Temerity? Gall? Chutzpah? Fat lot of nerve? Any or all of the above, which all mean pretty much the same thing, tempered only by political correctness and the degree of respect one has for the person, people, or entities engendering one’s respect, or lack thereof, for their brazen behavior, alone, or in tandem with one or more of the rest? Whatever you call it, a lot of folks seem to have an abundance of it.
In the case of former Illinois governor, Rod (Cabbage Patch Weeble) Blagojevich, (D-FU Obie) ya gotta go with the fraternal, testosterone-loaded, high-five, fist pump, attaboy designation of “balls.” Seems almost a year to the day from the date of his arrest, in response to having the Pretendident of the United States use the United States Senate to neutralize a former political rival, the architect of the Roland Burris Revenge Strategy wants to once again turn the tables on the naive Bush Leaguers what designed the so-far ill-fated, “Get Blago” campaign, and use one of their own instruments employed by that Gang O’ Mastermidgetminds against them. In other words, Blags’ lawyers want the transcripts of the FBI interviews with Rahm Emanuel, (D-R) ValerieJarrett, (D-Gentrification) and the Nobel War is Peace Prize winning Pretendident, (D-Uh) himself. And, even though the Chicago Sun-Times reports that prosecutors usually withhold such evidence until approximately 30 days before trial, the Blaggone-ator’s henchmen want ‘em now: Read the rest of this entry »
We be black. We was black befo’ Obama got elected, and we still black, nah. Summa y’all don’t like dat, an’ it piss y’all off. Y’all be trippin’. Y’all suck. Chill.
Don’t nobody care what y’all think, no way. Y’all the ones always be tryin’ to keep a brotha down. That’s whack. Fuck dat. Fuck y’all. – Black America
I often try to illustrate the not-so-hidden racism rampant in our society by comparing it to the similarly hidden-in-plain-sight sexism we live under, hoping that women will at least consider that many of the “race card” claims being pooh-poohed on a regular basis do actually have some basis in fact. Unfortunately, far too many women, themselves victimized by insidious institutionalized bigotry, obvious to them at every turn, no matter how small, slight, or insignificant such behavior might be considered by perpetrators of said sexism, simply cannot see the same sort of racial bias right in front of their eyes. Though they are not only adept at recognizing overt discrimination directed towards them, but quite skilled at ferreting out intended sexism no matter how cleverly couched, even correctly identifying incidences where deliberate bigotry is intentionally dressed in politically correct clothes in order to escape detection, no such leeway is accorded those who empathize with those of us who suffer racially. Read the rest of this entry »
If you ask the wrong questions, you’re sure to get the wrong answers. Such is the case for pundits questioning Pretendident Barack Obama’s lack of a cohesive, comprehensive, and comprehensible approach to what is quickly degenerating into a bad parody of a failed burlesque review, the Health Care Insurance Reform Follies.
“Is He Weak?” asks WaPo’s Jim Hoagland of Bamboozlebub. Answer: Duh. “What Went Wrong?” on the road to meaningful health care reform, laments Salon’s Thomas Shaller. Answer: You and your tingly-legged shills and fluffers in the Mainstream and Outer Cheetosphere Media let David ORahmba con you into helping them con America into electing an inexperienced West Wing actor as president, that’s what, Tommy.
I’ve always found it interesting that there were organized Republicans For Obama before there was an official Obama for President. However, being born into the Chicago Machine of the Illinois Combine, I can really say that such a thing doesn’t really surprise me in the least.
Everybody of color in Chicago is born a Democrat; so are like, 95% of the white people. In fact, if you count the Republicans, you could say that everybody in Chicago is born Democratic. Everybody in Chicago is also born knowing that there are ways to get things done; things that have nothing to do with campaign promises, ethics, or who’s in charge. If you’re willing and able to pay, somebody knows somebody who will be available to play. Read the rest of this entry »
First off, I think it’s safe to say that Baracus Hubris Maximus, (Hail, Ceasar!) as alluded to by Facebook/Twitter-happy former Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, really does want to kill your grandmother. Let’s face it, when it comes to family, the guy’s got issues. The man dreams of a father who practically made a career of abandoning women like his mother, and the children he sired with them, in order to travel around the world to find new women to knock up and leave. Who wouldn’t be irreparably scarred by that? Add pee-stained shorts clad hugging episodes with his scotch-soaked “Pop” (Grandpa? Frank Marshall Davis?) on the brink of manhood to the mix, and, it’s no wonder he spends holidays railing about how badly lazy-assed, irresponsible, black boy-fathers suck. Read the rest of this entry »
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why a Democratic president with a Democratic Congress is having so much trouble getting anything democratic done. And, as the Democrat’s Spokesmodel-in-Chief prepares to take to the airwaves to once again attempt to explain to the nation that bought into his “hope and change” bullshit and provided the illusion of democratic process in his election, why his inability to do more than give all their money away to the Wall Street Mafia that was actually responsible for putting him in office, is anybody’s fault but his own, yet another major fail looms on the horizon.
We all know that the Pretendident’s hands-off approach to his non-plan for not significantly reforming the health care industry is headed straight for the crapper, thanks, in no small part, to the foot-dragging GOP. The guy who doesn’t seem to have the stones to commit to his once-stated preference for single payer, opting instead to speechify to the public and Congress on behalf of doing something to nullify the naysayers who want nothing done, (or, something like that, I really can’t tell what he believes his function is in not getting anything accomplished) is losing support for his foot-stomping, “give me any old kind paper plan I can sell to the clueless as long as it makes me look good, waaaaaahhhhhhh” approach to pretending to reform the country’s health care delivery system by leaps and bounds. The insured, and uninsured alike, are beginning to rip their Hopium-laced KoolAid IV drips from their arms with an ever-increasing vengeance. When callers to Al Sharpton’s radio show start breaking ranks, you know the guy who was put in office by the right-wing voters who deferred to the image-starved, and thus, easily placated, black voters, and stayed home, is in big, big trouble. And, the advice Sharpton gave his callers holds true for all the slowly awakening Obots, black, white and every color in between; kwitcherbitchin’, y’all voted for him, and he ain’t changed. Neither has Al, for that matter.
Now, I don’t know a lot about local Detroit politics, and, what I know about Chicago and Illinois politics is based upon voluminous reading and distant memory. But, that being said, in my very humble opinion, if Rod Blagojevich had to resign or be impeached because he had been arrested, but not indicted until much later, Monica Conyers certainly must go, too. Fair is fair. However, according to the Detroit Free Press, just because United States Congressman John’s wife has plead guilty of accepting a bribe, she doesn’t have to resign her seat as President Pro Tem of the City Council unless she feels like it. And, based on what little I know about the feisty Mrs. Conyers, she’s probably not likely to feel like it any time soon.
Seems the woman who collaborated with her husband to circumvent Michigan’s very practical rules against voting for people who aren’t on the ballot, by promoting a “Vote Uncommitted For Obama” campaign during last year’s Democratic primaries, didn’t consult her husband at all when she played “Let’s Make A Deal” with somebody from Synagro Technologies two times in front of McDonald’s and a rec center in exchange for her vote. Though she has admitted to the charges, the powers that be, such as they are, in Detroit are not calling for her head en masse, like their Illinois state-level counterparts did for Cabbage Patch Weeble Blagojevich’s full, supple scalp. In fact, one of the only people who seem to be screaming for her to resign is the former President Pro Tem, then, interim Mayor, (after Kwame Kilpatrick got busted) and now, current Council President, Ken Cockrel, Jr., and, that’s just because he’s still mad she called him “Shrek” on the Council floor last year. Monica is probably still ticked about the whole thing too, since she got cussed out by an 8th grader on TV for doing it. Anyway, Cockrel’s stepmother, Councilwoman Sheila, and Councilman Kwame Kenyatta are also lined up to put a foot up Conyers’ behind and send her flying to the curb and under the bus, as the entire Illinois legislature did to Blago, but, former Pistons’ guard, Mayor Dave Bing, is trying to walk back his earlier condemnation based on the fact that the Divine Ms. M got around being indicted by pleading guilty. Besides, he’s busy. No, I’m not making this up:
I am not a bandwagoneer. It takes a lot to get me to go along with anything, or anyone, at any time. Given the way perceptions can be radically shifted by agents employing fairly subtle techniques, I have a hard time accepting things that are reported as “prevailing wisdom,” or “common knowledge,” or anything suggesting that whatever being discussed is something “everybody knows.” Everybody knows shit. Nobody knows squat. However you want to say it, unless you’re under the age of 17 and trying to cajole a parent into granting permission for something you want, but know good and well you shouldn’t have, “everybody knows” has no place in anybody’s vocabulary. Everybody knows that.
When I hear people compare the current power struggle in Iran to last year’s Democratic party primary shenanigans here in the United States, and cast the Iranian dissidents in the role of PUMAs, i.e., disgruntled voters outraged about voter fraud, I can only scratch my head. Trying to cast Mir Hossein Mousavi into the Hillary Clinton part is way too big a stretch for me. Although in the primaries and caucuses, the “establishment” was felt to be unfairly supporting Obama, especially in the case of Michigan and Florida, and it was Obama who bussed shitloads of people to out of state caucuses and gangstered them, not Clinton, and it was Obama who bought off the superdelegates, and strong armed any number of people in order to circumvent a true floor vote at the convention, it was Obama’s camp that threatened to riot in the streets, and, who spread their message through the social media. It was Obama who captured the malleable passions of the latest gullible campus bound Pepsi Generation, and conscripted them into an online army. Read the rest of this entry »
That’s the old Tonight Show theme song, in case you can’t read music. And, it just seems appropriate that impeached, embattled, beleaguered, poor, misunderstood, curiously coiffed, former Illinois Governor Rod (Cabbage Patch Weeble) Blagojevich should inherit it, primarily because…well…okay, just because I say so. Now, there, I said it, and I’m glad. I like Blagojevich. Said that too. Still glad. So what if he’s corrupt and incompetent? He couldn’t possibly be any more incompetent and corrupt than the rest of the Chicago Political Mob, or the Illinois Combine, the party transcending gangs of thieves that have ruled the den of iniquity that the city and state have always embodied, unless he cloned himself exponentially into infinity. They’re all a bunch of shleppy schmooey Keystone Kops, running around in suits and ties and clown shoes, playing at being tough guys, ripping off the public on the citizen’s dime with their permission. So, one of ‘em’s got squirrel hair and a potty mouth? So what? I like him. So, there.
This is the original, pre-Fabreau-ized, pre-Axelrod-approved draft of President Black Obama’s “give up da nukes” speech in Prague, Czech Republic today, written by Just Barely President, Baracus Hubris Maximus, (Hail, Ceasar!) as imagined by me.
Hey, yo, y’all, whazzup? I’ma be rappin’ atcha for a few, so chill. First, let me do my obligatory JFK thing, and tell you how glad I am to be the man who brought Michelle Obama to Prague. She hates being cooped up in the White House (I think it’s a color thing) and she can beat me up, so I didn’t have much choice; besides, the real Jackie Kennedy wasn’t available. Ha, ha. Being from Chicago, I know a lot of Czech people, the town’s full of people whose names I can’t pronounce, and, y’all like to travel back and forth, like the guy whose statue is behind me…what’s his name…the one who drew 80,000 more people when he spoke in my home town in 1918 than I did here today? It’s hard for me to think (read) when my ego shrinks, but, wait a minute, don’t tell me…Tomas Masaryk, that’s it! I’m not pissed, though. Hell, some of my best friends are Czech, like Tony Rezko. Wait a minute, he’s Syrian, my bad. But, since he’s in jail, he’s not the same Tony Rezko I knew, and I’m pretty sure he was Czech back when I did know him. Maybe I’m thinking Blagojevich, he claims he’s Serbian, but, I can’t pronounce his name either, and, since he’s also going to jail soon, he probably used to be Czech back in the day, too. Besides, Czech, Slovak, Serb, Syrian, what’s the diff?
Rod Blagojevich, (Cabbage Patch Weeble) you’ve just been indicted for engaging in a “wide-ranging scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government,” what are you going to do now? Says Rod, “fuck it, I’m going to Disney Land!” Okay, so he didn’t exactly say that, in fact, even though some folks say he has permanent residence in LaLa land ‘cuz of his hair, (no, I’m not exaggerating) he isn’t going to Disney Land, according to reports he was already at Disney World when the indictment came down. From the Chicagoist:
Former governor Rod Blagojevich, brother Rob, fundraiser Christopher Kelly, lobbyist Lon Monk, former Blago Chief-of-Staff John Harris, and William Cellini have all been indicted on corruption charges this afternoon. Blago’s attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, told the Sun-Times, “We’re saddened but not surprised at the indictment. Rod Blagojevich strongly asserts that he is innocent and we would ask the people of Illinois to wait and listen to all the facts of the case before they make their decision.”
On the day when the Superman of Spokesmodel-in-Chief’s Boy Wonder, Treasury Secretary, Turbo Tax Timmy Geithner, tax cheat (TTTG,tc) was all over television promoting his plan to fundamentally change the American financial structure…
“But we’re going to emerge stronger from this. When we get through this, people are going to care less about what they make, more about what they do. What they achieve is what they make. And that will help make this country stronger.”
…by pumping even more cash into the banksters’ coffers than the 565 billion dollars already spent of the 700 billion allocated TARP funds, you’d think that money and Afghanistan were all that the Obamanians had to worry about.
Yet, with all that, and the other potential crises looming on the Obama horizon, like the auto industry collapse, no “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal forthcoming, and G20 to name another three, the upcoming April 7 date for indicting, or filing an extension to file charges against the Cabbage Patch Weeble, Rod Blagojevich, lurks menacingly in the background for the Pretendident. NBC Chicago says the indictment could come down sometime next week. While the Obministration might well be content to just let sleeping dogs lie, in about a week, one way or another, something’s gonna give. Read the rest of this entry »
While there are many tangled webs to unravel in the current Obama Drama Bailout Brouhaha, one man seems to have had a pretty clear eye on the situation all along. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Clintonite once accused of demeaning Barack Obama with the use of the phrase “shuck and jive” in a sentence only marginally related to Sir Nose in the Air, has been yelling and screaming about the unfair Wall Street bonuses since at least October. And, everybody knew it.
During the primaries Hillary Clinton supporting Cuomo, during a radio interview, said:
“It’s not a TV crazed race. Frankly you can’t buy your way into it,” Cuomo said, according to Albany Times Union reporter Rick Karlin. He then added, “You can’t shuck and jive at a press conference. All those moves you can make with the press don’t work when you’re in someone’s living room.”
You know, even though I was born and raised a Democrat, and remained one all my life until the lying rat bastards showed themselves to be the slimy bunch of lying rat bastards they are during this election cycle, every day I find myself agreeing with Republicans more and more. Not because I think they’re right about anything much, but, because I’m beginning to hate Democrats, too. What a sniveling bunch of whiny assed, wannabe crooks and schnooks y’all elected to guide this sinking ship to the bottom of the hellish Ocean of No Returns they keep dumping our good money after bad into via the coffers of the greedy corporate bankster masters they serve. And no, I’m not talking about Rod Blagojevich and his hapless Senate appointee, Roland Burris, I’m talking about the sanctimonious, holier-than-thou charlatans fingerpointing scapegoats like school children jockeying for position at the head of the line for the teeter-totter, stepping on each other’s toes and poking each other in the ribs as they holler for Teacher, only to adopt angelic visages and mumble, “he did it,” in disingenuous attempts to escape attention when faced with the wrath of authority.
Buncha schmoos.
Obacrats of every stripe are vainly trying to lay their entire culture and history of corruption at the feet of two dimwits stupid enough to make it easy for them to do so, while pulling every sneaky, underhanded, trick in the book so they can stack the deck in their favor. Fuck an election, who cares who the people want in Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat, who even cares if the one they got stuck with is a perfectly acceptable warm body, party line voting seat filler, like the one holding place for Jo(k)e Biden’s son? No, the Barack Attack is hell bent on race-baiting, bribe arranging, blame-shifting Candidate Number 5, Jesse Jackson Jr., now that his first choice, Valerie (Throw ‘Em in the Street) Jarrett, had to be sacrificed up to White House staff and National Economic Council member on the downlow.
No, Obie’s Boyz got a game plan, and anybody that doesn’t sign on is headed under the bus. Or worse. Even the Obasucking press is starting to see that. Commenting on White House shill Robert Gibbs’ ominous sounding, thinly veiled warning to Roland Burris, that the president wanted the clueless pawn to take some time off and think about his future, The Swamp’s Frank James wrote in the Chicago Tribune that maybe Burris might want to think about sleeping with one eye open:
That sounded like one of those “messages” you never want to get from the Chicago Mob.
Clearly, the White House would like to see the Burris story go away, embarrassing distraction that it is.
So was this the White House’s way of saying to Burris, “Nice mausoleum you got there; sure would hate to see anything happen to it?”
Or did it portend that he might be receiving a dead fish, like what reportedly happened to a pollster who once got on the wrong side of Rahm Emanuel, now White House chief of staff?
It all reminded us of that famous scene from the Godfather where the Hollywood mogul wakes up in bed next to a horse’s head. Not good.
So now, Burris is the movie producer who wouldn’t hire Frank SinatraJohnny Fontaine for “From Here to Eternity” some movie-within-a-movie without an offer he couldn’t refuse, while Blagojevich is the Frankie Five Angels character encouraged to soak himself to death in a warm tub for turning against “da Family,” according to John Kaas. Sheesh, who would put out such cheesy movie ripoff “hits” (the ripoffs are cheesy, not the fuckin’ awesome Godfather movie series) besides the skinny-but-tough, Godfather lovin’, gun to a knife fight bringin’, Dudfather-in-Chief?
Who else would send out his Astroturfing, poor man’s Tom Hagen to enlist the footsoldiers in the media to go after New York Governor David Paterson for disobeying direct orders, but the same mob that took down his snooping in “da Family business” predecessor? These same sorry saps playing cops ‘n’ robbers on the taxpayers’ dime are the only ones with enough clout to sic their prosecuters on the payroll the Fedswho’re paid to protect the bigger fish with the power of employment on little fish like Burris and Blago .
Everybody knows that just like in the case of Rod Blagojevich, the reason that the Obacrats are putting so much media pressure on Burris to resign is that they have no legal leg to stand on. They’re just pissed and petulant, because they got played, since they fancy themselves as playas, which is why they sat on Burris’ “affidavit” until after he delivered the stimulus bill for them, thenleaked it to the Sun-Times like the leaders of a nation of cowards they are.
So, while the schoolyard bullies hide their dirty hands in their pockets as they nod their heads in unison in the direction of their agreed upon scapegoats, as if they’re the only ones guilty and that’s the only crime being committed on the playground, and bogusly promise to be good this time, at least one pragmatic veteran aware of the shifting allegiances often associated with political turf wars, is pretending to be Switzerland. Chicago’s mayor, Richard M. Daley, whose JP Morgan Chase board member brother, William, rides with the ObaFather’s posse, is refusing to pile on:
“Let’s put everything in perspective and give him an opportunity to explain himself,” Daley said today when asked if Burris should step down. “Automatically, every time something happens people want everybody to resign. Is it becoming very common now to tell people to resign after he was appointed?”
Daley gave Burris credit for voting for the federal economic stimulus package which the mayor said “never would have passed” without Burris’ vote.
Perhaps sensing the difference between the way the wind and politics blows, Daley displayed a perspective rare in Illinois politics re: the BlagoBurris folderol:
“Three people got killed [last night]. Do you think the people who killed them care who is their U.S. senator?” Daley said. “Life goes on.”
It does, indeed, Dickie. So, in this case, like the rightwingers, I’m rooting for Burris.
Looks like Obama the Candidate was really serious about “change.” As we all know, “change” was the buzzword of the 2008 campaign season, promoted constantly, incessantly, annoyingly by Barack Obama, and picked up on by all of his opponents in self defense. But, while everybody else was just spouting campaign rhetoric; after all, whenever one administration replaces another, you’re going to get “change,” Obama seems to have been serious as a heart attack without health insurance about it.
Conventional wisdom and common sense would indicate to even the densest among us that in order to achieve the “true change” Obama promised to bring to the “old ways of Washington” in his determination to “remake the country,” the country in question, as in any renovation, would need to be torn down to the studs. And, it appears Obama is well on his way to completing Phase One. At least, according to George Soros. Reuters reports that Soros, speaking at a Columbia University dinner, echoed the sentiments of the speaker before him, Paul Volcker, head of the president’s new Economic Advisory Board, when he said the world as we know it is well on its way to irrevocable destruction, economically speaking:
Renowned investor George Soros said on Friday the world financial system has effectively disintegrated, adding that there is yet no prospect of a near-term resolution to the crisis.
Soros said the turbulence is actually more severe than during the Great Depression, comparing the current situation to the demise of the Soviet Union.
He said the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September marked a turning point in the functioning of the market system.
“We witnessed the collapse of the financial system,” Soros said at a Columbia University dinner. “It was placed on life support, and it’s still on life support. There’s no sign that we are anywhere near a bottom.”
Hmmm…isn’t that what Rep. Paul Kanjorski said, and all the Obots went, “Pfssshh, yeah, right“? And, if I’m following all this correctly, doesn’t this mean that the economic event that lead to Paulson’s TARP (don’t call it a) bailout and propelled a curiously over-funded Obama from a hotly contested, tied competition into the White House virtually unopposed, is also the catalyst of global financial ruin? What say the Obots, now?
Well, they can’t say Obama leads by example. Or, maybe he does, since people not paying bills, for one reason or another, is a big part of the mess we’re in. Obama doesn’t seem to want to pay his bills, either, at least not the one to his adopted home city for the Bashapalooza they threw for him on Election Night. The Chicago Sun Times has the details:
Chicago has yet to recoup the $1.74 million cost of President Obama’s victory celebration in Grant Park — despite a burgeoning $50.5 million budget shortfall that threatens more layoffs and union concessions.
“The Democratic National Committee has not yet paid us,” Peter Scales, a spokesman for the city’s Office of Budget and Management, said Thursday after questions from the Chicago Sun-Times. “We’re reaching out to them this week.”
I guess South Side Slick expects the city to just hang on for the stimulus money since there’s probably pork aplenty to cover. And, now that the Illinois legislature has done its part in kicking Rod Blagojevich to the curb, the state qualifies for its share. There’s probably a bonus for breaking harmless little Roland Burris‘ heart by stomping on his dreams and jackbooting him out of the Senate job he dearly wanted, foolishly embraced and would be out of in a minute anyway. One way or another, Chicago will be paid; either they’re headed under the bus, or somebody will “deliver an envelope,” if you get my drift. Obama takes care of his own, it’s the Chicago Way.
Of course, the Obama Way means nobody has to pay their bills; he’s hellbent on seeing to it that everybody at least has a house, regardless of whether they can afford it, or not. He unveiled his big, stock market tanking housing plan to help out the lender-seduced buyers who jumped off the deep end into houses that now have them underwater, and financially back up those lenders for going along with the program with government money, if they feel like it, unless they’re Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Since that’s the only way the greedy lenders can get the up front bailout money and back end insurance, I have a feeling they’ll probably play along.
For those pretty much destitute-from-the-jump folks just given over-priced houses by lenders, basically for free, just to get the right numbers on the paper those bankers were going to turn right around and sell for even more worthless computer bits and bytes signifying nothing, even though everybody knew they’d never be able to pay it back, Obie has sicced ACORN on the problem on the QT. All those folks have to do is make like Wild West expansioneers and just squat on their homestead, since Obie’s got their back with the bailed out bankers, no matter what. Besides, the original mortgage has probably been through so many grubby banksters’ hands, the guys trying to foreclose probably couldn’t produce the necessary paperwork if they wanted to. If the system gamers get cold feet, or the banker on the low end not hip to the deal tries to lock them out, a quick call to Obie’s ACORN enforcers will bring the strongarm crew to help you gain access to your now completely free house. Of course, like all Dons, Obie’s three steps removed, especially since he got Rep. Marcy Kaptur to sell the plan to the clueless for him.
Don’t be fooled by the “hold bank executives feet to the fire” rah-rah coming from the administration, either. The whole “salary cap” thing is bogus all around, being nothing but re-election theater as it is. Team Obama and his money man, Turbo Tax Timmy Geithner, tax cheat (TTTG,tc) tried to quietly tiptoe out of the whole TARP-related “take my money, play buy my rules” dramatic ploy, but Congress realized they need votes too, so they snuck it back into the stimulus bill. And, even though it sounds like “Ooooooh, we showed those bad bankers,” anybody who believes there isn’t enough wiggle room in the provisions to drive a fleet of private jets, and Daschle limos through, is a hopium head, and deserves the no grease screwing a-comin’.
Same for anybody who really believes Obie’s gonna close Gitmo; I’ll believe it when I see it, since the Obama patented “clear myself ahead of time” review panel he commisioned, this time through the Pentagon instead of White House counsel like the brush-Blago-off-the-shoulders one, says everything at Gitmo is Geneva convention compliant and thus, hunky dory. So, why close it? Look for him to rescind his exec order sometime in the coming year, on the sly, like he’s extending those Bush policies. Shhhhhh.
So, while Obacrats raise Democratic in-fighting to a new art form, using definitions of “what is is” as a time tested, media approved bludgeoning tool against their brethren-on-the-outs in the case of David (Caroline wasn’t my first choice) Paterson and Roland (but I didn’t give him any money) Burris, the Teflon TelePrompTer Reader can continue happily fronting for the banksters, robbing the world blind, fighting wars, and tearing the country to the ground, so he can remake it in his own image with a clean slate. Like he, and his wife, told you he would.
All the while, remaining more popular than Jesus in the process. Like Dee Dee Myers told us he was.
Illinois Senator Roland (Like It Or Not) Burris is in hot water with the Chicago press gone viral, Illinois Republicans, and the easily lead, all up in arms about previously undisclosed conversations he had with former Governor Rod (Cabbage Patch Weeble) Blagojevich’s surrogates prior to his eventual appointment. Burris, force-fed to the Senate by the teed-off Hair Bear, is accused of talking about ineffectively trying to raise the paltry sum of $15,000 for Blagojevich while the governor was allegedly trying to auction off the “juicy plum” of former Senator, now President, Barack Obama’s hurriedly vacated seat to the highest bidder. The clueless Burris, who most likely was never in contention for the seat before Blago decided to give those he saw as drunken, vengeful incompetents a big “eff ewe,” neglected to mention the Blago camps’ fundraising requests to the Illinois House impeachment committee when he was dragged on the carpet prior to his confirmation. Therefore, in the eyes of his detractors, he’s a liar, and thus, must go.
Sure, Burris always wanted the job; he seems to be a nice-enough, largely irrelevant, intensely ambitious, fuzzy little man, whose delusions of grandeur have probably always simultaneously been both his Achilles heel and his most endearing quality. Let’s face it, all in all Burris, is a joke. Blags and Co. probably always saw him that way, too. That’s the beauty of his appointment.
And, there’s not much doubt that the manipulative Blago Crew would gleefully exploit whatever meager assets Burris had to offer to their advantage, that seems to be a large part of the Blagojevich modus operandi, as well as his ultimate undoing. The sticking point is, if Burris thought he had anything to bring to the table that would even rate him consideration for a Senate appointment during Blagojevich’s serious deliberations about the matter, he was probably just kidding himself, and Blago’s Boyz were most likely stringing him along.
One can only imagine the private conversations re: Burris in BlagoWorld:
Unnamed Blago Staffer: Burris called.
Blago: Who?
Unnamed Blago Staffer: Burris. Roland. You know, the funny little guy…
Blago: Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m just yanking your chain, Unnamed. Whaddid he want?
Unnamed Blago Staffer: The Senate seat.
(Raucus pirateer laughter all around)
Blago (wiping tears): The Senate seat? The Senate seat? Oh, man, are you f*cking kidding me? What’s he offering, like, ten grand?
Unnamed Blago Staffer: Fifteen.
(More raucus pirateer laughter)
Blago (getting up from floor): Oh, man, cut it out! You’re killin’ me, here! Fifteen grand? Fifteen f*cking measly grand? Burris? Wooo-hooo, man, I’m dyin’ here! (shakes head) Fif-teen grand? (sobering) Okay, who else ya got?
I’m sure it wasn’t until after Blago got screwed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s curiously premature arrest without indictment, which robbed Blago of a big payday at the very least, and Fitzgerald of the glory of netting two big fish dead to rights, that Cabbage Patch figured that since he was still Governor, he might as well use Burris to give the Illinois lynch mob the finger before they dragged him into their kangaroo court.
Let’s face it, Burris never raised the fifteen grand anyway; nobody was ever going to give him any money to give to Blagojevich. C’mon people, think. This is a bif “eff ewe back” from the big boys playing in the federal government sandbox. Blago pissed Burris on them with a bigger wanger, and now all the “little wanger” Our Gang members are ganging together to wipe the Burris piss off.
And poor little Roland? At least he got to be Senator for a little while. And, it didn’t cost him a cent.
Since the point is that permanently impeached forever former Governor Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to auction off President Black Obama’s curiously vacated Senate seat, shouldn’t these indignant headlines and the articles they head do a little more than imply some sort of quid pro quo, pay-to-play, scratch my back shenanigans?
Of course, we are all free to draw the obvious conclusion not-so-subtly pointed to with verbal klaxon “a-oogah” noises and flashing “Shady Doings Here!!!!” signs, but, it would be a lot more damning if the bonds of journalistic integrity allowed the finger-pointing alarmists to actually report that Blagojevich or his agents demanded payment “in exchange for…” something. Instead, cursory examinations of these rehashings of the Chicago Sun-Times original report suggest that Blago never considered Burris for anything. At least, not until he decided to screw everybody back.
By all accounts, the initial request by Robert Blagojevich for Burris to help with fundraising came in October, with more contacts with the former Governor’s staff occurring in November, after the election, though it is not so clear if more than one was after Obama resigned his seat. The Houston Chronicle reports that on November 26, 2008, Burris initiated a call to Blago’s former Chief of Staff, John Harris, where he brought up the Senate seat:
A log of Harris’ calls released to the AP by the governor’s office indicates Burris called Harris four times in November — the last time on Nov. 26, when the log indicates the two spoke. Burris’ affidavit says he had called Harris to recommend his nephew for a state job and during the conversation asked about the Senate seat.
Also by all accounts, on one other call initiated by Robert Blagojevich to Burris to solicit fundraising assistance, Bobby Blags was rebuffed by Burris because he wanted to avoid the appearance of impropriety since he was interested in Obama’s seat. None report that Robert Blago was amenable to Burris’ suggestion.
Robert Blagojevich’s lawyer, Michael Ettinger, said his client contacted Burris in October to ask him to host a fundraiser for his brother because Burris had contributed in the past, but Burris said he didn’t want to commit before the election. Ettinger said the subject of the Senate seat wasn’t raised.
Ettinger said Robert Blagojevich remembers only one other conversation in November from the governor’s campaign office, which the FBI had wiretapped at the time. He said his client confirmed Burris’ account that he declined the fundraiser because of the potential conflict.
But he also told Ettinger no one on his brother’s staff had ever mentioned Burris as being interested in the seat.
Yet every news source implies something hinky went down, and pushes the growing rumbling for a perjury investigation against Burris for not being forthcoming before he came forth on February 4. Given that Burris is broke, and that neither he, nor Blagojevich, have any friends in Illinois, especially in the legislature where “palling around” with Blago could cost the state stimulus money, the media anti-rah-rah building against them will likely be successful in bringing them both down. Never mind that the city that gave us a president who likes to assert his skinny toughness when he brings a gun to a fundraising knifefight to pick up the checks, wears it’s politically corrupt gangster image like a badge of honor, as does he when he’s not rebuffing it by pretending to reform it.
Look, Burris is embarrassingly ambitious, and Blago’s certainly no angel, but, there probably aren’t many cherubic shrinking violets rising from, or, residing in, the muck and mire of Chicago’s political hellhole. In fact, there probably aren’t any.
President Black Obama is crowing like a bantam rooster about his shiny new stimulus bill, as if passing a anything with only 3 Republican votes necessary was as difficult as he and his media took such pains to make it seem. I mean, really, if he couldn’t have gotten it done, that would be news. Plus, it probably was not as hard as it might have been if he had actually let anybody read it first.
Anyway, looks like Rod Blagojevich hit his eventual appointee for Oboyi’mgreat’s vacant Senate seat, now Senator, Roland Burris up for cash before picking him. However, it’s not clear if this really means anything since, as far as I know, Burris was never on the short list until after Blago was arrested, and by all accouts, Burris didn’t give him any money. Seems Burris was concerned about appearances, given that he really wanted the appointment, even though Blags didn’t seem inclined to give it to him. Burris wasn’t on U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s published radar, either.
MSNBC’s Chuck Todd was miffed at the Obamessiah earlier this week because of the way the Ofolks manage the press. In a rather whiny First Read post, Todd gripes that being a “newbie,” he takes offense at being denied unfettered access to press conference attendees, something he sees as a First Amendment issue:
For instance, today, the president gave a speech in the East Room to the business council, an audience of dozens of CEOs and major business leaders in America. As per usual, we’re allowed to watch the event behind a ropeline. Ok, standard procedure for any event for any candidate, let alone a president. But unlike public events, here at the White House, when the event ends, we get no access to the audience unless the audience happens to amble up to the ropeline and chat with the press.
Today, it was so bad that we were kept behind closed doors so that these CEOs and other business leaders could leave without accidentally mingling with us poor press peons. Once the CEOs were clear and escorted downstairs, then we were let out of our East Room pen. And it’s not like we could rush over to the east side of the White House and find anyone left to interview about their role on this business council. By the time, a member of the press leaves out the one exit they can come in and out of, those guys and gals would be history. I’m sure most of them had cars at the ready to quickly get them to their next meeting.
Poor Chuck, he obviously didn’t get the Official ObamaRules handbook that spells out that only the appearance of transparency can be tolerated. He also didn’t get the MSNBO Official ObamaRulebook spelling out that the Leg Tingler must never be criticized by any employee, something his commenters were quick to point out, calling him a “freakin’ crybaby,” and assuring him nobody gave a shit about his hurt feelings, which to them are no more important than that pesky First Amendment thingy when it comes to Obamaman.
Underscoring MSNBC readers’ sentiments, Politico reports that it matters not one little whit what the Great Obandini does, people who vote love his dirty drawers and can’t wait to suck down as much of his KoolAid flavored bathwater as he deigns to distribute. In spite of all the documented Dagwood Bumstead-style bungles, stumbles, bumps and missteps of the neophyte Spokesmodel-In-Chief, his approval ratings are still off the charts. Go figure. Maybe they should poll the PUMAsphere, huh?
Meanwhile, in an underreported story from February 9, it seems Chicago school children are afraid to go to school for fear the teachers, not other students, will beat the crap out of them:
Hundreds of students have allegedly been beaten by teachers, coaches and staff at Chicago Public Schools. 2 Investigator Dave Savini continues his ongoing investigation involving the illegal use corporal punishment.
CBS2Chicago’s Savini reports finding an alarming number (eight hundred eighteen) of assaults against students, mostly going under-punished by authorities:
The 2 Investigators found reports of students beaten with broomsticks, whipped with belts, yard sticks, struck with staplers, choked, stomped on and pushed down stairs. One substitute teacher even fractured a student’s neck.
But even more alarming, in the vast majority of cases, teachers found guilty were only given a slap on the wrist.
This report comes on the heels of a February 4 report of the death of a 10 year old Evanston, Illinois student found hanging from a coat hook. The death was ruled a suicide, a finding with which the family disagrees.
What else? Oh, California’s broke, so they’re going to let all the prisoners go. Wonder if Obie’s Big Give and that Big Bailout of Turbo Tax Timmy Geithner, tax cheat (TTTG,tc) will help Chicago’s children or the citizens of California sleep better at night?
Illinois State University wants to know if the bell tolls for Black History Month now that the president is black. According to MSNBC, the jury’s still out on that one, which seems to tick this guy off. The New York Times prints an opinion piece by Alaa Al Aswany who complains that though Egyptian Muslims have love for Obama, they’re not feeling the love back, while our friend Sugar sounds off about the beheading of an American Muslim woman in Buffalo, New York by her jilted husband. Murphy cries for all of us about this and other things over at Puma Pac.
The peanut people still want you to feed their product to your kids even though they recalled peanut butter cookie dough from Austin, Texas schools today. Good thing the good folks at the Associated Press provide us with this handy list. Not sure if it matches this one, though. Oh, and mark your calenders, Peanut Butter and Jelly Day’s a-comin’ March 4.
And, last, but not least, the Obama family clebrates Valentine’s Day in the Rezko-subsidized Hyde Park empty house the president dramatically told goodbye just a few weeks ago. Must be cold sleeping on bare floors. Leaving his family to brave the elements without furniture in a barren home, the Persnickety President visited his friend’s gym. What’s up with that?
Anyway, that’s just a taste of the juicy little tidbits I tend to pick up news surfing week to week. So, for those of you with Valentines to share the day (and night) with, enjoy. For those, like me, who will spend the day cursing the Fates and shooting daggers from our eyes at the lovestruck, between loud verbal declarations of the foolishness of voluntarily plunging oneself into the pitfalls of romance, have a Scotch on me.
Rod Blagojevich, the unemployed former Illinois governor; is not exactly going quietly into that good night. I guess if you’re the guy who the United States Congress blackmailed the Illinois Senate into voting 59-0 to remove from office, or get zero stimulus bill dollars, you carry a grudge. From CNN:
The $825 billion stimulus bill the Obama administration is trying to push through Congress would prevent any money given to the state of Illinois from being handled by the state’s impeached governor, Rod Blagojevich.
The 647-page bill bars Illinois agencies from receiving any money unless the Legislature directs how it will be spent, or until “Rod R. Blagojevich no longer holds the office of governor of the state of Illinois.” It does allow local governments to receive money directly from Washington or through the state, if state agencies follow an established formula.
With nothing to lose, Blago’s all in. Politico reports that on a WLS-AM (the article says WSL, but this site of Chicago area radio stations shows no such call letters, while WLS is locally famous for talk radio) Blago was still swinging for the fences. According to Blags, not only is the state full of crooks, they’re a bunch of bungling, drunken philanderers on the taxpayers’ dime, too:
“This is how the system in Springfield works,” Blagojevich explained during an interview with the Chicago-area radio station WSL-AM. “A bunch of these lawmakers go down to Springfield, nobody even knows who they are, they’re away from their families. It’s a whole different world down there, a bunch of them are cheating on their spouses, a lot of them drink in excess, very few of them know what’s going on.”
While no names are given, Hot Rod does give an example of a wayward lovesick “lawmaker” with enough description provided to ensure that everybody on Blago’s old stomping grounds will either know exactly who he is, or think he’s talking about them:
“The wife found out and she wanted that secretary fired,” he said. “But this guy was in love with his secretary, so he goes to the legislative leader, they come to us, they want us to hire this woman so that we can keep that guy happy and, you know, then hope that they might work with us on some issues.”
Blagojevich also said they do the same stuff in Washington, too:
“It’s not just state government. I saw that as a congressman in Washington,” he said. “It’s part of the human dynamic and I don’t want to be too judgmental, but these same guys get up and they get holier-than-thou on their soapboxes and there they are doing that sort of thing, promoting that kind of thing.
“Yeah, people are human and they make mistakes, but cheating on your wife and sleeping with your secretary, that’s the wrong thing to do.”
It should be noted that fooling around on his wife is the one thing Blago hasn’t been accused of.
Yet.
But, if he keeps giving interviews like this, you can bet it’s coming.
Can you say “double standard?” Kristin Davis, escort service CEO (madam) who provided companionship by the hour to former governor Elliot Spitzer, and whose “little black book” is revealing the peccadilloes and services purchased to indulge them of some of the country’s biggest big ballers, surely can. And she is indignantly proclaiming it loudly to anybody who’ll listen, like ABC News:
Wall street lawyers, investment bankers, CEOs and media executives often used corporate credit cards to pay for $2,000 an hour prostitutes, according to the madam who ran one of New York’s biggest and most expensive escort services until it was busted last year.
But prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office chose not to pursue any of the corporate titans, says Kristin Davis, who pleaded guilty last year to charges of running a prostitution business that used more than a hundred women.
“Used?” Not “employed?” There is a difference, ya know. Whatever one thinks of the morality of the profession, there’s not a lot of difference between a madam and a CEO, or a call girl and a consultant. Which is pretty much Davis’ point. Either it’s a crime to indulge in prostitution, or it isn’t. Can’t sell what nobody will buy, after all.
However, the larger point is that these poor, misunderstood, stressed out titans of industry were getting their ashes hauled using corporate credit cards that were billed for services such as “computer consulting” and “roof repair.” Which is fraud:
Davis says one CEO ordered her to send him invoices for “roof repair on a warehouse” to disguise the payment for prostitutes from corporate funds.
“That is fraud,” said former New York prosecutor Sid Baumgarten, who told 20/20 the district attorney should have investigated the men.
“Not necessarily just for the patronizing but for the use of these business records and credit cards to see what kind of fraud or tax fraud was being used. And if so, that is a major offense,” Baumgarten said.
When ABC News contacted that CEO, he said he used his corporate card to pay for the escort service to entertain clients, but that there was no sex involved.
Davis, who can plausibly be called an entrepreneur in her own right, operated a multi-faceted organization providing a variety of services, (I’d bet the farm sex was indeed involved in all of them) until the Fed crackdown on Elliot Spitzer took her down with him:
Davis operated her escort service as a prostitution conglomerate, with five different “brands” over a four year period, each with its own “price point” and websites.
At the high end was an escort service called Carlyle Trust, mimicking the name, but not connected in any way, to a prestigious investment firm. Davis said she recruited top fashion models who charged up to $2,000 an hour for clients of Carlyle Trust.
Her lower cost services charged $400 an hour for a “body rub,” she said.
The “best little whorehouse on Wall Street” was located just a few blocks from the New York Stock Exchange, in apartment 3A at 136 William Street.
Davis operated three other “in-call” locations in the mid-town area of Manhattan.
The escort business took in as much as $200,000 a week, Davis estimated.
This is where the story gets strange. Davis’ reputation seems to have been trashed, then, somewhat rehabilitated since the Spitzer investigation first revealed that he used her services as well as those of Mark Brener, the proprietor of the Empire Club and employer of Ashley Dupree, the woman Spitzer allegedly violated the Mann Act with by transporting her to Washington for sheet sweating, possibly on the taxpayers’ dime. Brener was sentenced Friday to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to commit prostitution and money laundering. Curiously, Spitzer was never arrested or prosecuted though he was forced to resign as Governor, and the Federal investigation against him was dropped 2 days after the November national election. Probably just a coincidence.
A March 26 New York Times article reporting Kristin Davis (not the Sex in the City actress, btw) does not mention Spitzer, and charcterized her as a “woman accused of running a large prostitution ring.” Subsequent reports, mainstream and otherwise, began to detail Davis’ involvement with the kinky governor who developed crushes on “consultants” and whined and tried to bully them into allowing him to “ride bareback.” Davis herself was soon being described as everything from “trailer trash” to “tranny.” Web articles here, here, here, here, and here get increasingly bitchy.
By December of last year when she was “freed” after being sentenced to 90 days, time served, and relieved of the almost $500,000 she ws arrested with, Davis, though still referred to as a “buxom blonde,” was back on her way to relative respectability. By January of this year, Gawker was posting her opinion of celebrities’ sex worker potential. February 6 brought us Davis’ tell all book, though the contents of her “little black book” were hinted at as early as March of last year. Among those contents, partially verified by ABC, were these, re-printed here from the Raw Story:
* a vice president of NBC Universal (owned by General Electric)
* the part owner of a Major League Baseball team who “loves Kelsey”
* the CEO of one of the country’s largest private equity firms who met “Cameron” at the Peninsula Hotel
* a major New York real estate developer who, according to the list, “will come to the door wearing women’s panties”
* a partner at the Wall Street law firm Cravath Swaine Moore “looking for a party girl to come fully equipped” and spent a total of $20,000
* an investment banker from Lehman Brothers who saw “Kelsey and Keely together” and later saw “Aria and Skyler at the same time”
* an investment banker at JP Morgan Securities who “loves Brooke” and spent $41,600
* an investment banker at Goldman Sachs who “only wanted all-American girls” and spent $27,000
* a managing director from Merrill Lynch who saw “Lana” using the name “Nataly”
* a managing director from Deutsche Bank “who called about seeing Nataly again”
Spitzer, whose identity as Mark Brener’s, not Kristin Davis’, Client Number 9, was leaked to the media and confirmed by a “person briefed on the case,” took a big hit to his reputation as the “Sheriff of Wall Street,” an appellation earned from his efforts as New York State Attorney General to reform the financial industry, though some say those efforts didn’t go far enough. In light of the allegations of impropriety, and his subsequent resignation 2 days later, Wall Street took delight and unabashedly celebrated his predicament, while trashing his previous accomplishments. Some sources even began to go so far as to dismiss Spitzers triumphs as hollow victories.
As AG, however, Spitzer’s efforts were initially welcomed by industry watchdogs. Salon even called him “Wall Street’s Worst Nightmare.” So, what happened? Some speculate that the leak of his implication in the Federal investigation and possibly even the investigation itself was tantamount to a political “hit” orchestrated by forces furious with the governor’s reform efforts against companies like Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs and AIG, among others.
Lost in the allegations of hypocrisy leveled at Spitzer for his indulgences with prostitutes while self-righteously prosecuting prostitution rings to the fullest extent of the law, was the fact that he had set his reformer sights on industries other than pimps and money-changers. According to Business Week, in December 2002, Spitzer served notice to the Hyde Park crowd:
Who’s to blame for expensive prescription drugs, pollution, and the biased research coming out of Wall Street? Try pinning the rap on the University of Chicago.
At least that was New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s attempted in a Dec. 4 speech to financial-services executives at the annual Banker of The Year dinner. At the banquet, which was held in New York’s Helmsley Palace, Spitzer blasted the University of Chicago for encouraging recent market excesses with a philosophical curriculum that teaches less regulation is always good for capitalism. The audience listened respectfully, but many, especially the University of Chicago alums, privately voiced their disagreement with Spitzer’s thesis later in the evening.
As a voice of laissez-faire economics, the University of Chicago has shaped much of the dialogue over market regulation in recent years, starting with Ronald Reagan’s Administration in 1980. Free markets, the theory goes, will correct most excesses by making it impossible for those guilty of bad behavior to survive. “They’ve said that intervention by…government is wrong,” Spitzer said. “But they haven’t taken into account that markets can have structural flaws.” Contacted by BusinessWeek Online for a reaction, University of Chicago professor of business and economics Kevin Murphy said Spitzer’s interpretation of the schools position was simplistic. Says Murphy: “I think we have better things to do than beat up a straw man.”
I know what you’re thinking, but, nah, couldn’t be. This is a story about prostitutes and double standards, remember? Doesn’t have anything to do with bailouts and presidents. Who was on Kristin Davis’ list, again?
Hey, I can spot a trend when I see one. Whenever now-President Black Obama wants pity, sympathy and absolution, he calls himself a “bonehead” or a “screw-up.” When he wants to divert attention from his “boneheaded screw-ups” he calls them “distractions.” Both of these terms are signals to his defenders in the mainstream media and blogosphere to pick up the torch and light the way to forgiveness. It’s been going on for at least two years, and so far, it works like a charm.
In December 2006, the Washington Post quoted Obiteme admitting that his cozy land deal with Tony Rezko was a “boneheaded mistake:”
“There’s no doubt that this was a mistake on my part. ‘Boneheaded’ would be accurate,” Obama said in a telephone interview Friday. “There’s no doubt I should have seen some red flags in terms of me purchasing a piece of property from him.”
Of course, in December of 2007, FactCheck completely absolves him of any wrongdoing, as have many other sympathetic news sources since. Once Hillary Clinton raised the slumlord’s name in conjunction with The Chosen, she was predictablyslammed for blasting He Who Had Been Exonerated, since Obama had given Tony’s campaign contributions to charity, for goodness sakes. By the time Rezko went to trial, the whole thing was an unfortunate “distraction.”
When a March 2007 New York Times article broke the news that Obama was involved in a couple of questionable 2005 stock deals, My.BarackObama.com, now Organizing for America, quickly pooh-poohed the idea, then Media Matters “thoroughly debunked the whole thing at least twice, and to be fair, Obie didn’t say it was a “mistake,” “boneheaded” or otherwise, nor did he call it a “distraction.” He and his camp hadn’t gotten the bit down at that point, so he just said “he didn’t know.” From the New York Times:
“At no point did I know what stocks were held,” Mr. Obama said. “And at no point did I direct how those stocks were invested.”
Good enough, Senator. Poof! story be gone! Many other boneheaded moves have come and gone since then; in October, Oboyhe’spresident admitted that the biggest one of all was his off-the-cuff put-down of, pretty much, white America during an April primary fundraiser in San Francisco, even though, it wasn’t really his fault. Again, with the New York Times:
“That was my biggest boneheaded move,” Obama told me recently. We were sitting across from each other on his plane, the one with the big red, white and blue “O” on the tail, flying some 35,000 feet above Nebraska. “How it was interpreted in the press was Obama talking to a bunch of wine-sipping San Francisco liberals with an anthropological view toward white working-class voters. And I was actually making the reverse point, clumsily, which is that these voters have a right to be frustrated because they’ve been ignored. And because Democrats haven’t met them halfway on cultural issues, we’ve not been able to communicate to them effectively an economic agenda that would help broaden our coalition.”
There have been a number of significant Obuhbuh “distractions” in our shared journey to now, however, most did not need to rise to the level of “boneheaded mistakes” in order to be dismissed. Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a “distraction,” ACORN was, too, but not visiting the troops during his whirlwind Rock Star Tour (yeah, baby) was not a mistake, but, the controversy about it was, you guessed it, another damned “distraction.” The New Yorker’s Ray Lizza piece criticizing Obama was not a distraction, the cover was, one that benefited CampO; it served to divert attention from the story inside. What we have all learned is that “distraction” is a dirty word, and it displeases the High and Mighty One to have to use it. Even his wife knows better than to be one.
The right wing has long been on to Obuti’mcute’s hijinks. Over, and over and over again they have bitched and moaned about the Boy King’s ability to rise above scandal and ineptitude with the complicity of a media corps of fellating fluffers, by merely looking down his nose at them as they observe his wonderfulness from their crotch-level POV. And, as with any lie oft-repeated, the effects have trickled down to the rank-and-file wannabe fluffers of the blogosphere, all too eager to seek entree into the sphere of His Holiness’ orbit, if only they prove themselves worthy enough to drop to a knee without pads on a moment’s notice.
So, when the Blagodrama hit it was…a distraction. And, when Tom Daschle realized he was becoming a dreaded “distraction” he couldn’t beat feet to the media to announce his withdrawal fast enough. One must never, ever be a “distraction,” to do so would be “boneheaded” indeed. For, the Obamessiah would become “pisseth.” Only he knows when a mistake becomes “boneheaded” enough to be a “distraction” that he has to admit he “screwed up,” and when he does, he’ll look down his nose at the fluffer du jour, and, as soon as they’re done, they’ll let the rest of us know.
I guess there’s “pay-to-play” and then, there’s “pay-to-play.” But in a CNN article from January 27, it was revealed that when the president and Congress does it, it’s not “pay-to-play.”
The $825 billion stimulus bill the Obama administration is trying to push through Congress would prevent any money given to the state of Illinois from being handled by the state’s impeached governor, Rod Blagojevich.
The 647-page bill bars Illinois agencies from receiving any money unless the Legislature directs how it will be spent, or until “Rod R. Blagojevich no longer holds the office of governor of the state of Illinois.” It does allow local governments to receive money directly from Washington or through the state, if state agencies follow an established formula.
So, no stimulus money for Illinois until “Rod R. Blagojevich no longer holds the office of governor of the state of Illinois.”?!? They had to impeach him, or the state wouldn’t get paid? No wonder the vote was 59-0! Obviously, the governor’s seat is more fuckin’ golden than a vacant Senate one.
Poor President Black Obama. Life as leader of the free world must be so very much different than he thought it would be back in the days when he read about it in the news and decided that gosh darnit, things needed to change. I mean, how was he to know that getting people to give up old ways that worked fine for them all their lives would be hard, really hard, as really, really hard as George Bush found the job to be, too? Back when Obie was conjuring up hypotheticals to challenge the young minds of privileged youth as an “all but what it lack” constitutional law professor in the cloistered confines of the Hyde Park enclave’s Ivy League equivalent, the answers had to seem so obvious. Forget the “duh” factor involved since he was the one who made up the questions; mingling with sharks, tigers, barracudas and lions and trying to turn them into pussycats, puppies and pretty, pretty sparrows is not as easy as you might think from the comfort of your ergonomic Barcalounger. Running smack into the “I hope you take your change and stick it where the sun don’t shine” reality of the “survival of the fittest” predatory jungle that is D.C. politics has to be a cold, cruel wake-up call to the man who dreamed ObamaLand. Oh, well.
Looking out the window of a Rezko subsidized McMansion, the fact that lobbyists are bad, bad, bad, and the country needs clean, honest, transparent government is such an obvious no-brainer. Don’t need a Harvard Law degree to figure that one out. But, funny thing, that. Not only do those stubborn lobbyists not want to give up a single iota of power and influence, (can you imagine?) everyfuckingbody is one! And, they’re all crooks to boot! Even people you like a lot. I mean, sheesh! What’s a Spokesmodel Pres to do?
Barack Obama promised a “clean break from business as usual” in Washington. It hasn’t quite worked out that way.
From the start, he made exceptions to his no-lobbyist rule. And now, embarrassing details about Cabinet-nominee Tom Daschle’s tax problems and big paychecks from special interest groups are raising new questions about the reach and sweep of the new president’s promised reforms.
Maybe he shouldn’t have promised so much, some open-government advocates say. They’re willing to cut him some slack — for now.
The delusional Associated Press is obviously in denial too, since they seem oblivious to the “if it was a snake it woulda bitcha” truth staring them in the face that slack-cutting has become a way of life for those charged with monitoring and assessing the performance of the Baby Pres-In-Training Wheels’ nascent administration.
There was slack-cutting aplenty going on when the “aahh, fuhgeddaboudit” press pass was issued to Turbo Tax Timmy Geithner, tax cheat, via the access given Astroturfing Obacrats assigned to speak on, and off, the record excusing his “innocent” transgressions between proclamations of his stellar qualifications as worthy Obamessiah acolyte. Snip, snip, slack abounds. More slack was paid out in the noose line that threatened to choke the life out of the appointment of another TelePrompTer Jesus disciple, Eric Holder, approved by the bishops just today. And Williams Lynn and Corr were snuck onto the Fisherman’s boat with slack sufficient to jump rope with, despite Lord Changey Hope’s oft-issued earlier proclamations from on high:
However, William J. Lynn III, his choice to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department, recently lobbied for military contractor Raytheon. And William Corr, tapped as deputy secretary at Health and Human Services, lobbied through most of last year as an anti-tobacco advocate. Corr says he will take no part in tobacco matters in the new administration.
“Even the toughest rules require reasonable exceptions,” said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
That was a big step back from Obama’s unambiguous swipe at lobbyists in November 2007, while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. “I don’t take a dime of their money,” he said, “and when I am president, they won’t find a job in my White House.”
So, now that absolution has been granted to so many other transgressors, Tax Cheat II, Tom Daschle, is almost assured forgiveness, despite the fact that he’s a liar who has had to confess to the dreaded lobbying sin, too:
For Tom Daschle, life out of the Senate has been lucrative. In addition to his work as an adviser to a Washington law firm and as chairman of the board for a private equity firm, Daschle has been paid $195,000 to give speeches to health care industry groups — the very sector President Obama has designated him to overhaul.
While it is common for former lawmakers to engage in paid speaking and lobbying, the fees Daschle received and his work as a special policy adviser to health care clients with the lobbying and law firm Alston & Bird raise fresh questions about his nomination to be Health and Human Services secretary, a selection already thrown off track by revelations that he amended his tax returns on Jan. 2 to pay the IRS roughly $140,000 in back taxes and interest.
Hey, it’s not like Little Lord Wannabe’s doing any Blago-type pay-to-play shenanigans with Senate seats, or nothin’. Is he supposed to know that sometimes the people you appoint for all the right reasons have skeletons in their closets, like trying to abolish the very department you seek to have them head? These things are simply not his fault! It’s just that painting rainbows on graffiti filled alley walls is hard.
John Ridley is KoolAid drunk and righteously buzzed on Hopium, dude. The brother is on full, knowwhatumsayin’? Looking around the blogosphere for something interesting besides predictably tired mea culpas from tax cheating cabinet appointees, or increasingly serious pay-to-play allegations that would, and have, run a politician without friends out of office, against former cabinet appointees, I found this link to a PBS commentary on Stop The ACLU. (Toldja I was desperately seeking something.) Anyway, if you have a strong stomach, or, if you too have a powerful all American man-crush on Brother President, (in which case you’ve either stumbled here by mistake, or are just as desperate for somebody to say or do something noteworthy as I am) take a look at this obsequiously unctuous pean to the bronze god, Obamacus Amerikos.
Now that the Illinois State Senate has done its duty and rid the state of the onerous presence of its vilified governor, exercising the “nuclear option” of preventing him from ever holding office in the state again, what happens next? Lots of people probably wonder where he goes, what he does next, when will he come to trial, how does the state recover and all kinds of stuff like that. Not me. What I wanna know is, what happens if he’s never officially indicted; if come April, when U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s extension to file charges is up, none are forthcoming? What happens then? Oooops?
Since the Illinois Senate has gone out of its way to make the case that theirs is a political process and not a criminal one, one wonders, too, on what grounds was Blagojevich really impeached? The media harps on the alleged attempt to sell President Black Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder, but Blago has not been indicted for that crime, and Fitzgerald made it clear that he was being arrested to prevent that from happening. The official charges in Fitzgerald’s complaint were mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, so without indicting the people/person Blagojevich conspired with, and sent money to, or, received money from, where’s the crime?
On CNN earlier today, immediately after the vote went down, Wolf Blitzer asked Illinois resident reporters Roland Martin and Don Lemon to weigh in. Now, I have no love for either man, Roland’s over-the-top Soul Brother manlove for Black Obama renders most things out his mouth stupid, and Lemon’s rush-to-exonerate interview with Jesse Jackson Jr. after he was identified as Candidate Number 5, the likeliest co-conspirator in the Blagojevich complaint, undermined his objectivity pretty completely. Yet, both men opined that the impeachment of Blagojevich was more the result of the Illinois legislature’s dislike of, and ongoing disagreement with, him, than of his legal troubles.
This assertion was forcefully and immediately countered by resident Democratic strategist (hack) Paul Begala, whose Obama man crush makes Martin’s look like a vendetta, and for whom I have even less use. Begala’s rah-rah Obaba act is sooooo intense that it makes you wonder if his primary support for Hillary Clinton was as a Patti Solis-Doyle-esque mole, planted in the inner circle to destroy her chances from within. His doofy-goofy gushing sucking up has me convinced that when looking up his name in the dictionary, one would find his picture next to the definition “see Ted Haggard.” And CNN’s other turncoat Clinton supporting “strategist,” Judas Carville, is equally annoying with his “cardboard groping Hillary’s tit is a harmless prank when Obie’s boyz do it,” Obama fluffing shtick. Anyway, Carville-lite jumped in and asserted that Blagojevich’s alleged attempt to sell the object of Begala’s love’s Senate seat and shake down a children’s hospital showed conclusively that Blago was not only a criminal, but a scum sucking sinner.
This is worrisome because Blagojevich has not been indicted for anything, let alone convicted, so Begala’s vehemently defending his impeachment on those grounds is unsupportable. More worrisome is the fact that Begala gets his talking points straight from the White House via his longstanding tradition of daily early morning conference calls with Rahm Emanuel, a practice reported by Politico and decried by News Busters. From Politico:
Under other circumstances, the morning calls between Emanuel, Carville, Stephanopoulos and Begala — pollster Stan Greenberg is another frequent member of the core group, a kind of “fifth Beatle” — might be a Society of Has-Beens, reliving ancient glories from the Little Rock “War Room.”
It was Emanuel’s ascension into Barack Obama’s inner circle — even as Carville and Begala remained closely linked with the defeated Clinton political machine — that saved the group from irrelevance.
The calls “are about what’s happening, what the implications are of what’s happening and what’s going on,” said Emanuel.
edit
Stephanopoulos’ role is as the analyst and the skeptic. “George is really a big-systems thinker,” Begala said. “As a journalist, he is half of a political scientist, and because he’s not in the partisan battles anymore, he sees things differently.”
Begala offers the most academic interpretation of the calls and their daily survey of political news.
Emanuel is the most likely to be talking policy, usually some program Democrats can use to score points in the daily partisan brawl with Republicans.
edit
Begala’s own interest, as a former speechwriter, is in rhetoric — what is likely to be the sound bite that will echo through the news cycle.
Carville is the wild card, “a genius,” in Begala’s view, “who can look at the same operative facts as everyone else and come to a different conclusion.”
Like News Busters, I find this practice deeply troubling in general, but in the case of Blagojevich’s CNN coverage, such complicity is especially egregious, given the lazy copy cat, follow-the-leader nature of the media nowadays. Rahm Emanuel has been interviewed by the Feds in this case, for goodness sake! Blagojevich has repeatedly demanded to call him specifically as a witness in his defense, and this guy is giving talking points to the prosecutors in the court of public opinion case against him? Straight from the president’s mouth, perhaps?
No wonder Blagojevich felt that going straight-to-video was his only option. With the entire news media being covered with government issue Astroturf, what chance did he have against a political process administered by a tribunal of sworn enemies allied with his potential co-conspirator? And, if President Black Obama, the Obamessiah with the power to heal or hurt by the mere laying on of hands, who was also interviewed by the Feds with lawyer present, had a hand in offering up the Senate seat in question for any reason, what better way to cover everybody’s ass than have your Chief of Staff issue daily marching orders to your street crew?
Maybe Blago’s right; if they can do this to a governor…
I just watched a virtuoso performance by a master manipulator. Who cares if he’s guilty or not? The Illinois legislature never did, that much has been obvious from the beginning. But what artistry it took to engineer the opportunity to present an argument equally biased without rebuttal. Bravo!
Savvy Rod Blagojevich knows that anybody can make a compelling, persuasive argument about just about anything as long as he’s the only one talking. The sheer genius he exhibited was in pointing out that that was exactly what the Illinois Senate was doing in his impeachment trial, and then…walking away. Bravo!
The set up was perfect, too. While the shamsters went about the “Serious Business” of presenting their one-sided case based upon gossip, allegation and rumor, in front of cameras used to bolster “news” reports full of more gossip, allegation and rumor about the guilt, character and mental state of Rod Blagojevich in the media, Blago himself was using the media to plead his case. As the blowhards of the blogosphere and mainstream media maniacs bashed Blago at every turn, they seemed oblivious to the fact that their perceptions, critiques and conclusions about Rod’s performance were completely irrelevant. This was not about judgment, or fairness, it was about theater, and ratings. Bra-fucking-vo, Blags.
Once the sufficiently swelled audience was properly primed and perched precariously on the edge of their sold-out seats, the Cabbage Patch Weeble’s play in one act, “How Can You Impeach A Governor?” began. And though it ended with stunned silence and not a standing ovation, the result was just the same; the audience had been moved. Probably not the Blago Inquisitors, as Hot Rod pointed out, their minds have been made up all along; the trial was just a tool to facilitate a foregone conclusion. No, what Blago masterfully accomplished was to bring to the fore the reality that while the shamsters may be well within their rights to dispatch him from public service in precisely the manner they’re employing, they no longer look so high and mighty and noble doing so.
If the purpose of the Illinois Senate’s introduction of wiretapped telephone conversations was to prove that Governor Rod Blagojevich was indeed under surveillance by the FBI, score one for the impeachers. If the intent was to show evidence of guilt, point goes to Blago. Though an FBI agent vouched that the voices on the tapes were the people they were supposed to be, nobody actually said much about nothin’. From the Associated Press:
Neither the governor nor the others on the call — the governor’s brother and chief fundraiser Robert Blagojevich and former chief of staff Lon Monk, officials say — specifically mentions money or any amounts.
The impeachment trial, ostensibly triggered by the governor’s December arrest on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and solicitation of bribery, is inaccurately being depicted in the media as being related to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s allegations that Blagojevich tried to sell President Black Obama’s vacant Senate seat. However, only cherry-picked transcript evidence related to those charges, which Blagojevich is yet to be indicted for, and unrelated wiretapped evidence, is slated to be presented at the impeachment trial, under orders from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Got it?
The conversation highlighted above is said to indicate that Blagojevich wanted to pressure horse racing lobbyists for campaign donations in return for favorable legislation, with the catch being that the deal must be done before the end of the year in question when new ethics laws would go into effect.
The allegation at the center of the tapes played for senators is that Blagojevich pressured John Johnston, owner of two Chicago-area harness-racing tracks, to donate money by the end of 2008, when a new ethics law would restrict donations.
Prosecutors say Blagojevich threatened not to sign legislation giving tracks a portion of casino-generated revenue unless he got the donation.
It’s not clear whether Johnston ever made a donation; federal prosecutors have seized Blagojevich’s campaign records. Johnston has not been charged with any illegal activity.
When the Cabbage Patch Weeble goes on every talk show but Maury (is that still in production?) to protest his inability to call witnesses in his impeachment trial, he’s right. To a point. He can’t call witnesses related to the Senate seat sale, like David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel or Valerie Jarrett, but neither can the Illinois Senate. Blago is free as a bird to call any other witnesses he wants, but since those aren’t the witnesses that would help the case he’s really being prosecuted for, except not really, because the prosecution can, and has introduced the transcript evidence, all he can do is boycott the trial and go on TV threatening everybody involved that no matter what they do, when he is officially indicted (if he is) and goes to trial, everybody’s going down if he does.
Neither the prosecution nor the defense is allowed to summon any witnesses whose testimony might interfere with federal prosecutors’ criminal case against Blagojevich, although their public statements could be introduced as evidence. But Blagojevich has not asked to call witnesses or present any evidence at all, and said he does not plan to participate in any way.
The only unvarnished truth from either side in this farcical witch hunt is Illinois Senate President John Cullerton’s assertion that the impeachment process is not a trial, but a political process, even though he leaves out the part were the deck is likely to be stacked against Blagojevich. From NPR:
But Jeffrey Shaman, a constitutional law professor at DePaul University in Chicago, said impeachment trials are really more political procedures than fair trials and cannot be completely unbiased. Under the Illinois Constitution, senators only need to find cause to remove the governor from office, and they get to define what cause is.
The tapes and transcripts can be found here. Prosecutors also admit that the tapes are not all incriminating, in fact some show Blago in a favorable light:
Ellis outlined a few items from the federal case that he said “are probably favorable to the governor.” These include conversations in which the feds recorded Blagojevich in conversations denying to people he knows that he has engaged in any illegal activities.
It also included instances in which Blagojevich was talking about how to fill President Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, and was indicating that the criterion he was focused on was “the candidates’ ability to benefit the state of Illinois.”
So, while the state of Illinois proceeds to impeach it’s governor now that they’ve succeeded in convicting him in the media, on charges he hasn’t been indicted on plus some other ones they’ve always wanted to get him on but never had enough evidence to go on, the governor goes to the media protesting that he’s being handcuffed in defending himself against charges he hasn’t been indicted on by political opponents who’ve always wanted to get him for stuff they could never prove.
The media is having a field day about the fact that the Governor Who Would Be Persecuted, Rod Blagojevich, aka Cabbage Patch Weeble, admitted during his “Screw Impeachment” media tour that he had kicked Oprah Winfrey’s name around as a replacement for President Black Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Everybody laughed and laughed at crazy ol’ Blago; even Oprah scoffed, “whatever would I do?” Scarlett O’Hara-like, when asked about the governor’s admission. But, she was a little more somber, and only slightly more reticent last month, when rumors were swirling about her moving to Washington to join Obama’s cabinet, kitchen or otherwise.
After the news broke that she was looking for an empty 50 million dollar mansion in the D.C. area, and that she was taking her show on the inaugural road, speculation ran rampant that the Big O was going to find some kind of place in the Obama administration; anything from Ambassador to vice-president to Secretary of State. Of course, most of these rumors could be dismissed as loony rantings by deranged crackpots (is there any other kind?) and gossip, but it is significant that such lunacy found traction.
Now, belly laughs abound at the Hair Bear’s expense, I mean, c’mon, the guy’s guilty as O.J., right? Why won’t he just quit, or at least show up and let them impeach him fairly at the show trial they’re conducting for just that purpose? What kind of lunatic protests about something righteous like that? Who wouldn’t leap at the opportunity to be prosecuted by a best-selling legal thriller writer? It’s not like the Obamessiah would ever let anybody convicted or accused of any kind of wrongdoing in his inner circleTonyRezkoTimGeithner. And, it’s certainly beyond the pale that any Serious Politician would ever consider giving a high-level position to a television personalitySanjayGuptaFranDrescher. Who would ever think such a thing? Isn’t that why nobody voted for Fred Thompson? AlFranken? And why Chris Matthews dropped out? Who do these people think they are, Arnold Schwartzenegger?
Not everybody can get into Big Time Politics with the depth of experience of a Black Obama or Caroline Kennedy.
America, gotta love her. While everybody dances to the Blagodrama circus music, the really surreal proliferates. President Black Obama, hellbent on pushing through his stimulus plan before anybody examines it too closely, in a manner reminiscent of the Bush run-up to the Iraq war, rushes even faster to get his just confirmed (60-34) tax cheat Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, sworn in before anybody wakes up and tries to stop him. From MSNBC’s update:
NBC’s Antoine Sanfuentes adds that President Obama is expected to attend Geithner’s swearing in at the Treasury Department between 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Meanwhile, John Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has issued a subpoena for Karl Rove, who has a history of ignoring them. From Fox News:
The subpoena Monday by Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers continues a long-running legal battle. Rove previously refused to appear before the panel, contending that former presidential advisers cannot be compelled to testify before Congress.
Nope. Though some folks would have you believe that, President Black Obama’s closest aides were not subpoenaed; the Cabbage Patch Weeble, impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s records regarding any conversations, papers, etc., he had concerning the Dynamic Duo were, on December 8. The next day, Blags was arrested, according to the media for trying to sell the only clean politician in Illinois state’s history’s curiously vacated Senate seat, the one that home girl Valerie Jarrett didn’t want, anyway, no matter what newly appointed White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said. Then, Pope President proclaimed Blagojevich guilty and his buddies not, and passed sentence that Hot Rod should save the state time and money and take the “Frankie Five Angels” option and kill himself, politically speaking, and resign. Blago said, “Fuck you, and the unicorn you rode in on, Bozo Bitch.” Blaggy probably took that position because, even though a lot of his troubles arise from his relationship with Antonin Rezko, the slumlord never helped himbuy a house or housing project.
Back to the subpoenas. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who first pronounced judgment on Blagojevich in the press conference announcing his arrest, by matter-of-factly stating that he had Blags arrested to stop a criminal from committing worse crimes, obviously didn’t have enough to indict the obviously guilty Cabbage Patch Weeble, because he didn’t. He issued a 78 page complaint, arrested the guy, let him go on paltry bail, then asked for a 90 day extension to make his case, even with all the subpoenas, wiretapped conversations and new witnesses. However, once St. Pat got the hot little Axelfuck/Slumlady docs in his hand, and listened to the tapes, he hauled Jarrett, her buddy Rahm Emanuel, and her boss, Mr. Clean in for questioning, even though His Holiness had by now, officially cleared himself and annointed his staff with holy water.
By this point, the Axelrove Astroturfing was in full swing, with the press not only convicting Blago, but aiding and abetting the Illinois Congress in trying to kick him out of office on any number of grounds, most notably his demonstrable madness, caused by his Bob Big Boy hair growing inward as thickly as it does outwardly. Cabbage Patch said, “Suck my nuts, you ninnies, I ain’t going nowhere,” and appointed Roland Burris to Obuhbuh’s curiously vacated Senate seat to prove it. Once the Astroturf Army picked their jaws up off the floor, they used them to flap incessantly that Blag’s “audacity” proved his insanity as surely as Obuyme’s proved his divinity. It was on.
Since then, Blagojevich has prevailed, primarily because the political machinations of the media-enabled U.S. show government had no legal authority that would trump a sitting governor, so, we now move to the next phase, where the media-enabled political machinations of the Illinois show government rule. While CPW (Cabbage Patch Weeble) mounts his own media blitz protesting his kangaroo court “hanging” (he couldn’t use “lynching“, he’s white) the pissed off pols in the Land of Lincoln gleefully admit that they have the power to remove him from office based on unproven allegations against him because they’re not a court of law, but a Clinton impeachment-inspired political process (kangaroo court.)
But lawmakers quickly defended the process of a Democratic legislature ousting a two-term Democratic governor, noting Blagojevich’s complaints were an attempt to confuse the public by injecting criminal trial rights into an impeachment process that is purely political.
All the while, the ‘Turfers “report” the “important” facts against CPW, like the fact that his protestations “prove” his desperation, implying guilt, even though, any fool could see that anyone similarly ostracized and castigated, guilty or innocent, would likely run screaming, “Hey, listen to my side, you sanctimonious pricks!” to anybody who would listen. It’s not like lynch mobs are always right:
While Illinois history provides little guide to a Senate trial and conviction of a governor, the last impeachment in the nation’s history—the 1988 conviction and removal of controversial Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham—illustrates some things that could happen.
Mecham unsuccessfully fought to delay his impeachment trial until after his federal trial on corruption charges. Though he was removed from office, the Arizona Senate failed to muster the votes necessary to give Mecham the political death penalty and Mecham, who was acquitted of the corruption counts, lost races for governor in 1990 and U.S. senator two years later.
*UPDATE: According to the Chicago Tribune, Blagojevich had some intriguing things to say in his 2-part NBC interview with Amy Robach. While most news outlets are focusing on Blago’s statements regarding his reflections upon Ghandi, Dr. King, and Mandela, it seems the transcript reveals he made other statements worthy of note:
Maintaining his innocence in his interview with NBC, portions of which were aired Sunday and others to be aired Monday, Blagojevich said that upon his Dec. 9 arrest at his Northwest Side home, “I thought about Mandela, Dr. King, Gandhi and trying to put some perspective in all of this.”
At the same time, Blagojevich said “some national figures like Harry Reid,” the U.S. Senate majority leader from Nevada, “are frankly covering their own backside” by asking him to step down because of their discussions with him over the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Blagojevich is accused of trying to peddle the seat for an Obama administration post, a high-paying job or other favors.
“And for me to just quit because some cackling politicians want to get me out of the way because there’s a whole bunch of things they don’t want known about them and conversations they may have had with me ….. would be to disgrace my children when I know I’ve done nothing wrong,” Blagojevich said in a transcript of the interview.
UPDATE II: John Kass of the Chicago Tribune has more here about the real reason for Blago’s lawyer, Ed Genson’s bailing out, among other things.
It’s a good thing President Black Obama is…black on slow news days. Talk about a reliable “go-to” subject. I mean, now that it’s obvious that two-thirds of Americans polled are going to support him no matter what he does, reporting on what he does is, frankly boring. So, why not ask what his being black means to America if you’re a columnist up against a deadline? We never get tired of that.
Thanks to the New York Times, we now know that “researchers” have shown that just having a black president makes black people test better. Which seems to bode well for new Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s job:
Educators and policy makers, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, have said in recent days that they hope President Obama’s example as a model student could inspire millions of American students, especially blacks, to higher academic performance.
Now researchers have documented what they call an Obama effect, showing that a performance gap between African-Americans and whites on a 20-question test administered before Mr. Obama’s nomination all but disappeared when the exam was administered after his acceptance speech and again after the presidential election.
Whew! I know I feel smarter! Andrew Sullivan claims news of the “Obama effect” blew his mind, and for some reason made him relate the heartwarming tale of his African American teacher neighbor’s concerns about her students’ use of the dreaded “n-word,” which they never use in reference to the new president. On second thought, maybe the “Obama Effect didn’t take with me, ‘cuz I don’t see what the flock one thing has to do with the other, but that could just be me. At least, now we know what happened to Andy’s mind, though.
Deroy Murdock sees a connection. Writing for RealClearPolitics, Murdock puts forth the theory that Obama’s “erudition” will eliminate the “ghetto culture” and cause young black men to pull their pants up and stop belittling people like him and his siblings for “acting white,” just because the Murdock kids got good grades. Some scars stick, I guess. Though, I never knew you couldn’t get good grades if your butt was cold. And, those kids who picked on the Murdock family probably call Obama the “n-word” all the time, being immune to the “Obama effect,” like they obviously are, since they must be about 35 -40 years old by now.
CNN informs us that some people think that America will demand that Obama be twice as good as a white president would have to be, while others do not. They also clue us in to the fact that “twice as good” as his predecessor ain’t saying much, making the whole premise moot. But, what the hell do I know, I’m one of those “Obama effect” immune “n-words” who used to pick on Republican kids.
In other “news,” did you know that the day before the inauguration, Matthew J. Clark put a statue of Barack Obama on a donkey and dragged it through the streets of Des Moines, Iowa all the way to the capitol building, while onlookers waved palm fronds and Secret Service-style SUV’s followed? Betcha didn’t. But, he did. The “performance art” exhibit is called, “Simulacrum of Hope: Simulation of the Triumphant Entry of the Christ.” Here’s Matthew on Matthew:
Matthew J. Clark is an unidisciplinary artist and sculptor who is neither living nor working in New York, New York. He hasn’t a MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and knows absolutely nothing about painting. His technical proficiency at 3-dimensional art could speak for itself if he would let it. In a self-fulfilling exercise of ostracization and alienation, he works tirelessly designing, constructing, and re-designing and re-constructing concept-driven sculptures and installations that he understands most people misunderstand. His work examines emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, metaphysical, psychological, physiological, sociological, and societal realities, hyperrealities, and dream-like states of consciousness, along with semiotics. Matt insisted that he end this bio with the declaration, “Words have no meaning.” He can’t stop.
He is not represented by the Marian Goodman Gallery which has offices in New York and Paris. I think I have pneumonia.
Does the “Obama effect” apply to white people in reverse? Probably not, whatever’s troubling Matt is probably a pre-existing condition. And, speaking of lingering troubles, the Cabbage Patch Weeble, Rod Blagojevich, has hired a public relations firm to handle his upcoming “Screw Your Impeachment Trial” media blitz. In true Blago ham-fisted style, the firm he chose is notorious for its clientele, primarily, Drew Peterson, the latest Peterson to be accused of killing his inconvenient wife.
In case you just can’t get enough Obama, and I’d be shocked if you could, there’s always Pocket Obama. Yes, you too could have a pocket full o’ Obie quotes to consult anytime your hopium levels plunge. And, if that’s not enough, you can generate your own inaugural speech here, secure in the knowledge that you couldn’t possibly do worse.
And, the wheels are off the bus. The people under it say, “hi.”
There have been a number of recent signs that we are in for an administration where petty is politics, and it starts right at the very top. In a “private” (in a “transparent government” kind of way) bi-partisan meeting about his stimulus proposal, President Petulance basically told one of the members who made the meeting “bi-,” (partisan) Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) that he was going to get his way because he was president and he wanted to. From FOX News:
During his private meeting with congressional Democrats and Republicans on Friday, President Obama ended a philosophical debate over tax policy with the simple declaration that his opinion prevailed because “I won.”
On one of the issues, regarding whether the lowest individual tax rates should be cut from 15 percent to 10 percent and from 10 percent to 5 percent, Obama told Cantor that “on some of these issues we’re just going to have ideological differences.”
But Obama added, “I won. So I think on that one, I trump you.”
The Associated Press claims that the response was to Jon Kyl of Arizona:
At one point in Friday’s meeting in the White House’s Roosevelt Room, GOP Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona objected to a proposal to increase benefits for low-income workers who do not owe federal income taxes.
Obama replied in a friendly but firm way that an election had been held in November, “and I won. I will trump you on that,” according to several people briefed by participants who took notes.
So, not only can we look forward to snotty, schoolyard attitudes from the President, we can also expect continued levels of shoddy journalism. Not that Sir Nose In The Air cares. His “can’t I just eat my waffle, I already answered like 5 wasted questions from people I picked to talk to me in advance” peevishness was on full display yesterday when he dropped by the “worse than Middle East” White House press room to say “hi.” News Busters asked what took the media so long to get semi-pissed about it:
NOW they get worried that Obama is not too dedicated to freedom of the press? After Obama is fairly elected, NOW the Old Media is beginning to question The One on his treatment of them?
“Fairly elected?” Et tu, News Busters, with the KoolAid? Anyway, seems the media is just waking up to the stage-managed nature of all things Obama, too.
It’s not exactly Watergate but Barack Obama’s inauguration was back in the dock today after it emerged that the quartet of classical musicians who ushered him on to the steps of the Capitol were faking it.
In a report headlined “The Frigid Fingers Were Live, but the Music Wasn’t”, The New York Times said that the four, including the violinist Itzhak Perlman, had already recorded their contribution two days earlier and played along just for show.
Politico proves that the press can be a bit petty, themselves, by reporting the Earth-shattering “news” that nobody likes recently appointed Senator and Hillary Clinton cohort, Kirsten Gillibrand, anyway:
“Nobody really likes her,” sniped one New York City-area member, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“She’s smart and capable, but she’s rubbed people the wrong the way,” said another.
Then, talk about petty, there’s the media and Blago. His lawyers expect him to be removed from office, and one of them, Ed Genson, is quitting the team because Blags won’t listen and insists on mounting a public relations defense in the press instead of in the Illinois Senate, which only makes sense since that’s where he’s being tried and convicted first. On Monday, Blagojevich will make his case on ABC’s Good Morning America and The View.
Guilty in the press, Rod Blagojevich not only came out swinging at a press conference today, he was kicking ass and taking names, like Valerie Jarrett, Jesse Jackson, Jr., and Rahm Emanuel. Calling himself an already hanged cowboy like in a “B” Western movie, he claimed the newly adopted Illinois Senate impeachment rules were stacked against him, and refused to participate in the upcoming kangaroo court impeachment trial, as his lawyers did last week:
The legal team that has represented embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich in impeachment proceedings in Springfield has stepped down in protest before the governor’s trial in the Illinois Senate, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich’s lawyers said the process has become “fundamentally unfair” because they have had too little time to prepare for the Senate trial and have been denied subpoena power to call their own witnesses.
Then, he called out the press, including the Chicago Tribune, whose editorial board members he is accused of trying to have fired, and basically demanded they stop ganging up on him and start editorializing for “fairness” on his behalf. The guy’s got cojones grande, you gotta give him that. The nerve to throw around phrases like, “due process ‘ and “presumption of innocence” like that! What chutzpah!
Another phrase fondly bandied about, “conspiracy theory,” reared it’s ugly head during the day’s proceeding, with the closed-minded “journalists” sneering, “So, you’re saying the entire Illinois political contingent is conspiring against you?” or words to that effect, as if such a thing not only doesn’t happen every day, has not happened very recently. While most “conspiracies” don’t rise to the level of a Dealey Plaza grassy knoll, or a Sirhan-Sirhan extra bullets theory, “let’s car pool and save gas,” is a conspiracy, and speculation about the vehicle occupants’ motivation would be a theory. But far more substantial conspiracies have been fixtures in the news even up until today, they just weren’t called what they are. Somebody conspired to get Caroline Kennedy considered for Hillary Clinton’s vacant Senate seat and colluded with the New York Times and other media outlets to push the failed idea; somebody conspired to try to get Al Franken seated in the Senate before Norm Coleman could possibly prevail at trial, likely colluding with the same media outlets involved in the Kennedy push; and the entire Democratic contingent of the United States Senate conspired to defy the law and prevent entry to its chambers by a duly appointed Senator, just because they felt like it. So, the possibility that the Democrats in Illinois, in collusion with the Republicans, have determined that ridding themselves of Rod Blagojevich is a good idea in their best interests is not that far-fetched; though various members of the conspiracy may well have vastly different motives. Some may find the criminal investigation into his activities as governor uncomfortable, some may feel his removal allows for an easier path for their ambition, some may wish to implement policies he opposes, some may, as he said, want to pump up the campaign issue. Hell, some just might not like the guy, or his hair. Whatever. Doesn’t mean that he’s wrong when he says they’ve all joined together to get him out of office.
The man hasn’t been formally charged with anything, no matter what the teeth-grindingly annoying Shepard Smith kept interjecting over the coverage until I had the good sense to change the freaking channel before I reached the “throw-something-at-the-TV-to-shut-him-up-cut-off-my-own-nose-to-spite-my-face” stage. It seems to me, impeaching a man based on allegations of things not yet even indictable, by conveniently adopted rules, is pretty unfair.
The Senate also approved rules for the trial, which is to begin Jan. 26. The rules govern issues such as issuing subpoenas. They also allow a majority of senators to override rulings by the judge.
Contrary to the news people who indignantly shouted that Blagojevich was not addressing the charges against him, by repeatedly calling out Barack Obama’s Three Stooges, Valerie, Rahm, and Jesse, as well as the Chicago Tribune, Hot Rod was making it very clear that he was not afraid to face them, or charges regarding them, in a court of law. In a move that is in many ways reminiscent of the “I appoint Roland Burris” big ballin’ “eff ewe,” this might be the biggest “eff ewe” of all.
NOTE I: “Adviser ‘B,’” referenced in the 78 page charging document filed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald against Blago, has been recently identified as Frederick S. Yang, an executive with Peter D. Hart Research Group and Associated, the company where Geoff Garin, who took over Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign from Mark Penn, is a partner. From Fox News, Jan. 22:
In a Nov. 7 recorded conversation characterized by prosecutors, Yang told Blagojevich he “should leverage the President-elect’s desire to have ‘Senate Candidate 1′ (Jarrett) appointed to the Senate seat in order to get a head position” with a union organization called Change to Win.
The complaint alleges that Yang is on tape indicating that leveraging the Senate seat to Valerie Jarrett in return for the “Change to Win” position would insulate the President-elect. Further:
The union organization that figures in the complaint, Change to Win, is a 6 million-member coalition of unions that was started in 2005. Its members include the Service Employees International Union, the Teamsters and the United Farm Workers of America. Tom Balanoff, an official at SEIU’s Local 1 in Chicago, has been identified as the SEIU official mentioned several times in the Blagojevich complaint, including being identified as “an emissary” for the appointment of Jarrett.
SEIU is listed as a client of Peter D. Hart Research, which has conducted surveys for Change to Win, according to a union news release.
The same story appears here and a breakdown of the participants is here.
SideNOTE: SEIU endorsed Obama immediately prior to the Nevada caucus. He lost, anyway.
NOTE II: In other recent Blago news, the Hair Bear was quietly re-fingerprinted on the 21st, and his brother, Robert, caught on tape “as many as 50″ times himself, is not fighting the tapes’ release. Yet.
Once upon a time there was a Pony. A big, beautiful, magnificent Pony that all the Children wanted to ride. The beautiful Pony, called Unity, was owned by everyone and no one; yet one, The Evil, desperately wanted to claim him for his very own. This infuriated everyone in the Land who knew of his plans, especially Queen of Good, who wanted all the children to ride at once, forever and ever, as far as the sky. But, The Evil was greedy, and unwise in the ways of the Land, for he was new to it. And, though born in a Bastion of Light, in The Place of the Sewers from which he chose to come, Pony rides were assigned only to the Wicked of Favors. This made the Queen of Good very sad.
So, it came to pass that The Evil pretended to be a Friend of the Good, and tricked the People of the Land. The People were Good, but Children, and as Children, believed in the Magic powers of the Pony. And, some of the Child People were Stupid indeed. The Child People of Good who believed in the trickery of The Evil turned their backs on their Queen, and served The Evil well and truly, as Stupid Children are wont to do. They flocked to hear him speak, and fainted in the heat as he read the words of the Jester of Cardboard Gropes, flickering across the Traveling Screen, and believed when The Evil claimed special fainting power. But the Evil had no power, only powdered Hopium slipped into the KoolAid. And the Children drank, and believed The Evil’s lies. The Stupid Good Child People gave of their plundered coffers more than was wise while The Evil took their pennies, though the Coffer Plunderers gave him aplenty, and he needeth their savings not. But, he was Evil, and the Children needed to hope for endless Magic Pony Rides to the sky. And The Evil renamed himself Barry the Good, Lord of the Land, and claimed to have the blessings of the Good Queen. Thus, the People forgot that those from the Place of the Sewer cannot escape the stench of Wicked Favors and proclaimed him King.
The Evil From the Place of the Sewers demanded allegiance from all, even those loyal to the Queen, who steadfastly refused. This made The Evil very mad, so he tried and tried to make the Queen and her Loyalists do his bidding. When they did not, the Evil King of Pretense of Good used his ultimate power, he looked down his nose. And, the Stupid Children of Good were mightily afraid by that, and took it out on the Children of the Queen, as The Evil knew they would. The Stupid Children Easily Tricked believed the Evil’s lies when he told them the Good Queen hated them and wanted to do them harm and deny them access to the Pony, so they forbade the Loyal Children of Good to ride the Magic Pony unless they professed fealty to The Evil, which the Good Children would not do, especially those of CatVille, a small subdivision of The Land.
While the Stupid Children fought those Loyal in the battle now known to history as The Good Fight, The Evil endeavored to manipulate the Ministers and Magistrates of the Land, as he had learned to do in the Place of the Sewers. Many, who yearned to earn lifetime Pony rides, assisted The Evil, for they knew the Good Queen was committed to allowing everyone a turn to ride. So, they turned their backs on Good and embraced The Evil. Yet, they were Stupid Children, and, though disLoyal, they were unwise in the Ways of the Sewer Place, and bungled The Evil’s plots to fill the House of Stewards with suck-ups. They knew not the significance of Astroturf Football, so, in King Barry of Pretense of Good’s backyard, the Stupid Children dropped the Ball of Blago only to pick it up and run backwards until it was scored a Safety.
However, Sir Blago of Cabbage Patch was neither Loyal, nor Good, so the Safety, though scored, counted for nothing. But in the Backyard of the Good Queen, the story now told far and wide, and taught in school, was very different. When The Evil attempted to place the Media-spiked Football upon the Astroturf of the Queen, a curious thing happened; the fake grass rejected it! Try and try as he might, the Ball simply would not stay in place. Even the Princess of Camelot could not hold it in her hands, it was as if they were, you know, greased, and as if the Ball had a life of its own. It was almost as if it was…Magic!
And so the Lady of the Hunt, chosen by the Queen, was dispatched to pick up the Football of Decision from the Dark Prince of Confound and walk it into the House of Stewards. And though The Evil knew he had been defeated, he continued to Pretend that the Pony of Unity was his, and that the Stupid Children would forever go along. He, blinded by his ambition, never guessed that the poison KoolAid of Control was being gradually diluted by the Queen of Good, or that she knew how to plant Astroturf, too. For, though she had served the Land for many years in The Light, far, far away from the Place of the Sewers, it was the place of her birth. So, while she was wise in the Wicked Ways, she knew that unless all the Children, even the Stupid Ones Easily Tricked, could all ride the Magic Pony, both the Magic and the Pony, as well as the People would eventually die.
The Queen of Good promised to serve The Evil well as long as he continued to pretend to be Good. For in her Wisdom, she knew that soon, either the Children would grow up or awaken, and that when that happened, The Evil could no longer prevail. She also knew that anyone, no matter how Evil, or from where, could eventually be influenced by the Good, if bathed in the Light long enough.
And, as long as The Evil and The Good agreed to work together for the Child People of the Land, the Magic Pony called Unity would continue to fly.
If the story first reported by the National Review’s Byron York is true, that President-elect Obama’s choice for Secretary of Treasury, Timothy Geithner, not only neglected to pay his taxes but was reimbursed for the taxes he didn’t pay, it seems hard to justify anybody’s continued support for his confirmation.
The IMF did not withhold state and federal income taxes or self-employment taxes — Social Security and Medicare — from its employees’ paychecks. But the IMF took great care to explain to those employees, in detail and frequently, what their tax responsibilities were. First, each employee was given the IMF Employee Tax Manual. Then, employees were given quarterly wage statements for the specific purpose of calculating taxes. Then, they were given year-end wage statements. And then, each IMF employee was required to file what was known as an Annual Tax Allowance Request. Geithner received all those documents.
The tax allowance has turned out to be a key part of the Geithner situation. This is how it worked. IMF employees were expected to pay their taxes out of their own money. But the IMF then gave them an extra allowance, known as a “gross-up,” to cover those tax payments. This was done in the Annual Tax Allowance Request, in which the employee filled out some basic information — marital status, dependent children, etc. — and the IMF then estimated the amount of taxes the employee would owe and gave the employee a corresponding allowance.
At the end of the tax allowance form were the words, “I hereby certify that all the information contained herein is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I will pay the taxes for which I have received tax allowance payments from the Fund.” Geithner signed the form. He accepted the allowance payment. He didn’t pay the tax. For several years in a row.
Michelle Malkin has a follow-up which seems to corroborate York’s interpretation, and the story has also been picked up by AOL. A Wall Street Journal opinion piece questions the wisdom of allowing a man so incompetent with his own taxes to oversee everybody else’s. While some may dismiss these allegations as mere partisan griping, the questions, in my mind, seem fair. The New York Times‘ assertion that Geithner’s “skill” may trump concerns because if he were a bank he would be considered “too big to fail,” just sounds silly:
In better economic times, Mr. Geithner’s confirmation to be President-elect Barack Obama’s Treasury secretary might be in danger after the disclosure this week that he had paid more than $48,000 in delinquent taxes and interest. But with the economy so fragile, many senators are loath to rattle financial markets by rejecting someone with Mr. Geithner’s qualifications and international respect. By late Wednesday, Republicans as well as Democrats were predicting he would survive the controversy and be confirmed next week.
So, with the economy in the tank, what we really need is a tax cheat in charge of the government’s money? The 350 million bailout dollars Obama is fighting tooth and nail for should be turned over to this guy to spend? U.S. News and World Report’s Michael Barrone, who had dinner with the Obamessiah, (who promised to Astroturf Geithner through) seems to think so, even though he admits that he can understand why some Senators might be a little miffed:
If I were a senator, I’d be inclined to vote for the nomination of Timothy Geithner to be treasury secretary, for reasons suggested by Nina Easton. By all accounts, he’s very able and knowledgeable, and he’s already been part of the nation’s lead economic team as chairman of the New York Fed. And it’s very important to have a treasury secretary in place these days. But I have to say that his failure to pay self-employment tax is troubling and could certainly provide a reasonable basis for a senator to vote no. I have income from which no taxes are deducted and I make sure to pay my taxes on it (today, by the way, is the deadline for filing your quarterly returns). I can’t imagine what he was thinking when he didn’t pay.
CQ Politics claims that the Senate’s wussy response to charges, some of the sort that caused immediate outrage derailing other appointees in the past, is due to the overall wussiness of the current Congress and the Obama transition teams’ tap dancing ability. And, according to a David Brooks/Gail Collins New York Times article, the Astroturfing of the MSM to promote the president-elect’s Obamacanacracy philosophy is working way beyond anybody’s wildest expectations. From David Brooks:
As for me, My O-Meter is in the ascendant. I was very high on him about a year ago, then I soured a bit last summer, but now we’re peaking again. Not because he was thoughtful enough to have dinner with some of us right-leaners this week, but rather because his transition has surpassed all my expectations.
edit
It’s true, I did break bread with Obama. It was amazing. He was carried into the house by cherubs, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey spread rose pedals on the carpet where he was about to walk and he very considerately asked me what vintage of wine I wanted my water turned into.
It’s not as clear that the last quote was as snarky as you would expect a right-winger’s comments to be, since Brooks basically waxes poetic about how impressed and comfortable he is with Obama. While Obama’s smartest pick, Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, rightfully sails through the confirmation process, and Tom Daschle’s appointment is quietly being held up in committee, look for the handiwork of Obama’s brain, political ventriloquist and Astro-gardener, David Asselfuck’s handiwork in smoothing the way for Geithner and Attorney General wannabe, Eric Holder, as well as in the media response to Obama’s stimulus plan and TARP request. Roland Burris will likely esacape any further Asslefuck media influence manipulation, now that he’s been sworn in, but the man who appointed him to the Senate, Rod Blagojevich, will continue to be Asslefucked into perdition.
Why would Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich beseech the legislative body determined to remove him from office based on allegations of wrongdoing to “find the truth and sort things out, to put the business of the people first?” Presiding over a “tense swearing in of the state Senate,” comprised of lawmakers who have made no secret that they’ve already made up their minds that he’s not only guilty of any and everything he has ever been accused of in his life, he’s beneath contempt, why doesn’t he just play along and act guilty? Is he crazy, or does he know something the rest of us can only guess at? From CBS News:
Impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich presided Wednesday over a tense swearing-in of the state Senate that must ultimately decide whether to oust him, telling the lawmakers he hopes they will “find the truth and sort things out.”
The Democratic governor was greeted by silence as he entered the Senate chamber through a back entrance, took the podium without introduction and banged a gavel to call the session to order. He mostly stuck to the formalities of overseeing the ceremony during the hour or so he presided over the chamber.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Blagojevich received a summons for his impeachment trial from the state Senate. Spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said the governor’s legal team accepted the summons from the Illinois Senate’s sergeant-at-arms.
The Senate also approved rules for the trial, which is to begin Jan. 26. The rules govern issues such as issuing subpoenas. They also allow a majority of senators to override rulings by the judge.
So, basically, the Senators can do whatever the heck they feel like doing as they fast track this done deal. Why the rush? If he is slime, he’s been slime for years. So, is it an attempt at face-saving revenge for his out-maneuvering the Democrats on the state and federal level by appointing Roland Burris as a replacement for Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat that they had no choice but to accept that motivates them now? Are they angered that his arrest and allegations of his long-term corruption reflects badly on all of them now that the election as president of one of their own puts them in the national spotlight? Or, is there more to it than that?
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the investigation that resulted in Blagojevich’s Dec. 9th arrest is more extensive than previously thought. More phones were tapped, and comings and goings into his campaign headquarters were being videotaped, and possibly still are.
Federal authorities used a video camera as part of their cache of tools to investigate Gov. Blagojevich in the final weeks of 2008 before his arrest, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
The camera, which likely was remote-controlled, was trained on the Friends of Blagojevich offices, 4147 N. Ravenswood, to help FBI agents identify individuals entering and leaving the campaign offices — and to identify who was talking on bugs agents covertly planted inside.
In addition, more phone lines and cell phones were tapped in the investigation than the government previously disclosed — including the cell phones of at least three members of the governor’s inner circle and two phones inside the campaign office — capturing dozens of individuals in the days when the governor was pondering a U.S. Senate pick and when horsetrading for the seat was rampant, sources said. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is likely among the numerous individuals recorded because he called Blagojevich’s campaign office Dec. 3 to discuss his preferences for the seat.
Poor Rod. He’s being run out of town on a rail by frightened villagers convinced he’s a threat to all that’s holy and decent. Standing before the angry mob of the Senate, fulfilling his constitutional obligations in pretty much presiding over his own impeachment, had to feel like he was being forced to load all the guns they were arming themselves with to point at his head and make him go. Makes you wonder why he’s not quite freaking out about it. After all, he could just quit.
Hillary Clinton, designated Lightning Rod Du Obacracy, was supposed to provide cover for all the other Obacrats having confirmation hearings this week by deflecting the wrath of the Mean Ol’ Republicans and any random remaining Democratic contrarians who might be looking for a way to tarnish the Obamessiah by seriously questioning their credentials. By all reports, Clinton held up her end of the bargain admirably, though her fellow Senate members, by and large, showed her the love she’s due. Sure, there were some “tough” questions about the Clinton Foundation for show, but no really tense moments; nothing she couldn’t handle. But, the dogs did find a scent to sniff, coming from a guy whose confirmation hearings are two days away. According to Politico, Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary-designate, has some issues about his personal taxes to ’splain:
Senators gathered Tuesday in an emergency meeting discussing the fate of Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner, who is under fire after a report that he neglected to pay payroll taxes for himself and employed a housekeeper whose immigration status had expired
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) raised questions today about the immigration status of the housekeeper, and is also questioning why Geithner did not pay Social Security and Medicare taxes when he worked at the International Monetary Fund, The Wall Street Journal first reported this afternoon.
The Senate Finance Committee has known about Geithner’s tax problems since Dec. 5, but the details are just being made public now, Senate aides said. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus says Geithner made a “serious mistake” but adds that the allegations are not enough to “disqualify” Geithner from consideration.
Since the Finance Committee has known about these problems for over a month, the obvious question is, why was the information withheld until now? The equally obvious answer, of course, is that with the controversy surrounding Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and the brewing scandal swirling around New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s own “pay-to-play” allegations, it just never seemed like a good time. Then again, to be fair, it’s not like a Treasury Secretary who doesn’t pay his own taxes is any more of a big deal than, oh, say, a Secretary of State who likes to fight, or an Education Secretary whose kids couldn’t read, or a homeless Housing and Urban Development guy would be, right? Besides, it’s not like getting out in front of a controversy is ever really a smart thing to do, is it? After all, little problems with domestic help have never bothered anybody before. A candidate for Attorney General who has legal issues might have a lot more ’splainin’ to do.
Obacrats are going to be choking on that one every time they have to utter the word, “Senator” in front of the name “Roland Burris,” which is going to be a lot, since he is the junior senator from Illinois. Now that the last petulantly and arbitrarily enforced roadblock has been inevitably removed, the always done deal is all but…done. Since anybody whose brainwave shows more activity on an EEG than a flat line could figure out that it was the Obacrats in Illinois who figured that removing the non-Obacrat governor, Rod Blagojevich, from office so that an Obacrat could be installed, who would then appoint one of their number in the head Obacrat’s (the Obamessiah, himself) seat on their way to 60, would be a good idea, I say, no better for them. Knowing that the beleaguered governor was perpetually under investigation by the Feds, dangling the “juicy plum” of Obama’s Senate seat in font of his face had to seem like a nifty way to get him on tape doing something stupid enough to get him arrested and maneuvered out of office under threat of impeachment, hopefully before the inauguration. Otherwise, why resign the seat as soon as Obama did, earlier than anybody in history? Too bad they didn’t think it through.
Chicago Tribune columnist, Eric Zorn, sees a parallel between Burris and soon-to-be-confirmed Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton:
From day one, the effort to prevent Burris from being seated looked like a sore-loser attempt to re-write the rules after the fact–kind of like Hillary Clinton’s campaign last spring to have the Florida and Michigan primaries count.
Not quite, Eric. The Obacrats, in this instance, underestimated Blagojevich’s testicular fortitude, and overestimated their own. Believing that they could once again manipulate public opinion enough to nullify an opponent and the law was a big gamble that this time, didn’t pay off. Even the backing of the Big Brotherhood in Washington wasn’t enough for them to prevail, as it had been in May with the similar media/rule manipulation of the Florida and Michigan situation. Then, “da roolz” could be enforced to Obama’s advantage, subject to only the cherry picked interpretation of the Obacratic Party, now, “da roolz” were superseded by the laws of the land. Besides, Clinton, with her hands tied as they were, what with her desiring a future in what remains of the Democratic wing of the Obacratic party, didn’t have the luxury of being able to engage in the kind of bare knuckle, knockdown-drag out political street fighting that the desperate, back-to-the-wall on-his-way-out-the-door Blagojevich was similarly cornered into.
In the end, both Clinton and Blagojevich ultimately got far more out of the “go for bad” baby gangster Obacrats than the “pretender-playa,” tough guy “Chicago Way” wannabees were prepared to give. Makes you wonder what the future holds for conflict resolution in the coming Obama administration, doesn’t it?
I’m beginning to think that the art of politics (if there is such a thing) is the ability to get strangers to pretend to understand when you talk nonsense out of both sides of your mouth. Unfortunately, that is also today’s definition of journalism. That makes looking for turds of political wisdom among the media bullshit as much fun as a scavenger hunt in a sewer. And just as obvious.
Politico is reporting that there are landmines ahead for ever-prepared policy wonk, Hillary Clinton, in her upcoming Senate confirmation hearings because she’s married to Bill and she ran against the man who appointed her, while at the same time (same article) reporting that her confirmation hearings are scheduled for only one day and everybody thinks she’ll be confirmed “speedily.”
Rasmussen Reports tells us that “lots” of people, 75% in fact, plan to watch at least “some” of the first black president-elect’s upcoming inauguration, with 28% planning to watch it “all,” while you couldn’t pay 21% to watch “any” of it. They don’t tell us how many people plan to watch “for sure,” but 61% of black people will watch “all” the festivities, because he’s black, too, while only 22% of whites feel the same way, because they’re not. Since the stupid networks show every indication of airing every aspect of the stupid inauguration festivities over and over until we “all” puke, I think it’s significant that 21% obviously won’t be turning on their televisions, reading a paper or surfing the net in the foreseeable near future.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s recent support of Rod Blagojevich’s appointee for Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, Roland Burris, should score her some major points with black voters and colleagues who pretty much liked her anyway, according to CQ Politics. Fienstein’s support registered well with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, though her reasoning had nothing to do with his skin color; rather, she cited a quaint little concept known as “the law.”
Feinstein’s bold stance on a no-brainer issue nonetheless puts her at odds with her Senate colleagues intent upon prolonging what amounts to a pissing contest during a circle jerk. Those opposing Burris’ seating because he was appointed by a guy they consider to be a slimeball, (presumably not because he was involved in shady pay-to-play scams, but because he got caught; nobody’s calling for Bill Richardson’s head or for his duties to be suspended; probably because he doesn’t have a Senate seat to sell like Blago and barely Governor Patterson) are suddenly trying to figure out how to zip up their wet pants and look presentable without washing their hands now that they realize that the curtain’s open and people are watching.
What do you do when you pick the guy you like to give the invocation at your inauguration, in order to make nice with the people who didn’t vote for you, if the people who did vote for you hate him? Why, you find somebody the people who like you will like, too, and invite him to speak at another event, call it an “inauguration…something” and, sell it on EBaythe internet.
No, what has sent the country into a Happy Days-inspired leap from reality is the recent propensity of popular culture icons to embrace the ridiculous as it relates to Barack Obama. You’d think they’d never seen a black president before, or something. First Ms. Magazine, in a move that makes “The View” and “Playgirl” seem radical by comparison, boasted an improbable cover touting Obama’s non-existent feminist creds, going so far as to depict him as the women’s movement’s very own super hero, a giant leap up, in the wrong direction, from Prince Charming or Barbie’s Ken.
But the “fridge was nuked” waaaay over the rainbow shark when Marvel Comics equally (more) improbably paired Obama with a real-as-it-gets superhero, Spiderman, in it’s latest edition, because the future Geek-In-Chief was once a collector. I shit kid you not.
The Barack Obama rage has now taken the comic world by storm. Reportedly the president will feature along with the superhero ‘Spiderman’. The fact that the US-president elect was a Spidey collector as a kid, has inspired the Marvel Comics to feature the ‘icon’ for the children’s book.
“When we read that we thought, ‘Oh my God the future Commander-in-chief is actually the future nerd-in-chief,’ the New York Daily News quoted Joe Quesada, Marvel’s top editor, as saying. “With a geek in the White House , we just had to give him a shout back. It’s just the coolest thing ever,” Quesada added.
Unlike Ms., at least they didn’t give the Obamessiah undeserved super powers. Maybe by this time next week, or more likely, the week after, since “lots” of us will be eating nachos and watching the Super Bowl of Politics on cable next week, (I wonder if they’ll have cool new commercials?) we’ll find out that the wheels on the Obabus are actually jet-propelled wings or something. I’m sure a rocket fueled, Acme Co. E-ject-O driver’s seat is too much to ask for.
Uh-oh. The Obacrats, with their shaky grasp on the law, coupled with their pre-school level truculence are going down on the Roland Burris appointment. Burris, who seems to be a mild-mannered, harmless enough sort, nonetheless, also seems to have the ramrod backbone of any narcissist personally challenged. None of this matters one whit, however, the bottom line is, Roland Burris is the duly appointed, by the sitting governor, replacement for Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Period. And, there’s nothing in the law that says the Obacrats have to like it.
It’s not like they weren’t warned. Blagojevich made it clear that he was the governor, exercising his duty in making a appointment. Rep. Bobby Rush helpfully pointed out, that contrary to the misguided wishes of the clueless political allies of Barack Obama, black doesn’t cancel black, whenever you have black people involved, you have a racial element to consider. And deal with. Now, Roland Burris is channeling his inner Malcolm X. In an appearance on Face the Nation, Burris, a relatively savvy politician, had a lot to say, and let it be known that with the inauguration coming up, the president-elect doesn’t need this sort of “distraction,” that contrary to the Obacrats’ earlier stated position, things were now indeed about him, and he planned to be seated. One of the more interesting statements was the invocation of the spirit of the man whose memory still causes sphincters to clinch and spines to tingle in certain segments of American society:
“Well, don’t you feel you’re being used by someone who is just trying to save his political skin?” Schieffer asked.
“Whatever means necessary,” Burris said, paraphrasing the 1960s radical Malcolm X. “I have nothing to do with the governor’s motives. What we needed was something to be done for the people of Illinois. That was his constitutional duty. That was his responsibility. The Illinois Constitution does not say the governor ‘may’ or the governor ‘might’ or the governor ’should.’ Bob, it says the governor ’shall’ appoint a person to fill the vacancy. That’s what happened.”
Now, the Obacrats who refused to act to nullify the powers invested in re-elected Governor Rod Blagojevich upon the event of his arrest, presumably because an accusation of criminal activity is not enough to empower them to do so, are desperately trying to erase the line in the sand they insisted upon drawing and trying to hide behind.
It didn’t have to be this way, President-elect Barack Obama could have held on to his Senate seat like Vice President-elect Jo(k)e Biden, and Secretary of State-designate, Hillary Clinton held on to theirs. PUMA sites, among others, including this one, have questioned this particular move since Day One. Why the rush to distance himself from his own Senate seat? Are we supposed to believe the Smartest President In the Room didn’t know that the governor of his state was under investigation? Everybody else did. Why give him yet another, irresistable opportunity to implicate himself? Or, was that the point? And if so, to what end? Is Obama so high above the kind of “pay-to-play” corruption seemingly so rampant in his home city and state that he need fear no blowback from any possible investigation, or, might he be motivated by a desire to deflect attention from himself by shining the brightest light imaginable on an inconvenient rival? Had Obama not relinquished the seat, there’s no guarantee Blagojevich would have been arrested before the inauguration, (andU.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s traditional replacement) if at all, since he had already been under investigation for 5 years without indictment.
Despite all their combined years of political experience, the Obacrats, under their rookie leader, seem to have forgotten one of the basic tenets of politics and life; when you play with fire, you’re gonna get burnt. Yet, that is precisely what the Obacrats tried to do with the Blagojevich situation, fan the flames ignited by a random spark from their deliberately dropped match, then attempt to juggle the embers. Too bad the fact that it is a fire of their own making does not render it any more safe.
That something so obviously a no-brainer is being seriously debated by lawmakers is so beyond the pale as to be unfathomable. If the Obacrats already had power to nullify Blagojevich in any way, why would they be so adamant about him resigning? Besides, what on earth about a Blagojevich resignation now would invalidate Roland Burris’ appointment? And, more importantly, does anybody really want to open the door to allowing the Senate to legally deny Americans employment simply because the person who lawfully hired them has been convicted only in the court of public opinion, without benefit of indictment or trial?
You can’t surf the news sites without reading a superfluity of stupidity as it regards our first black president-elect. Like this nugget from America’s TV Dad, Bill Cosby, who believes that because Barack and Michelle Obama are the personification of the values his television family projected, as opposed to the real family he came from and doesn’t talk about, they are, in his opinion, the standard the rest of us dysfunctional black families miserably fail to meet. Which of course, means he’s been right all along when he calls us shiftless, irresponsible bad examples. From Politico:
“Who is Barack Obama and what did he tell us, when he talked about his mother? What was it he was saying when he said his mother woke up, 4:30 in the morning…to correct his homework, to get it done?” Cosby asked rhetorically. “Let’s listen to Michelle Obama who talks about her father with a disease, but he doesn’t call in work and say, let me call in later. He gets up an hour earlier.”
“Her father with a disease?“ Does she have another, disease-free, one? Presumably, he would have been able to get up early and let the sick one sleep in, relieving some of the burden, but I digress. And, didn’t Obama say his mother would wake him up to “take correspondence courses,” so, what does it say? White people in Indonesia stay up late just to torment their children? But, like I said, I digress.
While reading another article, this one about the Man Taking The Huxtable Torch of Camelot’s (when Caroline’s not using it) upcoming inaugural presidential trip to Canada, I was reminded of last month’s news that he wanted to make a Really Big Important Speech on Islam in a Muslim capital as soon as he was sworn in.
Barack Obama says his presidency is an opportunity for the U.S. to renovate its relations with the Muslim world, starting the day of his inauguration and continuing with a speech he plans to deliver in an Islamic capital.
And when he takes the oath of office Jan. 20, he plans to be sworn in like every other president, using his full name: Barack Hussein Obama.
Naturally, a couple things jumped out at me. First, I don’t think any other presidents were sworn in using the name Barack Hussein Obama, but I could be mistaken. Second, I thought his middle name was Steve. I also wondered just how many Muslims live in Canada and just when it became a hot bed of Islamic activity. Turns out, it’s not, not with Muslims making up only 2% of the population. So, I guess the Canada thing is just the first stop on an upcoming Official Rock Star Presidential Winter World Tour Avoiding The Troops, and a good chance to make up for that NAFTA-gate thing in the primaries. All that’s left to be decided is which Muslim capital will let him talk without starting shit global conflict.
Now, I know being president is hard, the last guy who effectively proved that the country could pretty much run itself into the ground without one told us that. A lot. So, I understand why a president-elect would practice multi-tasking, like having a photo-op at a legendary local soul food (black owned) eatery on a weekend to try to divert attention from the previous week’s bad news while grabbing a bite at the same time. It just seems strange that one would chose to add to one’s indigestion with a quarter pound beef and pork sausage with chili sauce and a side of cheese (not Velveeta) fries. Unless of course, bumping up one’s street cred was an essential element of said multi-tasking photo-op:
After Obama’s motorcade wandered through the U street district, passing the African-American Civil War Memorial and a flee market selling shirts that bear his face, he and Fenty surprised the restaurant around lunchtime. Patrons shrieked with delight and surprise as they saw his face. A mother blushed as Obama held her baby in his arms. The president-elect and the mayor moved slowly through the restaurant’s crowded rooms, shaking hands and getting pictures taken with patrons.
Still, they came there to eat. “Where the food at?” he finally asked the counter staff, drawing laughs from them and nearby patrons.
“Where the food at?“ I hope Cliff Cosby wasn’t listening, he’s got a thing about Ebonics. Besides, Obama doesn’t have to pander to the brotherhood, he’s good no matter how close he gets to Cosby. No, the black thing Obama should be worrying about, the one that’s giving him indigestion and threatening to blow his gig is that Roland Burris has let it be known he’s about to act ugly. While it might be all too true that keeping people busy looking into Rod Blagojevich’s business has the added (primary?) benefit of keeping noses out of Obama’s, pissing off Burris doesn’t seem to be a good way to do it, no matter what Big Dick Durbin says Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn can do:
Burris and his advisers, armed with both the Blagojevich appointment and White’s certification, are refusing to back down in their dispute with the Senate leadership, and they now want to increase the pressure on Reid and Durbin to accept him as the newest senator from Illinois.
“We are frustrated after doing everything we could to cooperate and to help diffuse this unfortunate situation,” said the Burris adviser. “We made a genuine effort to be respectful and to minimize our level of confrontation. But Reid and Durbin have forced our hands and have called into question their own credibility to be trusted as honest negotiators. They’re now nearly guaranteeing that there will be a direct confrontation on the week of inaugural.”
The adviser also said that having Quinn appoint an Obama successor is illegal and that Blagojevich’s appointment must stand.
“The option to have Quinn make a Senate appointment is not legal,” the adviser said. “The governor’s appointment can’t be retroactively revoked. Illinois already has two senators.”
Stop the presses! Hold the phone! Batten the hatches! Hold that line! Tote that barge! Lift that b…Okay, I get carried away, sometimes, but this is news! Barack Obama, the man who raised begging to a fine art, and cleverly figured out how hundreds of big donors could give him Googles googols of dollars by pretending to be some of the “millions of little donors” he hit up electronically every five minutes, has actually (I think for the very first time, ever!) sent out an e-mail asking not for money, but…wait for it…love. (insert celestial Hallelujah choir here) Well, not exactly love as you and I know it, but love in the political sense; and not love for him, per se; he wants you to fuck love his buddy, but that’s not the point! The point is, well, he’s not just a clueless political whore…okay, maybe that’s going too far. He is asking regular people for advice on how to do the job they elected (and paid for?) him to do, after all. So says the L.A. Times:
Word has just been received at The Ticket that President-elect Barack Obama sent out an actual e-mail today without asking for more money from tired donors. No, really.
Andrew Malcolm, who wrote the piece, goes on to point out how even some of Obi-WanNaBeKing’s staunchest KoolAid drunk, hopium high thumb suckers are “way over this thing” and that Bill Clinton just asked for money to throw his former buck-dancing shoe shine boy (let Obie and the Obatocrats tell it) the Best Inaugural Wingding For A Black Guy In A Recession Ever. Then, he gets to the juicy part:
Now comes word, via the Swamp, that Obama actually dispatched an electronic missive earlier today praising as “an ideal leader” Virginia’s Gov. Tim Kaine, Obama’s newly named part-time chair of the Democratic National Committee. “Gov. Kaine has seen the power of the 50-state strategy firsthand,” says the president-elect’s message. “And under his leadership, Democrats will continue to organize and compete in every corner of our country”
Then, Obama asks for — wait for it! – not money, but questions from grass-roots Democrats that Tim will answer in a video on the DNC’s website. Amazing!
Did you catch that? The email takes a shot at Howard Dean for no apparent reason. What’s up with that? Is that the biggest “eff ewe” since Blago picked Burris, or what? Talk about a political whore who even stole for a pimp and doesn’t even get a tip on the nightstand… or, however that works…I’m not exactly sure…ahem…anyway, (coughing and moving on)…They admit in the email that Kaine is going to just Bogart Howie’s strategy and kick him straight to the curb and under the bus, and that Timmy is so clueless that he needs advice from cloud-headed, sticky-fingered, one-hand typists.
Freakin’ amazin’.
But, you know, the Love Buddies just might be lookin’ for it in all the wrong places.
The Washington Times has a transcript of the full Dean-dissing email text from the DNC which promises to build on the strategy of He Who Is Barely Mentioned while remaking the party in the Obamacan mold. They also point out that there is a donate button at the bottom, but I guess since it excludes the blinking arrows and flashing lights pointing to it that most Oba-missves have, it qualifies as non-solicitation. Anyway, how long can this guy go on asking for money? Didn’t he already get elected, or did I just dream that? Could it be, dare I say it…is there hope? Nah. But before he asks people for money again, maybe he could get somebody to watch a couple of episodes of My House Is Worth What? before they compose the email. Won’t get him anymore money, but it might make some of the emails he gets back easier to read.
Wheeeee! Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved to spin. Shoulda been a journalist. Or an Obatician, but nah, that sounds like a doctor who only delivers little Baracks. I shudder to think. Even though, it would be kinda cool to be a Mainstream Media Barackaspinner, (talk about redundant) I could make stuff up about him and pretend like it was true and nobody would say anything. Anyway, a love of spinning would come in handy for just about anybody, since the drivel the professional spinners spin is almost comprehensible only when you’re already dizzy.
Where to begin? Well, I could start with this obsession pseudo-journalists with unnatural attractions to Barack Obama seem to have. Maybe it’s their natural response to his feminine side, recently discovered by Ms. Magazine, but, whatever the reason, they just seem to feel compelled to pledge their assistance to the President-In-Distress. Whether he falters or not. First, there was He of the Wet and Tingly Leg, who not only soars to on-air orgasmic heights at the mere sound of the object of his affections’ voice, but was moved to declare his need to prostrate (prostate?) himself at his true love’s feet, if ever necessary. It’s his job, after all.
Maybe it’s not about Barack(a) Obama, maybe Joe Scarborough spikes his guest’s coffee with truth serum or scotch or something that makes them confess their darkest fantasies, but not to be outdone, and to prove that Obama man-love is post-racial, Tavis Smiley also declared his undying love on Morning Joe; and he seemed to be highly insulted that anyone would dare question such a thing:
Of course, how could anyone, male or female, not love a (wo)man who wears his misogynist-stomping SuperUniform under his(her) daily business attire? Sexxxxaaaayyy.
In other news on this side of the looking glass, the Obacrats just can’t help doing everything they can to make even their staunchest supporters scratch their heads and go, “Huh? Who the fuck elected these guys?” While the God-fearing Obamessiah, who has only been to church once since he kicked his former pastor under the bus, and that was to diss all the black men white people write about now who are inspired by, but too lazy and irresponsible to be like him, scampers above the turbulent waters of corruption that sustain his hometown, his acolytes continue to stumble and bump into each other like blind men in broad daylight.
Democrats angry over the botched handling of the Roland Burris imbroglio are putting the blame on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin and President-electBarack Obama — even as new legal developments in Illinois throw the issue back to the Senate again.
Democratic sources say that Reid and Durbin underestimated the storm that would be caused by their attempt to deny a seat to a 71-year-old African-American.
“Reid operates in this tight, little circle with Durbin and [Sen. Charles] Schumer and [Sen. Patty] Murray,” complained one veteran Democratic senator, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “He needs to talk to more people, and maybe these kinds of situations won’t occur again.”
Other Democratic insiders put some of the blame on Obama, complaining that he kept his distance from the Burris controversy then jumped in at the end to claim the mantle of peacemaker — much as he did in the flap over Sen. Joe Lieberman’s support of Republican John McCain’s presidential bid.
“A lot of people were pissed” with how the Burris situation was handled, said a Democratic source involved in the discussions.
Doesn’t seem likely that anybody’s going to get un-pissed any time soon either. Even though the fact that Blago’s pick should be seated is a no-brainer since he’s still the governor and even if he is impeached it doesn’t invalidate anything he did before he’s inevitably convicted, and nobody in their right mind would even want to come close to suggesting such a thing, Dick Durbin seems confused enough to…suggest such a thing. Hanging his hat on a technicality already invalidated by the Illinois Supreme Court, namely that it matters not whether petulant Ill. Sec. of State Jesse White signs Burris’ hall pass, Durbin insists on standing behind his line in the sand. From AP-Yahoo News:
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday that Roland Burris should not be seated in the U.S. Senate because he has failed to get the secretary of state’s signature on his appointment to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the chamber.
edit
Durbin noted that if Blagojevich is convicted at his state Senate impeachment trial, he will no longer be the governor and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will take over.
“I think it’s best to suspend activities in the filling of that vacancy until that impeachment trial in the Illinois Senate is concluded,” Durbin said. He said Quinn could “then have the authority to make this appointment in a clean, legal way and make his recommendation and his appointment known to the United States Senate.”
Gee, I’m not a lawyer, but, I wonder which law allows the Senate to suspend a sitting Governor’s powers?
In a classic case of a herd isolating a wounded pack member to be sacrificed to a hungry predator in order to save the majority, the Illinois legislature is determined to impeach their governor, Rod Blagojevich, for crimes he has not even been officially indicted for, much less convicted of. Motivated by either their intense dislike of the man they consider to be crazy, and his foul mouth and poofy hair; or by their morally unassailable position against the man they know to be the only corrupt politician in the state called a contender for the title of “most corrupt” in the United States by an FBI agent at the press conference announcing his arrest, based on years of allegations, gossip and innuendo; or, more likely, their natural, self-preservation-based fear that should the wolf be allowed to hunt the one they deem tasty on their turf, he might find the scent of their flesh equally compelling; whatever, from the herd’s point of view, Blags has got to go.
Doesn’t mean he’ll go quietly, however. In fact, in a press conference today, he made it very clear that rather than be hung out to dry, he’s going to hang around and fight. Of course, that has naturally caused the herd, and the crows in the media they’ve convinced to make like vultures and circle around his undead carcass in order to point the predators his way, much consternation. Just search Google News for “Blagojevich press conference” and read the more than 5,000 articles that come up ridiculing the man if you don’t believe me. Let’s face it, without the crows, the herd couldn’t make a case against him that violates the normal rules of due process. He’s been convicted by the press without benefit of trial or indictment, been criticized by herd leaders for not testifying in his defense, and is being impeached because of it.
Since witches can be hunted, and crooks can be scapegoated, the question is, is Blago holding things up, or is he simply holding the bag?
He is the only corrupt politician in the most corrupt state in the country, isn’t he? Even though, when you consider that the “Chicago Way,” based as it is upon the political embrace of mob tactics, (or “the Outfit” as it’s known in the city) Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn’s entry in the “poem war” he chose to wage with Blago, again invokes images of a much desired Frank Pentangeli solution to the herd’s (not the hunted’s) problem.
The Illinois committee’s report points out that Blagojevich does not need to be found guilty of a crime for the House to impeach him.
”It would, in fact, be unreasonable to limit impeachable offenses to criminal conduct,” the report says. ”An impeachment inquiry is not a criminal proceeding and its purpose is not punitive. Rather, impeachment is a remedial proceeding to protect the public from an officer who has abused his position of trust.”
Proof? We don’t need no stinkin’ proof. Somebody said, a U.S. Attorney, no less, on TV, for Goodness sakes, that the guy was on a crime spree, because, he said, he heard somebody say to somebody else on the phone that he was gonna, and, then he said the governor said if they didn’t do what he wanted, bleep ‘em. What kind of way is that for a Governor to talk, huh? Mother bleeper? We never liked him, anyway. He tried to get flu vaccines delivered to Illinois during a shortage. What kind of slimy, lowdown crook would do something like that? And the casinos he ripped off for the horse race guys are taking bets on jail time. Are you kidding me? He must be guilty, I saw it on TV. He shoulda had the decency to resign. He knows Rezko, you know?
“Don’t let the door hitcha where the good Lord splitcha!” Barack Obama, who thinks he’s already president, (a step down, in my opinion, from his current position, Grand Poohbah of All He Surveys) didn’t even have the decency to say that much publicly to PUMA nemesis Howard Dean’s face. At one of his innumerable mandatory demands for media attention, this time announcing what the world already knew, (like he always does) Tim Kaine as new Democratic National Committee Chair, Camp ObamaWorship made sure former Chair, and architect of the 50 State Strategy Obama stole and molded to his will, was thousands of miles away being…DNC Chair. From Politico:
The conspicuous absence of Howard Dean from Thursday’s press conference announcing Tim Kaine’s appointment as Democratic National Committee chair was no accident, according to Dean loyalists.
Rather, they say, it was a reflection of the lack of respect accorded to the outgoing party chairman by the Obama team.
Despite leading the party in consecutive triumphant election cycles – as well as through off-year races like when Kaine was elected Virginia governor in 2005 – Dean has become all but invisible since Election Day, passed over for the Cabinet position he coveted and apparently not in line for another administration post.
Indeed, when President-elect Barack Obama introduced Kaine at party headquarters Thursday afternoon, Dean was 7,023 miles and seven time zones away, closer to French Polynesia than Washington, doing party grunt work in American Samoa.
In the article largely critical of Obama’s snub, until they get to the contractually obligated part where they have to find somebody to offer an opinion that justifies Obie’s actions, Politico chronicles just how pissed off Dean and his allies are. One of the people they found to make nice was Dean himself, (well, not actually Dean, but a tape of Dean) who, in an MSNBC Hardball interview with the Leg Tingler Who Will Not Run, conducted before Dean was banished to the other side of the world, said he was happy with the job he’d done, Obama was “da bomb,” no hard feelings, blah, blah, blah. But, because it’s hard for even psuedo- compromised journalists (especially a right leaning one writing about the left) to sacrifice every shred of their integrity and dignity under their own byline, Jonathan Martin couldn’t help himself from including this juicy morsel from Dean about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s defiant appointment of Roland Burris at the very end:
“You gotta hand it to Blagojevich,” said Dean of the embattled Illinois governor’s brazen appointment of Roland Burris to succeed Obama in the Senate. “What a maneuver! What a maneuver! When his back was against the wall he outsmarted a lot of people.”
Et tu, Howie? Looks like more and more Dems are going to sleep at night with visions of hidden knives dancing in their heads.
“What’s that you say Boopie? You feel like the bigots your friends colleagues in the Good Ol’ Boys Club you front for are starting to show their true colors? Starting to turn their backs on you? Trying to keep you “in your place?” (Insert peppy Dixie music here) Well, tough toenails, Toots! They are!”
Harry Reid’s “he’s not the boss of me” comments are a sure sign all is not well in ObaLand. Dianne Feinstein’s “who does he think he is, he fucked up” sentiments are another. But, the clearest signal that Obama’s on his own if he thinks he’s really in charge of anything came today, with the dissent expressed by certain Senators, like Kent Conrad, John Kerry, and Ron Wyden willing to go on record that they’re not on board with the Teflon TelePrompTer Reader’s stimulus plan. From the Associated Press:
President-elect Barack Obama’s proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn’t do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs. Senators from both parties agreed that Congress should do something to stimulate the economy. But Democratic senators emerging from a private meeting of the Senate Finance Committee criticized business and individual tax cuts in Obama’s stimulus plan.
Reid’s “caught on tape” comments about Blagojevich’s potential picks for replacements to Barack Obama’s Senate seat reflect either his bigotry or stupidity; maybe both since he doesn’t seem to have sense enough to be quiet. Claiming concern for “electability” Reid sought assurances from Blags that he would reject 3 black politicians in favor of his approved list of acceptable ones. In lieu of evidence of some other rationale, one would have to conclude that race was Reid’s deciding factor. The stupid part is, Illinois is the only state in the Union with a recent history of electing black Senators. Given that the racial component inherent in his “standing in the Senate door” to block Burris’ appointment was getting played up by more entities in more places than race-baiting Bobby Rush at Blago’s press conference, Reid publicly involved Burris in his attempt at absolution. From Salon:
Majority Leader Harry Reid and his deputy, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, met with Burris Wednesday morning. In a press availability that followed, Reid repeatedly complimented Burris personally, and addressed the racial issues that have bubbled up throughout the controversy, saying, “One of the first things he said to us, hey, this is nothing that’s racial, I understand that. So a lot of people tried to make this a racial issue, but Roland Burris has not and will not.”
When they go out of their way to tell you what something isn’t, it usually gives you a good idea just exactly what it is. At any rate, cracks are showing in the Democrats’ united front, some of which involve black people, and there’s a black guy supposedly in charge. How they play these realities says a lot about…well…a lot of things. Especially about the guy in charge. The truth is, as long as the facts are what they are, some people will exploit them to their advantage, while others will be victimized by them, just like they were in the primaries and general election.
Let’s face it, Obie, the Unity Pony is on life support. So, either get on your knees and start blowing in it’s mouth, or kick the training wheels off the shiny new President bike you got for Christmas and drive the bad guys off into the sunset. Strap it up Cowboy, we’ve seen this movie before.
Oh, and be careful with this Blagojevich impeachment thing. If you don’t have enough ammo to finish him off, you might be better off leaving him alone. Cornered wounded animals can get a bit testy.
As anybody in the PUMAsphere could have told them, and did, the Keystone Kops of the coming Obacratic administration have been forced to begin furiously backpedaling from their ridiculous perch on their improbably high horse and do what everyone with a modicum of common sense knew they were going to have to do all along, seat Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to replace Barack Obama in the Senate, Roland Burris. This was a no-brainer for even the Sesame Street set. Even the pre-toilet training crowd knows you can’t take your ball and go home just because you don’t like somebody.
And, now that Blagojevich has played the acolytes of the Teflon TeleprompTer Reader with the virtuosity of Itzhak Perlman on his prized Stradivarius, the world now knows something else PUMAs have been saying all along, Obama is playable. It’s worth remembering however, it’s easy to kick somebody’s butt who’s fond of bending over and showing their ass. But, you’ve gotta wonder, if the guys now in charge are so gullible as to fall for the okey-doke and cave to the game of the first poofy haired crook who comes along, what’s to make anybody think they would fare any better in a real crisis? Pointless, impotent saber rattling in a pissing contest only ensures you’re gonna get wet. Butching up after the Golden Shower, as the Illinois Obacrats are trying to do with their impeachment chest beating, doesn’t make you look, smell, or feel much better, either.
While Blago’s chess move, beautifully executed, effectively put the Obacrats in check, it wasn’t particularly innovative, and shouldn’t have been unexpected. He basically castled, or switched places with his rook, giving himself cover. The Obacrats, trying to play political chess the “Chicago Way,” i.e., like a game of X-treme football on steroids, predictably proved to be way out of their league. With their rookie quarterback, combined with their own lack of experience and questionable testosterone levels, they were toast from the coin toss. And, they’d barely even lined up for the kick-off before they fumbled.
With the world of hurt we inhabit getting more painful by the second, the Rookie Quarterback Who Would Be King is giving interviews on the sidelines, reading stock answers to new questions from his portable, soon-to-be-patented TelePrompTerToGo. But when even his favorite cheeleaders like Dana Milbank and Howard Fineman start pointing and laughing in his face, can a blindside tackle from the sidelines be far behind? One thing we can be sure of, though, when the going gets tough, the Puff will probably punt the pawn.
I am a PUMA today for the exact same reason I went looking to become something that didn’t yet exist on May 31, 2008; I object to the manner in which Barack Obama became my president. And nothing I’ve seen before or since has mitigated that essential truth in the slightest, in fact, the more I see of the way he operates, the more upset I get. Barack Obama offends my sense of fair play. From what I’ve been able to determine through my research of him, he has pushed the against “da roolz” envelope in every contested election he’s won. Though he cannot be accused of outright cheating, he has built his entire pseudo-impressive career out of finding obscure loopholes to screw to his orgasm, thereby raping the process to his pleasure and advantage.
As has been extensively chronicled, in 1996, Obama won his first election to the Illinois Senate by contesting the voting petition signatures gathered for all of his challengers, getting them all disqualified, and running unopposed. Before he could complete his second term of office, after winning re-election in 1998 over African American Republican Yesse Yehudah (whose name later emerged in Obama bribery allegations) he mounted a disastrous 2000 campaign for sitting Congressman Bobby Rush’s seat, who beat the pants off him like he was a red-headed stepchild, by playing his “my black card on the table trumps the Uppity Magic Negro card up your sleeve.” It worked, and Obama never let that happen again.
Every Senate district elects its members to serve two four-year terms and one two-year term per decade.
…and Obama’s predilection for reticence, the details regarding his Illinois Senate runs are rather sketchy. However, considering that his opponent in 1998, Yehuda, won approx. 10% of the vote, and that in 2002 he ran unopposed, its safe to assume that, for some reason, Obama’s re-elections were basically a rubber-stamp formality. Curiously, Wikipedia mentions that Obama was re-elected to the Illinois senate in 2002, presumably in November, yet numerous sources report that he had already begun preparing for a run at the U.S. Senate by June of that year. From the Boston Globe:
In mid-2002, Obama began to focus on the upcoming US Senate race. The incumbent, Republican Peter Fitzgerald, seemed beatable, and it was not clear Carol Moseley Braun, who had held the seat before Fitzgerald, would try to reclaim it. Obama and his wife made a deal: This would be, as his wife puts it now, “the last hurrah.”
Democratic State Senator and University Law School Senior Lecturer Barack Obama has begun assessing his chances in the 2004 US senate race. Obama has commissioned a statewide poll by the Colorado firm Harstad Strategic Research, and he has filed for federal permission to begin fundraising. Obama will have to win the democratic primary in order to face incumbent Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald in ‘04.
Note the article from 2002 refers to Obama as a “Senior Lecturer” not “professor,” as he has claimed to be; a claim which was backed up, but “nuanced” (their word, not mine) by Fact Check.org via the University of Chicago. Another example of Obama’s fondness for “nuance”regards his now, much bally-hooed, then, largely ignored, unfilmed, 2002 Iraq war speech:
“My objections to the war in Iraq were not simply a speech,” Obama said. “I was in the midst of a U.S. Senate campaign. It was a high-stakes campaign. I was one of the most vocal opponents of the war.” (Obama delivered the speech in October 2002; he did not officially declare his candidacy for the U.S. Senate until January).
Even in this era of YouTube and camera phones, a recording of Obama’s speech is all but impossible to find. The Obama campaign has gone so far as to re-create portions of the speech for a television ad, with the candidate re-reading the text, with audience sound effects.
So, according to the above article from NPR, this cornerstone and centerpiece of Obama’s presidential campaign was actually an insignificant speech delivered to about 1,000 people by a little known guy running unopposed for the state Senate, at somebody else’s (Jesse Jackson) rally. Even Obama’s campaign manager, David Axelrod, has admitted as much. Quoted in the New York Times Caucus blog lamenting the lack of recorded Iraq war speech material:
“I would kill for that,” he was quoted as saying. “No one realized at the time that it would be a historic thing.”
Similar “nuance” marks the man’s entire biography, yet he has somehow managed to create the illusion of transparency. When David Axelrod joined (became) Obama’s team in 2004, the elements of Obama’s new, “I am, too, black enough, but not too black, just short of under-handed envelope pushing” political philosophy began to successfully knit themselves together. On his AKP&D Message and Media website, “the Axe” takes his full share of credit:
In 2004, Axelrod helped State Senator Barack Obama score a landslide win in his U.S. Senate campaign, developing a message and media strategy that enabled Obama to defeat six opponents in the Democratic primary with an astounding 53% of the vote. He is currently serving as media advisor to Obama’s presidential campaign.
Barack Obama was elected to the United States Senate as the second African American to do so from Illinois, amid scandal. In fact, from the scandal surrounding Congressman Mel Reynolds in his first state Senate bid, to his predecessor Carol Mosely Braun’s legal troubles, to the fortuitous (for him) scandal and gossip swirling around two of his opponents in his U.S. Senate race that caused them to drop out, to the current Blagojevich brouhaha, somebody in Illinois is always getting into trouble for something that often ultimately benefits Obama, that he’s miraculously never really otherwise affected by.
The divorce records of Obama’s leading primary opponent in 2004, Blair Hull, as well as those of his Republican opponent Jack Ryan were not-so-mysteriously leaked to the Chicago Tribune, (given David Axelrod’s previous association with the newspaper) sinking their chances. Obama/Axelrod could then employ their newly developed “blacker than thou” techniques against last minute, carpetbagging replacement Republican candidate, Alan Keyes, sweeping to victory.
In the presidential primaries, Camp Obama again pushed “da roolz” envelope to their advantage. From the exploitation of delegate appropriation in the caucuses, to the active solicitation of “anybody but Hillary” Republican and Independent temporary crossover voting, to the deliberate, yet unnecessary, removal of his name in the Michigan primary, something he was forbidden to do in Florida, Obama consistently pimped the process. With the complicity of the DNC, the mainstream media and the faux progressive blogosphere, who rewarded, celebrated, and championed his every questionable move, he barely squeaked by enough to be ceremoniously handed the nomination, “fair and square.” Those of us in his party who questioned his experience, qualifications, and tactics were belittled, bullied, and ridiculed when we couldn’t be ignored, as the Obama campaign and the DNC turned their heads and allowed his minions in the media and blogosphere to engage in misogynistic race baiting on his behalf. None of which dampened our outrage in the slightest, in fact, as most any fool besides these would expect, the opposite is true.
Wickedly delightful, completely non-politically correct author Christopher Moore has brilliantly analyzed and explained the concept of “Beta Male” in much of his work. While I recommend you read his books for yourself, and cannot presume to speak for him, the basic point, as I perceive it, is that the world is populated by far more Beta Males than Alpha, yet they tend to fade into the background of life because they’re…well…Beta. Moore hilariously champions their cause. Yet, as a female, I have a couple of observations about the concept of my own. One, Alpha Male is not all it’s cracked up to be. Basically, it just means “first guy through the door.” While a man’s looks, wealth, education, whatever, might contribute to his cockiness, the bottom line is, it’s the cocksure confidence he exhibits that women and Beta Males respond to, often to their detriment. Because, there’s no guarantee that the Alpha Male is the smartest, or best qualified guy in any group, he’s just compelled to go first. This is not always a good thing for him, or the group, after all, the first bull off the cliff in a buffalo jump was probably an Alpha Male, too.
Secondly, not all Alpha Males are created equal. Primarily because, not all male tribal affiliations, teams, clubs, cliques, squads, etc., are. True, there are Alpha Males in Alpha Male societies, but even Beta, Gamma, Delta, Theta and Omega groups have Alpha Males, too. And while those lesser Alphas might not fare well in clubs higher up on the food chain, in their little domains, they rock.
Barack Obama is not an Alpha Male, even in a Tau society. He is an actor, adept at adopting the persona of an Alpha, (when he stays on script) but even then, only as top dog of a Gamma society, at best. Therefore, his campaign, comprised of refugees from Revenge of the Nerds, had to be equally adept at crafting a message designed to dumb down the masses, get them to accept and embrace their Gamma society identity, so that they could then embrace their Gamma society Alpha Male leader. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for” conjures images of clueless hordes standing around idly, with their fingers in their noses and their thumbs up their asses, waiting for somebody smart to come along and tell them where to go and what to do. Barack Obama is that somebody, for those people.
I don’t want a nerdy fake-Alpha Male president of a Gamma society. America is better than that. I don’t want a president who gleefully resorts to racially guilt tripping a largely innocent society into voting for him so that they might avoid the undeserved lash of the stigma of racism, while the minority of the majority who are real racists, escape unscathed. I want a level playing field. I want the best man to not only have a shot, I want him to win, even if the best man is a woman. I don’t care if state houses and government buildings have to add stalls to the ladies’ rooms to accommodate an arbitrarily mandated quota any more than I want any old black guy to be appointed or elected just because he’s black. If the best government of the people ends up being comprised of an unusually large percentage of third world immigrants, Munchkins, and Buddhist transvestites, so be it. I want to work for a world where those things don’t matter, not live in a country where we agree to pretend they don’t against any and all evidence to the contrary.
I don’t want to have to be political about being political, to activate and agitate society for my right to participate in it. Why should I still be burning my bra and raising my fist, even in this era of “historic accomplishment?” Why should I co-sign the tactics of a group of “win at all costs, by any means necessary” rulebook waving, loophole screwing, process rapists, hellbent on blackmailing the country into validating their Beta Male in a Gamma society twerpitude? What’s wonderful enough to celebrate about the election of a black Alpha Male of a society that has to tacitly agree to Gamma-fy itself in order to elect him? Especially when there was an imminently qualified, female Alpha Male in the race, one who actually had to fight her way out of the shadows of a bona fide Alpha?
I thought leveling the playing field, championing the cause of the little guy, real dedication to fair play, and social responsibility in a color blind, gender neutral country was what being a Democrat was all about.
I found out through this election that I was wrong.
That’s why I am no longer affiliated with any political party.
Let’s face it, the Democrats don’t like Governor Rod Blagojevich. Especially those Democrats loyal (if such a thing as political loyalty indeed exists) to President-elect Barack Obama, the Obacrats, which is all the suck-ups in the party. Which is the overwhelming majority.
Supposedly, Blagojevich is hated because he’s accused of being a crook. He is accused of attempting to sell the Senate seat he was obligated to fill once Barack Obama vacated it to people who don’t seem to exist. Everyone in a position to have bought said seat claims not to have ever even spoken to the Governor about the matter. The U.S. Attorney who arrested Governor Blagojevich before he could find a taker, did so to prevent him from doing just that, according to him.
Yet, Blagojevich was not arrested for trying to sell a Senate seat. He was not indicted for anything, he was arrested on a complaint charging him with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and solicitation of bribery. From the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Dec. 12, 2008:
If you believe everything you read in the papers, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was indicted this week.
But that wasn’t true. The governor has not been indicted. Reporting that he had been was an error made by many journalists.
The press made the mistake even after U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald had this to say at his press conference:
“First of all, there’s not an indictment, realize. It’s a complaint. So I don’t want people to understand it’s an indictment. We filed a criminal complaint.”
So what exactly is a criminal complaint and why did so many members of the press get it wrong?
“The criminal complaint is a charging document that is supported by the affidavit of a law enforcement agent that is intended to set forth and establish probable cause and that probable cause can be tested in a preliminary hearing,” said Randall Samborn, a spokesman for Fitzgerald’s office.
edit
In this case, an FBI agent outlined the evidence against Blagojevich in a 76-page document. So far, no one outside the U.S. attorney’s office has seen or heard this evidence, which means that until they bring it to a grand jury there can be no indictment and no trial. (Emphasis mine)
In his recent petition to the court for a 90 day extension to bring charges against Blagojevich, Fitzgerald stated in the opening line that the investigation began in 2003 and includes multiple potential defendants:
This investigation was initiated in approximately 2003, and involves multiple
potential defendants. Two individuals, defendants Rod R. Blagojevich and John Harris, were
charged by way of a criminal complaint on December 9, 2008, with: (a) conspiring to defraud
the citizens of Illinois of their right to his honest services, as well as conspiring to obtain
money and property by fraud, in violation of the mail and wire fraud statutes, 18 U.S.C. §§
1341, 1343, 1346, and 1349; and (b) corruptly soliciting and demanding the firing of Chicago
Tribune editorial board members who had been critical of Blagojevich, in exchange for the
awarding of millions of dollars in financial assistance from the State of Illinois, 18 U.S.C.
§ 666(a)(1)(B) and § 2.
In other words, Rod Blagojevich has been convicted in the court of public opinion for crimes he has not been formally charged with, or formally accused of. Yet, it is because of this conviction that the Obacrats have deemed him unsuitable to fulfill his duties. Or might it be the specter of those “multiple potential defendants” motivating the Senate actions? Nothing Blagojevich is accused of is as heinous, in my opinion, as the actions of a group made up primarily of lawyers thumbing their noses at one of the basic tenets of American law, “innocent, until proven guilty.” No taint on the very likely guilty Blagojevich stinks quite as much as that.
For the Senate Democrats to engage in such public grade school level maneuvers, refusing to sign and certify the paperwork of Blagojevich’s perfectly legal appointment of Roland Burris in order to be able to reject said credentials at the door, as they did, is more shameful than anything Blagojevich has been seen on tape doing. From CNN:
Nancy Erickson, the secretary of the Senate, rejected Burris’ appointment on Monday because Burris’ certificate of appointment was missing the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, an aide to the secretary said.
Rule 2 of the Standing Rules of the Senate states that the secretary of state must sign the certificate of election along with the governor.
White has declined to sign the certificate, siding with some Senate Democrats who say Burris should not be seated because of the cloud over Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Senate Democrats have said they would not seat Burris because he was appointed by Blagojevich, who is accused of scheming to sell the Senate seat.
Why is CNN erroneously reporting Blagojevich’s charges? Why was he so publicly arrested without indictment when he was? And, why are so many Americans, especially Senators, so adamant about convicting this embattled governor with the poofy hair without benefit of a trial?
A principle that requires the government to prove the guilt of a criminal defendant and relieves the defendant of any burden to prove his or her innocence. The Free Dictionary
Whoever thought maneuvering Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich into a position that allowed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to officially criminalize machine politics-as-usual for political advantage has got to be the biggest neophyte yahoo rube to come down the pike since…Barack Obama. Let’s review. Barack Obama, the only African American in the Senate for two years, mysteriously generates enough money and clout to mount a successful run for the presidency out of a political environment so corrupt that “Lincoln would roll over in his grave,” how? By being an all-around, all-American, above-board, swell, good guy, of course. Sure.
Surrounded by his personal band of proselytizing disciples; Rahmbo the Emanuel, Valerie Magdalene, King David of the Astroturf, Antonin of Houses, and Jon, the Groper of Graven Images, to name a few, the Obamessiah scampered above the sewer waters of Illinois corruption as if they were a North Side private gymnasium treadmill. As a fisher of men, He was often unfortunately touched, but not tainted by, the activities of the unworthy among those He assembled and attempted to make pure, as has been dutifully chronicled by the mainstream media Keepers of the Holy Book of the Obamessiah. However, Barack remains the Reformer, bathed in the Light.
Clean, bright and articulate by resume, the recent machinations by the Combine Machine of the Obacrats are threatening to reveal enough cracks in the Obamirror of Righteousness to expose His Holy Stupid-as-a-Stumpness in a nationally broadcast Naivete Scene. Did it never occur to the No Drama Obama crew that manipulating a fellow player not of their clique into a corner carried risks?
When one of their number, Antonin of Houses, stumbled and fell by the wayside, the Obasciples simply stepped gingerly, single-file around him, leaving him where he lay, disavowing him three times as they boarded the Obabus he rolled under when they continued confidently on their preordained journey to the Promised Land. The Obamessiah did not lay hands upon him, nor did He absolve him of his sin; He simply denied knowledge of him as He brushed His Holy shoulders and allowed Himself to be driven on. This was a Holy boo-boo.
For Antonin of Houses had special knowledge of Valerie Magdalene and the Obamessiah, and Antonin was pisseth.
Fast forward to the twenty-first century post-election ensconcement of the Obamessiah as President-In-Training Wheels. Having written and disseminated his own Holy backstory to the Chroniclers, and having consumed their regurgitated praise to his overfill, the Obamesiah, drunk with his own Obamessiah-ness by proxy, allowed Himself to believe He, Jr. Father, Knew Best. Thus began the chess match, whereby playing unopposed, the Obamessiah cleverly checkmated Himownself.
Seeing a way to eliminate his only real threat to absolute power in His own backyard, Barack of Hyde Park decided to continue to attempt to appear to levitate above the machinations of His betrayed Obasciple of the Houses, and the locust-and-honey-eating way clearer, the crude Rod the Blagojevich, while shining His Holy Light upon their common evangelical activities, forgetting He too, was bathed in His Own Light. Thus, He Screweth Himself.
Okay, enough of the Obamessiah allegory; it’s not only making me nauseous, I’m not nearly as good at it as John, South of Melrose over on Liberal Rapture or Gerald Baker; plus I need to be free to call bullshit without all this pseudo-Christian baggage. So, let’s get back to brass tacks, shall we?
The fact remains that Obama screwed the pooch when he tried to play innocent while pointing the finger at Blagojevich. Everybody in Illinois knew Blags was under investigation, he even hinted at the worst kept secret in politics the day before he was arrested. Everybody also knew that even with Rezko’s making like a canary, Fitzgerald didn’t have enough to indict. He still doesn’t. But when the president-elect bats his exaggeratedly wide-open eyes and tilts his head in your direction when somebody else calls you a crook, people sit up and take notice.
Obama and company knew that if they dangled the vacant Senate seat plum just right while they dropped unsubtle hints that Fitzgerald was sure to pick up, the investigation against Blags was sure to intensify. However, methinks they underestimated the existing intensity of the ongoing investigation. Thinking that the tentacles would subsequently stretch out in all directions, they never considered that they already did, that it wasn’t just one Blagojevich phone that was tapped, and that more of their pre-cleanup involvement was already caught on tape.
Now, the smartest president in the room and his gang have been interviewed in a pay-to-play scam and have proclaimed their innocence, just like Blagojevich, just like Bill Richardson. Though Blago has been arrested, before his alleged crime could criminally implicate anybody else, he hasn’t been indicted, he was released on a paltry bond, and he remains free to exercise his duties as governor. And, now that he has done just that, the Obacrats, who for their own nefarious reasons, swept Obama to power, are desperate to get Blags to nullify himself, since they know they have no legal, or moral, authority to do so. They also know now that Blagojevich knows it, too; by making the appointment, the Obacrats are not only rendered impotent, they’ve handcuffed and prevented themselves from exercising any power they might once have wielded. For, even if they impeach Blago, or he now resigns, there’s nothing that would make Roland Burris’ appointment to the Senate retroactively invalid. From Politico:
The Democrats’ preferred solution to the Burris problem is for the Illinois Legislature to impeach Blagojevich, paving the way for Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn to take his place and appoint someone other than Burris to Obama’s vacant seat. But even that could create a legal headache, legal observers say, since the Burris appointment would still be pending.
“Even if Blagojevich is impeached, that doesn’t undo all the actions he has taken as governor,” said Andrew Raucci, a former chief justice for the Illinois Court of Claims and now a Chicago-based attorney.
Democrats say that if Burris hasn’t been seated by the time Quinn takes over, he could name someone else to the seat by rescinding Burris’ certification papers.
Burris was having none of it. At a news conference at Chicago’s Midway Airport, the former Illinois attorney general testily said to reporters, “Why don’t you all understand that what has been done here is legal? I am the junior senator from Illinois, and I wish my colleagues in the press would recognize that. All the drama — I guess it keeps you all in a job.”
And, to make bad matters worse, not only is Burris adamant that he is the junior senator from Illinois no matter what ticky-tack maneuvers the Obacrats try to pull, the criminalization of day to day political manipulation makes every satellite in the Oba-universe vulnerable. Just ask Bill Richardson.
The already scandal-plagued man who will be sworn in as America’s 44th president in a little over two weeks is full of crap and the butt kissing media that enables him is, too. The number of examples of this “don’t worry about a thing, we’ve got your back” medialove are far to numerous to chronicle here, or on any one forum, but let’s start with what’s in the news today, and what it is designed to divert attention from. The latter is easy, the Obamedia is desperate to get us to ignore the scandal-ridden nature of the coming administration, by simply re-labeling it as non-scandalous, claiming that it has no effect on his wonderfulness, proclaiming that nothing is his fault, or promoting the insignificant.
First up, the insignificant. CBS2Chicago tells us that Barack Obama “choked up” when leaving his empty Chicago home to assume his new job in Washington, you know, the one that would overwhelm a lesser man. Why the home in the city he has made his and his party’s headquarters, and that he calls his “Kennebunkport” and has vowed to return to at every available opportunity would be empty is not mentioned, natch:
President-elect Barack Obama says he choked up a little bit when he left his empty house before flying to Washington.
Obama spoke briefly to reporters aboard a government 757 before taking off en route to Andrews Air Force Base. His family went to Washington on Saturday and left him to wander around his Hyde Park home alone.
Yawn. Why is this “news?” Maybe for the same reason Good Morning America featured a guest who said his year of “living like Jesus” motivated him to vote for Obama because he was the candidate who best represented Jesus’ teachings on the same page as “Obama’s Favorite Chicago Haunts” and “Challenges for Obama in 2009.”
These kinds of stories are designed to blunt the effect of other stories, like, oh, say the one about his Commerce Secretary-designate’s withdrawal due to allegations of his involvement in a “pay to play” scheme. From the New York Times:
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, one of the country’s most prominent Hispanic politicians and President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be commerce secretary, on Sunday dropped out of consideration for that post. He attributed his decision to the ongoing investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico.
Richardson, unaffectionately dubbed “Judas,” by James Carville and every other Hillary Clinton supporter in the primaries because of his betrayal of the people what brung him in favor of the one that promised him more than he deserved. Why Richardson allowed himself to be deceived to the point that he would go so far as to disparage his former benefactors on behalf of the one destined to toss him under the bus as soon as his bulk became excess baggage, is a testament to either the man’s lack of political acumen or his greed. Whatever, but under the bus he goes. From the same news network that gave us the Obama/Jesus whitewash, Jake Tapper reports:
Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.
Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.
The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.
Of course “Judas” now feels himself betrayed; had the flames of “pay to play” fire not flicked so close to Obie and the Obacrats’ butts so close to the inauguration, and the Team O public relations machine been able to manipulate the scandal in a manner similar to the John (Kookie) Edwards love child dirt, maximizing Edwards’ minimal political influence before ruining his career, chances are Richardson might have emerged relatively unscathed. However, with the way the Obacrats have bungled the Blagojevich “Hot Senate Seat” prematurely ejaculated arrest, Richardson was more than expendable, he was imperatively so. Had the Obacrats nullified Blago when they had the chance, he never could have big balled them by legally appointing Roland Burris to replace Obama as the only black Senator, thereby shrinking theirs to the size of Raisinets. That’s what Obie and the Obacrats and their “Astroturfing” (which is unethical in, and of, itself, btw) genius David Axelrod are desperately trying to tap dance past.
That, and the fact that though they have whiningly cleared themselves in the “Blago tried to sell my seat” ongoing BlagObama Drama, it’s not at all clear that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has. Though Fitzgerald said Obama and his team were not involved in the preliminary complaint (not indictment), he never said Obama wasn’t involved in the investigation. And, Fitz’s motion for a 90 day extension (that Blago does not oppose) after questioning Obama and two of his closest aides, Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett, and his leaking to the press the titillating information that “multiple potential witnesses” have come forward, and that there are “thousands of intercepted phone calls” to go through (not just the 4 Fitz is willing to release to the impeachment committee) raising the possibility of “multiple new defendants,” has got to be giving Obie and the boyz a plethora of sleepless nights. Not to mention that the incompetence of the Obacrats becomes more obvious the longer Blago is allowed to run loose and agitate them into shooting themselves in the foot.
In advance of the upcoming Norman Hsu trial, as well as the recently exposed Congel/Clinton Foundation connection, watch out for an onslaught of “he walks on water, he really does, take it from us” type articles in the mainstream media and blogosphere in your near future. And, given his history, be prepared for the Tap Dancing Teflon TelePrompTer Reading Obamessiah to try to toss his Secretary of State appointee, Mary Mgdalene/Hillary Clinton right under the bus with “Judas.”
Big ol’ scary Roland Burris says he’s the Senator from Illinois so make way. The Obamacrats say the idea of Burris sullying the sanctity of the Senate is so terrifying, they’ll do whatever they have to do to keep him out and keep the country safe. “Hide the women and children, go to the root cellar, get under the desks, run for your lives, for God’s sake, hide!”
Oh please. For the Democrats in the Senate to say they’ll block the doors to prevent Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s appointed replacement for Barack Obama (the not scary black guy)’s Senate seat, Burris (the scary black guy) from taking office, just because they’re miffed, is just plain silly and pretty durned funny. So, too, is Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush (a formerly scary black guy)’s insistence on being…well, Bobby Rush, and warning people against “lynching and hanging” just because they want to bar entrance to the hallowed halls of the Senate by the scary black guy just like George Wallace wanted to keep scary black kids out of school. But, never you mind, the fun doesn’t stop there, no sireee, Bobbo! Being scary on command can be a hoot. I mean, like The Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates pointed out, quoting KristenMcQueary, it’s not like Bobby Rush never endorsed a white person over a black one:
He went so far as to compare Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to former Alabama Gov. George Wallace, who in 1963 stood in the doorway of a University of Alabama school building to block two black students from entering. Reid and Senate Democrats pledged to refuse any appointee sent by Blagojevich, even Burris, who would be the chamber’s only black member.
Rush’s lecture, however, seems quite two-faced considering he chaired Blair Hull’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.
Hull is white.
If sending a black senator to Washington is so important now, why didn’t Rush support a black candidate four years ago? Not only was Obama on the Democratic ballot, but Joyce Washington, a black woman and health care executive, was as well.
Never mind that Rush endorsed Obama for president over his good white friends, the Clintons, or that Rush crushed Obama when Obie made an ill-advised bid for Bobby’s Congressional seat, or that Obama’s hit man David Axelrod took Hull down hard on his way to the Senate, it’s a black thing, only summa y’all unnerstan’. But, hey, let the good times roll on.
And, lest you think Senate Majority Leader Reid doesn’t like black people, not just because of the Wallace-esque door-blocking thing, but also because he tried to block Blagojevich from appointing any other black men, too, pish tosh, put those thoughts aside. I’m sure he knows there haven’t been a whole lot of black people in the Senate; as Earl Ofari Hutchinson reminds us, it’s always been a “good old boy’s club” and, by golly, everybody just likes it that way! Nothing personal, move along. And those black folks agitating on Roland Burris’ behalf? Misguided malcontents, the whole lot of ‘em. So what if there are no black Senators, y’all got a black president, how dare you play the race card?
Oh, the delicious irony. Now it can be revealed just how racially manipulative the Obamacrats have been. Just because Barack Obama received overwhelming support from black voters, easily deceived sycophants and other fools could be convinced that all black people love and support him alike. Ha, ha. What those sycophantic fools choose to ignore is that the illusion of monolithic support is easy to attain if you keep the relevant questions narrow. In other words, if you ask 1,000 black people how they feel about, oh, health care, you’d probably get answers as varied as if you asked a similar number of white, Asian, short, or stupid people the same thing. But if you ask them if they’d rather have a black Democratic president or a white Republican one on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, you’d probably be horrified if anybody picked the white guy.
Duh.
Oh, but now, the vilified, but shrewd Blagojevich has flipped the script. By appointing Burris, and deliberately, in his familiar, yet inimitable “in your face” style, calling bullshit, Blago has forced the Obamacrats to paint themselves into a corner of hell in much the same way they manipulated him into the role of the face of Illinois corruption, hoping to deflect attention from their own systemic culplability. And, since there’s no easy way out for either side, the yuckfest continues.
The Senate Democrats have no leg to stand on, and will have to abandon their saber rattling bluff. Blagojevich is most likely guilty as hell, but, under our legal system that doesn’t count, especially since he hasn’t even been indicted for anything, merely arrested pending formal charges. While that may be enough for the Illinois branch of the Obamacrats to achieve the desired results in their now accelerated, year long, Blagoenemy Madigan Clan led impeachment attempt, it’s hard to see how that would invalidate the Burris appointment. Would a conviction subsequent to the appointment legally nullify it?
Add the Al Franken coup attempt to the drama and you’ve got Oscar worthy high camp comedy. Shouting “we won!” while trying to squeak Franken through the Burris-blocked Senate doors could prove to be a tad embarrassing. I mean, how can you certify Franken, when he hasn’t even really won, and not certify the legally appointed Burris, without looking like a bunch of modern day racist bigots using token black people, like the president-elect and Illinois Secretary of State, to do your quota-maintaining bidding?
Ya can’t.
Advantage Blago/Burris/Rush.
And, once we get the answers to the “why did U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald step in and arrest Blagojevich to prevent a ‘crime-spree,’ when he could have caught at least two high-profile, guilty as hell people redhanded,” and “who are all these new ‘multiple witnesses‘ and what are they and the people on the ‘thousands of intercepted converations‘ saying that’s intersting enough to make Fitzy file a motion seeking an extension,” it might be game, set, match.
Okay, I admit it, I’m a boxing fan. Not that I enjoy watching grown men and women pummel each other’s faces into unrecognition, per se; next to making up words, observing the ritualized human drama of mano a mano (hand to hand, not man to man) competition play out in the structured, regulated and supervised environment of the boxing ring is just plain fun. More honest than wrestling, grittier, more real and less time consuming than a soap opera, and minus the gratuitous sex, boxing is a curious, yet entertaining mix of theater and thuggery. I like it.
It’s a simple sport; there are only four kinds of punches; jab, hook, uppercut, and straight right (or left, depending upon whether the boxer is a right-hander or southpaw.) While boxers are required to be matched according to weight, the best fights feature fighters of comparable experience and skill. Since the rules are basic, (don’t try to kill your opponent, don’t bring anything into the ring to hit him with, like a bat, don’t hit him in the nuts) and those that aren’t standard are negotiable per fight, the most crucial element, in any match, is style.
Again, we’re talking simplicity simplified, here. There are three basic styles of fighter, imho; “boxers,” guys not concerned with knockouts, content to win on points, primarily throwing flicking, annoying jabs in an attempt to keep the other guy preoccupied to the point that he can’t mount an offense of his own. Boxers are skilled at defense, bobbing, weaving, dancing out of the way of punches, all the while sticking their fists in the face of their opponent, but not really trying to hurt him, either, often becaus they know they can’t. In fact, boxers don’t want anybody to get hurt, least of all themselves, if they can “hit, without being hit” they’re happy. It’s even likely that boxers can’t “take a punch,” that’s the reason they’re “boxers,” not “fighters.” While they may be considered textbook technicians and strategists, and their showy “flash and dash” can delight casual boxing observers, they are pretty much despised by purists and real fans alike, who prefer their champions be a little more rugged, willing to “mix it up” once in a while, and not prissy, wussy, light punching “rabbits.”
Then there are the “punchers.” These guys are one-half step up from Neanderthal; they want to hit, and hit hard, anywhere, face, body, doesn’t matter; if they hit you, you’ll be hurt. They often have no defense at all, they don’t need it since they seem to not only be impervious to pain, they enjoy it. They’re usually not fond of the jab, might not even know how to throw one, the hook, uppercut, right hand, and whatever punch they make up at the spur of the moment in the heat of battle is just fine, thank you,very much. “Throw hard with bad intentions,” if you miss, do it again. “He can run, but he can’t hide,” at some point in the match, the “boxer” is going to run out of real estate, energy, or both, then the “puncher” will hit him with the force of a sledgehammer, and the fight will be over. Whatever punishment is inflicted or received before that is irrelevant. That is how a puncher “thinks,” that is how he wins, that is how he plans to win.
The style most fans and purists prize most is a combination of the two former ones, the “boxer/puncher.” This guy knows how to avoid being hit, but if he is, he’s perfectly capable of “shaking it off,” and coming out swinging. He’s not intimidated by a “puncher,” he can take it, plus, he’s got a fair bit of power in his own hands. A “boxer” poses no problem for the “boxer/puncher” either, he’s just as skilled both defensively and with the jab, and his is more stinging than annoying. Also, his “power punches” are often just as devastating as a pure “puncher.” He’s a thinking man’s fighter, possessing a wide array of skills, he can formulate a strategy to exploit just about any other fighter’s weaknesses, nullify his strengths, and effectively counter with his own. This is the guy fans and purists love, and opponents fear.
Politically, Barack Obama is a “boxer.” Since fans enjoy watching the “sweet science,” his ability to avoid trouble has been more than enough, so far. His flashy “bob and weave” technique is fun to watch; the trouble is, he hasn’t yet been really hit. Until now.
Rod Blagojevich is a “puncher.” In fact, he’s a street brawler with gloves on. “Style, shmyle, let’s get it on” is his motto. His blunt, brash, no-nonsense, “whaddya got, whaddaya want?” approach has always gotten him into trouble, and has been easy for Obama to nullify in the past, all the while playing to the crowd, showing off his political dancing skills, and avoiding the clinches. In fact, when Obama, knowing Blago came into the ring already bloodied by the investigation into his bludgeoning style, employed his “juke and jive” technique of peppering Blago with jabs by dangling Valerie Jarrett as a potential successor for his vacant Senate seat, then snatching her from contention before abruptly making his resignation official, effectively maneuvered Blago into the corner right before he got hit with the right hand of arrest, it looked like Obama might be a boxer/puncher after all. Thinking he had delivered a knockout from the accumulation of punches, followed by the impeachment blow to the gut, and that his opponent was headed out of the ring on a stretcher, Obama allowed himself a brief, poor man’s impression of the Ali shuffle as victory dance.
And got sucker punched.
Hot Rod lunged off the canvas and caught Obama with a head ringing blow just barely above the belt by appointing Roland Burris to Obie’s seat in defiance of just about everybody. Obama’s supporters, who were heading for the exits, his cornermen, who were headed into the ring, forgot to wait for the count of ten. All seemed stunned, both that Blags had it in him, and that Obama wasn’t invincible, after all. Hadn’t Blago heard them declare him dead in one voice? Didn’t he know he had lost every round on the scorecards? How did he muster the strength to get up off the floor and throw a haymaker? They know the game, and they know that wasn’t a lucky punch. That was boxing. How come Obama the “boxer” didn’t see it coming and get out of the way? How come the ref didn’t stop the fight? And more importantly, what do they do now?
Right now, the bell has rung between rounds and the Obama team, with the help of the ref and the timekeeper, are trying to keep their guy on the stool until his cobwebs clear, and they can come up with a winning scenario even the cynical boxing/political public will buy. They’re also kicking themselves for forgetting that pure “boxing” doesn’t always win fights, for not considering that their guy might have a glass jaw, and for not knowing that a “puncher” who can “box” will beat even a “boxer/puncher” every time. Sometimes, with just one punch. That’s why, when you beat a guy down, it’s best for all concerned to finish him off.
In reflecting upon the historic nature of the election of Barack Obama as America’s first black president, I’m reminded of another moment in our recent history when the country’s color barrier was shattered. In 1984, beautiful, talented, intelligent, and yes, articulate, Vanessa Williams tore down the walls of one of the strongest bastions of white entitlement at that time, the Miss America pageant. Until that point, women of color were pretty much excluded from competition, even when token contestants were allowed entree to it’s rarefied atmosphere, there was scant expectation of them attaining victory. However, Williams, standing head and shoulders above the field, simply could not be denied. While we now take fully integrated competition in the fading glory of the event for granted, at the time, Williams’ victory seemed every bit as momentous as Obama’s.
As America’s Constitutional preclusion of blacks as citizens prevented African Americans from from holding elected office, for many years before the crowning of a black woman, the Miss America pageant was also institutionally racist. Though the envelope had been steadily pushed, women who were not examples of pure, lily-white virtue faced an often insurmountable hurdle. Even in the case of some white women, like Bess Meyerson, Miss America 1945, being Jewish almost cost her the crown. From PBS:
The pageant’s long history of excluding women of color dates from its beginnings. At some point in the 1930s, it was formalized in the notorious rule number seven of the Miss America rule book. Instituted under the directorship of Lenora Slaughter, rule number seven stated that “contestants must be of good health and of the white race.” As late as 1940, all contestants were required to list, on their formal biological data sheet, how far back they could trace their ancestry. In the pageant’s continual crusade for respectability, ancestral connections to the Revolutionary War or perhaps the Mayflower would have been seen as a plus.
It is no surprise that the nation’s first black Miss America was fair-skinned, deemed not quite black enough by some blacks and far too black by some whites. “Light, bright, and damn near white,” was the sentiment of some African Americans, displeased that the coronation of such a light skinned black woman did nothing to validate the acceptance of the natural beauty of darker complexioned women with thicker lips and wider, blunter noses.
Almost immediately, the public would become divided over this history-making event. On one hand, black people would celebrate it as a defining moment for their race, while radical whites would protest it and even go as far as to threaten Williams’ life. Still, there was another group of African-Americans who would criticize Williams because her skin was too light, her hair was too straight, her eyes were the wrong color and her upbringing was too privileged. In short, they felt that Williams was not black enough, and therefore not a true representation of their race.
“Nigger” was the expression most often used against her in the hate mail she received during her reign from those whites furious that the integrity of an American institution had been compromised. From Wikipedia:
Williams began competing in beauty pageants in the early 1980s. Williams won Miss New York in 1983, and went to the Miss America national pageant in Atlantic City. She was crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983 making her the first-ever African American Miss America. Prior to the final night of competition, Williams won both the Preliminary Talent and Swimsuit Competitions from earlier in the week. Williams’ reign as Miss America was not without its challenges and controversies. For the first time in pageant history, a reigning Miss America was the target of death threats and angry racist hate mail.
While there are some obvious similarities in the stories of Williams and Obama, the most striking being that their middle class blackness was questioned and assailed for it’s “Huxtable-esque” in-authenticity…
Vanessa grew up in a cozy community named Millwood (pop. 2,500), about 40 miles northeast of New York City. For years the Williamses were the only black family in town, but Vanessa never felt different. Her parents, Milton and Helen, taught music to high school students in neighboring exurbs and were cultivated, prosperous. “We had a real nice raised ranch house, great clothes, new bikes, good foreign cars, a pool in the yard—I missed a lot of the black urban experience.”
…there are also major differences between the two. Unlike the empty suit clad Naked Emperor, there was never any question as to Williams’ qualifications. She actually had to answer the questions, sing the song, and wear the swimsuit. She also fulfilled her duties as Miss America admirably, always honoring the blacks and women who came before her for their sacrifice. Until the “scandalously sexy” photos of her surfaced, causing those predisposed to object to her holding the crown to wax apoplectic about her “unworthiness,” giving them an excuse to hide their racism behind the fake outrage attendant to the convenient adaptation of outdated, Victorian mores, Williams served exemplarily. The hypocrisy of a culture celebratory of the judgment of scantily-clad women on superficial criteria condemning a woman for exploiting those same qualities on her own terms ws never acknowledged. Secondly, contrary to the Astroturf tools of David Axelrod in the media and blogosphere, fond of manufacturing false racial controversy on Obama’s behalf, hardly anyone objected to Obama’s candidacy simply on the basis of his race. In fact, in the grand scheme of things, his exploitation of his bi-racial background afforded him a huge advantage.
There is no question that Vanessa Williams’ shoulders are among those upon whose Barack Obama stands, she who actually faced bigotry in all of it’s ugly forms before and after society’s misogyny joined hands with its racism, forcing her to resign in shame, only to emerge victorious, provided a template Obama could do worse than follow. At the same time, struggling in a society whose standards of feminine comport are external and arbitrary, Williams also has as much, or more, kinship to other modern women as disparate as Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.
With the ongoing specter of BlagObama-gate hanging over his head, the possibility of career-ending scandal derailing the Obama presidency is worthy of contemplation. If this blows up, or other skeletons in his closet were to emerge, enabling political opponents to exploit the country’s residual racism to their advantage, it is not at all clear that he possesses the character, dignity, grace and strength necessary to persevere and overcome.
Funny, as we barrel into a 2009 rife with the promise of “hope” and “change,” anticipating the pomp and ceremony of the impending coronation celebrating the ascension of The Great Hype Hope President-Elect-In-Training Wheels to Obamessiah-In-Chief, replete with all the grandeur and revelry the Inauguration of the Greatest Historically Historic Man Ever Elected for Being Black is due, we find ourselves sidetracked by the spectacle of those on the sidelines busy trying to slow down certain attendant events in order to maximize the impact of an impending train wreck threatening to ruin the festivities for all concerned.
United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has petitioned the court for a 90 day extension in the deadline to indict Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in the case Fitz is building against him. Though Blagojevich was arrested December 9, he has only been charged in a criminal complaint, not formally indicted. Said charges are not specific to attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat as has been alleged ad nauseum in the press, but are, according to the motion for extension, as follows:
This investigation was initiated in approximately 2003, and involves multiple
potential defendants. Two individuals, defendants Rod R. Blagojevich and John Harris, were
charged by way of a criminal complaint on December 9, 2008, with: (a) conspiring to defraud
the citizens of Illinois of their right to his honest services, as well as conspiring to obtain
money and property by fraud, in violation of the mail and wire fraud statutes, 18 U.S.C. §§
1341, 1343, 1346, and 1349; and (b) corruptly soliciting and demanding the firing of Chicago
Tribune editorial board members who had been critical of Blagojevich, in exchange for the
awarding of millions of dollars in financial assistance from the State of Illinois, 18 U.S.C.
§ 666(a)(1)(B) and § 2.
That the media refuses to speculate as to the possible identity of the “multiple potential defendants” is no surprise; the same journalists who conspired to refuse to cast aspersions of any sort against Barack Obama at any point in his career can hardly be expected to highlight any negativity that might shine upon him now that they have manipulated the players in this current drama into two factions; dirty, crazy Blago on one side, and the rest of the Obama loving world on the other. For whatever reason, the inexplicably charmed Obama has never been accused of any sort of wrongdoing in the mainstream media, no matter what scandal swirls around him, it is always depicted as the fault of others; criticism and questioning of him can only be found on right wing and PUMA blogs. Whether it is his associations with unsavory characters, his indecisiveness, his flip-flopping, his shady political maneuvering, his gaffes, or other unwise decisions, he is above reproach.
Yet, in the current Blagogate situation, his actions raise questions at the very least. In fact, the whole mess is questionable. Why was Valerie Jarrett’s name put forth as a candidate for Obama’s Senate seat, only to be abruptly withdrawn? Why did Obama officially resign his seat so soon? Why did Rahm Emanuel go to Africa? Is he back? Was he there when he officially resigned his own Congressional seat? Why did the New York Times specualte that Jarrett-staffer, Michael Strautmanis would be mentioned in the Obama clears Obama “internal investigation” when he was not? Why did Fitzgerald rush to arrest Blagojevich in order to prevent a crime from being committed in the first place, only to seek more time to build a case? Why is Blagojevich not trying to block the request? Again, according to the motion, he’s not:
Following telephone calls and/or meetings over the past week, counsel for both
Blagojevich and Harris have represented that they do not object to this motion.
If the government’s five-year investigation has not yet yielded evidence sufficient to indict him, why isn’t Blagojevich yelling for a speedy trial? Why is he so adamant about fulfilling his gubernatorial duties, going so far as to appoint a Senatorial successor to Obama, and why is the Illinois legislature allowing him to while they and the Democratic party simultaneously try like hell to minimize and marginalize him, primarily in the media? One of the few straight talkers about Obama, John Kass, ironically of the same Chicago Tribune Blags is accused of trying to manipulate, points out that the Democrats pretty much brought this current mess upon themselves:
Of course, Tuesday’s fiasco could have been avoided. Democrats in the state legislature could have stripped Blagojevich of his appointment powers and imposed a special election. Obama also could have demanded it. But as he has done so often in his career, Obama avoided a confrontation and looked the other way.
Democrats tried to finesse this, and they allowed Blagojevich the opening he needed, to hold that news conference and defy everybody. And so I’m forced to tip my hat to Gov. Dead Meat on this one, for sheer brazenness.
He’s no jester. And it takes guts to keep a straight face while Democrats about you are losing theirs.
Why? Why would the Democrats allow things to drag on if they could avoid it? Why rant and rave about not seating Blagojevich’s appointment, Roland Burris when he shows up for work Tuesday as he says he will, or ceremonially refuse to certify his appointment, giving him the opportunity to file his own state Supreme Court complaint and motion challenging their authority to do such a thing, if Blago could have been nullified weeks ago? According to Politico, Senate Democrats seem comfortable with a 90 day time frame for their own reasons:
Senate officials tell Politico that if presented with the appointment, they are likely to give the Rules Committee 90 days to determine the propriety of the appointment by looking into such issues as whether Blagojevich received anything in return for it.
“A motion to refer credentials to the committee has the effect of delaying seating,” a Senate Democratic aide said. “The motion is debatable and amendable.”
Another official explained: “That buys us 90 days.”
Ninety days to do what? Are they betting that the time frame coincides with a federal indictment against Blago? So what? If he has already been successfully deemed guilty until proven innocent by the media and his legion of Democratic enemies, don’t they have enough ammunition to impeach him now? Why didn’t they strip him of his powers and allow for the special election? Are they that afraid of losing the seat to a Republican? The other reason given in mid-December for backing away, besides the price tag, was that it would delay an appointment until April, about 90 days from now:
Illinois Republicans have launched a political ad campaign demanding a special election to fill the Senate vacancy that Gov. Rod Blagojevich allegedly tried to sell, hoping to pick up a seat they had no shot at before the scandal.
Democrats, after initially supporting such an election, this week canceled a vote on the matter and backed away in the name of good government. They say an election would cost up to $50 million and leave the state with a Senate vacancy until at least April – giving the new senator an even shorter window before the 2010 campaign cycle heats up.
Clearly the Democrats think the best way to resolve their problems is for Blagojevich to resign, then turn himself in and go to jail. It’s what on earth would make them think they could force him to do that, and what they think would make it worth their while to even try, at such great potential political expense, that’s the real mystery. Why is the media so willing to help them get away with it? And, what’s it got to do with Patrick Fitzgerald, “multiple potential defendants and witnesses,” and “thousands of intercepted phone calls?”
In the motion filed in federal court on Wednesday, United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald asked for more time because “multiple witnesses” have come forward in recent weeks and investigators have to review “thousands of intercepted phone calls.”
When you’ve got an ace in the hole, or a wild card, or an abundance of trumps, you can play with confidence. If you’ve tucked the only Joker in the deck up your sleeve, only allowing it to magically appear when needed, you can wipe out your opposition without breaking a sweat. But when another player, seemingly low on chips and on his way out the game, suddenly not only goes all in, but produces an even bigger Joker than yours, showing yours to have been a rather poor imitation of the real thing all along, your ass is punked.
After Obama relinquished his seat in November, there were no blacks in the Senate. In all of American history, there have only been five Senators of African descent. Only three African Americans have been elected to the Senate since Reconstruction; two of those Senators were from Illinois, and Barack Obama had a hand in the election of both of them.
Recruited by Sandy Newman to head up the Chicago chapter of Project Vote! in 1992, the group credited with increasing black voter turnout and putting Chicago’s first black U.S. Senator, Carol Moseley Braun over the top, Obama, before he became “post-racial,” actively, shamelessly, and successfully promoted black voter participation. From Chicago Magazine, 1993:
Within a few months, Obama, a tall, affable workaholic, had recruited staff and volunteers from black churches, community groups, and politicians. He helped train 700 deputy registrars, out of a total of 11,000 citywide. And he began a saturation media campaign with the help of black-owned Brainstorm Communications. (The company’s president, Terri Gardner, is the sister of Gary Gardner, president of Soft Sheen Products, Inc., which donated thousands of dollars to Project Voters efforts.) The group’s slogan-”It’s a Power Thing”-was ubiquitous in African-American neighborhoods. Posters were put up. Black-oriented radio stations aired the group’s ads and announced where people could go to register. Minority owners of McDonald’s restaurants allowed registrars on site and donated paid radio time to Project Vote! Labor unions provided funding, as, in late fall, did the Clin¬ton/Gore campaign, whose national voter-registration drive was being directed by Chicago alderman Bobby Rush.
Though Obama later claimed he never worked for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, (ACORN) Project Vote! is, at least now, affiliated with them, and the two groups collaborated on a voter drive on his behalf. In 1995, a Chicago Reader profile documented a community organizing relationship with ACORN that went undisputed by Camp O, even though the article does not chronicle direct employment.
Once Obama became a candidate for the U.S. Senate himself, however, it became necessary to distance himself from his radical blackness and adopt a more conciliatory demeanor. This facade was shaped in some measure by his defeat for Bobby Rush’s Congressional seat, when he was perceived as being out of touch with black reality:
Mr. Obama’s Ivy League education and his white liberal-establishment connections also became an issue. Mr. Rush told The Chicago Reader, “He went to Harvard and became an educated fool. We’re not impressed with these folks with these Eastern elite degrees.”
Mr. Rush and his supporters faulted him for having missed experiences that more directly defined the previous generation of black people. “Barack is a person who read about the civil-rights protests and thinks he knows all about it,” Mr. Rush told The Reader.
Mr. Obama was seen as an intellectual, “not from us, not from the ’hood,” said Jerry Morrison, a consultant on the Rush campaign. Asked recently about that line of attack, Mr. Rush minimized it as “chest beating, signifying.”
The implication was not exactly that Mr. Obama was “not black enough,” as some blacks have suggested more recently; his credentials were suspect. “It was much more a function of class, not race,” Mr. Adelstein said. “Nobody said he’s ‘not black enough.’ They said he’s a professor, a Harvard elite who lives in Hyde Park.”
No dummy he, Mr. Obama quickly learned to exploit both his blackness and his whiteness successfully. Playing up his bi-raciality while at the same time being conveniently black only when necessary, placing himself above historical racial “distractions” was a neat trick, deftly executed, and proved to be irresistible to voters of all races. However, it was not without pitfalls, nor were racial aspects eliminated from the equation. Far from it. He just had to be clever about when, where, and how he chose to be “just black enough” to turn a given situation to his built-in advantage of being the only person of color in his races subsequent to the disastrous one against Rush. When you’re the only black guy running, you can define what blackness is without challenge.
Therefore, when you can get the Secret Service to protect you just because you’re black, when your wife can channel Spike Lee and implore blacks to “wake up” and vote for you, when you can get the safest, most beloved Mammy-figure since Aunt Jemimah to embrace and endorse you, when black mainstream media pundits and politicians champion the idea and ideals of your candidacy over it’s substance, it is akin to having an entire deckful of Aces up your sleeve. You can feign outrage over every perceived slight you can find to blow out of proportion, casting your opponent in the most vilely negative light imaginable in that situation, while nullifying the legitimacy of any condemnation of your actions. After all, how can a white person tell a black person how to feel about racism? How can a black person in their right mind defend such attacks against a “brother” who says he’s being demeaned? And, even if some things might seem overblown, and others inexplicably dismissed, when the players in the game all agree that the new guy has a right to the race cards up his sleeve simply because they know he knows they used to cheat guys who looked like him on a regular basis, the game becomes an exercise in futility for all but the guy it’s being guiltily thrown to.
Rod Blagojevich, who enjoys a lot of support in the black community himself, knows exactly how the game has been played, and saw clearly who was letting pots go, and who was slipping chips under the table to who. Seeing his own stack dwindle to almost nothing, he decided to call in the only guy to have ever beaten Barack Obama at the game he taught him, and by appointing an equally safe, seemingly unassailable black man to fill Obama’s vacant seat, go all in on having a bigger pair. From CNN:
Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, who appeared at the Tuesday news conference, warned senators about blocking Burris.
“There are no African-Americans in the U.S. Senate. And I don’t think any U.S. senator who’s sitting in the Senate right now wants to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the U.S. Senate,” he said.
“I would ask you to not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer and separate the appointee from the appointer,” Rush said.
Unlike Obama, Rush has no incentive to pretend to be racially ambiguous; he is not, nor has he ever been; the former Black Panther has always been radically black. Now that all the race cards are face up in the middle of the table, it will be interesting to watch how Obama plays his hand.
In a surprising, nay, shocking, even jaw-droppingly so, development, President-elect In Training Wheels, Barack Obama, has actually interrupted his well-earned? vacation activities of surfing, golfing, annoying the troops, pec-flexing and getting p.o.’d with the omnipresent press for unabashedly loving him so, to comment on a matter of obvious grave import to him, the latest chess move in the power play he helped orchestrate against embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Disobeying the impotent Democratic Senate Caucus led by Harry Reid, Blagojevich defiantly appointed Roland Burris to the Great Hype Hope’s vacant Senate seat. From the Associated Press:
President-elect Barack Obama says he supports the decision by Senate Democrats to deny his vacated Senate seat to an appointee of embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. On Tuesday, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris. He would be the nation’s only black senator.
Democratic leaders in the Senate are rejecting the appointment, arguing that because of accusations that Blagojevich tried to sell the seat to the highest bidder, any appointment by him would be tainted.
In a statement, Obama called Burris a fine man but said he agreed that the Senate cannot accept an appointment from Blagojevich. Obama repeated his call for Blagojevich to resign and allow the seat to be filled by other means.
However, Politico pointed out that the Senate’s big talk amounts to just that:
It’s unclear whether Reid has the power to block Burris’ appointment. Senate leaders discussed the impending announcement on a conference call Tuesday afternoon.
John Fortier, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in a Politico Ideas piece this month that the Senate doesn’t have the power to reject the appointment.
“The Senate would have little recourse but to seat Blagojevich, as he meets the minimum constitutional qualifications for office,” Fortier wrote of the possibility that the governor might appoint himself. “But after seating Blagojevich, the Senate could then expel him by a two-thirds vote. The seat would be vacant again, and the new governor could make an appointment. Or by then, the Legislature might have changed the law to do away with appointments, in which case the seat would sit vacant until a special election was held.”
Obama, desperately trying to shape the Senate in his image using his typical passive/agressive, envelope pushing, playing dirtyby the book, “what who me?” hardball with clean hands tactics, is learning quickly that bringing a gun to a knife fight only works if your opponents are reluctant or unable to pull the pistols they keep tucked in their own belts. To portray Barack Obama as a good guy in this Blagogate mess, is akin to calling Al Capone a reformer for ridding the North Side of Bugs Moran’s gang in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Ha, ha, ha…I’m sorry, I can’t stop laughing. “Crazy ol’” Rod Blagojevich, the embattled Illinois governor currently being impeached for everything from supposedly trying to sell a Senate seat to people who claim to have no idea such a seat was being offered for sale, to being declared certifiably insane based upon his enemies’ dislike of his Bob’s Big Boy hairdo, has just flipped a monkey wrench of enormous proportions off of his middle finger and into the game.
In late October, rumors began to fly about who would assume Barack Obama’s Senate seat should he be elected president. In the following days, according to media reports, parties in both the Obama and Blagojevich camps began to toss names around among themselves and with each other. There had also been talk from various factions that the seat should be filled by a black butt, since Obama was the lone African American in the Senate, one of only five in American history, three since Reconstruction and two from Illinois. Given all that, Valerie Jarrett, being both black and Obama’s “big sister” and neighbor, soon became the front-runner in the mind of the media (assuming there is such a thing) largely due to the efforts of Rahm Emanuel. Then, curiously, in early November, Valerie Jarrett removed her name from contention for an office she now claims she never sought, and Barack Obama officially resigned his Senate seat earlier than any other president-elect in history for no apparent reason. Soon, thereafter, if memory serves, Jesse Jackson, Jr. became the media’s odds on favorite. Interestingly, all names being considered in the press at that time were folks likely to be sanctioned by Team O.
Once Blagojevich was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, not specifically for trying to unload the Senate seat, btw, all bets were off; people began to call for Blago’s head, impeachment was placed squarely in the center of the table, outraged howlers demanded that Blags give up his right to name a Senate successor, Harry Reid and the Senate Democratic Caucus even weighed in saying nobody Blago selected from that point on would be confirmed, and all the horses in the race began to jockey for position in public and in earnest.
While all this was going on, however, Blagojevich went to work. Oh, sure, he proclaimed his innocence, blah, blah, blah, he went for runs, he passed some bills, whatever, but basically, he just kept on being governor. As part of his duties, he still has the right, and some might say, obligation, to appoint Barack Obama’s Senate successor. And, at 2:00 today, it seems Rod Blagojevich is going to do just that:
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.
The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.
Shortly after Obama’s Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to the Senate but was never seriously considered, according to Blagojevich insiders. But in the days following Blagojevich’s arrest, and despite questions over the taint of a Senate appointment, Burris stepped up his efforts to win the governor’s support.
Though he is 71, Burris has said that Obama’s replacement should be able to win re-election and he has noted that despite a string of primary losses in races ranging from Chicago mayor to governor and U.S. senator, he’s never lost to a Republican.
Blagojevich, who has sole authority to name a replacement senator, scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference at his downtown Chicago office.
It bears noting that while a lot of people in Illinois politics hate Blagojevich’s guts and will go to great lengths to defeat him by any means necessary, the fact that he is or is not a crook has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Everybody in Illinois politics is a crook, crookedness even trumps party affiliation in the state. As I’ve said before, indicting any one Illinois pol on corruption charges is like trying to point out the one sinner in Hell. What’s going on with the hue and cry surrounding Blago is pure, down and dirty politics, all protestations of ideological and moral consternation nothing more than dramatic fuel for the elbow throwing fire. And, in this game of hand crushing ladder climbing, the too complacent enemies of Blags, believing their opponent to be sufficiently neutralized, just got punked.
Reid had said when the Blagojevich scandal broke earlier this month he would ask the Senate not to seat any Blagojevich appointee, in order to make sure the seat is free of taint. All the Senate Democrats concurred. Manley said Reid’s position has not changed.
Reid’s position may not have changed according to his aide, but most assuredly, the game now has.
In a sure sign that there are powerful factions in Illinois politics hellbent on getting Gov. Rod Blagojevich impeached for something, (by Lincoln’s birthday, if Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has anything to do with it) the latest move in the Mad Hatter’s chess game has U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald petitioning the court to agree to release redacted copies of four wiretapped conversations with an unnamed lobbyist to the “Get Blago” (before he talks?) impeachment committee. These conversations have nothing to do with the sensationalized “Hot Senate Seat Sale Scandal” accusing Blagojevich with attempting to auction off the president-elect’s vacant seat to the highest bidder, which has been tabloidized in the mainstream press…
In a motion filed Monday, Fitzgerald wrote, “Although many relevant communications were intercepted, the government believes that, on balance, it is appropriate to seek the disclosure of four intercepted calls, in redacted form, to the Committee, and that disclosure of the calls by themselves would not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation.”
The motion emphasizes prosecutors do not take a position on whether Blagojevich should be impeached.
The motion also says that while U.S. law “does not necessarily require the government to obtain judicial authorization before disclosing intercepted communications to other law enforcement or investigative officers, the government does so here out of an abundance of caution and in order to afford
the interceptees in the recorded calls an opportunity to be heard and to object, if they so choose.”
…in fact, Blagojevich’s lawyer, Ed Genson makes the case that the same “internal investigation” self generated by the Obama transition team it clears, clears Blags, too. Check.
Genson’s next move, calling for the impeachment panel to subpoena the principals in the Senate sale drama who have been interviewed by authorities in connection with the case, namely Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel, who will officially resign from the House on Friday, was blocked by the US Attorney on the grounds that it could interfere with the ongoing investigation. In other words, the stuff Fitz is willing to release has nothing to do with Team O, and the stuff that does is off-limits to the “Get Blago” panel. Hmmmmm.
So, the Republican National Committee Chair candidate, Chris Saltsman, sends out a gift containing a parody about President-elect of the World, Barack Obama, written by a white guy, that insults black people based on a newspaper article making fun of white people written by a black (multi-racial?) guy, and the recently arrested Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, says the things he’s accused of are only illegal on the planet he must be from, and you do the hokey pokey…
Ah, yes, the Earth continues it’s comfortably wacky corkscrew spin on its now familiarly tilted axis, and all is right with the world. In March, 2007, L.A. Times columinist, David Ehrenstein wrote an article attempting to explain the inexplicable; why the hell was America so enamored of an unaccomplished, inexperienced junior Senator from Illinois? Ehrenstein deduced that Barack Obama’s non-threatening-ness was the key, that by embracing a traditional, “compliant darky” (Magic Negro) role, Obama has been able appease those whites irrationally afraid of the “urban myth” of violent, aggressive, beligerent blackness which has been exploited by both black and white media, allaying their baseless fears in much the same way happy, singing field hands, hapless, Jim Crow minstrels and Jack Benny’s Rochester did. While Ehrenstein limited his examination of Magic Negritude to more recent examples, American history is rife with fictional and fictionalized stories of powerful, often supernaturally so, black people only too happy and willing to subjugate themselves to the will of white people simply out of the goodness of their hearts. Women are often similarly depicted; powerful, sexy, dominant characters are regularly shown allowing themselves to be slapped around by tough guys in need of an ego boost; smart, talented, demure “librarians” toss their glasses and don their “Supergirl” sex appeal to save the hero stupid enough to get himself into trouble he’s incaple of escaping from; the “bad” girl takes a bullet to save the life of the “regular guy” whose only mission in life is to do the right thing. Where blacks are concerned, even people with “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men” have no problem at all serving their genetically inferior/superior “masters.” From the “last guy to die” in “Night of the Living Dead,” to Louise Beavers’ character saving Cary Grant’s butt (If you ain’t eating Wham, you ain’t eating ham!) to Benson providing sanity to the Soap loonies, to Jackie Robinson unflinchingly taking cleats to the face for the good of the game, white America has cultivated an acceptable, yet mythical, black image some African Americans have adopted, adapted and exploited to their advantage in order to get along. However, all players are in on the game, most rational adults are well aware that most black people are a little more than somewhat unwilling to sing happy songs as we give our lives to protect our “benefactors” while in some subordinate service to good white folks. Yet, by cultivating a non-threatening, over-tolerant, unnaturally unflappable image, Barack Obama has been able to hypnotize a certain element of white society, allowing them to allay their own racial guilt in his name.
Enter the bigots with their, you said “nigger,” why can’t I?” logic, feigning innocence as they gleefully engage in Basic Bigotry 101. From the Washington Post:
Chip Saltsman, a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent committee members this month a holiday music CD that included “Barack the Magic Negro,” a parody song first aired in 2007 by talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
Created by conservative satirist Paul Shanklin, the song puts new lyrics to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon,” and it is performed as if black activist Al Sharpton were singing it. Limbaugh played it after the Los Angeles Times ran an opinion piece with the same title.
It’s clear that Shanklin and Limbaugh are not making fun of the gullibility of white people willing to delude themselves into thinking that oppressed people will happily die to save their oppressors, as was Ehrenstein. Yet, the schoolyard-type, big baby cries of, “you started it!” are already being used to justify the deliberately offensive behavior. It’s below juvenile, childish rationalization, and like the prejudicial “parody” itself, should be beneath everyone associated with it. The fact that it’s not kind of proves Ehrenstein’s original point, racism is not only alive and well, it exists and thrives in many forms, and is exploited by all sorts of folks for their own twisted perceptions of advantage.
In our other example of illusionary truth masquerading as reality, Rod Blagojevich is proving not to be as easy to get rid of as some (previously mentioned, but currently unnamed) people might have wished. That could be because he’s not of our world. The governor, facing impeachment and criminal charges in relation to an alledged “pay to play” scam to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat, says there’s two sides to this story, too:
“Even in this process, without saying too much, that was all about trying to end up with the right decision that could do the most things for the people of Illinois, and when the full truth is told, you will see precisely that,” Blagojevich said.
“If somehow that’s impeachable, then I’m on the wrong planet and I’m living in the wrong place,” he said.
Blago’s lawyer, Ed Genson, has asked the impeachment committee to subpeona the president elect and the two of his aides, Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel, who, along with him, were interviewed by authorities regarding his case. Since U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has asked the committee to hold off on pursuing anything relative to his case, expect that aspect of impeachment to peter out pretty quickly. And if Blags keeps crying from the wildnerness of his otherworld, alternate universe, where all Illinois politicians with the same benefactors are created, and treated, equal, expect to see the tansition team squirm, magic or no magic.
It’s obvious that the curiously-funded, political science lab-created Axelsteinian entity selected by the nebulous powers-that-be to front the shadow cabal that actually seems hellbent on running the country into the ground thinks, along with his masters, that Joe and Jane Public are stupid as tree stumps. There’s evidence to support their opinion. First of all, USA Today says that America’s new Leader in the Light is the most admired man in the country. Despite the fact that he accomplished nothing of note as a state or US Senator, it seems that being elected because he wasn’t a Clinton or a Republican, as well as having the good fortune to be black in today’s Madison Avenue defined post-racial America, as designated by the Hope Pope, is enough to inspire awe and respect in 32% of those of our fellow citizens willing to be polled about such nonsense during the holidays. Hillary Clinton was dubbed “Most Admired Woman” for the umpteenth time, beating out Sarah, Oprah, Condi, Michelle and all the other American women famous enough for being famous that we know them by their first names.
However, the strongest evidence that the Obamessiah and His Disciples in and of the media are primarily committed to tending their sheeple flock is the realization that they believe that touting such fluff is sufficient to distract attention from the fact that their Teflon TelePrompTer Reader and two of his acolytes have been questioned at length in an investigation of “pay-to-play” corruption in his home state. In the federal building with lawyers present and everything. In their defense they cry, “we investigated ourselves and found ourselves innocent and the US Attorney says we’re not a target, anyway, and we told the governor all we were offering him in return for doing what we wanted was appreciation, but we didn’t know he wanted anything in the first place, and besides, that same US Attorney stopped the illegal enterprise before anybody besides the bad guy we want you to hate could be implicated, like us, but, since it’s Christmas we know you’re not really paying attention, and, oh, by the way, have you seen our guy’s pecs?
And, on top of all that, Rahm’s not even in the country right now, he’s in Africa, ‘cuz, well, he really, really wanted to go, and the Great Hype Hope is in Hawaii, spending googobs of somebody’s money while he rests up for the Greatest Inauguration Ever in a Recession, and nobody talks to Valerie Jarret besides her lawyer, so you couldn’t ask any of them any questions even if you were up on things. And don’t even worry about why the New York Times mentioned VJ staffer Michael Strautmanis in connection with the investigation and nobody else has, it’s probably not important.”
That would be the headline for any other president-elect at any other time in our history, since it accurately reflects the facts of a pretty sensational story. However, since we’re talking about an extraordinary Teflon TelePrompTer Messiah, elected/anointed/selected to lead us to the Promised Land of Peace and Prosperity at this unique point in history, the bulk of the headlines referring to Barack Obama’s “internal investigation report” into his own and his staff’s involvement in the Rod Blagojevich “Got A Hot Senate Seat, Gotta Move It” scandal read more like, “Jesus’ Little Brother Absolves Himself And All Who Love Him.” Hey, it’s Christmas.
On Dec. 11, Obama called for an internal investigation and said he and his staff were definitely, for sure not involved, no how, no way:
The president-elect said he was “as appalled and disappointed as anybody” by the allegations. He said that neither he nor his transition team have been a part of the continuing federal investigation, using language that was very specific but left several questions unanswered.
“I have not been contacted by any federal officials and we have not been interviewed by them,” Obama said.
On Dec. 15, we were told, hey, we’ve got a report, but the US Attorney wants us to hold off on releasing it, and since we’re such transparent good guys, of course we’re gonna comply:”
President-elect Barack Obama said Monday that his transition office was delaying release of a report on contacts with the Blagojevich administration until next week because the U.S. attorney’s office in Illinois asked for more time to conduct interviews about the controversial Senate vacancy.
I guess they just forgot to mention that the interviews the US Attorney wanted to conduct were with the president-elect and two key members of his inner circle. Their bad. On Dec. 18, 19, and 20th, Obama, Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett were questioned by authorities with their lawyers present:
Those with knowledge of the federal investigation have said that Emanuel is not a target in the case. There also is no indication that Jarrett ever was a target, a transition official said. Like Obama, both were accompanied by lawyers for their interviews with the prosecutor’s staff, Gibbs said.
We also now know that Jarrett talked to SEIU official Tom Balanoff about appointing Blagojevich Secretary of Health and Human Services, but that it had nothing to do with Jarrett or Obama’s Senate seat:
Obama’s report details a conversation about the appointment between Jarrett and Tom Balanoff, head of the Illinois chapter of the Service Employees International Union, in which Balanoff told her that Blagojevich had “raised with him” the idea of being appointed Health and Human Services secretary.
Balanoff informed Jarrett he had told Blagojevich it wouldn’t happen, and Jarrett agreed, discounting the notion as “ridiculous,” the report states.
However, there was never any suggestion in the conversation that Blagojevich was linking the Senate appointment to the possible Cabinet posting, the report states.
Ha, ha, ho, ho, and a good time was had by all. Another curious thing, at least to me, is that the interviews were held on consecutive days, with Emanuel’s being last. Emanuel, who had long been suspected of having had multiple contacts with the Illinois governor re: the Senate seat, seems to have needed to have his memory jogged by authorities:
During Emanuel’s interview Saturday, federal authorities played for him a taped recording of at least one conversation he had with Blagojevich’s office, according to a transition official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss information not included in the report.
As soon as Rahm’s interview was concluded, he went to Africa. No word on where David Axelrod went, but a trip to a creative writing class might be in order. Davey’s storytelling skills need a bit of brushing up:
Obama’s report also addresses confusion over earlier statements by David Axelrod, a top adviser who had said at one point that Obama discussed the Senate appointment with Blagojevich. Axelrod had discussed potential recommendations for the Senate appointment with Obama and Emanuel, and “was under the impression” that it would be Obama who would offer those to Blagojevich.
“He later learned that it was Mr. Emanuel who conveyed those names,” the report states.
Davey’s not the only one deficient in “once upon a time” skills; Greg Craig, the “investigator” who put the report together probably bores little kids to sleep, too:
Obama’s report states that none of Blagojevich’s aides reached out to the president-elect’s staff. The report only notes that Obama friend Eric Whitaker was approached by one of Blagojevich’s top aides to learn “who, if anyone, had the authority to speak for the president-elect” about the Senate appointment.
Obama told Whitaker that “no one was authorized to speak for him” and that “he had no interest in dictating the result of the selection process,” according to the report.
So, they didn’t reach out to staff, people just happened to bump into each other in the hall, or pick up silent phones only to find representatives from Blago’s office on the other end, or powerful psychic connections were made between highly receptive simpatico telepaths on both sides, or, just maybe, all the “reaching out” came from the Obamessiah side. Politico has an accounting of some other inconsistencies and curiosities associated with Oblagoma-gate, but one thing we’re not ever likely to figure out is why the New York Times mentioned Jarrett staffer Michael Strautmanis as a name likey to be dropped into this mess when it wasn’t. But, it’s a comfort to know that the president-elect absolved himself before and after he was hauled in front of the authorities. In fact, it’s nice to be reminded of that other heartwarming tale of righeous indignation spurring justice seeking, “The Ballad of Candidate Number 5,” who was also not only questioned by Fitz’s boys, but alerted to the governor’s impending arrest; only in his case, it was on other occasions that he exercised his civic duty to report unethical behavior. Makes my heart cockles all warm and fuzzy.
And, who wouldn’t want their cockles toasty on Christmas Eve?
Internal report’s a-comin’! We got a report, and we’re gonna show it to ya! Boy, oh, boy, just wait til you read our report! That’s the gist of what we’ve been hearing about Barack Obama’s personal investigation into the degree of his and his surrogates’ involvement in the ongoing BlagoGate Hot Senate Seat for Sale scam. I expected to wake up to details being revealed, discussed, debated, analyzed, etc., but so far, the New York Times, the Associated Press, AFP, CNN, CBS, and everybody else is telling us, still, that the report’s a-comin’ and it will exonerate Obie and all who love him. But…seems to me, when all the info in the stories comes from people sympathetic to the Obamessiah, who have no more access to inside information than you or I do, something fishy stinks. CBS, at least, gives an ETA:
The report’s release is expected at around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the timing based on an agreement with the U.S. attorney. It comes as Mr. Obama is vacationing in Hawaii. Mr. Obama has been very clear that this report will allay any concerns about any improper contact between his staff and Blagojevich, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy. But he kept the details private while the federal investigation continues.
How could a report corroborating the US Attorney’s assertion that Team O is “not involved” compromise the investigation? And what the hell was Jo(k)e Biden talking about on This Week?
“I know in our system you are innocent until proven guilty, but those tapes that were released by the special prosecutor, excuse me, by the U.S. attorney seem incredibly, incredibly incriminating,” Biden said. “From where I sit, he looks like a guy who is not capable of governing.”
Somebody released some tapes? FOX News says Patrick Fitzgerald has asked the Illinois (Get Blago) Impeachment Committee to hold off on its’ investigation, but might release wiretap transcripts to them:
Federal prosecutors are asking the Illinois House impeachment committee not to dig into criminal charges against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
In a letter released Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald says the panel could “significantly compromise” his investigation by interviewing Blagojevich aides about possible crimes.
Fitzgerald is also declining to provide information about his investigation, such as the identities of people mentioned in a criminal complaint.
But the prosecutor does say he hasn’t ruled out giving the committee copies of Blagojevich conversations caught on wiretaps.
So, as far as I can see, people with no business commenting on information they don’t have are trying pretty desperately to get the word out that everybody in ObamaLand is pure as the driven snow ahead of the release of Obamessiah’s Edict of Absolution.
Why not just release the damned report already and be done with it?
Blagojevich spin: I wanted to appoint Lisa Madigan to Barack Obama’s Senate seat to get her out of my hair, but Team O went ballistic and insisted on Valerie Jarrett. Rahm Emanuel really wanted Jarrett because he didn’t want her competing with him for the president’s attention in Washington.
Obama spin: We just wanted a qualified person to fill the seat, who that person would be was entirely up to the governor. As far as we know, no one on our staff said otherwise.
So, who’s telling the truth? Truth? What’s that, you say? What we know from the press is that Barack Obama’s team seems committed to the “what, who me?” defense; according to ABC, the much bally-hooed internal investigation absolves both Team O and Rahm Emanuel of any impropriety, since Rahm only had a total of 5 perfectly innocent contacts with Blago or his boys.
However, the Washington Times says that the “one” direct contact between Blags and Rahm wasn’t quite as clean as Team O might wish:
Mr. Emanuel did contact the governor’s office about the appointment, and left Mr. Blagojevich with the impression that he was pushing Valerie Jarrett, a close Obama friend, so he wouldn’t have to compete with her in the White House for Mr. Obama’s attention, said a source close to Mr. Blagojevich. The source requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to talk about the governor’s discussions regarding the vacancy.
But, as we discussed yesterday, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown hints in the San Francisco Chronicle that Rahm’s suggestion might have been offered as a counter solution to the one Blago had in mind:
I can’t go into details, but my impression is that the whole mess started because the governor had been considering appointing a political rival, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, to the Senate so she wouldn’t be able to run against him when he went up for re-election in 2010.
So, where are we? Blago says he had specific plans for the vacant Senate seat; sensible plans considering the enduring enmity between him and all things Madigan, until Rahmbo inserted himself into the process, making “polite” demands with only vague promises of “appreciation” in return. If that is the case, “fuck that” is a reasonable response. It’s also plausible, because if Rahmbo was indeed operating outside of Team O’s official purview, or more likely, charged with making it seem as if he were, Rahm would have nothing concrete to offer. Similarly, Blagojevich would have no incentive to cooperate.
Whatever the motives and machinations involved, we may never know the full extent of Team O’s complicity, given that they don’t have to release any documentation associated with their investigation. According to Politico:
But for now, a spokeswoman for President-elect Barack Obama said the transition team was not covered by a public information law that Politico cited in requesting copies of Obama staffers’ emails and notes about Blagojevich’s efforts to fill the Senate seat Obama vacated after winning the presidency.
Asked if the team would voluntarily release the records, the spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, was non-committal. “Let’s wait and see what we put out after our internal review,” she told Politico. “I don’t even know if there’s any correspondence to be had, so one step at a time.”
As we know from the Camp Obama response to questions of donor fraud, they’re not likely to do anything they don’t have to do. Besides, Obama’s internal investigation, worthless in the best of circumstances since it’s hardly likely to be impartial, is exponentially worthless-er given their lack of access to any official pertinent information, like, say, oh, maybe, at least 16 other wiretapped conversations and stuff. From the Associated Press:
An official familiar with Obama’s internal review said the president-elect’s team wrote their report without having access to transcripts of the FBI’s taped conversations. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to discuss the review publicly.
Looks like Rahm’s headed out the door and under the bus.
Though George Stephanopoulis claims that his “confidential sources” claim Rahm Emanuel only spoke to embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich once about President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat and Rahm’s own soon-to-be vacant House seat, and four conversations with Blago’s Chief Of Staff John Harris, which contradicts Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed’s claim of a total of 21 contacts, and the CBS News chacterization of Rahm’s involvement as “bad news” for Obama, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown has a different take, this one supposedly direct from the horse’s mouth. First George’s story:
Sources tell me that the Obama team’s review of contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will show that Rahm Emanuel had only one phone conversation with Blagojevich.
The contact, described as a “pro-forma” courtesy call, came as Emanuel was named Chief of Staff for Obama. Most of the discussion concerned Emanuel’s Congressional seat (which had previously been held by Blagojevich), with only a “passing reference” to the Senate vacancy, according to these sources. No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.
edit
The sources add that the report will show Emanuel also had four phone calls with Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris. During those conversations, the Senate seat was discussed. The pros and cons of various candidates were reviewed, and the sources say that Emanuel repeatedly reminded Harris that Blagojevich should focus on the message the pick would send about the governor and his administration.
Now, heeeeerrrrre’s Willie. Writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, Brown says Blago, sensing a sympathetic ear, called him to say there’s more to the story than Team O is allowing to meet our eye:
I can’t go into details, but my impression is that the whole mess started because the governor had been considering appointing a political rival, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, to the Senate so she wouldn’t be able to run against him when he went up for re-election in 2010.
Apparently, Obama’s people weren’t happy about the idea of Madigan coming to Washington, and there were some pretty heated conversations between Blagojevich and Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, which I understand will burn your ears off.
Since I trust Willie a lot more than George, I say, get your popcorn ready and pull up your seatbelt fastened Barcalounger. Looks like we’re in for a bumpy roller coaster ride. And remember, I told you so. Time and time, again.
One of the dirtiest little secrets about abusers is how utterly nice they can appear to the world to be. Oftentimes, no one can believe that the handsome, charming, hail-fellow-well-met they know, love and admire can be a petty, vindictive, manipulating, asshole who beats his wife, or abuses family members, or seduces the children he coaches or mentors, or even sometimes, stalks, rapes, and kills strangers behind closed doors. Nope, not that guy, people say. He’s a clergyman, politician, teacher, doctor, volunteer, serviceman…fill in the blank, he could be that just as well as he could be unemployed, through no fault of his own, of course. Sometimes he even generates sympathy; poor guy, they say, too bad his accident-prone, loser wife drinks, his pre-pubescent teenager is a slut, his Little League team can’t seem to win. He’s so patient with them, he tries so hard, it’s a shame the people he loves always let him down.
Such men are masters of manipulation, adept at culling their victims from the “herd” of their families and friends, isolating and alienating them from those dedicated to protecting them, casting their “problems” as unfortunately self-generated. He loves them so much, you see. He can’t let them out of his sight. Who knows what they might do without him.
Nobody knows that such a guy’s wife is the most careful woman in the world, taking extraordinary pains to make sure things are always just the way he likes them, terrified that she will “fall down the stairs and into a door” if his dinner fork is a centimeter out of place, or her appearance doesn’t meet his approval, or a neighbor neglects to return his friendly wave. No, they blame his nubile young daughter for embodying the sexy allure of adolescence if ever unfounded allegations rear their ugly heads, and who could win Pop Warner football games when so many of his players seem just a little off? They all love him, don’t they? So, he spends hours away from home sometimes doing God knows what? So what? He’s entitled; he gives so much to his family, team, church, committees. And, whatever he keeps in his locked room is his business, isn’t it? A man deserves some privacy, some place he can call his own, doesn’t he?
He’s a saint.
When Rod Blagojevich announced today that he was going to fight the allegations against him, characterizing his troubles as attacks by his enemies, professing his loneliness, the media went into their predictable “who does this crazy guy think he is?” feeding frenzy. Nobody even considered that maybe, just maybe, his estranged “husband” in the political marriage of inconvenience he might have entered into once upon a time when it seemed mutually beneficial, just might be pulling the strings. Back when both parties harbored the same presidential dream, when marriage seemed prudent. Though there likely was never even a pretense of affection privately, there probably was wary respect, and hey, even if you make it before I do…whatever happens, it will be good for our family. Publicly, the union would have seemed to be made in Heaven. Until, gradually, stories would have begun to come out about the “wife’s” erratic behavior. Poor, put upon Mr. Sunshine would begin to notice the fluctuating liquor levels, the abundance of discarded pill bottles, the drop-off in his spouse’s professional and personal performance. What could possibly be wrong?
Publicly, the golden boy of the “marriage” would have continued to glow, untainted by even the hint of scandal, seemingly incapable of making even the tiniest misstep, while the other partner’s slightest indiscretion or miscalculation could always be expected to be innocently, indirectly, unfortunately, exposed, then magnified disproportionately in the eyes of the couple’s mutual acquaintances, family, co-workers and friends. How sad that one partner would seem almost mythical, magical, majestic, while being so burdened by the unimaginable failure he so valiantly “loves.”
No, no one would ever consider that the crazy criminal kook was issuing a cry for help, or that the charming, handsome messianic guy he shared his political house with was trying to push him down the steps in front of company.
Rahm Emanuel is not talking, but, Chicago’s “other paper,” (the nearly bankrupt Tribune being the one mentioned in the recent Blagogate scandal) the Sun-Times, says “oh, yes he did,” talk directly to Gov. Rod Blagojevich about filling Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat with Valerie Jarrett, even though Team O says, “oh, no he di’nt.”
President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.
Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.
Well, of course Rahmbo didn’t “broker a deal” for Jarrett, she pulled her name from contention after her BFF made it clear he desperately needed her in the White House, right before he officially resigned from the Senate earlier than anybody in history, for no apparent reason. Sheesh. The only problem for Rahmbobama is that Blag’s got a big mouth:
But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.
At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.
“The boss would “appreciate” it if you would do him the favor of giving his Senate seat to his pal Val before the 12th, or this “offer you shouldn’t refuse goes away. Capice?”
–In a Nov. 10 phone call with advisers, Blagojevich discussed getting a
lucrative labor job in exchange for appointing an unnamed candidate
whom he believed was favored by Obama. In a Nov. 11 conversation,
Blagojevich acknowledged that Obama wanted an unnamed “Senate Candidate
1” for the seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything but
appreciation. [Expletive] them.”
“Blags, da boss is very disappointed. Remember “da list?” C’mon, you and me go back a long ways. Just to show you we’re honorable, reasonable, appreciative guys, ya got til the 15th to do the right thing, or I can’t be responsible for what comes next.”
Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.
Obviously, for Blagojevich “appreciation” was not enough:
Told by two other advisers he has to “suck it up” for two years, the FBI says, Blagojevich was heard complaining that he has to give this “motherf– [the president-elect] his senator. F– him. For nothing? F– him.”
The affidavit said that Blagojevich was interested in a high-paying position with Change to Win, an organization affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and that he suggested in a conversation with a SEIU official on Nov. 12 that Obama wanted other people to be considered for the Senate seat besides Senate Candidate 1. Previous phone conversations indicated that Blagojevich knew the SEIU official “was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1’s interest in the Senate seat,” the affidavit said.
Time passes, Jarrett withdraws, is appointed to some made-up White House lackey position, Obie leaves the seat wide open for Blago to do as he will and…the waiting game goes on. Until:
On December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Advisor B and informed Advisor B that he was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if ROD BLAGOJEVICH ran for re-election Senate Candidate 5 would “raise money” for ROD BLAGOJEVICH, although ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from Senate Candidate 5 to insure Senate Candidate 5 kept his promise about raising money for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. (In a recorded conversation on October 31, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH described an earlier approach by an associate of Senate Candidate Five as follows: “We were approached ‘pay to play.’ That, you know, he’d raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”)”
Good memory, Blago. Good thing that October 31 luncheon you had with 5’s homeys came back to you when it did and you could have him set up that fundraiser that lead to that lunch that lead to the Feebies calling Five to warn him that he had lead to the arrest that brought down the house that Rod built:
Blagojevich and the congressman met to discuss the Senate seat on Monday, one day before federal prosecutors arrested Blagojevich and charged him with trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. As part of the charges, prosecutors alleged that Blagojevich was considering awarding the seat to a politician identified as “Senate Candidate 5″ because emissaries for that candidate were promising to raise as much as $1.5 million for Blagojevich’s campaign fund.
Coulda happened like that. But even if it did, Rahm didn’t do anything “inappropriate” on behalf of his boss, did he? And Obie didn’t talk to Blago directly, did he? So, even if my imagination is firing on all cylinders, the only guilty party in all this is crazy, greedy, corrupt slimeball, Rod Blagojevich, right? What’s the difference between “entrapment” and “set-up,” again?
There’s Chicago politics, and there’s Illinois politics; sometimes they overlap, sometimes they clash. Players who support each other locally gleefully sell each other down the river statewise and vice versa. You’ve heard of inmates running the asylum, imagine toddlers running the university and you have a pretty good idea of the political landscape in the Land of Lincoln.
Everybody hates everybody who can’t help them, until they can. Then, they support them fully, until they don’t. State Senator Dick Durbin supposedly joked, when asked about the long-standing feud between House Speaker, Mike Madigan (father of Attorney General Lisa) and Governor Rod Blagojevich, that it would be wiser to hang out in the Middle east than deal with their mess:
Illinois senior Senator Dick Durbin said in 2008 that he receives many constituent complaints about the dispute between Blagojevich and Madigan, with letter writers wanting him to step in to negotiate.[6] Durbin said the subject is also often talked about in the United States Congress in Washington, DC among the Illinois congressional delegation.[6] However, Durbin joked that he’d rather go to Baghdad to mediate than Springfield.[6]
That Madigan and Blagojevich are enemies is no secret, nor is the fact that Madigan has been planning to solicit the Supreme Court to have Blaggo removed since the summer, circulating an “impeachment memo” that House Impeachment Committee Chair, Obama supporter and neighbor, Barbara Flynn Currie called an “opinion piece” the committee was “not considering” in their ongoing process. Pouncing on the opportunity to put his plan in action afforded him by Hot Rod’s recent arrest, (the timing of which was not affected by any news story) Madigan, via Lisa announced their fall back intentions to have Blago declared unfit within hours of his release on bail. Unfortunately for them, that case was dismissed, as anybody with a brain knew it would be. No matter, Madigan’s purpose was served. Blago was further damaged by negative press, the Madigans at least tried, gosh darnit, and there’s always impeachment.
Mike Madigan and Currie were superdelegate supporters of Barack Obama, who has had his own love/hate relationship with Blags. Then, there’s Jesse Jackson, Jr. (Candidate Number 5,) Mayor Richard Daley and his brother, Obama campaign senior adviser, William, of J.P. Morgan Chase, Obama political “Godfather,” and Blagobuddy, Emil Jones, who hates Madigan, Tony Rezko and Alex Giannoulias, all of whom circulate in and around Oblago’s orbit, depending upon the degree of advantage doing so affords them. Daley has not always been an Obama fan, and Jesse Jr. has issues with Madigan (once co-chair of Blago’s re-election committee) regarding Obama’s support for Giannoulias. From Jackson’s website, August, 2006:
Everyone knows House Speaker Michael Madigan is a man of few words.
Last week, he uttered a special one: Messiah.
“There’s been no word from the messiah,” Madigan answered wryly when I asked whether he would be supporting Democratic Treasurer nominee Alexi Giannoulias in November.
The “messiah” to whom Madigan referred is U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.
Obama yanked Giannoulias from obscurity and endorsed his run for state treasurer — despite the fact that Madigan had a different candidate in mind. In TV commercials that catapulted Giannoulias into Illinois living rooms, Obama called the young treasurer candidate “one of the most outstanding young men I could ever hope to meet.”
Illinois State treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has been accused of making loans to mobsters, supports a “pooling pensions” plan once proposed by Blagojevich, (who has his own problems on that score with his father-in-law, Alderman Richard Mell as well as Rezko,) and has a long history with “the Messiah.” Of course, Obama and Blagojevich both also have Rezko connections. In light of the current Blago problems, that also touch upon his wife, Patti, her father, Mell, is threatening to tell what he knows.
And that’s just the prologue. After following all these links I’ve provided, I’m even more convinced that Obama’s brand of Chi-town politics is “Hardball with Clean Hands,” or, “you’re busted, prove I had something to do with it,” and that he likely, deliberately, set Blago up for this Senate seat fall. And we haven’t even mentioned Daley-Blagojevich supporting, DLC member, and designated carrot-dangler, Rahm Emanuel. As much as I’d like to go through each and every one of these little subplots and explore them in more detail, the multiple plot twists and turns have fried my brain. Oh, well, tomorrow is another day, and who knows who’ll be hating who by then?
Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois governor accused of trying to sell the Senate seat president-elect Barack Obama curiously vacated in record time, is “dying to talk,” according to Politico:
Gov. Rod Blagojevich spoke with reporters for several minutes before taking a jog in snowy Chicago, telling them to “hang loose” to hear his side of the story.
“I can’t wait to begin to tell my side of story, to address you guys and most important, the people of Illinois,” Blagojevich said. “That’s who I am dying to talk to.”
Also, according to Politico, Obama himself is “frustrated” that he can’t talk:
President-elect Barack Obama said he’s anxious to “correct immediately” some media reports on transition team contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but would hold off until next week as promised to federal authorities.
“It’s a little bit frustrating,” Obama said Wednesday at a Chicago news conference. “There’s been a lot of speculation in the press that I would love to correct immediately. We are abiding by the request of the U.S. attorney’s office, but it’s not going to be that long. By next week, you guys will have the answers to all your questions.”
In the same article, Obama’s ventriloquist, David (Astroturf King) Axelrod, railed against being “hamstrung” by the Fed’s request to zip it where the internal investigation report is concerned:
“Nobody is more eager than we are to be able to release that,” Axelrod, a senior Obama adviser, said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And when you see it, it will corroborate what the president-elect has said, which is that he never spoke with the governor or any of his aides about this, and that there were no inappropriate discussions between members of his staff and the governor’s office in this matter.”
So, a couple of things jump out at me. One, who says bribery and collusion, etc. are crimes that can only be committed among friends? How close do you have to be to buy and sell anything? I’ve never bought a car from a guy I had breakfast with the morning after. Just saying. Two, while Axelrove is vouching for everybody on Obie’s staff, (does that include Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Rahm Emanuel’s conversations with Team Baggo before Nov. 6, when he was officially announced as Chief of Staff? Just asking.) who’s gonna vouch for Davey? He has a long history with the Chicago Tribune…
At the age of 27, Axelrod became the City Hall Bureau Chief and a political columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He worked at the Tribune for eight years, covering national, state and local politics.
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed hints that Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama’s, officially appointed on Nov. 6, Chief of Staff had a whole bunch of conversations with recently arrested, and possibly crazy, Gov. Rod Blagojevich about Obama’s vacant Senate seat, which might have been caught on tape:
Sneed hears rumbles President-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is reportedly on 21 different taped conversations by the feds — dealing with his boss’ vacant Senate seat!
President-elect Barack Obama said on Monday that an internal review confirms that no one on his staff had any “inappropriate” discussions with disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich , but he’s postponing release of the full review until next week at the request of federal prosecutors investigating Blagojevich for corruption.
“I would ask for your patience because I do not want to interfere with an ongoing investigation,” Obama said during a news conference in Chicago , which he called to formally announce his appointments to lead energy and environment policy.
Stopping the reporter midsentence, Mr. Obama told him he didn’t want him to waste his time asking a question he wouldn’t answer. Mr. Obama said, as he had yesterday, that he had done a “full review” of the situation but at the request of the United States attorney, he would not comment on the matter until next week.
A local Chicago ABC News affiliate is reporting that Jesse Jackson, Jr., “Candidate Number 5” in the Rod Blagojevich “Senate seat sale” scandal, not only once blew the whistle on “Hot Rod,” he also received a “courtesy call” from the Feds before Blago’s arrest in the scheme. Since we have no information as to whether the terms, “watch your ass,” or, “you owe us big time,” were used, we have no way of knowing the nature of the Feebie’s “heads up.” However, given that Jackson served as Obama’s national campaign co-chair, the story is being presented by the media outlet in the best possible light. Otherwise, the blowback from Jackson’s possible complicity in the scam might blow back on The Chosen One, and we mustn’t have that.
Jackson has been fighting for his reputation since the federal complaint revealed his supporters were willing to raise money for the governor, if Jackson was appointed to the Senate.
The new information appears to support Jackson’s claim that he was not involved in a scheme to buy a U.S. Senate seat.
ABC7 has learned that since late last summer, the congressman has worked with federal prosecutors, informing on an alleged Blagojevich administration scheme two and half years earlier.
The meeting in June of 2006 at a Gold Coast hotel included Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.
So, basically, the Feds have been on to Jackson for some time, one way or another. We don’t know the nature of these “interviews,” who initiated them, and/or whether Jackson’s “cooperation” was entirely voluntary. All we know from the article is that there have been multiple contacts:
Then last summer, weeks after Rezko was found guilty of un-related corruption, the U.S. Attorney’s Office interviewed the congressman as a possible witness against the governor in the Peotone matter.
And sources tell ABC7 that Jackson has been in regular contact with the feds and has told the government that in 2003 Blagojevich denied the congressman’s wife Sandi an appointment as Illinois lottery director because Jackson would not donate $25,000 to the governor’s campaign fund.
The article concludes, however, by pointing out that Jackson supporters might want to hold off on finagling the U.S. Attorney into publicly clearing their guy:
Jackson supporters ABC7 talked to on Monday want the U.S. attorney to give the congressman a clean bill of health so to speak.
In1998, then U.S. Attorney Scott Lassar did that for Republican gubernatorial candidate George Ryan. Ryan was eventually convicted of corruption and now sits in a federal prison.
At the very least, we now know for sure that Jackson had first hand knowledge that Blago was open to bribery.
Arne Duncan, Harvard grad, former pro basketball player, (Australia) and current Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools, which Pres-elect Obie’s daughters do not attend) is said to be set to become Secretary of Education. Current Education Sec’y, Margaret Spellings, has nice things to say about the Chicagoan, but then, she doesn’t live there.
“I don’t want to hurt his chances but I think he’s a terrific school leader…and I’m saying this because we have a lot of experience together,” she said then. “I consider him a fellow reformer and someone who cares deeply about students. I think he’d be a great choice.”
Due to inaction in Illinois’ legislature, a coalition of ministers plan to escalate their demand for education reform by taking the issue to Wrigley Field during the Chicago Cubs playoff game on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The ministers, their congregants and supporters will rally in the middle of the street in front of the ballpark.
The Clergy Coalition for School Funding Reform’s (CCSFR) latest action is to bring attention to the school funding inequities, which have plagued Illinois’ students for more than 30 years. On September 2, the group, led by Rev. Senator James T. Meeks, staged a two-day protest of Chicago Public Schools where more than 1400 children didn’t attend the first day of school and attempted to enroll in the wealthy, property rich school district of Winnetka. Meeks is the pastor of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, the largest African American church in Illinois with over 20,000 members. He is also a state senator.
Senator John F. Kerry was named chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee today, pledging to use his stewardship of the influential panel to strengthen American interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, help end the war in Iraq, and craft solutions to the climate change crisis.
Forget all the bitter squawking about “Bush/Clinton dynasties” Hillary Clinton’s run for president generated. Poof! No longer valid. Now, dynasties are the “new black,” as in “endorse the black guy, get your family in.” First up, Caroline Kennedy. Now, she wants HRC’s Senate seat because, well, she’s a Kennedy, she endorsed Barack Obama for president and, doggone it, she really, really wants it.
While some Clintonites are miffed, the whole “she’s just an inexperienced Kennedy” stuff is a bit unfair in today’s world, no? Can you say “Schwartzenegger?” Who has his very own personal Kennedy, by the way. Fred Thompson, Jesse Ventura, Al Franken, Sonny Bono, Clint Eastwood, Fred Gandy, Barack Obama, the celebrity politician list is growing. Who needs “experience” if they’re famous? Jeez.
Even though, according to Rasmussen, 45% of American voters believe that today’s soon-to-be officially elected president-elect, Barack Obama, or his team is likely to be involved in the evolving Gov. Rod Blagojevich Senate seat sale scandal, Team O has issued a statement saying, basically, “we’re not on tape doing anything wrong, and that’s all we can tell you right now.” From Politico:
“At the direction of the President-elect, a review of Transition staff contacts with Governor Blagojevich and his office has been conducted and completed and is ready for release. That review affirmed the public statements of the President-elect that he had no contact with the governor or his staff, and that the President-elect’s staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as U.S. senator.
“Also at the President-elect’s direction, Gregory Craig, counsel to the Transition, has kept the US Attorney’s office informed of this fact-gathering process in order to ensure our full cooperation with the investigation.
“In the course of those discussions, the US Attorney’s office requested the public release of the Transition review be deferred until the week of December 22, in order not to impede their investigation of the governor. The Transition has agreed to this revised timetable for release.”
Meanwhile, back at the Wall Street Journal, anonymous members of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s team say he, and they, are furious at the Chicago Tribune for jumping the gun and costing them “Candidate Number 5:”
Conventional wisdom holds that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ordered the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich before sunrise Tuesday in order to stop a crime from being committed. That would have been the sale of the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
But the opposite is true: Members of Fitzgerald’s team are livid the scheme didn’t advance, at least for a little longer, according to some people close to Fitzgerald’s office. Why? Because had the plot unfolded, they might have had an opportunity most feds can only dream of: A chance to catch the sale of a Senate seat on tape, including the sellers and the buyers.
The precise timing of Tuesday’s dramatic, pre-dawn arrest was not dictated by Fitzgerald, nor was it dictated by the pace of Blagojevich’s alleged “crime spree.” It was dictated by the Chicago Tribune, according to people close to the investigation and a careful reading of the FBI’s affidavit in the case.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald praised the Chicago Tribune during today’s press conference because the paper honored a request to hold off on publishing information about the investigation of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The investigation involved bugs and wiretaps.
“We made an urgent request for the Tribune not to publish that story,” Fitzgerald said.
“I have to take my hat off” to the paper, Fitzgerald added.
Not long after the Illinois attorney general, Lisa Madigan, told a national television audience that Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois was thinking of possibly resigning here on Monday, the governor’s spokesman broke some news of his own.
Not only was Mr. Blagojevich not resigning, the spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, said, but he was planning to go to work on Monday and study a few bills that might at some point require either his signature or veto — including one that will be hammered out in a special legislative session in Springfield that would strip him of his coveted appointment power over President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.
“He has no plans of resigning today or tomorrow,” Mr. Guerrero said on Sunday. “He still signs bills as governor, and he wants to see details.
Madigan, the daughter of Blago “frenemy,” Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who has aspirations of her own for Blago’s job, and, who has officially called on Blago to resign, and who has initiated Supreme Court proiceedings against him, used her promotional face time on “Face The Nation” to engage in mainstream media gossip about Blag’s future plans.
Ms. Madigan is a longtime rival of Mr. Blagojevich who has expressed interest in the past of one day being governor herself, and she has requested that the State Supreme Court declare the governor unfit for office. Ms. Madigan acknowledged on CBS’s morning news show, “Face the Nation,” that her assertion was based on “rumors in the media.” But not before they set off a firestorm of speculation.
Her spokeswoman, Robyn Ziegler, said of her remarks after the television appearance: “She has no inside information about anything.”
Having grown up in Chicago, only to leave as a young woman to pursue my dreams, (and escape winter cold) I find the current consternation about the city’s corruption amusing. During his press conference with U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, charging Governor Rod Blagojevich with trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder, FBI agent Robert Grant referred to Illinois as “one hell of a competitor” for the title of most corrupt state in the country. USA Today, however, ranks Illinois as 18th, based on the number of per capita government convictions, asserting that North Dakota holds the title. However, that seems misleading. Basing corruption on the number of convictions is bass ackwards. A state that convicts officials for corruption obviously has a low tolerance for such behavior. That is not Illinois, or it’s largest city, by a long shot.
Chicagoans love corruption. It’s simply the way things are done, as they have always been. Corruption does not exist within the framework of Chicago politics, corruption is Chicago politics. They “don’t want nobody nobody sent.” ” Who sent you?” “Who do you know?” “What’s in it for me?” “Who do I make the check out to?” Need a job? See your alderman. Want a permit? Make a donation. Got a problem? Find “a guy” who “knows a guy.” That’s the Chicago Way.
Nobody comes through Chicago clean, because “clean” by Chicago standards is not the same as it must be in, say, North Dakota. “Will it come back on me?” No? Then it’s “clean.”
Peel back the layers in the Blagojevich “scandal” and you’ll find deals upon deals, with every player identified participating to one extent or another. A veritable soap opera of connections to connections, nepotism, cronyism, patronage and graft, with only outright theft being mildly frowned upon because it unneccessarily draws attention, not because it’s morally reprehensible.
Barack Obama chose the rough and tumble politics of Chicago over Honolulu, Los Angeles, Manhattan and Boston, all cities he has some connection to, while having none to the Windy City. Why? To clean it up, or maneuver through it? Both? Neither? Example: in September, during the run-up to the election, the Chicago Sun-Times and others took Obie to task for not backing pay-to-play ethics reform his “Godfather,” Emil Jones was blocking:
In the middle of a simmering Statehouse ethics battle is Obama’s “political godfather,” Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), who triggered questions Thursday about whether he may allow the legislation to die after the Nov. 4 election.
Designed as a response to the “pay-to-play politics” that have flourished under Gov. Blagojevich, the plan would bar firms with more than $50,000 in state contracts from donating to the officeholder in charge of the deals.
But the governor entirely rewrote the plan, stripping out that language and putting it in an executive order. In its place, he inserted provisions into the original legislation to deal with how lawmakers award themselves pay raises and to bar the practice by some state officeholders of holding outside, non-elected government jobs.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has taken the unusual step of weighing in on a high-profile ethics bill in Illinois, legislation that had been held up by his political mentor, Sen. Emil Jones.
“Senator Obama called Senator Jones today to offer his strong support for the ethics reforms pending before the Senate and urged him to pass them at the earliest possible opportunity,” Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement.
All of which, supposedly, (charitably) lead to the arrest of Blagojevich:
In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.
This is the way he navigated the murky waters of “the Chicago Way” well enough to form a springboard to the White House in no time flat. Like the legend of Milton Berle, just “do enough to win.” Neat trick, huh? The bottom line is, “reform” in Chicago means putting people you like in charge of passing out favors. So, as the Blagodrama unfolds, pay no attention to those who try to gloss over the city’s truth, watch the players scramble to answer the only pertinent question. Not “who did what?” but “what can they prove?”
Makes you wonder just what kind of “change” Washington’s going to get when it meets the “Chicago Way.” Whatever it is, it seems that, like Chicagoans, most Americans are just fine with it.
On Tuesday, when the news of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest broke, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald declared that it was “a sad day for Illinois government” and that Blagojevich had “taken us to a truly new low.” But, was it really? From the New York Times transcript of the press conference, Fitgerald said:
Governor Blagojevich has been arrested in the middle of what we can only describe as a political corruption crime spree. We acted to stop that crime spree.
The most appalling conduct Governor Blagojevich engaged in, according to the complaint filed today or unsealed today, is that he attempted to sell a Senate seat, the Senate seat he had the sole right to under Illinois to appoint to replace President-elect Obama.
Attempting to sell a Senate seat, an attempt that was thwarted by Fitzgerald, by the way, constitutes a “crime spree” that would make “Lincoln turn over in his grave?” Fitzgerald’s justification makes no sense at all. If Blago had indeed appointed someone to Obama’s seat in a “pay for play” scheme, Fitz would have netted 2 big fish dead to rights, since the payee/selectee would be guilty as sin, too. Nope, there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
What we also know is that some of these schemes went pretty far and some did not go far at all. But they had discussions about what they would do, who they would approach and how they would phrase it.
And we need to do the investigation, now that the investigation is overt, to find out from other people what happened, what they were told, how explicitly, what they understood, and what happened.
“I should make clear, the complaint makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever,” Fitzgerald said. “We make no allegations that he’s aware of anything, and that’s as simply as I can put it. . . .
“There’s no reference in the complaint to any conversations involving the president-elect or indicating that the president-elect was aware of it. And that’s all I can say.”
Note he said “complaint,” not “investigation.” And, that’s all I can say.
In an apparent attempt to avoid answering potentially embarassing questions about his relationship with Senate seat salesman Rod Blagojevich, President-elect-to-be Barack Obama announced his new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan, at the crack of dawn, without fanfare. From Politico:
In a twist on his use of new media to make news, President-elect Barack Obama used his weekly radio address this morning to announce his pick to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Obama appointed New York City Commissioner of Housing, Preservation and Development Shaun Donovan to the post, a move his transition apparently leaked last night to The New York Times. The paper has been a strong backer of Mayor Bloomberg and of his housing plans.
The announcement came in a radio and video address released on Saturday morning at 6 a.m., leaving no opportunity for reporters to ask questions, as they typically can when Cabinet announcements and other large initiatives are announced.
Unlike the last announcement of the appointment of Tom Daschle as head of Health and Human Services when Obama was peppered with questions about Blagobitching, today’s appointment came with no opportunity to pursue the matter. Coincidence? Sure.
Why are the Keepers of the Book of Barack, aka the mainstream media, pushing the “Blago’s batshit” story line as quasi-fact? Who does it benefit? If the embattled governor was making such claims, or acting in a manner as if he wanted people to think he’s nuts, it might be more understandable, even though, if that was the case, chances are the Barackomaniacs would reject such assertions as Blago’s pitiful attempts to exonerate himself. They would use his statements as evidence of his criminality just as they use his alleged criminality as evidence of his madness. Why?
The only person or persons likely to benefit from smearing Blagojevich’s mental state are those likely to be smeared by Blago’s potential allegations against them. Therefore, only those fearing implication would make finger twisting motions around their ears when Blago’s name is mentioned. Like Candidate Number 5, Jesse Jackson Jr. And, nobody from Team O is challenging the assertion, either. In fact, Obama’s “mentor,” Abner (we don’t want nobody nobody sent) Mikva, is one of the main pushers. In Jake Tapper’s column, Mikva comments on Blago’s stated desire to run for the presidency in 2016:
“It’s just such a bizarre state of mind, that Gov. Blagojevich had to be in to even think this was possible,” former Democratic Congressman and Judge Abner Mikva told ABC News.
Mikva used the word “delusional” to describe the governor.
The Chicago Sun-Times puts forth the theory that Blagojevich’s choice of hairdo is indicative of his mental deficiency:
Gov. Blagojevich’s glossy locks — perfectly sculpted in rain or snow — may be an indication of a sickness beneath his scalp, said one local psychologist.
“It’s all part of managing his image, managing his image of being without a blemish, without a flaw,” said Scott Ambers, who has practiced clinical psychology in the city for more than two decades.
A February, 2008 Chicago Magazine article specualted that Barack Obama was driving Blago nuts:
Some people think that the governor’s behavior has turned more erratic in the past few years. One reason, they suspect, could be Barack Obama’s extraordinary rise. “Obama’s ascendancy had a significant impact on this guy,” says a Democratic lawmaker from Chicago. “Here’s a lifelong plan that’s been unfolding better than anyone could ever script—an unremarkable state’s attorney becomes an unremarkable state representative, becomes an unremarkable congressman, becomes an unlikely governor. My God, everything’s falling into place! All of a sudden the proverbial skinny guy with the funny name starts making some headway, decides to run for U.S. senator, wins the primary, then gets tapped to do the keynote speech [at the Democratic National Convention]. Knocks the fucking thing out of the park. So now when political people coast to coast talk about Illinois, they talk about Barack Obama. They don’t give a fuck about Rod Blagojevich.” (Blagojevich, like nearly every other Democratic elected official in the state, endorsed Obama in the presidential primary.)
An emotional Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. touched off a surreal hugfest among bickering top Illinois Democrats meeting at a convention delegation breakfast, all in the name of party unity and Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid. Here’s the tale of the tape:
*Jackson summons state Sen. Debbie Halvorson, who’s running for Congress. The two have feuded over control of a third airport in the south suburbs. They embrace.
*“Who else out here been mad at me I ain’t figured out yet?” Jackson asks. Without skipping a beat, Mayor Daley jumps out of his seat and hugs his critic who contemplated a run against him for mayor. In tears, Jackson says, “I’ve been trying to get to know Mayor Daley for 14 years.”
*But Jackson is “not going to be satisfied” until he sees Gov. Rod Blagojevich give House Speaker Michael Madigan a hug. The bad blood between the two is legendary and has ground state government to a halt.
*Sporting a smile from ear to ear, Madigan walks across the makeshift stage and hugs Blagojevich, who then turns and hugs Jackson.
Chicago Tribune reporter John Kaas suggests everybdy’s setting Blago up for a “Frank Pentangeli“-type Godfather-style, “keep your mouth shut for the good of the family” scenario. But that would mean that Blags has something very incriminating to say about somebody who doesn’t want whatever it is to be believed. Whatever. The bottom line is, Rod Blagojevich’s mental health is more of a convenient excuse for his enemies than it is for him.
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.
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.
“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.
Barack Hussein Obama is calling for “Hot” Rod Blagojevich’s resignation. No surprise there. Perpetually “under investigation,” Blago has been arrested for trying to sell Obama’s curiously prematurely vacant Senate seat, after all. But, aside from the apparent, yet unexplained, sense of urgency that compelled the President-elect to give up his Senate earlier than any of his predecessors, many things in this “Keystone Cops Goes Soprano” drama make no sense. Why only $4,500 bail for crimes that would make “Lincoln roll over in his grave?” Isn’t that a little low?
Blagojevich was charged with two counts: conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and solicitation to commit bribery, which is punishable by up 10 years. He was released on his own recognizance.
Hmmmm…take a guy out of his house at 6:30 in the morning then let him go on his own recognizance for chump change and his passport. Okay, moving on. Nah, let’s back up. What if this whole thing is not really about Blago bullying ‘Bama’s Boyz? What if it’s about some of the other stuff mentioned in the complaint…like, say, Tony Rezko? I mean, Rezko suddenly did push for a sentencing date on Nov. 29th, after getting it delayed in early October. Why? Was he through singing? According to the Weekly Standard, Rezko’s the reason his partner in crime got arrested:
In the run-up to election day we heard a great deal about Tony Rezko, and how his criminal associations reflected poorly on Obama. Little did we suspect then that the biggest crook Rezko knows is the governor of Illinois. With the arrest of Governor Blagojevich this morning, it becomes clear that Tony Rezko played a significant role in putting him in jail. Rezko’s name appears 170 times in the criminal complaint against Blagojevich and Harris, and the FBI states early on (page 11) that he was cooperating with the investigation.
Now, we all know about Obama’s “boneheaded” house purchase with the “guy who isn’t the guy he thought he knew,” but what if that guy, and the other, Blago guy, think they know Obama pretty darned well? Could it be in their best interests to tell whatever they might know about the fella who likes to keep them at arm’s distance in return for leniency? It’s a thought.
And, oh, by the way, when Rezko was arrested for wire fraud, money laundering, bribery and attempted extortion, he was originally released on 2 million dollars bond, which was revoked. He was re-arrested, then re-released for 8 million smackers.
Barack Obama has never made any bones about the fact that he is a product of the rough and tumble “Chicago Way.” And, while many have seen evidence of that fact and commented on it, most mischaracterize Obama’s particular, and peculiar, adaptation of the old school tactics he’s picked up along the way. Far from being above the muck and mire being raked and wallowed in by most Windy City blowhards, Obama relishes in his ability to play dirty and come up clean.
In the primaries, he gamed the caucuses, always within “da rules,” he pushed the envelope like a boxer who hits his opponent over the head with a folding chair and then demands that the referee show him where it says in the rule book that such a thing is not allowed. Since no one ever entertained the thought that a boxer would do such a thing, chances are, there is no rule and the match would go to the chair wielder. While boxing purists would forever decry such a manipulation of the dignity of the game, for the chair bopper, a win’s a win. For his opponent, a trip to the hospital and the enduring humiliation of not having foreseen the possibility of a chair meeting his skull that would be heaped upon him by those disappointed purists looking for someone to blame, would likely be enough to end his career. This is the way Obama does business.
Like most big cities, in many ways, Chicago operates like a small town. Considering the fact that the Obama Transition team offices in the John C. Kluczynski Federal Office Building, 230 South Dearborn St., Suite 3900 (39th floor) are located in the same plaza as the U. S. attorney’s in the Everett McKinley Dirksen Federal Courthouse, 219 South Dearborn, it’s not too far-fetched to think that gossip might swirl. Besides, the “news” that Blagojevich was “under investigation” was common knowledge, since just about every article mentioning the man in the last three years included the phrase. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume that Camp O, along with everybody else in Chicago remotely “in the know,” might have heard rumors of a wiretap being issued against Blago. The governor himself seemed very aware of the fact, even in taped conversations.
On Nov. 3, Blago began to make plans for utilizing the power he believed he would soon wield with Obama’s election and subsequent need to vacate his Senate seat. On Nov. 5, the two men met to discuss the situation. From all indications, Obama made his preference for Valerie Jarrett known, and in true Don Corleone style, indicated he would “appreciate” it. Clueless Blago did not fully “appreciate” the implications of the offer, and most likely, made it known that “appreciation” was not enough. It is also likely that “this was the moment” Obama decided to take him down.
On Nov. 10 – 12, Blago had discussions about what he wanted; in return for appointing Jarrett, Blago wanted an SEIU “Change to Win” position as National Director. On the 12th, Jarrett removed herself rom contention, which caught Blago off-guard:
Still, Jarrett’s announcement came as a surprise to sources close to Blagojevich, who said that representatives for Obama had floated her name on a regular basis.
On Nov. 13, Obama announced he was resigning his Senate seat, making the “juicy plum” Blago held even “juicier.” It also left Blgo on his own, twisting in the wind, digging his own grave. Well aware of the workings of the “Chicago Way” and Blago’s greed, Obama had to know how Blagojevich would react. He also knew that without cover, Blago would soon neutralize himself. After all, if Blago had taken Obie up on his offer, nothing would have happened, Blago would simply still be “under investigation,” and none would be the wiser. However, once Obama is no longer “in the picture” and the seat is “up for grabs” to the highest bidder, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Blago’s self-interests would become paramount and the force of nature that is Patrick Fitzgerald would naturally take it’s course from that point on.
Thus, Obama could sit back and let things develop predictably, all to his advantage, without lifting a finger. There was no need for Rahm Emanuel to “drop a dime” on anybody. And if, as an Obama emissary, he had done such a thing, there would be no need for denials of any sort, Obama would come out smelling like a rose as the “reformer” he claims to be. The fact that he and Axelrod back off such claims is more telling than anything else; that simply was not ever their motivation. Getting rid of Blagojevich and clearing the way for Obama’s real choice was the plan.
Hardball with clean hands. The Chicago Way – Obama-Style.
Maybe Camp No Drama Obama should get their stories straight. From the AP:
President-electBarack Obama says he is saddened by allegations that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to trade favors for Obama’s Senate seat — and says he had no contact with the governor or his office on the matter.
Okay, Barack Obama is not implicated in today’s allegations against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is suspected of trying to sell Barack Obama’s now vacant Senate seat in return for personal favors. U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and all the President-elect’s pundits, have gone to great lengths to make that perfectly clear. From the Associated Press:
Federal prosecutors say the investigation into allegations that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (bluh-GOY’-uh-vich) tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President-electBarack Obama found no evidence that Obama did anything wrong.
At a news conference in Chicago on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald reiterated a number of times that there were no allegations of impropriety on Obama’s part.
However, the question I have is, how much more valuable did Obama’s record-setting resignation make said seat? After all, Jo(k)e Biden has not officially resigned his. Nor has Hillary Clinton. So, why did Obama hand Blagojevich such a “juicy plum” so soon to give away for Christmas? From Lynn Sweet, Nov. 13, 2008:
Blagojevich is under no legal deadline to select an Obama replacement. The governor has to weigh a few factors: whether racial politics play a role, because Obama was the only African-American in the Senate and who has a political and fund-raising network that could help should Blagojevich seek a third term.
It’s been a long time since an Illinois governor had this juicy a plum to give away: the last Senate vacancy was in 1969 when Ralph Tyler Smith was selected by then Gov. Richard Ogilvie to fill the slot left vacant by the death of Sen. Everett Dirksen.
Was Obama helping the U. S. Attorney in some as yet unexplained and unexplored way, was he repaying Blagojevich in the old school, Chicago politics, you scratch my back…style, or was he pursuing some other personal agenda with his lightening quick exit out of Dodge?
At any rate, Blagojevich was arrested early this morning at his home for being criminally stupid, even though, according to Reuters, the official charges were mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery:
The 51-year-old Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were each charged in a federal complaint with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and a second count of solicitation of bribery.
In his statement, Fitzgerald said the charges “allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”
Blagojevich was accused of threatening to withhold state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of the Chicago Cubs’ baseball home, Wrigley Field, in order “to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical” of him, Fitzgerald said.
However, Politico reports that Blagojevich was apparently less than happy with Obama, who he refers to as a “motherf*cker.” It seems Obama’s reluctance to “pay to play” for the “juicy plum” he handed to Blago rubbed the good guv the wrong way:
“F**k him,” Blagjoveich says of Obama during a lengthy call with top aides and his wife recorded on November 10th, “For nothing? F**k him.”
In another section of the complaint, Blagojevich expresses exasperation that Obama and his team aren’t willing to offer him an inducement in exchange for appointing an aide, apparently Valerie Jarrett, to the Senate.
Blagojevich “said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but ‘they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F**k them,’” says the complaint.
Blago, who certainly qualifies as stupid, given that he engaged in this wreckless behavior knowing, as did everyone, that he and his wife have been under investigation for years. Also, Blago, who replaced former, and now imprisoned, Republican Governor George Ryan by pledging to reform corruption, recently joined Illinois Senator Dick Durbin in an appeal to have Ryan’s sentence commuted by George Bush.
Is Tony Rezko singing for his supper? Maybe. AP-Yahoo News is reporting that the convicted Chicago fundraiser and Obama “pal” (don’t tell Sarah Palin! Shhhhh) has had his sentencing delayed, usually a sign that a felon is giving somebody up.
Federal prosecutors moved Monday to delay indefinitely the sentencing of convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, sending their strongest hint yet that he is ready to spill his political secrets.
The filing asks for a postponement while prosecutors and defense attorneys “engage in discussions that could affect their sentencing postures.”
Rezko has donated to Obama’s political campaigns in the past, supposedly Obama has returned all donations for his presidential run:
Obama’s campaign says it has sent to charity $159,000 traceable to Rezko’s past fundraising.
Notice the use of the word, “traceable?” While Obama has admitted his real estate dealings with Rezko were “boneheaded,” it seems Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is the big fish in prosecutors’ sights. But, one can hope.
Temerity? Gall? Chutzpah? Fat lot of nerve? Any or all of the above, which all mean pretty much the same thing, tempered only by political correctness and the degree of respect one has for the person, people, or entities engendering one’s respect, or lack thereof, for their brazen behavior, alone, or in tandem with one or more of the rest? Whatever you call it, a lot of folks seem to have an abundance of it.
the day from the date of his arrest, in response to having the Pretendident of the United States use the United States Senate to neutralize a former political rival, the architect of the Roland Burris Revenge Strategy wants to once again turn the tables on the naive Bush Leaguers what designed the so-far ill-fated, “Get Blago” campaign, and use one of their own instruments employed by that Gang O’ Mastermidgetminds against them. In other words, Blags’ lawyers want the transcripts of the FBI interviews with Rahm Emanuel, (D-R) Valerie Jarrett, (D-Gentrification) and the Nobel War is Peace Prize winning Pretendident, (D-Uh) himself. And, even though the Chicago Sun-Times reports that prosecutors usually withhold such evidence until approximately 30 days before trial, the Blaggone-ator’s henchmen want ‘em now: Read the rest of this entry »
We be black. We was black befo’ Obama got elected, and we still black, nah. Summa y’all don’t like dat, an’ it piss y’all off. Y’all be trippin’. Y’all suck. Chill.
cannot see the same sort of racial bias right in front of their eyes. Though they are not only adept at recognizing overt discrimination directed towards them, but quite skilled at ferreting out intended sexism no matter how cleverly couched, even correctly identifying incidences where deliberate bigotry is intentionally dressed in politically correct clothes in order to escape detection, no such leeway is accorded those who empathize with those of us who suffer racially. 
Formulating 
and the 
Sen. Max Thurston Magoo, III: We’d fine you up the ass if you “opted out.”
If you ask the wrong questions, you’re sure to get the wrong answers. Such is the case for pundits questioning Pretendident Barack Obama’s lack of a cohesive, comprehensive, and comprehensible approach to what is quickly degenerating into a bad parody of a failed burlesque review, the Health 
Okay, it’s time to start 
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why a Democratic president with a Democratic Congress is having so much trouble getting anything democratic done. And, as the Democrat’s Spokesmodel-in-Chief prepares to 
Now, I don’t know a lot about local Detroit politics, and, what I know about Chicago and Illinois politics is based upon voluminous reading and distant memory. But, that being said, in my very humble opinion, if Rod Blagojevich had to resign or 
I am not a bandwagoneer. It takes a lot to get me to go along with anything, or anyone, at any time. Given the way perceptions can be radically shifted by agents employing fairly subtle techniques, I have a hard time accepting things that are reported as “prevailing wisdom,” or “common knowledge,” or anything suggesting that whatever being discussed is something “everybody knows.” Everybody knows shit. Nobody knows squat. However you want to say it, unless you’re under the age of 17 and trying to cajole a parent into granting permission for something you want, but know good and well you shouldn’t have, “everybody knows” has no place in anybody’s vocabulary. Everybody knows that.
Dee duh duh duuuuhhh duh, dee duh duhduhduhduh!
This is the original, pre-Fabreau-ized, pre-Axelrod-approved draft of President Black Obama’s “give up da nukes” 
While there are many tangled webs to unravel in the current 
You know, even though I was born and raised a Democrat, and remained one all my life until the lying rat bastards showed themselves to be the slimy bunch of lying rat bastards they are during this election cycle, every day I find myself agreeing with Republicans more and more. Not because I think they’re right about anything much, but, because I’m beginning to hate Democrats, too. What a sniveling bunch of whiny assed, wannabe crooks and schnooks y’all elected to guide this sinking ship to the bottom of the hellish Ocean of No Returns they keep dumping our good money after bad into via the coffers of the greedy corporate bankster masters they serve. And no, I’m not talking about Rod Blagojevich and his hapless Senate appointee, Roland Burris, I’m talking about the sanctimonious, holier-than-thou charlatans fingerpointing scapegoats like school children jockeying for position at the head of the line for the teeter-totter, stepping on each other’s toes and poking each other in the ribs as they holler for Teacher, only to adopt angelic visages and mumble, “he did it,” in disingenuous attempts to escape attention when faced with the wrath of authority.
Looks like Obama the Candidate was really serious about “
Illinois Senator Roland (Like It Or Not) Burris is in hot water with the 
“…in exchange for…”
President Black Obama is crowing like a bantam rooster about his 
Rod Blagojevich, the unemployed former Illinois governor; is not exactly going quietly into that good night. I guess if you’re the guy who the United States Congress blackmailed the Illinois Senate into voting 59-0 to remove from office, or get zero stimulus bill dollars, you carry a grudge. From 
Can you say “double standard?” Kristin Davis, escort service CEO (madam) who provided companionship by the hour to former governor Elliot Spitzer, and whose “little black book” is revealing the peccadilloes and services purchased to indulge them of some of the country’s biggest big ballers, surely can. And she is indignantly proclaiming it loudly to anybody who’ll listen, like 
Hey, I can spot a trend when I see one. Whenever now-President Black Obama wants pity, sympathy and absolution, he calls himself a “bonehead” or a “screw-up.” When he wants to divert attention from his “boneheaded screw-ups” he calls them “distractions.” Both of these terms are signals to his defenders in the mainstream media and blogosphere to pick up the torch and light the way to forgiveness. It’s been going on for at least two years, and so far, it works like a charm.
I guess there’s “pay-to-play” and then, there’s “pay-to-play.” But in a 
Poor President Black Obama. Life as leader of the free world must be so very much different than he thought it would be back in the days when he read about it in the news and decided that gosh darnit, things needed to change. I mean, how was he to know that getting people to give up old ways that worked fine for them all their lives 
John Ridley
Now that the Illinois State Senate has done its duty and 
I just watched a virtuoso performance by a master manipulator. Who cares if he’s guilty or not? The Illinois legislature never did, that much has been obvious from the beginning. But what artistry it took to engineer the opportunity to present an argument equally biased without rebuttal. Bravo!
If the purpose of the Illinois Senate’s 
The media is having a field day about the fact that the Governor Who Would Be Persecuted, Rod Blagojevich, aka 
America, gotta love her. While everybody dances to the 
Nope. Though 
It’s a good thing President Black Obama is…black on slow news days. Talk about a reliable “go-to” subject. I mean, now that it’s obvious that 
There have been a number of recent signs that we are in for an administration where petty is politics, and it starts right at the very top. In a “private” (in a “transparent government” kind of way) bi-partisan meeting about his stimulus proposal, President Petulance basically told one of the members who made the meeting “bi-,” (partisan) Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) that he was going to get his way because he was president and he wanted to. From 
Once upon a time there was a Pony. A big, beautiful, magnificent Pony that all the Children wanted to ride. The beautiful Pony, called Unity, was owned by everyone and no one; yet one, The Evil, desperately wanted to claim him for his very own. This infuriated everyone in the Land who knew of his plans, especially Queen of Good, who wanted all the children to ride at once, forever and ever, as far as the sky. But, The Evil was greedy, and unwise in the ways of the Land, for he was new to it. And, though born in a Bastion of Light, in The Place of the Sewers from which he chose to come, Pony rides were assigned only to the Wicked of Favors. This made the Queen of Good very sad.
If the story first reported by the 
Hillary Clinton
Senator Roland Burris.
I’m beginning to think that the art of politics (if there is such a thing) is the ability to get strangers to pretend to understand when you talk nonsense out of both sides of your mouth. Unfortunately, that is also today’s definition of journalism. That makes looking for turds of political wisdom among the media bullshit as much fun as a scavenger hunt in a sewer. And just as obvious.
“The View” and “Playgirl” seem radical by comparison, boasted an improbable cover touting Obama’s non-existent feminist creds, going so far as to depict him as the women’s movement’s very own super hero, a giant leap up, in the wrong direction, from Prince Charming or Barbie’s Ken.
Uh-oh. The Obacrats, with their shaky 
You can’t surf the news sites without reading a superfluity of stupidity as it regards our first black president-elect. Like this nugget from 
Stop the presses! Hold the phone! Batten the hatches! Hold that line! Tote that barge! Lift that b…Okay, I get carried away, sometimes, but this is news! Barack Obama, the man who raised begging to a fine art, and cleverly figured out how hundreds of big donors could give him 
Wheeeee! Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved to spin. Shoulda been a journalist. Or an Obatician, but nah, that sounds like a doctor who only delivers little Baracks. I shudder to think. Even though, it would be kinda cool to be a Mainstream Media Barackaspinner, (talk about redundant) I could make stuff up about him and pretend like it was true and nobody would say anything. Anyway, a love of spinning would come in handy for just about anybody, since the drivel the professional spinners spin is almost comprehensible only when you’re already dizzy.
In a classic case of a herd isolating a wounded pack member to be sacrificed to a hungry predator in order to save the majority, the Illinois legislature is determined to 
“Don’t let the door hitcha where the good Lord splitcha!” Barack Obama, who 
As anybody in the PUMAsphere could have told them, 
I am a PUMA today for the exact same reason I went looking to become something that didn’t yet exist on May 31, 2008; I object to the manner in which Barack Obama became my president. And nothing I’ve seen before or since has mitigated that essential truth in the slightest, in fact, the more I see of the way he operates, the more upset I get. Barack Obama offends my sense of fair play. From what I’ve been able to determine through my research of him, he has pushed the against “
Let’s face it, the Democrats don’t like Governor Rod Blagojevich. Especially those Democrats loyal (if such a thing as political loyalty indeed exists) to President-elect Barack Obama, the Obacrats, which is all the suck-ups in the party. Which is the overwhelming majority.
Whoever thought maneuvering Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich into a position that allowed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to officially criminalize machine politics-as-usual for political advantage has got to be the biggest neophyte yahoo rube to come down the pike since…Barack Obama. Let’s review. Barack Obama, the only African American in the Senate for two years, mysteriously generates enough money and clout to mount a successful run for the presidency out of a political environment so corrupt that “Lincoln would roll over in his grave,” how? By being an all-around, all-American, above-board, swell, good guy, of course. Sure.
The already scandal-plagued man who will be sworn in as America’s 44th president in a little over two weeks is full of crap and the butt kissing media that enables him is, too. The number of examples of this “don’t worry about a thing, we’ve got your back” medialove are far to numerous to chronicle here, or on any one forum, but let’s start with what’s in the news today, and what it is designed to divert attention from. The latter is easy, the Obamedia is desperate to get us to ignore the 
Big ol’ scary Roland Burris says he’s the Senator from Illinois so make way. The Obamacrats say the idea of Burris sullying the sanctity of the Senate is so terrifying, they’ll do whatever they have to do to keep him out and keep the country safe. “Hide the women and children, go to the root cellar, get under the desks, run for your lives, for God’s sake, hide!”
Okay, I admit it, I’m a boxing fan. Not that I enjoy watching grown men and women pummel each other’s faces into unrecognition, per se; next to making up words, observing the ritualized human drama of mano a mano (hand to hand, not man to man) competition play out in the structured, regulated and supervised environment of the boxing ring is just plain fun. More honest than wrestling, grittier, more real and less time consuming than a soap opera, and minus the gratuitous sex, boxing is a curious, yet entertaining mix of theater and thuggery. I like it.
In reflecting upon the historic nature of the election of Barack Obama as America’s first black president, I’m reminded of another moment in our recent history when the country’s color barrier was shattered. In 1984, beautiful, talented, intelligent, and yes, articulate, 
Funny, as we barrel into a 2009 rife with the promise of “hope” and “change,” anticipating the pomp and ceremony of the impending coronation celebrating the ascension of The Great Hype Hope President-Elect-In-Training Wheels to Obamessiah-In-Chief, replete with all the grandeur and revelry the Inauguration of the Greatest Historically Historic Man Ever Elected for Being Black is due, we find ourselves sidetracked by the spectacle of those on the sidelines busy trying to slow down certain attendant events in order to maximize the impact of an impending train wreck threatening to ruin the festivities for all concerned.
When you’ve got an ace in the hole, or a wild card, or an abundance of trumps, you can play with confidence. If you’ve tucked the only Joker in the deck up your sleeve, only allowing it to magically appear when needed, you can wipe out your opposition without breaking a sweat. But when another player, seemingly low on chips and on his way out the game, suddenly not only goes all in, but produces an even bigger Joker than yours, showing yours to have been a rather poor imitation of the real thing all along, your ass is punked.
In a surprising, nay, shocking, even jaw-droppingly so, development, President-elect In Training Wheels, Barack Obama, has actually interrupted his well-earned? vacation activities of surfing, golfing, 
Ha, ha, ha…I’m sorry, I can’t stop laughing. “Crazy ol’” Rod Blagojevich, the 
In a sure sign that there are powerful factions in Illinois politics hellbent on getting Gov. Rod Blagojevich impeached for something, (by 
So, the Republican National Committee Chair candidate, 
It’s obvious that the curiously-funded, political science lab-created 
That would be the headline for any other president-elect at any other time in our history, since it accurately reflects the facts of a pretty sensational story. However, since we’re talking about an extraordinary Teflon TelePrompTer Messiah, elected/anointed/selected to lead us to the Promised Land of Peace and Prosperity at this unique point in history, the bulk of the headlines referring to Barack Obama’s “
Blagojevich spin: I wanted to appoint Lisa Madigan to Barack Obama’s Senate seat to get her out of my hair, but Team O went ballistic and insisted on Valerie Jarrett. Rahm Emanuel really wanted Jarrett because he didn’t want her competing with him for the president’s attention in Washington.
Though George Stephanopoulis claims that his “confidential sources” claim Rahm Emanuel only spoke to embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich once about President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat and Rahm’s own soon-to-be vacant House seat, and four conversations with Blago’s Chief Of Staff John Harris, which contradicts Chicago Sun-Times columnist 
One of the dirtiest little secrets about abusers is how utterly nice they can appear to the world to be. Oftentimes, no one can believe that the handsome, charming, hail-fellow-well-met they know, love and admire can be a petty, vindictive, manipulating, asshole who beats his wife, or abuses family members, or seduces the children he coaches or mentors, or even sometimes, stalks, rapes, and kills strangers behind closed doors. Nope, not that guy, people say. He’s a clergyman, politician, teacher, doctor, volunteer, serviceman…fill in the blank, he could be that just as well as he could be unemployed, through no fault of his own, of course. Sometimes he even generates sympathy; poor guy, they say, too bad his accident-prone, loser wife drinks, his pre-pubescent teenager is a slut, his Little League team can’t seem to win. He’s so patient with them, he tries so hard, it’s a shame the people he loves always let him down.
Rahm Emanuel
There’s 
Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois governor accused of trying to sell the Senate seat president-elect Barack Obama 
Chicago Sun-Times
A local Chicago 
The 
Forget all the bitter squawking about “
The New York Times
Having grown up in Chicago, only to leave as a young woman to pursue my dreams, (and escape winter cold) I find the current consternation about the city’s corruption amusing. During his 
On Tuesday, when the news of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest broke, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald declared that it was “a sad day for Illinois government” and that Blagojevich had “taken us to a truly new low.” But, was it really? From the 
In an apparent attempt to avoid 
Why are the Keepers of the Book of Barack, aka the mainstream media, pushing the “Blago’s batshit” story line as quasi-fact? Who does it benefit? If the embattled governor was making such claims, or acting in a manner as if he wanted people to think he’s nuts, it might be more understandable, even though, if that was the case, chances are the Barackomaniacs would reject such assertions as Blago’s pitiful attempts to exonerate himself. They would use his statements as evidence of his criminality just as they use his alleged criminality as evidence of his madness. Why?
The Obamessiah already walks on water, and if the mainstream media has it’s way, after 
Barack Hussein Obama
Okay, Barack Obama is not implicated in today’s allegations against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is suspected of trying to sell Barack Obama’s now vacant Senate seat in return for personal favors. U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and all the President-elect’s pundits, have gone to great lengths to make that perfectly clear. From the 
