EXCLUSIVE: White House asked Clinton to talk to Sestak about Senate run

Washington Post ^ | May 28, 2010 | Greg Sargent

[maggief]

Senior White House advisers asked former President Bill Clinton to talk to Joe Sestak about whether he was serious about running for Senate, and to feel out whether he'd be open to other alternatives, according to sources familiar with the situation.

But the White House maintains that the Clinton-Sestak discussions were informal, according to the sources. The White House, under pressure to divulge the specifics of its interactions with Sestak, will release a formal statement later today outlining their version of events, including Clinton's involvement.

According to the sources, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel asked Clinton and his longtime adviser, lawyer Doug Band, to talk to Sestak about the race. It's unclear right now whether the White House will say that Clinton was asked to suggest specific administration positions for Sestak, whether Clinton floated positions on his own, whether Clinton discussed other options not related to the adminstration, or whether employment even came up at all in the talks.

[devane617]

She looks in a state of severe depression...

[GRRRRR]

As Biden would say, “this is an effin’ big deal’.

So wrong on so many levels; Rahm is crooked, we KNOW Billy Jeff is a liar...the HUSBAND of the SecOfState involved in dirty politics...

Filthy buzzards!

[Apparatchik]

Like it or not, doing political favors for your colleagues is as old as politics itself. Big donors to presidential campaigns are often rewarded with ambassadorships to "garden spot" embassies. Nothing legally wrong with that (although you can question the ethics). However, when a specific reward is offered for a specific favor, then you have a clear violation of law. In this case, it was clear to Sestak that the White House was offering a job in the administration in return for a specific favor (stepping aside for Specter).

Suppose there was evidence that candidate Obama offered a potential donor the ambassadorship to, say, the Bahamas in return for bundling $1 million in campaign donations. That would be illegal, right? It often depends on whether there was an offer and there is evidence (videotape, audiotape or an eyewitness)

Does that help?

[Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo]

Ha ha! Put Clinton under oath!!
 
Well it all depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is, your honor.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Your picture of Monica makes one wonder exactly what kind of “ job “ Bill Clinton offered Sestak.

[thouworm]

Some comments from Cripplecreek & Dems_R_Losers on dup thread:

To: cripplecreek
If you recall, A while back, Obama hired David Plouffe to run democrat campaigns out of the white house.

Makes it kind of hard to deny playing a part when he hired someone specifically to screw around in the various campaigns.
******

David Plouffe is from Pennsylvania.

Things that make you go hmmmm.....
52 posted on Friday, May 28, 2010 11:19:08 AM by Dems_R_Losers (U.S. Out of My Doctor’s Office!!)
~~~~~~~~~~

Cripplecreek: I think David Plouffe is also the head of Organizing for America. Looks like he’s involved in the Blumenthal campaign as well.
~~~~~~~~~

Cripplecreek: David Plouffe is the man we should be looking at. Clinton is a distraction. Plouffe was specifically hired by the white house to direct democrat campaigns.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2523046/posts

[jersey117]

Sestak said from day one that the WHITE HOUSE offered him the job

[ColdOne]

INSERT BS METER HERE>>>>>>

[firebrand]

Especially a conservative like Toomey. Honor among thieves.

[kevinm13]

Bubba can lie with the best of them.

If a job was offered (even a ‘non-paying adviser” job, yeah right!) in exchange for not running, then it is illegal and the WH needs to ‘fess up. Fat chance of that happening and little chance this would get the press it deserves.

[Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo]

You know, the shame of it all is that Monica Lewinsky was actually kinduva cute girl [at one point in the far distant past].

[G Larry]

Good!
Clinton and Rahm at least get convicted, even if BO pardons them after the elections.

[Kaslin]

*Using Dick Cheney’s words* “Big time”

[MarineMom613]

Stestak claimed all along the offer came from a “White House Official”

Axle said they checked with lawyers and everything was ethical. No problems for them at all!

Bambi leaves leave town for Memorial Day weekend.
Holiday news dump. Clinton did it for them! But why would he take the blame? Did he do it or not. If he did, what’s with the above re: white house official & axle saying they did it above board.
What does Willie J get for taking the fall? Didn’t he want an ambassadorship/UN leader/judgeship. (don’t remember which if not all positions he had feeler out for.

Oh what a tangled web we weave..... Get your lies straight!
Why did the WH call Stesaks’ brother yesterday?Now we have to hear from Stesak and see what he says because Clinton is NOT a white house official. Hillary is tho’, could this have been pillow talk? LOL
This is gonna be good!!!

[prisoner6]

It depends on what the definitaion of "job" is....sigh.

prisoner6

[Rutles4Ever]

The biggest problem is that it concentrates an unbelievable amount of power into the executive branch, and specifically the President, himself, if this slides, or can be reasoned away as just another “political gift”.

Step back from the details and look at the big picture. The President, abusing the inherent power of his office, sought to influence absolutely the outcome of an election by offering an executive post to one of the candidates. And when I say absolutely, I mean, the candidacy becomes null and void in exchange for something of value (it has to be considered more valuable or else it wouldn’t be offered). If this is validated as “business as usual”, then there’s no stopping the president from influencing elections, votes, state policies (hello, Arizona), etc., by simply throwing someone a bone in exchange for something that accomplishes the will of the President, instead of the will of the electorate, who are endowed with that authority. i.e., your President is now a dictator, having disenfranchised all voters with his singular position of power.

THAT’S why this is a big deal.

[Think free or die]

"Interesting. In the second picture, Clinton has the same look on his face that Dick Cheney did at the inauguration. "

Interesting point. I wouldn't call it a look of admiration or fondness either.

[Batman11]

“Clinton will lie without blinking. Bet your bottom dollar that Obama was in the loop.”

Absolutely, they wouldn’t have gone to the level of involving BJ unless this whole thing led to Zero. If it didn’t, they would just throw whichever underling that is involved under the bus. Again!

[maggief]

BTT

[jersey117]

The President, abusing the inherent power of his office, sought to influence absolutely the outcome of an election by offering an executive post to one of the candidates.

Make no mistake. This is big and must be investigated. In fact, they should investigate obama's senate seat scandal while they're at it. I don't care what color he is, this cannot stand and the press needs to do its job.