I don't think Obama had any willingness to play the corruption game on this one, as he had nothing to gain, but they certainly were approached by Blago for a deal and apparently did nothing to report it.

Distancing himself, ie Axelrod retraction and hiding Emanuel, is exactly the wrong propaganda. He should have said we were approached for a bribe and were seeking the authorities help to clean up Illinois.

No, it doesn't. People are reading what they want to in a general timeline of events. Of course, it won't matter much, the stupid meter has to be appeased so this'll go green shortly.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: but they certainly were allegedly approached by Blago for a deal and apparently did nothing to report it.

Really, it's barely even allegedly. More like speculation.

JohnnyC: Snowflake Tubbybottom: but they certainly were allegedly approached by Blago for a deal and apparently did nothing to report it.

Really, it's barely even allegedly. More like speculation.

What's the current rate for repeating speculation until it becomes fact ? I keep losing track.

JohnnyC: Snowflake Tubbybottom: but they certainly were allegedly approached by Blago for a deal and apparently allegedly did nothing to report it.

Really, it's barely even allegedly. More like speculation.

There, even better now.

I buy in to the theory that Obama helped drop the hammer on Blago via some back channels

No. You are not allowed to turn lies into fact by repeating them.

Cease this now.

Yeah, and the FBI knew about some big terrorist attack that was supposed to happen in 2001.

Cyclometh: No. You are not allowed to turn lies into fact by repeating them.

Cease this now.


No, but you are allowed to turn truth into lies by denying them.

Carry on.

zedster: I buy in to the theory that Obama helped drop the hammer on Blago via some back channels

I'll buy that for $1.

Obama does not heart Blago.

maybe I'll get an answer this time.



I'm confused. Tell me what I'm missing/got wrong.

Obama says "we...I, never met with him. "

A local TV station says back in early november that obama DID meet with him.

Other reports from the same time say obama did NOT meet with him.

Now the local TV station says they were mistaken and obama did NOT meet with him.

The feds say obama is not and never was involved with this.

The tapes show whatshisnuts is pissed that obama refuses to play his game.

Yes? No? What did I get wrong or miss? I'm trying to see what the outrage is over and all I see is election time "ah HA!" BS all over again.

It's "Blagoingtojail", smitty.

Obama has said that he is having his team get together any communications with Blago. The news story doesn't tell us anything new, it just tries to push the "news" into a direction that implicates the president-elect.

It's the old adage...
"they build them up only to tear them down."

I liked Michael Steels response and I think he might be dead on. Another reason why I'm rooting for him to take the RNC chair.

I'm sure the O man was quite isolated from this, but not so sure about his underlings.

/Time will tell.

It's not the smoking gun, but there's jizz all over Karl Rove's dress.

It's pretty entertaining to watch Republican hacks desperately try to blow this up into some sort of indictment of Obama's character.

If those dicks spent half as much time working on policy as they did to wanking off to non-scandals and culture wars, they might just start winning an occasional election again.

/not looking very damn likely.

Control_this: It's not the smoking gun, but there's jizz all over Karl Rove's dress.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD

Control_this: It's not the smoking gun, but there's jizz all over Karl Rove's dress.

Was it ?

/hotlinked
//not going for a smear, just the funny

CanisNoir: I liked Michael Steels response and I think he might be dead on. Another reason why I'm rooting for him to take the RNC chair.

I'm sure the O man was quite isolated from this, but not so sure about his underlings.

/Time will tell.

I'm also hoping Steele gets the RNC chair. He's vividly stupid and identity politics is really working for the Republicans.

*yawn*

I wish that Obama would give a press conference and say "I absolutely, positively, did not have sex with that man." I bet that would be good for a good 10, maybe 15 seconds of stunned silence from pretty much everyone.

Man, that would be awesome.

Obama has said a few times that he had no contact with Blagojevich about it and, at least twice, has either said a) I don't want to comment about an ongoing investigation or b) I can't talk about things that I don't know exactly about in regards to his campaign staff talking to Blagojevich about bribery.

Also, there is a sea of muddy water between "involve in" and "knew of" and the two first paragraphs of this article.

Those transcripts also don't even remotely show what was said between Blagojevich's advisers and anyone related to Obama's transition team. And, going by what they said to the SEIU person, it seems quite vague and obviously quite different from the way he talked to Harris or whatever the guy's name is.

As for the statement, I'm not sure what this is supposed to say considering the ongoing investigation. "Hey, we're talking with Fitzgerald about how Blagojevich bribed my staff. But, it's an ongoing investigation, so I don't want to talk about it."

I'm waiting for the defense "I was selling his office furniture" to come up.

Gimme a peek at that 76 page.pdf.

outatime: It's "Blagoingtojail", smitty.

Blaga-- Blago-- Bla-gonna-govern-here-anymore.

RminusQ: outatime: It's "Blagoingtojail", smitty.

Blaga-- Blago-- Bla-gonna-govern-here-anymore.

Is it so hard to say? Bla, Go, Nanaja. Blagonanaja.

bulldg4life: Those transcripts also don't even remotely show what was said between Blagojevich's advisers and anyone related to Obama's transition team. And, going by what they said to the SEIU person, it seems quite vague and obviously quite different from the way he talked to Harris or whatever the guy's name is.

These transcripts are only the tip of the iceberg. Fitzgerald pulled the plug on this investigation before letting it all play out because he knew he was going to hook a fish so big it would pull his boat down to the bottom of the sea. I expect Blago to get Vince Fostered within a matter of weeks. Headline: Distraught accused governor takes own life; Obama expresses condolences". Of course he'll be laughing his ass off behind the scenes.

I hope you're all warmed up, this is just the beginning of the corruption we'll be seeing over the next 4 years. Worst president-elect ever.

cot: I hope you're all warmed up, this is just the beginning of the corruption we'll be seeing over the next 4 years. Worst president-elect ever.

Naa, they are already starting to float the "Insanity" balloon. I expect he'll be declared a raving loon and everything he says will be discounted as the ravings of a mad man.

/And for his cooperation he'll get to do his time in a nice institution instead of behind bars.

cot: bulldg4life: Those transcripts also don't even remotely show what was said between Blagojevich's advisers and anyone related to Obama's transition team. And, going by what they said to the SEIU person, it seems quite vague and obviously quite different from the way he talked to Harris or whatever the guy's name is.

These transcripts are only the tip of the iceberg. Fitzgerald pulled the plug on this investigation before letting it all play out because he knew he was going to hook a fish so big it would pull his boat down to the bottom of the sea. I expect Blago to get Vince Fostered within a matter of weeks. Headline: Distraught accused governor takes own life; Obama expresses condolences". Of course he'll be laughing his ass off behind the scenes.

I hope you're all warmed up, this is just the beginning of the corruption we'll be seeing over the next 4 years. Worst president-elect ever.

-1/10

cot: I expect Blago to get Vince Fostered within a matter of weeks.

Can you give a more precise over/under, so that we'll know at what point to laugh at you when your prediction doesn't come true?

You guys make it so easy.

holiday_inn_in_cambodia: cot: bulldg4life: Those transcripts also don't even remotely show what was said between Blagojevich's advisers and anyone related to Obama's transition team. And, going by what they said to the SEIU person, it seems quite vague and obviously quite different from the way he talked to Harris or whatever the guy's name is.

These transcripts are only the tip of the iceberg. Fitzgerald pulled the plug on this investigation before letting it all play out because he knew he was going to hook a fish so big it would pull his boat down to the bottom of the sea. I expect Blago to get Vince Fostered within a matter of weeks. Headline: Distraught accused governor takes own life; Obama expresses condolences". Of course he'll be laughing his ass off behind the scenes.

I hope you're all warmed up, this is just the beginning of the corruption we'll be seeing over the next 4 years. Worst president-elect ever.

-1/10

No no, that's very good. I can't wait to watch all the fail coming down the pike.

Morning, cot, how's the fishing?

jevich means "son". As does vic, ovich, etc. Ivan Ivanovich is Russian for John Johnson. Slobodan Milosovic means Freeman Milos-son

Let's see, so now it's a crime to appoint someone to a position of power and influence because they raised a lot of money for you and handed it to you?

Does this mean we can charge President Bush with corruption for appointing Michael Brown to be the head of FEMA?

michaeld5: No no, that's very good. I can't wait to watch all the fail coming down the pike.

You too, I want that over/under.

I have heard rumors Rahm Emmanuelle helped turn in this dickwad but they seem like just random speculation.

So senators never talk to governors?

Yeah, sure.

Welcome to the "Chicago Way".

By the way, to all you conservatards declaring what will happen--because obviously you got nuthin' now and have to resort to using questions and hypotheticals as "evidence"--if you don't provide over/under times on your predictions, I'll take that to mean zero--as in, your predictions will come true in zero days, i.e., right now. As in, we'll start pointing and laughing right now, because your predictions aren't coming true right now.

cot: bulldg4life: Those transcripts also don't even remotely show what was said between Blagojevich's advisers and anyone related to Obama's transition team. And, going by what they said to the SEIU person, it seems quite vague and obviously quite different from the way he talked to Harris or whatever the guy's name is.

These transcripts are only the tip of the iceberg. Fitzgerald pulled the plug on this investigation before letting it all play out because he knew he was going to hook a fish so big it would pull his boat down to the bottom of the sea. I expect Blago to get Vince Fostered within a matter of weeks. Headline: Distraught accused governor takes own life; Obama expresses condolences". Of course he'll be laughing his ass off behind the scenes.

I hope you're all warmed up, this is just the beginning of the corruption we'll be seeing over the next 4 years. Worst president-elect ever.

4/10

the vince foster was gold

/nice account number

Who would be so stupid to think that a governor would ever talk to the senators from his state... I mean, that's just ridiculous to even contemplate.

I mean, what if the governor was in charge of appointing someone to fill a senator's seat that just got elected president??? That would be even more far-fetched and unreal.

Geeezzz people, get over it.

Of course there is an excuse for this.

/Your tears, they nourish me

Came for the overreaction on the part of the Obots and am not disappointed.

Before some of you go into "auto-defense mode" could you please read the article? Not only is the article NOT trying to implicate Obama as part of Blago's power play, the article actually points out Blago was pissed because Obama wouldn't play the game...

Even if someone from the O camp was on the conference call, no one is trying to say they did something wrong... just at some point knew what was going on..

2and4: So senators never talk to governors?

When the Senator cashes in IOU's to get vetos overturned, I can see how that relationship could get rocky.

It's no secret that these two were civil in public but really don't like each other. Not to mention everyone in IL has known Blago is a crook for at LEAST 5 years, so knowing this, why the hell would Obama want to be anything more than civil towards the guy?

jpo2269: Came for the overreaction on the part of the Obots and am not disappointed.

Came for the knee-jerk accusations on the part of the Obamaphobes and am not disappointed.

/actually, I am disappointed.

jpo2269: Even if someone from the O camp was on the conference call, no one is trying to say they did something wrong... just at some point knew what was going on..

Assuming your right, and given your sides track record that's a huge assumption, there's a reason we don't prosecute people for not whistleblowing.

But seriously. Let's say Obama, who's been running on government transparency, finds blatant corruption. He and his party can only be helped by exposing it ("We won't stand for our party doing this, we're changing how things happen, ect.")

Why the hell wouldn't he? It just doesn't make any sense. For it to be logical at all, you'd have to start with either the preposition that Obama is a loyalist hack (and fighting the Clintons for 8 months should prove that he isn't), or corrupt (which there's no evidence of).

So... I have to assume, Obama isn't the party hack... you are.

jpo2269: Came for the overreaction on the part of the Obots and am not disappointed.

Before some of you go into "auto-defense mode" could you please read the article? Not only is the article NOT trying to implicate Obama as part of Blago's power play, the article actually points out Blago was pissed because Obama wouldn't play the game...

Even if someone from the O camp was on the conference call, no one is trying to say they did something wrong... just at some point knew what was going on..

Yeah I was thinking that too - the early defense spin was typical politician: "Who? Illinois has a gov? I never talked to him?" Frankly I expected something better from Obama (my fault).

I'd bet the Obama camp knew some of what was going on, directly or indirectly. It is even possible that Emanuel might have played a role in helping the FBI. If the relationship was strained to begin with, there is reason to believe Obama's team felt party loyalty only goes so far, and it would be better to shut this down before it becomes a major scandal (i.e. the new senator is appointed).

So I'm confused, what specific worngdoing does the FBI indictment (or Fox News in this case because we all know the FBI allegation doesn't even refer to Obama or his staff) allege Obama and/or his staff was guilty of doing?

Seriously, what is the concern here, and why should I pay more attention to it than the bailout/the terrible economy/ the war in Iraq?

Time for a new tag on Fark.....

Of course the Obama folks were in communication with Blagojevich. It would be bizarre if they weren't. I assume that they had no interest in trading anything for a favorable appointment. I'm making an educated guess that they rather quickly figured out that they needed to keep their distance from Blagojevich. I will not be surprised to learn that someone in the Obama camp talked to the FBI before the arrest (and was probably told - "no worries, we're already on it.")

Crunch: You can keep me out of the "accusation camp" as I am not accusing Obama, or anyone in his camp of doing anything wrong, or illegal.

Saintstryf: Could you please explain how I am being a party hack by writing what I did? I am not accusing anyone connected to Obama of wrong doing in this case.