Not Worried About Obama, but seems likely someone on his staff talked to Blagojevich

[kennetha]

I don't for a second believe that Obama had any conversations with Blagojevich about his replacement. But I wouldn't be surprised if some political operative on his staff had some sort of conversation with Blagojevich. It would be surprising, in fact, if there were no conversations at all.

Would that be a big deal?

I don't really think so. But that wouldn't stop the repugs and the media from crawling all over this story.

What does anybody else think?

[GarbagemanLB]

1. The only big deal would be if said operative tried to make a deal with Blogo. I doubt that is the ca

se.

[sufrommich]

6. Obviously there was no deal.Blogwhosits is on tape dissing

Obama for not playing the game.

[gravity]

2. I don't think many really care about this issue

Except for the hardcore wingnuts, who don't like Obama anyways.

This drama will be over in a week.

[ClarkUSA]

3. So what? Telling Blago that all he'd get is "appreciation" is not illegal... quite the opposite.

And WTF cares what Republicans say about anything?

[FrenchieCat]

4. That wouldn't be out of the question considering......

and I guess that if there was such a conversation...
that would be why Blago was calling Obama and Team Motherfuckers.....
and complaining that they were only willing to give appreciation,
and no pay to play.

So yeah, it's possible, and I don't think that anyone said that it wasn't.

[mucifer]

5. he has every right to suggest to the governor who he'd like to replace himself

[kennetha]

7. Should Obama make clear who on his staff, if anyone, had contacts with the governor?

Or should he just ignore the chatter and get on with the transition?

[FrenchieCat]

9. I think Obama should handle it the way that he chooses.

He is holding a press conference tomorrow. Waiting till then is probably a good investment.

[nebenaube]

8. what are you? a concern troll? n/t

[kennetha]

10. listening to the pundits talk about what Obama needs to do

made me wonder, what Obama should do.

[rvablue]

11. Who knows..........but one thing I had always assumed and thought perfectly legit

was that when anyone stepped down from a Senate seat that they would let their preference for a replacement be known.

Meaning: don't care if someone from Obama's team had contact and don't think it should matter.

But, of course, as we are dealing with TODAY, there is potential for the MSM to twist it into something nefarious........

[LiberalFighter]

47. Absolutely!! In fact I seem to recall that their was media discussion

as to whether Obama would recommend someone to the Governor shortly after Obama resigned his seat. That wouldn't be a problem. It was the Governor that included cash.

[izzybeans]

12. Who'da thunk it, a sitting Senator, now President Elect has staff that talks to the Governor of his

home state. They're really hitting em' out of the ball park, aren't they. (They being the figurative they who come up with this bullshit).

[ProSense]

13. Where is the evidence that someone on Obama's team spoke to Blagojevich?

Just because the complaint quotes Blagojevich as saying, "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation," doesn't mean anyone on Obama's team had a conversation with Blagojevich. His conversations have been recorded since Nov. 3.

Blagojevich could simply be repeating something acknowledged by someone else or in reports.

On edit: Or simply talking shit to hype the deal.

[kennetha]

14. not conclusive evidence, but suggestive

I guess the only question would be: IF someone on the staff DID talk to Blojob and Blojob DID try to shake Obama's team down, what did they do it about? Just say no? Rat on him? Threaten him back?

[ProSense]

17. You're making up stuff that doesn't exist.

There is no indication whatsoever that Blagojevich was trying to "shake Obama's team down." The whole BS reporting of this ivolved the the bogus claim that Rahm tipped of the US Attorney. Maybe it time to stop using the RW to justify speculating about stuff that isn't supported by evidence?

[kennetha]

18. chill!

I'm just responding to what the press is doing and wondering to myself and to others how Obama should respond.

[ProSense]

21. You chill. The speculation is ridiculous,

especially speculation that claims to want to get ahead of the right wing. Pay attention to the facts.

[pnwmom]

28. Evidence? How about Blago's own words? Maybe you should read the

whole transcript. Blago said he wouldn't make the appointment "for nothing." But that all that Obama , the motherf** would give him was "appreciation." And he and his advisor went on to discuss other avenues of making money on the Senatorial seat.

[ProSense]

32. I did, that's why I quoted it in my previous response. Blagojevich was

talking a lot of BS

As for listening to his words, what for? Truth?

[pnwmom]

27. It would be odd if no one from Obama's staff had even been in contact

with the Blago people. I would expect a Governor and Senator from the same state to be in regular contact. And wouldn't there at least have been some congratulations after the election?

[ProSense]

29. Not necessarily,

especially given that they don't get along, Blagojevich was already linked to scandals and Obama was running for President.

[pnwmom]

30. Didn't Obama endorse him and campaign for him in 2006? He must be

regretting that now.

[Mojorabbit]

43. Tweety said today

that I think it was Axelrod said he had spoken to the Govs office a few weeks ago and then Obama said recently that no one from his team had spoken to the Gov. I am going from memory so may have it wrong but that seemed to be where they wanted clarification. I personally could give a shit either way. This country has bigger fish to fry economically right now.

[ProSense]

45. The media can find that out easily enough

All they have to do is read Fitzgerald's statements

Obama said no contact, the evidence indicates no contact, what else is there?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. I'm concerned that his staff would correspond with Blago without

Obama's knowledge. We all know that Obama reigns his staff in. The contradictory statements via Axelrod bother me somewhat. We know that the right wing is having a field day with this.

[kennetha]

16. Well, but the Right Wing

isn't exactly into playing fair and square.

One would hope that if Blojo did try to shake down a member of the staff, the relevant member of the staff sent alarm bells off back to the incoming administration and also slapped the mother f** blowjo down.

[Jennicut]

19. The right wing has no power right now and they are desperate.

[damntexdem]

20. It was reported that Rahm Emanuel talked to Blagojevich -- and then turned him in to Fitz.

If so, Obama will come out just fine.

[Fluffdaddy]

23. Reported????.............Link Please

[WeDidIt]

22. I wouldn't be surprised if Rahm talked to him about Valerie Jarrett

and when Blago shook him down, Rahm told him he'd get "our appreciation".

[ProSense]

24. It wasn't Rahm

It wasn't Rahm:

That rumor appears to be untrue, however, as multiple outlets have sources denying it. The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, for instance, writes, "It's just not true. Didn't happen."

No evidence of any contact between Obama's team and Blagojevich.

[WeDidIt]

25. Different rumor

The rumor you're talking about was that Rahm set Blagojevich up resulting in his sudden arrest.

If you read the question put before Obama and his answer in the article you link, there is no denial that Rahm spoke with Blago:

Q: Are you aware of any conversations between Blagojevich or John Harris and any of your top aides, including Rahm ?

O: Let me stop you there because . . . it's an ongoing....

...investigation. I think it would be inappropriate for me to, you know, remark on the situation beyond the facts that I know. And that's the fact that I didn't discuss this issue with the governor at all.

[ProSense]

26. Same rumor, which

is based on Rahm having contact with Blagojevich. If he had no contact, then the rumors are unfounded.

[WeDidIt]

33. IF he had contact with Blago, but did not contact Fitz

then the rumors are still unfounded.

And there was no denial from Obama about Rahm having contact with Blago.

[ProSense]

34. Why are you implying that Rahm had contact with Blagojevich

unknown to Fitzgerald, who has been recording Blagojevich's conversations since Nov. 3?

If Obama isn't implicated, why continue speculating?

[WeDidIt]

36. Because more than likely, somebody in the Obama transition team

had contact with Blagojevich.

Blagojevich did not ahve a magical wire that follwed him everyhwere he went. There were specific locations where there were listening devices, so every conversation Blagojevich had in any given day was not being recorded.

[ProSense]

38. So you believe someone on Obama's team is able to meet with Blagojevich

without anyone (specifically the media) knowing? Someone authorized to speak for Obama?

[WeDidIt]

49. Yes, I do.

It is more than likely that somebody from Obama's team spoke with or met with Blagojevich.

[goodhue]

31. It would not be a big deal

The only folks in trouble would be those involved in conspiracy

[Clio the Leo]

35. He had to get the idea that they weren't interested in paying from SOMEWHERE. NT

[stillcool]

37. Like he got the idea that..

Warren Buffet or Bill Gates would set him up in his own foundation?

[Clio the Leo]

39. Why would he LIE and say they DIDN"T want to work with him?

If he's gonna lie he'd say "Oh yeah! Obama's all over my n*tz trying to get Jarret appointed! Wants to make me Sec. of Health and Human Services!"

See what I mean? Not "All those MF-ers will give me is appreciation! F 'em!"

Makes no sense. The man is a crook ... he's not a Wingnut. :)

[stillcool]

41. I mis-read your post...

I thought you were saying that he had to get the idea from somewhere that he would get what he was asking for. I don't think it would be unreasonable for him to expect to be able to make out in some way...a favor down the line..that is if he hadn't already been under investigation for years..and fully aware of his looming impeachment. Maybe shaking down people is an addiction kind of thing, and the more you get the more you expect. I'd love to see his stash.

[gkhouston]

40. Two weeks before Christmas? Ordinary people don't give a shit. n/t

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

42. How is having a conversation even something wrong?

it would be weird for him or his staff NOT to talk to the governor of his home state.

[Hamlette]

44. 538 did a great tackback on this today. It was someone named Stern

who is NOT on Obama's staff but there is some question he was the one to talk to the gov so Obama could say he didn't.

[LiberalFighter]

46. I doubt that anyone on Obama's staff would dare entertain any type of quid pro quo

[HughMoran]

48. Obama is getting all kinds of experience even before he's in office

This is good stuff - get all the stupid shit out of the way even before he's sworn in - lol.