Well Rahm, If There’s Tape…

Well, it looks like the president-elect’s chief of staff might turn out to not be the Rahm Emanuel he knew.  It seems Emanuel was the guy in contact with recently arrested Illinois governor “Hot” Rod Blagojevich, and that some of those conversations may have been caught on tape.

If you want to see the info in that You Tube clip, watch it fast, it’s being scrubbed like a clean freak on speed’s bathroom.  Meanwhile, back in Chicago, John Kaas of the Tribune says if Rahm was talking to somebody about selling his boss’ quickly vacated Senate seat (Rahm has not yet officially relinquished his seat in the House, btw) it was probably some guy named Jimmy:

As in state Sen. James DeLeo (D-How You Doin?)

DeLeo is an extremely powerful politician. You know this because he’s hardly ever quoted in newspaper stories.

Emanuel and DeLeo have a relationship. Emanuel is the congressman from the 5th Congressional District, where DeLeo is the Democratic state central committeeman. What hasn’t been reported on much is that Emanuel has not yet resigned from the House. And if you want to play politics in Jimmy’s sandbox, you need his OK.

DeLeo is also considered by some to be the real governor of Illinois. Blagojevich is the nutty guy who makes the speeches and gets the federal slap. They’re so close that if Jimmy suddenly stopped walking, Rod would chip his teeth on the back of Jimmy’s head.

Now, Rahm says that the reason he has to sneak around and avoid the press is because somebody (a reporter?) is trying to kill him.  How do we know?  Those sneaky, dangerous sleuths are pulling out the old “can I use your can?” routine:

The President-elect’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, said today he won’t go to the Chicago Presidential transition offices in order to avoid reporters seeking to ask him whether he had contact with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich about the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama’s election.

Emanuel appeared “beet-red,” according to an ABC News cameraman who was invited inside by Emmanuel to use his bathroom this morning.

“I’m getting regular death threats. You’ve put my home address on national television. I’m pissed at the networks. You’ve intruded too much, ” Emanuel said, according to the cameraman.

From what I’ve heard, you don’t want to piss Rahmbo off.  I’ve also heard that he adapts well when tossed under the bus.  Perhaps these traits will serve him well when the extent of his dealings with Blago comes to Obama the Crusader’s attention.  ‘Cuz, if Patrick Fitzgerald’s got tape, Rahmbo will soon be exiting the Obus through a trap door.

In other, related news, Illinois Attorney General, Lisa Madigan is going after Blago’s head, Blago’s chief of staff, John Harris voluntarily gave his up, and CNN’s Don Lemon says in an upcoming interview with him, Candidate Number 5, Jesse Jackson, Jr. is pushing the “Blago’s batshit” excuse.

What’s Next, Levitation?

The Obamessiah already walks on water, and if the mainstream media has it’s way, after Blagogate blows over, if it does, the Teflon TelePrompTer Reader will probably ascend to Washington in a golden chariot on Inauguration Day.  What else would be left?  According to the keepers of the Book of Barack, he is above the corruption that taints every other denizen of the city from which he hails, he has no peer, he is immaculate.

That he tends to lie when confronted is of no consequence.  He said he didn’t hear any fiery sermons from his longtime former pastor, until he admitted he did, even though the day he announced his candidacy for president, he dis-invited said pastor because he could “get kind of rough in sermons.”  When accused of being too liberal after an old questionnaire surfaced, Obaliar said he didn’t fill it out, even though it had notes in his handwriting all over it.  Of course, Selma did not “get him born,” and John Kennedy did not airlift his daddy.  Bill Ayers is more than a “guy in his neighborhood,” he returned campaign contributions he didn’t get from the friend he didn’t know or help in any way, and he didn’t sign up for the draft out of high school.

Yet, the Obapresent One can do no wrong.  He says he’s not involved in the current Blagojevich mess and we’re just supposed to take his word for it.

“I have never spoken to the governor on this subject,” Obama said Thursday, announcing his picks for top aides on health care issues. “I’m confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat. I think the materials released by the U.S. attorney reflect that fact.”

And yet, the Blagorezkobama ties have been bandied about for a long time.  Jan. 9, 2008:

With Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s federal corruption trial looming, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday tried to deflect the heat he’s been getting over his former adviser and top fundraiser by pointing out he’s not the only politician who has received help from Rezko.

Blagojevich ticked off a list of elected officials who also have ties to the indicted developer. While not naming them, he made reference to everyone from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to House Speaker Michael Madigan, his political nemesis, and Madigan’s daughter, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan.

The Washington Post points out that the Senate seat sale is no the only issue currently under investigation:

A footnote to the 76-page criminal complaint and affidavit charging Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) with soliciting bribes confirms what has long been rumored — that a former longtime friend and fundraiser for President-elect Barack Obama is talking to federal prosecutors in hopes of a reduced sentence.

Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s offer to provide authorities with evidence of others’ wrongdoing is “not complete,” and prosecutors are working to corroborate the claims he has made so far, the footnote said.

The Los Angeles Times tells us that, for some strange reason, Rezko’s sentencing date has been extended, even though he has recently requested otherwise:

Now, why would a judge extend the period before sentencing when the convicted prisoner expressed a desire to get on with prison? Without a new briefs deadline, the expedited Jan. 6 sentencing could now be pushed back further.

Because Rezko, in the hopes of reducing his sentence, is singing in his cell about Blagojevich and maybe others. He’s not done with his song repertoire and the feds haven’t fully checked out his information to determine how grateful to be in sentence-seeking.

So, maybe, just maybe, Obama is not lying about his involvement, or lack thereof, in the Senate seat sale, though Truthteller over at No Quarter makes a pretty darned good case that he is.  Be that as it may, perhaps the reason Patrick Fitzgerald prevented Blago from actually committing the crime before King Obama’s coronation has more to do with things he is involved with.  Could Blago’s pittance of bail in a rather ambiguous case, coupled with Rezko’s finding his singing voice have anything to do with the Obama house deal, or the kinds of things Evelyn Pringle outlined months ago and were regularly featured on The Real Barack Obama website and referenced on Cannonfire?

At any rate, it probably doesn’t matter if Fitzgerald is trying to flip Blago to corroborate something Rezko has against Obie.  No matter what might turn up, the Obamessiah will simply rise above it.  He and the keepers of the Book of Barack will see to it.