Kudos to myiq2xu for coming up with that ad copy.
The Governor of Illinois sounds like he’s a bit tetched. He’s a megalomaniacal, power hungry, corrupt pol in deep, deep denial. His approval ratings are hovering right down there with George Bush. And he *knows* he may be recorded when he flat out asks for a quid for his pro quo. What made him so damn cocky? 
We have learned from years of the Whitewater investigation that where there’s smoke, there isn’t necessarily fire. It could very well be that Barack Obama had no interactions with his personal Jim McDougal regarding the disposition of his senate seat. But those of us who witnessed how the primary was stolen from Hillary Clinton already know how corrupt Mr. Obama is. A man who gets $600,000,000 in campaign contributions, some of them from untraceable pre-paid credit cards and manages to buy superdelegates to flip and whose campaign organization threatens various states to withhold funds from downticket races if their delegates don’t switch sides, has more than enough experience with buying his way to the top. Some stupid Obamaphiles and media types will say that’s just hardball politics and everyone does it. But when money and favors exchange hands in order to bump someone out of the way and gain you an undeserved advantage is viewed by the skeptical eye of Patrick Fitzgerald, it looks a lot like corruption- and it’s illegal.
Barack Obama is already as corrupt a politician as Rod Blagojevich. But as to *this* indictment, this is no failed real estate deal where innocent people are getting caught up in a political vendetta. This is the selling of a US Senate seat coming on the heals of one of the most brazenly corrupt primary and general election seasons I have ever seen in my life. And Patrick Fitzgerald is no Ken Starr but there is a very real possibility that in little more than a month from now, he could be out of work if Barack Obama chooses to replace him. Now why would he want to do that?
And Rod Blagojevich is a little bid mad, un poco loco en la cabeza, unpredictable and curiously reluctant to step aside during his indictment. Oh, the things he knows.
So far, the only good that seems to have come out of this is that Jesse Jackson Jr. will probably not be going to the Senate:
Even before Mr. Obama was elected president, Mr. Blagojevich was recorded telling an adviser on Oct. 31 that he was giving greater consideration to one candidate (described only as Senate Candidate 5) after an approach by “an associate” of that candidate who offered to raise $500,000 for Mr. Blagojevich, while another emissary of the Senate hopeful offered to raise $1 million. “We were approached ‘pay to play,’ ” Mr. Blagojevich said on a recording.
But prosecutors, who have made it clear that the investigation is continuing and who issued a plea on Tuesday for people to come forward with information, warned against drawing any conclusions about the true roles of candidates or anyone else in Mr. Blagojevich’s plans. And they emphasized repeatedly that the affidavit made “no allegations against the president-elect whatsoever.”
Several people among the half-dozen whose names have been suggested publicly as Senate possibilities did not respond to requests for interviews. Others, including Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr. and Mr. Jones of the State Senate, who has been one of Mr. Blagojevich’s few allies in Springfield, issued statements expressing shock over the accusations, but they did not answer requests for interviews.
“If these allegations are proved true, I am outraged by the appalling, pay-to-play schemes hatched at the highest levels of our state government,” said Mr. Jackson, who had openly expressed interest in Mr. Obama’s old job and who met with Mr. Blagojevich, whom he is not known to be close to, for 90 minutes on Monday afternoon to discuss the post.
Cry me a river, Mr. Jackson:
I guess we should be grateful that he only offered a bribe and didn’t threaten the state of Illinois with making their legislative agenda dead in the water if the governor didn’t appoint his niece.
Still, what goes around comes around.
Lest we forget
In other news, DeeDee Myers, President Clinton’s former press secretary, is pretty steaming mad over the Favreau picture:
What’s bugging me is his intention. He isn’t putting his hand on her “chest,” as most of the articles and conversations about the picture have euphemistically referred to it. Rather, his hand—cupped just so—is clearly intended to signal that he’s groping her breast. And why? Surely, not to signal he finds her attractive. Au contraire. It’s an act of deliberate humiliation. Of disempowerment. Of denigration.
And it disgusts me.
Oh, I know: If Hillary can get over it, why can’t I? Her spokesman, Phillipe Reinnes, tried to make light of the incident. “Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon’s obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application,” he told the Washington Post in an E-mail. Obviously, she has no interest in making a federal case out of this particular incident, particularly as both the Clinton and Obama camps work on letting bygones be bygones. She has to pick her battles, and for her this ain’t a hill worth dying on.
But there is a larger issue at stake. At what point does sexist behavior get taken seriously? At what point do people get punished in ways that suggest this kind of behavior, this kind of thinking, is unacceptable? At what point do we insist there will be consequences? Clearly, that didn’t happen during the recent presidential campaign, when Hillary was—as I guess she is now—fair game. The press, the pundits, and the public could say things about her (“She’s a shrew!”) and to her (“Iron my shirt!) that were over-the-top sexist—yet got almost no reaction.
Indeed, Ms. Myers, where do we draw the line and hold people accountable?
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON GROPERGATE!
1. Sign the Pumasphere Petition and Send it to Friends and Family:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Fire-Jon-Favreau/
2. Send an email to the obama transition team, demanding that Favreau resign!
vjarrett@barackobama.com
3. Call Transition Headquarters:
202-540-3000 press option # 2 for a live person
Filed under: Democratic Party, Politics | Tagged: Add new tag, Barack Obama's senate seat, Caroline Kennedy, corruption, DeeDee Myers, Hillary Clinton's senate seat, jesse jackson jr., Jon Favreau, Patrick Fitzgerald, rod blagojevich, Ted Kennedy |
The Confluence 
Did anyone see B0’s pathetic performance yesterday (sans teleprompter)? “I uh, didn’t uh, have any uh, contact with the Governor’s office.” I guess no one noticed for the last 2 weeks that Axlerove “misspoke” when he said that B0 and Blago had been in contact re: the Senate seat. When an alleged error is “corrected” 2 weeks later like that — and only after an obvious contradiction to the story comes to light — something is rotten in the state of Obamalot.
eek — I messed up the bold! sorry! (and good morning).
and, actually — have a good day — I’m off to work.
This video of JJJr still ANGERS ME!!
When will the Obama “double standard end”??
Obama lied about discussing his replacement’s appointment with Blago. He met with him on November the 5th to do just that.
Axelrod was being truthful for a change, when he stated such in his Novenber 23rd interview
Read Carol Sowers’ news article for Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. She delineates the meeting.
“Who will fill Obama’s senate seat?”
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=217582
The JJJr clip makes me so angry I can’t watch it all the way through.
Despicable, intentional dehumanization of Hillary.
I can see what my next post is probably gonna be – Digby and other progressive bloggers have already determined that Obama is innocent of all wrongdoing and any suggestion that he might conected to Blago is just sleazy “guilt by association” innuendo.
They haven’t played the racsim card yet but you know it’s coming.
I just cannot watch the video. Since when did showing emotion become “clever”?
The Blagojevich senate seat for sale, Kennedy using coercion to get his niece a senate seat, Obama intimidating to become the POTUS, the stolen elections in ’00 and ’04 make me wonder why we are in Iraq and Afghanistan. If democracy is for sale, then why should we be in another country supposedly fighting for freedom?
This is sad, just damn sad.
surely already posted, but just got done reading this article and the satisfying comments that follow.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/12/questions-arise.html
from the comments:
Have you even read the complaint? It’s posted on the Smoking Gun; paragraph 107, on page 68, summarizes the wiretapped conversation between the Governor and “Advisor A” to Obama, where the Advisor recommends setting up a job for Blago with the unions which “from the President-elect’s perspective” would have “fewer fingerprints” on it.
If people still don’t understand the reason why some of us chose to sit out the election or vote for McCain or a third party candidate then they are just dumb.
How can people not see what the Democratic Party has become. Even after 8 years of Bush and Obama not even in the White House yet, there is a huge scandal involving Obama, Axelrod, and Jesse Jackson Jr. as well as Ted Kennedy blackmailing people to get Caroline Kennedy in the Senate. WTF is going on with the Democratic Party?!
Anyone who thinks the Republicans can’t win in 2012 needs to wake up to the cold hard facts. The economy is in the toilet and will only get worse. And on top of that we have this PLUS the sexism that people like Carville thinks is acceptable.
If this scandal continues and Fitz finds more info that links Obama to the corruption (which he probably will), Obama can kiss 2012 goodbye.
Heidi Li was right all along. Obama is the next Nixon. No one should trust this guy EVER.
Now they’re saying Axelrod misspoke when he said Obama talked about the Senate with Blago:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/Aide_Ax_misspoke.html
Of course he misspoke- It’s a necessary job requirement when working for Obama.
All they do is misspeak!
I don’t know about the rest of you but I am sick to death of the continual bobbing and weaving by pundits when it comes to apologizing or explaining the latest wrongdoer caught with his “you know what’s” in a vice.
Believe me when I say I am not in favor of advocating these wrongdoers be placed in stocks or chained to a wall for the rest of their lives, merely that they receive the same treatment we afford a neighbor who is guilty of throwing their trash onto our front yard because they are too lazy to bag it.
I just listened to a smattering of conversation this morning and most of the pundits are in awe that Obama emerged from the slime of IL politics so “pristine”. They even are suggesting that he is “a breath of fresh air” by comparison to the likes of Blago and Rezko without once considering that he has done business with both and must surely have at least heard of their tarnished reputations long before today.
Moral outrage, as dictated by the fawning press, is not recommended. Instead we are treated to volumes of “what a great guy” the offender is and how much he deserves to be judged by his deeds and not so much by his words caught on tape. Just a misunderstanding.
These people are not our sloppy next door neighbor who lets his dog bark for hours on end. These are public servants entrusted with our taxes and propelled into leadership by our votes. We should expect more.
Favreau, although not an elected official, is being harbored and excused via his ties to Obama and we are told that his deeds are nothing more than playful after hour jokes. His actions are as easily dismissed by smirking talking heads who tell us to just “get over it” because after all, boys will be boys in the end and his reprehensible behavior must be judged in that light.
Moral outrage, or attacks on our sensibilities, are treated as if we are becoming unhinged if we question these tactics. The compass has been shattered. Complaining does us no good.
Obama has been let off the hook with his weak suggestions that these people and their behavior, beginning with the Rev. Wright trash talk, as those he hardly knows. How many times must we listen to these apologies before someone poses the question of his naivety or stupidity in gathering these morons into his circle?
This is a man awash in questionable campaign contributions, who slid onto the national stage with little or no experience, who has surrounded himself with people who themselves are covered in slime, yet the drumbeat remains that he is untouched by these associations.
It is long past time for the press to look a little beyond the awesomeness of Obama and judge him in the same manner that is expected by all who enlist our public trust. Until them my moral outrage will remain at high level. This guy does not pass my smell test.
It’s just too bad about the timing, since in a month Mr. O can, if he wants, fire Fitz. Still, that would have an uncanny resemblance to the Saturday night massacre, when Nixon fired the Watergate prosecutor. This thing should be fun to watch– a delight for satirists and political cartoonists everywhere.
I was wondering too if Jesse’s tears smell like # 5 – and not Chanel
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2008/12/10/will-jjj-candidate-5-get-to-analyze-his-own-tears/
Should Obama fire, or fail to renew Fitzgerald’s tenure in IL, say goodbye to the justice system as we know it. It was the Bush/Rove intent to appoint only those attorney’s viewed as “loyalists” and whose primary function was to punish Dems while looking the other way at Repub lawbreakers.
It would not surprise me to see this trend become part and parcel of the Obama administration. There is just too much out there – ACORN anyone? – that deserves closer scrutiny by an independent body to go untouched.
My cynicism is now reaching an all time high.
Pat J — I love it when your moral outrage is on high — it is entertaining to say the least — and it always right on the money.
B0 is the real “Bush Third Term” so I too expect Fitzy to be sending out his resume come January 21st. Funny how the guy who wasn’t afraid to go after Scooter Libby is now a hack to the fauxgressive blogoshpere
Since Obama was at the governors’ conference a couple of weeks ago, don’t you think it would have been pretty hard for him to avoid speeking to Blago there? Will the press keep ignoring Obama’s transparent lies no matter what happens?
bb — short answer — yes! as edge points out in a post on Not Your Sweetie B0 himself said he wasn’t going to be involved with the Senate seat in NY pick because he had enough to do handling his replacement in IL. Sounds like he himself admitted to working to pick his replacement to me — but then again, I think Axlerove didn’t misspeak a few weeks back — that damn common sense keeps interfering with the kool aid.
Good morning, all.
Heidi Li is fundraising in order to do a professional press release on the Favreau incident.
The info is at Heidi Li’s Potpourri-see link to the left.
I just sent her $25-money that would have been spent on an Obot’s Christmas gift.
The coal the Obot will get instead will only cost about a buck.
Thanks, Heidi Li!
I know it’s coming the no one has done more against corruption than Obama. How many incarnations of the WORM will we see? It is only a coincidence that in 2004 he gave a speech at the Dem convention and is now, four years later the President Elect who raised more money than any one else has in the history of Presidential elections. Just a coincidence, of course.
Bottom line is you lay down with dogs and you get fleas.
Obama would be insane to fire Fitzpatrick.
OTOH he can acheive the same effect by promoting him.
Well said, myiq.
Digby’s on her usual rant that it’s all “wingnut delusions,” with nary a mention of Michelle Obama’s immediate raise after Barak won senator, or Michelle’s placement on corporate boards she was not qualified to sit on (thus, Blago’s request for same for his wife).
Pay to play, eh?
Poor Digby. She’s getting analytically lazy.
Just M, on December 10th, 2008 at 8:28 am Said:
That is a great find, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that article mysteriously disappears sometime soon. It’s creepy how things vaporize or get “edited” (like myiq pointed about re: the Wikipedia entry on BO). I hope Fitzgerald has been busy taking screen shots and making hard copies.
FLV:
The NYT has a story claiming that the whole thing was caused by Obama calling Emil Jones and telling him to pass the new ethics legislation.
It takes effect Jan 1, so Blago was in a hurry to line his pockets before then.
I don’t recall hearing that story three months ago when Obama supposedly made the call.
Digby is just another one of those apologists who find nothing suspect in the Obamas rise to greater heights in IL. Whatever they did, whomever they sought out to enrich themselves, is a non issue. Instead, let us return to the Palin makeover for another round of faux outrage and hysterical hiccups.
Nothing to see here folks, just keep moving. Obama is here to save the world.
F*cking unbelievable!!!
myiq: OTOH he can acheive the same effect by promoting him.
There used to be a saying in Latin: promoveatur ut amoveatur.
“Let him be promoted so that he may be removed.”
Oh, and since I’m thinking about it: to all you Obot moonbats out there: when a high up spokesperson for B0 goes on the record nationally & “misspeaks” you don’t wait 2 weeks to correct that misstatement — you correct it right away. The fact that the B0 camp waited 2 weeks to crawfish about this (and only after Blago’s arrest) proves Axlerove was speaking the truth (for a change) when he said B0 had been talking to Blago about his replacement in the Senate. Yep, that means your Dear Leader is a lying liar & is up to his neck in trying to “buy” a Senate seat.
Re: candidate #5: Bob Beckel yesterday insinuated it was a businessman, but his comment could just be a way of deflecting attention away from current Democratic officeholders.
“History” can always be amended to suit Obama so why be surprised when things that supposedly happened in the past are now being touted as fact. One only has to bring forth his “great speech” condemning the war used as an example of his magnificent wisdom that most never heard until after the fact.
He is a phony, plain and simple.
angie:
You and I both know something about speakingh on behalf of clients.
You don’t say stuff unless you KNOW its true.
If you don’t know, you say “I don’t know, let me ask my client.”
Axelrod knows what time Obama takes a shit and what color it is. If He said Obama talked to Blago, Obama talked to Blago.
Of course Mr. ” We don’t need the people, we just need the checks” talked to Blago! Jeesh.
myiq2xu, on December 10th, 2008 at 9:59 am Said:
Axelrod knows what time Obama takes a shit and what color it is. If He said Obama talked to Blago, Obama talked to Blago.
well said! lol!
myiq — exactly right — I’m willing to bet good money that Axelrod wipes Obama’s ass for him too.
The Obots have already encircled their dear leader.
I was just informed that Obama had absolutely nothing to do with the Blago thing and the racists and the Republicans are unfairly smearing him.
Then the takes those “wipes” and sells them as “commemoratives”. There is a market for just about anything out there.
I knew it wouldn’t take long for them to play the race card.
Obama wipes his ass on campaign promises.
You gotta hand it to the Obots. The same mindset that got OJ off from a double murder charge that had produced his blood, their blood, and his shoeprints all at the scene of the crime.
Nothing to see here, move along!
Pat:
LAPD framed a guilty man
Their ears are closed.
Obama could murder someone on national television and they’d say he didn’t do it.
What will it take?
And this is OT but the local Reub committee just called to invite me to their Christmas social.
Just what I always wanted to do-go and party with the people who spit on me, swore at me, and tried to hit me with plastic crosses outside the Planned Parenthood clinic.
Not sure how to break it to them that my attendance is highly unlikely…
catarina: Ugh!!!!!
myiq: I would never argue with you since you view the verdict through the lens of a lawyer. But seen through the eyes of an ordinary citizen, the man was as guilty as sin.
Having said that, if the evidence was tainted by police corruption, the only sound verdict is acquittal since this is a distortion of justice and must not be tolerated even if the guilty go free.
The law is all we have.
Pat
I was thinking of doing a “chew and screw.
I could drop several bundles of pro-privacy literature on the buffet tables and then run like the devil to the getaway car..
catarina: I will be your driver. We can go to McDonalds after.
Obama shook hands with Blago at the governor’s conference. Just a tip for you, myiq2xu, but please give me credit if you find it. It figures this would break just when I’m on deadline to get my dissertation draft done….
Having said that, if the evidence was tainted by police corruption, the only sound verdict is acquittal since this is a distortion of justice and must not be tolerated even if the guilty go free.
Pat J — What the average citizen fails to understand is that being “Not Guilty” is not the same as being “innocent.” I agree with myiq on this — the LAPD framed a guilty man but I also agree the verdict was right for the exact reasons you lay out — and, in fact, the only thing that saddens me about the OJ verdict is the thought that all those similarly framed/railroaded people who don’t have the money to hire attorneys to force the LA prosecutors to prove their case end up with convictions.
I think Obama’s little trolls have scrubbed the internet of photos of him from that governor’s conference. I can’t find anything.
Angie:
Right now the Obamamedia thinks “not implicated” means “pure as the driven snow.”
The boldness of Blago’s request for a bribe suggests the other players were familiar with the game.
Catarina-hold your nose and be a mole!!!
You’ll be needed come 2012.
And anyway, for those of us who have never been to a Repub Xmas social , you can let us know what happens…
Repub Xmas social?
Avoid the Men’s room!
I’d use the ladies room or whizz outside in the bushes.
That’s my stance.
lol Pat and Laurie!
You’d need something stronger than a Mcmilkshake after hanging with these assholes. They are hard-core and their leader runs the local chapter of Concerned Women for America.
I went to the last meeting and I’m still traumatized.
There was lots of screaming about the Party getting back to it’s conservative roots and telling the world they are PRO-LIFE!
Oh, and them gays are going to bring about the ruin of America!
Silly me, I thought here in liberal MA things would be different.
These people are crazier than the southerners.
MYIQ!!!
Larry Craig doesn’t live in MA..
Lmfao
Hello all
bostonboomer.. saw this photo today while reading is it the one you are looking for??
A question no one with an “O” emblazoned on their foreheads can answer is, “How did Bladgojevich know all he could expect from the Lightbringer was f’ing appreciation?” Answer that one and the rest will answer itself.
soupcity — I really think that picture of B0 is perfect for him — see as he is shaking Blago’s hand he is looking over Blago’s shoulder trying to “better deal him” (i.e., see if there is someone more important in the room to grace with his presence) — that is exactly how I know B0 operates.
And yeah Obots — keep clinging bitterly to the notion that “not implicated” means “innocent” — I love to see dumbasses be forced kicking & screaming into the harsh light of reality.
Talking about Repubs I found this comment from parentofed which for some reason I pasted onto a file :
Where did all there money come from?
“whose campaign organization threatens various states to withhold funds from downticket races if their delegates don’t switch sides”
I didn’t hear about that little bit of extortion and intimidation. What are the sources for that?
We’re supposed to believe that Jackson met with this sleazeball for 90 minutes re: the Senate seat and the Gov. did not try to negotiate anything? It sounds like this guy tries to negotiate with the mailman to get something out of it for himself. It’s frustrating that Fitzgerald had to rush the indictment to prevent the Gov from making the appointment. If he’d listened in longer, no telling what gems he would have come up with.
And once again, the press is falling all over itself to exonerate Obama. “He said he didn’t talk to him, and I believe him.” Yea, and you also were eager to believe that he had NO IDEA what Wright’s sermons were really about, or what that scoundrel Rezko was up to. He rose out of this political cesspool in record time, and enjoyed a close long-term relationship with their mutual friend Rezko, and we’re supposed to believe his hands are clean? Yet another vivid example of what we have known to be true–it’s all for sale.
If the Gov is as relentless a dealmaker as he appears to be, I’m sure he’s already calculating the different bargains he can get if he sings like a canary–and I wonder what the Pres-Elect’s “associates” are willing to offer him to keep his beak shut.
Soup city,
Thank you!
I love to see dumbasses be forced kicking & screaming into the harsh light of reality.
lol angie! A new PUMA sport.
Another great one. RD, we do know it is corrupt. I think the FBI, given what that guy said about Illinois being about as corrupt as it gets, really needs to do an investigation of the dollars.
For me, one of the WORST things in this deal was how Blago tried to get the editors fired from the Tribune because they had been critical of him. With the way the press is in moguls hands — the brave, the few, the REAL journalists are what matter most.
Imagine if that story HADN’T broken?
We can’t afford to let the press go dark. Also, when moguls own the biggies like the TRIB and LAT — plus more? Bad move. The press sways elections — the press can back a candidate and not tell the whole story — same thing on TV. We have seen that happen.
But my sense is there is something huge about the donations.
Huge. And I don’t feel comfortable with this guy, RD. I don’t.
given the grim swamp he appears to have emerged from. They are unethical. And they are his colleagues.
I really don’t recall ever seeing ANYTHING this bad since Nixon and Watergate. That’s a lot of years. NQ had more and RBO had most of it. As an American, we need the CIA and the FBI on this like thye are. Otherwise? I have completely lost faith in our country — but, I have a sense the good guys will triumph, I really do.
Like the TRIB’s journalists. And the LAT’s.
Ugh.
hugs to all.
Fif,
Blagojevich has no choice except to talk. Can Obama get away with pardoning him right after he takes office? Usually pardons aren’t given until the end of a President’s term, and if he pardons Blago, he’ll also have to pardon Rezko. Even if the media goes along with it, will the Republicans?
fif,
For more on Kennedy’s shakedown of Paterson, see RD’s post from yesterday.
Prolix:
You are exactly right. It looks like it is in the charges that conversations were taking place. Precisely because Blago complained he couldn’t get money from O.
So my next question is, If O and/or his people were aware Blago was trying to extort money for O’s Senate seat, don’t they have an obligation to expose this?
O’s people cannot claim the high road because O wouldn’t give money for his choice. By remaining silent after he knew what Blago was doing, he was complicit in it.
O should be held accountable.
Yep, I woke up to Italian TV this morning, announcer reading a short two lines, that it had been confirmed that BO had nothing whatsoever to do with Blago.
In my humble opinion, neither Rezko nor Blago will implicate O. Though it would fill all my Christmas wishes if they did. It’s not likely because they will be wanting a pardon from this same President. And the only way to get one is not to implicate the hand that feeds you.
bb, he’s not gonna pardon the Blagman unless the latter had some nuclear secret on Obama. Even then, the pardon could be worse than the secret. The pardon power can be a dangerous thing to use, as Jerry Ford found out.
No, no, no. There’s not gonna be no early pardon– that’s not the barry *I* know– I think I know.
Obviously Axelrod and the transition team are lying now. One can misspeak a word, but not an entire sentence and the sentiment in it. And then if you do say something completely wrong – wouldn’t you realize it?
The idea that the President Elect – who is vacating a Senate seat – would have nothing to do with who fills that seat is preposterous. Of course Obama spoke to Blagojevich about who would replace him. Obama is the dog in charge! And he’s not going to get involved? Nonsense!
They even are suggesting that he is “a breath of fresh air” by comparison to the likes of Blago and Rezko without once considering that he has done business with both and must surely have at least heard of their tarnished reputations long before today.
Pat: remember that Rezko was widely known to be under investigation in IL when BO got his great real estate deal, and he said he “didn’t have any idea?” The deliberate denial of so many is very creepy. They refuse to see what is right in front of their faces. I shudder every time an old friend of mine–well-educated, sophisticated–responded to my challenge about Rev. Wright with “but he wasn’t IN church THAT day!”
bb: you should write a psychological study of Obot blindness.
Mlhath,
Perhaps they just hadn’t reached an acceptable price. This wasn’t their first time playing political e-bay.
love the hair, Pro-did you just have it done?
Cat,
It’s my holiday look — Carrottop doing the Steve Martin “Egyptian Dance.”
bb: I was asking about RD’s reference re: the refusal to grant money to downticket races in order to force delegates to switch their votes.
Prolix:
You are probably right again. Someone, if there is a journalist left alive in this country, needs to ask these questions.
While I have not seen the movie, I have seen clips of Frost/Nixon. I hope that all so called journalists will watch this movie to refresh in their memories what journalism is all about.
We are awash in cowards. And we are sinking.
I don’t envy Fitzgerald. He seems like a man of true courage and integrity, but imagine if he finds something and is forever known as the prosecutor who brought down the “first African-American president.” THAT would be someone to admire.
why doesn’t Blago resign already?
Mr. “nothing but sunshine” will have to be dragged off kicking and screaming.
Someone so foolish will be sure to implicate Obama and goddess knows who else.
re: Fitzgerald: what I mean (for all you lurking r*ce-baiters) is that it would take a tremendous about of fortitude to withstand the firestorm he will face if he is responsible for undoing Obama. They will try to destroy him. Just look at what they did to HRC & Palin for daring to even challenge him, let alone end his career.
Okay, I just read the indictment.
All the “Advisor A” and “Candidate 5” bullshit makes it hard to read but damn, Blago was stupid.
Fitzgerald is starring in his own Grisham docudrama — he’s living the prosecutor’s dream. Lucky for the rest of us he’s willing to do it.
At least one nearly certain consequence of this business is that Obama is going to be caught out in an obvious lie — namely that he never spoke to Blag about who might replace him.
Already, the Obama camp has refused to say anything about whether Obama has had discussions with Blag at all since the election. I can’t imagine that happening if Obama had not not done so — they would simply have asserted that he never had such discussions.
They will be pressed on this. It will be a matter of record (internal at least) as to whether such discussions took place. In the end, given the kinds of evidence that could be produced against them if they lied about it, I don’t see how they will get out of acknowledging such discussions.
And the next question will be, You mean you had discussions with Blag after the election, and the single most pressing issue going forward between the two of you — Obama’s replacement — never came up? And it never came up even when, of course, Blag himself could not have been more obsessed with the issue?
This will not play out well for Obama. Even before taking office, he’s going to be caught out in a major lie. And the question then will become: if Obama didn’t have something important he was hiding, why would he lie?
first president in history to take the oath of office and sign blanket pardons two minutes later
The O camp will be sending text messages to supporters, telling them to yell at people and “get in their faces”…
I can hear it now.
“but Obama sez he wasn’t involved, that’s been debunked!”
Has the Obama transition team appointed their WORM Czar yet?
We can’t afford to let the press go dark. Also, when moguls own the biggies like the TRIB and LAT — plus more? Bad move. The press sways elections — the press can back a candidate and not tell the whole story — same thing on TV. We have seen that happen.
—
Otherwise? I have completely lost faith in our country — but, I have a sense the good guys will triumph, I really do.
Like the TRIB’s journalists. And the LAT’s.
vbonnaire: I envy your optimism, but after this year, I do not share it. The press has ALREADY gone dark. The Trib & definitely the LAT have been completely complicit in the Obamamedia delusion. A couple of journalists have made attempts, but they are certainly not the loudest voices of either of these papers. I was amazed that all of the people who obviously know what has gone on in Chicago–especially re: Rezko and Pritzker–did not scream and yell during the primaries. For God’s sake, Obama funneled millions to Rezko for his private/public housing projects that ended up with 11 condemned buildings with no electricity and running water IN Obama’s district! His response? He “didn’t know.” That’s his answer to everything offensive and corrupt surrounding him: “I didn’t know.” Well, either he’s an idiot or a liar–neither qualify him for the presidency.
oh, and of course Ayers, Wright & Rezko…
daki: lol! WORM czar–that’s a keeper.
The main reason that I didn’t think that Rendell had made a sexist remark was that during the Plame investigation, I and most other liberals at Eschaton-sigh-were celebrating Patrick Fitzgerald for famously not being married and “not having a life” outside of his work. We were very happy that he was devoting all of his time to the case.
Further trouble for Obama.
Apparently, it’s been established that Candidate 5 — the one who was seeking to “pay for play” — is Jesse Jackson Jr (obviously, a major player in Obama’s campaign).
did we ever learn what triggered the arrest? What was the evidence that caused them to act and shut down?
Yep, Brian Ross at ABC is not putting up any caveats and declaring that JJJ is Candidate #5 (according to his sources). Goodbye Jesse!!!
woooh, watch fox, they’re bringing up the axelrod tape v the latest WORM!!!
From the FranklyO link:
You can’t make this stuff up.
It’s my best guess that JJJ has been offered “use immunity,” as opposed to transactional immunity which means he’s not off the hook by a long shot.
the axelrove said Obama talked to the Governor about the position … they’ve got the tape and the WORM on right noWWW
I really admire Patrick Fitzgerald more and more. Seems liek a real straight arrow. I bet he’s equally hated by both Rove & Axelrod — gotta hand it to him!
I sure hope he knows better than to fly on small aircarft, or do anything even faintly scandalous.
votermom> I was thinking the same thing about Fitz. We in NY thought Spitzer was a smart guy as well! And he did a lot of good things by trying to clean up Wall Street. And then this hooker thing came along… I hope Fitz is smarter that Spitz!!
my prostitute-loving senator is on tv threatening a fillabuster on the auto bailout
but Fitzgerald is practically a priest…ohshit, never mind…
LOL
DYB — I was thinking of Spitzer. So convenient that he was disgraced before the public Wall Street meltdown.
(I don’t know if ted Kennedy would have found it easy to intimidate him into picking Princess Caroline.)
Mlhath — you are reading too much into it to say B0 didn’t want to pay for the seat — the truth is B0 didn’t want to pay for the seat UP FRONT. Blago wanted $ & a an appointment as Sec. of HHS — B0 wanted to get his wife some lucrative jobs on cushy boards instead so that his (B0’s) “fingerprints would not be on it” (words of Advisor to President elect in indictment).
votermom> It’s hard to tell yet what Paterson is made of. I just wish he’d make the decision, announce it, and be done with it. But Teddy couldn’t have shaken down Spitzer, that’s for sure.
catarina> That’s hilarious!
myiq — I also hated the damned all cap’s for Blago’s name ROD BLAGOJEVITCH. ROD BLAGOJEVITCH! Ugh! my eyes are practically crossed at this point.
When I see these fools, all I can think of are cockroaches…..the light hits them and then they all scurry back to their hiding places…..no wonder America is breaking down.
Psstt: i think they’re getting so brazen that they don’t even scurry back to their hiding places … they just stand out there in the light and dare some one to try to step on them !
maybe I’m getting jaded because my current congressman in underindictment, my state senator just resigned underindictment and one of my city councilman and a huge part of the school board is sitting in jail now too … and that’s just the last three years down here in New Orleans!
You know what I’m waiting for?
“Hillary is doing/would have done the same thing by preventing Caroline Kennedy from getting her Senate seat.”
Watch for it right after the r*ce card.
They are so predictable, and so mindblowingly stupid.
look Dollar Bill ran for re-election and so did Stevens … I’m suprised Randy Duke Cunningham isn’t putting himself back on the ballot again …
Sweet Sue — Patrick Fitzgerald (who, btw, is my FUTURE LOVER) isn’t married? Oh Thank you Lord — I thought we were going to have to run around behind his wife’s back — now we only have to run around behind Pat J’s.
Kat – don’t forget my personal fave, Tom Delay!
I feel like Rezko is the Jack Abramoff of Chicago. His testimony will bring down a lot of Chicago politicians, including (possibly) Barack Obama.
Paterson won’t announce a replacement for Hillary until she resigns.
If Obama hadn’t been so intent on quitting the Senate, this wouldn’t have reached this level of urgency.
madamab> This will all be Hillary’s fault, you’ll see!
plural – Obama had to resign so that he wouldn’t be forced to take any positions on the controversial bailout bill, or use his influence to make anything happen before the inauguration.
At all costs, Obama must avoid taking a stand. It’s the only thing he knows how to do – well, that, and schmoozing.
Hello,
Dropping in very briefly on a break in the workday. Had to tell folks here:
thank you for your donations to 51 Percent initiative to publicize and educate folks about why employees like Mr. Favreau do not belong in a presidential administration (people’s inability to understand this being, apparently, virtually unlimited).
Because of the Conflucians, we’ve cracked the 300 dollar mark, toward the first benchmark of $510. Please spread the word if you can. The main post is at the top of my blog; direct link is http://tdg.typepad.com/heidi_lis_potpourri/2008/12/51-percent.html.
We raised this money in less than 24 hours. I am positive we can raise what is necessary for the right launch.
DYB – I’m just waiting for the IACF. I’m sure it’s coming from a Cheeto, a Sully or an Aravosis really soon.
Angie, does My IQ know about this?
Time for lunch – later, all!
madamab, right. Also, I believe I heard they wanted his replacement to have seniority over other incoming senators.
But Gawd forbid he should have to take a stand on something.
I can’t help being amused by the people who express surprise that the Chicago machine is really that: a Tammany Hall style anti-democratic way to operate politics. People keep telling me they thought it was “just an expression.
Heidi: Hi! Good to read you! Living down here in New Orleans and having daily experience with all of this, NOTHING suprises me from Chicago! I’m just wondering how much Nixonian obscuration we’re going to see trying to stop this from coming back to Oblablah
maybe Jon F can get some pointers from the “I am not a crook” speech!
MyIQ- I thought the same devious thing. Promoting Fitz would possibly let him off the hook.
plural, on December 10th, 2008 at 12:25 pm Said:
Paterson won’t announce a replacement for Hillary until she resigns.
If Obama hadn’t been so intent on quitting the Senate, this wouldn’t have reached this level of urgency.
Oh wouldn’t it be sweet, sweet justice if Obama’s reluctance to actually take a stand and vote on the bailout (which is why he resigned) be the start of his downfall?
votermom — there is no ring on this finger — besides, I can handle both myiq & my Fitzy.
angie: yes, and he wanted to make all those appointments from behind his spiffy podium with that official looking neopossum seal and ALL those flags … actually having to work just would cramp his practicing all those teleprompter speeches he’s so good at
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: President-elect Obama’s nearest political relative is indeed Richard Nixon. Nixon should be an object lesson for those who think that so long as you end up in office, how you get there does not matter. It took years for Nixon’s dirty tricks to bring him down, but when he was brought down it was because he was the President of the United States and a common crook – he did many more immoral things than orchestrate the Watergate break-in, but what people could not stand was that a) he was, when it came down to it, no different than a petty thief and b) a blatant liar. It is the simple vices that sicken people.
Help: I have a comment that got routed to moderation. Will somebody rescue it? I don’t *think* it violates any norms for the threads here.
Obama doesn’t want to talk about details in an “ongoing investigation” —Who does that sound like?
Hi Dakinkat:
Good to hear from you.
The new excuse about Gov. Bl…. of Illinois is that he’s crazy; just like the excuse for Favreau is that he was having a boys will be boys moment.
Ick.
You go, Angie!
PS If you & Fitzy tie the knot, can y daughter be flower girl?
heidi: i can’t pull it out, but I read it and agree …
fif, I can’t count the times I linked to Evelyn Pringle’s investigative piece “Barack Obama: Operation Board Games For Slumlords” during the primaries and general election. But the obots either completely ignored the links or accused me of linking to right wing sites. Dissident Voice is a right wing site???
This is how Pringle winds up her article: “A month ago, a friend of mine who knew I did not think Obama was qualified to be president, asked me what I would do if he was nominated. I replied that I would vote for him of course, what a dumb question. No more. After a month of research, I could no more support Barack Obama as the leader of this country than I could support another war profiteering Republican.”
SourceLink
Talk about your December surprises.
angie, you tramp, you!
*im jealous!*
Dakini, all the MA pols are going to the Big House, too. So maybe I am also jaded.
Last night I heard on the news that MA might “switch back” to letting the governor appoint Ted Kennedy’s replacement instead of holding a special election.
The governor previously appointed senators here but the legislature
didn’t want Romney to appoint any Repubs-so they “switched”.
And now they want to “switch back.”
WTF!
I wonder who will buy Teddy’s seat. Of course, Patrick will defer to O’s wishes on this one.
Ok, a redacted version:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: President-elect Obama’s nearest political relative is indeed Richard Nixon. Nixon should be an object lesson for those who think that so long as you end up in office, how you get there does not matter. It took years for Nixon’s tricks to bring him down, but when he was brought down it was because he was the President of the United States and a common crook – he did many more immoral things than orchestrate the Watergate break-in, but what people could not stand was that a) he was, when it came down to it, no different than a petty thief and b) a blatant liar. It is the simple vices that sicken people.
President-elect Obama’s nearest political relative is indeed Richard Nixon. Nixon should be an object lesson for those who think that so long as you end up in office, how you get there does not matter. It took years for Nixon’s tricks to bring him down, but when he was brought down it was because he was the President of the United States and a common crook – he did many more immoral things than orchestrate the Watergate break-in, but what people could not stand was that he was, when it came down to it, no different than a petty thief and a blatant liar. It is the simple vices that sicken people.
voter mom — start buying your flower girl dress! LOL
New post up on Blagojevich and Obama!
I recommend that people read this post, which shows how problematic Obama’s denial is likely to be for him. It provides a detailed timeline.
As the post finishes with saying, it’s not the crime, it’s the coverup.
I’m pretty sure that Fitz is married .. .. not too very long ago …
Briana — his being married doesn’t interfere with his being my FUTURE LOVER — I wasn’t the one who wanted to make it “legal” — I will wait until after he takes B0 down though if he is because I don’t want anything to distract from his current project.
Lurking
The Obots are truly brainwashed, nothing seems to faze their worship of him. He could dunk a baby in turd soup and they would say it is a new way to soften skin.
Catarina: Not all southerners are crazy.
TRK
I know!
Just the repub preacher baptists and the people who voted for Obama!
The major issue facing Obama’s camp now is: are they going to be upfront with who contacted Blag and when? If they instead play the “it’s an ongoing investigation, and we can’t comment” game, how are they going to pretend to be different from Bush?
And of course this last play will then be a further litmus test from how much KoolAid poisoning an Obama supporter has suffered. If they now support Obama’s stonewalling in the exact same way that Bush stonewalled, then the brain damage is irreversible.
does Obama’s senate seat even have any butt marks on it?
dakinikat, on December 10th, 2008 at 12:34 pm Said:
maybe Jon F can get some pointers from the “I am not a crook” speech!
My monitor took a hit when I read that!
Bravo for the concise connection. 🙂
J.J. Jr. not going to the Senate! That alone would be worth all the drama going on here. I saw his speech on Fox a few minutes ago. All bluster and garbage. Would love to have heard him in private.
“For Sale- Senate Seat, like new, barely used”
Possibly the funniest headline I have seen all year-
and oh so true!
Just M — the link has been changed, vaporized, as expected.
“December 10th, 2008 at 8:28 am Said:
Obama lied about discussing his replacement’s appointment with Blago. He met with him on November the 5th to do just that.
Axelrod was being truthful for a change, when he stated such in his Novenber 23rd interview
Read Carol Sowers’ news article for Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. She delineates the meeting.
“Who will fill Obama’s senate seat?”
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=217582
######
THE LINK MENTIONED…..HAS NO INFORMATION ON THE SOWERS ARTICLE. The page has a huge blank space. !!!!!!!!