OBAMAVICH

ask not what your hairspray can do for you ....

… from Free Republic.com

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COMPETENCE OVER CORRUPTION?

Is the President-to-be involved in any way, shape or form in the Rod Blagojevich “Senate-seat-to-the-highest-bidder” scandal in Illinois? How about any of Obama’s aides? Are there direct connections? According to a Rasmussen Poll, a little less than half of Americans think it’s a possibility.

the good old days

Forty five percent (45%) of U.S. voters say it is likely President-elect Obama or one of his top campaign aides was involved in the unfolding Blagojevich scandal in Illinois, including 23% who say it is Very Likely.

Just 11% say it is not at all likely, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken Thursday and Friday nights.

Voters nationally are more skeptical than those in Illinois. Thirty-two percent (32%) of Illinois voters said in a survey late last week that there is no way Obama was involved in the Blagojevich case, while only 13% said it is Very Likely that the president-elect was involved, with another 13% saying it is Somewhat Likely.

There’s nothing to convince me (just yet) that Bam was directly involved in any of Blago’s schemes – although I could easily see Rahm Emanuel somehow dipping his beak to some degree into the corruption pool.

However, much more noteworthy is the miserable way Obama has handled this scandal publicly. If this is any indication of how the Prez-El will handle the formidable challenges of being the most powerful man on Earth, then the outlook is as frightening as it is bleak.

A deep voice and a pack of Kools does not a leader of the free world make.

Yesterday, on his radio show, Michael Medved commented:

It’s a shame … The fact that Barack Obama has waited so long to reveal what contacts his various aides had with Governor Bagojevich in talking about the Senate Seat, why should it take days? Why should we simply allow the (future) President of the United States a free pass on this one?

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It is very clear, it’s been reported by everyone – and not denied by the Obama campaign – that either Rahm Emanuel himself, or close aides to Rahm Emanuel, spoke directly to Governor Blagojevich and got their voices captured on tape. If this is known by the press, it surely is known by the Obama campaign.

Why not come clean?

What does this show about (Obama’s) competence?

It’s not a question of corruption right now, it’s a question of competence.

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Why not get out in front of it?

I am well aware that Big Bam yesterday declared his team blameless in the entire Blago affair. (Good for him). It certainly took long enough. Of course, we’ll have to wait until next week to be able to view “their findings.”

Well done.

The mind boggles at the cavalcade of “uh” “uh”s in store for any of the murderous leaders Obama has agreed to unconditionally sit down with during his Presidency.

They can save their shoes.

The laughter generated by Obama’s lack of “skills” will be insulting enough.

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A POLL?

back when blago was loved

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich now has an approval rating of 8% in his state.

As talk-show host Dennis Prager commented on his progran today, there are more people in the State of Illinois who believe Elvis Presley is still alive than approve of Blago right now.

Okay, it’s too easy (and predictable) to ask who these 8% are. The man obviously has a ton of in-laws.

The more relevant and interesting question has to be: Why did this poll need to be conducted in the first place?

Don’t things like this cost moolah? Why would someone with even a remedial appreciation of money pony up the dough for this poll?

Blagojevich would lose out to a urinary tract infection in a populartity contest right now.

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THINKING CHICAGO – SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS

If Obama’s transition period is any indication of what we can expect from his Presidency, no one will ever get a moment’s rest. His press conference count, as CEO of the Office of President Elect, may already have eclipsed President Bush’s eight-year total. He’s had schools, streets, and a holiday named for him without even having taken the oath of office yet. His Cabinet appointments are angering much of the American Leftocracy. His promises to enact FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act) and his potential to stack the Supreme Court with “breathing Constitution” leftist judges are scaring the hell out of conservatives. He has two war fronts to contend with, a deepening recession, a need to find a place to have a cigarette in a smoke-free White House … and now a full blown Chicagoland scandal.

“The One” is anything but boring.

True, indications are that Barack Obama is not involved in the Governor Blagojevich’s “Senate Seat to the Highest Bidder” disgrace, but one cannot help but wonder what on earth goes on in the town of Mrs. O ‘Leary’s cow that corruption subsists like hair on a 7-11 hot dog.

It is also not unreasonable to take a step back and marvel at the long list of associates, mentors and plain old “back-home” pals that Big Bam has on his “references” list. From the terrorist Bill Ayers … to his spiritual mentor, the America-hating, Jeremiah Wright … to the slime-ridden Senate-seat-auctioning Governor of Illinois – who, by the way, is back at work today, after being released on his own recognizance – the coincidences are something to behold.

After all, there’s nothing to suggest Obama’s long line of questionable affiliations isn’t anything but random consonance, right?

Still, my question … What is more astounding?

That the abundance of no-goodniks in Hogbutcher-of-the-World politics is so great, or that our next President was consistently oblivious to the goings-on surrounding any of these people that played varying roles in his life?

It doesn’t exactly instill a whole lot of confidence in President Obama’s “people skills.”

Either Obama is missing a few character-assessing chromosomes, or he is one of the squeakiest clean politician ever to come from Chicago.

But imagine for a moment Blago being a Republican from Texas, the home state of George W. Bush. (The possibilities are endless). Would any other story be allowed to find its way onto the air of any of the cable news outfits but this one? Christiane Amanpour would already have a five-part CNN documentary on the air.

If, indeed, there was an “R” after the name of the governor instead of a “D” – and yes, Blagojevich is a Democrat (Do you hear that, MSNBC?) – is there any doubt that this situation would warrant it’s own cable network of wall-to-wall GOP scandal coverage?

It could be named CTV (Corruption TV),  or SNN (Scandal News Network) or RAE TV (Republicans Are Evil).

Today, predictably, the Prez-El has called for the resignation of the Illinois Governor. Said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs: “Under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois.”

But as Liz Sidoti from the Associated Press writes:

There were signs the continuing investigation could still involve Obama.

It appears that Obama friend Valerie Jarrett, an incoming senior White House adviser, is the person referred to repeatedly in court documents as “Candidate 1.” That individual is described as a woman who is “an adviser to the president-elect” and as the person Obama wanted appointed to the Senate seat. Court papers say that Candidate 1 eventually removed herself from consideration for the Senate seat.

Blagojevich talked at length about Candidate 1 in a Nov. 11 phone conversation with an aide.

One day later, Jarrett, a Chicago businesswoman who is one of three co-chairmen of Obama’s transition team and was a high-level adviser to his presidential campaign, made it known that she was not interested in the seat. On Nov. 15, Obama announced that Jarrett would be a senior White House adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations.

Obama’s circle of major Illinois political allies and supporters is largely separate from Blagojevich’s, with two major exceptions. Both Obama and Blagojevich got extensive money and support from Chicago businessman Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who is awaiting sentencing after being convicted in June on charges of using clout with Blagojevich’s administration to help launch a $7 million kickback scheme. And Obama is close to Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, who has been the governor’s staunchest legislative ally.

Ah, yes … forgot about Rezko for a moment.

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THE “D” WORD

that kennedy haircut ain't gonna save you, blago

From the “Really? No kidding” file …

Now that the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has made things a bit easier for media “show prep” people everywhere, it is interesting to point out that the initial stories from the Chicago Sun-Times, the New York Times and Associated Press all somehow neglected to mention that Mr. B is a Democrat. They have since been updated.

As John McCormack of the Weekly Standard points out:

“… the Tribune did find room to work in a gratuitous reference to Watergate (remember: there are Republican crooks, too!) and report that “Democrats” were concerned about Blagojevich’s actions before he was busted…”

Barack Obama has some set of references on his resume, doesn’t he?

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