By Dschabner

Jan 3, 2009 7:14pm

Reid Hits Blago for ‘Distorting’ Their Conversation in Leak to Sun-Times

And finally, an on-the-record response to the Chicago Sun-Times story (see below) from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who accuses Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of "distorting" their conversation in leaks to the media.

"Gov. Blagojevich appears to be trying to distract attention from his daunting legal problems and damaged credibility by distorting information about private phone calls between himself and other public officials," Reid said in the statement. "It is regrettable and reprehensible.

"Gov. Blagojevich’s efforts to try to tarnish others while the cloud of suspicion continues to grow over him are shameful, as are his efforts to further betray the public trust and sow seeds of division.  As each day passes it becomes increasingly clear that Gov. Blagojevich is not fit to lead, and he should resign.

"I will not allow his corruption charges or his antics to distract me from leading the Senate, to drive a wedge in our party or to obscure the facts."

- jpt

User Comments

Speaking of “reprehensible”, is some … rebellion or whatever … up in the Electoral College?
IS Emanuel resigning? Is PEBO finished, along with his promises to AIPAC?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm

Reid sounds ridiculous, ESPECIALLY if his conversations were taped (as they may have been, in the course of ordinary prudence, by … Blago, if not by the Feds).
Reid sounds ESPECIALLY ridiculous to be speaking, apparently, for Senator Durbin — the one who backs off and cries when the Republicans criticize him.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm

no to all of it devil

Posted by: bush the usa | January 3, 2009, 7:41 pm 7:41 pm

jpt quotes Senator Reid:
“As each day passes it becomes increasingly clear that Gov. Blagojevich is not fit to lead, and he should resign.”
Gosh, if merely being “not fit to lead” is grounds for resignation, Durbin and Reid, and a host of their wholly-owned colleagues, better get out the blotting paper for THEIR letters.
Speaking of resignations, is Emanuel’s resignation gonna stick?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm

Soon we’ll hear the words directly from Reid about his phone talk with Ronnie.
Reid “my lips” will be on Meet the Press this Sunday. Was expecting to talk about stimulating the economy, but now some time surely will be about the “horse” he wanted in the race to be selected by Ronnie. Here’s hope be is pressed.
Anyhow, Ronnie is showing his stuff…a much better “war game” strategist than Reid. Saw a photo of Ronnie in the “golden gloves” boxing tournament as a young teen. What a combination…a chess master and a pugilist too!
As you might get from this e-mail, Ronnie is growing on me. (Prior to all this I’d never heard about him up here, just south of the North Pole.) What a guy, eh?!

Posted by: Tom Millar of Toronto | January 3, 2009, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm

Were we a betting person, we’d bet Durbin and Reid are at odds — if they aren’t already so — by Monday. Maybe over which of THEM resigns first.
If ALL the partisan Senators — everybody EXCEPT Sanders, that’d be, and clueless old what’s-his-name, whom Gore chose to run with over Durbin — resigned, it’d be a better world overnight.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm

Whay are people making it an issue of race?? Let the best person win! However, anyone “tainted” by Blago should never be considered, especially one “appointed” by him. They are all on the take and “give” to Blago and you get that close to a skunk, you smell like one too. It’s not about race and color, it’s the stinking smell of Blago that would thoroughly disqualify all of them, black or white.

Posted by: Sareena Jones | January 3, 2009, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm

Reid “my lips”
GOOD one, Tom Millar of Toronto!
David Gregory and Reid LOOK so much alike (and Andrea Mitchell so shaky, sometimes, on that whole “journalism” thing, when either the economy or the formerly Democratic Party is involved) that one can hope they prevail on Hisham Melhem to interview EVERYbody …

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 8:06 pm 8:06 pm

“What a combination…a chess master and a pugilist too!”
Maybe Blago manEUvered Reid into disgracing himself on Meet-the-Press eve, then?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm

Hairy Reede is unfit to be
Senate Majority Leader and
should depart from politics.

Posted by: anon | January 3, 2009, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm

“Whay are people making it an issue of race??”
–> It’s. in. their. DNA.

Posted by: G. Mendel | January 3, 2009, 8:14 pm 8:14 pm

Notice how Reid never denied any of the statements that he reportedly said.
Does he know it could be on tape and may one day get out into the media?

Posted by: Dave | January 3, 2009, 8:24 pm 8:24 pm

Thank you Senator Reid.
It was OBVIOUS that Blago leaked that conversation between Reid and him to the Chicago SunTimes to try and paint Reid as a racist because Reid was trying to block Burris from the U.S. Senate.
That had Blago fingerprints all over it.

Posted by: Amoreena | January 3, 2009, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm

“Notice how Reid never denied any of the statements that he reportedly said.”
–> Yeah: “distorted” is a soft charge for playing alert-the-media …
“Does he know it could be on tape and may one day get out into the media?”
–> He probably thought his scrambler worked.
Wonder if Blago AND JJ Jr. were really working WITH the FBI all along? THAT’d explain a lot.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm

Former Illinois Attorney General, Burris, could not meet more resistance if he were trying to crash a kkk party, than the opposition he’s getting from the white supremacists of US Senate. lol
Harry Reid IS a ‘racist’, for not allowing Illinoisans to decide whether or not they will AGAIN elect an African American in 2010, as they had elected Obama.
And Illinoisans are the ONLY ones to get an African American elected!
Reid’s state of Nevada may not elect and African American US Senator, BUT NOT SO ILLINOIS!
Many white supremacists of the Democratic party ALSO didn’t think that Obama had a chance on account of his so-called ‘race’.

Posted by: Patriot | January 3, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm

from someone’s post in another thread here:
“The ONLY possible reason for Patrick Fitzgerald arresting Blagojevich BEFORE anything changed hands was this whole thing would come out.”
Indeed. Wonder what ELSE the clever fellow was/is up to? Now, the chips have hit the fan BEFORE the coronation … and Reid and Durbin looking like the personification of the old saying “A hit dog always hollers.”
Will two-thirds of the Congress and most of the dead-in-the-water “Obama” administration be dragged off in irons? One can only hope and pray.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm

So . . . Sleezy, Dirty Harry Reid got caught on tape? The Governor’s or the FBI’s or both? God it’s about time! He has been the most ineffective Senate Leader in the last 60 plus years! We have known for years that he was racist & dumb . . . but stupid too? My God no wonder this country is in such a mess!

Posted by: Lillie' B. Crosby | January 3, 2009, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm

The wild rant by the Senate
Majority Demagog is proof
that the Chicago Sun-Times
story is correct in all its
details.

Posted by: anon | January 3, 2009, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm

Suppose The CHANGEling’s sitting in the tub in his $5000-a-day digs with a bottle of vodka, wishing he hadn’t been in such a tearing hurry to resign his brief service in the US Senate?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm

I think a lot of the GOP is sitting around with bottles of vodka wondering what to do now that they have been booted out of Washington.

Posted by: Skip | January 3, 2009, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm

“GOP … have been booted out of Washington.”
THAT was pretty much a foregone conclusion, which is probably why they didn’t bother to run an actual candidate.
What was kind of UNexpected: it looks like the mob-friendly, hijacked “Democrats” are about to be booted out ALSO.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 3, 2009, 9:18 pm 9:18 pm

Tim Russert is watching the “Sunday Shows” from above. Let us all hope that the interviewers of Sen Reid do half as good a job as Tim did.
Wish you were asking the questions this weekend Jake

Posted by: smith | January 3, 2009, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm

Democrats should never speak because evertything they say is like Obama says.
“Thats Not What I Meant.”

Posted by: dee dee doo | January 3, 2009, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm

Is the Junior Senator from Illinois trying to crash a kkk party; or is Burris just seeking to take his duly selected Seat in the US Senate? lol

Posted by: Patriot | January 3, 2009, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm

Reid “My Lips” says Mr Blago is distorting, as I was just doing my job.
Well RIP, that is Reid “In Peace”, old Harry. Yes RIP.
And may “Mr. Burris Go to Washington”, too!

Posted by: Tom Millar | January 3, 2009, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm

A university president misuses
university funds.
Your education and degree from
that university are tainted.
You are unemployable. You should
have refused to accept your degree.
Or better yet you should have left
and enrolled at a different
university.
That’s the kind of logic Hairy Reede
and his senate cohorts are applying
to the appointment of Burris by
Governor Blagojevich.

Posted by: anon | January 3, 2009, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm

Reid should not resign unless we want to see Bam interfere in the selection of the next Senate majority leader. We all know when Bam gets involved it does not do anyone any good, well except for him.

Posted by: cspolj | January 3, 2009, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm

Sick of Blago for injecting RACISM!!!!
Sick of Reid for being RACIST!!!!
Both are nothing but FRUIT LOOPS!!!

Posted by: sisterdearest09 | January 3, 2009, 11:47 pm 11:47 pm

Are we surprised that Blago would exploit his conversation with Reid to benefit himself? NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! What a snake.

Posted by: julesverne | January 4, 2009, 12:05 am 12:05 am

No smoke without any fire and I saw Mr. Reid is fuming humm. There is more to story than we know. Now question is, should Obama keep Reid till he is proven innocent.

Posted by: JS | January 4, 2009, 12:20 am 12:20 am

wow, who do you believe in this media fueled world nowadays? democratic idiot #1, or democratic idiot #2????

Posted by: tim | January 4, 2009, 1:47 am 1:47 am

well, isnt reid simply trying to distract from what is probably an honest description of the phone call by mention corruption, etc., a billion times in his short statement?

Posted by: laughing out loud | January 4, 2009, 3:15 am 3:15 am

simply “distorting” but not lying. what exactly did you say reid? this is rich…

Posted by: laughing out loud | January 4, 2009, 3:18 am 3:18 am

Are we surprised ‘corrupt politicians’?I pray not. Yet, we must abide by the laws Reid. If Burris is found to be other than what he states, then he can be removed. I read the 70′s pages about Blago, not surprised. But he is still Gov. Let him appoint the seat. If Ill. people don’t want him in 2 yrs, they will speak. America elected PEBO, we have spoken. Illinois will speak, it will happen. If the laws can be broken by a few, then laws will be broken by many. Please, PEBO, stick with the Constitution on this matter, Congress, stick to the Constitution. All guilty parties will be outed! Reid, if you are illegally involved and others… then voters will speak!

Posted by: ROSE in OHIO | January 4, 2009, 7:48 am 7:48 am

All Politicians are Liars and Thieves.
If they “ARE” Honest and True when we send them there, they become Liars and Theives after they get there.
When will “WE” the American People stop sending these asses back to Washington?
I am fed up with Democrats and Republicans.
TERM LIMITS. This way, they worry about the JOB they need to do and not their next election. They worry about what to get done and not who to please. They are beholding to No-One.

Posted by: ajax | January 4, 2009, 8:30 am 8:30 am

I’m real sorry I voted for Barak…. why did the media cover for this guy. all the politicians are looking like thiefs and liars…pass a 1 TRILLION spending plan in less then a week??? duh …what are they thinking …we don’t have time hurry hurry… what a LIE FEED UP WITH ALL OF THEM

Posted by: verydisappointedliberal | January 4, 2009, 9:07 am 9:07 am

The governor has been accused, not convicted. It’s not up to Reid to choose for Illinois citizens. How clean are his hands? It’s troubling to see a U.S. prosecutor having a news conference about a pending case. Fitzgerald should do his talking in court, not to the media. It’s a shame people like Reid in the U. S. Congress have already decided the case.

Posted by: VIvi | January 4, 2009, 9:08 am 9:08 am

I’m not sorry you voted for Barack, even if your claim is mere vapor and empty. Barack is a God-send. We’re on a threshold of greatness, and our nation shall once again prosper and grow. Go Bama!

Posted by: Harold | January 4, 2009, 9:28 am 9:28 am

If I get caught in your house stealing your food, but I carried an orange in with me to do the deed, am I entitled to my orange? The orange is legally mine, but I dropped it, so until I get convicted by trial, should I be entitled to go back into your house to retrieve my orange?
There should be no senator until the trial is completed.

Posted by: Common Sense | January 4, 2009, 9:35 am 9:35 am

verydisappointedliberal,
/——
I’m real sorry I voted for Barak
——/
Why do you conservatives continue to tell lies on the blogs? Wasn’t it enough you people tried to throw the elections with your “operation chaos”?
Hint, hint: Democrats don’t typically run around calling ourselves ‘liberals’ like the ‘conservatives’ run about calling us.

Posted by: Common Sense | January 4, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am

Democrats should never speak because evertything they say is like Obama says.
“Thats Not What I Meant.”

Posted by: dee dee doo | January 4, 2009, 9:50 am 9:50 am

==The governor has been accused, not convicted.==
Irrelevant. The appointment is political, not legal.
==It’s not up to Reid to choose for Illinois citizens.==
The citizens of Illinois didn’t make the appointment.
== It’s a shame people like Reid in the U. S. Congress have already decided the case.==
The Senate is not required to accept the appointment. Plus, it’s a political matter, and political matters are not for the courts to decide.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am

==is Burris just seeking to take his duly selected Seat in the US Senate? ==
He was selected/appointed. He has not been elected. Quite a difference.
The Senate may reject appointments.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am

Belle Starr,
/——
“Since BHO is such a force, why did he only win 52% of the vote. In an election that was nearly guaranteed to be won by a Democrat, the best this guy could muster was 52%.”
——/
A win is a win — except in the republicans’ itty-bitty wittle minds.

Posted by: Common Sense | January 4, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am

==I’m real sorry I voted for Barak==
We’re sorry you did, too.
However, it’s not as though you weren’t told before you voted.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 10:07 am 10:07 am

Democrats are trying to hold an impeachment hearing before a conviction so they will not impeach him to sweep more Democrat corruption under the rug.
Like said before he is innocent until guilty. So Democrats should hold off of the impending impeachment until after the impending guilty conviction.

Posted by: dee dee doo | January 4, 2009, 10:10 am 10:10 am

“Democrats should never speak because evertything they say is like Obama says.
‘Thats Not What I Meant’.”
–> There’s no better example of THIS than Senator Durbin, Reid’s present partner-in-crime in the Senate fix. When Durbin’s remarks about US military excess in Iraq didn’t sit well with some Republicans, he wound up in tears, eating his words on the Senate floor.
The “Democrats”, whose “leadership” was in collusion with the Bush neo-cons every step of the way, haven’t been worth shooting since the assassination of JFK … with their scheduled installation of a mob-friendly “post-partisan” president in the offing, the hijacked party’s final flip into organized electoral crime is no surprise.
Throw shoes, dump-truck loads of shoes.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 10:14 am 10:14 am

==Democrats are trying to hold an impeachment hearing before a conviction…==
An impeachment hearing is not a criminal proceeding. It’s a political proceeding. They don’t have to wait for a criminal trial.
==Like said before he is innocent until guilty.==
In the political arena, it doesn’t matter.
== So Democrats should hold off of the impending impeachment until after the impending guilty conviction.==
Makes no difference, except that they will have more ammo.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am

It is clear after reading these posts why Blago the Democrat was elected to Congress and Governor Illinois– twice. We just don’t have any respect for the Constitution or law. Blago and Obama were both elected based on soaring oratory, false promises to reform, and slander and libel of opponents.
It isn’t that Blago hasn’t been found guilty by a jury– he hasn’t even been indicted, and that is going to be delayed by Fitzgerald for at least ninety days. Bill Clinton the Democrat was indicted, and the Democrats (including Harry Reid) didn’t shut down the govenment. I can’t believe Reid now an unnamed co-conspirator (until this weekend) in the sale of Obama’s seat is accusing Blago of “leaking.” Fitzgerald really needs to let go of these tapes now. How many more Democrats have “soiled hands?”

Posted by: Don | January 4, 2009, 10:19 am 10:19 am

A university’s president is accused by his own words to sell degrees to get his university more federal monies…. Every student from that time frame who process these degrees will be second guessed, to whether these degrees are legitimate. Rightfully so.

Posted by: sara wilson | January 4, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am

==A university’s president is accused by his own words to sell degrees to get his university more federal monies…. Every student from that time frame who process these degrees will be second guessed, to whether these degrees are legitimate. Rightfully so.==
Good point.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 10:32 am 10:32 am

verydisappointedliberal,
I’m real sorry I voted for Barak
YOUR NOT THE ONLY ONE!!! ALOT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS… can’t wait til 2010 to clean up ALL the crooks in senate and house

Posted by: Cindy | January 4, 2009, 10:39 am 10:39 am

“A win is a win”
That depends on what the game is, who’s playing, who’s watching, who’s keeping score, etc. … and on whether the games are recorded.
When a player or team repeatedly “wins” by cheating in one way or another, the victory — as of the “Obama” machine — can turn out to be temporary, and the penalties permanent …

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 10:53 am 10:53 am

“can’t wait til 2010 to clean up ALL the crooks in senate and house”
Why wait?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 10:54 am 10:54 am

Almost had fallen for the nice guy Chicago folk image that Barack created (with Axelrod) for public consumption. But even with all his records sealed up tight, there was enough to see well, this is a hard core urban pol with the same old agenda we’ve seen in NYC for a long time.
Haven woken up from that advertising pitch, one can’t help but enjoy this. Blago is playing right out of the Democrat National Committee handbook, see the chapter on Liberal Plantation Owners, rights and responsibilities.
He’s dealing right from the bottom of the Democrat Race Playbook.
And it’s a beautiful thing. He kinda grows on ya. Making Reid look like a crying hyena.

Posted by: romanesq | January 4, 2009, 10:57 am 10:57 am

“We’re pretty clear on what we think is the law” — Reid, on “Meet the Press”
Can’t the people of Nevada manage to recall this snake?

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 11:15 am 11:15 am

==woken up ==
No such construction.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 11:16 am 11:16 am

“We’re pretty clear on what we think is the law” — Reid, on “Meet the Press”
The law is clear that Blago may appoint. It is also clear that the Senate may reject the appointment.

Posted by: Mr. Incredible | January 4, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am

On “Meet the Press”, David Gregory DID manage to make Reid blush beet red, while attempting to weasel away from his past remarks on the Iraq war.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 11:33 am 11:33 am

“I will not allow his corruption charges or his antics to distract me from leading the Senate, to drive a wedge in our party or to obscure the facts.”
Who is Reid talking about here?
Sure, REID is making the comments about Blagojevich, but in reality this comment could just as easily be said about Reid, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, or even obama himself with very few (if any) simple “cosmetic” changes…
What’s really evident is that the Democratic Party’s “chickens” are “comin’ home….to roost!” — and that “Rev.” Wright may actually BE right in this case!

Posted by: Chisco | January 4, 2009, 11:56 am 11:56 am

Contemptible Harry Reid being the Majority Leader of the Senate tells me all I need to know about the Democrats.
Emanuel and Axelrod are the brains behind the Obama machine. Obama appears clueless without a teleprompter. Emanuel is obnoxious and unlikeable. Obama is warm and friendly.
Good Luck to you Obama. You’re cavorting with absolute evil.

Posted by: Mainer1776 | January 4, 2009, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm

Bottomline:
They, Reid, PEBO, are as good or bad or deceptive or fillintheblank as Blago.
The difference is that Blago was taped.

Posted by: cat 3 | January 4, 2009, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm

When many smart people are
losing their jobs in this
economy, incompetent and
deficient non-performers
like the Senate Majority
Leader and the U.S. Attorney
in Chicago are enjoying
high-paying government jobs.

Posted by: anon | January 4, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm

Reid speaks:
“There’s clearly legal authority for us to do whatever we want to do. This goes back for generations.”
Looks like it’s pikes-and-cudgels time again.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm

BREAKING NEWS…There is a “cloud” now over New Mexico. As reported by Reid “my lips” earlier to-day, there was “a clould over the whole state of Illinois”, the result of corruption as seen by the Holier than One Reid.
The breaking news headline is a democratic strom front has blanketed the whole state of New Mexico. This cloud emerged spontaneously with the announcement by the State Governor, yes Governor, Richardson withdrawing for confirmation of the Commerce position with the One. But the fluffy white stuff in the sky must not be as dark a pay-to-play cloud as over Illinois, as least for now, as no impeachment has commenced like in Illnois. On the otherhand the seer Reider has not got around to crystalizing his prognois for atmospheric stuff over New Mexico.
Exit question…Just what kind of executive orders has Richardson made over the last month? They would be tainted, wouldn’t they Harry my boy?

Posted by: Tom Millar | January 4, 2009, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm

“There is a “cloud” now over New Mexico.”
And over California … it’s one. big. cloud, and most of the Congress is in it.

Posted by: Belle Starr | January 4, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm

The Holier than Thou, Reid “my lips”, is like a transformer. Going from a principled democratic preacher leading his flock of cronies in the Senate, to his roots as a “tiral laywer”, always willing to “negotiate” an outcome (and to hell with the principles).
Reid was shown up by that fellow Blago, who turns out to be a far better war game strategist.
Now the punch drunk Reid is wanting a “visit” match with the more senior Mr.Roland Burris. The Lip should know that Burris has nothing to loose in the “negotiation”. The outcome…score a win, with the headline being, “Burris Goes To Washington” and is seated in the Senate.
After thought…And Harry is the aplha liberal of Senators?

Posted by: Tom Millar | January 4, 2009, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm

Harry Reid is dishonest.

Posted by: NC voter | January 4, 2009, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm

Harry “the war is lost”/Constituents Smell Reid hardly needs any help in tarnishing his reputation. With the consent of the good people of Nevada he will not be returning to Washington after the ’10 election!

Posted by: Thank God for Karma | January 4, 2009, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm

A Song comes to mind everytime I think of the US congress and house…. do you remember……here ir goes…….
We represent the lollypop gang ..the lollypop gang the lolly….

Posted by: wizardofoz | January 5, 2009, 8:16 am 8:16 am

Yea, W of Oz, I remember that song. What an old chestnut that one is, eh?!

Posted by: Tom Millar | January 5, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

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