Wife’s hospital on Obama’s earmark: No worries, she didn’t ask him for it personally
posted at 10:55 am on March 14, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Everyone happy? Everyone cool with the theory that John McCain trying to funnel a million dollars of federal money to his wife’s business in the same year she got a massive raise would be media-kosher so long as she, herself, didn’t personally ask him for it — which of course no one could ever prove or disprove?
Great, let’s get some lunch.
Kelly M. Sullivan, the medical center’s vice president for communications and marketing, noted that Mr. Obama had also requested money for a number of other hospitals in Illinois, and she said any lobbying for the money had been handled by the hospital’s government-affairs officials.
“I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that Michelle Obama was not part of our lobbying over the request, not in any way,” Ms. Sullivan said. She said the hospital’s lobbyists often seek help on their own from both of the state’s senators.
In other cases, Mr. Obama’s requests benefited political supporters.
Follow the link for details about those political supporters, to whom hope, change, and buckets of premium grade D.C. pork were duly delivered emblazoned with the “new type of politics” seal of quality. Exit question: Why would a guy burned by the appearance of impropriety in his dealings with Tony Rezko, to the point where he felt obliged to apologize for them, think earmarking money for his wife’s school was a swift idea?
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Could this question have been answered in another thread?
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Because he correctly believes that everyone does it.
sweeper on March 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM
And the walls come tumblin’ down……
Dirthead on March 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Yeah, they had a meeting beforehand to make sure this person could say this.
The media can’t keep the Red Sea parted much longer…this crap is going to have to be covered at some point.
Can’t we just moveon.org?
benrand on March 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Devil’s Advocate: What was he supposed to do, give money to every other hospital in Illinois except the one where his wife worked?
Yakko77 on March 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
So you’re saying she got the raise for money the hospital didn’t actually receive?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/us/politics/14campaign.html?hp
Typhonsentra on March 14, 2008 at 11:04 AM
I was going to say because he’s not ready for prime time, but that wouldn’t be right would it? After all, he’s just that close to becoming our president, and that’s about as prime time as you can get. I wonder,..is it possible to send an earmark to a church?
a capella on March 14, 2008 at 11:05 AM
one thing about PORK its never KOSHER
rico101 on March 14, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Everyone cool with the theory that John McCain trying to funnel a million dollars of federal money to his wife’s business in the same year she got a massive raise would be media-kosher so long as she, herself, didn’t personally ask him for it
Woops!!!
Syd B. on March 14, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Oh, I see. She provided “no direct operational support” for his decision.
I don’t think it was a kickback, I just couldn’t resist.
DrSteve on March 14, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Oh good, I was worried there for a second.
NeoconNews.com on March 14, 2008 at 11:10 AM
“I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that Michelle Obama was not part of our lobbying over the request, not in any way,” Ms. Sullivan said. She said the hospital’s lobbyists often seek help on their own from both of the state’s senators.
I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists — and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president.”
— Barack Obama, Speech in Des Moines, IA, November 10, 2007
Matticus Finch on March 14, 2008 at 11:10 AM
If “her wife’s business” were, say, Boeing then yeah, no problem at all.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:10 AM
I wonder if Obama’s pastor would find these earmarks as “God Blessing America”?
jp on March 14, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Shouldn’t that say Barrack Obama?
JustTruth101 on March 14, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Considering that the project which Obama earmarked the money for is in the ballpark of a $300M project, I wouldn’t mind the chance to compare donors to the hospital’s pavilion project with his other earmarks.
Dusty on March 14, 2008 at 11:11 AM
The “Messiah” is just another typical, crooked politician.
TooTall on March 14, 2008 at 11:12 AM
No. That was the press bias question, JT. Get it?
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 11:13 AM
No, read the sentence again. My point is that the media would never let McCain skate on something this smelly.
No, I’m saying she may have gotten the raise because she’s the wife of a U.S. Senator and the school may have wanted to give him a little extra incentive to send earmarks their way. He tried; he simply couldn’t push it through. Once again, apply the McCain rule. I assure you, our liberal commenters here would have no difficulty whatsoever holding their nose about this arrangement if a Republican was involved.
Allahpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Ah, Michelle Obama… the albatross around Barry’s neck.
Frozen Tex on March 14, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Hello Dembot.
Pax americana on March 14, 2008 at 11:17 AM
And further to my point about the appearance of impropriety, the Times itself found this sufficiently suspicious to mention it in the second sentence of its story and then to ask the hospital to explain. (And credit to them for that.) Let’s stop playing dumb, please.
Allahpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:17 AM
The project was $300M. The University gives out VP’s positions for funding .3% of the total cost? Make sense? In Allah’s Universe, it absolutely does!
Oh, wait. He’s actually hedged his bets. These accusations of corruption are too ridiculous so he’s applying McCain’s test. Which is: if other people print bullshit, he will too.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:18 AM
So you see absolutely no conflict of interest here, or are you simply blinded by the glow of the Messiah’s halo?
Slublog on March 14, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Because he never imagined it posted and questioned at Hotair!
drjohn on March 14, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Want to bet that he “gave money to every other hospital in Illinois”? Note that the (embarrassingly stupid) U of C flak didn’t mention a single example of her assertion (”a number of other Illinois hospitals”).
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Allah, I fear they are not playing dumb, they are actually as stupid as a box of rocks. Therefore convinced that we must be,too.
bbz123 on March 14, 2008 at 11:22 AM
.
So she could have done it all on her own….
drjohn on March 14, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Don’t listen to this idiot. He thinks that a single project to expand a patient care area in the tiny Unversity of Chicago by one-third can cost $300 million.
He’s blinded by his own stupidity.
Jaibones on March 14, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Maybe the hospital was Chicago “Hope”. If that were the case, he was just following his instinct.
Squarestate on March 14, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Let me guess: You have a problem that McCain worked against Boeing and “cost us 40,000 jobs”, right?
Nevermind that Boeing broke the law, built a lower-standard aircraft, and it’s not actually costing us the 40,000 jobs Dems are touting.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:27 AM
I do see a potential minuscule conflict of interest. So what? It just needs to be properly disclosed and be transparent. Like if I had my own book, I would absolutely want to use it in my classes. I have written the book, I teach the class. What’s wrong with that?
But I would kind of force students to buy the book thus making a profit off of them. Is this something to keep in mind? Yes. Does it mean professors should be barred from using their own textbooks? No.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Well, if you live in the United States of Racist Wright, why not rip off Da Man? Reparations, baby.
PattyJ on March 14, 2008 at 11:28 AM
*sigh*
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:28 AM
What kind of answer is that? Is that what you were alluding to or not?
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:29 AM
“minuscule”? They gave a $200,000 raise and promotion to Obama’s wife after he took office, then proceeded to get a $1,000,000 earmark request for them.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Incredible!
If this joker is as dumb as he appears, he shouldn’t even be allowed to leave home alone, let alone run for a high political office.
rplat on March 14, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Yeah, the numbers you have outlined is what makes any claim of an existing connection between the two events ridiculous. Try and do this. Go to the UofC Board of Directors and offer them $5M in cash in exchange for a VP position.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Why is it ridiculous? The $200,000 constitutes 40% of the Obama family’s income, and the earmark (and any others the hospital hoped to attain by giving the wife of a Senator a raise and promotion) wouldn’t cost Obama anything personally.
Perhaps the hospital was hoping for more than one earmark from Obama over 6 years+?
I’m not a Senator’s wife.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Yeh, what kind of idiotic board of directors would be happy with $800,000 of free money.
fogw on March 14, 2008 at 11:40 AM
In other words, lining your personal pockets with earmarks.
I know socialists want to steal from the rich and give to the poor. This is now stealing from the rich and giving to myself.
shick on March 14, 2008 at 11:40 AM
And, as Allah says:
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:40 AM
myself=oneself
shick on March 14, 2008 at 11:41 AM
It is ridiculous because $1M is nothing for a school of that caliber. I doubt bringing in $1M is a guarantee for a tenure at their Medical School.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Nice analogy, but it does little to explain away the facts in this case. A sitting member of Congress used his position to earmark tax money toward a hospital that gave his wife an approximately 160% raise.
I’m sure it’s just a nice, happy, profitable coincidence.
Slublog on March 14, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Because he knew the dinosaur media minions would not bother to research.
Thank Algore for the Internet and thusly bloggers!
SouthernGent on March 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM
That’s impossible for at least 25% of America, I’m afraid.
omnipotent on March 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Glad to see you aren’t waiting till cruch time to be an apologist for the McCain campaign. The “everybody does it” routine is tried but true and worked wonderfully for the Clintons so I’m sure it will work equally well for Democrats like John McCain when his corruption and inside Washington “lapses” bubble up to the surface.
That being said, how about a new standard that holds politicians accountable for these conflicts of interest? Instead of gloating that McCain is off the hook for feathering his nest by pork for his wife since Obama also feathered his nest by spousal pork- WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS IS UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR THAT SHOULDN’T BE TOLERATED no matter what party the candidate belongs to (or in the case of McCain, the party the candidate pretends to belong to).
highhopes on March 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM
For a guy talking about “change”, the act of earmarking a bunch of money for his wife’s employer (right after they more than double her salary) sure seems like “business as usual” to me.
Robbie on March 14, 2008 at 11:44 AM
It wouldn’t be free. It’d be a one time earmark for which they have to promote a person to a VP slot, which is worth orders of magnitude more money. Plus they’d spend all that money in three years to simply pay her increased salary.
You guys are just amazing.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Your gonna’ have to bring that percentager way up, methinks.
awake on March 14, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I’m not going to insult your intelligence by suggesting you truly believe what you’re saying.
First of all, it would’ve been $800,000 of free money. In exchange for a promotion to, what, VP of Community Affairs? Second, they were most likely not only hoping for a single earmark over Obama’s 6 years+ time in the Senate.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:46 AM
McCain never did that. He’s pointing out that the media seems to hold these two politicians to a different standard.
Slublog on March 14, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Cripes. This reminds me of the “It’s not sex–it’s just a blowjob” days.
CUS on March 14, 2008 at 11:49 AM
I don’t believe it. I know it. I could give you a name of an ECE professor who got a regular faculty position at University of Michigan by raising $3M in grants. He didn’t become a Chair, he wasn’t given a center to run. He was given a regular faculty job.
That it is even conceivable to you that University of Chicago would give a VP position in exchange for possibly bringing in $1M means you don’t know anything.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:51 AM
It is called:
A F F I R M A T I V E
A C T I O N.
He felt he has the right to do it, no questions asked.
Indy Conservative on March 14, 2008 at 11:51 AM
I will correct that. I probably do know quite a bit. You’re just so blinded by your negative feelings towards Obama that you are happy to support any accusation against him, however improbable and ludicrous.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:53 AM
She wasn’t given the position. She was given a raise for a position she already held. Has your job description ever changed significantly enough to justify nearly a 200% raise?
Slublog on March 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Damn. I = You. you probably do know quite a bit.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Ah, thanks! Wish we could say the same about you.
carbon_footprint on March 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM
In one earmark alone Obama could get 1/3 of what that professor raised to get his job. One earmark. Obama had 6, most likely 12+, years in an earmark-happy Senate.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Add freevillage to the list, my friend.
omnipotent on March 14, 2008 at 11:55 AM
That’s kind of how it normally works. I know professors who are bringing in twice that, and are just “regular faculty.” It’s part of their job.
Most of us, though, don’t get significant pay bumps from one year to the next. Perhaps the UofC would like to explain why Mrs. Obama received such a large increase in her compensation?
Slublog on March 14, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Let’s see, in a two year period, michelle gets a 260% raise in her salary and the hospital gets a million plus in earmarks. Must be a coincidence…
yeah, right…
rbb on March 14, 2008 at 11:59 AM
freevillage, I see a bright future for you in politics. It’s obvious from your endless comments that you know your stuff when it comes to greasing palms for financial gain.
fogw on March 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Isn’t it obvious that ‘freevillage’ is the smartest troll in the room?
awake on March 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Anyway, I’m done arguing this for now. I’m basing my conclusion on the evidence I see from even the Liberal NYT. If more evidence is found, I’m happy to reconsider. Until that point, I’d have to conclude this is just politics as usual.
amerpundit on March 14, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Nah, I wouldn’t be able to be a politician. I’m honest and you could kill me in a campaign by asking something like “Is it important to know the national anthem?” or “Are you religious?”.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 12:04 PM
No, you don’t. We don’t argue about evidence. The argument is how to interpret it. So whether or not the NYT is liberal is totally irrelevant.
You’re right though. The horse has been beaten to death.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 12:06 PM
The University of Chicago’s end of fiscal year 2007(06/30/07) endowment was 6.091 billion US dollars.
Is the University of Chicago a “corporation” with it’s own set of lobbyists? Yes.
gabriel sutherland on March 14, 2008 at 12:08 PM
ya know, freevillage, the fact that the hospital basically paid a bribe, in the form of a HUGE increase in a politician’s spouse’s salary, and reaped the reward worth much more just doesn’t seem to register, does it. But you’ve got no problem bending your noggin around the hypothetical that it was a one off occurrence, never to be repeated, and that the politician’s wife is going to treat the position like an iron rice bowl, and slowly drain the institution in financially vampiric fashion.
And yeah, the money, from the board of director’s point of view, is free. Or an 800K return on a 200K investment in under a year. Not as good as Hillary and futures trading, but hey, it’s a rough market out there.
Also kinda makes you wonder if Mrs. Obama was finally proud of her country because she was finally able to exploit the positioning, power, and prestige for some actually cash money.
Wind Rider on March 14, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Hey, don’t make fun of Chrissy and Olby!
fogw on March 14, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Not very familiar with how lobbying works, are ya? Companies/interests throw money at candidates/politicians in advance in the hopes that something will happen.
Politicians don’t make things happen in the hopes that they’ll get a juicy return – they do favors in return for the juicy payoff that occurs up-front.
Putting the earmark in was the favor, whether the earmark wound up approved or not.
Midas on March 14, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I’m getting a feeling up my leg. Are you?
gabriel sutherland on March 14, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Is that like being the brightest kid on the short bus?
fourstringfuror on March 14, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Does it have to involve a kickback for it to look sleazy? Why the need to push that angle of the story? You’re making your job harder than it needs to be!
DrSteve on March 14, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Ouch. That’s gonna leave an earmark.
BacaDog on March 14, 2008 at 1:01 PM
No.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Personally, I don’t think the $1M earmark, or should I say the potential for direct earmarking, was the driving factor in Michelle Obama’s raise. When Barak was elected senator, Michelle’s value rose immensely. She didn’t need to stay at the hospital. Other businesses would see her value to be as much.
The university raised her pay to keep her there for the larger influence she would have not just with her husband but with businesses large and small in the community and region because of her husband.
The $1M earmark was not particularly what the university had their eye one. That is why I wondered earlier about who was donating to the university’s NHP project, which is the acronym for the name of the yet to be named building — New Hospital Pavilion. It’s not some small addition that Obama helped with. It’s an 11 storey, 800,000 sf building that, as I ballparked, would cost in the range of $300M. Where’s the money coming from, who’s paying it and did they get more than a “Hello” from Barack?
Dusty on March 14, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Freevillage, are you in Russia? If so, why would some Rusky want to defend Barak Obama’s obvious corruptions and hypocrisises? And tell me about that name… freevillage. Would that be a reference to socialism?
I’m not accusing you of anything, I’m really just curious. My curiosity was just perked by your russian website and choice to pick this strange battle in defense of Obama on hotair.com. Something just smells funny. Your whole argument reminds me of liberals who used to argue with a straight face what really is the definition of is.
Zetterson on March 14, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Sen. Durbin could have done the earmark for him and this wouldn’t be a topic of discussion.
HotAirJosef on March 14, 2008 at 1:15 PM
So, the Black Jesus (and I use the term “Black” loosely) has fallen.
Corruption knows no bounds.
I hope he got his 30 pieces of silver to betray the people’s trust.
madmonkphotog on March 14, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Freevillage=Putin. He’s surfin’ HotAir now.
BacaDog on March 14, 2008 at 1:45 PM
I’m sure FreeVillage can explain this to us.
windansea on March 14, 2008 at 1:48 PM
I would if only Dusty did not do it better.
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 2:19 PM
OK, wait. He earmarked money for his wife’s hospital AND her school?
freevillage: So the rule is, corrupt politicians funneling money to their wives’ business is OK, as long as it only happens once, and the amount is “small”?
misterpeasea on March 14, 2008 at 2:36 PM
“Change” in Obamaspeak – “more of the same ol’ corruption.”
“Y’all didn’t know that?” “Snap!” “My bad!”
“Now you know.”
OhEssYouCowboys on March 14, 2008 at 2:43 PM
*yawn* Circular logic. Next!
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 2:52 PM
DING DING DING!
gabriel sutherland on March 14, 2008 at 2:56 PM
So the rule is, corrupt politicians funneling money to their wives’ business is OK, as long as it only happens once, and the amount is “small” and they do it competently?
I think I’ve learned this game!!
freevillage on March 14, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Stop feeding the freevillages…I mean trolls, please.
Torch on March 14, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Yeah, I’m already bored. Sorry, didn’t read down enough to see that there was no logic or reason involved. Must be a liberal troll.
misterpeasea on March 14, 2008 at 3:34 PM
freevillage would have a point if the body politic were less cynical. However, we do live in such an age, with ridiculous media scrutiny over the stupidest things. Therefore, the point is to avoid the appearance of impropriety. You know, like Cheney resigning from Haliburton and putting his stock into a blind trust will insulate him from ridiculous accusations from his opponents.
Yeah, right.
Obama isn’t playing by even these minimal standards of moral windowdressing, which is why he is in the wrong here.
mpbk on March 15, 2008 at 5:18 PM
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