And a stupid man (or woman) in high political office can be very dangerous to all concerned. I have long said that as a political operative I would prefer a smart opponent to a stupid opponent. If you’re pretty smart yourself, you should be able to figure out what another pretty smart person will do. But whether you’re smart or stupid, it’s hard to figure out what a stupid person will do. That’s even more true when the stupid politician is your political ally. Stupid people do all sorts of things that are against their own interests. Like tell the press on Monday that you wouldn’t mind being taped, even when (as we learned on Tuesday) that you’ve been saying all kinds of things that you should have known could easily send you to the slammer.

The more interesting case, and a story for another day, is how Barack Obama rose despite being neither the son nor the son-in-law of somebody important in Chicago; it says something about his impressive talents that he was able to do so. But then it also didn’t hurt that his wife Michelle Robinson Obama’s father was a Democratic precinct committeeman. There are many precincts in each of the city’s 50 wards, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Mayor Richard M. Daley knows at least half of the precinct committeemen by name at any given time. Certainly his father did. And Michelle Obama, after her stint at the Sidley & Austin law firm, got a job in the current Mayor Daley’s office. He knew where she came from.

All of which is an illustration of my political adage: Nothing is free in politics, but there is some question as to when you pay the price. Obama has profited greatly from his interactions with the Chicago civic establishment. Now he is paying a price.

a capella: Take a closer look at that Barone article. He admits to working for the Democrats at an earlier period in his career. He also expresses a certain admiration for Axelrod. Barone is also adding to the narrative that Blago is not just stupid but crazy.

The spinmeisters are protecting Obama with this meme.

onlineanalyst on December 13, 2008 at 10:55 PM

Yes, I read that. I was more interested in the chronology of Blago’s career. I don’t think the “crazy” meme will work. Too many skeletons rattling around in other closets, plus the thing has legs now and can’t be deep sixed. Barone’s past sins don’t bother me as long as he gives me facts.

There’s not much there yet, but they have a big spider web up and it looks as if they’re going to be adding pictures throughout the web for background on Blago’s “friends”.

The spinmeisters are protecting Obama with this meme.

Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation began several years ago with the Chicago nexus. Eventually the probes led to the governor’s office. I think that the revelations will lead to more surprises than we can imagine.

I posted over at the other thread that the UK TimesOnline has a story in its Sunday edition about these evolving events. Below are two paragraphs in it that I think are telling in terms of the publication’s recognition of a double standard:

Obama once joked at a charity “roast” that the notoriously crude Emanuel – who was elected to Congress in Blagojevich’s old seat – was rendered “practically mute” when he lost his middle finger in an accident.

“When you are Rahm Emanuel and you use the f-word all the time, it is supposed to be cute and amusing,” Norquist said. “When the governor of Illinois gets caught, people say, ‘Oh, he’s crazy’, and the proof that he is crazy is that he talks like Rahm Emanuel.”

You are correct, The top of the food chain in Illinois is the mayor of Chicago. An aside, Genson is a mob lawyer. Many of his past clients were mob connected (Gambat). This city and State is a festering hole of corruption and it will not end.

Ace of Spades has posted, that, there has been a
suspicous fire at Governor Sarah Palin’s Church,
over 1 million in damages?????????:)

Blago? I’m thinking more of a prep school version of Eddie Munster.

whitetop on December 13, 2008 at 8:17 PM

If we’re very lucky, Blago may turn out to be our very best friend :)

The Obarfa Headquarters has begun sandbagging the doors and windows.

I think I saw Brian Williams, Katie Couric, Oprah, Tom Brokaw, Chrissy Matthews, and Babwa Wawa filling bags and passing them down a human chain.

Olbermann was encouraging them with a megaphone made up from curled up Time magazines (Obama on the cover of course).

It was easy enough to keep them in line…you could see the yellow line up their spines right through their carbon-less t-shirts.

Was he the little boy in “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”? I am old what can I tell you.

Blago? I’m thinking more of a prep school version of Eddie Munster.

but also because she seemed perennially dissatisfied.

She was, White recalls, “quite possibly the most ambitious associate that I’ve ever seen.” She wanted significant responsibility right away and was not afraid to object if she wasn’t getting what she felt she deserved, he says.

…………….. once you peal the graft, greed, and corruption off of them, what is left?

One of her relatives was quoted as saying the job “wasn’t a good fit” for Michelle, but I never have seen any explanation for why that was so.

AZCoyote on December 13, 2008 at 4:18 PM

I recall an article on that. She was not willing to work her way up the firm ladder. New associates get dull work – reviewing documents, doing research, trotting along with the partners to depositions, meetings and court (associates are sometimes called “bag carriers”). She wanted to work on big, exciting cases right off.

She also did not play her office politics right – I recall it said that she went to personnel and complained about the department to which she was assigned, and wanted a different one. Definitely a bad mistake. You do time where they initially assign you, and then when they say it’s time to rotate, you politely express interest in where you’d like to be.

highhopes on December 13, 2008 at 7:07 PM

Plus have executive privilege.

This might be a case of a premature prosecution protecting the putative president.

Basilsbest on December 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM

The most reasonable explanation I’ve heard was that Fitzgerald needed to act before Obama took office at which time some yes-man would be appointed US Attorney and sweep all the corruption of filthy Chicago politicians under the rug. Obama and the rest of these filthy politicians needed to go down before Obama can cover up his crimes and those of all his cronies including Emanuel and Blago.

Blindsided? Perhaps, but if so, it only demonstrates his cluelessness.

I’m not sure the operative word is clueless but rather shocked that anybody is raising a stink. This is business as usual for filthy Chicago politicians like Blago, Emanuel, and Obama. They are so corrupt they don’t understand that this kind of stuff is illegal. On top of that, at any other time, Blago would be defended by the Democrats but they are too busy trying to keep the taint of corruption off of Obama (it isn’t working) and that means Blago gets introduced to undercarriage of the Obama Express.

Mark my words, Obama isn’t even in office yet and he will go down as the most corrupt politician in the modern age- Nixon and Truman included.

Is that you Dicky? I think you are right. The charges seem premature. There is plenty of mens rea but from what I have seen no actus reus. Lot’s of talk about a bribe but not actual solicitation. Mr. Green may have eventually arrived but he seems as difficult to find as Obama’s long form birth certificate.

This might be a case of a premature prosecution protecting the putative president.

There was absolutely nothing inappropriate about you wanting for your wife what Obama got for his wife.

Now you know what it’s like to be discriminated against because of your skin color.

Michael Barone says you are stupid. So why is it ok to discriminiate against some of the stupid just because most of the stupid, like for example Maher and Moore get tv programs and movies.