH TO ALL OF THIS MADNESS. LOOK AT ARNOLD… GOV OF CALI…. WHAT’S UP WITH THAT…. YA’LL PEOPLE NEED TO GET A GRIP. LIKE IT OR NOT.
Posted by: DEB | December 10, 2008, 9:28 am 9:28 am
I can’t wait until Obama “rules”.
Posted by: LongT | December 10, 2008, 9:29 am 9:29 am
WHEN IS EVERYONE GOING TO WAKE UP??? HOW MANY TIES WITH CROOKS IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO REALIZE THAT OBAMA IS A CROOK AND WOULD DO OR SAY ANYTHING TO GET ELECTED? BIRDS OF A FEATHER, REMEMBER? THERE’S PLAIN EVIDENCE AND PROOF ABOUT IT AND PEOPLE ARE BLINDED BY HIS CHARISMA AND BS!!! LOOK AT WHO HIS FRIENDS HAVE BEEN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE’S DENOUNCING HAVING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THESE CROOKS! WHY CAN’T PEOPLE SEE THE PLAIN FACTS IN FRONT OF THEM?
Posted by: brannigon1 | December 10, 2008, 9:29 am 9:29 am
Left wing liberals in denial is a beautiful thing. LMAO.
Posted by: LongT | December 10, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
NAME ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL WITH BUSH FROM THE TIME HE STARTED… GIVE ME A BREAK WITH THAT…. HE’S CHANGED HIS ENTIRE CABINET….AND SOME. HAHAHA
Posted by: DEB | December 10, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
Quick Obamabots, dust off the “everybody is racists” comments. You’re going to need them again. Can a president be impeached before he takes office? Can he pardon himself? Obama isn’t going to come out of this investigation ( or the Rezko trial ) without some legal problems.
Posted by: howwouldiknow | December 10, 2008, 9:33 am 9:33 am
NAME ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL WITH BUSH FROM THE TIME HE STARTED… GIVE ME A BREAK WITH THAT…. HE’S CHANGED HIS ENTIRE CABINET….AND SOME. HAHAHA
Posted by: DEB | December 10, 2008, 9:33 am 9:33 am
howwouldiknow You stupid or something?
Posted by: joe the plumber | December 10, 2008, 9:39 am 9:39 am
Its sad how many republicans and conservatives are jumping to conclusions without all the facts. Using guilty by associations is lame – no matter who, what and where. Wait until all the facts are out before making assumptions about guilt.
What we do know, is that Blagojevich tried to cut a deal with someone on the Obama team and was rebuffed. Period. So far the blackmailing of the Illinois Senate seat has been handled correctly and turned over to the proper authorities (FBI) to monitor and criminal engagement.
Again, Its sad how many on this blog are inspired by their imagination about the story then grounded by the facts and integrity of the unfolding circumstances.
Posted by: threeriverscrossing | December 10, 2008, 9:41 am 9:41 am
LongT said … “Left wing liberals in denial is a beautiful thing.” … Denial of what? If this is the best the media can do at attempting to draw a tie between President-Elect Barack Obama and the Chicago Machine then those of us who wisely voted for BHO are the ones LOAO!! This is article’s intent is a joke.
Posted by: Barackiscool | December 10, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
I think since Obama didn’t “pay for play” and Blagojevich called him a “motherf*cker” is very good for Obama.
Posted by: Cameron | December 10, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
(someone is not telling the truth FROM NOVEMBER 5!!)
Who will fill Obama’s senate seat?
Connect Tri States ^ | November 05, 2008 | Carol Sowers
CHICAGO, ILL. — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.
That’s one of Obama’s first priorities today.
He’s meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.
Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement.
There’s already been speculation about his selection…from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago’s south side who co-chaired Obama’s presidential campaign, to recently-retired state senate president Emil Jones, to the governor himself.
It’s likely the governor will make his decision quickly so the new senator will get some seniority before newly-elected senators take office in January.
Part of the timing depends on when Obama officially vacates his senate seat.
KHQA’s Alexis Hunt is speaking with Illinois Senator John Sullivan today about his thoughts on that replacement process, his time working with Obama in the state senate, and if there’s a chance Sullivan might play a role in the Obama administration. Watch KHQA News at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. tonight to hear what he has to say.
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=217582
Posted by: des | December 10, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am
If Obama is tied to this, I hope he is taken out and shot for being a traitor to his country. We were badly hurt by Osama bin-Laden on 9/11 and now we can’t even trust our leaders! That is worse than treason. I think the FBI should wiretap all politicians 24/7. They shouldn’t be entiteled to any privacy! That should be one of the prequsites for taking such a high security position!
Posted by: bob | December 10, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Even the most fervent ‘yes we can’ faithful must by now be concerned with the many “contradictions” of Obama’s past– his closest associates, his secretive history, and his true character. Unfortunately, I think the multiple indictment of the governor serve as much to underscore the massive corruption in Chicago politics as well as to show exactly what happens when a guy tries to stand up to the Fed and actually ask for help for the common man, as Blagojevich had the audacity to do for those factory workers the day before his indictment. Where did that $750 billion go, anyway?
Posted by: h5mind | December 10, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Guilty by association. He knows more than he is willing to confess. You all voted for this “angel of light”. You made your bed, now lie in it and wallow in your mud while the nation suffers for your mistake. Look for more of this yes-we-can and change-you-can-believe-in BS. This man will smooth talk his way out of any connections and the media will facilitate his get away.
Posted by: criticcritter | December 10, 2008, 9:46 am 9:46 am
deb: You seem to want to change the subject. Why is that ?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 9:47 am 9:47 am
Can someone name 3 good firends of Obama. LOL
It is too funny NOW the msm is putting up the rotten pictures of O- The tides are turning-”JUST ANOTHER GUY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD” Ohio voter, He’s not the president yet, We may have to have a special election nationally! Got terrorists friends? Got corrupt politicians? Got corrupt developers? Got An American Birth certificate? McCain/Palin 09, with Guiliiani as the attorney general! YEA!–Wait until more of this Resko fiasco surfaces. “Tony Rezko was a friend, and supporter of mine for many years. He was a well known business man in the community, — Why is everyone in shock over this, you have the most corrupt state , and now thanks to the media not doing there job and checking out obama, we will have the most corrupt president . thank God he will be gone in 4 years. Posted by:ohiovoter08
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 9:49 am 9:49 am
What is it with Obama that he can’t tell the truth to the American people? Obama needs to learn to stop lying to the American people. The only reason Bush got elected was because of Clinton’s constant lies. Obama may not have learned that lying is a sin from “Rev.” Wright’s church. Obama is caught with his pants down again. Did he contact the governor or not? He clearly did but then chose to tell the American people that he had “no contact”. Why lie about this? Some people never learned to tell the truth. Obama is one of them. I feel sorry for you Americans.
Posted by: Brit | December 10, 2008, 9:50 am 9:50 am
Obama = anther Mugabe?
Posted by: Sam | December 10, 2008, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Brit,
What’s the name of that fantasy world that you live in???
Posted by: pt | December 10, 2008, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Of course he spoke with the governor, he’s the governor of his state for goodness sake…but the FBI said there was no ties in the scandal with Obama and I believe it. I know the republicans are having a field day but it is just nonsense. The FBI investigated for a reason and if Obama was involved they would know it. As Cameron I believe the blogger was said, the governor called Obama a name and was not happy with him, so it just goes to show you.
And I know there are problems with tons of Republicans. It’s like when Clinton was being investigated in the Monica scandal and a whole bunch of Republicans had to step down because they had affairs and illegitimate childen…I remember a mayor yelling and screaming at the cameras because he had three illegitimate children…look who was calling the kettle black…
We should all be reasonable and be glad the FBI caught up with this scum.
Posted by: Barb | December 10, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
Obama was not “friends” with this guy, who I agree is a “crook” by definition. But anyone else he may have been “associated” with, i.e. Ayers, Rev. Wright, Tony Rezko or whoever else you want to sully him with (by “association”), were never accused of being “crooks”. Crooks generally steal money or other valuable items, or extort money through threats. How are any of Obama’s other “associations” guilty of being crooks? They may not have been model citizens in your view, but they weren’t crooks, again, by definition.
Posted by: geecee | December 10, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
This is a stain on America. Something our kids will remember. Kind of like Monica, Watergate, OJ and other. Obama can’t be immune from this, these are his buddies. He campaigned for them and they for he. He grew up in this culture and went to a church that preached it. This will surely hurt him at the least remove him at the most.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 9:54 am 9:54 am
ANY THING AND EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG OR EVEN CLOSE TO BEING WRONG FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONNA JUMP RIGHT ON THAT…. YOU NEV-A HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE WRONGS OF BUSH BEFORE HE CAME INTO OFFICE….. THE PEOPLE IN THIS UNITED STATES IS SICKENING WITH THIS MESS. “HE’S NOT ELIGIBLE CAUSE HE WASN’T BORN IN THE UNITED STATES”.. HOG WASH TO ALL OF THIS MADNESS. LOOK AT ARNOLD… GOV OF CALI…. WHAT’S UP WITH THAT…. YA’LL PEOPLE NEED TO GET A GRIP. LIKE IT OR NOT.
Posted by: DEB
___________________________________
Deb, the media gave Obama, like they did Clinton, a free pass like no other free pass in history. Obama broke his promise to abide by campaign financial reform measures and took money for his campaign that was untraceable. He also gave billions to ACORN to register people who were non-existent. Did the press go after Obama for all this? No.
As to Bush’s “crimes”. So far you haven’t mentioned a single crime… and yes, he DID have the right under the Constitution to ask Congress for a Declaration of war against Iraq… which the Democrats granted.
As to guilt by association, let’s say Bush associated himself with an abortion clinic bomber and started his campaign in that bomber’s living room. You honestly don’t think the press would be all over that?
Posted by: marco | December 10, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am
We are just beginning to see Obama. George Stephanopolus will cover for him as long as he can but even he will not be able to do it forever. People wake up to what is going on. Transparency, right?
Posted by: Jane | December 10, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Who wrote this insanity? 1. The recorded phone calls that got the governor in trouble in the first place show him reportedly bashing Obama and using profanities to refer to him. 2. The law that the governor is being indicted on was put into law because Obama placed a personal phone call urging the senate to pass it after the governor vetoed that law, meaning Obama helped to take the guy down! 3. The DNC repeatedly denied this guy’s requests to speak at the convention, because everyone knew he was scum! You might as well be calling a cop that busted a crack dealer “in on the deal” because both men were from the same state, and registered democrat.
Posted by: wolf | December 10, 2008, 9:56 am 9:56 am
what you folks fail to realize is that fitzgerald is above reproach – if he thought that obama was involved in any way he would have said earlier. So find something else to do with your time – I know – how about giving some time to your local community and work towards making it a good place to live. Bet I won’t see you – doing any good deeds this year!
Posted by: cjr | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
Politicians make strange bedfellows. Hope Obama’s sheets are clean in view of the Gov. of IL and his escapades.
Posted by: Senior | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
Politicians make strange bedfellows. Hope Obama’s sheets are clean in view of the Gov. of IL and his escapades.
Posted by: Senior | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
IL governer should resign immediately. But he probably will just get off without any jail time (just like Spitzer). There is no integrity in our politics today, particularly in corrupt IL political machine, which produced Obama.
The New York Seat is up for sale as well, the only question is will it be Caroline Kennedy (no experience) or Cuomo. I wonder who feels more entitled to the New York throne? Sad how this country is loosing on all the fronts. I guess it always starts with corruption.
Posted by: Corruption = US Government | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
geecee: How can you say Rezko is not a crook? and what about Ayers? He bombed people.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
I think the FBI should wiretap all politicians 24/7. They shouldn’t be entiteled to any privacy! That should be one of the prequsites for taking such a high security position……..Posted by: bob | Dec 10, 2008 9:45:41 AM >>>>>Yes, I completely agree. If you want the job, you need to be monitored 24/7, so you will not be able to undermine our great country. It’s bad enough that other countries are trying to take us down, that we don’t need our own leaders subvereting it from within!
Posted by: mary | December 10, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
Fortunately, Gov. Rod has never bee part of the Chicago Team that Barack Obama has kept around him. RB was never even seen at the Democratic National Convention, he certainly never gave a speech or sanctioned press conference.
Despite the desperate desires of the fascists who have taken over the Republican Party, there are no ties to be exposed between the two.
Like many others, I wondered for two years why Obama kept so much distance between himself and the Governor of his home state. We have no reason to believe Obama accepted a congratulatory call from RB on election night.
People who voted for Barack Obama and gave him a mandate for change are only comforted by the Governor’s recorded words quoted in the complaint: “That motherf@#$er Barack Obama won’t give me anything but his f@#$ing appreciation, f@#$ him!”
Based on that alone, but also buttressed by the public facts we know, the star defendant has accidently exonerated the President-elect.
Many, many people will react with public rage if some Bush appointed U.S. Attorney, seeking to further his political career, tries to manufacture some appearance of ties, or to hinder Obama’s drive to complete the mission the American people gave him by engaging in some kind of witch hunt like Ken Starr. We would call for his removal from office.
In any event, Fitzgerald’s days in the Justice Department are over in two months. There are many competent lawyers in his office — the ones who have actually been working the case — who can bring the new U.S. Attorney for the district up to speed.
He should now do what all those appointees do, cash in out there in the private sector, or run for office.
Posted by: dmjakers | December 10, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am
Like my Daddy used to always tell me, “don’t trust a man (or woman) that never smiles.” Search google pictures on him, and the few photos he’s smiling in, it looks forced and phony. Also, the eyes never lie, and when I look at this guy’s eyes, I see nothing but coldness and calculation.
Posted by: bobby williston | December 10, 2008, 10:02 am 10:02 am
Great —Someone mentioned not “throwing stones”… only problem is it seems GOP members resign, Foley, DeLay,Gingrich,Livingston, among in memory… Democrats stay in office, Ted Chappaqidick Kennedy,William $90k freezer Jefferson, Barney gay boyfriend’s brothel Franks, GARY Congress applauded censured for having sex with a teenage House pageboys. Ignored censure and was re-elected several times.”STUDDS just to name a few.Then of course we’ve had over 6 years of total mud-slinging against President Bush,Cheney and those of us who supported the liberation of Iraq. We’ve been called Nazis, babykillers, and more yet it is ok for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid(D) “War is lost”,U.S. Rep. John Murtha(D) “Our troops killed innocent civilians in cold blood,”Senator Kerry (D) “American soldiers going into the homes of Iraqis in thedead of night, terrorizing kids and children.”Senator Obama said “troops are air-raiding villages and killing civilians,”to make those statements? Throw stones???Posted by:msmbiasisreal 8:57 AM
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 10:03 am 10:03 am
Obama: I had no contact with the governor or his office..”
Obama’s Chief Advisor Axelrod: “I know he’s talked to the governor”
OMG!! Stop lying Obama!
Posted by: I did not have sex with that woman Monica Lewinsky | December 10, 2008, 10:03 am 10:03 am
I think the FBI should wiretap all politicians 24/7. They shouldn’t be entiteled to any privacy! That should be one of the prequsites for taking such a high security position……..Posted by: bob | Dec 10, 2008 9:45:41 AM >>>>>Yes, I completely agree. If you want the job, you need to be monitored 24/7, so you will not be able to undermine our great country. It’s bad enough that other countries are trying to take us down, that we don’t need our own leaders subvereting it from within!
Posted by: mary | Dec 10, 2008 9:57:53 AM
………………That would have worked great when Bush was lying to the American People about Iraq & Saddam!!!!
Posted by: rich | December 10, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Obamagate, Blagogate, Blagobomogate,it has a ring to it. What did he know when did know it.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Obama’s impersonation of Sgt. Schulz:
I know nuthhhhhing.
I saw nuthhhhhhhhing.
I hear nuthhhhhhhhing.
I spoke to nooooooooooo one.
You just have to love the new ‘ethical’ Democratic Party promised by Pelosi.
Posted by: Bill Brady | December 10, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
For LongT, ignorant, brain washed, overly religious, war loving, republicans make ME laugh. I feel sorry for you.
Posted by: andy86 | December 10, 2008, 10:05 am 10:05 am
One word:
SENATEGATE!
Enough said.
Posted by: nononsense08 | December 10, 2008, 10:07 am 10:07 am
Axlenut91, Can we start the list?— Got terrorists friends? Got corrupt politicians? Got corrupt businessmen? Got An American Birth certificate? It is not truth that matters, but victory. Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it. —- Let’s start the pardon list for obama now —1. Rod Blagojevich 2. Tony Resko 3. Franklin Raines 4. Kwame Kilpatrick 5. Jim Johnson 6. Barney Frank 7. Chris Dodd 8. Ayers 9, Gary, 10. Jefferson 11. Chappaqidick Kennedy 12.Kerry 13. Reid 14. Murtha 15. Pelosi 16 Waters, Can anyone think of anymore? —– When you play with fire, well – you get the idea. Thing is we need a new Constitutional amendment. One that would strip US citizenship from any politician convicted of corruption, forfeit all wages, property and pensions back to the people leaving them destitute, make it unlawful to work and earn a living within the US, make it unlawful to profit from any memoirs, and place them in prison for life without parole. Corruption would include authoring or voting for any law judged unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court, or passage of any law directly profiting them monetarily. In a separate amendment we would establish the Political Investigative Service that would monitor and investigate every politician in minute detail, every day, and prosecute any wrong doing. While we’re at it we could also establish term limits, one office, one term and they’re done – back to a real job and no political careers.
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 10:07 am 10:07 am
He’s never straightforward with his answers – and they thought Palin was bad????
——–
…except Palin wasn’t trying to hide things. She just wasn’t as eloquent a speaker as Obama. I’d rather have someone I can trust rather than someone who talks like they are writing a doctoral thesis. It seems more like sales than leadership.
Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2008, 10:07 am 10:07 am
WOW! This is worse than anything Gov. Palin ever did.
Posted by: TruthBeTold | December 10, 2008, 10:08 am 10:08 am
andy86; I love getting you guys wound up!
Posted by: LongT | December 10, 2008, 10:09 am 10:09 am
Tony Rezeko, Tony Rezeko, Tony Rezeko, remember that name, that is the person that will take down Obama.Rezeko and Obama were buddies and rezeko and the Govs. wife were business associates. They were all tied into corruption together. That is what Obama ment when he said about his involvement with Rezeko, “it was a bonehead mistake”.
Posted by: billy bob | December 10, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
Obama just had a complete memory BLACK-OUT, inspite of Axelrod’s confirmation of the in-coming President’s conversations with Blagojevich.
Posted by: nononsense08 | December 10, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
Who wrote this insanity?
——————
It was written by ABC, who is partisan toward Obama. You can probably guess what that means. In case you can’t, it means that they are probably right; the association is going to raise a few eyebrows.
Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2008, 10:11 am 10:11 am
There’s no removing Obama from the world of Chicago politics. Blago personifies the rough-and-tumble world that Obama grew up in politically. That will be a stain on his public image, for sure.
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | December 10, 2008, 10:11 am 10:11 am
ABC has decided there’s a story with Tapper, Ross and a few other slinks pursuing it. Fortunately Obama made it clear during the campaign that Fitzpatrick was going to stay on as U.S. Atty in Illinois. A first signal that whatever Blag and the Feds were tangling about was Blag’s problem and not Obama’s. Moreover, Blag has obviously become less than complimentary about Obama (wire taps) as it became apparent to the Gov. that Obama was not one of the people who were going to play Blag’s game. That’s on record. However much the birhter types (including reporters) want to speculate about ‘connections’ is up to them. It makes money and there are plenty of empty heads out in the public just itching for another slime story. But I think ABC has it wrong. Obama won’t be knocked off track, he will keep a national focus. Obama is much smarter and far more capable-honest than the Mortimer Snerd media and their following.
Posted by: M | December 10, 2008, 10:11 am 10:11 am
andy86; You just made my day! LMAO!
Posted by: LongT | December 10, 2008, 10:12 am 10:12 am
Great post, May I add, “Just someone in my neighborhood” –Anyone else getting tired of hearing Obama say, “I haven’t talked to [suddenly controversial person] in a long, long time”?1. Your aunt’s been in the country illegally for four years. “Oh, I wouldn’t know; I haven’t talked to her in four years.”2. Bill Ayers said he still doesn’t regret setting bombs. “Oh, I barely knew him. I haven’t seen him in years.”3. ACORN is being investigated in ten different states for voter registration fraud. “Oh, I represented them in a case years ago; I’ve had no contact with ACORN since then.”4. The governor of your own state, Rod Blagojevch, tried to sell your senate seat. “Oh, I don’t know… I’ve had no discussions with him about it.” But your top spokesperson said three weeks ago that you did. “Oh, well, he spoke inartfully.”Puh-LEEZE. Now, I don’t really Obama knew anything about selling his senate seat. It’s the continued lying about his past and recent
contacts that is fast wearing thin.I did not vote for Obama — the first time in my life I didn’t vote for the Democrat for president. When friends asked why, I would tell them, “I have nothing against Obama himself. But, standing next to him, in every direction you look, there’s some sleazebag.”This latest revelation reinforces my reasoning. Posted by:superbu1
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 10:12 am 10:12 am
This is easy to sum up….Welcome to the White House Mr. President Elect…Who you are associated with affects you, who you talk to or your staff talks to affects you. The buck stops here and join the rest of the pack (Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, etc) you will be blamed or associated with all kinds of things!
Posted by: Sue | December 10, 2008, 10:12 am 10:12 am
Maybe the senate seat should go to a republican since Illinois democrats seem to be corrupt…god help us if Jesse Jr. gets appointed.
Posted by: dandy816 | December 10, 2008, 10:13 am 10:13 am
I remember, in jest, when my children would be acting up I would say to them, “I will pretend I don’t know you”. I still love them and was never serious and they knew it. They do the same to me sometimes but I do understand and know they are joking. Could it be that all of the Obama “I know nothing” is merely a joke? Let’s get this investigation in high gear to clear up any doubt about Obama so he can rule without dark clouds hanging over him. The prosecutor needs to follow the trails until they end but that may as difficult as the war on terror. Money Money Money makes the world go round!
Posted by: 1post3 | December 10, 2008, 10:13 am 10:13 am
Here it goes!! We finally have a president to be who can help our Country and make a difference in our lives but nope their going to everything they can to make sure they hold Obama down with nothing but crap and BS instead of letting him work for us. So sad and so very disappointing that it’s all about personal politics and not our Country and the people!
Posted by: njmet05 | December 10, 2008, 10:13 am 10:13 am
Unprecedented event in the US history:
The out-going President of the USA G. W. Bush is going to pardon the in-coming President B. H. Obama.
WHAT A FARCE!
Posted by: nononsense08 | December 10, 2008, 10:15 am 10:15 am
WOW! This is worse than anything Gov. Palin ever did.
——————-
…and what did Palin do that held any water? Nothing that hasn’t been debunked or found to be petty and irrelevant. This is more like ACTUAL corruption. Palin was fighting against corrupt law enforcement and “allegedly” overstepped her bounds. This is totally different. This is what the ethics laws were intended to address: abuse of power for financial gain. That’s corruption, not to mention greed.
Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2008, 10:15 am 10:15 am
Bush runs our country into the ground, and the Repubs stay largely silent. Yet they jump on this contoversy like a sparrowon a june bug. Is there no reason left among us? Can’t we just let the facts unfold, and THEN draw our conclusions. I have abundant faith in our new president, and I sleep better at night knowing that Bush will soon be gone. Replaced by a far better man and thinker. So there.
Posted by: wordwrkr | December 10, 2008, 10:16 am 10:16 am
They’re fighting about leaving the toilet seat up at Niagra FAlls Hotel. This honeymoon is officially over.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:16 am 10:16 am
Bill, he wasn’t hooked up to his teleprompter! Axlerod wasn’t speaking into hi ear!!
Obama’s impersonation of Sgt. Schulz:
I know nuthhhhhing.
I saw nuthhhhhhhhing.
I hear nuthhhhhhhhing.
I spoke to nooooooooooo one.
You just have to love the new ‘ethical’ Democratic Party promised by Pelosi.
Posted by: Bill Brady
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 10:16 am 10:16 am
All you people are now hating Obama because of people he has met before. There is no proof he had anything more than a meet and greet with Ayers. Obama had no involvement in Rezko’s crimes. Rev Wright is just a nutjob but Obama left the church for reasons known only to him. Anyone saying otherwise are just making assumptions and everyone knows what happens when you make assumptions. Just because some people he has met before, but never had a serious friendships with, have been in trouble with the law, doesn’t mean Obama is a criminal. Until Obama has been proven guilty of conspiring to sell the seat, we must presume he is innocent. An aid flip flopping on whether he has talked to the Governor about this or not is not going to cut it. Don’t be brainwashed by GOP tactics.
Posted by: Andrew | December 10, 2008, 10:18 am 10:18 am
This is easy to sum up….Welcome to the White House Mr. President Elect…Who you are associated with affects you, who you talk to or your staff talks to affects you. The buck stops here and join the rest of the pack (Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, etc) you will be blamed or associated with all kinds of things!
————————-
Except Obama constantly uses the arguement of: “I had no idea about this.” …just like with his illegal alien relative. He can’t play dumb forever, or else we would be forced to conclude that he is just plain dumb. I guess dumb is better than corrupt.
Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2008, 10:18 am 10:18 am
The news yesterday was very hard to gulp, I am an avid supporter of Barack Obama, and believe he is innocent, but I do believe alot of things were going on behind his back with Axelrod, Emanuel, and Jarrett, and some others. Obama needs to do a little house cleaning. I feel the Pres. Elect had been briefed by Bush on this matter. Good Luck to Obama, his advisors need to go! Ship em out like you did with Wright, only much more quickly!!
Posted by: SUNMAKER777 | December 10, 2008, 10:19 am 10:19 am
Attention all sore-loser-blowhards. Yeah, yeah yeah … Obama is a commie terrorist who isn’t even a citizen … I love it, every time you open your bile-laden mouths you alienate yourselves even more … keep it up and reasoned, rational people won’t have to worry about your kind ever again. Seriously, please keep it up!
Why do you think it is that Fitzgerald went out of his way to make sure that people know that Obama is in no way implicated … because he’s guilty? Incidentally, this is the same prosecutor who convicted Scooter Libby (pardoned by the Moron, I mean President) and has said there is “a cloud over the Vice President.” Do you understand the gravity of what the Bush administration has done to our country?
If we get to play guilt by association (and this actually is culpable) I hold you all personally responsible for crimes against humanity, alienating our allies and destroying our economy. Your two votes for the absolute worst, most corrupt president and administration in U.S. history prove your utter stupidity and treasonous hypocrisy. Think about the fact that a substantial number of past and present high-level members (including Cheney) of the Bush administration won’t even be able to travel internationally, for fear that countries or international courts may bring charges against them. Wake up and join the human race … Country first, my a$$.
Posted by: oysterboy | December 10, 2008, 10:19 am 10:19 am
The media infatuation with Barack Obama, and its desire not to raise key issues of concern to the American people. Why were there so many people like Rashid Khalidi, Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, Pfleger, and Tony Rezko in Obama’s past in the first place? The media has succeeded in shielding Barack Obama from journalistic scrutiny. It thereby irrevocably destroyed its own reputation and forfeited the trust that generations of others had so carefully acquired. And it will never again be trusted to offer candid and nonpartisan coverage of presidential candidates. How will msm spin this one? Palin isn’t out buying clothes!
Got terrorists friends? Got corrupt politicians? Got corrupt “Business”men? Got An American Birth certificate? McCain/Palin 09
Posted by: RespectfulandFrightenedCitizen | December 10, 2008, 10:20 am 10:20 am
I hope the Obama team ignores the media frenzy and allows the Justice Dept to do their job. We have MORE important issues on the table than the delusional soon to be ex-governor of Illinois.
Posted by: Nichole | December 10, 2008, 10:23 am 10:23 am
One of our greatest Presidents – Harry Truman – came from a pretty corrupt political machine out of Kansas City. He spent his career, however, trying to distance himself from that and do a good job. He wasn’t perfect, but he was a good President. Even if Obama comes out of a political environment that is obviously flawed – to be kind – he can still be a great President, and I hope for all of our sakes that he is – and I’m saying that even though I didn’t vote for him. Everyone on this blog should hope and pray that Obama truly has no ties to this kind of corruption – and especially this kind of stupidity on the Governor’s part – and pray that is a great leader for our country. He is going to be our President for at least 4 years. Can we at least start out behind him.
Posted by: Hopeful | December 10, 2008, 10:25 am 10:25 am
I bet Chris Matthews of HB is getting LOTS OF GOOSEBUMPS. LOL
Posted by: nononsense08 | December 10, 2008, 10:26 am 10:26 am
Maybe if the republicans try hard enough they can link Obama to the Kenndy assasination as well. So pathetic, so pathetic that republicans feel they need to do whatever they can to smear the man and ruin his image just because the preseident they gave us is leaving with the lowest approval rating ever. Grow up republicans. get lives and open your eyes for a change. You’re pathetic, soar loses. Boo hoo, you lost, boo hoo, wa wa wa. Unbelieveable. republicnas are the worst politicians ever. they have been more corrupt, they lie more, they use religion as a weapon to get what they want and they are self-righteous. flat out horrible people with no compassion in their hearts what so ever. just leave this country if you hate it so much, leave, we don’t want you here anyway.
Posted by: brent | December 10, 2008, 10:26 am 10:26 am
It was the ethics legislation that Obama pushed that brought Blagojevich down. And even the prosecutor says that Obama isn’t involved in this in any way, shape, or form. There is no taint on Obama for this. Obama isn’t within a mile of this thing. If anything, Obama is the hero here for being just the sort of ethics crusader who brings people like the Governor to justice.
Posted by: ElodieStClair | December 10, 2008, 10:26 am 10:26 am
I disagree with reports that Governor Blagogevich should resign.
The tapped conversation did not say he has taken any money; it only refers to his conversation. I do not find the tapped conversation convincing either, because it does nor represent the full conversation. We are only getting parts of a subject matter.
Maybe he was just hypothetically speaking, but not saying, ‘I am putting the money you just gave me in the bank right now’.
Therefore, I think the Fed has violated the governor’s rights by entrapping him to commit a crime.
He should be able to get out of this. Leave him alone. We have enough problems in Illinois as it is.
Posted by: anotherperspective1 | December 10, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
“I didn’t know that Rev. Wright preaches hate.”
“I didn’t know that Rezko is a criminal.”
“I didn’t know that Ayers was a terrorist.”
“I didn’t know that Blagojevich is a crooked politician.”
“I didn’t know ……..
My grandfather taught me that a man is known by the company he keeps. Either Obama isn’t careful about the company he keeps or he knows and lies about it. Either case he apparently doesn’t care who he associates with.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
HERE WE GO AGAIN. REPUBLICANS DIGGING FOR DIRT,BACKED BY BIG BUSINESS. THEY WILL THROW EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK AT OBAMA,LIKE THEY DID TO CLINTON. I WAS DISSAPPOINTED IN CLINTON FOR HIS PRIVATE BEHAVIOR,HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT IN HIS PANTS, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THERE WERE SHARKS IN THE TANK WITH HIM.I HOPE BARAK SOCKS IT TO HIS CRITIC AND MAINTAINS THE MORAL HIGH ROAD, LETTING HIS CRITICS WALLOW IN THE MUD BY THEMSELVES.
Posted by: greg shelton | December 10, 2008, 10:29 am 10:29 am
brent : so much hate in one blog.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:30 am 10:30 am
anotherperspective1
Your problems in Illinois are your problems and none our business until it affects the rest of the nation. If our president elect is involved in wrongdoing, it affects the rest of the nation.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 10:31 am 10:31 am
I COULD JUST LAUGH ABOUT THIS, OF COURSE HE SPOKE TO THE GOVERNOR OF HIS OWN STATE ABOUT THE PERSON TAKING HIS FORMER JOB, BUT NO ONE KNOWS THE EXTENT OF THE CONVO, AND THE FBI ALREADY SAID THAT THE GOV. WAS MAD AT OBAMA. ALL YOU CONSPIRACY THEORIST WITH NOTHING BETTER TO DO, DONT GET MAD THAT YOU WERE BLOWN OUT OF THE ELECTION AND YOUR GRASPING FOR STRAWS.
HOPE AND CHANGE ALWAYS BABY
Posted by: MIKE | December 10, 2008, 10:33 am 10:33 am
another perspective: The devil couldn’t do anything wrong in your mind.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:33 am 10:33 am
greg shelton
Right you are. Republicans should show Obama the same respect and support that the Democrats gave to GWB.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 10:33 am 10:33 am
WHAT THE HECK!
The Hollywood elites (Streisand & Co.) could have threw $27K for a seat at Obama’s fund raising dinner…
any one of them would have more than enough dough for s SENATE SEAT.
Can you say Senate Oprah? Senate Barbra?
Oprah….Barbra…(I’m imitating David Letterman’s ill-fated Oscar wailing).
Posted by: momomsemse08 | December 10, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
What is the big deal? So Obama supported a corrupt Govenor, so what. So Obama sat in a racist church for twenty years, so what. So Obama was friends and sat on boards with a known terrorist, so what. So obama was friends and did a real estate deal with Rezeko who is now in prison, so what. So Obama was brought to power by a bunch of crooks, so what. I am a liberal from Chicago and i do not see the problem here?
Posted by: billy bob | December 10, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
jill -” he appoints his cabinet from the Chicago elite ” I thought he was recycling the Clinton administration.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | December 10, 2008, 10:36 am 10:36 am
I hope they can clear all of this up soon. Can you imagine if they find Obama was involoved and is removed from office later. Nance pelosi becomes vice-president with Joe Biden as president. Woe is me! I have never doubting that Obama is as dirty as the political machine he comes from but until proven it will all be hearsay. Had the media done it’s job we might not be having this debate. Now we will spend millions to sort out the mess. Will be entertainment for years to come so reality tv can move over.
Posted by: 1post3 | December 10, 2008, 10:36 am 10:36 am
Ignorant people like njmet05 elected this guy to the presidency. No, we do not want socialized healthcare, open borders, higher corporate taxes, homosexual unions and protections, funding for abortions and other agendas of Obama. We don’t need that kind of change in our lives.
Posted by: Rod | December 10, 2008, 10:39 am 10:39 am
The FBI wire tap has the Gov saying that all he could get out of the Obama camp was their appreciation and no monetary or even Administration post would even be considered. “F*** them” was the Governor’s response to their rejection of his extortion attempts. So enough of you idiots trying to paint Obama into this scandal. He had very little to do with the governor and even then reluctantly.
Posted by: bckrd1 | December 10, 2008, 10:42 am 10:42 am
Well this gives the nations rumor monger’s and purveyor’s of spin and half truth’s more fuel to throw on their dwindling fire to tear asunder the government of the United States. Sean Hannity spent three hours yesterday trying to spin and tweak every word Senator Obama has ever uttered regarding the Gov. of Ill., into destruction and chaos. I really wonder sometimes, just how much effect this idiot Hannity would have if he for once turned his effort to constructive criticism. I didn’t listen to Limbaugh because everytime I do I come away with the feeling that I want to puke after listening to his lies and distortions.
Posted by: devilkev | December 10, 2008, 10:44 am 10:44 am
This taints Obama. No matter how much denial, there was a working relationship between the two democrats.
Posted by: James | December 10, 2008, 10:44 am 10:44 am
Hmmm….Obama has thrown so many of his
so called friends under the bus….how many more will be tossed under before
inauguration day? Time to bring in
another bus or two…Obama will need them!
Posted by: littleleers | December 10, 2008, 10:45 am 10:45 am
long on T and short on brains this isn’t a monarchy!!! NO ONE RULES AH!!! Once again Obama knows nothing???? If this was a movie it would be described as a comedydrama!!! Give me a break HE KNEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: lovingpolitics | December 10, 2008, 10:45 am 10:45 am
“They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F— them.” — Gov. Rod Blagojevich…’ implies that Contact had been made with Obama or members of his team to see if they were willing to ante-up. Axlerod said that he knew Obama had spoken with Blagojevich and several names had been floated that appealed to Obama.Even if Obama had any inkling that the Gov. was trying to sell his vacated senate seat to the highest bidder, he had an obligation to report it to the authorities. Perhaps, people will keep their mouths shut and not implicate him (unless the feds know otherwise) so that they can be pardoned by President Obama when his term or terms ends. Obama’s close ties to Chicago politicians were instrumental in his rise to the highest office.I think Obama is clever and smart enough to use them to his advantage and still keep an arm’s length from them. IT would help for people to read the book, The Case Against Obama”.
Posted by: Fran | December 10, 2008, 10:46 am 10:46 am
Look, I’m a Republican from Central Illinois. I can tell you Rod did this on his own. Obama has no direct connection to this mess at all. Both Republicans and Democrats here in Illinois hate the man (Rod).
Posted by: Mitch | December 10, 2008, 10:47 am 10:47 am
I wished people would leave President Elect Obama alone and let him concentrate on more important issues. So what if he talked to the governor, that doesn’t make him guilty.
Posted by: GetALifePeople | December 10, 2008, 10:50 am 10:50 am
Mitch, why did the Illionis people vote him into power then?
Posted by: billy bob | December 10, 2008, 10:50 am 10:50 am
mitch: well then you must be right so let’s drop all investigations and forget about the whole thing.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:51 am 10:51 am
getalifepeople: important issues like your stimulus check?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 10:54 am 10:54 am
The Whopper is always best served up by a d-crat:
hussein: I did not have verbal relations with that man, Gov. Blagojevich.
Clinton: I did not have se*ual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinski.
Some things NEVER change.
Posted by: ALEX H. | December 10, 2008, 10:56 am 10:56 am
lovingpolitics; I was being facecious.
Posted by: LongT | December 10, 2008, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Oonogil, 10:43 – ” Republicans should show Obama the same respect and support that the Democrats gave to GWB.”
Bush had 90% approval ratings his first year in office (post 9/11). Clearly that includes most Democrats. Where he drove them from there was his own doing, a steady decline to below 30% – so he even lost a good proportion of Republicans.
Posted by: FactsPlease | December 10, 2008, 10:59 am 10:59 am
After eight years of Bush bashing over everything in the world, the next 4-8 years should be pretty amusing seeing as it’s already started and BHO is not even president yet.
Posted by: Bob | December 10, 2008, 10:59 am 10:59 am
Here we go again. The dems finally have a candidate that can do us all some good and he’s going to be dragged through any muck by any and all would-be reporters with a computer. Why don’t we just wait to see what happens before derailing a president before he’s even taken office?
Posted by: Leslie | December 10, 2008, 11:00 am 11:00 am
Our previous Presidents have been varied, but not corrupt. Did we vote for change this time?
Posted by: Chris | December 10, 2008, 11:00 am 11:00 am
We know IL Governor was trying to sell the senate seat, but I wander who was helping Obama to buy the presidency.
America is lost to corruption. I am sure IL governor will get just a slap on a hand. America is quickly becoming like the rest of the word.
Posted by: Corruption = US Government | December 10, 2008, 11:00 am 11:00 am
You republicans keep trying BS..I live in Chicago. The Gov has been doing shady dealings for a long time and yes he got caught..I believe Obama knew of him and his dirty deeds enough to stay away from him…This was the Gov job to appoint someone to the sent seat not to sale it…Let’s how that Gov. Rod Blagojevich will be the last of the crooked politians and scared the rest straight.
Posted by: infoqueen | December 10, 2008, 11:01 am 11:01 am
I don’t believe this corruption is found only in Illinois. I believe that the Illinois Governor did what is considered standard operating procedures in American politics. This is not to say this is not criminal, but it is SOP.
Posted by: clancy49 | December 10, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am
“I think since Obama didn’t “pay for play” and Blagojevich called him a “motherf*cker” is very good for Obama.”
Absolutely. I totally agree with this statement. If Obama was approached about making a “deal” – he rebuffed it. This made Blagojevich so angry that he lashed out this way. People, Obama may know the guy, but that doesn’t make him a player in this. Nice try.
Posted by: BJs65 | December 10, 2008, 11:03 am 11:03 am
The media wants a feeding frenzy right now – they are sick of talking about the financial crisis everyday (you know, the stuff that really matters). This corrupt governor is no different than all the other corrupt politicians such as Tom Delay and Ted Stevens. Remember, the media is in deep financial trouble also – this story is about RATINGS!
Posted by: Tia | December 10, 2008, 11:04 am 11:04 am
A lot of Republicans are jumping with joy upon receipt of fresh political ammunition. They better be careful. Politically Obama is preferable to Biden and we have no idea who Biden would appoint as VP. As a conservative I hope Obama manages to stay in office and do a good job. At this point he is better than the alternative of Biden. Obama is an extreme leftist but I hope he is willing to be half way reasonable. Biden is left of extreme and shows no sign of yield.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 11:04 am 11:04 am
Just so that I am clear on this. Now you people are now finding fault with Obama because a corrupt governor who was looking to be bribed was pissed because Obama wouldn’t bribe him? Somehow Obama is at fault here?
Posted by: Concerned about the facts | December 10, 2008, 11:08 am 11:08 am
Even if Obama knew nothing about this its interesting to see how the media outlets are framing his involvement. This story sets its perspective on how this scandal affects an innocent an unknowing president elect and his transition. If this had been George Bush, the media would have framed the stories around ‘how far does it go?’ and placed bad pictures of Bush everywhere insinuating some sort of involvement or knowledge. Amusing industry the media is…
Posted by: Greg | December 10, 2008, 11:09 am 11:09 am
This taints Obama. No matter how much denial, there was a working relationship between the two democrats.
ABOVE POSTED by JAMES
MY REPLY:
Ya think? I do believe Senators and Governors talk. How can anyone think Obama had anything to do with this? Do you honestly believe he was on the take for the money Gov B was trying to extort? Paleeze, this is just ludacris and frankly ya’all that are ready to bury Obama should take a long walk off a short pier. There is nothing here that taints Obama. Absolutely nothing. You repukitans need to just lick your wounds and shut the h*ll up, big babies. This dog ain’t huntin’.
Can you idiots not figure out that we need to stand united now more than ever? Forget your selfish agendas, support your PE!!! Dear God what is wrong with you people???
Posted by: No worries here | December 10, 2008, 11:09 am 11:09 am
The Gov. was elected because the last Governor…a Republican…is now serving time for the same type of crap!
Posted by: tbenny | December 10, 2008, 11:10 am 11:10 am
C’mon Mike! Trust Palin? You gotta be kiddin’ me. Why would you or anyone with a modicum of common sense trust ANY politician. All of the LIE all of the time. I’ll give you credit, some are better liars than others because of their eloquence. Corruption and politics, what’s the difference? Are you THAT naive to trust ANY politician? The entire BUSH administration was rife with corruption and thieving (betcha a bunch of that $850 billion bailout money found its way into many of the pockets of those in his administration let alone the congress). Likewise, so will the OBAMA administration loot and fleece to enrich themselves. Nothing’s changed. Don’t vote for any person, vote for things that affect your family (tax hikes, zoning regs, etc). You smell that? Smells like POLITICS!
Posted by: CChange Is Coming | December 10, 2008, 11:11 am 11:11 am
You know what ABC? Knock it off. Stop feeding this ugly little monster and it won’t grow into a bigger one. Obama is inheriting the worst mess possible from Bush and he doesn’t need any more innuendo and lies and “guilt by association” garbage thrown his way. Give the guy a break. He hasn’t even been sworn in and already the press is dumping on this man. If you care about this country, you will go with straight facts and NOT innuendo. If this country goes down the tubes, so will you and you and YOU. We are all in this together. Stop the National Enquirer style of reporting. It is unbecoming of a decent news organization.TRUTH OUT.
Posted by: TRUTHY 1 | December 10, 2008, 11:13 am 11:13 am
I would take a dirty democrat over a robber-baron republican in office any day of the week. And btw there sure are a bunch of know-it-all people posting. I find it hard to believe that some of you were smart enough to find your way out of your own hole today reading these comments. Obama, has my support. Bush did more damage than any one person can repair and you think Obama can whip out and fix all the things george the weapon of mass destruction did in one second???????? – BEFORE EVEN BEING IN OFFICE ONE DAY – give him a chance. He is the best man for the office. I don’t care if he knew the governor personally or not. I don’t care what you sling at him, he seems to have taken the high road. I am sick of the mud slinging of the republicans, they are a hateful party. Most of the dirty dealings over time are republican cheaters.
Posted by: Jo in Minneapolis | December 10, 2008, 11:13 am 11:13 am
One more person that Obama doesn’t know well. So far we have learned, based on these figures behavior or words, that Obama doesn’t know his wife, his pastor, the Governor of Illinois (his home state in which he was a senator), and the list goes on….
Posted by: Greg | December 10, 2008, 11:14 am 11:14 am
Boy…the tin foil hats are vibrating furiously today.
Did any of you notice that the Blago tapes indicate that PEBO’s team refused to play? Blago said “f… them!” since all they were prepared to give him was their “appreciation.” Did any of you hear U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald say that PEBO is not implicated?
While Blago deserves a special place in hell, the assumption that anyone who comes out of Chicago politics is a crook is belied by people like Congressman and Judge Abner Mikva, Senator Paul Douglas and Adlai Stevenson. It’s just another stupid stereotype.
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | December 10, 2008, 11:16 am 11:16 am
Blago asked David Axelrod to direct his campaign for governor and was turned down. However, Obama campaigned for him. June 27, 2002, state Sen. Obama said, “Right now, my main focus is to make sure that we elect Rod Blagojevich as Governor, we…”
“You working hard for Rod?” interrupted Berkowitz.
“You betcha,” said Obama.
“Hot Rod?” asked the host.
“That’s exactly right,” Obama said.
Poor judgement? It doesn’t matter.
Posted by: J. Doe | December 10, 2008, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Does anyone remember Hillary Clinton’s famous statement? “…I just don’t remember that…”
Now you can determine why Obama picked Hillary for advice!
Posted by: SureEnough08 | December 10, 2008, 11:19 am 11:19 am
Associations are very telling and should be seriously considered in evaluating a person. This has only begun.
Posted by: rplat | December 10, 2008, 11:21 am 11:21 am
Dear ‘bob’,
You’re all set to SHOOT Obama because of something the governor of Chicago did? I wonder how people around the world come to think Americans are racist.
WOW
Posted by: Egg Head | December 10, 2008, 11:23 am 11:23 am
This is just the beginning of scandel after scandel.
Liberals cannot figure it out, nor will they, their party is based on a non-reality of beliefs. In otherwords, they are living a lie.
Posted by: Heavenislikethis | December 10, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
OH YEAH, let’s all hold our breath while the leftwing / in-the-tank for Obama media does a thorough investigation into this mess.
Posted by: Ron | December 10, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
responding to the person who said we dont want homosexual unions etc etc. im not gay but i dont see the problem with anything except wide open borders. glad you guys are on the sidelines now..
Posted by: GREG SHELTON | December 10, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
The sore losers and bigots are all crawling out from their garbage heaps and under their rocks, drooling and slavering over any possibility, no matter how remote, to smear President-elect Obama. Sorry folks. The FBI wiretapping Rod Blog’s phones have unequivocally stated that Mr. Obama refused to play dirty pool with the sewer rat a/k/a governor of IL. You can go back to wallowing in the sludge now.
Posted by: nanameow | December 10, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
…WE NEED ALL THAT TO CHANGE! CORPORATE WELFARE NO MORE WAL MART WONT BE ABLE TO PASS COSTS TO TAXPAYERS IN TH FORM OF WELFARE, AND WILL HAVE TO PAY A LIVUNG WAGE… I KNOW IVE GOTTEN OFF SUBJECT BUT THAT ONE IS AN IDIOT.. AND I AM SORRY FOR BEING RUDE.
Posted by: g shelton | December 10, 2008, 11:28 am 11:28 am
Throw the mud wherever you like. I approve President-Elect Obama’s performance so far 100%, and I have trust in him!
Posted by: leighg1 | December 10, 2008, 11:28 am 11:28 am
“They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F— them.” — Gov. Rod Blagojevich…’ implies that Contact had been made with Obama or members of his team to see if they were willing to ante-up. Axlerod said that he knew Obama had spoken with Blagojevich and several names had been floated that appealed to Obama.Even if Obama had any inkling that the Gov. was trying to sell his vacated senate seat to the highest bidder, he had an obligation to report it to the authorities. Perhaps, people will keep their mouths shut and not implicate him (unless the feds know otherwise) so that they can be pardoned by President Obama when his term or terms ends. Obama’s close ties to Chicago politicians were instrumental in his rise to the highest office.I think Obama is clever and smart enough to use them to his advantage and still keep an arm’s length from them. IT would help for people to read the book, The Case Against Obama”.
Posted by: Fran | December 10, 2008, 11:34 am 11:34 am
To “WOW” We already know that Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod were talking to the Gov. about Obama’s Senate seat. If you think Obama is totally in the dark about what Obama’s top aids are doing in regards to his own vacated Senate seat, you’re a lot more trusting than I am.
Posted by: Ron | December 10, 2008, 11:35 am 11:35 am
Aahhhhhh let’s see…in the grand scheme of things this means….oh yeah..less than nothing for Obama or any of his staff. Get a grip people! Let’s all pour a cup of kool-aid and toast the pres-elect because you can believe…this too shall pass.
Posted by: liberaldem | December 10, 2008, 11:51 am 11:51 am
I wonder what else we are going to uncover about IL Politics and its favorite son Barack H. Obama.
Posted by: Corruption = US Government | December 10, 2008, 11:53 am 11:53 am
One day Blago just woke up and thought “hey, I think I’ll just call up the president elect and try to swing a huge, shady deal with him.” Come on, you don’t try to swing deals like this unless you’ve had other similar deals in the past. And the fact that both Blago and Obama have sold favors to Rezko in the past makes the connection a little clearer.
Posted by: howwouldiknow | December 10, 2008, 11:54 am 11:54 am
You people just can’t help yourselves can you? I mean, I’m sure you actually did READ the damn indictment. You SAW that the only way it tied to Obama at all was 100% positive for the president elect, with Blagovich getting all irate that he didn’t think he could get the Obama people to go along with anything he was doing. And you STILL just can’t hold yourselves back from trying with all your might to spin the presentation of the story in some way that casts a scandal on the incoming administration. Because a scandal about the Governor of Illinois… hey, that’s interesting stuff. But a scandal about the new president, even one that is *completely and totally at odds with all the available evidence so far and exists only in your minds*… THAT gets the readership up now doesn’t it?
You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Have you no journalistic integrity at all? So what do we get as a title link on the main ABC Political page that I clicked on to bring me to this story? “Obama team shown to be resistant to corruption?” No. “Blagojevich furious Obama team wouldn’t play ball in scheme”? No. I clicked on “Chicago’s Taint Stains Barack Obama”. How the HELL do you idiots get that title on the page with a clear conscience considering the available evidence? You people are pathetic.
Posted by: Grant | December 10, 2008, 12:03 pm 12:03 pm
McCain surge!
curupt demicrats!
Libruls are runnin’ scarred!
Palin 2012!
Posted by: max | December 10, 2008, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
I’m not seeing any issue here with the possibility of Obama being involved in this scandal. Based upon Blago’s name calling of Obama, I think he hated Obama and the distance he (Obama) maintained from the governor and his office.
Posted by: jmb | December 10, 2008, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
Once again folks, Obama is a product of a corrupt Illinois political machine. You folks bought the “Change” BS.
What change? Look at Obama’s cabinet appointments so far, I rest my case!
More of the same.
Posted by: Fred Rademacher | December 10, 2008, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
I think this whole story is just sad and so is the reaction of many of the posters on this site. Instead of the media focusing on what the story is really about–the corruption of the IL Gov. Blagojevich–the media wishes to focus on President-Elect Obama. It is obvious from the indictment that Obama did not have any role in the selling of his Senate seat, but yet the media wants to focus on Obama’s relationship with Blagojevich and many of you, that lost this election, want to focus on that as well. The media should report on what the story is really about–Blagojevich’s corrupt ways and leave the President-Elect alone–so that he can do his job that he has been elected to do, but which he has not been sworn in to do. The sensationalism of the media is very sad! The cloud of doubt that is trying to be painted over the President-Elect’s head is pitiful. It wasn’t done to George W. Bush, no matter how many of you Republicans wish to say it was, b/c if it had been we would have never gone to war in IRAQ! I think many of you bitter Republicans should think about the insults and comments that you are making with regards to the President-Elect’s so-called associations. Many of you are so quick to jump on an association, but yet none of you cared for Sarah Palin’s association with Ted Stevens or her husband’s role in the Alaska Independence Party or any of McCain’s associations. Those of you making these ridiculous comments really should think about why you are saying them! No one party has complete reign on Corruption…b/c the last time I checked there were many and still are many Republicans being investigated for corruption..like Norm Coleman. Let us not even begin to speak of Tom Delay and the others. Why don’t you all just calm down and give the man a chance to do the job that 53% of the American population elected him to do!
Posted by: NY | December 10, 2008, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm
In fact, Obama may have indirectly help expose the governor’s corruption. Apparently, Blagojevich over-reached as he was trying to get as many unethical deals done as he could before new ethics legisalation takes effect on January 1. Ethics legislation that Barack Obama was instrumental in getting passed.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
This is a mess. This will eventually lead to Obama. What? the AP is tieing them together? OK This has led to Obama already. Well isn’t that special.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Fred Rademacher
And if Obama was picking cabinet members who were NOT as experienced and talented as these, you would be attacking that too. Face it, you can and will turn anything into an attack on Obama.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
joc5918943853 as you’re side did with Bush?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
CHAOS
How is the AP “tieing them together?” As far as I know, it is not illegal, or even unusual, for a Senator to talk to the Governor of his state.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
CHAOS
Who is “my side?” Yes, I criticized Bush a lot for unfair policies, as any good American should, but I tried to never attack him personally. And I certainly stayed away from the guilt-by-association nonsense.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
jock5489 but Barack said he had no contact with him. which is it?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
And again, the world blames Obama for the acts, duties, and choices of others. Que Sera, Sera.
Posted by: Nik | December 10, 2008, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
CHAOS
How should I know? Or care? Neither answer would be evidence of culpability in the corruption.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
jock55814985 how i’m i attcking Obama personally ?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
grant is obviously illiterate,pay him no heed. this is what we’re dealing with folks.
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
“McCain surge!
curupt demicrats!
Libruls are runnin’ scarred!
Palin 2012!
Posted by: max | Dec 10, 2008 12:06:26 PM
—————————————-
A true example of someone living in the past.
Posted by: Nik | December 10, 2008, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
jock so lieing is ok with you?
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
Nice try Jock. Keep drinking the bug juice and you too will get a tingley feeling down your leg. He knows the man better than any of us will know. It’s not what Obamalama sez but how he sez it. He sold his advisors down the river yesterday, if you listened to that studdering press conference. He is up to his neck in it and I hope he has a good Mae west. Then again not. It’s just another day at the office for a shister and thug.
Posted by: john | December 10, 2008, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
Get a life people, shouldn’t we be discussing importaint stuff like jobs?
Posted by: fed up | December 10, 2008, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
fedup : we are discussing jobs, Obama’s and blago’s
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
Chaos:
Get over it. This is of issue is of no consequence to President Elect Barack Hussein Obama. Blagojevich’s attempt to reap benefits from the appointment of Obama’s successor is Blagojevich’s problem. I find it curious how many have conveniently ignored the name-calling by Blagojevich. Obviously, he’s not a fan of Obama, yet the haters definately want to make a connection. This is fodder for the media and Obama haters. Meanwhile, the President Elect is moving forward with his transition and the inauguration. Haters will hate from now until 2016 (the end of the Obama Administration).
Posted by: Nik | December 10, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
YOU MAY CRITICIZE ALL YOU WANT….
Barack Hussein Obama is the President of the United States…get over it!
Posted by: Nik | December 10, 2008, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
So much for the American principle of innocent until proven guilty. I’ll stick with it, if you don’t mind.
Posted by: jock59801 | December 10, 2008, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
Well…I’ve finally had it I guess..ya’ll are totally blaming BHO for the actions of others…trying desperately to spin up some kind, ANY kind of scandal/bad pres/bad feelings/bad whatever.. for the pres-elect. How totally pathetic you are! It makes me want to puke. I’m getting out of here today before I throw up.
Posted by: liberaldem | December 10, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm
“Its sad how many republicans and conservatives are jumping to conclusions without all the facts.”
Posted by: threeriverscrossing
——————————-
Ha ha ha, the hypocrisy is overwhelming.
Posted by: USA-No1 | December 10, 2008, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
“The dems finally have a candidate that can do us all some good….”
Posted by: Leslie
————————-
Based on what?
Posted by: USA-No1 | December 10, 2008, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
And again, the world blames Obama for the acts, duties, and choices of others. Que Sera, Sera.
Posted by: Nik
—————————
Welcome to the world of president Bush. How do you liked it?
Posted by: USA-No1 | December 10, 2008, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Hackitude of the highest order.
Why is it when The Note flogs a “scandal about Obama” there are never any charges at the end of it?
Posted by: ThresherK | December 10, 2008, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
Corruption at its best! Corruption Chicago Style! Corruption that produced our 44th President!
Posted by: Corruption = US Government | December 10, 2008, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Rick Klein appears to subscribe to the McCarthy School of Journalism’s ethos of fact finding and truth.
(“McCarthyism”: The practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence.)
In other words, he just makes it up as he goes along, slinging “stuff” he would like you to believe, in the hope that some of it will stick.
Posted by: Fracuss | December 10, 2008, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
CHAOS SO FAR IS THE MOST INTELLIGENT PERSON I’VE HEARD THUS FAR… FOLKS SCROLL BACK.. READ… HE IS VERY INCITEFUL. ARE U A HE CHAOIS??
Posted by: greg s. | December 10, 2008, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
chaos..typo.. abortion civil unions,fear, terrorism all devisive. sorry republicans. try a new tact. get ur heads outa your asses. i would try to see it your way but i cant get my head that far up my ass,
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
chaos..typo.. abortion civil unions,fear, terrorism all devisive. sorry republicans. try a new tact. get ur heads outa your asses. i would try to see it your way but i cant get my head that far up my ass,
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Fracuss
That course is required study at the Dan Rather school of journalism.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Please, people, read the whole complaint re: Blogojevich and his buddy. And stick to known facts. Fitzgerald is very good at that. Follow his lead. And, if nothing else, afte such a well run campaign, a really tight ship, one might say, whatever else you think of Obama, do you really think he is so stupid as to get himself tangled up with Blogojevich? Of course the right wing talking heads will do their best to make sure he is, just as they made all that fuss about Barack’s citizenship. It was a right wing Supreme Court that wouldn’t even comment on it let alone accept it as a case worth looking at. The truth will out in time, but not with this kind of reporting. Bogojevich is a greedy SOB, more interested in MONEY than political power (unless it led to MONEY!). And his opinion of Obama and his camp is on tape for all to hear.
Posted by: Cynthia Sue Timko | December 10, 2008, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
Cynthia Sue Timko
Obama’s mother was an American citizen which automatically makes him a citizen. Any argument of that fact is almost as dumb as some who think that McCain isn’t an American because he was born in Panama.
Obama isn’t stupid by any means, I would imagine his IQ to be quite high. Given his past associations with questionable people, I have to question his judgement. Intellect and wisdom are not mutually exclusive.
Posted by: Oonogil | December 10, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
CYNTH// THATS A NO BRAINER.. REPUBLICANS WILL ALSO USE THE NAME “HUSSEIN” TO SMEAR OBAMA, AS WELL AS ANY ASSOCIATIONS NO MATTER WHAT THE VAGUERY. ITS SO0O OBVIOUS ONLY A BRAINWASHED RUSH LOVIN REDNECK COULDNT SEE IT.
Posted by: greg s. | December 10, 2008, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
so ,if your neighbor got busted for doing something illegal , would you be guilty just because you possibly talked to him about the weather or whatever and lived or operated somewhere near him?
obama didnt know anything and wasnt personally involved ,thats pretty obvious to any thinking adult and additionally what his advisers/appointees knew was/is entirely beyond his control.
silly wabbits…go back to your national enquirers.
Posted by: bah | December 10, 2008, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
LoL-I love humor, Thanks mom WHAT THE HECK!
The Hollywood elites (Streisand & Co.) could have threw $27K for a seat at Obama’s fund raising dinner…
any one of them would have more than enough dough for s SENATE SEAT.
Can you say Senate Oprah? Senate Barbra?
Oprah….Barbra…(I’m imitating David Letterman’s ill-fated Oscar wailing).
Posted by: momomsemse08
Posted by: RMBarley | December 10, 2008, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
FIRST YOU ASSUME WE ARE DEALING WITH ADULTS..QUITE POSSIBLY YOUNG REPUBLICANS, AS THEY ARE EASY TO FORGOE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. OR WE ARE DEALING WITH INTELLECTUALLY STUNTED AND EMOTIONALLY STUNTED GROWN UPS, EITHER WAY..
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
greg s: he. what a week this is .
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
YA CHAOS. ANY SMART REPUBLICANS MORE LIKE LOU DOBBS OUT THERE. I CAN TOLERATE U.AT LEAST HE IS INTELLECTUALLY HONEST AND THINKS CRITICALLY ATHOUGH I DONT AGREE WITH ALL HIS POSITIONS BUT SOMETIMES..
Posted by: GREG S, | December 10, 2008, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
SEE HOW THEY RUN.. PIPE UP NEOCONS.
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
Now that the dems will have almost all the power, we can see waht happens in the next 4 years. Hopefully BO will govern from the center and things will go ok. I hope so. My business will be affected too if things go bad. So far I’m not dissappointed in his cabinet picks and he seems to be genuinly trying to do thecorrect thing.
Posted by: CHAOS | December 10, 2008, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
Mr. Klein, I can’t believe ABC wouldn’t publicly rebuke you after all of these neo-McCarthy comments. You should be ashamed, as should most of the posters on this blog, who are, I am sure, convervatives or idiots. Oh, wait….
Posted by: Michaellk | December 10, 2008, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
ITS NOT AS IF MY HEART DOESNT GO OUT TO ALL SMALL BUSINESS MEN AND WELL RUN ETHICAL CORPORATIONS, THESE ARE HARD TIMES. HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THE ECONOMY OF THE 90S OR BETTER AGAIN BUT DOING THE SAME OLD THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS IS THE HEIGHT OF INSANITY.
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
GREG S: Before trying to respond to an argument with nothing but a claim that the person you disagree with is illiterate you might want to consider learning how to use proper punctuation and the “SHIFT” key on your keyboard kiddo. Your only available options are not actually limited to either typing in all lower case or ENGAGING YOUR CAPS LOCK you know. There’s this other approach where you capitalize the first letters in words and proper names. Also, it’s not actually all *that* much effort to spell entire 3-4 letter words like “your”, “you” instead of turning them into “ur” and “U”, etc…
I also harbor a suspicion you may have meant to address your accusation of illiteracy to “max”…
Posted by: Grant | December 10, 2008, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Excellent summation, Rick. What we didn’t learn during the election season – and should have – we will certainly learn now. The press can’t continue to dodge a deep forensic into Obama and his formative Chicago culture. He’s about to take it national.
We’re all Chicagoans now. Uh-oh.
Posted by: Martin | December 10, 2008, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
i am hard of seeing, thus in order to re-read my post i use caps.My typos are for the most part purposeful, or a result of bad vision, not like “demicrats” or “Liberuls” etc.
Posted by: Greg. S. | December 10, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
A lot of angry little people here wetting themselves without any evidence. Oh, except that the complaint states that Obama was only going to give Blago “appreciation.” Too bad, little people.
Such desperation by the biggest collection of losers you’d see unless you went to one of those Sean Hannity shows. Got nothing, huh?
I suppose its just as well that the Note is disappearing, although all these mouth breathers will have to find some Arian Nation softball team to occupy their time. Tip: when you get off the bus in Idaho, stick to the Applebys. You can’t go wrong.
Nice racist note about the basketball team by the way, Klein, but why-ever would you want to be in the same locker room as Larry Craig?
Posted by: J Dal | December 10, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Barry has hung out with people rolling around in mud for years but he somehow has remained clean? Bullsh**!
It’s amazing what the media can cover up for someone that it chooses to.
Posted by: dave | December 10, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
OH AND CURRUPT?? LOL. SUCH A SHORT RESPONSE TOO.
Posted by: greg s | December 10, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
So the gov is a crook , so what?
Enough with the bull we have enough to worry about without this smear stuff. Soon anyone that the talked to at all will be guilty.How about his maid or gardner, were they involved too?
This garbage is the medias attempt to distract from the work we have to do in this country.
Forget it , there are much more important things to think about!!
Posted by: Louise | December 10, 2008, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
may calmer more reasoned heads prevail. amen
Posted by: GREG S. | December 10, 2008, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
Micahellk
Please continue the long standing liberal tradition of traitorous behavior towards America. As for McCarthy, are you aware that MANY of the people McCarthy went after were indeed communist spies, as revealed by the Venona Project?
Because the NYT or ABC didn’t discuss it, I am sure you never heard of it.
It basically reveals that Truman and Roosevelt’s administration were both riddled with Soviet spies. Both were told of these traitors running amuck, and both shrugged off the accusations.
Bottom line, they didn’t care because liberals are socialists.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 10, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Bush is in office eight years, completely violating the public trust, taking us into a war based on lies, running the economy into the ground based on his policies, and nary an investigation. Now a Democrat is not even yet in the White House and the calls begin. Give it a rest already. Obama is clean. Listen to the tapes. Obama wasn’t giving Blogo anythnig but appreciation…This press corps is insufferably incompetent.
Posted by: Chris | December 10, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,
Come on people, let’s keep it real. Look how many politicians, Dems and Repugs, have been caught with their pants down, hands in the cookie jar, or trying to cover up illegal dealings. Including the current LAME DUCK and SECOND IN COMMAND DUCKETTE. I believe that most politicians start out ideological, but that soon gives way to doing what you have to do within the boundaries of your own conscious to things done in a system that can be as corrupt as any drug deal on the street. We just try to dress it up and make it appear to be something grand because that is what appeals to us and what we need to believe of people, especially those we elect to govern us.
So come on, lets can the hypocrisy. If Obama or anyone else significant is involved with Blego, the tapes will tell.
Posted by: Donna | December 10, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
Lousie
If his maid or gardner were ever domestic terrorists or friends with Louis Farrahkhan, I would say some may have a problem. With the way Barry’s associations have been going over the last 20 years, i would say there is a very good chance that both his maid and gardner are both anti-American in some form or fashion. It seems to be a requirement to be in Barry’s inner circle.
Posted by: dave | December 10, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
“Obama has his first media firestorm to manage, and he’s not even president yet.” Seriously??? This reminds me of the Downing Street memo in which the “facts” were fixed to fit around the desire to go to war.
Only the press is fitting the “facts” to fit around implicating Obama. It is sheer lunacy when a Republican US Attorney already said Obama had nothing to do with it.
I just don’t think we can get any dumber than this Rick Klein.
Posted by: ToddK_Chicago | December 10, 2008, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
Let me try and sum up the arguments of people attempting to say this reflects poorly on Obama. The ONLY thing the entire indictment says about Obama is that Blagojevich was monumentally irritated that he didn’t see any way the Obama people were going to give him squat and were being completely 100% above board, and it’s now coming out that Blagojevich may have even been rushing to try to grab some extra cash before an ethics bill Obama personally interceded to push forward went into effect… but the fact that Obama was even peripherally *mentioned* at all means he’s automatically negatively associated with the unethical activities being discussed. Let’s apply this logic to other fun scenarios
How about “Obama pulls kid out of burning building” = “Obama associated with arson scandal!”
Or “Obama saves puppy from neglectful owner” = “Obama involved in animal abuse case!”.
Or hey, I know… “Obama busts up criminal syndicate” = “Obama tied to organized crime!”
Isn’t it fun what we can do when we just don’t care about little things like reality?
Posted by: Grant | December 10, 2008, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
What kinda of non-news story is this?
ABC and others……report on something worth while…….This gives Sean Hannity and the likes something to rant about……..
Obama is in the clear!!! period……..!
Posted by: shalom | December 10, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Grant
How about…
Obama attends a radical, racist, anti-American church for 20 years and says nothing, even when the pastor lectures to impressionable black youth regarding America’s creation of the AIDS virus, or God**mn America, or America is the worst terrorist nation in the world= Obama must feel the same way
Obama has his political coming out party at an unrepentent terrorist’s house= Obama does not have a problem with unrepentent terrorists
Obama first big real estate venture involved a sweetheart deal with a man on his way to prison for corruption= Obama has a lot of shady friends
Obama’s wife has never been proud of her country in her adult life=Obama’s wife has never been proud of her country in her adult life (enough said)
I wonder if she is proud of the fact that 1 man alon has given more $$ to the continent of Africa then any other person in the HISTORY of the world…George Bush.
I think my connections are a little more believable, yours sound like you are still drunk off of the obama-kool-aid.
Posted by: dave | December 10, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
Make room under the bus grandma and Reverend Wright…..choo chooo….
David Axelrod hes a coming to join you!
Posted by: John | December 10, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
Did his “commitment to transparency” extend to his college records, campaign donors, and original long-form sealed birth certificate? No, no, and no. So why would it extend to this scandal?
What commitment to transparency are you talking about, Rick? Does the media actually think before it regurgitates these false Obama camp talking points?
Posted by: DJK | December 10, 2008, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
He is the duly elected President of the United States, people. It seems to me that all Americans would want to at least let the man get to the Oval Office before trying to tear him down. He will be the President for at least four years, and probably eight. And let’s just tell the truth here: Obama would have to do a heck of a lot of bad, bad stuff to rise to the level of incompetence, corruption, and darkness that has characterized the Bush Administration. Anyone care to take a look around? It’s pretty bleak. We have Bush to thank for that. So give Obama a break…
Posted by: Chris | December 10, 2008, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
Chicago is such a corrupt town there are criminals everywhere. Politicians can’t even look in the mirror without seeing one.
Posted by: MMONROELIVESON | December 10, 2008, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
Rick Klein’s column wins the annual award for lint-picking of a political leader’s navel: He declares that the Obama transition is no longer “flawless” because of a scandal afflicting another politician whose activities have never — let me repeat that, NEVER — touched Barack Obama. His appetite for diving into the quicksand of unfounded speculation is exceeded only by his hard work at excavating the pit for the quicksand in the first place. This is journalism of the lowest order. Good work, Rick. Facilitate the groundless rumor-mongering…
Posted by: Obama Voter | December 10, 2008, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
So who loses again? We the people haven’t had a square deal from either party since all the backbiting began after Watergate. There’s been a lot of corruption exposed over the years. That’s a good thing. But the problem is neither party works for us, they spend all their time working to discredit the other party. What a crock.
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | December 10, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
I do not wish to rain on too many liberals parade but…..
one person said something like “well obviously candidate “X” didn’t play ball on the bribery so Obama is clean” Not so fast weed hopper…..I’m not sure that is enough for Mr. Clean Obama to avoid everything. I mean its good the Obama confidant did not play ball but don’t you think in something so repugnant as this they should have been the first person at the FBI office?
And I’ll be the first to say if they were, GOOD for them, if they were’nt then they are’nt as good and CLEAN as they think they are.
Posted by: Bob | December 10, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
“There’s no suggestions [sic] of Obama’s culpability, but…”
But you just had to blather on paragraph after cheesy, sleazy paragraph anyway….
Posted by: semiautodidact | December 10, 2008, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
Dave: Please don’t tell me that you’re actually one of those ignoramuses who think 5 minutes of video extracted from a 20 year career are a 100% accurate representation of how the man behaved in church every single day at every single service. Yes, Wright said some pretty idiotic things a few times. Yes, he can be an incredibly jackass. No, that was NOT what he did in church every time he walked into the place for his entire life you moron… so trying to claim Obama was sitting there listening to the same kind of statements that appeared on those few snippets of video for 20 years is purely infantile.
As for Ayers, the man is a professor at the university where Obama taught constitutional law, his 60′s radical days were in… THE SIXTIES you genius. Obama was like, eight. The fact that Obama attended a gathering that happened to be at his house 40 years later means exactly jack squat.
And there was NOTHING “shady” about Obama’s house purchase. It’s been extensively investigated. He was the highest bidder on the property, he got the property. that’s how the process works. He later bought a strip of land from the adjoining lot from Rezko for EXACTLY the same price Rezko paid for it in the first place. Try reading something other than conspiracy theory web sites published by people lurking in their parents basements to get your information. And I’m not even bothering with the idiocy that is the “Michele was never proud of the U.S. in her life” ridiculousness, unless you also want to claim McCain never loved his country before he became a POW. He did say so after all. Of course when HE said it most people got the clue that it wasn’t meant 100% literally any more than Michelle Obama’s statement was.
And to the truly clueless individual spouting that idiotic birth certificate nonsense, grow up. They’ve released the damn thing. It’s been certified authentic by the State of Hawaii. It specifically states his place of birth as Honolulu. Hell, there was a birth announcement in the Honolulu Advertiser at the time, over 4 decades ago… who put it there? The time traveling Illuminati conspirators trying to cover Obama’s tracks who jumped back to insert it there after they decided to make him president? Or maybe the conspiracy actually began AT HIS BIRTH! Geez… what the hell do you people not understand about this?
Posted by: Grant | December 10, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Obama is lying. Axelrod did not misspeak, and you don’t have to rely on either of them to prove it:
1) Ill. governor meeting with Obama today
By Carol Sowers Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m.
CHICAGO, ILL. — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.
That’s one of Obama’s first priorities today.
He’s meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.
Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement.
There’s already been speculation about his selection…from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago’s south side who co-chaired Obama’s presidential campaign, to recently-retired state senate president Emil Jones, to the governor himself.
It’s likely the governor will make his decision quickly so the new senator will get some seniority before newly-elected senators take office in January.
Part of the timing depends on when Obama officially vacates his senate seat.
KHQA’s Alexis Hunt is speaking with Illinois Senator John Sullivan today about his thoughts on that replacement process, his time working with Obama in the state senate, and if there’s a chance Sullivan might play a role in the Obama administration. Watch KHQA News at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. tonight to hear what he has to say.
2) Duckworth comments on consideration for Senate
By Alexis Hunt
Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 9:48 p.m.
QUINCY, IL — Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.
Obama met with Governor Rod Blagojevich earlier this week to discuss it. Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement. There’s already been speculation about his selection…from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Junior to Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.
Duckworth made an appearance in Saturday’s Veterans’ parade in Quincy. We asked her about the possibility of filling Obama’s seat.
“The Governor’s office confirmed yesterday that he is considering me and I am deeply honored jus to be considered. I hope whoever is selected is someone who is willing to travel around the state and gets to know this wonderful state. I’m just honored to be considered,” Duckworth said.
The governor expects to make his decision before Christmas. Part of the timing depends on when Obama officially vacates his senate seat.
3) http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/gov-mum-on-who-may-succeed-obama.html
Blagojevich mum on possible successors to Obama
Chicago Tribune (IL) – Friday, October 31, 2008
Author: Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia, TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday cited the potential for bad “karma” and avoided discussing potential Senate successors to Barack Obama should the Democratic nominee win the White House, but acknowledged he has a process in mind for making the most important appointment of his career.
“I just don’t want to jinx him and I don’t like the karma of me thinking that far ahead,” Blagojevich said of Obama ‘s prospects in Tuesday’s election. The governor added, “We have had some discussions about a process which we’ll share … if all goes well.”
Posted by: Ace Tomato | December 10, 2008, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
Given Obama spent 15-20 years in the Chicago machine learning and refining his political skills and building the network of connections required to rise through the ranks to the highest office in the land, why did so many people fall for the CHANGE snake oil Obama sold? My answer: Charisma and the innate ability to blatantly lie with an uncanny ability to get away with it – those two abilities are the tools of the ultimate con-man.
Why didn’t the MSM thoroughly vet Obama and his political upbringing and connections to the growing list of criminals? Well we know the answer to this one but I’ll provide my two-part answer. The first part: Ideological blindness if you believe the MSM is honest and doesn’t agree with ends justify the means [the leg-tingle effect]. This coupled with Obama’s chief character “abilities” bought him the needed votes from mental midgets of our society. The second part: Complicit co-consipracy, if you believe as I do, that the MSM knew, knows, and doesn’t care about Obama’s tainted political past because like too many Chicagoans, their credo is yes, he’s a crook, but he’s our [ideological] crook. This failure of the MSM validated, by default, what the mental midgets believed about Obama since the MSM didn’t challenge him on his lies or investigate his background.
I do not believe it possible to succeed in Chicago politics and not “work within the system”. Working within the Chicago system means participating in corrupt activities. I do not believe an honest politician in Chicago could garner the support required to get elected dog catcher, let alone President. Yet we are told almost daily that Obama is clean as whistle … yeah right. Obama makes Teflon look like fly-paper.
Prediction: The MSM will turn on Obama to generate “news” to keep the add revenue flowing. The news at all levels and through all outlets is first a business, and in the news business the hottest product is bad [or salacious] news. Virtually all the print media is in financial ruin – the Tribune Corp which owns the LA Times and Chicago Tribune as well as TV stations is in bankruptcy. The need to sell “news” will likely drive these intellectually and morally corrupt failing institutions even deeper into tabloid level activity forever leaving truth based reporting and anything resembling journalism behind.
Remember: In spite of the MSM media’s see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil attitude towards Obama, fifty-eight million Americans didn’t drink the kool-aid, and did not vote for Obama.
Posted by: Occam49 | December 10, 2008, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
Obama’s serene transition -
There is a funny spot in Blago’s indictment which is prudently referred to (by the objective media, of course, LA Times) as: “There was also frank talk of how to land Blagojevich’s wife a well-paying position on a private, corporate board.”
With Michelle Obama’s salary blasting from where? was that $120.000 to $260.000? in one day after Obama became a US senator, Blago’s frustration is fully understandable. After all, we are talking change, but really BIG TIME, arent’t we?
It is so poignant to see how Michelle Obama’s career is such an inspiring role-model for the Democrats, this woman who defeated so much adversity in her life, and who accomplished so much!
And also, how much the Blagojevich affair highlights Obama’s wealth redistribution sensibilities!
Yes, I belive in wealth redistribution and I want my cut, too!
Posted by: misanthropicus | December 10, 2008, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
I dont think I have ever come across a more gullible group of human beings than American liberal & democrat bloggers, you guys are even worse than Australian lefties, and that is saying something – you guys just absolutely refuse to accept facts – in this case someone in the upper stratosphere of the Obama camp is lying.
Seeing we are talking about the incoming President and his advisors, logic dictates that for the good of the USA the liar or liars should be identified and removed prior to inaugaration and that is exactly what the press should be pursuing, shame they didnt fulfil their true function earlier, but better late than never.
The overriding sentiment expressed by liberals on this blog is that if Nixon had of been a Democrat instead of a Republican there should not have been any Watergate investigation!
When are you going to be concerned about your country instead of petty party politics?
Posted by: Gerry Sinclair | December 10, 2008, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
What did Obama know, and when did he know it?
Posted by: Bill | December 10, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
Half this country is a bunch of fu ck ing stupid morons. Herd of O ba mb i.
Posted by: hugh | December 10, 2008, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
The last thing this country needs right now is another “Whitewater” style investigation of our new president as a result of the situation in Chicago, distracting the attention of the congress and the president. The issues and problems we have right now do not allow for any such partisan foolishness.
Yet, that is the nature of our post Watergate political landscape.
As a result of that scandal bringing down an administration, the party out of power always hopes for a repeat.
We really cannot afford to go down that road right now.
Yet I fear that the Blagojevich investigation and Rezko’s DOJ “proffer” are going to open up a tangled web of Chicago politics. And it ain’t going to be pretty.
Posted by: Stephen Gianelli | December 10, 2008, 7:51 pm 7:51 pm
Hillary Warned Everybody In The Primearies! PUMA!!!!
Posted by: disgusted in Ohio | December 10, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
This article is nothing but a pile of pure speculation, guess and conjecture, conjured up to try and smear Obama without a shred of fact to back it up. The very prosecutors tooting their own horns over the Blagojevich indictment have said that Obama has nothing to do with it. I hope the American people won’t be fooled this time around.
Posted by: Ed Szewczyk | December 10, 2008, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Smell the Change ™
Posted by: Mason | December 10, 2008, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm
Okay, let me get this straight: The US attorney investigating Blagojevich has explicitly stated that nothing in the investigation implicates Obama. Blagojevich apparently, on several occasions, was picked up by federal wiretaps expressing frustration with Obama and his team for not playing ball with him. Anti-corruption legislation championed by Obama has been instrumental in the investigation of Blagojevich.
So Obama’s dirty because of this? Do I have that right?
Yeah, yeah. He comes from Chicago. Yeah, he’s dealt with some dirty people and it’s a dirty town. But guilt by association is dirtier still. When you’ve got something concrete, point to it, but when all information thus far regarding the president-elect is exculpatory, why not try being responsible before flinging feces around like a bunch of zoo monkeys.
Posted by: Matt Weiss | December 10, 2008, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm
Surely, Barry and his media lovers didn’t believe that all those crooks which Barry joined to progress from a “community organizer” to President without actually ever doing or accomplishing anything which made him worthy were NOT going to come calling for their payback from their boy! Please.
Lets face it, Barry has some huge debts which he had better repay to some very unsavory people. They are not in the business of just walking away from their investment.
Barry’s entire political career is the result of his “arse-kissing” the correct people and certainly nothing in his actual accomplishments. Do you believed the harden politicals in the Chicago machine actually believed this naive waif and his nonsense. He was constantly promoted because they knew Barry would “play ball”.
It is going to be a long 4 years. How long before ABC, NBC and CNN get tired of Barry’s already worn out, “I didn’t know anything” or “That is not the Governor, I knew”.
Posted by: LogicalUS | December 10, 2008, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm
Obama is The Man and a very good one at that
Posted by: Antoin, Chicago | December 10, 2008, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
What has this country come to, the poor Governor is being hounded for corruption rather than being hailed as a great business man. He recognized that he had something of high value and wanted to be paid for the service he was going to deliver. It is not like he was taking money to give a job to one of his friends and have the good people of Illinois pick up the tab. No he figured out that he was the job placement service for the Federal Government who was not going to pay him for that job, and said hey, the person wants the job should pay for it.
I know there are small minded people out there who think this is a corrupt act, they just are not looking at the big picture. The line up of folks who want to be Senator is long with powerful people. No matter who the Governor selected he was going to upset and disappoint many. What do you think they are going to do, not contribute to his next campaign. So you wanted the Governor to do something that was going to cost him money, how stupid would that have been.
Nope, I think asking to get paid up front with cold hard cash is a stroke of genius and the American way. If he made a bad choice there is an election down the road and those pesky campaign folks, media whores and voters will all have their hands out or asking what’s in it for me.
Hang in there Governor and stick to your story, its a good one. Just do not lie if under oath, that would be a crime.
Posted by: geek | December 10, 2008, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
Resco + Obama + Blagojevich = CORRUPTION Chicago Style. The circle of corruption is on its way to the White House…but it’s sprung a big leak. Blagojevich better get some really good security guards because he knows way too much about the President Elect of the U.S. If he’s not very very careful a lot of powerful people are likely beginning to be afraid that he’s likely to commit suicide, have a fatal accident, or have a heart attack from all the stress…..especially if they can help him with one of those little items before he can talk!!!!!
Posted by: valwayne | December 10, 2008, 11:34 pm 11:34 pm
In any crime there are 4(four) stages; !) Intention 2)preparation 3)attempt & 4) Commission . Did the Illinos Governor made commission of the crime so alleged,what was his intetion behind such crime so alleged? I think Governor did no crime legally, this is politics I find this case?
Posted by: Mohammed Hossain | December 11, 2008, 12:05 am 12:05 am
If it came out tomorrow that BO offered the position of vice president to the highest bidder, the mainstream media would still protect him. They are so hysterical over their man that they will do WHATEVER it takes to keep him in power. Journalism is dead in America’s newsrooms.
Posted by: BOisafraud | December 11, 2008, 12:26 am 12:26 am
If it came out tomorrow that BO offered the position of vice president to the highest bidder, the mainstream media would still protect him. They are so hysterical over their man that they will do WHATEVER it takes to keep him in power. Journalism is dead in America’s newsrooms.
Posted by: BOisafraud | December 11, 2008, 12:26 am 12:26 am
ABC needs to get real journalist. I read the indictement. Did any Rick Klein.How in the world can a diry governer affect our next president when the U.S. attorney stated he had nothing to do with this. I am an Obama supporter but I would be the first to ask questions if he was implicted in this mess,but since everything seems to exonorate the president-elect it seems the MSm now needs to make things up. I guess we no longer have a failing economy,2 wars,poverty,47 million uninsured,almost 2 million jobless in the last 11 months and millions of people losing their homes to foreclousre.Carry on about Blagojevich, that’s all that matters now,to hell with the country.
Posted by: Micky | December 11, 2008, 12:45 am 12:45 am
The “zoo monkey”, hate mongers are relying on illogical, unmerited, “guilt by being a politician from Chicago” to malign the President Elect. You notice, no reference to race or ethnicity? (But, your logic is akin to; “Git a rope!!!”) All of your ‘crap-o’ is fodder for the “hard-line, right edge, red party” Shock Jocks; Han-nutty and Rush Dim-baugh, and the other hard-right wing ‘Media Leeches.’ “Get a decent life” for you and yours!!!
Posted by: bobj72 | December 11, 2008, 12:46 am 12:46 am
YOUisafraud | Dec 11, 2008 12:26:14 AM; What you’re essentially saying is; “The orchestra doesn’t exist, unless it’s playing your favorite tune!”
Posted by: bobj72 | December 11, 2008, 12:53 am 12:53 am
YOUisafraud | Dec 11, 2008 12:26:14 AM; What you’re essentially saying is; “The orchestra doesn’t exist, unless it’s playing your favorite tune!”
Posted by: bobj72 | December 11, 2008, 12:53 am 12:53 am
anyone remember that heartfelt denial “I did not have sex with that woman!”
Here we go again. When did an adamant denial replace the truth?
Posted by: Dee | December 11, 2008, 2:06 am 2:06 am
Dee | Dec 11, 2008 2:06:32 AM; Your “fractured logic” is akin to blaming Hillary for Bill’s dalliance with Lewinsky. (Such a “stretch” sullies your credibility!)
Posted by: bobj72 | December 11, 2008, 9:08 am 9:08 am
So by your logic, Bush is inherently tied to Tom Delay’s corrupt behavior. Same State after all. Delay is under indictment, where were you all when that happened? Were you demanding more transparency from Bush? Were you insisting that he be taken out and shot? C’mon folks, this is much ado about nothing, and you know it.
Posted by: Barbara | December 11, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
This Rick guy, and all you right wingers, are the biggest bunch of sleazebags I’ve ever run across. Talk about being taken out and shot! Someone should start with you mofos. You’re a disgrace! Goodbye forever.
Posted by: louee | December 11, 2008, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
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Posted by: Betty | December 15, 2008, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
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Posted by: Sharon | December 23, 2008, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm