Lets see if I have this right. By virtue of the fact that Obama has been elected President, a man who has achieved nothing of note in his 47 year-old life except getting elected President, he is now the world’s expert on everything.

Now that Obama is the President-elect of the US, Americans must assume that he is automatically invested with the implied virtue and high moral standing of the office he will soon occupy. We must also assume his proposed solutions to America’s problems are grounded in reality and common sense. In other words, we must ignore the evidence of his actions.

We must ignore his consorting with America haters and domestic terrorists. We must overlook his 20 year acceptance and endorsement of a hate-whitey and damn America ideology spewed by his mentor and pastor. We must avert our eyes from the legitimate questions arising from his convoluted purchase of additional acreage for his home in Chicago from Tony Rezko. Read the rest of this entry »

AP’s Laurie Kellman has an article out today about the Senate feet beating retreat over Burris. Depending on what outlet you view it, the headlines morph.

From Huffpo: Dem Aide: Obama Team Pushed To Seat Burris

From Breitbart: Senate Dems retreat on Burris; Obama steps in

From Yahoo News: Senate Democrats yield to Obama, retreat on Burris

Same story… different eye catcher headline. But regardless of the soundbyte education for the average scan vs read American, the story remains the same. Obama is hailed as the fence mending hero of the day for putting “pressure” on the Senators to seat Burris.

So here we are… ignoring current events once again. It was only one day shy of a month ago that all 50 Dems signed a letter to Blagojevich asking him to resign, and ” under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat.”

Blagojevich ignored both Senate demands, of course… instead dug his heels in for the long run and appointed former AG Burris to replace Obama in the Senate. In another show of defiance, he began furiously issuing pardons… without explanations.

Read the rest of this entry »

This may cause a stir eh?

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the office of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich through the Freedom of Information Act related to Blagojevich’s contacts with President-elect Obama and his transition team. The documents include a December 3, 2008, letter from Barack Obama following his December 2, 2008, meeting with Blagojevich as well as a November 17, 2008, letter signed by Presidential Transition Team co-chairs Valerie Jarrett and John Podesta providing Blagojevich with a list of transition team contacts.

The following are excerpts from the letter signed by President-elect Obama on December 3, 2008, less than one week before authorities arrested Blagojevich for attempting to “sell” Obama’s now-vacant Senate seat, among other corruption charges: Read the rest of this entry »

The circus is coming to town:

Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.

The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.

“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.

When asked about what would happen if he shows up and tries to be seated, Burris told the Chicago Tribune that he’s, “not going to create a scene in Washington.” He added, “We hope it’s negotiated out prior to my going to Washington.”

Does Blago know how to pick em’ or what?

Many are blaming Blago for this circus, but the voters voted him in and he is still in office so it his right to name someone to that seat. Much of the blame should fall on Burris, a man torn to shreds by Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn:

Roland Burris is a disagreeable mediocrity as a politician.

Voters have rightly rejected him numerous times in his bids for higher office—governor, U.S. senator, mayor of Chicago—because he’s at least six parts ego to one part performance, a charmless, presumptuous irritant on the stump and at the debate lectern.

And that ego is what made him accept Blago’s offer as he tries to stick a thumb in the eye of those who have torn him down. Hell, another black politician had turned down the seat prior to Burris. But not Roland. And for that I’m thankful…..Let Burris have that seat (some say he can’t be denied the seat while others say he can) and a Republican may very well have that seat come 2010:

And they will reject him again, assuming, as I do, that his appointment to the U.S. Senate this week sticks and that he runs as an incumbent when the seat is open again in 2010.

Republicans will take over the seat recently occupied by almost-President Barack Obama.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful? A corrupt Democrat puts in place a trail of dominoes that will ultimately end with a Republican in the seat once occupied by our new President.

Sweet music to my ears.

Go Burris Go!

The 21st Century Democratic Party is NOT at all the same party as that of FDR, JFK, or even Bill Clinton. No, it’s something else, and burdened with almost complete, unchecked political power, finally laden with responsibility and accountability, ripped away from its preferred victimized position of opposition for opposition’s sake…the party is starting to rip itself apart. The last time this kind of infighting happened (not without coincidence) was the last time the Democratic Party was run by the far left, controlled Congress, and the Presidency.

Democratic unity starts to show cracks

Democrats head into 2009 with sky-high expectations but points of intra-party friction are already starting to show a month before President-elect Obama’s inauguration, forecasting bigger fights next year. Veteran Democrats say the party has become more split along parochial interests since Democrats last controlled majorities as large as they will in the 111th Congress. They say the growth of their majorities in Congress, which has ushered in a new cadre of lawmakers from conservative-leaning states and those with new views on old policy problems, has only made the Democratic caucuses less governable. “Because the Democratic caucus is itself diverse, reflecting many different points of view, it will be a challenge for the leadership to keep that coalition of interests together on the priorities established,” said former Democratic Sen. Richard Bryan (Nev.). “That will be a big challenge.”

Wouldn’t a white guy calling his opponents nothing but a bunch of unqualified black boys qualify as a racist statement?

Just when you thought the Blagojevich scandal couldn’t get anymore crazy comes the news that even though his lawyer has said he would not go ahead and make the pick for Obama’s Senate seat, today, he made the pick. It’s the black former Attorney General Roland Burris, a long time Blago lackey:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

~~~

Shortly after Obama’s Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to the Senate but was never seriously considered, according to Blagojevich insiders. But in the days following Blagojevich’s arrest, and despite questions over the taint of a Senate appointment, Burris stepped up his efforts to win the governor’s support. Read the rest of this entry »

Looks like Blago has no intention of doing what he is told and go away quietly:

In a move intended to force public testimony from President-elect Barack Obama’s inner circle, a lawyer for Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has asked the legislative panel considering impeachment of the governor to subpoena more than a dozen witnesses, including Obama’s incoming chief of staff.

State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie said yesterday the House committee received a letter from Blagojevich lawyer Ed Genson asking it to subpoena Representative Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, and more than a dozen others, including Representative Jesse Jackson Jr.

Currie, the head of the committee, said she didn’t yet know what the committee’s response to Genson’s request would be.

However, she said that the US attorney’s office has denied the panel’s request to interview a list of people named in the criminal complaint against Blagojevich. Read the rest of this entry »

Director Blue has an important post up this morning with a ton of interesting information on who Senate Candidate 3 is on the Blago tapes.

Who is it?  One of the most corrupt, most liberal members of the House.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

Her family background is fascinating, and troubling:

The Schakowsky family’s troubling history with non-profits

• In 2006 Anne Leary reported that Schakowsky’s husband — Robert Creamer — was sentenced to five months in prison and eleven months of house arrest for bank fraud and tax violations involving a non-profit called the “Illinois Public Action Council” (IPAC). The indictment charged Creamer with floating “check and wire transfer deposits between bank accounts to… hide their deficiencies… [and used] the inflated balances to pay expenses of his organization, as well as his own salary and discretionary expenses.” Creamer resigned his longtime leadership positions after “the FBI questioned him about a $1 million overdraft… [he was also charged] with failing to pay more than $300,000 in federal income taxes for employees of the group and for himself between 1996 and 2000. Four other counts allege he filed false income tax returns between 1996 and 1999… Each count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $1 million fine. Each count of failing to collect and pay withholding taxes carries a penalty of five years, and each count of filing a false tax return carries a penalty of 3 years.”

Hubby’s ties to other sleazy pols

• After IPAC folded, Creamer advised a wide variety of Democratic luminaries including staunch members of the community like Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Congressman Lane Evans, Chicago Alderman Joe Moore and others. Read the rest of this entry »

Turns out Obama’s Chief of Staff had a more personal interest in his discussions with Blago… as in what to do with his own Senate [oops...] House seat. Perhaps he’s not not sure about his future in Obama’s cabinet, or how long term that would be. Because his discussions with Blago on his own position included finding an “interim” representative.

From today’s Chicago Sun-Times..

Just after accepting the top post with Obama, Rahm Emanuel discussed with Blagojevich the possibility of keeping his congressional seat “warm” for him for a couple of years, the Sun-Times has learned.

Emanuel expressed interest in returning one day to his elected position because he was on track to become U.S. House speaker, the Sun-Times previously reported.

An Obama transition team report released Tuesday indicates Emanuel talked with the governor days after the election. Sources said Emanuel broached with Blagojevich the subject of finding a candidate to temporarily fill the seat. But Emanuel isn’t accused of promising something in return.

~~~

Days after Emanuel and Blagojevich spoke about Emanuel’s seat, the governor is overheard telling aides on secret wiretaps he wanted Emanuel “to get the word today,” about raising money for the governor and that when “[Emanuel] asks me for the Fifth CD thing, I want it to be in his head.” The “Fifth CD” was a reference to Emanuel’s 5th Congressional District seat.

The ways of the beltway have always included the quid pro quo mentality. There is nothing illegal about favors in exchange for assistance in raising campaign bucks.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Obama team released their internal investigation today while Obama was vacationing and just before the holidays. Quite smart. The report? Not so smart.

Oh, it’s not ignorant in its writing or on the events they want us to believe happened. No, its ignorant to believe that someone with a complete and utter conflict of interest could actually release a unbiased report.

The report was done by Greg Craig, the new White House Chief Counsel.

Yeah, you have that right. The new counsel to Obama made the report.

Wouldn’t a review like this require a impartial, independent legal expert to be taken at face value?

Now with “the one” apparently. Read the rest of this entry »

Ch-ch-change right?

Barack Obama is promising that next week he’ll disclose contacts between his staff and disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office, but he’s stopped short of pledging to release e-mails or other records that could be key to understanding those contacts.

Whatever such records exist may never see the light of day, thanks to a gap in government records disclosure laws that allows presidential transition teams to keep their documents — even those prepared using taxpayer dollars — out of the public record.

~~~

But for now, a spokeswoman for President-elect Barack Obama said the transition team was not covered by a public information law that Politico cited in requesting copies of Obama staffers’ emails and notes about Blagojevich’s efforts to fill the Senate seat Obama vacated after winning the presidency.

Hmmm, how shocking. Obama actually saying one thing and then doing another. Shocked I tell ya!

But really, imagine Bush saying something like this. The left would go completely bonkers, but with the one…is all a-ok.

Now this from Willie Brown may change quite a bit in the Blago story:

I wouldn’t bet on him stepping aside anytime soon. If anything, his hand is getting stronger by the day.

I can’t go into details, but my impression is that the whole mess started because the governor had been considering appointing a political rival, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, to the Senate so she wouldn’t be able to run against him when he went up for re-election in 2010.

Apparently, Obama’s people weren’t happy about the idea of Madigan coming to Washington, and there were some pretty heated conversations between Blagojevich and Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, which I understand will burn your ears off.

First we were told it was Blagojevich who was upset that Obama wasn’t giving any quid pro quo for the empty Senate seat. It was the corrupt Blago wanting something for the seat.

But now the situation may have changed. Did Blago want something for the seat because Obama was pressuring him to select someone he wanted? Read the rest of this entry »

Like we need any more evidence that the media is in the pocket of Barack Obama. In 2004 WLS-TV, a ABC affiliate in Illinois, filed suit against Jack Ryan, a Republican running against Barack Obama, to get his divorce records unsealed which effectively ensured an Obama win:

Dealing a blow to the U.S. Senate candidacy of Republican Jack Ryan, a California judge ruled that several sealed divorce records likely to embarrass the candidate and his ex-wife should be opened to the public.

Ruling on a request brought by attorneys for the Tribune and WLS-TV, Superior Court Judge Robert Schnider acknowledged that the resulting publicity from the disclosure would be harmful to the couple’s son, a key argument Ryan had raised in seeking to keep the documents from public view.

But Schnider said he had weighed the public interest of disclosure against the private interests of the Ryans and their child. “In the end,” Schnider found, “the balance tips slightly to the public.

~~~

Ryan told a small gathering of leading Republicans that while 95 percent of the contents of the divorce file did not threaten his campaign, the remaining 5 percent could cause problems, according to sources familiar with the meeting. Read the rest of this entry »

WARNING!
DO NOT READ FURTHER UNTIL YOUR POPCORN IS READY

From NBC’s Savannah Guthrie
Obama transition co-chair John Podesta issued a memo today to all transition staff, outlining new procedures on transparency. Team Obama has dubbed the new policy “Seat at The Table.”

In a nutshell, the Obama team will post any documents from official meetings with outside organizations on its Web site. The site also will feature dates of the meetings and the names of organizations involved in the meetings. In the memo, Podesta told the staff, “this scope is a floor, not a ceiling.” In other words, staff are encouraged to include additional materials.

However, for privacy reasons, information regarding hiring or personnel matters will not be posted.

link
12/5/08

12/17/08….not so much