What did Obama know and when did he know it?

[southpaw]

DON’T FIRE FITZ
By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann
12.11.2008

Published in the New York Post on December 11, 2008

When Bill Clinton took office in January 1993, he was hearing the foot steps of Little Rock US Attorney Charles Banks, who was hot on his heels as he probed charges of corruption that swirled around the Whitewater land deal. President Clinton decided, in one of his first acts, to fire all 93 US Attorneys - claiming he wanted a clean slate.

Many insiders suspected that the other 92 bodies were a cover for firing Banks and replacing him with Paula Casey, a Clinton ally.

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s indictment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich raises a similar question as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office. Will the new president fire Fitzgerald?

In view of the often-close relationship between Blagojevich, Obama and other key members of the incoming administration, it would be a travesty were Fitzgerald’s head to roll now. Consider:

* Fitzgerald has already indicted and convicted Antoin Rezko, Obama’s friend and key financial backer who may have arranged for the then-state-senator to acquire his home and adjoining property on advantageous terms.

* Obama and incoming Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel were among an intimate circle of Blagojevich advisers when Blago first ran for governor in 2002. Emanuel says that he, Obama and others “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor. We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.”

* Obama adviser and media guru David Axelrod worked for Blagojevich in his races for Congress before he ran for governor, although Axelrod (a consultant of uncommon integrity) refused to work for Blagojevich when he ran for governor.

* Even though Fitzgerald had already made clear that he was investigating the governor, following up “very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud” and noted that he had “a number of credible witnesses,” Obama vigorously backed Blagojevich for re-election in 2006. At the Illinois State Fair that August, ABC’s Jake Tapper reported that Obama told the crowd, “We’ve got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois.”

Fitzgerald has clearly signaled that his probe doesn’t involve Obama, but who knows if it might lead to other Illinois Democrats in the new president’s coterie of aides?

If Fitzgerald stays on the job, we can be sure the investigation will be pursued honestly and thoroughly. His Inspector Javert-like pursuit of the Valerie Plame scandal, aimed at the heart of the Bush administration, should be more than enough proof of his nonpolitical credentials.

Obama shouldn’t hesitate to replace Fitzgerald once his work is done. But if he removes the Illinois US attorney right off the bat, we’ll be left wondering if he did so to cover something up.


Dec 11 2008

[southpaw]

Ridgepappy, you're racist right there for saying that because he was black I compared him to a monkey. I have a really good friend, whom is white, that a lot of people say that looks like a monkey. So save it with because he's black I said that. It had nothing to do with racism. It had everything to do with the face in the picture. There's your answer. Who's the racist now? It's not you because you're perfect. Well, I'm glad someone on this earth's **** doesn't stink.

Deliverance...most rational people would equate saying that missing bananas from a picture of a black man would be a racist comment and at the very least one in poor taste. Don't blame RD you posted it then changed it. If it wasn't wrong why delete post? Oh I almost forgot liberals can't be racist. They can't be held accountable for anything they say now can they?

[deliverance]

I deleted it because it offended someone on the board I didn't know. I don't roll like that. If someone finds it offensive, I will respect that person's opinion and remove what I said. Do I think it was wrong? No. That doesn't mean other people don't perceive it that way. You don't know me. I'm very far from racist. If I was racist, why would I take a class called Racial and Cultural Minorities? I'll send you the books if you'd like me to.

[southpaw]

Deliverance, you offend me. Can you delete yourself from this site? Just kidding

Racial and Cultural minorities? That sounds very stimulating. Probably nothing but hating white people like my North American Indians class was.

[deliverance]

southy, very much so.

[southpaw]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/o ... 08.article

Is Rhambo in deep trouble? Methinks so. Heck of a note if Obama had to replace his chief of staff before the inauguration.

[Lemmy]

Southpaw you have not been right about anything lately have you? Was it Florida or Ohio you said would not go for Obama in the prez election? I forget.

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois' next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records.

Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson's bid for the Senate.



Both Jr. and Sr. are lawyering up.

[RidgeDad]

Southpaw you have not been right about anything lately have you? Was it Florida or Ohio you said would not go for Obama in the prez election? I forget.

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois' next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records.

Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson's bid for the Senate.



Both Jr. and Sr. are lawyering up.

What is he wrong about Lemmy? I don't think either of us has said Obama was part of this. What we are questioning is what did he know, and when (title of the thread)? This is a legitimate question. Because if Obama or anyone on his staff knew about the shenanigans going on in Chi-town, and failed to report it to the authorities, this could, and should, get ugly for him. I've said this before (either on here or another board - I can't remember), maybe it was Obama or someone on his staff that did report this to authorities. If so, kudos to them. They did the right thing. But I don't hear anyone from BHO's camp saying that. Do you?

Here's my take on this. I don't know Valorie Jarrett or whatever her name is. But I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt. My bet is that Blago made it plain to her that this was a quid pro quo deal. Maybe she had the moral compass or lacked the funds to live up to the demands, it doesn't matter. She pulled out the next day. Good for her. As a friend and adviser to BHO, don't you think she would have let him or someone on the staff know what was going on? I bet she did. And if they all chose to do nothing, shame on them. And now, with the link Southy posted, one has to wonder if Rhambo didn't know what was up. I got a $20 bill in my pocket that says he did.

If they knew, and did nothing, does that not fly in the face of the mantra - change we can believe in?

[RidgeDad]

Ridgepappy, you're racist right there for saying that because he was black I compared him to a monkey. I have a really good friend, whom is white, that a lot of people say that looks like a monkey. So save it with because he's black I said that. It had nothing to do with racism. It had everything to do with the face in the picture. There's your answer. Who's the racist now? It's not you because you're perfect. Well, I'm glad someone on this earth's **** doesn't stink.

I find the above post offensive. Please delete it.

I deleted it because it offended someone on the board I didn't know. I don't roll like that. If someone finds it offensive, I will respect that person's opinion and remove what I said. Do I think it was wrong? No. That doesn't mean other people don't perceive it that way. You don't know me. I'm very far from racist. If I was racist, why would I take a class called Racial and Cultural Minorities? I'll send you the books if you'd like me to.

[southpaw]

Lemmy why can't you discuss the issue? Does the truth hurt that much?