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Obama works to distance himself from Blagojevich
AP via SFGate ^ | 12/9/8

Posted on 12/09/2008 3:05:41 PM PST by SmithL

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor — concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less — are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear.

As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post.

The president-elect was blunt and brief in addressing the case on Tuesday: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening" concerning any possible dealing about Blagojevich's appointment of a successor.

It's Obama's first big headache since his election last month, and Republicans were anything but eager to let it go away.

Said Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the new GOP House whip: "The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Gov. Blagojevich, President-elect Obama and other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: bho2008; blagojevich; bleepgate; cultureofcorruption; obama; obamatransitionfile; obamatruthfile; rats
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To: SmithL
Headline should read:

Media works to distance Obama from Blagojevich

21 posted on 12/09/2008 3:17:52 PM PST by montag813 (www.FreepShop.com)
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To: LucyT

Obama is Screwed?


22 posted on 12/09/2008 3:19:17 PM PST by hoosiermama (Berg is a liberal democrat. Keyes is a conservative. Obama is bringing us together already!)
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To: eureka!

Great quote! May the GOP get a spine and start dissecting Obama’s character immediately.


23 posted on 12/09/2008 3:20:15 PM PST by ilgipper
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To: montag813

*****Headline should read:
Media works to distance Obama from Blagojevich****

Precisely - Obama doesn’t work - he’s too special.


24 posted on 12/09/2008 3:20:23 PM PST by sodpoodle (Man studies evolution to understand His creation.)
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To: SmithL

great photo of Obama. That must be his bite-the-lower-lip look.

BTW he looks, ah, kinda rough.


25 posted on 12/09/2008 3:20:36 PM PST by NDpapajoe ("Our Country isn't what it once was" -- --Hopey Changerton 8-2008 speaking to a 7-yr-old little girl)
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To: SmithL
"What did the President-elect know, and when did he know it?"
26 posted on 12/09/2008 3:21:38 PM PST by montag813 (www.FreepShop.com)
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To: seekthetruth
Obama: “I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening”.


In this Dec. 2, 2008 file photo, President-elect Barack
Obama, right, greets Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich, left, at the Bipartisan
meeting of the National Governor's Association in Philadelphia.

27 posted on 12/09/2008 3:22:04 PM PST by Red Steel
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To: SmithL

Have we ever had a “Lame Duck President-Elect” before? We sure got one now.


28 posted on 12/09/2008 3:22:56 PM PST by RC2 (Where is Obama's Birth Certificate??????)
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To: SmithL

(no link)

Senator says he’s still willing to help Blagojevich despite - hiring concerns
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) - Thursday, July 27, 2006
Author: John Patterson Daily Herald State Government Editor
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama expressed concern about the growing number of reports of potentially illegal hiring under Gov. Rod Blagojevich but said he’s willing to help his fellow Chicago Democrat’s re-election bid.

“I have not followed closely enough what’s been taking place in these investigations to comment on them,” Obama told the Daily Herald this week. “Obviously I’m concerned about reports that hiring practices at the state weren’t, at times, following appropriate procedures. How high up that went, the degree at which the governor was involved, is not something I’m going to speculate on.

“If I received information that made me believe that any Democrat had not been acting in the public interest, I’d be concerned.”

Numerous state agencies have had hiring and contracting records subpoenaed, and U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald confirmed in a recent letter to state authorities that his office is conducting an investigation of “very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud” and has a “number of credible witnesses.”

(snip)

Obama , who endorsed Blagojevich for a second term nearly 18 months ago, said he’s ready to help Illinois Democrats in the upcoming elections.

“If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I’ll be happy to do it,” Obama said.


29 posted on 12/09/2008 3:22:57 PM PST by maggief
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To: randomhero97

Is there a youtube of that yet?

There is on another thread.


30 posted on 12/09/2008 3:23:11 PM PST by malkee
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To: randomhero97

Here is the tape:
http://progressillinois.com/2008/11/23/axelrod-on-fcs


31 posted on 12/09/2008 3:23:59 PM PST by seekthetruth
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To: SmithL

One good spinoff benefit from the Blago thing is it should throw the monkeywrench into the idea of commuting or pardoning that previous sleazeball corrupt ex-Gov George Ryan, as Sen. Dirtbag proposed last week.

To Gov. Ryan, just visualize the kid from the Simpsons going “Haw haw!!”


32 posted on 12/09/2008 3:24:27 PM PST by bigbob
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To: SmithL
are an unwelcome distraction. “

Nope.
It goes to the core of who and what Comrade Obama is. The Obama culture of corruption from Chicago continues unabated.

33 posted on 12/09/2008 3:24:38 PM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Red Steel

Here is the tape Sean played today on his radio program.
http://progressillinois.com/2008/11/23/axelrod-on-fcs


34 posted on 12/09/2008 3:25:02 PM PST by seekthetruth
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To: maggief

I can no longer distance myself with Governor Blagojevich like I can distance myself from the black community. Oh wait, he already did that LOL


35 posted on 12/09/2008 3:25:26 PM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: ConservaTexan
Before he leaves office, Bush should pardon Obama for any potential crimes regarding the Blagojevich matter.

ROFLMAO!!! Great suggestion.

36 posted on 12/09/2008 3:26:08 PM PST by NRG1973
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Obama: “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.” (Deanna Bellandi, “Illinois Democrats Talk Unity But Don’t Show It,” The Associated Press, 8/16/06)


37 posted on 12/09/2008 3:26:49 PM PST by maggief
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To: NDpapajoe
I like this one better....Three men in (the) Troub(le).
38 posted on 12/09/2008 3:26:56 PM PST by hoosiermama (Berg is a liberal democrat. Keyes is a conservative. Obama is bringing us together already!)
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To: ilgipper
"May the GOP get a spine and start dissecting Obama’s character immediately."

Fat chance, if past is prologue. That said, I think that it is a big enough story that it will leak through the presstitutes' filter into the minds of the less than attentive body politic and take a little shine off of the 0ne. "Just another corrupt Chicago politician" has a nice ring to it. Not that I harbor any ill will, I just would like to see the truth out...

39 posted on 12/09/2008 3:27:03 PM PST by eureka! (Must not let the election continue to depress me so much.)
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To: SmithL

Don’t eat that just yet, Elmo....it’s still smokin’.


40 posted on 12/09/2008 3:27:07 PM PST by CanaGuy (Go Harper!)
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