Obama And Blagojevich: Obama's Response?
Okay, here's your Blagojevich thread. As you may have heard by now, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested today on charges he tried to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat.
According to today's pool report, Obama canceled an FBI briefing today, perhaps because of the news, and it's known that top Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett -- a.k.a. "Senate Candidate 1," in the indictment -- is at the center of the case, though there's no suggestion of any wrongdoing on her part. From the indictment:
In a conversation with Harris on November 11, the charges state, Blagojevich said he knew that the President-elect wanted Senate Candidate 1 for the open seat but "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them."
In other words, the Obama team wouldn't play. The Obama transition has yet to respond to the story or detail how much Obama and his advisers knew about the probe into the Illinois governor. A reader suggests a two-tiered response for Obama:
1. I'd hope that Obama will issue a public request for Blago to resign without making a Senate appointment.2. I think one of Obama's best personal PR moves would be to announce that he will request Patrick Fitzgerald to stay on as US Attorney in Chicago.
I wondered why Valerie Jarrett withdrew her name from consideration. Now we know.
The complaint states clearly that Obama and his crew told Blagovich to buzz off when he tried to shake them down for appointing Jarrett, yet wingers are saying "see, I told you Obama was corrupt." Talk about wishful thinking.
December 9, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, wishful thinking just about sums it up.
December 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
It may be awhile until we have a Senate appointee from IL. What's the precedent for this kind of indictment in the replacement of a Senator going on to greener pastures? I cannot think of any so big.
Blagojevich must have thought himself bulletproof to play with this.
December 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, this will be a favorite subject for tinfoil hat types over the next eight years. How Obama is so corrupt, not even a US citizen, etc etc.
I don't run into many wingers, but the other day there was this old fool spouting off in front of the local cafe. Going on and on about how the US is becoming "socialist" and such. A real crank. Even his friend (son?) who looked to be about 40ish kept disagreeing with him kinda hopelessly.
Worst of all, the guy clearly has some major lung/throat problems, maybe cancer. His skin was almost green, and his voice was almost voice box raspy. Through the whole tirade, he's chain smoking and coughing.
Ugh. On one hand I try and feel pity and compassion. On the other hand, wonder how many people this guy has screwed over the years from being such an a-hole.
December 9, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where in the complaint does it state such?
There is, as far as I've yet determined, only Blagojevich's recorded conversation, as quoted in the report above, opining that
You comment and this comment in the above report
imply that Obama was asked to "play" or otherwise had knowledge of the governor's pay for play efforts.
I haven't run across anything in the complaint which indicates that Obama, or anyone on his team, were aware of what the governor was up to.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I certainly could have missed something.
December 9, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Blagojevich, [Expletive] you. What a malicious prick.
December 9, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
He should make Fitzgerald deputy ag at least. Why are these political crooks soooo stupid? Unbelievable. It is refreshing that obama is totally above this bs. You know rove would have had the king knee deep in the muck if this situation arose during the king's transition.
December 9, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Promote Fitz? Hell yeah. He's just the kind of guy you want in the Justice Department.
Seriously, though. Blago has got to be the dumbest criminal on the face of the Earth. Shake down the President-Elect of the United States for a bribe? You have got to be kidding me! I wouldn't be surprised if Team Obama blew him in.
December 9, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a "throwing under the bus" I can believe in!
December 9, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn straight. What a dummy move.
December 9, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol.
December 9, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
He can't because it would look like he's pulling Fitzgerald out of Chicago to take him off the trail of the corruption.
Obama better know that all his Chicago staffers are clean - coming up with Blago as Governor and Daley as Mayor...
December 9, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent point. I didn't think of it that way.
December 9, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
RoBo-Gate?
December 9, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is effing disgusting.
December 9, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, come to think of it, Obama has been totally distancing himself from the appointment since the day after the election. He must have gotten the shake down right away and wanted to distance himself as far as possible from this buffoon. He had the same mantra that he was not going to get involved and that it was solely up to the gov/criminal to make the decision without any input from him.
December 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Come to think of it, you are right. I bet most politicians in IL had an inkling what kind of governor that they have there.
December 9, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
As an Illinois resident I wanted to say- I hope they fucking crucify Blagojevich. He is a crook. Literally.
I am ashamed to have him as my governor and for him to try to sell Obama's vacant seat while every single person in Illinois knew it was just a matter of time before he was indicted, speaks to the stupidity he possesses.
Send him up the river. For good.
December 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
So who was the last governor of Illinois who wasn't indicted for public corruption?
December 9, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
ZING!
My state has been off the hook ever since Rell took over...and the odds of her being indicted on something are about the same as me winning the megamillions drawing....
December 9, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, buy your ticket in Greenwich. People line up around the block for powerball tickets at that newsstand near the Metro North station; they must sell wining tickets!
December 9, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
(winning)
December 9, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Question: assuming Blago approached the Obama team with a pay-to-play proposition (which they obviously rejected as per page 8 of the indictment) did they have a duty to inform appropriate authorities of the proposed shakedown?
December 9, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. However, I bet the shakedown wasn't as black and white as it is indicated in the indictment. It was probably along the lines of gee, I would like to appoint who you want and by the way chicago needs a new sports complex, whatta ya think of that. Answer. That's nice not interested.
December 9, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I doubt there was quite such an obvious quid pro quo. If there was any exposure you can bet your ass Obama's legal team would have been all over it. No way they make that kind of Bush league mistake.
December 9, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since the Gov was never high on the Holy O's list, I'll bet it was his camp who tipped off the feds, even if he had no legal obligation to do so. It would be the politic thing to do. A president elect ought not to be found anywhere near such slimy stuff, or giving such pandering a knowing wink either.
I have issues with Obama, true enough, but his lack of criminal inclination isn't one of them. Selling an office is just the sort of thing to throw him into reverse gear at high speed. He'd want to clear the road of the unnecessary obstacles in the future, too. I think that's just what he did.
December 9, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
My guess would be that they knew that they wouldn't need to--the guy's been under investigation for three years and knew his phones were tapped. The hubris approaches Bush/Cheney proportions!
December 9, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now that's a touchy question! How would it look if a newly elected President goes to the feds a few days after the election to report he's being shaked down by the Governor about who to nominate for his vacant Senate seat.
December 9, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it would look like someone doing his legal duty. Is there something "touchy" about that?
December 9, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Touchy = a lit firecracker with a short fuse that's big enough to take out a few fingers if not handled right.
This whole episode has the makings of a staged drama to corral P.E. Obama in a scandal before inaugration - my opinion. I think Obama handled it correctly, however, the MSM and sour-pussed repugs will make it some kinda of -gate thingy just to satisfy their hatred of losing this election and place a blackmark on this Administration before it gets off the ground.
December 9, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe, but a quick look at headlines reveal it's all Blago, and no Obama. If you wanted to throw a damper on the inauguration, wouldn't it be more effective to wait until the week before to arrest him? It'd be a two-fer. The appointed Senator, and Blago, just as Obama is about to take the oath of office.
(Yes, I'm in tinfoil hat territory, and I LIKE IT!!)
December 9, 2008 12:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
What makes you think they didn't?
December 9, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
-32 days in office and he has his first potential scandal...a new record!
December 9, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's not in office yet.
December 9, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Finally a real man!
December 9, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Real American/Man!
December 9, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's why I said -(negative)32 days in office, Jan 19th is -1.
December 9, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
What scandal would that be, Sarge? Formerly occupying a Senate seat that a corrupt governor is trying to sell?
December 9, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
How about posting a link to the "indictment".
As far as I am able to determine Blagojevich and Harris were arrested pursuant to a "criminal complaint" and have not been indicted by a grand jury.
I would like to read the indictment. I have read the portions of the 76 page criminal complaint, widely reported by the media as an "indictment", relating to the appointment of a senator.
December 9, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lord have mercy, just when I had reached the point where I thought that Blagojevich could not become any bigger an embarrassment to the IL Democratic Party, he goes and proves that he can be more obnoxious yet. I hope that he and George Ryan are assigned as cell-mates, so that folks can look at the photos of that scene (Blago and Ryan together stamping license plates) next time they go to the polls.
December 9, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
You gotta love Crook County Politics...lol
December 9, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in chicago, here is my view on what to expect to happen next:
whoever is senate candidate 5, find a lawyer, a good one...
...word is it is Jesse Jackson Jr.
Luis Gutierrez and Jarret were the only two to state that they are not intrested in becoming senator....who tipped them off?
....Pat Quinn (will be our new gov)he is respected and very electable. Lisa Madigan, our ag, who wanted to run for gov will not be able to challenge him...
...expect her to become the next senator of Illinois...she has distanced herself from Blago for many years, the two hate each other.
December 9, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guessed as much regarding Candidate #5 being Jackson because that person was promising to raise a lot of money...
December 9, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
That sounds right to my ear. Quinn will make a fine governor (or at least a great improvement over Blagojevich). Madigan would also have made a fine governor, but if the good folks of IL send her to the Senate instead, that would not be a bad thing. The important thing is that Blago will be gone (although I would rather he could have left quietly, instead of taking himself out in a blaze of corrupt idiocy).
December 9, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
There will be more, lots more on this.
And there will be two sides told as in all stories.
And it will not surprise me when Obama is labeled a snitch.
And it will not surprise me when Obama's camp is found to have been "negotiating" for the seat but wouldn't accept the final "terms".
Is this Obamagate or is that still to come?
December 9, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
No doubt it will not surprise you, because you will be the one doing the labeling (oh my, it looks like you already have).
Duly noted.
See above.
December 9, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Makes one wonder if the governor wasn't bought off by sour-pussed repugs aiming to nail Obama to a scandal cross before inauguration day so to toss out the election results in favor of McCain.
December 9, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blago was quoted from the wiretap as saying, "They wouldn't offer me anything except appreciation. Fuck them." Shortly afterwards, Valerie Jarrett withdraws her name from consideration.
You're going to have a tough time getting Obamagate out of that, my friend.
December 9, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Little niggling details like reality will never stop tellmemore.
December 9, 2008 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nor will it stop a nation of rightwingers and republicans of the same type who worked for eight years to sink Clinton.
I hope we get to hear a tape of the "fuck them" quote, over and over. There will probably be other evidence that Obama stayed clean in this mess.
December 9, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bah, no feat of confabulation is impossible for the Denizens of Hillaryis44 and Townhall.com.
December 9, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Still, the repugs will use it as a rallying point to say Obama is corrupt and that he didn't make an issue of it when it occurred. In reality, Obama did the right thing. However, since repugs have no concept of reality, it'll be the scandal that marrs this Administration from the get-go. That's why I suspect the governor was on the take with the repugs.
December 9, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really am not worried about a "scandal that mars the new administration" cause I do not think it's there.
I heard the same shit about Rezko. Nothing happened because Obama is clean.
And that's exactly how this played = Obama didn't play. Now I don't give a damn what the Minority = the Repugs - try to make out of anything.
Nobody much does, beetlejuice.
December 9, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since any "Obamagate" will be nothing but a creation of wingnut imagination, like all the Clinton "scandals," I suppose you'll have to tell us.
December 9, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Word.
Who cares what the Repugs say? They also say: See, we can still win! cause they won the runoffs in Louisiana and in Georgia.
They are deluded, they are the minority and they aren't being listened to because voters already made up their minds about the Repugs - and rejected them, their message and their lies.
December 9, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was that "imaginary" DNA on the chubby intern's dress?
December 9, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, one more (and hopefully LAST) time...
Blow jobs are not crimes. Nor are they betrayals of public trust. So, to recap: on the one hand...blow jobs. On the other...crime.
Blow jobs...crime.
Blow jobs...crime.
Your welcome.
December 9, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
...no one said "crime" the term used was scandal...was playing hide the cannoli with the intern scandalous? Was staring into the camera and saying:
"Now, I have to go back to work on my State of the Union speech. And I worked on it until pretty late last night. But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people. Thank you."
scandalous?
Was parsing the meaning of "is" in front of a grand jury scandalous?
December 9, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
You really want to go there, asshole? You want to put that up against "can't tell the difference between Saddam and al-Qaeda"? "Saddam wouldn't let the inspectors in"? Lying to our troops such that a lot of them believed they were in Iraq to get the people who attacked us on 9/11? (You can pretend Bush and Cheney didn't lie about that, but you'll have to do a lot more parsing than "the meaning of is.") Declaring "we do not torture" and declaring Abu Ghraib to be the work of "a few bad apples" who were hung out to dry while covering up high-level meetings approving techniques that are torture by the international standards we are signatory to? Promising to investigate the treasonous outing of a CIA agent with a long career in counter-proliferation, an issue he claimed was the gravest danger when he wanted to frighten us, and further promising that anyone involved would no longer work in his administration, and then producing no evidence that any such investigation had ever taken place, and effectively revising "involved" to mean "convicted"? Really?
Fine.
Yes, the Lewinsky scandal was a manufactured right-wing outrage, just like all the others. Starr had no experience as a prosecutor, and pursued actions that would have resulted in disciplinary action if he had been a real prosecutor in a real court, including prosecuting over testimony in a dismissed civil suit (perjury must be material, not just untruthful), in addition to regularly leaking salacious details to the press to keep interest alive, following ludicrously tenuous connections from the matters he was charged to investigate in a search to find something that Clinton was guilty of, and his refusal to exonerate Clinton in the many matters he could not obtain evidence for, and including copious embarrassing but immaterial testimony in his final report. Money was paid by right-wing billionaires who had published articles about their determination to find Clinton wrongdoing to several figures in return for their speaking out against Clinton, which helped fuel the "scandal." No action by the Clintons or anyone in their administration resulted in any charges, and many of the same Republican leaders who expressed such outrage that the president told a lie (the ones who didn't resign in disgrace because they were soon revealed to by hypocritical liars themselves) expressed equal outrage that anyone should question the truthfulness of President Clinton's successor, and those who did were sullying the Office of the President and borderline treasonous.
(And we'll never know what harm was done to our counterterrorism efforts by the constant distraction of these cynical attacks, and the braying that Clinton's actions against al-Qaeda were "wag the dog" to distract from Lewinsky.)
So yes, completely manufactured. If Starr had had to come before the country (instead of the Republican Congress) and say "I'd like to spend $60 million to expose the president for lying about his sex life," we would have thought he was nuts. If every president were assigned an investigator to dig through his past to find anything he might have done wrong, and a Congress partisan enough to impeach for any infraction, no matter how minor or completely unrelated to the conduct of his office, then every one of our presidents would be impeached.
And finally, to dispel any suggestion that this "scandal" was a popular outrage rather than a manufactured one, Clinton's approval rating climbed pretty steadily throughout the Whitewater investigation, and he left office with a higher approval rating than Reagan.
December 9, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Press conference at noon should be interesting.
December 9, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or is this Obamagate:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/18/whistleblower-hits-obama-friends-appraisal/
Shades of Duke Cunningham.
December 9, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if the Washington Times says it, it must be true (or something like that)...
December 9, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Complaint has been filed. It is true. Now what?
December 9, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Now what?" Answer: Nothing. Obama is not involved/connected in the least. Per Blago's comment!
Sorry, you lose yet again! Got a nice losing streak going there, sport. :-)
December 9, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
What part of this, from the article, can't you comprehend?
The charges did not involve Mr. Obama
December 9, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
In what respect CT Voter?
December 9, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
ha!
December 9, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't find that amusing.
December 9, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was clearly a payoff to Obama just like the Duke Cunningham deal. Obama gets property below market value in lieu of a bribe.
Just like Cunningham. This one still has legs and it may dovetail with the Blago investigation. We're talking about Chicago afterall.
Stay tuned.
December 9, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your reading comprehension leaves much to be desired.
That, or you're delusional. Definition of a delusion: maintaining a belief despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The charges did not involve Obama
December 9, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
He also palled around with terrorists who targeted their own country.
December 9, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe after all the other courts dismiss it as frivolous, Clarence Thomas will get the Supreme Court to take it up?
December 9, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever, the msm is going to love it!!! They will eat this shit up for days!!!
Heavy distraction for a new administration. Sad.
December 9, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since Palin is no longer a newsworthy subject, the MSM has to go back a do some more bottom fishing hoping to find something disgusting to talk about.
December 9, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ask Fitz to stay on? Heck, the way I look at it Fitz all but insured he would be a hold over because no way Obama dares get rid of him. I read the whole affidavit of the investigator that is on the Chi Trib site and Rezko's name is all over it, plus a whos who of Chicago. Obama would look like he is trying to deep six an investigation if he gets rid of Fitz now.
December 9, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fitzgerald is extremely professional. I have no doubt he will submit his resignation in the normal fashion at the beginning of the new administration (unlike one of the Bushie replacement USAttys who says she's going to fight to stay.) At which point I expect Obama will either reappoint him or find a higher-level position for him. He'll be another like Shinseki -- a slap in the face to the conduct of the Bush Administration, but so obviously competent and dedicated that no one can claim that was the main reason he was appointed. (I would have loved to see him as AG, but you can't have everything, I guess.)
December 9, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not just Fitz. Don't forget about Iglesias and Lam. These two fired USAs showed that they valued the law above partisanship. Any of those three would make a good Deputy AG. And the other two deserve to be reappointed as USAs.
December 9, 2008 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is fucking outrageous. And a huge fucking distraction. Luckily our attention span is short and in a couple weeks, it will NFL playoff time!
December 9, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is a distraction. We could be talking about this, instead:
MINNEAPOLIS โ Idaho Sen. Larry Craig has lost his latest attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in a Minneapolis airport men's room sex sting.
A three-judge panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected the Republican's bid to toss out his disorderly conduct conviction.
December 9, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
Toe-tapping Larry!
December 9, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've always assumed Obama would keep Fitzgerald on. He is the epitome of a tough politics-neutral watchdog (in the Tom Sullivan tradition), and as solid as they come.
As for Senate Candidate 5, it's wishful thinking to expect it to be JJJr. He's not his father, thank heavens. More likely Gutierrez, especially in light of recent Trib headlines about his real estate dealings. Pay-to-play's not far from his world, and promising to raise 0.5 mil is within his grandiosity. Make your bets, folks!
December 9, 2008 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
this from marc ambinder:
Who might this person be?
From the context, it's probably Jesse Jackson. Jr.
"Later on December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he was "elevating" Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with
Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH with something
"tangible up front." ROD BLAGOJEVICH noted he was going to meet with
Senate Candidate 5 in the next few days."
The only candidate with whom Blagojevich met within that period was Jesse Jackson, Jr.
December 9, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
And is Jesse Jr. really that stupid?
December 9, 2008 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
His dad is...
December 9, 2008 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I was Obama (which Iโm not) Iโd appoint Fitz as the IG over at Justice and let him go to work ferreting out all the crap the Bushies have concocted during the past eight years. And Iโd let him suggest his own replacement. Given the absolute stupidity of the political criminal class in Illinois, any competent, honest prosecutor will have plenty to do for decades to come. The whole nation is in need of Fitzโs bulldogedness at this point in our history.
December 9, 2008 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
right on. plus, seeing tellmemore tied into even more gordian knots over obama "co-opting" fitz would be most entertaining. "obamagate" man, that's rich.
December 9, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good thing that comes out of this whole thing is if his conversations were recorded then it will be easy to dismiss Obama and his team of any wrong doing.
December 9, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
While I think it's likely Blago is guilty, my paranoid side is suspicious about the timing of this in relation to Blago's call for the state to cancel BoA business in response to Republic Windows & Doors' line of credit cancellation. And the scandal now places a cloud over the Obama Admin right from the start. Not for rational people. You and I know it's bullshit. But it nicely serves as a launching pad for 4 years of nonsense from conservatives.
And speaking of paranoid, I'm also suspicious of the timing of the Guantanamo guilty pleas. Why wouldn't they just wait another month to see what changes? And all five at the same time? How convenient for Bush.
December 9, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I might be suspicious if it wasn't Pat Fitzgerald. He prosecuted Scooter LIbby and refused to be involved in any politically-motivated Bush shenanigans; it's just inconceivable that he would go along with such a thing in the final month.
December 9, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I the only one who was underwhelmed with the Plame investigation? He only got Libby on lying. And for the rest of them, he basically threw up his hands and said, "well, no one's fessing, so I guess we'll never get to bottom of it."
Color me unimpressed.
December 9, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
From what I've heard bouncing around the media, they're changing they're pleas now so that they can claim full martyr status and cover themselves with "glory" while tarring the Bush administration with more ignominy. They can't take the chance that the Obama administration will be (more) fair and just, and may actually accord them an honest to goodness trial. If their condition improves, they can't be heroic.
December 9, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
(speaking of ignominy)
"...they're changing their pleas..."
December 9, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama better have went to Fitzgerald when Blago was putting out feelers to "pay to play". I can't believe he wouldn't have though. Jarrett ran away from the thought pretty quickly.
Funny as hell that Blago thought he could trade the Senate seat for a Cabinet Spot - HHS or Energy even mentioned.
December 9, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blago seems pathologically stoooooopid to have entertained any of this.
December 9, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unless Blago blatantly offered something for something in return, Obama was under no obligation to tell anyone anything, Jonze.
And I doubt there was a clearcut bribe offer. There's nothing to report to anyone if there wasn't.
December 9, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spoken like a former Defense Attorney;0) He might not have any legal obligation, but I hold President-elects at a higher standard, and if he got whiff that Blagojevich was selling his Senate seat to the highest bidder he better have reached out to Fitzgerald, rather than just pulling Jarrett away and putting his head in the sand.
December 9, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looking at this chronology now is a lot more interesting now that we know an auction was going on:
11/7 2:09 P.M.
President-elect Barack Obama discussed the selection of his successor in the Senate at his first post-election news conference Friday.
While reiterating that it is "the governor's decision," and not his own, Obama said that the "criteria I would have for my successor would be the same criteria I'd have if I were a voter: somebody who is capable ... passionate about helping working families in Illinois meet their dreams."
There are, Obama said in closing, "a lot of good choices out there but it is the governor's decision not mine."
11/9 5:02 PM
Real estate executive Valerie Jarrett, a member of Obama's transition team and a trusted family confidant, is President-elect Obama's choice to replace him in the Senate, reports ABC 7's Ben Bradley.
UPDATE 11/10 11:15 A.M.
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was endorsed Monday by the SouthtownStar, the leading paper on Chicago's South Side and suburbs, to fill Barack Obama's Senate term.
11/10 10:28 P.M.
Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett will not be appointed to replace the President-elect in the Senate and will instead work with him in the White House, CNN reports, citing two anonymous Democratic sources.
11/11 2:10 P.M.
A new poll commissioned by Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. suggests he is voters' top choice to replace Obama:
11/12 3:30 P.M.
Valerie Jarrett, a close friend of President-elect Obama and a member of his transition team, removed herself from contention to replace him the Senate, the Tribune reports.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/obamas-replacement-blagoj_n_141561.html
December 9, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just want to give a shout out to Elliot Spitzer who I still think shouldn't have resigned. At least he wasn't prostituting his office.
December 9, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's my problem with that, djamo - Spitzer was egregiously stupid to do what he did. He was also deeply hypocritical because he was the AG and he prosecuted people for doing what he was doing. I really take exception to DAs, AGs, federal prosecutors and all judges who engage in illegal behavior knowingly. It's so hypocritical and so stupid that it reeks of arrogance.
I think selling sex shouldn't be illegal - I don't know why it is, frankly. But since it is, Elliot should have known better.
December 9, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed Tena - Spitzer was hypocritical, unbelievably stupid and gave them an opening. But why is David Vitter still in office for the same conduct though? DOJ had no intentions of charging him, just wanted to force him from office. Different rules for Dems and Republicans, and the Republicans stand by their guy while we burn Spitzer at the stake. Selling (and buying) sex is a moral crime that if properly regulated could be more victimless. Regardless, still currently illegal. But prostituting your office is a much more serious crime to me.
December 9, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, he was just being a hypocritical sleazebag. It is a substantial difference.
December 9, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least he wasn't prostituting his office
Agreed. This episode is infinitely more slimy and troublesome than Spitzer getting caught with his pants down...
December 9, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
He also used campaign funds to pay for his lady, so it's a little more than cheating on your wife. And, he was knowingly involved in a prostitution ring.
December 9, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
The campaign fund part approaches Blago's misdeeds, but the prostitute ring? Not for me. There's the hypocrisy involved, of course, but his actions were unlikely to affect New Yorkers, or, the rest of the country.
Using campaign funds is a betrayal of the trust donors put in you, but since he was elected, the impact on New Yorkers was minimal.
What Blago was attempting to do was to gain personal benefit, and his actions might have affected, not just Illinois voters, but everyone else in the country, via the attempt to shakedown the Obama camp.
I don't think Spitzer and Blago have committed equivalent screwups, and Spitzer's looks even more harmless...and, I would argue, if people had different attitudes about sex between consenting adults, Spitzer's behavior might not have seemed so shocking.
December 9, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I'm not saying their crimes are equal. Blago wins, hands down. I was responding to people who have trivialized Spitzer's transgressions by saying he cheated on his wife (none of our business) by doing something that should be legal (but it isn't). It's a little more complex than that, especially given how he built the reputation that enabled him to win the election. And, he stepped down on his own. Blago is consistently a thug, so no one should be surprised by anything except the depth of his stupidity. People were stunned by Spitzer because he's smart and he claimed to be on high moral ground.
December 9, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually this is going to be a big boon for Obama. It sounds like he's had Blagojevich in his sights for quite a while. I can see how this is going to both allow bloviating wingnuts to fall deeper into irrelevance and cement Obama's reputation as an honest and brilliant tactical politician who is above corruption and who, I'll bet, helped expedite the governonr's indictment.
I'll also bet that people on our side will stop badmouthing Rahm Emanuel after this because you know that guy is the one who cut Blagojevich's jugular.
Cutthroat indeed!
December 9, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, the anti-Barack nutcases have been in orbit since the primary.
December 9, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I came to the conclusion during the campaign that Obama is an expert at the "enough rope" technique.
And this is a perfect situation to use it to the fullest. And he will.
It is going to be very difficult for Americans to get used to a President who is not, by nature, nurture and life-long practice, a criminal. Very hard for them to picture a President who does not at once turn to an extra-legal solution.
Anyway, what the hell was Blago doing in the Dems at this time, instead of the IOKIYAR party? I think you will find that everything he is accused of doing is SOP in the Repubs.
December 9, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94VB81O1&show_article=1
So...Obama wasn't aware but...Blagojevich claims Obama refused to offer anything for the appointment.
This is far from over.
December 9, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is real evident is that Blagoveich was trying to shake down a US President. Obama simply turned to Reggie Love and said tell Fitz to wiretapp Blagoveich...game set match.
Interestingly, I think we may have JesseJacksonSr on tape trying to cut a deal for his son, which means that Obama will have also effectively cut Sr's nuts and he will have something to cry for now, for real.
Obama is a brilliant strategist...he had to know how badly the Jr. wanted the seat and he knew how corrupt Blagoveich was to have the temerity to shake him down.
So, he gave him enough rope to hang himself and used his power to just tap him.
I wouldn't be surprise to learn that Emil Jones was used to entrap Blagoyevich.
I wonder when folks are going to realize how stealthy Obama is.
December 9, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or, are we to believe Rahm is an autonomous free agent?
Why does the term "plausible deniability" keep popping up?
December 9, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not sure.. why do you keep using the term?
December 9, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink