I didn't bother watching the clip you posted. That being said, it is natural to assume that Obama would at least discuss possible candidates to fill the seat he is leaving open. There is a world of difference between discussing possible names and engaging in selling the seat. There is ZERO evidence that Obama even thought about doing the latter. NON STORY.
When Obama said, "I had no contact with the governor," I understood that to mean he was not involved with Blagojevich's decision-making and was not being updated by him on his decision-making process. In other words, no continuous contact. It'd be quite extreme to think he meant he literally had not talked to the governor at all, especially when we already know he recommended a candidate. I don't think the two quotes mean that Obama wasn't truthful so much as your chosen interpretation of his meaning is wrong.
He cursed out Valerie Jarrett, who works for Obama, for being uncooperative. Why is Obama even being discussed in this thread? Isn't that a completely separate tangent that has no direct bearing on Blagojevich's problems?
Seems to me that would mean they definitely talked about it. I refuse to believe that Obama did not speak to him at all, which is what the Obama camp is claiming now. That being said, there isn't any evidence that Obama has done anything illegal or that he knew the seat was being sold. Politics always has been and always will be a this for that kind of world.
Looks like Jesse Jackson Jr might get into some trouble. The sentence in the first paragraph is terribly constructed though. Do they mean Jackson may have offered a million or that Blag offered the position for a million? Which prompts another question: why did the Feds pick now to arrest Blag? If they had waited until an appointment was made, they could have a possibly stronger case, and indicted whoever ended up being chosen as well. The downside I see is that they may have had more trouble prosecuting a sitting senator. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/ConductUnbecoming/Story?id=6431739&page=1 [rquoter]Sources Say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Is 'Senate Candidate No. 5' Feds Plan to Interview Chicago Congressman as Part of Blagojevich Probe By BRIAN ROSS Dec. 10, 2008— Chicago Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., is the anonymous "Senate Candidate No. 5" whose emissaries Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich reportedly offered up to $1 million to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News. According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich "stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided Rod Blagojevich" with something "tangible up front." Jackson said this morning he was contacted Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Chicago whom he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process." Jackson said, "I don't know" when asked whether he was Candidate No. 5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation." Jackson said he agreed to talk with federal investigators "as quickly as possible" after he consulted with a lawyer. (Click here to watch ABC News interview Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.) The congressman, a son of the famed civil rights leader, denied that anyone had been authorized to make payments or promises to the governor on his behalf. "It is impossible for someone on my behalf to have a conversation that would suggest any type of quid pro quo or any payments or offers," Jackson told ABC News. "An impossibility to an absolute certainty." "Senate Candidate No. 5" played a key role in the governor's efforts to obtain something of value in exchange for the Senate appointment, according to the FBI affidavit. According to the affidavit, Blagojevich threatened to appoint Senate Candidate No. 5 if President-elect Obama refused to help get his wife on "paid corporate boards right now." "If they feel like they can do this and not f-- give me anything then I'll f-- go [Senate Candidate 5]." Click here to read the full affidavit. The FBI says that during an Oct. 31 conversation, Blagojevich described an approach from an associate of Senate Candidate 5: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him [Senate Candidate 5] a senator." On Thursday, the FBI says Blagojevich "was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat" because he might "get some [money] up front, maybe." Blagojevich is back to business as usual working in his Chicago office today, which is his 52nd birthday. "The day-to-day operation doesn't change nor is it affected. There are still critical state issues that he wants to address - things like dealing with the current financial crisis, looking at ways to keep people in their homes and finding ways to create jobs - and will continue to do so as governor," said a spokesperson. Meanwhile, Obama and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) are now calling for the governor's resignation. Blagojevich and Jackson Jr. Met Monday Afternoon Blagojevich met with Jackson Monday afternoon and said he was close to making a decision about whom he would appoint. The governor was arrested by the FBI early Tuesday morning in order to "stop a crime spree," according to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Jackson said Tuesday that he met with Blagojevich Monday "for the first time in years" and voiced his desire to fill Obama's empty Senate seat. He said he was "shocked" by Blagojevich's arrest, adding that "if these allegations are proved true, I am outraged by the appalling, pay-to-play schemes hatched at the highest levels of our state government." Jackson is only one of a number of Illinois political figures whom the FBI is expected to interview in Chicago and Washington. But fellow Illinois Democratic Reps. Luis Gutierrez, Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis, as well as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, all say they have not been contacted by the FBI or prosecutors in connection to the Blagojevich investigation. Madigan has confirmed, however, that she is Senate Candidate #2 in the affidavit, but she denied having any conversations with Governor Blagojevich about the Senate seat. According to the affidavit, Blagojevich wanted it leaked to the Chicago-Tribune that Senate candidate number 2 was running for the vacant seat because he wanted to "send a message to the [President-elect's] people." Madigan said that if Blagojevich does not resign and the legislature fails to impeach him, she is prepared to invoke Illinois law that could result in his removal from office. She said she may be prepared to take this step sooner rather than later if it appears the legislative impeachment process is too protracted, declaring "Illinois needs a new Governor." In addition to the hours of wiretap tapes, which reveal only Blagojevich's version of events, agents are seeking firsthand accounts from anyone who dealt with Blagojevich over Obama's vacant Senate seat. According to an FBI affidavit unsealed after the governor's stunning arrest Tuesday, Blagojevich wanted Obama "to put something together?something big" in exchange for going along with Obama's choice to fill his vacant U.S. Senate seat. "I've got this thing and it's f-- golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for f--' nothing. I'm not gonna do it. And I can always use it. I can parachute me there," Blagojevich said during a phone call secretly recorded by the FBI Nov. 5, the day after the election, according to the affidavit. Fitzgerald said, "There's no reference in the complaint to any conversations involving the president-elect or indicating that the president-elect was aware of it, and that's all I can say." His comment did not close the door on the possibility that Obama or someone on his staff may have known of some aspect of the governor's demands. There are strong indications that Candidate 1 may be Valerie Jarrett, Obama's close confidante who has since been named a special presidential adviser. Senate Candidate 1 is identified in the federal documents as an adviser to the president-elect. Durbin said Blagojevich was considering Jarrett until she withdrew her name from consideration. "The governor asked me if I thought she [Jarrett] was serious about not being appointed and I said, 'yes, she told me point blank that she was,'" Durbin said. The federal complaint also states that Candidate 1 eventually withdrew from consideration. In addition, Durbin declined to speculate whether Senate Candidate 5 could be in peril. The FBI says Blagojevich wanted an appointment to the Obama Cabinet as secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, a well-paying job, or huge campaign contributions as the price for naming Obama's successor. Blagojevich Overheard by FBI Saying: 'I Want to Make Money' Blagojevich was overheard by the FBI saying "I want to make money" and complaining that he was "financially hurting." Blagojevich also sought a high-paying job for his wife, according to the FBI. "Is there a play here, with these guys, with her" to work for a firm in Washington or New York, he reportedly asked. The FBI affidavit said Blagojevich had been told by an adviser "the president-elect can get Rod Blagojevich's wife on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the president-elect's pick to the Senate." Told by two other advisers he has to "suck it up" for two years, the FBI says, Blagojevich was heard complaining that he has to give this "motherf-- [the president-elect] his senator. F-- him. For nothing? F-- him." The affidavit said that Blagojevich was interested in a high-paying position with Change to Win, an organization affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and that he suggested in a conversation with a SEIU official Nov. 12 that Obama wanted other people to be considered for the Senate seat besides Senate Candidate 1. Previous phone conversations indicated that Blagojevich knew the SEIU official "was an emissary to discuss Senate Candidate 1's interest in the Senate seat," the affidavit said. "Harris suggested that SEIU Official make Rod Blagojevich the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, the President-elect could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level," noted the affidavit. SEIU has denied any involvement, saying in a statement, "We have no reason to believe that SEIU or any SEIU official was involved in any wrongdoing." Change to Win released a statement saying that the organization never "considered, discussed or promised" any position to Blagojevich or his staff and that the group only learned of conversations between the governor and his advisers discussing such a position upon the release of the affidavit today. The FBI affidavit says Blagojevich thought he might get something "tangible up front" from Senate Candidate 5. Aware that he was under FBI investigation, Blagojevich apparently considered appointing himself to Obama's Senate seat, the affidavit says. He is quoted as saying, "He will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting senator as opposed to a sitting governor." [/rquoter]
I didn't read the entire article, but on cnbc they commented on the jesse jackson jr speculation and they said he probably doesn't have that much money.
That might be, but I don't know if not having the cash is going to go a long ways in his defense. I hope he didn't offer money.
the point is this is pure speculation and just based on the fact about the money it is unlikely jackson.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...8-serbia-blagojevich-webdec11,0,1837573.story Look like Darko's people are looking down on America now based on Rod's problems. When people in Serbia think you are corrupt... man.
I think it's a little different: It is almost certainly Jackson -- the first paragraph says an FBI source says it is him -- but it is inclear if any money was offered, since all we have right now are quotes from Blago about it. It sounds like he's talking about raising campaign money and not dollars directly into Blago's bank account, so the ethics are a little murkier here as well.
more evidence B-Ho met Blo to discuss the seat: By Carol Sowers Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. CHICAGO, ILL. -- Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled. That's one of Obama's first priorities today. He's meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it. Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement. There's already been speculation about his selection...from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago's south side who co-chaired Obama's presidential campaign, to recently-retired state senate president Emil Jones, to the governor himself. It's likely the governor will make his decision quickly so the new senator will get some seniority before newly-elected senators take office in January... what i find odd, and somewhat hilarious, in the O-Teams denials that such a discussion ever took place is that it would have been entirely normal and appropriate for them to have met and discussed it. obama's denials make it seem like he has something to hide- does he?
Goodness, basso, no one here is arguing that Obama didn't meet with Blago; why do you keep bringing evidence that he did? If you want to convince anyone of your point, you should bring some evidence that Obama is denying talking to Blago about the position. The "no contact" quote is insufficient.
It has already been proven that this was an erroneous report -- this is from November 6th, the day after they reported that he was going to meet with Blago: http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1264113,CST-NWS-succeed06.article I know Blagoboy is getting you all excited, basso, but your chomping at the bit at every possible opportunity to bring down our president elect fails again.
