I’m glad this is finally being broached.
Fox Chicago News reports that Emanuel, the Chicago congressman who was appointed shortly after the election to be Obama’s White House chief of staff, had “multiple conversations” about the issue with the governor himself and with Blagojevich’s chief of staff, John Harris — who this week was charged along with his boss.
I’m disappointed, though, that it has to be FOX. While the NYT was busy playing up Blago’s Obama quote —“They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation, fuck ’em”—as evidence that O’s team was clean (heck, they even ran an article with a headline that cut across 8 lanes of traffic to imply that Obama was partially responsible for bringing Blago down), my take on Blago’s Obama rant was this: If Blagojevich was pissed at Obama, it’s possible Obama’s people knew Blagojevich was wheeling and dealing for quid pro quos. So, the question I had was: Why didn’t they blow the whistle?
I’m not saying this news about Emanuel proves anything (as TPM pointed out, it does make sense that Obama’s people were talking to Blagojevich), but it does nudge this story in a direction that seemed obvious, but for some reason, was being downplayed by the likes of the NYT.
If the NYT learned anything from the Bush years, I’d hope it’s that they need to be more skeptical of what the President (or President-elect in this case) says.
Come on People. If this was Bush, you’d be asking the same questions.
get judith miller and michael gordon on the case, stat.
Yes, if this were Bush we’d be asking all sorts of questions, but the Bush Admin. has an 8 year history of lies and distortions and Obama, obviously, does not. There’s no equivalency between Bush and Obama so why treat them the same?
damn al gore’s look in that photo says it all. “man am i glad i don’t have to be around the white house while they do this to the president again.”
You don’t know that they didn’t, Josh. Goddamn.
Yeah, if this were the Bushies I’d hope the question were asked but I’d expect that the press would overlook it until it slapped them in the face a few times. I’m willing that the new team get a few mulligans in the political sausage factory as they wade into the lake of shit left behind by the guys still cranking it out of their asses. If our side gets a little benefit of the IOKIYAR rules, fine by me. But that’s unlikely, as it seems the Clinton Rules will be in effect from the start, and guilt by association will be enough for the Heathers in Big Media.
you’re looking for the nyt to do honest reporting? the only thing funnier than that is the fact that the times is going bankrupt
Why? Does your inane FoxNews derangement syndrome really run that deep? Silly question, obviously it does. Too bad they’re the only realiable news station still available to mainstream America who don’t have their pom poms hidden behind the anchors desk for the Chitown Assclown. Then again, anything can happen in a month and being part of the Chicago corrupt political machine, I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama is as corrupt as Blago. We just have to keep pulling at that string attached to Blago and see just how much corruption unravels.
Obama’s Senate seat is going to be filled by this guy Blago (another Democrat in the Senate is crucial) and Fox news is suspicious that the Obama camp is in contact with Blago?
If the Senate seat in Texas were up for grabs, would anyone be surprised if Bush were trying to influence the Texas governor to appoint a Republican?
Yawn…
Geee Josh …
What you seem to be doing is condoning the Fauxist standards … as in the mud throwing that managed to cover up lil Bush’s carear as an AWOL Airman by throwing enough mud in enough directions, except now you want the NYT to adopt the same standard. Since I know you are a good guy, I realize that what you would want is for the NYT to be equal handed in this effort to launch political gotchas from the swamp?
Is there some imaginable, responsible way Obama could not have been in contact with Bogdo? Is there some reason that O himself would know anything in detail (or even want to) about a journey by Rahm Emanuel into the nether regions?
Wasn’t there enough damage done in the Clinton years by this sort of crap?
Look, part of the reason we all red the gray lady is because she is gray, not yellow or red!
What I want to know is this:
No one has told us who tipped off the feds about the Senate Seat Fire Sale.
My bet it was the Obama team, specifically Rahm Emanuel. It would not be by accident that Emanuel has been kept from the public and media. The feds can’t have him talking until the actual indictment is handed down.
Notice I said “my bet”. Obama kept this guy at more than arms length during the campaign and no one on the Obama team would be stupid enough to mess with an idiot that they KNEW has been under Federal investigation for years, and was trying to sell a senate seat.
seattle jew, simple question, do you really think the times is an honest and fair newspaper?
@9, When this first broke a couple/few days ago (an eternity) it was suggested that Emanuel was the tipster.
@9
Wasn’t Blago under investigation for years?
I’ll say this, I hope that the Obama team blew the whistle on this guy….The timing is intersting. Blago was wire tapped since late Oct.
I’m sure there are plenty of folks who are wondering if they are on tape…….watching to see what kind of deal Blago makes….or who he might try to take down…
10 Well, what do you think is an “honest and fair” newspaper? Perhaps a second-rate Washington daily that’s owned by a bazillionaire wacko Korean preacher?
I don’t necessarily agree with the title of this post. Comparing Obama’s contacts with a corrupt governor with Nixon’s crime spree doesn’t seem right.
There was a clear Obama momentum that could have resulted in significant progressive legislation. Right now, Republicans will use the Blago scandal to try to undermine Obama’s mandate.
Politicians are imperfect. Obama is a politician and one of his staffers seemed to have had talks with Blago. This is not something that should be compared to Watergate. And this is not something that should undermine this moment when a great number of progressive/pragmatic legislation should be enacted.
I think the Illinois governor was already under investigation for something else, the wiretaps might have already been in place, and the sale of the Senate seat was icing on the cake. Nobody had to report it.
But just out of curiousity – what if the Ill. governor was referring to receiving some political give and take, rather than personal financial benefit? What if he meant that “I’m not going to put this guy in the Senata unless he agrees to support my guy for the House seat he will be vacating? Would that be illegal?
As for me, I would be supremely surprised if SOMEONE in the Obama camp didn’t talk with the governor about who would be applointed to that seat, and if some pressure wasn’t applied to appoint Obama’s preferred candidate. That’s fair game, and Obama would probably a poor politician if he didn’t exert his influence to some extent.
But the Wignuts don’t bother with such fine/legal distinctions. To them, living in the same neighborhood with an old Weather Underground leader is daming evidence of terrorist sympathies, and breathing the air in Chicago occassionally is proof of corruption.
Of course, that’s a long way from agreeing to providing the governor with some personal financial benefit in return for the appointment.
Josh–
You hit the $64,000 question right on the noggin’……….
Why didn’t Rahm report this to the Feds?
Maybe he did….if so, he ought to say when and how he reported it.
Obama’s “Joe Cool” demeanor is going to have a half-life. He just said the other day none of his staff was involved!
I think Josh is right…Obama is counting on you KLOWNS to fight his fights NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS OR DOES. This flies in the face of what you have bitching about Bush.
Listen, I’ve never liked Bush and made no bones about it. Bush is not a Conservative in the true sense and helped screw up the economy and balloon the deficit..although he had plenty of help. I’ve made no bones about my dislike of Bush…..although I appreciate no major attacks on US Soil the past 7+ years. But I have always questioned Bush’s lack of fiscal management and restraint.
I suggest you KLOWNS do the same with Obama and remember where he came from…..the corrupt Chicago/Hyde Park political machine.
Obama has fallen in love with his ability to speak well and lure you Obama Groupies into covering up his misdeeds.
Good questions Josh…there is hope in America IF we are all vigiliant.
9. My Left Foot spews:
And you base this statement on what????????????
Obama’s incredible track record of good judgment like 20 years sitting in the pew listening to Jeremiah Wright’s racist hate….or his friendship with Bill “the unrepentent Terrorist” Ayers…or how about Tony Rezko??
Listen you Pinhead…you know almost ZERO about Obama or any of his people. Arrogance and lack of media scrutiny can create monsters.
Nice you qualify and REPEAT it’s Your Bet…what the hell does that mean Your Bet???
Who are you betting with?
This investigation will take years. Why? Because the Chicago/Hyde Park machine is not only corrupt..but it’s vastly corrupt.
I want to see the investigation into Michelle Obama’s promotions and massive salary increases and exactly what work she did.
Chicago 101 is to make payoffs thru family members in the form of hgh-paying jobs.
Didn’t you hear what Blago the Serb said MLF??
He wanted a high paying job….like Michelle Obama’s!
Why would anyone have to report bleeping anything if the guy has been wiretapped since Oct.?
The FBI was the one that discovered it. They had a wire tap up investigating other corruption charges and the idiots from IL talked about it over the phone (they must not be fans of The Wire).
I’m puzzled that the FBI decided to spring the trap BEFORE someone took the bait. I’d like to know who’s corrupt enough to play along and now we’ll never know.
Michael–
I’m with you…wish the Feds had let Jesse Jackson, Jr. take the bait!
So hl, you are excusing any Obama minions from responsibility for reporting the “Pay for the Senate Seat” scheme by Blago the Serb because the FBI already knew??
That’s rich!
Obama’s folks had no way of knowing about the FBI wire-tap.
So if Obama is approached on a Murder for Hire scheme, he doesn’t have to report it because he THINKS the FBI should know??
What garbage hl…even for you.
Well since you brought THIS up.
“But the Wignuts don’t bother with such fine/legal distinctions. To them, living in the same neighborhood with an old Weather Underground leader is daming evidence of terrorist sympathies”
It’s a little more than living in the same neighborhood. Ayers hosted a fund raiser in his home for Obama, when Obama was running for the Senate in Ill.
Now, Say McCain, Bush – Any Republican were to have kicked off their political career in the living room of, oh, Tim McVee? or Bill White (http://counterterrorismblog.or.....r_bill.php).
They would never make it to Iowa…….let alone go forward as the nominee
Maybe Obama’s people did blow the whistle. There’s life after Blago or there should be.
What are a President’s people hired to do? #1 Protect the President.
Obama had no dealings with Blago on the Senate issue and there’s no evidence that any of his people negotiated quid pro quos. Last time I looked Obama’s people came out well in Fitz’s papers.
Blago didn’t even address the Democratic Convention last summer. The record shows that Obama has kept his distance for a long time.
I wouldn’t wouldn’t give a second thought to wingnut media blowing smoke.
18
I have hit the big time. I have been called a pin head……by a lying, prevaricating, goat fucker.
I am chastened.
Look, dickwad, do you really think that after avoiding Rod the Clod like the plague during the campaign that anyone in the Obama camp would be that stupid? My post poses the question as to whether Rahm is the whistle blower. There are many reasons he would remain silent for now. Lets wait and see the actual indictment you ignorant louse.
Now, Say McCain, Bush – Any Republican were to have kicked off their political career in the living room of, oh, Tim McVee? or Bill White
McSame took trips to Bermuda courtesy of Keating and yes, he did have dalliances with far right groups.
McSame also had ties to Khalidi. Yes it’s true.
He got way past Iowa.
18:
Harvard law graduate, Michelle, making huge bucks? That is so out of the ordinary we need an investigation into just how she got the big bucks.
Look you goat fucking fucktard, she has an education and is quite the desirable hire. She is black, she is a she and she graduated from fucking Harvard. She is over qualified to be asking “Would you like to up-size that”? which is what your wife says 200 times a day at her job.
Cyniclown, you are idiot. You look for shit in the living room when the bathroom would be a better place to start. I suggested before that you take the tin foil off the windows, let some light in and take your mom’s bra off your head. I would like to add that maybe you seek professional help with your social disorders and lack emotional stability.
Moe-ron.
my left foot, i totally agree that two of muchelle’s biggest assests are she is black and she’s a she, thats the state of the culture in our country amazing. since i know race and gender can get people hired or into med school, that is why i only let white mmales operate on me. just protecting myself.
27:
How do you conjure up the brain power to breathe?
MLF @ 28
Isn’t that a piece of work at 27? We should have to pay admission to get entertainment like that. Holy shit, I’ll bet “man of truth” is so confused that he wipes before he shits.
i’m just agreeing with u
admittedly, my hatred for everything left wing makes steam come out of my ears and i can barely think straight sometimes, maybe thats what u mean
i just realized, you guys are flabbergasted at the truth
31: ” . . . i can barely think straight sometimes . . .”
Actually, your inability to express yourself coherently, as well as your inability to articulate a rational thought, suggests that you are never able to think straight. By the way, your handle, “man of truth,” is just precious. You wouldn’t recognize the truth if it was fucking you in the ass. Keep up the good work, son. I always appreciate those who make the rightwing look foolish, and you are sure doing your part.
my hatred for everything left wing
Adopting some of the phraseology of Ronnie Raygun:
It’s idiots like you who show the world what Republicans are all about.
32:
No, we are amazed that you are actually allowed access to the Internet and allowed to go out in public. I am sure in public that you are probably the guy who crosses in the middle of the street when a person of color is walking toward or near you. You are a racist in the ugliest sense of the word.
Your parents and family must be very, very proud. Without affirmative action programs we would still be living in a world where the water coolers are labled “Whites” and “Colored”.
Somehow I think you would prefer that.
33:
proud leftist says:
My-Oh-MY!!
You win for line of the day. My father always said “He/she would not know the truth if it walked up and slapped them in the face”. I think had he used your variation he might have gotten through to them.
I know I am still laughing.
Thank you.
Medical science must move with all due speed toward developing effective treatment for Wingnuttia. When we see an example of Chronic Wingnuttia, “man of truth” comes to mind, we get a sense of how miserable the lives of those suffering from that syndrome must be. Human lives are too valuable for them to be wasted because of Wingnuttia and its complications.
@37 Nah. Just euthanize ’em, like they do with mad dogs.*
* Hey, just kidding! I’m sure gonna miss wingnut humor after all the evolutionary deadenders like Ann Coulter are gone.
Hey Josh, it’s called media bias. Big TIme in the NYTimes. Something Puddy has delivered to your ilk for a long time but you and your “friends” sweep it under the table.
In fact your cousin yelling loser boy always says something stupid…
Stupid is as stupid does….
Josh wrote:
Nope. The NYT would be sliming it all over Bush.
You are too blind to see it.
Puddy
The NYT is as straightforward a newspaper as we have in this country. Your ideological bias, which colors everything you say, simply prevents you from recognizing objective media.
41. proud leftist spews:
Puddy
The NYT is as straightforward a newspaper as we have in this country.
LOL LOL LOL thats all we need to know about you
by the way proud lefty, i think black people are good honorable people, they’re not the ones raping wall sreet and sending the money overseas
and on top it dumbass, your policies have bankrupt california, the first state to go down.
Proud Leftist@41:
I see you are as delusional as ever. The NY Times is as objective as you are Proud Leftist. They are full of proud leftists.
That’s why the newspaper is such a great fishwrapper and bird cage cover.
Proud Leftist: From the PuddyArchives:
“Of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center, with CBS’ “Evening News,” The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times ranking second, third and fourth most liberal behind the news pages of The Wall Street Journal.”
As I sit here Proud Leftist I remember the General Betray-Us ad of moron.org and their hefty discount.
I guess you forgot that too huh?
yeah, the nyt is so balanced, its going bankrupt. so i guess you can only draw one of two conclusions. either people dont like to read balanced newspapers or the assumption of balance is incorrect.
been reading your posts, left and right, looks like both sides missed whats going on. emanuel has an fbi file, they feel he’s a security risk, and they’re using this to get him to resign.
As we all know by now, if you report the truth you’re labled as Liberal Biased by the right.
Obama will come out smelling like a rose because he’s honest.
Furthermore, I don’t want to hear any crap from self identified Reagan Republicans as they defended the “Cloud on the vice president’s offce” about outing an undercover CIA agent who actually tracked WMD’s and protected America from nuclear terrorism.
Plus all the other bull shit lies and scams over the last 8 years.
Yaaaaawwwwwnnnn . . . did I mention the convicted Republcian felons? Yeah, don’t want to hear about morality from people who vote for KLOWNS that wind up doing time in prison or hustling blow jobs from strange men in airport bathrooms.
Nuff said.
Puddy @ 46
Being left of center tends to establish objectivity. As Steven Colbert said, “Facts have a liberal bias.” They do, my friend. Reality is on the left, and this nation is starting to recognize that.
wait a minute gbs, did you say blow jobs? you’re kidding right? what do you think of the slimeball bill getting a blow job in the white house?
Proud Leftist: Steve Colbert. There’s a genius…
I’ll raise you a Dennis Miller. Dennis said “Obama OBLIVIOUS OR DECEITFUL in Blagojevich Scandal”
Proud Leftist: Objectivity? General Betray-us ad at a humongous discount?
Puddy
Colbert is a comic genius. Dennis Miller? Ah, not so much. He hasn’t been funny since the conservative demons took over his soul.
i cant stand arriana huffington, but i know some of you leftys do, so did you see her on larry king tonite. he asked her if there was anything in blags history to indicate he was like this. she said of course, he was always being labeled a crook. so if true, then why was obama endorsing him? another time obama didnt see anything?
@1O ManofTruth
Yes, but that is NOT the point. ALL that faux does is sling mud and that in a consistent direction. I would not want to see the NYT, fair or unfair, sink into the swamp,
Puddytat Puddy tat, I tink I sat on a Puddytat
Jeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz
Come off of it. Now you are nto even funny. Tell us what pae3rs YOU think are Fair and Balanced?
Or its it really the best oyu can do to cheer on the lady wrestlers at Faux as they pretend to be humping their news horses?
@ 22:
“Now, Say McCain, Bush – Any Republican were to have kicked off their political career in the living room of, oh, Tim McVee? or Bill White (http://counterterrorismblog.o rg/2008/10/white_supremacist_l eader_bill.php).
They would never make it to Iowa…….let alone go forward as the nominee”
I’m still laughing over that one. I was going to post a list about all the criminal associations of various prominant Republican officeholders, but I really don’t have that much time right now. It would be a really, really, big project.
ok seattle jew, i understand your point. you’re basically saying its the mudslinging you’re making a point of. now i’m just saying, i want to make a point of being biased or not. now, if you said to me, hey, i know the nyt is biased but i agree with their point if view, i wouldnt like it, but i couldnt say you dont have a right to like it. but, and you didnt answer this i dont think, if you think the nyt is unbiased, then we could never have a meeting of the minds ’cause there is no way the nyt doesnt lean to the left.
Josh, quit feeding the trolls.
Sheese!
Real American @ 61
Amen, bro.
@60 Man? of truth?
Sad. Folks like you may have destroyed MY country! Enjoy the mud fights.
jeepers seattle jew i asked you twice if you thought nyt was unbiased and you didnt answer either time. is it that hard of a question?
64 I did answer you but your response was a typical Fauxista preference for dirt.
No newspaper is truly unbiased even in regard to the news itself. I suspect that is i8mpossible.
The NYT reporting id s pretty much centrist with the added feature of an attmept to be complete. Other media that arfe also more or less centrist as far as their news reporting include NPR, WSJ, the economist, al Jazeera, AP.
Mud slinging media like Faux, el Granma, China news, Townhall, Drudge are not reliable because they are so far to the left or right.
I am just an Effin patriot and despise the kind of misuse of facts the rights has undertaken to undermine the USA.
SeattleJew: I guess you forgot this from the PuddyArchives:
” THE PUBLIC EDITOR; Is The New York Times a Liberal Newspaper? OF course it is.”
By DANIEL OKRENT
Published: July 25, 2004
SeattleJew Nick Kristoff of the NY Times said earlier this year:
“Dan Okrent, when he was Public Editor of the Times, wrote a brave and wise piece that aroused tremendous comment and unease, but I think he was right.”
PuddyCommentary: Even a lefty employed by the Times agrees.
Proud Leftist: I know you liberals heads explode when disagreeable facts are presented. UCLA gave the NY Times a 73.7 rating on a 100 point scale, placing a 0 as most conservative and 100 as most liberal.
But then again you libs say this is right-wing material. How is UCLA right-wing?
And of course NY Times readership has continued to decline over the past 15 years. But because they have a liberal bent, you on HA excuse them and rail on the Seattle Times. Yet, to make many points here, libs run to the NYT. Telling… really telling…
Well the stock holder hasn’t excused their liberal bias. In the past year, New York Times share value is down a staggering 66.8%.
When you read Business and Media – find the link your selves, NY City readership is down almost 30% just.
I guess one can unequivocally say they make the news fit their agenda with their continual cheerleading of Obama (which continued with the thread head) in 2008.
Wow! Josh makes a decent attempt to be balanced and you left-wing kool-aid drinkers throw him under the bus! Learning quickly from your Messiah, aren’t you? (This is not the Josh I knew in the past……….)
Cynical?
Neither Mr. Obama, nor anyone in the transition team has said that there was no contact with the Governor’s office.
Frankly, it would strain credibility if that were to be said.
What they have said is that Mr. Obama had no direct talks on the matter, and that noone in the Obama transition team had offered anything beyond the good will of the President-elect in return for the Governor’s consideration on choosing a replacement for Mr. Obama in the Senate.
Of course there were conversations. And, considering that there is an ongoing investigation, I expect that Mr. Fitzgerald will be interviewing the people who were involved with those conversations.
Just as an investigator will normally interview anyone that may have information about a crime.
Does that make any of those conversations illegal? No. Of course not.
Should Mr. Obama and his staff go on nationwide TV and describe those conversations in detail? Again, no, of course not. It’s an ongoing investigation.
So, what should Mr. Obama do? Well, how about going on national TV to tell the country that he is not personally involved, and assure us that his staff did not participate in any “pay-for-play” schemes.
He did that.
Beyond that, what part of “ongoing investigation” is so hard for you right wing types to understand?
The (Republican) investigator has already told us that neither Mr. Obama, nor the transition team are considered to be “under investigation” in this matter. What more assurance do you want?
Or, more likely, knowing that Neither Mr. Obama nor his transition team can comment further, are you folks just trying to sling mud at someone that cannot respond without jeopordizing an ongoing case?
Puddy
It seems to me you are in a corner.
The question here is about patriotism .. thatn is caring about whether we the people can get information that ets us govern or are being fed blond bimbos betray boyfriends instead of news.
You want to whine that the times is “liberal” … then tell me where you think you can read the news? Tell me what topics the Times is not covering that should be covered and are covered anywhere else?
As for the Seattle Tmes it carries almost no news of anykind. The saddest thing about tis death might be the need to pay for wrapping materials when I sell stuff on eBAY.
To quote the immortal Jedi,
“Methinks the dark one too enamored of his feline likeness is.”
Yoda, when commenbting on the cat in Red Dwarf
@71
I think you miss the point.
The issue is did Obama staff hear Blago try to offer something….and not report this to the FBI.
This would be a political screw up. Big time. No, it’s not illegal, because there is no law saying “citizens who suspect crimes or attempts at crimes must report them.” This isn’t Cuba or the USSR.
You avoid this issue very cleverly. As follows:
“Does that make any of those conversations illegal? No. Of course not.”
No one said legality is the issue; this is the straw man argument.
“Should Mr. Obama and his staff go on nationwide TV and describe those conversations in detail? Again, no, of course not. It’s an ongoing investigation.”
Wrong. They should tell the media all of their conversations. Because (a) it’s not illegal for them to do so; (b) they aren’t the ones doing the investigating, they are not bound by the fact that it’s an ongoign investigation, and (c) they have vowed to be transparent and (d) if Emanuel or someone else heard Blago working up to an offer of something illegal, or heard him say things that indicated he was into that, then they should have reported it because although there’s no law requiring you to report it YOU WOULD THINK THE STAFF OF THE INCOMING PRESEIDENT WOULD TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO STOP A SALE OF A SENATE SEAT IF THEY HAD NOTICE THIS MIGHT BE HAPPENING.
It may have been the rule that in Chicago your were clean if you weren’t on the take, and if you looked away from the dirt.
But in the USA, I think we require a bit more than that.
And the real reason to lay it all out there is this stuff is stopping Obama in his tracks in getting on message about change and his legislative program and what he’s going to pass in the first ten days.
Totally out of control of the message now.
So wise up admit you’re wrong and get with the program. We don’t want any staffers on board who would even listen to this kind of talk and not report it.
Joe @73 – I couldn’t have said it better. Bravo
joe @73, a second bravo.
but now you have to take it a step further. why do they think they can get away with insane, illogical arguements which was the hallmark of the clinton administration? because they purposely sabaotaged the public school system so children will grow up ignorant and stupid, with their only knowledge diversity and tolerance. of course they send their kids to private achools so the chosen ones will lead.
O know? O knew. O no!
The Piper
How is Obama so sure nobody on his transition staff had involvement with Blagojovich’s office if he (Obama) has yet to gather all the facts about his staff’s conversations with that office? Hmmm???
IMO, he’s not waiting to gather facts, he’s waiting until all those involved can get their stories straight. Transparency my a**.
of course they all new. these are politicians.
obama is already changing his initial statement.
he ran on “change”.
e
http://www.aniboom.com/video/301279/obama-plan/