Jack and Jill Politics - Latest Comments in Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Against Race Politics — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:18:59 -0000

You may have gotten it but the person that was attacking me, calling me the enemy, and saying things I didn't say didn't seem to. :-)

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Against Race Politics — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:09:03 -0000

Town,

I think you clarified some of the things I was trying to say. Although I always thought he was innocent...the handling just did not seem to be quite what was needed!

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

justmy2 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:26:39 -0000

Has it ever occurred to anyone that there is an investigation going on? This isn't some alderman. It is the future President.

He has to be very careful not to influence the investigation or a potential jury. Especially without any indictment in place.

Just because the media doesn't have anything better to do doesn't mean you have to cosign.

Obama's job is not to make everyone here comfortable, it is to serve as President of the United States. This makes him Blagojevich's President as well.

Stop enabling right wing talking points...

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Guest — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:27:49 -0000

I agree that happened Rikyrah and called it that same day, but I don't think they have to say anything. If they say anything (no matter how logical it is) it will just feed the media monsters who are in a looking for any kind of news. Nope, don't say don't say a thing. Just let the investigators do their job and be done with it.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

blksista — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:19:34 -0000

Something has just occurred to me.

I wonder whether this coyness is actually something more indicative of Rahm Emmanuel's behavior than Obama's behavior.

Look, I am not trying to pass off blame. But all indications show that Emmanuel has more a connection to this mess than the PE. He is Obama's chief of staff, in charge of not only his calendar and the people around him and the issues to tackle, but he's an enforcer, too.

Blago most definitely thought Obama owed him something for possibly sitting Valerie Jarrett in his seat; that Obama wouldn't play ball with him had him ticking off, eff him.

But Blago wouldn't have mouthed off as much if someone like Rahm had told him there wouldn't be a deal, or any campaign money, or any ambassadorship or place in the Obama administration.

Compared to campaign dustups, Obama seemed more forthright and above board. Emmanuel, on the other hand, definitely is a pro working behind the scenes, using both the stiletto and the truncheon.

Maybe Emmanuel is using Obama to cover his tracks. I know Obama has more sense; I know that he's been up to his neck in trying to set up his government. Maybe he feels he needs Emmanuel. But he should watch out for these ex- or current Clintonistas. They could sink him with their own shenanigans.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

lookit — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:22:50 -0000

I guess have to move on... :-(

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Justice58 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:24:41 -0000

Co-Sign!

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

CPL — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:18:51 -0000

No, NMP, I HAVE THOSE FOOTPRINTS, and you know this, cause I write for this blog.

Until I see Obama's dealing dirty, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's as clean as a politico can be without turning into the second coming of Jimmy Carter.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

CPL — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:15:32 -0000

Word.

I used to always tell my friends "If your ass rob a bank, you better not tell me because I will drop a dime on your ass and collect the reward money."

They called it snitching - I call it being a good community watch member of the neighborhood. And as long as I don't get shot for dropping that dime, the dime drops to the Feds to turn their asses in, because they'll hook me in and I go down just for knowing about the shyt.

Some of my friends aren't worth jail time and they know it. I will sling them under the bus so fast, Bill the Bus Driver won't have time to sit their $5 dollar asses down to make change.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Town — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:14:40 -0000

The dissonance is that Obama said that neither he nor anyone from his team spoke with BlahBlah about this, and then Axelrod comes along and says that Obama did speak with BlahBlah about this.

FIRST

Axelrod NEVER EVER should have been speaking to the press about this.

Nobody from Obama's team should be speaking to the press about this.

The ONLY people who should be speaking about this is Obama and/or his press secretary. That's it.

Team Obama needs to be more proactive in their crisis communications. They are too REACTIVE. Reactive gets your ass kicked. They need to start taking the bull by the horns. This story should have been over last week.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

CPL — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:12:23 -0000

Joe Scar can kiss my entire Black Ass until he comes clean about that dead staffer in his Pensacola office when he was in Congress.

Why the media continues to ignore THAT while handing his lame ass a talk show, only lets me know that the traditional media aided and abetted the ReThugs for eight years, and now acts like they want to do their jobs because a brotha is in the White House.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Town — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:10:07 -0000

This is not the first time that the Obama team has been caught looking guilty about NOTHING. It's not whether he's guilty or not; it's the appearance of guilt.

Same as with the Rev. Wright situation, the Obama team's RESPONSE that feeds the story. The Obama team is always like "Um, er, hmm, don't know whatcha talkin 'bout, didn't hear about that, didn't know So N So was like that etc."

When all that's needed is a simple "yeah, so what?" response:

Ex: Rev Wright: Instead of

"I didn't hear him say that, I didn't know he was like that, I wasn't in church those Sundays when he said that, he's just a crazed uncle"

try

"I don't agree with everything my pastor says, as I'm sure you don't agree with everything your pastor says. I've reviewed the entire sermon and he is being taken out of context. It's a shame people are playing "gotcha" politics without reviewing all the facts."

Instead of

"Um, I was not aware that Blago was doing that, I didn't talk to him, nobody on my team talked to him, David Axelrod misspoke, we're unawares,"

try

"It's a shame what BlahBlah did. We were contacted this morning about BlahBlah's arrest and as we are cooperating with authorities to provide them any information that might help them with their investigations with BlahBlah's crimes, we won't be making any statements at this time."

NOBODY from Obama's team, Axelrod included, should have been making any type of statements about this case, EXCEPT for Obama.

The problem is the press knows that the Obama team will cave in and run their mouths to clear their names, instead of being like Dick Cheney and issuing a statement that makes it plain to the press: There's nothing to see here.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

CPL — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:09:20 -0000

The Main Issue is Obama's willingness to cooperate.

That does not sound like a brotha with SUMTHIN' TO HIDE.

Fitz is asking him to hold off - because whatever Obama has, Fitz is probably GOING TO NEED IT in going after Blagojevich, and making sure his prosecution of this guttersnipe will stick like glue and no pardons by Gee Shrubya. (Not that it would have happened anyway).

I think Fitz is still pissed that he got Scooter Libby, only to watch Shrub all but pardon his ass by commuting his sentence.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

rikyrah — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:04:28 -0000

EVENING THREAD IS UP

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

99 Percent Sure — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:01:12 -0000

Or at least, as someone posted on Daily Kos, Brazen Blag and Raunchy Rahm had a conversation that went something like this:

RAHM EMANUEL: This is Rahm.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Hey Rahm, yeah it's Rod.

EMANUEL: Uh-huh. What's going on governor, I'm busy.

BLAGO: Well, it's about that Senate appointment...

EMANUEL: We already gave you the list of people we like.

BLAGO: Yeah, I been looking the list over. Interesting names. Good people. How's the transition going?

EMANUEL: It's going fine, governor. Are you calling to fucking tell me anything, or what, cause I--

BLAGO: No no, I'm just wondering if you have all your picks already made. I heard something about Dashle for HHS--

EMANUEL: I'm not gonna discuss ongoing deliberations, gov, you know that.

BLAGO: Hey you don't have to get curt with me, Rahm.

EMANUEL: This isn't me being curt, Gov, this is me being fucking busy. Now what did you call about?

BLAGO: I'm just feeling you out, seeing if Valerie [Jarret] still wants that Senate seat, just wondering what kind of priority that is for the President-Elect.

EMANUEL: Actually, it's not a priority. Valerie's had second thoughts about the job.

BLAGO: What, she doesn't want it anymore?

EMANUEL: She's having second thoughts. You want more details, you ask her.

BLAGO: She won't take my calls.

EMANUEL: Big fucking surprise.

BLAGO: What's that supposed to mean?

EMANUEL: Um, I don't know, what's it supposed to mean governor? A.) You're a fucking crook. B.) You're a fucking asshole. C.) All of the above.

BLAGO: I'm clean Rahm, you know this. You think that fucking Fitzgerald would being twiddling his fucking thumbs if he had shit to go on?

EMANUEL: I gotta go, Gov. You appoint who you want, we really don't give a shit.

Since Cuckoo Blag was already under wiretap investigation, Emmanuel didn't need to drop a dime; they had it all on tape, and Fitzgerald moved probably because he also heard on tape that Crazy Rod was proceeding with a nomination, and they didn't want that to happen.

As Fitzgerald's office announced after Pres-Elect Obama's presser today, Rahm can't publicly "come clean" because Fitzgerald's office has asked them not to. Besides, in all probability, this is still an ongoing investigation, and Fitzgerald already has the information he needs - on tape.

Really, I see this as much ado about nothing and a repug/traditional media generated scandal re the Obama Admin's involvement. After all, it makes perfect sense that Rahm probably submitted the senate seat recs, and spoke to Blag about the process. There's nothing unusual about this at all, and there's no reason to suspect that someone's covering up something in the Obama Admin.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Honey01 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:45:27 -0000

"Media will always demand that their questions be answered before anyone is allowed to move on to more important things. I'm just happy that Barack has not caved in to their petulant demands."

And there you have it. I major co-sign on this statement. I think to a certain extent it also applies to certain "supporters" on the far left who seem to think they own Obama. Some of these folk act like he should check with them before he takes a piss.

I am sick of them all.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Justice58 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:14:33 -0000

Obama review: No inappropriate discussions
The president-elect calls the findings 'thorough' and 'comprehensive'

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id...

CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama said Monday a review by his own lawyer shows he had no direct contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the appointment of a Senate replacement, and transition aides "did nothing inappropriate."

Obama said he is prepared to make the review public, but decided to hold off because prosecutors asked for a delay and "I don't want to interfere with an ongoing investigation."

Controversy has swirled around the president-elect and his incoming White House chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, following Blagojevich's arrest last week on charges he schemed to trade Obama's Senate seat for personal gain.

Obama, fielding questions at a news conference, sidestepped when asked whether Emanuel had spoken with aides to the governor.

Emanuel was one of several aides who watched the news conference from the wings.

The president-elect pledged the results of the investigation by his incoming White House counsel, Gregory Craig, would be released "in due course."

He said the probe was complete and thorough, but did not say which of his aides Craig interviewed, whether any of them was under oath at the time, or any other details.

Spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said that the office won't release details of its review until the week of Dec. 22.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Miranda — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:07:11 -0000

But Alexrod specifically stated that Obama himself had spoken with the Governor, so yeah he did misspeak. Alexrod did not say staff, or somebody from the team..he said Obama, he was wrong.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

lamh31 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:45:43 -0000

Hey, this post has made it to politico.

Congrats! I'm so proud!

http://www.politico.com/blo...

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

lamh31 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:41:22 -0000

I found this comment posted on talkingpointsmemo.com.

This conversation seems more plausible to me than Jill's...sorry!

"Here is my lawyer's take on this.

Assistant U.S. Atty.: (picking up phone) Yello.
Transition Counsel: Jimmy, it's Ted.
AUSA: Hey, thanks for getting back to me. What's up?
Trans Counsel: So we had our IT guy get all the stuff together, and we talked to the people who talked with the Blago people, and we put all that into declarations, as requested.
AUSA: Super. That was pretty fast.
Trands Counsel: Ha, not to Fox News or Limbaugh.
AUSA: I hear you. So when can you get it to me?
Trans Counsel: Today, if you need it. I can send the CD by Fed-Ex, or I can get the e-mails to you by .pdf, however you want.
AUSA: Just overnight 'em.
Trans Counsel: Okay, I'll get it out today.
AUSA: How much we talking about?
Trans Counsel: Less than a redwell full. Not much.
AUSA: Cool. Well, listen, we want to review it, and I am going to need to run it by some people here. We don't want the defense to know what's in there before us, so do you mind keeping a lid on it for a while until we do what we need to do with it?
Trans Counsel: How long do you need?
AUSA: How about January 2 or 3?
Trans Counsel: Ugh, that's not going to work. we have to get this off the plate, it's too big a distraction. How about Wednesday or Thursday?
AUSA: Well, give us until the 22nd. We want to make sure we know what's in there before the beans are spilled. Blago's defense counsel reads the paper, too.
Trans counsel: Erm. Let me check, but the 22nd may work.
AUSA; I would appreciate it.
Trans Counsel: Okay, let me get back to you.
AUSA: Yeppers.
Trans Counsel: Later."

http://tpmelectioncentral.t...

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Against Race Politics — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:21:24 -0000

Well I have been down with BHO almost from the beginning- well when I ruled HRC out due to race baiting which is why/how I came up with my "handle" Against Race Politics b/c she PISSED me off SO badly I could have....well I will leave those thaughts to myself. :-)

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

lamh31 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:19:52 -0000

Here is a great post bu Matt Yglesias of Think Progress talking about Morning Joke this morning:

"The New Rules

One new this was coming, but since I’d been out of town all last week I hadn’t been following the cable “news” channels where they’re “covering” the Blagojevich scandal with all the “ethics” and “standards” of accuracy that I’ve come to expect from the genre. But this morning on MSNBC there was a lengthy discussion of Obama’s involvement in Blagojevich’s corruption. Of course, there was no evidence of any involvement on Obama’s part. Nor, despite this being a news channel, was there any original reporting of any kind whatsoever. There was, however, a ton of time spent criticizing the Obama campaign’s PR strategy with regard to this issue — the suggestion being that had Obama adopted a better PR strategy, then people wouldn’t be on television making evidence-free guilt-by-association accusations against him.

This strong me as odd. The people making the accusations kept acknowledging that they had no evidence. One might think that communicating to television personalities the fact that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on Obama’s part would constitute a good PR strategy. Given that they knew there was no evidence of wrongdoing, they should have ceased implying that there was wrongdoing. But they didn’t do that at all. Not, I would submit, because of any failings on Obama’s part, but because Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, John Heileman, Mark Halperin, and Pat Buchanan don’t care at all about the accuracy of the impression their coverage gives.

Eventually, they got around to the idea that Obama hadn’t criticized Blagojevich in sufficiently harsh terms and that the reason for this was that Blagojevich has unrelated dirt on Obama and/or Rahm Emmannuel. Several of them deemed that likely, though none of them had any evidence for this proposition.

Sweet, sweet liberal MSNBC"
http://yglesias.thinkprogre...

This is why I was so pissed in my post earlier.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Texas_Girl_in_LA — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:18:46 -0000

ok, ARP....we get it...we get it....

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

NMP — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:17:44 -0000

You nailed it. The Republicans will protect every lying, cheating, stealing, child molesting bastard in their ranks, but we're ready to cast aspersions on the President Elect of the United States who just received more votes than any other candidate in history and by the largest percentage win for any Democrat since Lyndon Johnson all the while being Black. For what? Having his aid TALK to the duely elected governor of his home state about his vacated Senate seat. Not a crack dealer, child molestor, or loan shark, but the governor of 1 of the 50 United States. Yes, he's a sleazy crooked bastard under investigation, but the people freely voted him in. You would think there were allegations Obama sent Rahm to an alley to cop him some dope.

Would I have preferred that Valerie Jarrett's name had not been floated? Yes. Would I have preferred that Craig Greg serve as conduit between the Obama Team and Blagojevich's office? Hell Yes! But at the end of the day, aspersions of wrong doing are being cast on the President-elect of the United States for sending his aid to talk and NOT promising anything in return.

Re: Obama Needs to Tell Us the Truth about Blagojevich

Against Race Politics — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:05:24 -0000

I AGREE !

I feel ya but you know we are always held to a higher standard (that's another story)..and again I NEVER believed the PE was guilty of wrong doing just simply wished the handling was a little different or they could have done something to change the subject THAT'S ALL(that is only where I "differed" if you want to call it that) so that is why it was disheartening to be called an "enemy" by another JJP "family member" and to be told I said things I did not say and didn't understand the facts when I never disputed them. I don't think ANY of us KNOW exactly what is going on behind the scenes. We are all just reacting to what we have heard.

I want to "double agree" with " he's probably the closest thing to an honest politician..." so we are on the SAME SIDE!