Whoopdeedoodles, what a story! I know I should be "saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the U.S. Attorney's office today", as was our prudent and responsible President-elect; but to a political scientist and confirmed political turd-watcher, this is the greatest show on earth.
The story is, as the Chicago Trib puts it, staggering even for Illinois.
Yet the charges in the criminal complaint (text version) are, in fact, staggering. They are stunning. Eyepopping. Gobsmacking. Jaw-dropping. Appalling. Unprecedented in their alleged brazenness.
These charges say that even as his predecessor sat in prison after a corruption conviction, even as his associates and fundraisers were going down, even as it was widely reported that he was at the center of a federal corruption probe ... even then, Blagojevich was selling out his office and otherwise abusing his power.
Apparently, Blagojevich (blahGOYehvitch) has been trying to auction off Barack Obama's old Senate seat. For money. And this while knowing he is the target of a number of ongoing investigations. He also tried to have several Trib reporters fired in return for helping the paper sell Wrigley Field. Well, it's not like they use it for anything. And apparently the Feds know about this because he talked about all these things on the phone.
This really is breath-taking. When Blagojevich walks into slammer, all the former Illinois governors will have to bow and chant: We're not worthy! We're not worthy!
All this is pure fun to someone who is not living in Illinois. I am not living in Illinois. It would stop being fun if the President-elect is in any way mixed up in this. I can't imagine that he is, and certainly no one has suggested any evidence to that effect. But Obama and his people did start talking funny really fast. From the ABC News Political Punch blog:
"Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney's office today," said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption. "But as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time."
Right. That's what you say. It would inappropriate for me to comment. Then…you have to not comment.
Asked what contact he'd had with the governor's office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening."
Wrong. That was a comment. Repeating what you said the first time about not commenting would have been no comment. Taking your thumb and forefinger and pushing your lips together, that would have been no comment.
And what Obama said was not only a comment, it was checkable fact. Someone checked up on it, and this emerged:
On November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different. While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a "kingmaker," Axelrod said, "I know he's talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them."
Well, that sounds sorta like contact. Of course, David Axelrod has since announced that he misspoke when he was on Fox News, which is spin for "What I said then wasn't true and what I am saying now is true, but neither is a lie."
This is ground floor goofy. I am guessing that Barack Obama did discuss his Senate seat with Governor Blagojevich. Why shouldn't he have? It is obviously a matter of concern to him that he have an ally in the Senate. It's very hard to believe that he didn't contact the Governor about this matter. So why is he lying about it now? Well…
I suspect it's just liar's reflex. Fib first and ask questions later. Unless, of course, he really does have something to lie about. I sincerely hope that's not true. And if it is, I hope that I don't enjoy it.
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