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Obama Was Interested in Senate Successor After All
December 23, 2008 6:20 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: Among the very many interesting tidbits in President-elect Barack Obama’s report on staff contacts with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, there’s this from the portion on Obama himself (emphasis mine):
“After [Valerie] Jarrett decided on November 9, 2008 to withdraw her name from consideration as a possible replacement for him in the Senate and to accept the White House job, the President-Elect discussed other qualified candidates with David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel. Those candidates included Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Jesse Jackson, Jr., Dan Hynes and Tammy Duckworth. The President-Elect understood that Rahm Emanuel would relay these names to the Governor’s office as additions to the pool of qualified candidates who might already be under consideration. Mr. Emanuel subsequently confirmed to the President that he had in fact relayed these names. At no time in the discussion of the Senate seat or of possible replacements did the President-Elect hear of a suggestion that the Governor expected a personal benefit in return for making this appointment to the Senate.”
To clarify, then: This was not just idle talk between the president-elect and his top aides. This discussion of specific candidates was taking place with the expectation that the governor would be told about Obama’s preferences. And Rahm Emanuel did as he was told, in conversations with Blagojevich’s then chief of staff.
There is nothing untoward or even unexpected about that. As the report seeks to make clear, neither Obama nor Emanuel nor anyone else in the Obama inner circle was engaged in any horse-trading or pay-for-play schemes with Blagojevich.
Still, this is a level of interest and involvement in his Senate seat that Obama has not admitted to publicly.
Compare this to what Obama said Nov. 7 -- three days after the election -- when asked by a Chicago Tribune reporter the extent to which he would use his “probably pretty great influence in determining the successor for your Senate seat.”
Obama: “This is the governor's decision. It is not my decision. And I think that the criteria that I would have for my successor would be the same criteria that I'd have if I were a voter: somebody who is capable, somebody who is passionate about helping working families in Illinois meet their -- meet their dreams. And I think there are going to be a lot of good choices out there. But it is the governor's decision to make, not mine.”
And here’s what David Axelrod said two weeks ago, at a forum at Harvard:
“There's a vacancy the governor apparently -- if you believe the complaint from the government -- had some ideas about what to do with it. We were not involved in that discussion or any discussion of that nature,” Axelrod said.
True enough, according to the report. But doesn’t this leave a bit of a different impression of Obama’s role in all of this than turns out to be the case? Could it be that Obama wasn’t above playing a bit of -- gasp! -- politics?
December 23, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (163)
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Oh Gosh, how shocking, a senator is interested in who fills his vacated seat. What on earth is next?
Posted by: JR | Dec 23, 2008 6:39:03 PM
Just keep stiring the pot and trying to make it sound like Obama did something wrong. Good work ABC. Where were you when the current President was taking us to war? Where was your curiosity then? I guess investigative journalism can only exsist during Democratic administrations.
Rake the muck ABC.
Posted by: blakec | Dec 23, 2008 6:41:08 PM
Politicians lie.
Obama is a politician.
Obama lied.
Is any Obama supporter surprised?
Posted by: USmarine0331 | Dec 23, 2008 6:45:56 PM
Are we surprised? Obama is a Chicago Machine Cog and his initial denials about "its the Governor's decision" is now shown to be false - just like his initial stance on Wright, Trinity, Ayers and others.
His persistent deceit, however, is a good thing - he was probably the only one capable of selling socialism to center-right America - now, I am going to make out like a bandit since money from greedy rich people will be transferred to me and my friends. (I can stay a "permanent student" forever)
Posted by: SuzyTheLiberal | Dec 23, 2008 6:53:30 PM
I think that's why any thinking person has issues with this report and with what Obama says. OF COURSE he was interested in his replacement! But he goes around saying, no he's not. I hope his hide gets nailed with this. Forget all this lawyerly prevaricting. He was interested, he pushed his favorites and then said he didn't. In short, he essentially lied.
Posted by: beth | Dec 23, 2008 6:56:03 PM
Forget all this lawyerly prevaricting. He was interested, he pushed his favorites and then said he didn't. In short, he essentially lied.
-------------------------------------
Clintonian and now Obamanian Speak:
It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.
Posted by: Joe | Dec 23, 2008 6:58:33 PM
Are we surprised that people like "Suzy sucksdonkey" find fault where none exists, NOOOOOO. It is now and always will be the neo-con way, "Fear and Smear", heavy on the Smear.
Posted by: JR | Dec 23, 2008 7:13:22 PM
Are we surprised that people like "Suzy sucks*****" find fault where none exists
------------------------------
I take exception to that comment in two ways:
a) We all know Obama is a slick politician who shades the truth and has radical affiliations/participations - how do you think he got ahead in Chicago. Read ObamaNation and you will understand this truth.
b) This deceipt and slickness are good traits - there is no other way of selling Socialism to center-right America. We need Obama now!
Posted by: SuzyTheLiberal | Dec 23, 2008 7:21:07 PM
BO did lie; he told the press and the American people that he nor his cabinet had any discussions with RB when, in fact, they had.
A lie is a lie is a lie. This is one of many; the volume is getting louder and louder about this guy. Some Americans apparently have put ear plugs in so they can continue to "believe".
Posted by: GREG | Dec 23, 2008 7:44:46 PM
Why didn't Obama just be truthful since there was no illegality here? I just wish pols could learn that the public prefers the "unvarnished truth".
Posted by: Vivi | Dec 23, 2008 7:49:16 PM
Oh, and BTW, what better way to distract the swoon addicts than to release photos of their "god" shirtless to ogle whilst the anointed one deceives.
Don't think the timing for this photo op was anything more than a way to change the subject knowing the report was coming out.
If the swoon addicts are too busy masturbating to his photo they won't have time or attention to pay to the legit story of his lies, deceit and transgressions.
Posted by: Greg | Dec 23, 2008 7:51:56 PM
VIVI, when you have normalized lying you've forgotten what it is to tell the truth and when to tell it.
Don't think for a moment that Blog wasn't acting in normalcy about this situation.
His anger at BO was about BO not holding up his part of whatever bargain was made, why else would he have raged at BO. Questions not being asked by the press, but then, why would they, they're too busy using his shirtless photo as soft porn of distraction.
Posted by: GREG | Dec 23, 2008 7:55:00 PM
It is not that serious Greg. That stupid picture would not make me forget he screwed up....if it were so!
He was interested in his replacement. What else is new?
Posted by: glolo | Dec 23, 2008 8:15:30 PM
Obama did not lie and he did not ever contact the governor himself. But if he had it would have been completely legal. It becomes a problem if anyone in Obama's staff was willing to go along with Blagojevich with hanky panky and they did not. This has already been reported by Patrick Fitzgerald the Federal Prosecutor. Of course Obama is interested in who will take his senate seat. Read the article. As anyone should realize President Elect Obama has been very busy appointing his cabinet positions. He wants a qualified and serious person to fill his senate seat which is very understandable. He will have the most honest administration in years because he is an honest man.
Posted by: Vicki | Dec 23, 2008 8:17:23 PM
Great work, ABC! Let's expose it all. All the lies and the dirty deals. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Mihann | Dec 23, 2008 8:23:35 PM
Mr. Obama is a serial liar. He has said that no one contact Governor Blago.
Posted by: young_voter | Dec 23, 2008 8:23:45 PM
Did you care when we were told lie after lie for eight long years about very serious issues like war, honor, integrity, decency, torture, rendition, political prosecutions, or corruption? Now you want to say Obama lied about something when he did not. It is your beloved president who is the liar. It is your beloved current president who has brought rack and ruin upon America.
Posted by: Vicki | Dec 23, 2008 8:25:16 PM
i think Obama meant he, personally, did not discuss his open senate seat with Blagojevich or any of his (Blagojevich's) aides. of course Obama spoke about with his own staff. and Emanuel spoke to Blogojevich once and an aide several times, NONE about quid pro quo. none of this is suprising, unusual or astounding. hardly anything to write home about.
Posted by: Paul Wall | Dec 23, 2008 8:30:21 PM
So Obama is a proven liar. So much for change...
Posted by: Buyer's Remorse | Dec 23, 2008 8:30:44 PM
young_voter---Obama has had no contact with blagojevich. if your associate speaks to someone is it fair for me to say you spoke to that someone. of course not.
Posted by: Paul Wall | Dec 23, 2008 8:32:32 PM
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