Obama: I never talked to Blagojevich about the Senate seat; Axelrod: Yes, he did;

hotair.com ^ | Allahpundit

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

Sweet catch by Tapper, showing why he got that promotion.

Obama today…

“I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening, ” Obama told reporters today in Chicago. “It’s a sad day for Illinois. Beyond that, I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment.”

…versus Axelrod on November 23, as seen below.

Be sure to read Tapper’s post, as he has plenty more on The One’s long history as a friend of — and advisor to — Blago. Axelrod himself begged off Blagojevich’s first gubernatorial campaign because “I was concerned about whether he was ready for … governing.” Not so Obama and Emanuel; they both served as advisors, and they and Blago went on endorsing each other to the bitter end.

Watch the VIDEO

Update: Awesome. Let’s just drag this out as long as possible. Either we get the spectacle of the Illinois legislature impeaching him or we get the spectacle of Blago appointing The One’s successor while in jail. And based on the charges, he’s just stupid/nutty enough to do it.

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” attorney Sheldon Sorosky told reporters after Blagojevich was arraigned. “A lot of this is just politics.” Blagojevich should be in the office Wednesday, Sorosky added.

So, reporters asked, he does not intend to resign? “Not that I know of, no,” said Sorosky, who added that the governor was “surprised” by the day’s events.

[oscars300]

This is getting nice and sweet all of the sudden. No matter what, I think we can at least knock the One’s (TM) halo off. Hope and change - heh!

[Rennes Templar]

Blago a fall guy? Lots of popcorn!

[XR7]

Source: Feds take [Illinois] Gov. Blagojevich into custody

.

Your tax dollars at work!

[jimmyray]

If you read the transcript at Smoking Gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1209081rod1.html it appears think Obama is clean

[SoldierDad]

Ping for later

[oscars300]

Erm, this seems to be awfully generous to Obama. “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was...” doesn’t really leave a huge amount of wiggle room.

One possiblity is of course that team Obama somehow turned Blago in and that they can’t say that for some obscure reason. But how likely is that? Wouldn’t they cash that whooper of a benefit in - instead of offering terse statements?

[lainie]

It's not just the Axelrod video. Any thinking person has to obviously note the probability that the president-elect would have discussed who should fill his vacant senate seat with the governor who will make that decision. For him to insist otherwise would be suspicious.

We're just having fun here anyway. All of these people are liars, so it's fun to catch them in various states of preoccupation. When Axelrod feels like he must clarify his Fox statement, he'll probably say something else contradictory.

[TexasCajun]

Jake Tapper today:

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."

[krogers58]

God how I wish something would come out of this that would blow up in Obama’s face.
Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

We can all dream, but meanwhile we'll play the dems game, and keep throwing mud at him, til some of it sticks.

[flamefront]

Just one of many tidbits from today's criminal complaint

90. Later on November 3, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Advisor A. By this time, media reports indicated that Senate Candidate 1, an advisor to the President- elect, was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was likely to be supported by the President-elect. During the call, ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated, “unless I get something real good for [Senate Candidate 1], shit, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH later stated, “I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain.

Of course Obama will try to bury this implication.

[Centurion2000]

Except that the Chicago politics one has legs, and the birth certificate one doesn't.

Scalia just accepted another BC case for conference ... so yeah, it DOES have legs.

[randita]

You can be clean and be called to testify at a Grand Jury.

Fitzgerald today said that Obama was pushing Valerie (can’t recall her last name), but Valerie withdrew her name from consideration. No doubt, they knew what was going down.

Obama can be asked about nay conversations he had with Blag about a replacement and did Blag try to make any deals for the appointment. The target of the questions would be Blag, not Obama.

[papasmurf]

I wonder where Rezko fits in in all of this? Did the little birdie sing a real sweet song to get the ball rolling?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Uncle Chip]

NOW can people understand why we want to see the original copy of the LONG FORM Birth Certificate from Hawaii's Department of Health...???

Bingo!!!

[tractorman]

I was thinking the exact same thing.
Kind of Rovian don’t you think?

[4yearlurker]

Quick Hollywood,make another evil Richard Nixon movie.

[randita]

Fitz has been wire tapping Blag for at least a month, I believe. Wonder if he has conversations between Blag and Obama/Axelrod or another staff member

[AmericanGirlRising]

The reporters can't be happy about the Tribune editorial board issue and not bailing out their jobs.

Now is the time for the castrated pubbies to cloture any demand to bailout the MSM.

Squeeze them to incite a Woodward & Bernstein to investigate. Bottom line - scandals sell ink. Ink sells ads.

[Old Sarge]

" I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have any relations with that man, Mr. Blagojevich. I never told anybody to buy my Senate seat, not a single time; never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the hope of the change."

[Free America52]

You gotta think that the feds only released what needed to be known today to justify their arrest of Blago. You can be sure that there is more information that wasn’t released at this point. And you could also assume that Rezko is not finished singing yet, Blago hasn’t even started singing, and the poor Chief of Staff is probably considering telling anything and everything to get out of this crapola. We do not have all the facts yet people, grab some popcorn and enjoy the show!