Breaking: Obama finally releases report on staff’s contacts with Blagojevich; Update: No quid pro quo
posted at 4:41 pm on December 23, 2008 by Allahpundit
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4:30 p.m. on December 23rd, when both he and Emanuel are literally thousands of miles away. Well played, Messiah.
Here’s the five-page PDF. Updates coming.
Update: In brief: Obama talked to Emanuel and Axelrod about his preferences for the seat, then Emanuel talked to Blago once or twice and to Blago’s chief of staff (who’s also been indicted) four times to relay those preferences. The NYT had considered it a “leading unanswered question” whether Team Barry actually gave them a short list of preferred candidates; now we know. No offers of any quid pro quo were made, but who knows if Blagojevich assumed that appointing someone on The One’s list might earn him something from the administration down the line.
The most interesting bit comes at the top of page 3, in the explanation for why Valerie Jarrett was initially touted by CNN as Obama’s top choice and then suddenly untouted: According to the memo, Emanuel was confused about whether Obama wanted him to push any single candidate for the seat. It was he, supposedly, who took the initiative and recommended Jarrett to Blago, thinking Obama would want him to; only “later” did he learn that The One didn’t want to express any preference beyond the short list. Question: Um, is that likely?
See also the bottom of page 3 for a friendly chat between Jarrett herself and an Illinois SEIU chief, who told her that Blagojevich had told him he wanted to be Health and Human Services head. They both agreed that “it would never happen,” but if you’re looking for evidence that people in Obama’s inner circle knew that Blago was interested in a position with Team Barry, there you go. Exit question: If Rahm only had five or six calls with Blago and his aides, where’d the Sun-Times get the number 21 from?
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Drudge has a headline linking to The Smoking Gun that THE ONE was interviewed by the Feds along with 2 of his Aides…
bullseye on December 23, 2008 at 6:57 PM
No, actually that does not at all seem like a stretch. It is an absurd coincidence to suggest that the person everyone reported as being Obama’s preference to replacement suddenly withdrew her name because Obama wanted her in the White House. Sorry, the more likely scenario is the first one. And it’s clear that Jarrett wanted the senate seat because the SEIU guy was still negotiating on her behalf.
You are basically accepting at face value the Obama team’s explanation. I don’t find their explanation at all probable.
They knew that Blago was demanding a tit-for-tat otherwise Blago wouldn’t have shouted his famous, “f*ck him!” when he heard that Obama wasn’t going to give him anything. My question/accusation still remains: Why didn’t Obama report this to the Feds?
He might not have done anything wrong in that narrow “legalistic” sense, but it was a lapse of ethics and reveals the sort of “good ole boy” network of Chicago crooks that he’s used to wading through.
ramrocks on December 23, 2008 at 7:06 PM
And we/you are emulating these loons because…??
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Meh, not super interested in a report by the Obama team clearing the Obama team. I suspect anything incriminating is… gone… now, but I’m with Fred Barnes, this thing is not really over yet.
Y-not on December 23, 2008 at 7:08 PM
I’m running reports at work, and it gets boring. So, I find ways to amuse myself. :D
malclave on December 23, 2008 at 7:13 PM
I never quite got the Conservative bloggers running with something she said, like The One, seems so unoriginal.
I guess the GOP did get lazy….what’s the point of making fun of Ophra, like that would have changed this election.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Can you say “Oscar Meyer”?
The smoking gun is the sudden withdrawal of Obama’s chosen replacement. It is obvious that either The Lord was uncomfortable making a specific commitment or reciprocation verbally, even through his intermediaries, or he refused the amount of reciprocation demanded by Gov. Judas.
Cover-up ensues. This brought down Nixon – but that was an angry liberal press filled with commie infiltrators. Now, the proud commies are out of the closet and will fail to ask the right questions or persevere in pursuit of the truth.
Kind of brings to mind that old saying about justice – “This is a court of law, not justice!”
This is a free press – free to print what we call the truth, not the actual facts!
Liberty is dead. Get used to it.
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Question- Obmama and two of his
archangelsaides met with federal prosecutors last week. Do you think he or the Aides were questioned under oath??bullseye on December 23, 2008 at 7:23 PM
It occurs to me that Obama wanted his people to get their interviews on the record with the Prosecutor before he released information to the public.
That’s what the delay was about.
MayBee on December 23, 2008 at 7:34 PM
It’s not just the press, it’s the radio, the internet the cable news outlets, everyone wants to have an opinion, share it and be well compensated, regardless of whether it’s true or not.
What happened to the days when America and Americans didn’t care about or get hung up on what people thought but strived to hear the facts and the truth and justice were the America way?
It’s a complete breakdown of civilization, we’ve gone to far over in this Free Speech arena for our own good. Everyone wants to be an analyst, but listening too intently and taking stock in too much opinion really can get in the way of Liberty as well.
Let’s not censor people but let’s not listen too hard either, unless they are supposed to be reporting the hard cold facts.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Uh, no!. The O-team asked, “What can we do for you to make this go away?”
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Your point holds no water (and little sense). It seems you take up for the journalists, as if you’re saying trust them. That I can’t have my own opinion. Nor can anyone else.
But my opinion, like many others around the web, the country, are based on keen observation and intelligence. “Favors” in politics (hell, in ANYTHING!) are a fact of life. My “opinion” is based on the fact of Obama’s girl dropping out of the replacement race two days before this story broke.
Something stinks, and we’re not in Denmark, Dorothy.
And by the way, “journalists” are supposed to be reporting the feces-er, facts! Editorials belong on the editorial page (my old editor screamed at me)!
Ain’t you ever heard, “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining!”?
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Isnt’ there a new tax on that Kool-aid you’re drinking? Careful, it’ll make you fat (and apparently a little thicker in the head as well).
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 7:48 PM
He might not have done anything wrong in that narrow “legalistic” sense, but it was a lapse of ethics and reveals the sort of “good ole boy” network of Chicago crooks that he’s used to wading through.
See, now you’re drawing conclusions. At least I’m saying we don’t know the entire story, but this is a piece of the puzzle with more to be revealed (presumedly from Fitz).
And yes, as of now, I am taking this on face value. I explained why before (basically that Obama doesn’t know what Fitz has and his he lied in this report it would most likely come out later in the investigation — plus no one has alleged any wrongdoing on Obama’s part).
I’m sorry, you can speculation on what could have happened, but the evidence you cite is extremely weak on its own. As I said before, it’s perfectly plausible that Obama yanked Jarret from consideration because he simply wanted her in the White House. And I wrote before that it seemed like Team Obama got wind that Blago was trying to shake them down for the seat, so they yanked Jarret, but the with more information that’s coming it, it seems like there were no requests by Blago aides for favor in return for seating Jarret and that Obama really did want her in the White House all along. That’s a perfectly if not likely scenario at this point.
If that “all we get is appreciation, right?” “right.” exchange is correct, it almost seems like Blago’s aides were on one hand indulging Blago’s shakedown schemes with him, but not really pushing them at all those who would return favors in exchange for having their preferred candidate appointed.
But the fact that you’re drawing conclusions about Obama based on weak evidence just shows you’re not looking for the truth, but for an excuse to slam Obama. More and more info keeps coming out about this case, and there has not been one shred of solid evidence showing Obama did anything illegally or moral wrong. That’s just a fact. At some point, you have to give into the facts and lack of evidence against Obama or anyone on his team.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Well, by the sound of your testiness and your reaction to what I wrote went over your head – let’s start over.
I never insinuated that you couldn’t have an opinion, I said your opinion should matter to you but shouldn’t have to matter to the masses uinless it’s based on fact. You obviously believe your opinion matters, again that’s another one of your opinions, great.
I never said I wanted to censor anyone – so calm down – what I said was:
Let’s not censor people but let’s not listen too hard either, unless they are supposed to be reporting the hard cold facts.
Ahem, you are obviously of the ilk who believes we all should be listening to you. So I will forgive you for your self-centered-all-about-me blunder.
And yes Virginia, I know there is a journalist and what he’s duty is.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Tom, I know it’s hard when you are inside the cult, but have you wondered why Rahm is “in Africa” and Obama is unavailable? Rahm has been hiding from the start?
Strange behavior from innocent people.
faraway on December 23, 2008 at 8:02 PM
According to this report, it seems that Obama always wanted Jarret in the White House, but Jarret seemingly had some interest in being appointed to the Senate seat. The report says that after Obama spoke to her and expressed his desire for her to be in the White House, she withdrew her name.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Not believable. Jarrett and Obama were very tight. No way she didn’t know he wanted her in the White House, or the Senate, or whatever the truth really is.
And it’s also not believable that Emanuel was a rogue agent who was making suggestions to Blago about Obama’s seat without having discussed it with Barry first.
Finally, how do you account for the fact that they don’t know exactly how many phone calls were made by Emanuel? No doubt this missing link will be provided any day now, when the detailed phone bill comes in.
/s
Buy Danish on December 23, 2008 at 8:06 PM
I know it’s hard when you are inside the cult, but have you wondered why Rahm is “in Africa” and Obama is unavailable? Rahm has been hiding from the start?
Yeah, and fire can’t melt steel… have fun with your conspiracy theories. I’ll deal with reality.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 8:07 PM
H-E-L-L-O, like I said it’s just like the birth certificate non event from Commander Byrd, Truther Extraordinaire.
They want Obama to fail, it’s all partisan play at this point – with a hell of allot of wishful thinking thrown in for hopful good measure.
They could care less about the country coming together, they want exactly what the loons at Fire Dog Lake, DU, HUFF PO and KOS wanted for Bush and much. much more.
More of the same. Same nuthouse – but different patients.
Tin foil is the new raison d’être….
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 8:09 PM
Maybe. But you’re looking for legalistic mumbo-jumbo to defend The Lord. You bet I’m biased against him. He’s either a flat-out Marxist or a complete weenie. Besides the fact I just don’t like the man based on his actions, statements and behavior. He’s a shill, a game-player and lacks any articulate core values I can identify with! His job is to finish the destruction of America started under Wilson and FDR and LBJ and JC and GHWB and Slick and the W.
I know, that conspiracy theory crap will drive you insane, won’t it?!
AND the man’s already lied (in the vein of the real Black President – I did not have sexual relations with that woman) by saying NO CONTACT about the position by him or his staff – play the fffffing tape!!! He changed that to “inappropriate” after they figured out Rohmie was on tape!
You’re confusing “facts” for “evidence”. None yet. But a lack of evidence does not a truth make
No, I don’t. There are NO FACTS, only a lack of evidence.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 7:52 PM
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 8:11 PM
Personally, I think you’re driving Kosmo Karmer’s Reality Tour Bus, myself!
I quit drinking Kooli-aid after Jonestown.
Never too late, Tom…
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Yawohl, Mien Furher – Col. Klink reporting for duty!!!!
Seriously – it’s not about wanting him to fail – its about wanting his POLICIES to fail because they mean the obliteration of liberty!!!
LOOK AT THE NEW PROPOSED TAXES IN NEW YORK!!! WAKE UP YOU IDIOTS!!!!
Now a word from our sponsor….
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 8:18 PM
This assumption alone keeps the political system going. OF COURSE that was the idea.
ernesto on December 23, 2008 at 8:19 PM
AND the man’s already lied (in the vein of the real Black President – I did not have sexual relations with that woman) by saying NO CONTACT about the position by him or his staff
See, this is where you start to really lose credibility with me. Obama never said his staff did not have contact with Blagojevich or his office. He see HE didn’t and he would gather information from his staff about their contacts, which he did with this report.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 8:20 PM
There are NO FACTS
How about the FACT that Fitzgerald went out of his way to say Obama is not accused of ANY wrongdoing and he warned against speculating that people mentioned in the tape as a target of Blago’s shakedown schemes should be seen as guilty. Yes, there are facts, and one big one is that Fitzgerald has said Obama is not accused of any wrong doing as a result of their investigation.
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 8:23 PM
AprilOrit
Works like “ilk” and “over your head” – sigh.
Must I resort to how your ability to parse your thoughts in coherent English overreaches your…well, ability to parse your thoughts in coherent English?
Yeah, guess I must:
Say whaaaaaaaat!?!?!?!
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 8:23 PM
Tom_Shipley on December 23, 2008 at 8:23 PM
The same Fritz that went out of his way to stain the Bush administration with the BS, non-existent Plame revelation with a BS charge created by undue pressure.
Gimme’ a break.
Can’t wait to see your wife in a burka. Day’s comin’! But you won’t be paying attention, you’ll be bowing to The One five times daily.
klickink.wordpress.com on December 23, 2008 at 8:27 PM
Believe it or not, I actually agree with a lot of what you’re saying. I do want facts… I know that Fitzgerald has said that he was not accusing Obama in the matter (I didn’t hear him say that Obama was not involved, as I’ve seen people elsewhere claim, but I concede that I might have missed it). Frankly, though, this whole report is just something to be laughed at.
What I do disagree with, adamantly, is your implication that we should be listening “hard” to organizations like the N.Y. Times and A.P. They are, in your words, “supposed to be reporting the hard cold facts,” but have proven themselves malfeasant and/or incompetent in that endeavor.
malclave on December 23, 2008 at 8:43 PM
And what exactly are you?
Again more of that opnion I was talking about…
How did we get on NY? I live in NYC, no need to scream, but the tax hikes in NY – are so far only a proposal – they still have to pass the legislature. And if they pass – the masses will be driving over to NJ for clothes, gas, wine, cigars and soda and NY will stand to lose.
And Paterson will learn a hard learned lesson they never seem to get. But most of this is because of Wall Street, but that’s off topic in this thread.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 8:45 PM
HUH/ When did I mention the NY Times or the AP.
Where is the tread with them mentioned – please show me. Again, you are letting your opinion run amouk.
I never said anything about either, nor did I insinuate anything along those lines.
Again what I said was –
Let’s not censor people but let’s not listen too hard either, unless they are supposed to be reporting the hard cold facts.
How did you get the AP or The NY Times from that? Why not the Washington Times or UPI?
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Meant to say –
And yes Virginia, I know there is a journalist and what his duty is.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 8:51 PM
Yes, it’s really a stretch to think that “Emanuel was confused about whether Obama wanted him to push any single candidate for the seat”. What kind of Chief of Staff is that?
As has happened before, it’s either a lie or a sign of real ineptitude.
INC on December 23, 2008 at 8:54 PM
They come from the phrase “supposed to be reporting the cold, hard facts”. Emphasis on supposed to be.And you’re right… I probably should have added in Fox and MSNBC.
As far as the Washington Times and UPI… I rarely see a Washington Times reference so it didn’t come to mind (I see NY Post mentioned more often, but still nowhere near the coverage of the NYT and AP). As to the UPI… is it still around? I don’t know when the last time I noted a story as being from that source.
malclave on December 23, 2008 at 8:55 PM
Yes. I noted earlier that on our local liberal TV news the other night they had Barney Frank going on and on about how terrible things were and how the Dems would have to take action, etc., etc., and then the next clip was of Obama playing golf in Hawaii.
The irony was remarkable. Either the newsroom had no sense of how it would come across or a conservative snuck it into the sequence.
INC on December 23, 2008 at 8:58 PM
No Fitzgerald did not say these things. He simply said that Mr. Obama was not named as the object in this particular complaint. Obama was interviewed by the Feds recently and as it turns out he had a much bigger part in all of this than he previously stated and “was absolutely certain of..”
Obama has essentially said this: “I have investigated myself and I am innocent.” We’ll see. His girl VJ pulled out when the price got too high. And it wasn’t 4 conversations F-bomb Rahm had with Blago, it was 21. Chill Shipley, your boy’s a player and a big one.
gracie on December 23, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Photo Caption Contest TIme?
Emanuel: I told you. We can get away with freaking anything!
Obama: Tee Hee
hawkdriver on December 23, 2008 at 9:02 PM
The Pineapple Prince has spoken. Let there be no doubts throughout the land.
onlineanalyst on December 23, 2008 at 9:06 PM
Alive and well and owned by the same owner as The Washington Times.
I misunderstood what you meant. I thought you we saying that I was siting the AP and The Washington Times as valid news sources.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Whoops – meant to say –
I misunderstood what you meant. I thought you we saying that I was siting the AP and The NY Times as valid news sources.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Yep. The best choice for Barry is that Rahm is an inept, rogue operator who can’t remember whether it was 1 or 2 conversations.
Buy Danish on December 23, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Obama stated that he did not have contact with the Governor
Which is not true.Is having contact a “crime”,no it is not.But when people start making statements and then having to back track it is suspicious.
We have Obama stating:
“I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”
LOOKS LIKE CONTACT TO ME:
Obama: Do Not Believe Your Lying Eyes
http://minx.cc/?post=279535
We have Axlerod stating that Obama has had contact with Blago concerning the Senate seat(then conveniently saying “I mis-spoke.Damn,I bet Libby wishes that he could have convinced liberals and the MSM by so easily saying “oops,I mis-spoke!”) :
A definitive “I know” has now conveniently turned into
“I mis-spoke”.
yea,anything you say master Obama.Whatever you want me to say master Obama.We must protect the lightworker master Obama.
We have at least 3 independent news articles that state Obama has had contact with Blago concerning the Senate seat:
Surprise! Stories Noting Obama-Blagojevich Meetings Disappear Down Memory Hole
http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2008/12/surprise-stories-noting-obama.html
From KHQA(who have conveniently followed in Axlerods footsteps without explaining how they got the story wrong not once but twice or have printed a retraction.Reminds me of the WaPo denying that Raines was part of Obama circle even though they printed it more than once and never retracted the story).
(Tribune)
It is also a question of what someone considers “deal making”.Offering up names and discussing the senate seat is not a crime,but it looks like deal making to me.So why deny you did it unless you have something to hide or you are not in control of your staff:
Obama Is ‘Appalled,’ Insists He Had No Contact With Blagojevich Over Senate Seat
President-elect Barack Obama says neither he nor his aides had any contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich regarding his open Senate seat.
FOXNews.com
Thursday, December 11, 2008
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/11/obama-says-contact-blagojevich-senate-seat/
I agree that there is no proof that Obama or his staff broke the law….yet.
The significance with this is what is made out of it by the
MSM and other politicians.
We saw this with Plame and many other issues with the Bush
administration where Bush/Cheney were not guilty of any wrong doing but the press would not let it go,the entertainment industry would not let it go and democrats would bring it up every chance they had.
Libby goes down for not keeping his conversations straight
and the leaker ends up being the democrat Armitage.
Bush/Cheney were innocent of this bogus liberal outrage along with the “Bush lied” and “NSA Wiretapping” scandals.
But the damage was done with the constant hammering of false accusations.It did not matter that Bush/Cheney were not guilty,all the democrats wanted to do was use it to bring poll numbers down and gain political advantage.
We don’t know all the answers but the double standard of watching the press go all out to defend Obama after years of
false accusations and “getting to the truth” against Bush
are pathetically obvious.
I don’t see a problem with not taking what is said by Obama and his staff at face value.He should be held to the same scrutiny that Bush has been for the last 8 years.
Baxter Greene on December 23, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Oh, yes, let’s listen to the Media.
You know, the media who published pictures of Beirut after ol’ what’s-his-name “cleaned up the dirt” on them. Or the pics of an ambulance “targeted” by the IAF, except it was in, you know, one piece. Or the pics of the old lady in Beirut who apparently owns all of Beirut’s destroyed hovels. Or the pics that were staged by the PA or Fatah or Hamas to show “Israeli destruction” when they were, oh, yeah, staged. Or the media who went on a rampage about massacres that never were. Or the media who ignores massacres that actually were (Darfur for many years, Syrian massacres of Christians, the Kurds in Iraq).
Yes, let’s believe them.
As for this report, I’ll wait until the judge and jury are finished with ol’ Helmet Hair and until all the evidence is out….. Until then, I reserve my right as a former resident of Illinoise to skepticism of any claims of wrongdoing by anyone in anyone’s camp.
mjk on December 23, 2008 at 9:52 PM
So team obama would only give the trashy gov a little kiss for the appointment and no cash or job.
Well then was this reported by the one?
No silk purse ever came from a pigs ear!
Dersu on December 23, 2008 at 10:57 PM
No, reported by the press based on what Fitzgerald said was stated by Blago on the tape – his words.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 11:12 PM
I haven’t seen all the material. I can’t say anything definitive either way. Neither can you. I’m certainly not going to take the word of Obama’s own investigation any more than you would take an internal investigation of the Bush admin at face value.
ddrintn on December 23, 2008 at 11:37 PM
Just like what I was saying, for me – and this is my own feeling – I am going to leave the tin foil for those who wear it well – I’ll stick with the facts and what will and shall be, there is more to be revealed and I am willing to wait to see every last bit of it.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 11:40 PM
Translation: “why can’t those idiotic conservatives get with the friggin’ program already?”
ddrintn on December 23, 2008 at 11:43 PM
Well, let’s just hope that sort of circumspect attitude will carry the day the next time some Republican is accused of a scandal, or is otherwise besmirched. I won’t be counting on it, though.
ddrintn on December 23, 2008 at 11:45 PM
OK, that’s your translation, run with it if it makes you feel real. And if you are looking for a fight – take it elsewhere – it’s the Holidays and I am not biting. And that statement is so tired, it’s older than dirt. I’m not the enemy.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Sorry, but that’s the message. “Unity” means seeing the leftward light. Nothing more.
ddrintn on December 23, 2008 at 11:52 PM
Again, bad behavior doesn’t justify or cancel out other past bad behavior. Whomever is corrupt needs to go, period.
AprilOrit on December 23, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Certainly. The problem is in how consistently the standard is applied.
ddrintn on December 23, 2008 at 11:56 PM
ddrintn – You are correct about liberals and unity. We had our son in a quaker school. We went in for an open house. The history teacher’s idea of ‘diversity’ prior to the election was one half of the room with obama stuff and the other half with hildabeast stuff. I called him over and asked him about it. “Hey, isn’t there some other guy named john or something running?” He sputtered out a reply to the effect that there was no contest on the Republican side so they were only talking about hill and marxie.. My response to him was “So, you have the hard core marxist on one side and the hard core socialist on the other..you could at least include the liberal”
Anyway, back on topic here. Some things strike me about this.
1. Was obie questioned under oath or not??? If it was a republican the media would be all over that question.
2. It’s interesting that obie goes to hawaii. Maybe he has the chartered 767 warmed up and fueled with his brit passport onboard. Nothing like a quick getaway.
3. The media really gave axelrod a pass.. What he said was clear as the ears on obama’s head… Yet he can claim he misspoke.. I call Bovine Excrement on that one.
4. A governor and his chief were arrested. They made up one half of the senate seat red tag sale transaction (Red Tag.. Funnier now that I think about it)… There had to be another half of the transaction I would think.. Who might that other half be??
5. For a guy who promises transparency.. Obie has a real habit of disappearing. Kind of like deer. You see them all year and on opening day, every deer in the state seems to magically vanish.
6. The media was all over Gov Palin’s tanning bed non story. This issue involves the sale of our federal government… Where the hell are they now???
bullseye on December 24, 2008 at 12:05 AM
One more thought.. If obie and team broke any laws, he has an interesting tightrope to walk.
On one hand, he has to be careful not to say anything that would give fitz ammo.
On the other hand, he needs to try to sway the public into “Hey, look at me, I’m as pure as the driven snow”.
I’m not a lawyer but I think that those two tasks would be sometwat opposed.
bullseye on December 24, 2008 at 12:08 AM
In related news the public relations firm hired by Charles Manson has put their finger to the wind and released their new “report” that the Family was a big misunderstanding. Charles wants the media hacks, cough, he means objective press, to publish the findings of his report without raising any questions just like they did Obammy’s.
viking01 on December 24, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Now that’s hilarious.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Nice dodge of the issue. It’s not “bad people need to go” because you’re not arguing that…
It’s all in the definition of “bad behavior”.
Skywise on December 24, 2008 at 12:18 AM
klickink- as pleasant as your response was, you are misreading me. Obama claimed that he withheld his report at the behest of Fitzgerald. I don’t think that’s completely true. I think Obama withheld releasing this report until he could talk to Fitzgerald. He and his people wanted to make sure they knew exactly what story they’d tell Fitzgerald before they went public with it. They didn’t want to tell the public something and then have to say something else to Fitzgerald.
MayBee on December 24, 2008 at 1:39 AM
The way his followers worship him and, from what I can tell of his own notion of his his own self worth, the name fits in a very mocking way. In short he is one very, very full-of-it SOB, and sarcasm is an excellent way of showing that. I mean, for Pete’s sake, the noodnicks who voted for him call him “The One”!
Christians know that there will fake messiahs; there have been, there are and there will be. Fortunately, Christians have an excellent grasp of who the real Messiah is. What galls quite a few Christians, this one included, in addition to many non-Christians, is Barry O’s not putting an end to this cult of personality garbage. He is full of himself. So, let’s play it your way Obarky……
Bill Clinton is many things. One of them is a very shrewd politician. When he called Obarky a “Chicago street thug” he hit the proverbial nail on the head. Funny how no one really took him seriously, especially in the media.
Their differences were tactical in nature, not strategic. Perhaps it was over the price in the heat of the moment; Senate seats are few and far between and in this economy every little bit helps. Blago was simply trying to get some change before the hope, that’s all. After what Bush has done to ruin this country and Iraq and that poor Saddam family and poor little Afghanistan and the poor Al Quadea, what with Gitmo and those Predator drones with Hellfire missiles and all, and picking on that sweet little Chavez can you blame Blago?! Besides, I’m sure Blago soon repented and all will be forgiven once the presidential pardon comes February 1, 2009 or so.
Bubba Redneck on December 24, 2008 at 1:58 AM
And as I said – bad behavior (that sick and suffering behavior expressed by the Far Right and Far Left Loons) is bad behavior, regardless of who dishes it out.
When a Far Left Moonbat acting like a tin foiling wearing psycho or for the sake of the arguement – let’s say your average reporter – starts accusing Bush or any Republican of all kinds of bakookum – doing the same to Obama is just emulating the kkoks who did it to Bush. I mean what’s the deal – we are supposed to say – well they did it to Bush so now it’s Obama’s turn – let’s get him?
That is what I meant. Now maybe it makes you feel better but to me – it seems determential to the country on a whole.
And actually do I think these people who carry on like this are bad? Most definately – they are bad for the country. Many of them have problems with the truth and would rather create a scenario based on lies and garbage for their own self gratification. Like the Truthers chasing Berg’s silly birth certificate crash and burn. They so wanted it to be true, they were ready to say or believe whatever it took to rally more peole to believe the story. They figured if they talked about it eb nough it would become true. Berg was like this Pied Piper leading them, no matter how anyone reasoned with them, like Michelle, AP, ED they couldn’t hear them. They did not want to hear them and they attacked them for not following along.
The same with The Left’s infatuaition with arresting Karl Rove or having him arrested for whatever they think/thought was he was guilty of. He’s guilty of nothing, but it doesn’t matter to them,. They still will say he belongs in jail. They say the same about Rush Limbaugh.
When Keith Olbermann does his usual insane rant about the average Republican do I look to Sean Hannity for some kind of emotional healing?
No, certainly not – is all that I am saying.
I think – when people listen to this kind of constant back and forth dribble – it divides the country unneccesarily and we never move forward.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 2:30 AM
This is a report about the missing chickens from the hen house written by the fox and the weasel, both exonerating each other.
But the Obama cult true believers, by that I mean media, will accept it no questions asked.
abcurtis on December 24, 2008 at 7:11 AM
The media.
abcurtis on December 24, 2008 at 7:17 AM
And, again, nice dodge of ths issue but that’s not the point.
You’re excusing one’s bad behavior because you don’t think it IS bad behavior. This isn’t a lynching on Karl Rove. This isn’t attacking Bush for war crimes. This is a President-Elect’s administration who FACTUALLY was in negotiations to graft for a senate seat and the media is giving it a pass because it’s THE ONE doing it.
Or perhaps you’d like us to… move on?
Skywise on December 24, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Now that was funny,would have loved to have seen the look
on the face of “Mr. open mindedness and objectivity” when you hit him with that.
Priceless!!
Baxter Greene on December 24, 2008 at 10:02 AM
And again – you have no proof of that, you are slandering him just like The Left slandered Bush and Rove.
You are a part of the problem.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Yes I do.
Obama (last week): “My administration has had no contact with the Governor of Illinois regarding the Senate slot”
Obama’s report (this week): Rahm Emanuel discussed the Senate seat slot with Blagojevich several times. (But we didn’t do anything illegal).
Several is a lot more than many.
Look, graft is a fact of life in politics. Look at the discussions about Obama’s campaign paying off Hillary Clinton’s campaign debts if she would step down?
What’s different here is that Blagojevich demanded compensation for it and got recorded while doing it.
The facts here are that the Obama Administration WAS negotiating with Blagojevich. Maybe not for that kind of direct compensation but for some type of graft and then LIED (yes, Virginia, LIED) about it.
Again, this is a REAL crime (Blaogjevich is indicted, y’know) with REAL repercussions.
Still want us to… move on?
Skywise on December 24, 2008 at 1:54 PM
A lot depends on your definition of “forward”.
Look, here’s the problem, simply put. With conservatives, it’s “guilty until proven innocent”. With liberals, it’s “innocent until proven guilty”. Even more: it’s “if there’s anything that remotely looks incriminating, we must bend over backward to explain it away”.
How many still believe Sarah Palin did something criminal in that ridiculous “Troopergate” crap?
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Hmmm, With conservatives, it’s “guilty until proven innocent”. No, not with all Conservatives, only with the Far Right unbendable judgemental loons who live in the land of fringe and conjecture.
Most reasonable Americans believe that all people are innocent until proven guilty.
Your type as the face of Conservatism and the GOP is a detriment.
No you don’t. You do not have any valid proof of any wrongdoing by anyone other than Blago. You can keep on wishing and hoping and insinuating and throwing that crap up against the wall to see what sticks, knock yourself out. And then you can join the birth certificate alumni and all bitch together ’til doomsday.
I’ll pass.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Who WAS Blago dealing with if not the Obama administration then.
You tell me that and I’ll shut up.
Skywise on December 24, 2008 at 4:19 PM
So what was said and who has said anything illegal in those conversations?
You are only assuming and throwing out your opinion of what you assume has happened.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 4:48 PM
My “type”? “Detrimental” in the sense that we’re interfering in the leftward march? Golly, AprilOrit, I don’t see why you just don’t become a Democrat (assuming you’re not one now). By the way, I’m not “Far Right”. The way terms like that are thrown around willy-nilly renders them useless.
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 4:50 PM
You are so angry and so sure something illegal or inappropriate must have happened, it’s just boggeles me that you have no proof yet – but who cares.
Can’t you hear yourself? Don’t you get it – that you are acting just like the Far Left smear merchants who felt it was all good because they were interfering in the right-leaning march that Bush and Cheney were allegedly leading this country down?
Just like the birth certificate fiasco – you stand to look incredible and silly if there were no crimes committed by Obama’s people.
What it boils down to is exactly what David Horowitz said – you guys suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome and you are bitter and angry because McCain lost and you will jump on anything you can grasp on to, even if you have to spin the tale yourself.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 5:32 PM
You seem so bitter and angry that you hear things people haven’t really said. I never said Obama is guilty of anything. I said I DON’T KNOW. YOU DON’T KNOW. TOM_SHIPLEY DOESN’T KNOW. I’ve never said a thing about Obama’s birth certificate, beyond the fact that (like his college record and other documents) he seems to be gripping onto pretty tightly.
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 6:06 PM
* onto THEM pretty tightly.
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Tell me something, though, AprilOrit. Which do you think is more ethically “clean”: Palin or Obama?
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 6:09 PM
Neither.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 7:56 PM
FIFY.. Skywise is just trying to do the job that the ‘american’ media refuses to do..
bullseye on December 24, 2008 at 8:32 PM
uh-huh… couldn’t answer it, couldya?
I’m not throwing out an opinion, it’s a fact. Blago negotiated with the leadership of the DNC to fill the senate seat. That’s what Blago says ON THE TAPE. That’s, de-facto, the Obama Administration or Howard Dean.. but Dean has all but resigned from the position in lieu of Obama and I’ve not heard Dean’s name bandied about and besides, Obama’s administration HAS talked to Blago about it after Obama himself said his Administration had 0, nada, zip, NO CONTACT.
Not opinions. Facts.
I don’t care about Obama’s birth certificate, I don’t suffer from ODS or any one of a dozen other things you and Tom seem to like to make personal attacks from in lieu of actual, reasoned, debate.
Now go back and read where I said it all depends on how you define “bad behavior”.
Skywise on December 24, 2008 at 8:40 PM
BZZZT BZZZT BZZZT – DANGER WILL ROBINSON.. SHAPE CHANGING LEFTISTS HAVE INFILTRATED THE BOARD.. DANGER DANGER DANGER.
OK April.. maybe we need a little ad hominum or ad womanum.
Anyway, if you answered the question above the way you did, then I have to say that you are either
1. Grossly ill informed
2. Someone who has Obama signs and stickers plastered all over your lawn and Prius.
3. Easily susceptible to Erickson Hypnosis
4. Making a few bucks on the side by trolling. (Sarah Palin makes a few bucks on the side by trolling for Salmon, which IMHO, is a lot more honest)
Sorry, there is no comparison between the real corruption of obama and the media circus garbage directed at Palin
Final Question, Please rate the Obama-Rezko on the following scale (I beleive this is a fair question)
1. Nothing to see, move along, all was ethical and legal
2. Perhaps not illegal but probably unethical
3. Illegal as hell and unethical as hell and Obama should be in jail for it.
BTW – our I don’t believe our buddy Tom Shipley ever answered this one.. Feel free to chime in tom.
bullseye on December 24, 2008 at 8:41 PM
I don’t get it. You just said we have no proof that Obama has done anything wrong. Obama would obviously have to be “cleaner”, wouldn’t he?
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Again, you so want to put those words into my mouth, stop. I never said he was clean. What I said was I do not have enough info to make an opinion on this particular incident.
I do not like Obama or Palin. I would have preferred McCain not have picked her. By choosing her he gave the election to Obama. She’s one of those candidates with a very short and typical draw. She attracted the usuals who fell for her simple brand of megalomania.
She an Obama are actually – personality wise – very similar and again very standard.
Neither are my cup of tea but my twin brother and my older sister jumped the family ship and supported Obama, joined the campaign, pissed off my grandmother and my parents.
If you go back and listen to both of their stump speeches – it’s the same crap over and over again.
He sounds like an Aticus Finch character and she sounds like the Wizard of Oz as he’s opening the bag to disperse the awards.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 11:22 PM
For someone who insists on facts, you certainly appear to let your personal feelings color what you perceive to be facts. Palin is a megalomaniac? How do ya figure? I don’t get that impression from Palin as much as I do from Obama. But that’s neither here nor there. I’m not putting words in your mouth; I’m just following the string here. You take offense if someone infers that Obama, coming from the Chicago political scene, is maybe somewhat likely to have engaged in activities that are unethical at best. Those who do that don’t particularly like Obama, the way you don’t particularly like Palin. Get as outraged over all misrepresentations, includuing those of Sarah Palin. That’s the point.
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 11:32 PM
That’s not Palin’s fault. That’s one of two things: swallowing whole the swill the MSM dish up, or looking for any convenient cover to support Obama. “My oh my, I was going to support Kerry in 2004 but gosh, that stupid Edwards guy he chose as VP just changed my mind completely and I became a Bush supporter.” Yeah, like I’d believe someone who told me that.
ddrintn on December 24, 2008 at 11:37 PM
I never said anything about Chicago at all in any of my posts. But since you brought it up – Ill and Alaska are both extremely corrupt. Then my state NY follows along with NJ.
I supported and voted for John McCain, even though I didn’t like her. One thing I didn’t do however – is blame her for my sister and my brother. I couldn’t actually.
If you check the older threads here or ask some of the older posters they will tell you that I posted about them jumpimg ship long before she was even mentioned.
They supported Obama for their own reasons, I didn’t argue with them over it, but it was odd and hard to digest, especially with my twin brother. It was the first time our family didn’t all vote Republican.
AprilOrit on December 24, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Personally I just think Palin is a crock of crap rolled up into this cute little package to entice the men and make the women feel relevant.
I just believe she is not all what she appears cracked up to be.
Let’s just say I am skeptical, but I supported the ticket because I vote R down the line.
Obama was neither here nor there to me, I wasn’t supporting him and at one point I posted about Hillary being a larger threat actually. Mainly because so many Republicans temporarily lost their minds and were supporting her. I really thought Obama would be easier to beat, and then John choose Palin and my parents became very concerned, as Rudy did and other prominent Republicans – in real life here in NY.
Then I got scared.
AprilOrit on December 25, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Just a couple of OT points: if you ever thought that McCain could have beaten Obama without someone like Palin, you’re deluding yourself. He trailed in the polls consistently until she was chosen, whether you personally hate her or not. Secondly, after the financial “crisis” and McCain’s reaction to it, not Palin’s, McCain was doomed. That was what beat McCain, as well as his wishy-washy campaigning. Blaming it on Palin (she’s stupid, she’s too divisive, she’s “uninformed”, she blew the stupid Couric interview) is just a convenient cheap shot promulgated by those who “just didn’t like her”.
ddrintn on December 25, 2008 at 12:17 AM
I disagree about her, I will give you the economy and McCain’s silly gesture of suspending his campaign – Dick Morris is right about that one.
Regarding her – had McCain chosen someone else he would have held on to the Independents. That so called base she sttracts isn’t enough to win, because that so called base hated him anyway. Many of them never even bothered to vote. But the Independents, Libertarians and the cross over Dems who were just so not sure about Obama – McCain could have had them beofre the crisis, along with the women and may have held on to them.
She’s like scrapple, she has a very limited appeal factor.
AprilOrit on December 25, 2008 at 12:43 AM
McCain led in the polls before the crisis, because of Palin. ‘Nuff said.
ddrintn on December 25, 2008 at 12:47 AM
I believe he could have done better with a different choice and could have fared the crisis as well.
Different opinions, no big deal, have a great holiday and a safe New Years Eve, if you are going out to celebrate. :)
AprilOrit on December 25, 2008 at 1:19 AM
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