http://capitolfaxcom.disqus.com/NoneenThu, 11 Dec 2008 21:40:26 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192164<p>westside worker hits it!!</p><p>Blago was stupid enough to attempt to squeeze Valerie Jarrett, and I don't, for one single minute, buy Obama's statement that he didn't know about this. I have absolutely no doubt that within 15 minutes of the time Valerie Jarrett left her meeting with Blago, she was Blackberrying Obama and Emmanuel of Blago's conduct and B.S.</p><p>Look at the reports that it was Rahm Emmanuel who dropped the dime on Blago to the Feds.</p><p>Axelrod may have misspoke, but Obama knew what was going on, and he's putting the little hairball in his proper place (prison).</p><p>Just a shame Obama can't force him out of office before Jan. 20.</p>Lynn SThu, 11 Dec 2008 21:40:26 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192163<p>Obama, in true to Chicago Political Machine form, has thrown David Axelrod “under the bus” already.</p>Master of the ObliviousWed, 10 Dec 2008 16:06:57 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192162<p>OK, one thing that comes to mind (not sure where to put this), the GOV appointed John Filan to the IFA board in early November, did he do this to ensure he could get the board to support the Tribune Deal??? It is no difference than Rezko on the Hospital board.</p>He Makes Ryan Look Like a SainWed, 10 Dec 2008 15:48:06 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192161<p>======I don’t think Obama has an obligation anymore to give his position on every development in IL politics....He’s not our Senator anymore. And every time he gets sucked into what is largely an internal shame here in Illinois, he’s not doing his primary job, which is to speak for the whole country.=====</p><p>ZC, come on. This is not just any "development in IL politics." This is a huge matter that is directly tied to the Senate seat Obama held for the last four years. And he's not POTUS yet, so don't lecture us what his primary job is. The fact is, Obama has never, NEVER, spoken out forcefully against the IL machine.</p>South Side MikeWed, 10 Dec 2008 15:11:59 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192160<p>When does Obama leave for Hawaii? He should try to get the heck out of Chicago right now.</p><p>I think a lot of the comments are right. He shouldn't urge a resignation at the same time he's publicly stating that the investigation should proceed at the discretion of the US Attorneys office. He's the President-Elect now. He should stay out of anything that will relate to his future role as POTUS. He's, if you will, a "lame duck candidate". The less he says, the better off he will be.</p><p>However, if he stays in Chicago this Blagojevich stuff will not go away. It's going to be a feeding frenzy with available hotel rooms, a struggling economy with bargain basement travel costs right now, and a media with not much else to do.</p><p>There's enough scoops to make a back hoe operator proud.</p>GabrielWed, 10 Dec 2008 15:06:54 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192159<p>There is the news report of the 5 Nov meeting between Blago and Obama about who is to fill his sen seat. The cover up is worse then the crime a lot of times. I read the complaint and it appears Obamas camp was telling blago he would have to wait for his reward but blago wanted something now.</p>fed upWed, 10 Dec 2008 15:01:58 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192158<p>I though that Obama had given the gov. 3 names that he was pushing - Jesse Jr., Emil and Sheila Jackson. How did he push those names, if he hasn't had any contact with Blago.</p>ShelbyvilleWed, 10 Dec 2008 14:59:58 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192157<p>I don't think Obama has an obligation anymore to give his position on every development in IL politics. He's got much bigger concerns on his hands. So I don't think he owes anyone regular statements on what should be done here. He's not our Senator anymore. And every time he gets sucked into what is largely an internal shame here in Illinois, he's not doing his primary job, which is to speak for the whole country.</p><p>On the other hand, ethically he does owe everyone a full documentation about his recent contacts with Blagojevich, and especially any conversations that he or his close associates had with Blago concerning the Senate seat appointment. That will mess up Obama's transition message, but there is no helping it. My guess is there won't be much there. So he should prepare a "document dump" and get that out of the way, as early as possible, let the media write their one big weekend story exonerating him (hopefully), and then let the crazies stew about it on the net.</p>ZCWed, 10 Dec 2008 14:20:33 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192156<p>What do you mean Obama wouldn't give him (Blago) anything? Why is it ALL the media skip this part?<br>"ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that the consultants (Advisor B and another consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherf___r [the President-elect] his senator. F___ him. For nothing? F___ him.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put “[Senate Candidate 4]” in the Senate “before I just give f___ing [Senate Candidate 1] a f___ing Senate seat and I don’t get anything.”</p><p>What is "You have to wait 2 years? Who said that? Blago is drawing to much heat now so he has to wait 2 years is what that means. That is business you draw heat you have to wait till the heat is gone. Where did that line come from?? Why does EVERY media outlet skip this line????</p>westside workerWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:50:24 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192155<p>John Shibley, I'm trying to give Axelrod the benefit of the doubt.</p><p>I choose to believe that when he explicitly said Obama had talked about Senate replacements with Blago, Axelrod did not know that to be true. One could say he concocted actions of the president-elect out of thin air for no apparent reason.</p><p>And since that fictional conversation he spoke of involved someone known to be under numerous federal investigations, I submit that was neither whip-smart nor thinking three moves ahead.</p>wordslingerWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:50:07 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192154<p>Phineas - I have been speculating the same thing. Personally I would love to see a telephone transcript between Rahm and Harris.</p>HoBoSkilletWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:41:48 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192153<p>"Obama and Blagojovich operate in two opposing worlds"? Oh really? So Emil Jones being Obama's "godfather" in Springfield and staunch Blogojovich supporter throughout the havoc he has caused in Springfield we should just chalk up to it being a small world - kind of like Rezko just happening to buy a piece of property right next to your house. Oh, and I must have missed Obama voicing his objection to Emil Jones passing his Senate seat onto his son like it was his valuable piece of property to bequeath.<br> Only in Illinois does staying silent while corrupt deals are being brokered around you qualify as being clean!</p>Lakeview conservativeWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:34:57 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192152<p>I think it was Obama's chief of staff that got the whole thing going by telling the feds Balgo's selling the seat. That might make Obama a little mum right now, too.</p>Phineas J. WhoopeeWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:30:47 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192151<p>Anyone else underwhelmed by Obama's non-statement? His spokesman, not Obama, states that Obama 1) agrees with other politicians that 2) it is difficult for the gov. to 3) effectively do his job.</p><p>1) Obama can't lead with this, he has to second others' measures?</p><p>2) Difficult? How about, definitely impossible!</p><p>3) Since when did Blago effectively govern?</p><p>Come on, Barack, take a stand! What are you afraid of?</p>South Side MikeWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:27:31 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192150<p>==Secondly, the quicker Obama removes himself from the barnyard of Illinois politics, the better.==</p><p>Agree - definately. Good point! But he's the President now and we need him to finally be that reformer he claimed these past months. Screw the legal angle - Blagojevich's lawyers can hide him behind those scrubs - just get this guy <i>out of our lives!</i></p><p>The uglier we make his departure, the better the lesson for future Blagojevich-wannabes.</p>VanillaManWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:20:08 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192149<p>Obama is in a tight spot right now though. If he was already inaugarated then I would agree that Obama should avoid the situation altogether. However, since Obama is I guess technically a private Illinois citizen he has to say something especially since the right wing media is going nuts about how Obama is somehow involved in the mix on this.</p>HoBoSkilletWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:13:24 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192148<p>VMan, the rest of my post, in part, was that Obama will be head of the Justice Department that will be prosecuting Blago. It's wrong for him to demand the resignation of someone he will be prosecuting.</p><p>Such conduct by any president could be interpreted as an abuse of power.</p><p>Secondly, the quicker Obama removes himself from the barnyard of Illinois politics, the better. He's got a lot bigger fish to fry and we can get rid of Blago without him.</p>wordslingerWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:09:33 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192147<p>VM is right, wordslinger is wrong on this. The key problem now for Illinois is that Blagojevich politically cannot govern because they have him on tape saying and scheming outrageous things. Obama's point is a political one, not a legal one, and should be taken as such, especially by the governor. Ideally he would have his day in court without the Lege having to impeach him first.</p>Angry ChicagoanWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:09:16 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192146<p>"(I’ve seen him in action enough over the years that I don’t buy the genius hype)"</p><p>You haven't seen much, then. This isn't a deification, but the guy's whip-smart, and thinks three moves ahead.</p><p>But I do tend to think he was speaking without actually knowing on Fox. Though it would have raised questions, it would have been perfectly appropriate for Obama to give Blagojevich a jingle about the senate vacancy. Not to offer him anything, but certainly to bend his ear.</p><p>If he says he didn't, likely he didn't</p>JonShibleyFanWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:03:31 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192145<p>This circus is great, too bad I have to go to work. With this issue, there is no way Obama can look good. Just give platitudes and hope it passes quickly. And then make sure there is always something important going on when Roddy is officially indicted, goes on trial, and is sentenced. Ah, reform and renewal, change and hope.</p>Heartless LibertarianWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:01:11 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192144<p>What will Blago want for the resignation? A pardon?</p>Hanging ChadWed, 10 Dec 2008 13:00:17 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192143<p>==Rich, I think Obama’s response yesterday was 100% right, and his call for resignation today absolutely wrong.==</p><p>I don't agree. We need to start demanding that our elected officials look beyond legal arguments in cases such as this. Even if Blagojevich is innocent - he is damn useless and needs to go immediately! So the question isn't about <i>guilt</i>, it is about leadership.</p><p>Obama should have made this statement immediately.</p>VanillaManWed, 10 Dec 2008 12:57:25 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192142<p>Check out Rod's Facebook page. His favorite quotation? "Do unto others as you want them to do to you". Seriously.</p>lincolnloverWed, 10 Dec 2008 12:56:37 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192141<p>I guess this isn't the Rod Blagojevich that Obama 'thought he knew'. Is anyone keeping a tally on the use of that line?</p>Team AmericaWed, 10 Dec 2008 12:54:33 -0000http://capitolfax.com/2008/12/10/obama-impact/#comment-18192140<p>Rich, I think Obama's response yesterday was 100% right, and his call for resignation today absolutely wrong.</p><p>In a few short weeks, Obama is going to be the head of the Justice Department. He's demonstrating prejudice to the accused, Blago's, position. No president should do that with anyone.</p><p>In addition, he now needs to stay out of this stuff. Rod is small time compared to the issues he's facing. He doesn't have to comment on every issue that comes along.</p>wordslingerWed, 10 Dec 2008 12:48:08 -0000