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.

[DoughtyOne]

Excellent, two turds one stone.

[MrB]

He lies under oath,
so what good would that do?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Slick Willy to the rescue.

[what's up]

Hillary to the rescue.

Dems look to Hillary for strategy when they need to get out of a scandal. She's throwing them a Bill-excuse to help them with this one.

[silverleaf]

Getting their alibis straight

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

IRC, bambi met with bubba right before yesterday’s presser.

I cannot see bubba going out of his way to save bambi’s ass. But if it meant protecting Rahm, who knows?

[Genoa]

The talks were "informal"? What, like no neckties required? Informal like his unscheduled meetings with Monica?
So anything one says in an informal talk is not illegal?
I like mine with lots of butter.

[Recovering_Democrat]

[small voice in the wilderness]

about what’s going to occur,”

This is interesting. It's almost like it's a PLAN of some kind. With players and scripts and timing and applause lines. SHIRLEY not.

[Ann Archy]

Obama probably gave Clinton money for his LIEbrary and Massage Parlor from “his stash” of slush funds from TARP!!

[MrB]

The SECOND anyone attempts to make a move against 0bama via impeachment,

the leftists will scream racism and the GOPer that proposed it will back off.

[COUNTrecount]

BINGO.

Hillary!’s “baggage” has just become heavier.

What a chess game this is.

[HereInTheHeartland]

My take on this is; this stuff probably goes on all the time.
There is a right way to do it and a wrong way. Obama directly making an offer is obviously the wrong way. Going through a third party, and sending out “feelers” would probably be the right way.

[Genoa]

He lies under oath,
so what good would that do?

Dang! Did I forget that /s tag again? /s

[hoosiermama]

This was not done face to face...I DEMAND to see the text messages and/or emails.

[jimbo123]

[Ann Archy]

OMG!!! The brother is saying that the White House got Sestak on the phone to tell him just HOW this was going to go down!!!! Isn’t that ILLEGAL??

[Nevermore]

Clinton is not going to sit still while Obama trashes his image.

LOL! Good One! But seriously, folks...
I think this is a desperate, screwball attempt to put distance between the White House & this bribe. I don't believe that this can help BO at all: nobody's gonna buy that Clinton "informally" invented a BO Admin job offer to Sestak on his own. I can't believe an "informal" bribe is any more legal.

[GatorGirl]

Clinton’s the fall guy? You’ve GOT to be kidding!

[Bitsy]

he may take up contract killing next.
He may have already - his colleagues knew to stay out of the park!