Posted on 12/12/2008 5:59:36 AM PST by curth
Barack Obama on Thursday delivered a primer for the nation on the strange and often sordid universe of Illinois politics as the president-elect promised full disclosure—soon—of any contact between his aides and Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration over a new U.S. Senate pick.
Two days after Blagojevich was arrested and charged with trying to sell Obama's former seat, the incoming president weighed in with his first detailed comments about a distracting home front scandal.
Obama said he had not been contacted by federal authorities, had never spoken to Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy and was "confident that no representatives" of his had engaged in dealmaking about the seat with the governor or his team.
"I was appalled and disappointed by what we heard in those transcripts," Obama said in reference to fragments of undercover surveillance recordings of Blagojevich unveiled in the charges.
"Here in Illinois—as is true, I think, across the country—there is a tradition of public service, where people are getting in it for the right reasons and to serve. But there's also a tradition where people view politics as a business."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
If he is as "brilliant" as some say he is then SURELY he recognizes the monumental irony of HIM decrying "politics as business", right?
Politics is the only "business" this man has EVER engaged in.
If politics are a business, then Obama is only qualified enough to work in the mailroom.
What a jerk!
How much money did your campaign bring in, Senator?
Most won't notice, or even be able to understand.
You’ve got that right.
PS - What kind of Duc?
0be: Please ‘splain Rezko again.
What is supposed to be public service is instead a quest for wealth and power. Term limits, now and forever!
Term limits would not have helped in this case. Blagojevich was caught on tape complaining of having financial difficulties on his Governor's salary and saying that he did "not want to have to be Governor for the next two years".
It was Blagojevich's plan was to use the Golden Goose that fell into his lap (the right to pick Obama's Senate successor) to score a big payoff and then quit politics for the higher paying private sector.
The bottom line is that politics, even with term limits, has become a festering swamp that attracts the corrupt opportunists.
Blago was just asking for pay-to-play favors similar to those Obambi’s wife got, while the messiah oversaw a key IL Senate committee (cushy corp. board appointment, hospital admin. job with 100k + salary that tripled after the hospital received gov’t grants). The only difference is that Blago got caught.
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