by Frank James
President-elect Barack Obama's first comments on the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges left something too be desired, according to Robert "Mike" Duncan, the Republican National Committee's chair:
"Leaders of both political parties have a responsibility to clearly condemn the actions by Governor Rod Blagojevich as alleged by federal prosecutors today. Americans expect strong leadership, but President-elect Barack Obama's comments on the matter are insufficient at best. Given the President-elect's history of supporting and advising Governor Blagojevich, he has a responsibility to speak out and fully address the issue."











Comments
Too bad for the RNC that Blagojevich had no role in Obama's campaign, his transition, and that the two men have never been close.
I wonder how many interns at Faux News are working this very minute at finding every last picture of Blago with Obama and/or any person affiliated with Obama?
RNC - thwarted.....again.
Posted by: Jimmy Justice | December 9, 2008 5:24 PM
It may be that Obama believes one is innocent until found guilty by a jury.
Posted by: Vivian | December 9, 2008 5:55 PM
Anyone elected Governor of Illinois should be "pre-indicted" on the day they're elected, saving the Feds the trouble and perhaps enticing the Guv to do at least one decent thing.
The masters of the looting class do seem to be running a little scared these days. What if the public starts holding them to the same standards of transparency imposed on the auto industry in return for a paltry 15 billion dollars?
There is that little matter of an opaque 700 billion sludge fund that is being disbursed at the U. S. Treasury's (currently serving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldman Sachs) whim.
I await the eventual indictments of Hank Paulson and Neel Kashkari. Wait until we find out how they decided whom to reward with multiple billions for bad behavior.
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 6:22 PM
Luckily for Obama, he has an "out". He's right, it would be highly inappropriate for him or any public official to make specific comments about criminal charges.
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However, those who claim that Obama had no connection to Blagojevich are simply uninformed.
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"...Mr. Obama has a relationship with Mr. Blagojevich, having not only endorsed Blagojevich in 2002 and 2006, but having served as a top adviser to the Illinois governor in his first 2002 run for the state house."
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Source: ABC News
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/12/questions-arise.html
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 6:44 PM
However, those who claim that Obama had no connection to Blagojevich are simply uninformed
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 6:44 PM
Obama was a Senator from IL and Blago is the Governor of IL, no one is saying that they didn't know each other or have a casual working relationship, Einstein.
These (see above) rightwing conspiracy nuts are going to burn themselves out before Obama even takes office.
Posted by: Boyd Greenwell | December 9, 2008 7:14 PM
Posted by: Boyd Greenwell | December 9, 2008 7:14 PM
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Sorry, but yes some people are saying they didn't know each other or have a casual working relationship, Einstein. See the first comment on this thread.
(Posted by: Jimmy Justice | December 9, 2008 5:24 PM)
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Oh, and maybe ABC News are "rightwing conspiracy nuts" for you, but most people would disagree with that.
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BTW, serving as a top adviser to the Illinois governor in his first 2002 run for the state house is a bit closer, than "a casual working relationship", Einstein.
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 7:25 PM
Barack Obama hardly needs lectures from some republican named "Mike" Duncan.
Posted by: rupert | December 9, 2008 7:32 PM
Looks like Obama is trying to stay away froM the isue as far as he can-
He is using his CHANGE.
Posted by: Inky | December 9, 2008 7:46 PM
...and my point is the same one I've been making fthroughout the campaign: Obama has no prior history as a reformer, and he has played politics and won in a dirty environment (ie, Illinois) and won. Nobody does that by being a saint. (And yes, people speak of him like he's a saint.)
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Does Blagojevich-gate spell doom for the Obama presidency? I seriously doubt it. He's not that dirty. But the dewy eyed acolytes had best come down to earth now and understand that he's a politician like every other politician. Otherwise there's disappointment in store for them.
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 7:48 PM
....
He's not that dirty. But the dewy eyed acolytes had best come down to earth now and understand that he's a politician like every other politician. Otherwise there's disappointment in store for them.
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 7:48 PM
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Why don't you take your hatred of all things Obama and direct it at something positive like fight poverty or homlessness? You type of people are scary.
Posted by: Boyd Greenwell | December 9, 2008 8:03 PM
The media reported six years past that Obama was part of a small group that met weekly to plot the election of Blagojevich to Governor.
Obama endorsed Blagojevich two years back when he should of known that Blago was under investigation for "pay to play" as the media were reporting it frequently.
Obama also endorsed Todd Stroger, for Cook County Board President, when the media was reporting he was nothing but a political hack.
Patrick Fitzgerald has indicted Blago and it is reported that Stroger is under investigation.
When will the media report that Obama is not the good government messiah they have told the American people but rather just another slick politician!
Posted by: Pat H | December 9, 2008 8:04 PM
MJ,
You're hatred of all things Obama is well documented on here.....you LOST! Now get over it and go crawl back under your wingnut infested rock, no one cares about your "deep thoughts" anymore.
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 8:08 PM
...and my point is the same one I've been making fthroughout the campaign: Obama has no prior history as a reformer, and he has played politics and won in a dirty environment (ie, Illinois) and won. Nobody does that by being a saint. (And yes, people speak of him like he's a saint.)
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Does Blagojevich-gate spell doom for the Obama presidency? I seriously doubt it. He's not that dirty. But the dewy eyed acolytes had best come down to earth now and understand that he's a politician like every other politician. Otherwise there's disappointment in store for them.
Posted by: MJ | December 9, 2008 7:48 PM
If does spell doom for Obama its because he has put too many Chicago Dems around him that have conections with the Chicago Democrat core.
Posted by: Inky | December 9, 2008 8:16 PM
Does it bother you the 1st thing out of POUS elects mouth is "Don't know Him,who is he"
Posted by: Tj | December 9, 2008 8:16 PM
MJ doesn't have any credibility on anything regarding Prez-elect Obama:
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I will NEVER vote for a black man...period.
Posted by: MJ | July 5, 2008 3:08 PM
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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/obama_aligned_with_scalia_thom.html
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Enough said.....
Posted by: rightwing noise machine | December 9, 2008 8:16 PM
Is anyone starting to see the pattern here? Every crooked SOB politician is somehow with Obama. But Obama never knows anything that any of these people are doing. Obama said he never talked to anyone in this crooks office, but yet Obama's campaign manager said Obama had already spoke with the greedy ^*(&^&^*. Where's all the halos now?? Go Obama!!! One crook to another, and he isnt's even in office yet? Wait till he gets sworn in, watch all the skeletons come out of the closet then!!!
Posted by: barb | December 9, 2008 9:56 PM
Obama has stepped forward in a blod move and voted PRESENT.
Posted by: Terry | December 9, 2008 10:00 PM
When will the media report that Obama is not the good government messiah they have told the American people but rather just another slick politician!
Posted by: Pat H | December 9, 2008 8:04 PM
If does spell doom for Obama its because he has put too many Chicago Dems around him that have conections with the Chicago Democrat core.
Posted by: Inky | December 9, 2008 8:16 PM
......................................
You two clowns need to come up with something definitive that Obama did that was illegal or put on your dunce caps and go sit in the corner with MJ, the Obama birth certificate nuts, the Ayers and Wright crazies, the Obama is a terrorist psycho's and all the other rightwing lunitic fringers who still can't get over the fact that your Rove fear and smear tactics don't win you elections anymore.
Posted by: norm mcfreed | December 9, 2008 10:53 PM
Boyd Greenwell,
MJ is also the same Repub who spent the last year on year claiming that he had proof that Obama was criminally involved with Rezko.
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 11:18 PM
Boyd Greenwell,
MJ is also the same Repub who spent the last year on here claiming that he had proof that Obama was criminally involved with Rezko.
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 11:19 PM
Interesting that the folks on the Left still believe Obama has no ties to Blago, Daley, Rezko, Ayers, Wright, and anyone else in Obama's life. It's amazing to see the alternative irrational world that the Left lives in.
Posted by: John D | December 9, 2008 11:56 PM
One of the first things Republicans (see MJ above) are trying to do is associate Obama with Blagojevich (big surprise) which really shows why Obama shouldn't try to be so engaging with the Republicans. They don't appreciate it, and they don't deserve it from now on.
In the coming days, as Republicans try to manufacture links between the incoming administration and Blagojevich, it will be important to remember this fact: Not only was there no link between Blagojevich's corruption and the Obama team, but Blagojevich cursed out Obama for not being willing to play ball.
In fact, as Blagojevich was trying to enrich himself, President-elect Obama was working to get this economy back on track after eight years of disastrous Republican leadership.
Yet even as Democrats across the board are calling for Blagojevich to resign or to be impeached, even as most Americans want to see Blagojevich behind bars so we can adddress this nation's great and pressing challenges, Republicans want to drag this out -- purely for partisan gain.
In other times, this kind of a gambit might just work. But not now. Not in the middle of the Bush Recession. Just like John McCain crashed and burned, so to will Republicans who head down this path. There is no surer route to political irrelevancy for their Party than to obsessively try to fan the flames of political outrage at the same time that there is so much important work to be done.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIt_QbLfnlc
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Posted by: MXZ | December 10, 2008 12:45 AM
Once again, the RNC resort to smear. They are trying to cause political turmoil before they lose power in January. Then no more funding for witch hunts. . .i guess might as well use it while u still got funding.
Based on the indictments, I have not heard anything concrete. What laws were broken? Did he actually accepted money or a deal? So far, it's just recording of the Governor bluffing. Actually, not even recordings, just Fitz reading off the quotes.
So my point is: a man can say whatever he wants on the phone, it is not a crime. The real question is: did he accept money or a deal? If not, then it's not a crime. So, what is the big deal? Only that the RNC is trying to capture more US senate seat and the govenorship. Same old swan songs. . .the only thing good the RNC is at. . .throwing mud and jailing people.
Posted by: Lou | December 10, 2008 1:13 AM
The minute I heard about Fitzgerald's press conference, I knew this would follow shortly: "Questions Arise About the Obama/Blagojevich Relationship".
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/12/questions-arise.html
That's Jake Tapper, not making any charges but bringing up all kinds of cross currents in Illinois politics to suggest that there are "questions." And all over TV they are talking about "corrupt Chicago politics," which is being splashed onto Obama.
It's natural that Obama and many of his staff have crossed paths with the players in this scandal. But according to Lynn Sweet of the Tribune, who has followed Obama for some time and is not a sycophant, says the campaign put a mile between itself and Blagojevich, not even allowing him to speak at the Democratic convention. They are not close.
Hypocritical Republicans just automatically spew this stuff out, it's in their DNA and it doesn't really mean anything.
Regardless of the fact that the Republicans just spent 8 years wearing themselves out looting and pillaging the public treasury, some of them even going to jail for it. They are very good at running guilt by association propaganda scams (Ayers, Wright, ACORN). It used to work too --- people would either simply assume that there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties, or forget that it was Republicans who made a fetish out of K Street lobbying and even passed out checks on the House floor and lay it all at the feet of the Democrats. It's part of the GopSoviet airbrushing of the Bush years.
Posted by: Lorenzan J | December 10, 2008 4:02 AM
nough said.....
Posted by: rightwing noise machine | December 9, 2008 8:16 PM
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That was not me. That was somebody using my postname, a very common prank here in The Swamp, isn't it John E noise machine?
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Please explain, Boyd Greenwell, how is my pointing out that Obama is a mere human being, "hateful"?
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 4:54 AM
"MJ,
You're hatred of all things Obama is well documented on here... no one cares about your 'deep thoughts' anymore."
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 8:08 PM
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"Well documented"? No, a single, fake prank post (which is completely inconsistent with everything I've ever written) doesn't add up to "well documented". Anybody can write anything and sign it "MJ" (or "John E").
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I think your closing sentence explains a lot about your obsession with me: I make you feel inferior by brandishing a High School level grasp of public affairs and history. Sorry, but lot of people are smarter than you are. Get over it.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 6:03 AM
Obama"s masterpece is pulling away from Bill Ayers and convincing the Chicago Tribune Editorial of the same.
Posted by: Inky | December 10, 2008 7:19 AM
"MJ is also the same Repub who spent the last year on here claiming that he had proof that Obama was criminally involved with Rezko."
Posted by: John E | December 9, 2008 11:19 PM
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Genius,
1) I'm not a Repub. And gosh, I'm not even a Repulican, either!
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2) I never said anything about Obama being criminally involved with Rezko. I said that Rezko funded Obama (BO even admitted this, to the tune of a quarter mil $) and that Obama did things helpful to Rezko.
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I said all along, and I'll repeat as often as you like -- as far as I know nothing criminal took place between the two. But it doesn't pass the smell test, if you happen to have a nose.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 7:35 AM
I see we're up to the old "if he knew him, he's guilty" tricks again. They must feel the same about Stevens and Palin. You know....Alaska politics.
Posted by: bill r. | December 10, 2008 7:56 AM
The giddy Republicans drooling all over themselves should be the very last ones to speak. Just look at the Supreme Court appointed George Bush, his illegitimate administration, and the last 8 years. Obama smeared McCain all over the map on 11/04/08. Yeah, maybe Blago and the former Republican governor, George Ryan, can share a prison cell.
Posted by: Doug R. | December 10, 2008 7:57 AM
I certainly hope the new President-elect is much more aware of his surroundings once he reaches the Oval. For 20 years he was not aware of the Reverend Wright's sermons, Tony Rezko's schemes and now he's stunned by with the Blago thing (although the investigation has been running for 3 years). Mr. Prez-elect, put down that blackberry, you can't live in Cook County for 20 years and say you're stunned. I live downstate and I'm not surprised!
Posted by: vla | December 10, 2008 8:15 AM
Hey "Mike"; The campaign is over, and you guys lost.
Posted by: C.Morris | December 10, 2008 8:37 AM
"The campaign is over..."
Posted by: C.Morris | December 10, 2008 8:37 AM
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Yes. That's my point too.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 9:46 AM
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 7:35 AM
Hey, MJ, does the multi-million dollar fundraiser that Rezco chaired for George W Bush in 2003 pass the smell test?
Posted by: Lou | December 10, 2008 2:12 PM
"...does the multi-million dollar fundraiser that Rezco chaired for George W Bush in 2003 pass the smell test?"
Posted by: Lou | December 10, 2008 2:12 PM
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Of course not.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 2:40 PM
as far as I know nothing criminal took place between the two. But it doesn't pass the smell test, if you happen to have a nose.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 7:35 AM
A lot of people who are more sophisticated and smarter than you have already looked into the supposed Obama/Rezko relationship and it did pass the "smell test" for them. Also I might add that millions of voters said it passed the "smell test" for them when they voted for Prez-elect Obama on Nov 4th.
It's over, get over it already.
Posted by: Lorenzan J | December 10, 2008 3:03 PM
It's over, get over it already.
Posted by: Lorenzan J | December 10, 2008 3:03 PM
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You're partly right. Yes, the national electorate didn't mind the odor at all.
However, many a commentator, analyst, editor, reporter etc said it doesn't pass the smell test. No apparent crime... but eeew!
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As for getting over it, the only reason I brought this up is because the 'bots haven't gotten over it. The first post on this thread was a pretty silly denial of Obama's relationship to Illinois politics. When I pointed out a simple verified truth (ie he had a fairly close relationship with Blago at one time) I was pretty viciously attacked -- even falsely branded a racist.
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So, robots: Obama is a flesh-and-blood mortal human being; get over it already.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 5:46 PM
I was pretty viciously attacked -- even falsely branded a racist.
Posted by: MJ | December 10, 2008 5:46 PM
It's because it's true and it's also because people are tired of your obssesive and irrational hatred of all things Prez-elect Obama.
You are the Rod Blago of Obama hatred.
Posted by: long time reader, first time commenter Vannesa | December 10, 2008 11:07 PM