“They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”

[Stephanie]

Obama will be gratified to know what Blago thought of him.

From the complaint:
<http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/12/09/complaint.pdf>

b. ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked what he can get from the President-elect for the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that Governor General Counsel believes the President-elect can get ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the President-elect’s pick to the Senate. Governor General Counsel asked, “can (the President-elect) help in the private sector. . . where it wouldn’t be tied to him? . . .I mean, so it wouldn’t necessarily look like one for the other.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife suggested during the call that she is qualified to sit on corporate boards and has a background in real estate and appraisals. ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked whether there is something that could be done with his wife’s “series 7" license in terms of working out a deal for the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he is “struggling” financially and does “not want to be Governor for the next two years.”

c. 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 “motherfucker (the President-elect) his senator. Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will put “(Senate Candidate 4)” in the Senate “before I just give fucking a fucking Senate seat and I don’t get anything.” (Senate Candidate 4 is a Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois). ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that he needs to find a way to take the “financial stress” off of his family and that his wife is as qualified or more qualified than another specifically named individual to sit on corporate boards. According to ROD BLAGOJEVICH, “the immediate challenge (is) how do we take some of the financial pressure off of our family.” Later in the phone call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that absent getting something back, ROD BLAGOJEVICH will not pick Senate Candidate 1. HARRIS re-stated ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s thoughts that they should ask the President-elect for something for ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s financial security as well as maintain his political viability. HARRIS said they could work out a three-way deal with SEIU and the Presidentelect where SEIU could help the President-elect with ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s appointment
of Senate Candidate 1 to the vacant Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign, and SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the future.

d. One of ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s advisors said he likes the idea, it sounds like a good idea, but advised ROD BLAGOJEVICH to be leery of promises for something two years from now. ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife said they would take the job now. Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and others on the phone call discussed various way ROD BLAGOJEVICH can “monetize” the relationships he is making as Governor to make money after ROD BLAGOJEVICH is no longer Governor.

102. Later on November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A discussed the open Senate seat. Among other things, ROD BLAGOJEVICH raised the issue of whether the President-elect could help get ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s wife on “paid corporate boards right now.” Advisor A responded that he “think(s) they could” and that a “Presidentelect . . . can do almost anything he sets his mind to.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will appoint “(Senate Candidate 1) . . . but if they feel like they can do this and not fucking give me anything . . . then I’ll fucking go (Senate Candidate 5).” (Senate Candidate 5 is publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat). ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if his wife could get on some corporate boards and “picks up another 150 grand a year or whatever” it would help ROD BLAGOJEVICH get through the next several years as Governor.

103. Later on November 10, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A again discussed the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH and Advisor A discussed leaking to the same particular Chicago Sun-Times columnist that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is seriously considering Senate Candidate 5 for the open Senate seat, in order to send a message to the President-elect that there are options for the Senate seat beyond Senate Candidate 1. At the end of the conversation Advisor A agreed to call the Sun Times columnist to leak the story (believed, based on other intercepted conversations, to be untrue), that ROD66 BLAGOJEVICH had a “long, productive discussion” with Senate Candidate 5 regarding the open Senate seat.

104. On November 11, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with JOHN HARRIS about the Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH suggested starting a 501(c)(4) organization (a non-profit organization that may engage in political activity and lobbying) and getting “his (believed to be the President-elect’s) friend Warren Buffett or some of those guys to help us on something like that.” HARRIS asked, “what, for you?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH replied,“yeah.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if he appoints Senate Candidate 4 to the Senate seat and, thereafter, it appears that ROD BLAGOJEVICH might get impeached, he could “count on (Senate Candidate 4), if things got hot, to give (the Senate
seat) up and let me parachute over there.” HARRIS said, “you can count on (Senate Candidate 4) to do that.” Later in the conversation, ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”

Note, these are Blagojevich's own advisors, DC consultants, discouraging his hopes of getting something out of the Obama camp. Later in the complaint Blago decides his best bet would be to start a 401(c) and request funding for it. He discusses with his advisors getting a third party to approach an Obama advisor with the pitch.

113. Also on November 13, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH talked with Advisor A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he wants the idea of the 501(c)(4) in President-elect Advisor’s head, but not in connection with the Senate appointment or the congressional seat. Advisor A asked whether the conversation about the 501(c)(4) with President-elect Advisor is connected with anything else. ROD BLAGOJEVICH replied that “it’s unsaid. It’s unsaid.”

114. Later on November 13, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH asked Advisor A to call Individual A and have Individual A pitch the idea of the 501(c)(4) to “(President-elect Advisor).” Advisor A said that, “while it’s not said this is a play to put in play other things.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH responded, “correct.” Advisor A asked if this is “because we think there’s still some life in (Senate Candidate 1) potentially?” ROD BLAGOJEVICH said, “not so much her, but possibly her. But others.”

There is no indication that the conversation with the Obama advisor ever took place, nor what the response was if it in fact did.

[ecstatic]

1. I wonder if he was on drugs or in the beginning stages of Mad Cow

disease? :shrug:

[Jennicut]

2. Full of hot air and arrogance. Typical corrupt politician.

[ShortnFiery]

3. It's an argument against Political Elitism/Sense of Entitlement - I'm for another election. eom

[WeDidIt]

4. He has an IQ of about 93

He's stupid.

[ecstatic]

6. I guess he's the Dem equivalent of Gov Palin?

Seriously, his conduct is cartoonish. It just seems unreal!

[WeDidIt]

9. Nope, not at all

Palin is a genius compared to Blagojevich.

I mean, seriuosly. The asshole wknows he's under investigation for pay-to-play and yet he holds an auction for an appointment to the United States Senate?

Even Palin isn't that stupid.

[pnorman]

5. Here's the source for the above:

http://www.politicalbase.com/profile/Mark%20Nickolas/blog/&blogId=5580

pnorman

[moc]

7. Blago just learned he fucked with the wrong guy.

May it serve as a warning to others that Obama and his team are not to be fucked with.

[Ozma]

8. Yeah! I hope Blago is one of the last Dem politicians to try this!

It really disgusts me when people in the Dem party resort to corrupt ways of doing their jobs.

I wish only Republicans did that, NO I DON'T.... I wish no politician did it.

[patrice]

10. Yes, very interesting timing this!

Makes one wonder how many others have been previously receiving "enough rope to hang themselves" and what else might be going on in the Justice Department right now.

[Stephanie]

11. That's what it looks like to me

The complaint leaves off just as Blago is instructing his aides to approach the Obama camp through third parties, with a tacit quid pro quo. Sounds to me like the Obama camp might have turned that one over to the feds. Possibly the newspaper and the hospital exec did the same.

[Stephanie]

12. It appears the unnamed Obama advisor was Rahm

And it appears Rahm turned the evidence over to Fitzgerald and requested an expedited arrest.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/9/13126/0244/125/671113