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The Obama Watch
Subpoena the President
The drip-drip-drip of the Blagojevich trial slowly drowns his credibility.
It was a rocky end to a charmed presidential campaign.
On December 9, 2008, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested and charged with trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. It was an act of patronage so galling, prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald insisted, "[T]he conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave." It was a deep pothole for the president-elect, then riding high on the goodwill of the American people. Although Obama wasn't directly implicated in the corruption, the intrigue of the case threatened to ensnare top advisors Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett, both of whom were more directly involved.
Obama immediately absolved himself of any responsibility. He insisted he "was not aware of what was happening" with Blago. In a statement released later that month, the White House claimed, "The president-elect had no contact or communication with Gov. Blagojevich or members of his staff about the Senate seat."
Two officials under oath in Blagojevich's trial have now contradicted those statements. Unless there's been a bizarre conspiracy of perjury, Obama was lying.
In April, Rod Blagojevich's lawyers revealed that an unnamed union official had connected Obama to the conspiracy. According to FBI tapes, an unnamed union president (Politico believes him to be former SEIU president Andy Stern) testified that one of his deputies was asked by Obama to reach out to Blagojevich and float the idea of appointing Valerie Jarrett to fill the vacant Senate seat. (Jarrett hadn't yet decided to accompany the president to Washington as an advisor.) An interview with the liaison himself confirmed this.
Then Blago's former chief of staff, John Harris, identified another intermediary between Obama and Blagojevich. John Wyma, a lobbyist and friend of Rahm Emanuel's, had been dispatched by the president-elect to tell Blago that Obama "would be thankful and appreciative" if Jarrett was made the next senator from Illinois. Wyma talked to Harris who then phoned Blagojevich, resulting in an expletive-laden temper tantrum from the loony ex-governor. "They're not willing to give me anything but appreciation, f--k them," Blago ranted.
None of this directly implicates the president in the attempted sale of his Senate lectern. But it does make him a liar. According to his statement on the Blagojevich mess released in December 2008, "In various conversations with transition staff and others, the president-elect expressed his preference that Valerie Jarrett work with him in the White House. He also stated that he would neither stand in her way if she wanted to pursue the Senate seat nor actively seek to have her or any other particular candidate appointed to the vacancy." But until Jarrett decided to head for the White House, Obama was sending signal flares up on her behalf in front of the Illinois governor's mansion.
Then things got murkier. Harris testified that not only had Obama maneuvered on Jarrett's behalf, he knew all along that Blagojevich wanted a quid pro quo. "The president understands that the governor would be willing to make the appointment of Valerie Jarrett as long as he gets what he's asked for.…The governor gets the Cabinet appointment he's asked for," Harris later testified. Far from being "not aware of what was happening," as he claimed in his statement, Obama knew exactly what the governor was up to.
To be fair, there's little evidence that Team Obama ever assented to Blago's attempted quid pro quo and even less that Obama himself approved it. Blagojevich was spitting with fury in those recorded phone conversations for a reason. The president-elect was refusing to play ball.
But it does show that Obama was immersed far deeper in the Blagojevich cesspool than he initially claimed. The president knew exactly who he wanted to fill his Senate seat and was fully aware of Blagojevich's intentions.
It begs the question: What else does Obama know? It's time to subpoena the president to the Blagojevich trial and ascertain just how high up this corruption went. Obama is the one missing link in this entire detective story. Blago's lawyers asked the judge to subpoena the president after the union official exposed his lie, but the judge refused. Nevertheless, Rahm Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett were later subpoenaed.
Even if Obama isn't charged with anything more than lying, he's still guilty of diving into Chicago's worst political swamps. Obama was all-in for Blagojevich early on, when Blago first ran for governor in 2002. According to Rahm Emanuel, a small group of advisors burned the midnight oil to get Blago elected: Clinton strategist David Wilhelm, an unnamed second aide, Emanuel himself, and Barack Obama. Rahm told the New Yorker that he and Obama "participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor. We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two." (After Blago was arrested, Emanuel claimed that he'd misspoken. Funny how that happens.)
As late as 2006, Blagojevich still had an ally in Obama, even as his approval numbers plunged to the lowest of any governor in America and the Illinois press was openly speculating that he was a sociopath.
Now Blagojevich has soured on his former friends. It's been reported that he was furious that he'd taken the fall while Obama and Emanuel were allowed to walk into the White House with their hands washed clean. As information drips out of his trial that undermines the president's credibility, he may get his revenge yet.
An outrageously-coiffed, sociopathic former governor trying to bring down the president of the United States at his own trial. Only in Chicago.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (32) | Leave a comment
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Robert Pinkerton| 7.21.10 @ 7:48AM
While I do not know about other commenters here, for myself it is always immensely pleasing to see a gun-hater dismissed in disgrace from power.
Even as a teenager in high school, fifty years ago, I came to the opinion that those who hate our right to arms usually are deep in tawdry financial corruption -- or else ideologues whose pet projects are so repugnant to a majority of the people that it is necessary to impose them by dictatorial force.
John K| 7.21.10 @ 1:27PM
True, it's a good litmus test.
Alan Brooks| 7.21.10 @ 9:18PM
for a gun nut
or a gold bug
or a food nut.
Stock up on canned goods because Y3K is a comin', the FEMA camps are ready to accomodate all those owning guns and bullion.
Tin hats provided at the door.
yourmom| 7.21.10 @ 8:36AM
so the writer's conclusion is...what? nothing? from what I read, it's all just a bunch of finger-pointing that will lead to nothing. non-story.
Carpenter| 7.21.10 @ 9:36AM
It can only be a "non-story" if the idea of the United States president's integrity being directly challenged by corroborated evidence is a "non-story".
Geo| 7.21.10 @ 11:36AM
Dear Yourmom
The conclusion is that the President of the United States has lied about his contacts with Blago (through cutouts) regarding whom he wanted to succeed to his Senate seat. Its simple.
Flee| 7.21.10 @ 4:06PM
You don't think it is relevant that the President lied to the public about his activities, or lack thereof, in this scenario? He clearly uses positions for compensation or favors as evidenced in PA, CO and UT. If you truly believe that one of the great micromanagers of our time could care less about who takes his Senate seat, then I guess you can move along here...nothing to see. Those of us that think it's out of character for Obama to leave this to his minions will continue to want the facts and to let the court decide whether there was any crime committed.
Alan Brooks| 7.21.10 @ 9:21PM
"so the writer's conclusion is...what? nothing? from what I read, it's all just a bunch of finger-pointing that will lead to nothing. non-story."
It's another Monica's-dress bread and circus.
But it sells newspapers.
Alan Brooks| 7.21.10 @ 9:31PM
'Monica's-dress bread and circus'
sorry, a very mixed metaphor. Let's just say that BlagoGate will someday make an entertaining TV movie starring Miley Cyrus as Blago's wife.
danfromatlanta| 7.23.10 @ 12:43PM
Right Brooks, ... just as there was a deeply sinister conspiracy to expose a CIA desk worker by the eeeeeeevil Karl Rove, and dare we say, ... Dubya!!!. Likewise, the firing of US attornies, ... (which by the way serve at the pleaasure of the president) by Alberto Gonzalez was proof positive that the Bushies were politicizing the US Justice Dept!!!! Now when there's a very plausible story emerging that5 the obamanation was behaving like a Chicago thug pol, ... you immediately retend it's lunacy! I thi9nk you are a bigot because you think the obmanation is superior to everyone else! Bigot, I say!
arlo price| 7.21.10 @ 11:41PM
Get back under the hairdryer, mom!
Stephanie| 7.21.10 @ 8:38AM
"An outrageously-coiffed, sociopathic former governor trying to bring down the president of the United States at his own trial. Only in Chicago. " And I hope he does it.
RCV| 7.21.10 @ 1:39PM
He won't. For two reasons: first, he's not going to testify, as his defense announced today. Second, there's nothing to "pin on" the President, as this article makes clear. The President said he had no communication or contact with Blago about the Senate seat; he didn't. Second, the tapes make quite clear that the message Blago heard from Obama's folks was plain and simple: appoint my choice, and you'll get my thanks and appreciation, nothing more. End of story.
Justin| 7.21.10 @ 2:35PM
"The President said he had no communication or contact with Blago about the Senate seat; he didn't. "
He had no DIRECT contact. HIS wishes were conveyed to Blago, and that's pretty bad, which is why he lied about it.
I see how it works now tho. If Bush would have registered as a democrat it all might have been forgivable.
RCV| 7.21.10 @ 4:21PM
Please. Bush and Cheney are very lucky that the President squelched Democratic congressional efforts to go after them. I'm glad he did so, because we don't need to transform this country into one where the opposition immediately seeks to throw the former administration into jail when they take office. The fact that we don't do so is one of the reasons we've had peaceful transitions of power for 220 years or so. And why Jerry Ford did the right thing in pardoning Nixon.
Radioman777| 7.21.10 @ 9:18AM
There was a crooked man... and his name is Obama. Actually, you'd have to search long and hard to find a bigger collection of criminals all in one spot.
danny| 7.21.10 @ 9:27AM
Me too Stephanie, but not holding my breath.
BREDNG10| 7.21.10 @ 11:56AM
Sounds like Clinton`s sec. of commerce Ron Brown.While being investigated, he said something like "I`m not going down alone". His plane then crashed into a mountain, under STRANGE circumstances. I`m sure people like Rahm (deadfish) Emanual explained the consequences of loose lips.Remember D.C, is ran Chicago Style now and anything goes!
Siegfried X| 7.21.10 @ 12:51PM
Too late. Both sides have rested their case.
Wally| 7.21.10 @ 1:06PM
"Subpoena the President. "
And this from a right wing rag that constently blabbles about defending the Constitution? There is no subpoena powers over the PResident, you morons.
Charles Martel| 7.22.10 @ 3:57AM
Right, and Bill Clinton volunteered for the opportunity to perjure himself because it was the right thing to do.
Are you high? No one is above the law in a nation of laws.
+++
Nate W.| 7.22.10 @ 4:58PM
Wally highlights the root of the problem; liberals/progressives believe themselves to be better than the "common man", and thus immune to "common laws". Take any current news story (Gore's antics, BP, Lindsey Lohan, Fanny&Freddy;, Charles Rangel, Blago, etc) and you will probably see that the "above the law" attitude is the root of the problem. (And they continue to insist they don't have an elitist outlook!)
Bleeds Red White and Blue| 7.21.10 @ 1:09PM
Ben Stein said this: "The people who have been laid off and cannot find work are generally people with poor work habits and poor personalities. I say “generally” because there are exceptions. But in general, as I survey the ranks of those who are unemployed, I see people who have overbearing and unpleasant personalities and/or who do not know how to do a day’s work. They are people who create either little utility or negative utility on the job. Again, there are powerful exceptions and I know some, but when employers are looking to lay off, they lay off the least productive or the most negative. To assure that a worker is not one of them, he should learn how to work and how to get along — not always easy."
What? So all these engineers and construction workers and police officers and small business employees thrown out of work by a huge recession are lazy and unpleasant? Is Ben Stein the biggest as_shole on the planet or what?
Chalkdust| 7.21.10 @ 4:12PM
Who was Ben addressing when he said those things? "The Association of Guilt Ridden Managers"? My God Ben, have slipped your moorings? Even if it was half true, it would be a terible thing to say.
Oldefarte| 7.21.10 @ 2:14PM
Anyone attempting to rationize/explain the possible intese political connection between Obama and Blago is either stupid, foolish or both. Obama [and Jarrett, Emmanuel, Axelrod] cut his political teeth on the Chicago Way of Daley I and II, and the fact that no connection has been exposed in Blogo's trial is nothing more than a political cover-up facilitated by the INTHETANKFOR OBAMA MSM. It's a shame there are no more newspaper reporter heavyweights such as Woodward and Burnstein any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ACynic| 7.21.10 @ 4:05PM
Hey Matt, in case you have NOT noticed, this entire Blagovich affair is being TOTALLY IGNORED BY THE MEDIA !!
The propaganda arm of Ocommie and of the demonkratic party - the MSM - is once again running interference for the bolshevik -communist Marxist Leninist dictator in the WH.
Nothing at all will come of this in regards to the dictator Obama.
Awesomec| 7.21.10 @ 5:39PM
@ ACynic: Sad but true: Another story disappeared.
Also, Obama would just lie some more.
PaulD| 7.21.10 @ 8:10PM
Obama is incapable of telling the truth. He lies as naturally as most of us breathe.
canuckistani| 7.22.10 @ 10:16AM
Case rested....we'll never know.