I don't think Team Obama had anything to do with outing Blagojevich. The wiretaps were put in place in October before the Presidential Election. Rezko's the one who's been cooperating with Fitzgerald and he's effectively out of any contemporaneous knowledge loop. Blagojevich was one of the un-named officials in Rezko's indictment; he's been under investigation for going on five years now. If Obama or his team had said anything to the Feds about what Blagojevich was trying to do, they would have said so because politically that would be a winner for Obama. It would exemplify Obama's message of 'change'. If Team Obama had contacted the feds, Obama should have just said something along the lines of “Yes, I (or members of my team)met with the governor. He made proposals that I felt were unseemly, and that did not represent the type of change I want to bring to Washington. Once again, I asked him to nominate my preferred candidate, and assured him of my gratitude for doing so, and nothing more. Furthermore, we alerted the feds that we had concerns about this happening, and now we know for sure he was crooked. ” Instead, the only statements coming from Team Obama are denials of contact wrapped in obfuscation sprinkled with BS and punctuated by 'uhhs'.

When Axelrod said that there was a meeting a month ago, nobody batted an eye because that’s how things are done. Obama is now the nominal head of his party. It is expected that he'll talk with his own state’s governor, whom is also a member of his party, about his replacement. Now were told that the earlier reported meeting never took place despite contemporaneous media accounts of their meeting. After a week of Team Obama denials that any conversations took place, the Chicago tribune is reporting today that Rahm Emanuel was in contact with Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff Harris about Obama's replacement. Team Obama's first instinct was denial and now those denials are unraveling. In an atmosphere of a friendly press and a general public willing to give the new guy the benefit of the doubt, there was no need for Obama to go into a defensive crouch. There's probably not anything untoward here. Blagojevich started sniffing around for favors and Team Obama didn't bite. This news didn't need to grow from a footnote in Blagojevich's indictment into a story that could quite possibly mar the beginning of Obama's presidency. It's the cover-up that always bites you in the a**.

If the Obama camp had anything to do with "outing" Blagojevich, they would have been bragging about it, as an example of how Obama is different from other politicians. It would have been too big an opportunity for them to pass up, if he had anything to do with it.

Not being disrespectful, just being straightforward, and I see no need to beat around the bush/pun. While politics in America is a fools game, the actions or lack there of affect everyone in some manner and not just repubs and dems. If the system only affected repugs and dems most Americans would just enjoy the side show, me included.

I don't know if you have notice but this country is reeling under the repugs, and while you may not want to point fingers it is hard not to do when fingers are in your face uninvited. I did not vote for the dems or the repugs nor would I have even enter these systems or have anything to do with them if not for George W. Bush.

I voted for Obama who just happened to be a Dem., if he was a repub, I still would have voted for him. If it was not for the Bush years, I would not have had any reason to jump into the political system period, I am not a fan in no way, shape, or fashion.:monkey: So excuse me while I don't share your joy to see politics play out as business as usual, I don't have the patient for it, just stop all the fluff and game playing and take care of the people business in a competent manner and I will be a happy camper!:hide:

Interesting... interesting... interesting... Possibilities I never considered. So in retrospect, if Blagojevich did talk with Rahm Emanuel about getting a bribe, as openly as he seems to have with others, then Rahm Emanuel not reporting it to the fed is a bit of a nasty misstep that will taint Obama and staff for some time as they try and explain away why they didn't come forward sooner about it.

But my key part still stand, if Blagojevich does know any, and I do say any dirt on any one in Obama's circle, he will have his reasons to sing about it. Still to get a reduced sentence. And if he was willing to deal for a bribe, he will definitely deal for leanicy in court.

And about the Rezko thing.



And uris, You seemed to share the "Joy" then when Bush was looking bad, why not share the joy now?

Now that we are starting to learn the facts about Obama that no one was willing to look for because he could say "Change" 100 times in a speech and not talk about what kind of change, or mention "Bush" and have every one singing his name in praise. We didn't know jack then and still don't know jack now about him, and now we just might regret it.

I found no joy in anything that Bush and company did that painted America in a bad light. If you mean my refusal to be silent on Bush behalf after there have been proof of wrong doing, then I plead guilty

Obama has been targeted by a small fraction of Americans since his appearance on the scene. While they keep making loud noises with their new found term "guilt by association", I reserve the right to actually withhold judgement until Obama actually do something (proven) that has put America in a bad light and/or is guilty of something he (himself) has actually done.:einstein
By the way, there have never been a flawless President in these United States of America, so for anyone to have such expectations for Obama is disingenuous, much.:evilnod:

Oh it keeps getting worse for Obama and staff!






Not even in office yet, and he looks like he could lose his top aid in a scandle.

Of course Blagojevich will sing if he's given a deal. They may not give him too sweet of one, because Fitzgerald may have Blagojevich's Chief of Staff Harris in his pocket (Harris resigned last week). More than likely, the possibility of Blagojevich spilling his guts has dozens of Illinois Pols wishing they had stock in Depends or Mylanta, but Blagojevich and Obama haven't been close politically. Rezko's still the one to watch for the Obama connection because Rezko's money is what Blagojevich and Obama have in common.
I think Team Obama is stalling the press while they try to figure out what Emanuel may have said, innocent or not, that could have been caught on tape, who "Advisor A" and "Advisor B" are, and it takes time to find a new Chief of Staff. This particular problem isn't going to reach all the way up the ladder to Obama. Fitzgerald already said that Obama wasn't involved with the seat sell-off, though he omitted absolving anyone on Obama's staff. Some kind of communications took place between Team Obama and Blagojevich. How else would Blagojevich know that he wasn't going to get anything more than 'appreciation' in exchange for the appointment?

There's a three week gap of conversations in the complaint. The only explanation is 'Throughout the past month, ROD BLAGOJEVICH has continued to engage in numerous conversations relating to filling the open Senate seat.' Prior to the gap, Blagojevich says that he wants the SIEU 501(c)(4), Change to Win, proposal floated to Emanuel (Obama gets his buddies to fund the non-profit and Blagojevich would get a cushy job in exchange for Obama's pick being made Senator). The complaint doesn't say anything about Emanuel's response. Even if he did nothing illegal, Rahm Emanuel's job with Obama is toast. The appearance of impropriety and all that…

If evidence did emerge that Emanuel was trying to bribe Blagojevich over the seat, then it would be very disappointing, and I'd hope there would be some sort of reprisal.

However, all that's come out so far is a non-story. The Obama team gave a list of names they wanted for Blago, and he b*tched that they weren't willing to bribe him.

If new, damning evidence comes out, then it would be a different story. But for now, you guys are fanning the flames on a tiny, tiny ember. It'd be like saying Palin had culpability in Steven's bribery scandal just because she's seen his fish statue.

Oh, Robokitty, don't sweat it. They are having fun fanning themselves over this in the optimistic hope that somehow a scandal involving Blagojevic will involve Obama some way. "It raises questions," is a nice way of saying it's all bullshit, but, hey it's fun if you're a Republican. Republicans don't have much else to enjoy right now.

Still Sore from McCain Amish Nick.Do you really think Mr.Obama would do anything to jeopardize himself.Because of who he,is his life is under a microscope.To be Honest this is just a Republican attempt to link Obama to this scandal surrounding the illinois governor.There are some people out there like you that can't stand the idea of someone like him in the White House.It's a new day and it's a new time!This is Rod Blagojevich Mess,and his alone .

What attempt is that? Are you disputing then, Aries66, that Rahm Emmanuel, Barack Obama's Chief of Staff, has been named as being caught on tape discussing Obama's replacement in the Senate, DESPITE Barack Obama's claim that neither he nor anyone on his staff had discussed the matter with Blagojevich? Obama and his staff may end up being cleared of any wrongdoing, but to deny that they are linked to Blagojevich is based on partisan wishing and hoping. Clearly, there was communication between Blagojevich and Obama/Obama's team, it has been caught on tape through wiretapping. Obama previously denied any conversations. Whether he was simply mistaken, or was attempting to deceive, as he did with Rezko, Wright, Ayers, etc, (Obama changing his story as facts come out is certainly nothing new) is irrelevant. There is a difference between linked to a scandal, and being guilty of anything. That is what I think you are missing. There is no evidence that Barack Obama was attempting to participate in Blagojevich's bribery scheme. However, there was communication between them, they did discuss it, it was caught on tape. Again, being linked to something and being guilty of something are not the same thing. Barack Obama is clearly linked to this story.

If Obama hadn't lied, this would have been a non-story. The moment he claimed not to have had contact with Blagojevich, he turned a media molehill into mountain.

I'd lay 2-1 odds that Rahm will not be Obama's Chief of Staff on New Year's. He is now politically tainted. Whether or not he did anything illegal doesn't matter. The perception that Emanuel caught a whiff of what Blagojevich was trying do - chances are good that he did, Blagojevich doesn't come off as the subtle type - and didn't say anything about it to the Feds, reflects poorly on Obama. After all, Obama has his hopey-changey-different-kind-of-politics image to consider. A new kind of politics is what he ran on and being peripherally tied to a political scandal before the Electoral College votes and signs off on his election just doesn't fit that image.

I certainly don't believe that Obama is the only virgin in the brothel that is Chicago politics, but nothing I've written has intimated that I think Obama's implicated in the Blago-Rahma. Even though this scandal doesn't seem to be his except insofar as his own Chief of Staff stuck his foot in it and Obama's transparent lie to the press about having 'no contact' with Blagojevich, he is involved. This episode is instructive as to the kind of political atmosphere in which Obama cut his teeth and his complete lack of experience when it comes to crisis management and minimizing his losses.

As far as 'raising questions' goes, the only question I have is why did Obama lie about contact with Hot Rod in reaction to the revelations about Blagojevich? There is no discernible purpose being served by the lie. The truth wouldn't have hurt him, unless he had knowledge of what Blagojevich was up to and I don't think he's stupid enough to get up close and personal with something that odiferous at this time. No one would have been surprised by Obama's political interest in who would fill his seat. The numbers in the Senate are tight, and it would be normal for Obama to want someone who would vote with him sitting in the Senate. Obama stating that he didn't contact Blagojevich gives the impression that he doesn't give a rats a** about who takes his place and how the choice might effect his policy agenda. So why lie? Or do you think that question isn't legitimate?

Yeah, Amish Nick, you Lawyerist!

The only Americans that are claiming to be deceived as stated above are fundamentalist republicans, the rest of us saw it for what it was, a none issue, as this will also turn out to be.

All the while Obama is full speed ahead getting his cabinet together, and what a fine job he has been doing, in spite of all the empty noise. I guess there is no stopping him!

So, UrisStar, then you admit that you knew full well that Obama wasn't telling the truth when he stated that neither he nor any member of his staff had any communications whatsoever with Governor Blagojevich concerning Obama's vacant Senate seat? Because Obama told us that was the case...and then it turned out that indeed, members of his staff DID in fact have communication with Blagojevich, and were taped doing so, leaving absolutely no doubt about it. Obama either failed to find out from his staff if they had communicated with Blagojevich before telling us nobody did, or he knew that Rahm Emmanuel had communicated with Blagojevich, and then lied to America about it. He either looks foolish for jumping the gun by stating nobody talked, or he looks like he was trying to hide the communications. I don't believe Obama was going to participate in the bribery scheme, however, the fact that Blagojevich talked about it with Rahm Emmanuel, and Emmanuel did nothing about it looks bad for Obama. Combine that with the misinformation about whether an Obama staff member communicated with Blagojevich, and it looks like an attempt to cover it up. Why didn't Obama simply tell the truth the first time, that his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel had a conversation with Blagojevich, but that they essentially told Blagojevich to go to hell, and that they wouldn't give him anything to ensure "Obama's" candidate got appointed? I don't understand if Obama's side is completely squeeky clean, why they didn't simply say that to begin with? If it is the truth, wouldn't that have made more sense than telling us something that wasn't true?

A simple "Yeah, Blagojevich tried to pressure us into giving him something for the seat, we told him to drop dead" would have sufficed.

Things are not always what they seem nor do I know the exact wording he used, however, I am willing to wait on the rest of the story before I come to any conclusion on what is going down. Obama has learn from the election process that every word and everything he do will be pick apart and questioned, up one side and down the other, and while he has learned to be careful with the words he use, I am sure he is still working on mastering it, cause he knows he has too.

I don't have to wonder if he is squeaky clean, he is American and how many Americans are? However I am sure if you guys keep on looking you may find something, which will only prove he is human like the rest of us. surprise, surprise, surprise!

Haha, yup. I think I'm better off just giggling at the taintly title of the thread than reading the overreactions here.




Obama said he did not have contact with Blago, which is true. Rahm had contact with Blago, and that contact was completely legal and innocuous.



Is all this uproar seriously about a single political equivocation? That Obama could have given a more thorough explanation of a crime he didn't commit in the first place? Seriously?

Covering up something that you personally had nothing to do with, but a member of your staff/administration did is exactly what brought Richard Nixon down, so, yeah, SERIOUSLY.

I'm guessing you missed the news that Bill Richardson, the guy Obama tapped for Commerce Secretary, is now under investigation by the Feds for his ties to pay-to-play corruption.

This is looking out to be the most ethical Administration ever.

Last I checked, Blago is not a member of Obama's staff, and the idea that they are covering anything up is completely spurious, 100% speculation.

edit: Also, comparison to Watergate, SERIOUSLY? Talk about slippery slope logic.

I guess Obama need to check everyone down to their underwear, tisk, tisk, tisk. You think he may have to look outside of America?

Ah, I see. I was baffled about why this was so important. It's about how Obama cut his teeth. And crisis management. Without this tidbit, it was all baffling to me before. Maybe we should call it "Cutting-His-Teeth-Atmosphere-Gate". We must get to the bottom of this before we get into "Losing-Baby-Teeth-Gate" and "Too-Many-Cavities-Gate." And "Oh-No-Now-He-Needs-Expensive-Braces-Gate."

Also: I sincerely hope that Rahm Emmanuel DID commit perjury or some other offense that will get him fired. I also hope the same for Hillary Clinton and John Podesta and any other spineless Clintonistas in his cabinet, which hasn't impressed me very much in this regard.

I still fail to see how hiring back every former Clinton Administration member counts as "change"...So on that, we actually agree, Doc. But, I think what Banshee was getting at, is that when you have a politician from the single most corrupt place in America politically, and members of his cabinet potentially are involved in bribery, or at least failing to alert the authorities of such bribery, it starts the "looks like a duck, walks like a duck" line of questioning. Chicago is the most corrupt city politically in the country. Barack Obama is from Chicago. Members of Obama's staff could be involved in a Chicago political scandal. Connect the dots. Either way, While Obama can point to Blagojevich's disdain for him because he wasn't playing along, the fact remains, the mere presence of Rahm Emmanuel on those tapes cannot be seen as good for Obama. Not after he told the entire country that neither he, nor any member of his staff had any contact with Blagojevich in reference to his Senate seat, and then we find out that was either a bald faced lie, or Obama opened his mouth and gave a definitive answer before he actually knew the answer. He either looks like a liar, or incompetent. Had he waited to comment until after he knew for sure if any members of his staff had communications with Blagojevich, or when asked, told the truth and said "Yeah, he tried to see what we would give him, but I refused to play along, and told him to go to hell with his bribe", Obama would have come out smelling like roses. Instead, he tried to deny on behalf of his staff any involvement, and then that denial ends up being proven false. All Obama had to do was say "I don't know if any one of my staff has communicated with him, let me check into the matter".

Barack Obama blew it with how he handled it. For such a supposedly brilliant guy, he dropped the ball in how he handled this. Again, at no point have I ever stated that Obama was in cahoots with Blagojevich. My criticism is with how he went about trying to convince America of that. It just could have been handled a lot more smoothly.

davious, Why do you keep saying Chicago is the most corrupt city? They are number 8, and since you live in Michigan you should know that Detroit is much higher on the list.

Are you completely naïve about the Chicago and Illinois State political machines and the corruption inherent in them? Or do you really think that Obama managed to rise to power in Illinois with the help of the Daley machine without knowing how either of the. work and how to use them?

Anytime a politician is linked to political scandal, no matter how tangential, it's a political crisis. Knowing how to deal with the press, getting everybody on the same page, finding out who did or said what falls under the rubric of crisis management. And Obama just whiffed his first big one as the incoming President. It took him two days to call for the resignation of the Governor of his home State after said Governor was indicted by the Feds, he lied about his own connection to the guy and will have to dump his Chief of Staff. It's not an auspicious start.

Looks like you may get your wish re: Richardson.

Where did Obama say that no member of his staff had been in contact with Blagojevich?