Obama: I’ll “gather the facts” about what my team knew about Blago
posted at 2:25 pm on December 11, 2008 by Allahpundit
He never spoke to Blagojevich personally, he insists, and is “absolutely certain” there was no dealmaking by anyone on his team, which is quite an assertion when the facts haven’t been gathered yet. Isn’t Jesse Jackson Jr’s whole defense that you can never be sure what your cronies are up to, since occasionally they’ll go rogue and try to make deals on your behalf unbeknownst to you (Jackson Sr insists it wasn’t him)? Assuming The One’s right that his own aides would never act so recklessly, the contrast tells you a lot about Junior’s management discipline.
As for the fact-gathering, there’s an easy place to start.
The presser was called ostensibly to talk about the economy and introduce Daschle, his new health-care quarterback, but the number of questions about the scandal shows that the media’s got Blago on the brain. Skip ahead to 1:45 for his initial statement about it and then to 13:00 or so for Q&A, including him calling on Blagojevich again to quit. (84 percent of Illinoisans agree.) Highlights come at 15:30, when he tries to contain his glee at being cursed out in the transcripts for refusing to play ball, and then again a minute later when a reporter asks him the question on everyone’s mind. The One, for once, has no easy answers.
Blowback
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After the ‘staff’ gotten their story straightened out, of course.
Sir Napsalot on December 11, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Does the MSNBC link every work for anyone else?
upinak on December 11, 2008 at 2:29 PM
actually he did speak to blago and his slut wife many times. I hope fitzgerald takes barry down along with blago and the slut.
ousoonerfan15 on December 11, 2008 at 2:29 PM
There is no need for gathering facts, if indeed they are facts.
My grandmother used to say, ‘it doesn’t take any planning to tell the truth’.
Vashta.Nerada on December 11, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Will there be an FBI agent present at this conversation? Recording devices?
Must be nice to get everyone on the same page before you share any information.
cs89 on December 11, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Wheee! Gumby, the pretend president!
whitetop on December 11, 2008 at 2:32 PM
With the same vigor OJ displayed looking for the real killers, I imagine.
Spirit of 1776 on December 11, 2008 at 2:32 PM
“Certain” would be good enough for me. But then, I speak English. “Absolutely certain” is what people, who are lying, say, since they think that redundancy equals believability.
The idiot messiah is going down.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Sounds like the Bus is getting ready to make a trip through the lower levels of the Obama Office of the President elect!
portlandon on December 11, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Since the Senate seat appears to be off the auction block, Blago’s tongue is currently up for bid. Does it wag or not? The bidding starts at…?
SKYFOX on December 11, 2008 at 2:33 PM
I…we…I was not involved. We…I…we will get back to you on this once we’ve fabricated the truth.
Christien on December 11, 2008 at 2:34 PM
You’re confusing facts with the truth. What are you some kind of truther or something?
/sarc
thomasaur on December 11, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Why is Chicago so corrupt?
And the one I really want answered: Why didn’t you ever do anything about it?
BadgerHawk on December 11, 2008 at 2:35 PM
How does one get cursed out in the transcript for refusing to play ball .. if one was not in the ball game?
Texas Gal on December 11, 2008 at 2:36 PM
The question on everyone’s mind — why is Chicago so corrupt?
Let’s see… maybe because seemingly honest politicians who should know better decide to follow the path of least resistance instead of standing up to the crooks and risking their political careers by whistle blowing.
Alaska was just as corrupt.
ramrocks on December 11, 2008 at 2:36 PM
I just want to go on record with what I wrote almost 3 months ago:
And I don’t even live in Illinois.
Abby Adams on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Only 84%? I didn’t realize 16% of the population are members if the SEIU.
BacaDog on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Of course not, no deals were made. (or allowed to be made)
Negotiations on the other hand were still ongoing…
Skywise on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
He’s going to vet himself?
Well, someone has to do it!
artist on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Multitasking. Barry’s problem is the feds know the identity of Advisor B. He has to assume that will leak, so must leave some wiggle room. He needs to be artful on this.
a capella on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
What she said.
thomasaur on December 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
“of” not “if”
geez. Use preview.
BacaDog on December 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
So afterwards if it was revealed (or Blago’s confession) that some on Obama’s staff DID have an on-going ‘conversation’ regrading the senate seat, what would the big O do in next press conference?
“Shocked, I tell you. The (so-and-so) was not the one I once knew.”
Sir Napsalot on December 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
+10
BacaDog on December 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Obama should have his staff check:
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2008/12/federal_sources.html
Would this June indictment of Blago have harmed Obama’s chances of winning the White House? We’ll never know.
Doug on December 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Wheee! Gumby, the pretend president!
whitetop on December 11, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Who is Pokey? Can’t have Gumby without a Pokey!
sheebe on December 11, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Allah-what am I doing wrong? Can’t fast forward well at all on this thing.
Was able to view it, painstakingly.
I’m sure BO was in the 2nd camp of politics he described-the good guys who do it all for service.
/sarc
Gimme a break. Blago’s pi$$ed bcs BO let him think they were dealing, I’m sure, no something, whatever it was.
BO’s throwing him under the bus & he doesn’t like it.
So now IL politics is like all American politics-I believe that. But Chicago’s got a style I think that’s more entrenched than most places.
Badger40 on December 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM
The question on eveyone’s mind “why is Chicago so corrupt”.
The answer…..it’s just like politics everywhere else the moonbats gather…..Hildabeast, Cooler Jefferson, New Jersey, Detroit, DC, Slow Joe, Reaper Reid, etc.,etc….too many to list. Repubs only look better in comparison.
The Idiot is the most corrupt of all. His first instinct is always to lie. But he’s a good hypnotist.
notagool on December 11, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Enter: another “kick the can…” Dem President.
I have to believe there is some serious buyers remorse going on…poor little rubes.
LadinPlaid on December 11, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Why, Pokey is Bill Clinton, of course.
Nethicus on December 11, 2008 at 2:43 PM
My question is, can Daley be too far out of this picture? I mean, really. And that goes to the top of the Dems over the past 10 years. Just wonderin’ …
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:44 PM
Next question,
“Why didn’t your staffer report the unlawfulness to the authority?”
The big O: “I HOPE to CHANGE it.” “CHANGE. We are here to talk about the Bush failure… (ooops) economy.”
Sir Napsalot on December 11, 2008 at 2:44 PM
Heh, Obama must be working for Fitzgerald. I guess we can then safely assume he was wearing while talking with Blago in that closeup photo.
econavenger on December 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Only one word to come to mind when watching this press conference:
“Incompentent”
How the hell did this guy get elected? We’re not even close to inaguration yet, and this guy fumbles and stumbles like a third-rate state legislator. My county’s dog catcher would do a better job.
Norwegian on December 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Keep moving, move along folks…nothing to see here. That’s right, eyes forward and keep moving. Just our President elect caught cavorting with more nefarious characters then claiming ignorance. Keep moving, nothing to see.
So, is he going to run out of people to throw under the bus on this one?
Wyznowski on December 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
It would probably carry more weight if her source wasn’t just:
a capella on December 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
It’s laughable how the same people who were adamant that no matter what happened anywhere in government during the Bush administration somehow was known, and at the very least implicitly approved by the President now shrug off any POSSIBLE wrongdoing on Obama’s part even though there is undeniable proof of at least some sort of communicative, working relationship over several years with Blago.
Liberal hypocracy at its finest. HOPEANDCHANGE!
jrlingreenbay on December 11, 2008 at 2:47 PM
What sacrifices has Obama done to serve?
the_nile on December 11, 2008 at 2:48 PM
“I…did not…have…personal…contacts…with that man, Rod Blagojevich.”
Wyznowski on December 11, 2008 at 2:48 PM
Why, Pokey is Bill Clinton, of course.
Nethicus on December 11, 2008
Uh…oh, now I get it. You mean “pokey” in another context.
SKYFOX on December 11, 2008 at 2:48 PM
can Daley be too far out of this picture? I mean, really. And that goes to the top of the Dems over the past 10 years. Just wonderin’ …
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008
Daley will be a casualty before this is over.
He in turn will roll on others.
The snowball is in motion.
artist on December 11, 2008 at 2:48 PM
I am not so sure. This is going beyond what the dumb legislature idiots did. They took money from Oil Companies and to promote Oil and the Companies. None of them ever tried to SELL a seat or two.
This is way above Alaska politics!
upinak on December 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
I couldn’t stand to listen to The One to long. He is a lying sack of ????! His plans on how he will get jobs is a bunch of malarkey. Give him a banana. And this Auto bail out is shi*! Let the Unions die! I have always been a Union hater. They have been damaging companies for years. Is a big part on top of being taxed to death. Why companies moved to other Countries. I just hate that man! But, as Al said a few weeks ago. I will support only to oppose him. Been trying to be nicer. It isn’t easy though. He is going to ruin our Country. I just hope that a issue will arise that will put him out of his job!
sheebe on December 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
ROFLMAO!
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
I still get don’t this whole “Office of the President-Elect” thing. Apparently Ms. Malkin doesn’t either:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/11/07/what-the-hell-is-the-office-of-the-president-elect/
alex342 on December 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
If he actually does the investigation he promises, he will likely find that there is a connection between Blago and his team by way of Axelrod via John Filan, a Blago colleague who nows heads up the Illinois Finance Authority (does that ring a bell?)
http://unequal-time.blogspot.com/2008/12/connection-between-team-obama-and-gov.html
bryanmyrick on December 11, 2008 at 2:50 PM
That could drag Nobel Piece Prize Whiner Al Gore into the whole mess. He had better stock up on the carbon credits, because he could get burned.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:50 PM
The upside to all of this is that if the media continues to portray The Black Caesar as squeaky clean they will have to find other targets to prove their point. Obviously Blago is the main target but look for more deserved union bashing in the coming days. On top of the auto bailout and the UAW trying to extort 14B from the American taxpayer for their corrupt schemes, the connection between Blago and the SEIU will paint the unions into a pretty dark corner.
grdred944 on December 11, 2008 at 2:50 PM
Translation:
It is ah-er-uh-ah “absolutely certain” that I [er-er-ah-er-uh-mmm-] HOPE to CHANGE the subject of conversation to [ah-ah-ah-er-ah-emmm-] things that really matter to the people. Let’s [ah-em-em-uh-uh-ah] talk jobs for the [ah-ah-ah] people, not jobs for that [em-ah-ah-em-uh] governor I never had any contact with, ever, never, nope, nope, nope. I HOPE you [em-ah-ah-uh-em-ah] journalists don’t CHANGE the ways you have been doing your [ah-ah-em-uh-uh-em] jobs up to now, and [em-em-ah-ah-uh-uh-em-ah] everything will be ok. You see, it’s all about [ah-em-ah-ah-em-uh] jobs.
Yoop on December 11, 2008 at 2:52 PM
How do we know the staffer didn’t? After the two hour phone conference, Rahm, or whoever, could have dropped the dime. I think Barry’s inner circle were a lot more concerned about keeping his shirt tail clean than whoever was finally appointed Senator.
a capella on December 11, 2008 at 2:52 PM
In re the question “Why is Chicago politics so corrupt?”, one datum so far uncommented on is that the last Republican mayor of Chicago left office in 1931.
warbaby on December 11, 2008 at 2:52 PM
Obama: “I..uum…oh…never…uh..spoke..ahh….to… Blagojevich…ahhh….ehh….personally”.
Can this guy utter a single sentence without sounding like a complete moron?
Norwegian on December 11, 2008 at 2:53 PM
When Obama talked about people going into politics with the “what’s in it for me attitude” I imediately thought what about your wifes lucrative post election jobs? After he won state his state senate seat Michelle got a nice new job, and again after he won his US Senate seat she got a huge pay raise and her employer got a million dollar earmark. Just a Chicago coincidence.
Theworldisnotenough on December 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Best mind for our times. Make sure you enlarge all three pictures.
Entelechy on December 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
When Gore met up with The Black Caesar the other day he stated a desire to stay out of all this. I think his pursuit of manbearpig is occupying his time these days. Although Mayor Daley could very well be manbearpig.
grdred944 on December 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Raul: OK, everybody line up against the wall.
Raul: Ready, aim, … Does anybody know anything?
Obamabots: No, boss.
Raul: Good, good. At ease.
faraway on December 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Why is there any need to gather the facts about what his “team” did with Blago, if he is “absolutely certain” no one his “team” did anything with Blago?
catmman on December 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Hey! That’s a “first-class intellect” you’re talking about, there. … At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
From Ace:
I’m with all those who are saying that what The One’s really saying is: “My team will get their stories straight and decide who to throw under the bus, and I’ll be back in a couple of days to run over him for you.”
meltenn on December 11, 2008 at 2:56 PM
Norwegian, you didn’t get the memo. “Standards” is now a dead word. Anything goes. Otherwise you are an elitist.
Entelechy on December 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Now this is entertainment! If this is a preview of the next four years…Wow! I just get a thrill up my leg thinking about it.
sdd on December 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Because he’s not “really, really, absolutely certain”. He wanted to leave himself some wiggle room.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Except of course, you’re not an elitist if you criticise anything Sarah Palin says/does, or doesn’t.
Entelechy on December 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
If Fitz has his way, the Office of the Successor-Elect is occupied by Joe Biden, the next Gerald Ford.
Steve Z on December 11, 2008 at 3:02 PM
I love listening to the liberals on talk radio and MSM changing the subject by saying we have bigger problems to worry about. I wonder if that would be the case if these corrupt politicians were Republicans.
BHO isn’t the only one who can handle multiple problems at a time!
DJ from MA on December 11, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Followed by:
“When did Your Office of the President Elect discover that the FBI was investigating Blago and had his phone on a wiretap”?
Texas Gal on December 11, 2008 at 3:05 PM
I loved that picture of Gore sitting with the idiot messiah as the first real questions were finally being asked of the child. Gore must have had some serious deja-vu.
Daley would be a tough nut for Gore, since he’s all over that moronic movie, Recount, that liberals love so much. I bet that movie disappears from the public sometime in the not-too-distant future.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Yeah, where was all this nuance when the liberal press was flogging Tasergate? Back then Palin was personally responsible for every word that came out of her staff’s mouths – even supposedly criminally liable.
But Chicago Jesus is not responsible for actual criminal acts by his minions?
Jim62sch on December 11, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Brilliant.
meltenn on December 11, 2008 at 3:06 PM
I’m always curious as to who these people are.
I have a feeling that the 16% that don’t agree are the same lunatics/children you regularly read spouting off laughers and Obama kool aid in the comment threads at Politico.
They’re also the same ones who can’t seem to being themselves to criticize a Dear Leader if there’s a (D) next to the name.
Good Lt on December 11, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Funny how now Obama needs to gather the facts when during the campaign his entire executive experience portfolio was built on his personal hands-on daily operation of his billion dollars of ‘small donations’.
Texas Gal on December 11, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Joe Wilson: I can’t wait to see Karl Rove frog-marched out of the White House.
I can’t wait to see
Karl RoveAdvisor BBarack Hussein Obama the Great frog-marched out of the White House.Steve Z on December 11, 2008 at 3:10 PM
That’s exactly how I feel, jrlingreenbay.
Why does Obama remind me of Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes?!
“I know NOTHING!”
Sterling Holobyte on December 11, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Joe Wilson: I can’t wait to see Karl Rove frog-marched out of the White House.
I can’t wait to see
Karl RoveAdvisor BBarack Hussein Obama the Great frog-marched out of the White House.By the way, we’re dealing with the same prosecutor.
Steve Z on December 11, 2008 at 3:12 PM
I guess it’s a good thing Obama had everyone on his team fill out that multi-page questionnaire. That kind of dossier will make connecting the dots simple.
I’m sure Axelrod and Plouffe filled one out. Right?
bryanmyrick on December 11, 2008 at 3:13 PM
This might possibly be the most corrupt Office of the President-Elect this country has ever seen in modern times.
portlandon on December 11, 2008 at 3:17 PM
brrrzzzzzhhhh zzzzmmmmmhhhh bzzzzhhhhrrrrrm
Are those shredders I hear?
Y-not on December 11, 2008 at 3:17 PM
If this guy knew what was going on with Blogo, Rezko, Wright, Ayers, etc., then he’s at most a slimeball and at worst a criminal.
I believe the latter.
If he didn’t know, then he’s monumentally stupid and completely incompetent.
Remind me again why anyone in their right mind voted for this clown act?
NoDonkey on December 11, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Nothing changes
pseudonominus on December 11, 2008 at 3:18 PM
ROFLMAO.
No wheeling and dealing in Obama’s past, huh?
No grant to the hospital where Michelle is employed, and making $300K/year in salary.
No super-duper real estate deal, thanks to Resko.
This, uh, guy is, umm, not only, uh, a liar, he thinks, uh, the rest, umm, of us are, uhh, stupid.
fogw on December 11, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Columbia and Harvard must be very proud. President of the Harvard Law Review … Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 3:21 PM
The left wants to replace a poor speaker with an even worse one. If one were to take a shot every time Nobama mutters “uh”, they’d be dead from alcohol poisoning!
Torch on December 11, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Why is this whole “did his staff talk to Blago” even a question? Of course they did. If Obama is taking glee in the fact that Blago was caught on a wiretap saying that Obama’s team would give him nothing but appreciation in return for picking their senate candidate…then they would have had to spoken to Blago in order for him to know that? The media can’t put that together?
AmericanUnderground on December 11, 2008 at 3:22 PM
This is far and away the most fun week since the election. And just think, it’s likely to carry on for months if not years and get better and better. Ah…
meltenn on December 11, 2008 at 3:24 PM
LOL! I meant no slander against the Last Frontier. It was my way of subtly suggesting that there have been other young political figures who refused to go along with political corruption and chose instead to risk their political future and whistle blow on members of their own party. Obama never tried to reform the corruption in Chicago. He played to get along, not to bring real change. Real change takes courage and risk. When has he ever risked anything?
ramrocks on December 11, 2008 at 3:24 PM
There’s a difference between “can’t” and “won’t,” I’m afraid.
cs89 on December 11, 2008 at 3:26 PM
I’m pining for Nixon…..
Vashta.Nerada on December 11, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Exactly , if Blago knew that they didn’t want to “play ball” they were in contact.How else?
the_nile on December 11, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Yes, and I’ve heard the new meme distributed in today’s talking points, on several networks …….. this isn’t anything new, everyone does it. It’s like the same crap we heard back in Slick Willie’s day, when the MSM rallied behind cigarman saying, “Yeah, well Thomas Jefferson boinked his women slaves”, suggesting Clinton was way, way above that kind of conduct.
Keep listening for the phrase, Everybody Does It.
Liberal Excuse #1.
fogw on December 11, 2008 at 3:28 PM
I hope his cigarette smoking goes up to 5 packs a day. POS slug.
rlwo2008 on December 11, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Patrick Fitzmas better get a subpoena out to the Office of the Pretend President before the “fact gathering” begins.
james23 on December 11, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Yeah, like how less than 0.1% of the bailout to AIG was spent.
Y-not on December 11, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Beside the fact that Nixon was a very skilled politician, as opposed to the incompetent retards of today, the idiot messiah’s campaign credit card fraud outdid Nixon’s slush fund by at least 2 orders of magnitude and foreign involvement, too.
progressoverpeace on December 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Remember………Watergate was a third-rate burglary.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on December 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
For doing very little.
Entelechy on December 11, 2008 at 3:33 PM
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