Breaking: Obama calls for Blago’s resignation
posted at 12:40 pm on December 10, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Well, well, well. It didn’t take long for Barack Obama to throw his former political ally Rod Blagojevich under the bus. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs announced just a few minutes ago that Obama wants Blagojevich to resign as governor of Illinois:
President-elect Barack Obama is calling for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president-elect agrees with other prominent politicians that “under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois.”
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused of scheming to enrich himself by selling Obama’s vacant Senate seat. The governor has authority to appoint the replacement. He denies any wrongdoing.
Obama had tried to avoid commenting on Blagojevich’s options yesterday, preferring to remain aloof and let the process work itself out. Within 24 hours, Obama apparently changed his mind. Why? Perhaps David Axelrod’s remarks from last month unnerved the President-elect, and he decided that he had to get significant distance from Blagojevich.
I’ll credit Obama with doing the right thing, however he arrived at that conclusion. It would have been easy for him to just keep repeating the mantra about allowing the process to conclude.
Will Blagojevich resign? I doubt it. The man revealed in those transcripts has enough chutzpah to ride out the public condemnation, and nowhere else to go anyway.
Blowback
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eeyoure, your link is “not found”.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Sorry, s/b eeyore :(
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 1:31 PM
See that, Blogojevich? He betrayed you. Get back at him by spilling the beans on him–now, before he can have you murdered.
Kenno on December 10, 2008 at 1:32 PM
“AYE”
With no abstentions, thousands of silent assents and two “Ayes”, the motion carries….
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the former Senator back to his cell, we’ll sentence him at a much, much later date.
Honestly, I think we’re getting a bit overheated about all this; this Rod Blagojevich is just a guy in President-Elect Zer0′s old neighborhood, after all.
dmh0667 on December 10, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Watch the next Obama press conferences, happening, not happening, how often, “I will not address this as the investigation is on-going, bla, bla, bla…”. It’s going to be the closed administration all of a sudden.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 1:44 PM
JJ wouldn’t have a chance against the Obama/Axelrod/Media axis. He’ll be sliced, diced, tarred, feathered and run out of town within a matter of days. And he knows it.
And Ed, as far as giving Obama credit for “doing the right thing,” exactly how are we supposed to know, given the overwhelming bias of the media, what his involvement in this is or has been?
Should we give him credit for wanting an embarrassment like Blago, (who’s not likely to spill any beans about Obama without incriminating himself further) to just go away? I’ll pass on the giving of credit until we have some semblance of responsible journalism again, if ever.
Nichevo on December 10, 2008 at 1:46 PM
The brave thing to do would be to ask Andy Stern and Valerie Jarret to explain themselves to him.
MayBee on December 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM
The question of the century is “is there audio of Obama discussing the seat sale?” That look on his face on Drudge yesterday looked pretty grim. Also, the halo was missing.
Count the butts in his ashtray. That would be an indication of how nervous he is.
bullseye on December 10, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Isn’t this the Prosecutor in the Plame leak case who kept investigating LONG after he knew the leaker? Why did he stop this Blago investigation at this moment? He could have really put some asses in the sling had he worked with the same vigor as in the Plame case. Protecting someone???
marklmail on December 10, 2008 at 1:49 PM
If Axelrod gets taken down in this who will run the country?
batterup on December 10, 2008 at 1:50 PM
I’m not sure if he’s protecting or taking the shot while he can. If his target is Obama, then I would think he has to act before inauguration. Once obama is in, he can fire fitz. Would he do that?? Audacity man, audacity..
Either Fitz pulled the plug to protect obie -OR- he he already has what he needs to nail obama.
Time will tell
bullseye on December 10, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Good thing he’s not in the “No Smoking” White House.
On the smoking story, I just love how in the interview he’s “quit,” but “fell off the wagon” during the “stress” of campaigning. Dude can’t run for prez w/o nicotine, but expects us to believe he can sit in the Oval Office hot seat and not need the fix?
Bwahaha!
cs89 on December 10, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Bill and Hillary, regardless of this.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Obama is playing with fire, Chi town is old school gangsta, I’d be wary of grassy knolls if I were him.
Alden Pyle on December 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM
He did not stop. He will use them against each other, and knows more than we do.
Obama will not be able to fire Fitz, while this is on-going. It will probably be two years of nerves for the O camp, and fun for some of us, at the sad expense of our country, and her children.
Lefties, righties, and in between, you wante identidy politics, change, hope, and all the other baloney – you got it, at the expense of sanity. It’s all Hollywood. Go shopping and watch the flicks, now and then.
Media, keep staying in heat.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 1:58 PM
I think you just made a thrill go up my leg.
Vashta.Nerada on December 10, 2008 at 2:05 PM
J.J.Jr (hey hey hey) has zero shot of getting that seat ever. He has been tainted and unlike his old man, cannot fall back on claiming to have been with MLK when he was shot to make people feel good about him.
grdred944 on December 10, 2008 at 2:13 PM
I hope you are some hot Nordic chick.
Alden Pyle on December 10, 2008 at 2:17 PM
I will personally supply the Lightworker with enough cigs to support a 5 pack a day habit if he promises to smoke them.
/no sarc
Y-not on December 10, 2008 at 2:19 PM
UNFILTERED.
IlikedAUH2O on December 10, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Alden, you lucky dog…
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 2:23 PM
This is classic life immitating art. The President-Select is the modern-day Sgt. Schultz. “I know nnnothing! Nnnothing!”
squasquashi on December 10, 2008 at 2:23 PM
My hunch is Fitz acted now because he had sufficient evidence to nail Blago and implicate others, he could put this into the media prior to the deluge surrounding the holidays and the inauguration, and make it look bad if Obama tries to jettison him upon taking office.
Christien on December 10, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Great slide show. Numbers 1, 7, 9 and 45 are incredibly telling.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Yes, I posted this last night, in another thread on topic.
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 2:36 PM
There is no way obama is 100% clean of shady Chicago political monkey business. He has thrived in Chicago politics, and there is only one path to that result.
Being slick and crooked. The next 4 years should be interesting. Look at how arrogant Blago is, and how arrogant Obama is. This kind of arrogance comes with having all your vulnarabilities fixed.
saiga on December 10, 2008 at 2:44 PM
This is awful quick to call for a fellow Democrat to resign. The list of sitting Democrats who have ‘overcome’ bigger obstacles to their ability to govern, Barney Franks and the gay prostitution ring run out of his townhouse, Pelosi and her husband’s grants and gifts, Congressman “Cold Cash” Jefferson, Charlie Rangel, to name a few. When were these guys urged to ‘resign’ by Obama? Republicans tend to call for the resignation of their own pretty fast, while Democrats wait until they face losing an election (Torricelli-NJ) or attempts to minimize the damage (McGreevy, Spitzer) before calling for their resignation. Never on the basis of principle, for Democrats (even if they are guilty) can do nothing wrong.
jerseyman on December 10, 2008 at 2:48 PM
Good point.
+1 for you
Sir Napsalot on December 10, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Well,at least Obama seems like a good guy. Maybe he will rise above all the BS with his new position as POTUS. A little bare knuckles experience in Chicago may turn out to be a good thing. Better, anyway, than McCains amnesty obsession.
saiga on December 10, 2008 at 2:59 PM
LOL, that’s not me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doctor_Who_monsters_and_aliens#Vashta_Nerada
Vashta.Nerada on December 10, 2008 at 3:01 PM
I wonder what secrets Blago can spill about Obambi. This is going to be a loooong couple of weeks.
ctmom on December 10, 2008 at 3:03 PM
This is not helping Obama’s smoking habit.
faraway on December 10, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Best silver lining evah.
Y-not on December 10, 2008 at 3:10 PM
This MAY not be over for Fitz, and he DOES have a record of being persistent. He has been going after Rezko really hard, and who knows what Rezko told Fitzpatrick BEFORE the election, BEFORE he knew he could be pardoned by a President Obama. Rezko might have ratted on other “Friends of Barack” (Auchi, Ayers, Farrakhan, Wright, et al.) to save his hide, and Fitz might have other avenues of attack leading to Obama. Fitzpatrick is also investigating ACORN, and that also could lead to Obama.
Fitzpatrick HAD to spill the beans on Blagojevich before he appointed a tainted Senator, whose votes could be decisive (without Obama, Democrats only have 50 votes right now!) and who could serve for two years. But since Obama is calling for Blago’s resignation, and has made no promises to him, Fitz might be playing “Let’s Make a Plea Deal” with Blago, as he did with Rezko, to see where it leads.
Merry Fitzmas, everyone! This could get interesting, as Obama shifts into CYA mode…
Steve Z on December 10, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Good point! Democrats always seem to suffer lingering political deaths, with the occasional miraculous recovery. At the moment, Blago has already been through a donkeyectomy, in which the “D” after his name is surgically removed by the media. He’s now in the final stages of Acute Disassociation Syndrome, in which other Democrats claim they never talked to him, and his video clips begin fading from You Tube. By the end of the week, his condition may have been downgraded to Republican, especially if he’s ever been caught on tape speaking approvingly of a tax cut, or disapprovingly of abortion.
Doctor Zero on December 10, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Bing, Bing, Bing!
Put down your pencils, students. Exam over.
Jaibones on December 10, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Prove it. No, please leave it at that :)
Entelechy on December 10, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Fitz = The Untouchables.
Obama = The Detachables.
44Magnum on December 10, 2008 at 4:06 PM
My kind of cesspool, Chicago is….
saiga on December 10, 2008 at 4:20 PM
See the new boss, same as the old boss.
saiga on December 10, 2008 at 4:21 PM
dinner reservations for blago, wright and rezko.
custer on December 10, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Not only does Barry want him to resign he wants him out of the country maybe off the planet if that can be done.PS take my good friend Tony with you Barry would say.I will get someone new to help me buy my next home.
thmcbb on December 10, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Then all some press person has to do, just one press person, is ask BHO about the campaign credit card scam. I’m sure the idiot messiah will start stammerin’ away, and the whole house of cards would come tumbling down soon after. There’s no election day left to stop all of these inquiries – as Nov 4th seemed to do, until this Blogo arrest.
progressoverpeace on December 10, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Wonder if Rezko has food tasters in the joint. He wouldn’t want to be McDougaled.
44Magnum on December 10, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Rush quoted some of this AP story today:
Questionable associations of Obama
They play down some of the relationships and don’t report all the facts, but they do mention: Blago, Resko, Wright, Ayers, Jones, Knalidi and Pfleger.
INC on December 10, 2008 at 5:53 PM
The more I think about it , the more I am convinced of 2 things, today
1. Blago has to go now b/c he is white
2. Axelrod will be the fall guy later
macncheez on December 10, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Here is Obama for dummies version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNfRb87dtY4
macncheez on December 10, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Those days are gone, really
Twill be the big M herself : MO
macncheez on December 10, 2008 at 6:16 PM
Just get ready, those are going to serve as the alibis for the idiot messiah. “He wasn’t involved in dirty politics because he was too busy sitting in Trinity and having dinners with Khalidi, Ayers, …”
Mark my words.
progressoverpeace on December 10, 2008 at 6:23 PM
Obama suxxxxxx!!!
gringo69 on December 10, 2008 at 6:29 PM
The only thing that can save Blago is if he has Hussain’s original Kenyan birth certificate, or his Indonesian passport, or maybe Hussain’s Columbia Univ/ Chicago Univ admission records
Otherwise Blago is toast
macncheez on December 10, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Take many with u blago!!!
gringo69 on December 10, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Great, what about calling for his arrest too?
4shoes on December 10, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Like The One is innocent. He knew about this. I loved hearing his press conference. He did that uhh err uhh…… Who knows, maybe other things will resurface and soon. Before it is to late.
sheebe on December 10, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Blago’s gonna hold out for some sort of sweet deal – I don’t see a guy like him going anywhere quietly. Either that, or he’s gonna start chattering like a typewriter – I CAN see a guy like that selling his soul to save his skin.
uncivilized on December 10, 2008 at 8:07 PM
Wow! The Ap found this writer who just fell off a Christmas tree and I don’t even have mine up yet! They work fast!
Obama avoids stain of Chicago’s political scandals
Published: 12/10/08, 7:25 PM EDT
By SHARON COHEN
Source: Ap online — ATT.net
This article was very lengthy and never mentioned The One’s wonderful earmarks activities for Illinois friends and political contributors. How about $500,000 or so from Fannie, Freddie and an investment house or two? While our country tanks!
Rezko was handled in a sensitive way.
http://www.my.att.net
IlikedAUH2O on December 10, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Like The One is innocent. He knew about this. I loved hearing his press conference. He did that uhh err uhh…… Who knows, maybe other things will resurface and soon. Before it is to late.
sheebe on December 10, 2008 at 7:56 PM
They will resurface, Obama’s sh#t may not stink but his little farts are giving him away.
milwife88 on December 10, 2008 at 8:40 PM
I pity those who stand behind him
macncheez on December 10, 2008 at 9:02 PM
phuuuk u crooook boy!
gringo69 on December 10, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Yeah, look how it is handled:
Funny.
ddrintn on December 10, 2008 at 11:14 PM
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