Obama, 2 aides met with Blagojevich investigators

Wednesday 24th December, 07:00 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 40 Total Comments Show All

sailwind at 08:20 PM JST - 25th December

Emanuel left for a long-planned family vacation in Africa on Tuesday and was not available for comment.

The report was released in Washington while Obama was vacationing in Hawaii. The president-elect did not make himself available for questions.

Interesting Betzee, Taka and the rest of the left just all of the sudden have no problem with the above part at all.........Strange.
Betzee at 08:45 PM JST - 25th December

Sailwind,

Sorry if this isn't what you want to read:

Eighty-two percent of those questioned in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday morning approve of the way the Obama is handling his presidential transition. That's up 3 points from when we asked this question at the beginning of December. Fifteen percent of those surveyed disapprove of the way Obama's handling his transition, down 3 points from our last poll.

Must be doing something right.
Betzee at 08:50 PM JST - 25th December

Newt Gingrich, no dummy, understands why Obama is riding high in the polls:

“I think the country is so tired right now of a style of Republican attack politics that has become a caricature of itself, they instinctively go, ‘I’m tired of that,’ ” said Newt Gingrich, a Republican and former speaker of the House. “It’s ineffective against Barack Obama right now. The country is faced with serious problems and is about to have a brand new president. You’d have to be irrational not to want the new president to succeed.”
sailwind at 08:58 PM JST - 25th December

Betzee,

I think he's handling his transition just fine. The story is about his relationship and his staff's relationship with Blago. You avoided as usual my post, that you seem to have no problem with the way he is handling it. No questions, Chief of Staff scoots out of town (my how convenient) and your just cool with that.

My, My things sure have changed. If it was a Republican you'd be screaming through the electrons about this. Nice tie in with getting Bush mentioned on this thread by the way.
sailwind at 08:59 PM JST - 25th December

Oh and Gingrich also....They have so much to do with this Blago deal.
Taka313 at 11:55 PM JST - 25th December

Sail,

The only ones with a problem are the radical right.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/23/1724034.aspx

Here's the key passage from the report: "These accounts were communicated to the Office of the United States Attorney in interviews that were conducted last week. At the request of the Office, we delayed the release of this report until such time as the interviews could be completed. The interviews took place over a period of three days: Thursday, December 18, 2008 (the President-Elect); December 19, 2008 (Valerie Jarrett); and December 20, 2008 (Rahm Emanuel)."

The rest of the report confirms what had been leaked in previous days: that incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had one or two conversations about the Senate seat with Blagojevich; that Emanuel had about four conversations about the seat with Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris; and that in these conversations, there was never a discussion about any quid-pro-quo for the seat.

THERE WAS NEVER A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY QUID-PRO-QUO FOR THE SEAT.

Can it be spelled out any clearer?

You see, there's nothing to answer. You can stomp your feet and hold your breath and throw yourself down on the carpet wail until you cry yourself to sleep. It doesn't change the fact that you are chasing a dream.

You aren't interested in justice. You wanted a lynching in your Christmas stocking. I have zero sympathy that Santa didn't bring you one.

Have some reality instead. You may find you like it. ;-)

Taka
sailwind at 08:23 AM JST - 26th December

You see, there's nothing to answer. You can stomp your feet and hold your breath and throw yourself down on the carpet wail until you cry yourself to sleep. It doesn't change the fact that you are chasing a dream.

You aren't interested in justice. You wanted a lynching in your Christmas stocking. I have zero sympathy that Santa didn't bring you one.

Taka

Whoa.....On the assumptions! I think there is really nothing here as far a any illegality on Obama or his staff's part. I also think it is pretty dumb on Obama's part to take the position that he had no interaction with Blago what so ever, that is his position. Sorry if I find that a little disconcerting and a tad bit unbelievable.

You have to suspend belief on that one which you are more than happy to do. Also, if the comparisions as to how you treated Republicans in the past with any wiff of scandal to the way your giving Obama a free pass and not wanting the press to dig further to see if there is in fact nothing there.....Well that is on you and for all to see.

Merry Christmas to you....Taka
Taka313 at 09:41 AM JST - 26th December

Sail,

My Christmas present to you is to point out my Grandfather once told me:

Whenever you point fingers at others, you have 3 pointed back at yourself.

As a bonus: a little sugar will make your grapes less sour.

Taka
sailwind at 11:32 AM JST - 26th December

Taka

As a bonus: a little sugar will make your grapes less sour.

Assumption again on your part. I have no sour grapes at all, I wish you could see that but alas you've made up your mind that I do.

On this thread I've said this about Obama

I think he's handling his transition just fine.

I think there is really nothing here as far a any illegality on Obama or his staff's part.

You missed that part.
adamantine at 12:02 PM JST - 26th December

Greg Craig, Obama's future White House Counsel, has personally looked into the matter of his boss and the Illinois governor and in a report aimed at the rump of Hope and Change skeptics and the intolerant, sour finger-pointers and of course all 'the haters', declared his client innocent.

The media, scrupulously impartial here, got the message out as quickly as possible and has reassured 'folks', as The Chosen One likes to call Americans, that the whole thing is resolved.

Team Obama has investigated Team Obama and found no wrongdoing. None. Whatsoever.
Taka313 at 02:03 PM JST - 26th December

You conveniently forgot the part where Patrick Fitzgerald says there was no connection either.

Or wait...is he in on the conspiracy?!?!? Where does it stop?!! I think before this is done, we'll find that it goes all the way to the corporate headquarters at Reynolds Wrap!

Taka
Betzee at 02:40 PM JST - 26th December

People seem to forget Fitzgerald went public with an ongoing investigation of Governor Blagojevich after hearing him discuss plans to "sell" Obama's vacant seat. Had he not done so, whoever was appointed to fill the seat would have been tainted when it did become public. Initially, it looked like Jesse Jackson Junior might have been implicated until it was revealed he had been an informant for the feds ever since the Governor had tried to shake him down in exchange for a state job for his wife.

Though it certainly doesn't present a flattering picture, if Blago was just full of hot air that isn't illegal either. Fitzgerald will go public when the time is right. He has proved himself to be a consummate professional.
Nessie at 04:01 PM JST - 26th December

I think there is really nothing here as far a any illegality on Obama or his staff's part.

And speaks highly of him to have come from a cesspool of corruption without it having rubbed off on him. He comes off looking even better by contrast.
adamantine at 04:56 PM JST - 26th December

The "I personally never actually heard him say anything reprehensible" defence served President-elect Obama so well in dispensing with his racist, segregationalist former pastor and spiritual guide - a man he said he could never forsake - that apparently his handlers have concluded the mainstream media would buy it again, if given sufficient wriggle room.

So his transition team conducts their own investigation, pronounces the Chosen One clean, releases the self-serving report during the holidays (making corroboration or refutation during the year-end news cycle impossible) and thereby gives the media the leeway they want.

Slick.
Taka313 at 07:53 AM JST - 27th December

releases the self-serving report during the holidays (making corroboration or refutation during the year-end news cycle impossible) and thereby gives the media the leeway they want.

Slick

I"ll say. Obama's team new EXACTLY when to plan Christmas. Sooper Genius!!!

I bet the media helped them.

Again, you seem to leave out the part where U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stated that there was no evidence to connect Obama. Funny you should always miss the part that doesn't quite fit into your conspiracy.

Taka