Talking to Blagojevich
What the Obama camp said to the Illinois governor, and why it matters
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich: A pain in Obama's side?
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Okay, so President-elect Barack Obama hasn't been tainted by the "Blagojevich ugliness," said Steve Huntley in the Chicago Sun-Times. But as the investigation continues, it will be interesting to learn what people on Obama's team said when Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich suggested he was looking to sell Obama's vacated Senate seat. Did Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff, keep what he knew to himself, or did he act like a hero and "blow the whistle"?
Don't worry about Emanuel, said E.J. Dionne in The Washington Post. "My guess is that the transcripts will demonstrate that Emanuel's love for an expletive is as abiding as the governor's—and nothing more damning than that." So the Democrats should push for full disclosure, fast, so they can concentrate on saving "a Senate seat they should never have put at risk."
Not so fast, said the Rocky Mountain News in an editorial. Obama says neither he nor his transition team participated in any deal-making, but Obama's chief political adviser, David Axelrod, said the president-elect had talked to the governor—so Obama really needs to follow through with his promise to share all the facts with the rest of us.
Republicans should be careful about trying to "exploit the Blagojevich scandal," said David Corn in CQPolitics. The country has serious problems to face, and trying to make the Blagojevich mess "more of an issue for Obama than it seems to be" will almost certainly backfire with voters who are "worried more about their jobs than that particular opening in the US Senate."
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4 Comments
Posted by David, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 1:17 pm To start with, it is more than a Republican thing, People in Illinois and the country are fed up wioth crooked Politicians telling lies and spending our hard earned money in the wrong ways. If Obama is connected, which I thin is doubtful, then the coutry needs to know. Blo-Go is a crook and needs to pay back the State of Illinois all the money his campaign has raised illegally.
Posted by rckayla, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 2:28 pm David, I agree that it's more than a Republican thing. Although I voted for President-elect Obama, I definitely want to know if he is involved in same way in the crooked moron's scandal! I do believe that Obama isn't connected to nor knew anything about Blagojevich trying to sell his Senate seat but nowadays you just never know how low these politicians -- Republicans, Democrats or Independents -- will stoop. So the American people must know what's going on! And they must know this before President-elect Obama takes office on Jan 20th. Enough with our taxpayer money supporting their lavious lifestyles, lies and corruption!!!
Posted by Jesica, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 2:39 pm Have we completely lost our instincts? it doesn't matter if BO gets off on a technicallity, as he has so many times before. he said that he and his staff had not talked to Blago, last i heard Rahm is his right hand man. Anyone that comes out with full blown denial and disassociation, then refuses comments for days, then issues another carefully worded statement, is at least guilty of not being as sweet and innocent as he has claimed. the performance by Blago only saddens him because it is uncovering things about Obama that leave a bad taste. so much for change and reform
Posted by Arizona Senorita, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 6:59 pm P-E BHO stated that no one on his team participated in "pay for play" deal-making. Rahm spoke to Blago's aides, which would not be unusual in this case as this is regarding Obama's vacated Senate seat. U.S. Atty. Fitzgerald states unequivocally BHO is not involved. Comprendes?
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