Obama: I Am ‘Appalled And Disappointed’ By Illinois Scandal, Blagojevich Needs To Resign
Obama: I Am ‘Appalled And Disappointed’ By Illinois Scandal, Blagojevich Needs To Resign
Since federal authorities arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) earlier this week, many conservatives have been trying to tie him to Barack Obama, even though the President-elect has said that he has had “no contact with the governor or his office.” Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz has even criticized Obama for not acting outraged enough, saying that he has “limited himself to such bromides as ‘sad‘ in discussing the Blagojevich scandal.” Kurtz added that Obama should have said it was “appalling.”
Today in his press conference, Obama did in fact say that he was “appalled” by the scandal and forcefully called on Blagojevich to resign. “I do not think that the governor at this point can effectively serve the people of Illinois,” said Obama. He noted that while he has had zero contact with Blagojevich on the vacant Senate seat, he has directed his staff to review their contacts with the governor’s office, so that those findings can be shared with the press in the coming days.
Obama also addressed Chicago’s infamous culture of corruption, saying that the “wheeling and dealing” has to change:
Now, with respect to Illinois, look, as I said, I think in Illinois, as is true in American politics generally, there are two views of politics. There’s a view of politics that says you go in this for sacrifice and public service, and then there’s a view of politics that says that this is a business, and you’re wheeling and dealing, and what’s in it for me?
And there are — one thing I want to make sure everybody is mindful of — there are extraordinary traditions of public service coming out of Illinois, even after Abraham Lincoln. [...]
But what you also have, I think, are habits and a culture that thinks of politics as a — as a means of self-aggrandizement. That’s exactly what has to change.
Watch it:
Blagojevich — who in 2006, promised his mother that he would “never take bribes” — is resisting calls to step down.
Transcript:
OBAMA: I’m also aware of your interest in the matter of the Illinois Senate appointment. Let me say that I was as appalled and disappointed as anybody by the revelations earlier this week.
I have never spoken to the governor on this subject. I’m confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat. I think the materials released by the U.S. attorney reflect that fact.
I’ve asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the governor’s office about this vacancy so that we can share them with you over the next few days. [...]
So let me be absolutely clear: I do not think that the governor at this point can effectively serve the people of Illinois. I — the legislature is going down to Springfield to make a determination as to how to resolve this issue. I think they’re going to come to the same conclusion. I hope that the governor himself comes to the conclusion that he can no longer effectively serve and that he does resign. [...]
Now, with respect to Illinois, look, as I said, I think in Illinois, as is true in American politics generally, there are two views of politics. There’s a view of politics that says you go in this for sacrifice and public service, and then there’s a view of politics that says that this is a business, and you’re wheeling and dealing, and what’s in it for me?
And there are — one thing I want to make sure everybody is mindful of — there are extraordinary traditions of public service coming out of Illinois, even after Abraham Lincoln.
You know, you’ve got people like Paul Simon, and Paul Douglas, our current senator, Dick Durbin, our senior senator, and many others on both sides of the aisle who have upheld the highest standards of ethics and have made enormous sacrifices to make sure that they’re getting something done for the people of Illinois.
But what you also have, I think, are habits and a culture that thinks of politics as a — as a means of self-aggrandizement. That’s exactly what has to change.
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What is this clown waiting for?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:23 pmHe’s done. Kaput. Toast. Over.
Even if he were to appoint someone, the Senate wouldn’t seat the appointee.
Some politicians spread joy wherever they go.
Other spread joy whenever they go.
Gov. Jerkovich is still surprised anyone cares about ‘pay to play’.
Not only is he out of touch, he’s out of a job & out of the loop.
(D) or (R), it doesn’t matter…we need to clean America’s entire house of political crooks, starting right now.
Tammy Duckworth for Senate! Fitz for AG!
December 11th, 2008 at 12:25 pmBlagojevich has been using his political position the same way the gop does, as a way to increase personal wealth…..greed.
Obama made it clear in his press conference that this kind of politics is what we needed a change from.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm- – Bla-lego-vich. http://chicagoist.com/2008/12/09/blalegovich.php
December 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pmZimzone Says: Not only is he out of touch, …he’s out of the loop.
– - Heh. No pun intended.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pmIn regard to Blagojevich conspiring to sell or trade for personal benefit the Senate seat left vacant by Obama, the president select said on December 9: “I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening,” according to the Associated Press.
“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,” KHQA 7 reported on November 8. “Obama met with Governor Rod Blagojevich earlier this week to discuss it.”
As to be expected, this news report is no longer on the KHQA website, it was memory holed. It was however cached and archived after Yahoo crawled the web, as search engines are inclined to do.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pm“Blagojevich — who in 2006, promised his mother that he would “never take bribes” —”
technically we’re not discussing bribes, are we? No one has offered Blago anything for the seat, he’s tried to sell the seat. that’s a payoff. When he said if he doesn’t get what he wants he’ll appoint himself, that’s blackmail. When he says he’s going to run for President in 2016, that’s crazy.
On a broader note, I’ve never been prouder to be an Illinoian than I am right now.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pmI just read on Newsmax.com that they are worried that Obama will fire Fitzgerald for going after Blagojevich.
WTF are the Righties smoking, anyway?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pmnot making excuses for the guy – though not long ago he did do some good things for the state – and he WAS re-elected in 06 (lokidog) –
but i think blagojevich needs to have a neuro exam and MRI…
twice now, people i know began to exhibit strange behavior (not that “pay to play” is strange in ANY politics anywhere) and within 2 years they were dead after treatment for a brain tumor…
just sayin’…
December 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pmHe promised his mother never to take a bribe?
LOL- I’ll bet she’s a proud b.vitch today.
¶ AIO
December 11th, 2008 at 12:34 pmObama also addressed Chicago’s infamous culture of corruption…
coming up on ed schultz – a guest will lay out the case that n.dakota is the most corrupt state in the union… su-prise!
December 11th, 2008 at 12:35 pmBobwurst, I thought the term was Illini? Or is that just for football?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:36 pmkaty, nobody comes close to the California State Senate. More shite goes on under the covers there than ten books would cover…
December 11th, 2008 at 12:36 pmcriticized Obama for not acting outraged enough,
has anyone brought up the fact that this lack of outrage was going on while hosting al gore???
he was caught by surprise as most were… and, he was trying to maintain the proper dues to the visiting al gore and his mission.
oh yea… remember THAT?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:39 pm- – I’m an Italian originally from Chicago and lemme tell ya, the Roman weapon of choice seldom has been pastry.
How many crooked pols we got in virtually uninhabited Alaska? Stevens, Young, Murkowski, soon-to-be Palin….
December 11th, 2008 at 12:42 pmSamweller at #7 said in part: “As to be expected, this news report is no longer on the KHQA website, it was memory holed. It was however cached and archived after Yahoo crawled the web, as search engines are inclined to do.”
He never said he has never had any contact with the Gov’s office. I think the problem is, Obama is thinking, “they want to see if I have had continuing contact with Blago – and since he hasn’t, that is what he is talking about. (Note, if Obama was in continous contact with Blago, that would raise the spectre of shady deals being discussed between the two.
Since Obama isn’t on the Fed tapes, then he is not guilty of that.
Samweller and others are thinking “…has Obama ever spoken with Blago? The idea is to link speaking with him even once with talking about “pay for play”. In the minds of his detractors, just speaking with Blago means that somethign shady was discussed.
Let’s face it, if he said he met with him, the first thing the media would think to ask is whether or not Blago made that kind of offer. If Obama said no, then they’d wonder if he was lying since Blago, in the tapes, says that all they want to give him is their appreciation. Folks could infer from that statement that the offer ws made and refused.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:46 pmGee, Obama says politicians either enter to serve or for self-aggrandizement. How much more aggrandizement could a politico get then as Commander In Chief?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:51 pmhey samsweller – it’s president-Elect…
said on December 9: “I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening,”
which i understood to mean that he didn’t know what was happening THAT MORNING.
context.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:57 pmBushie Says: How much more aggrandizement could a politico get then as Commander In Chief?
– - I didn’t hear about any price tags on Obama’s Cabinet positions.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:57 pmAh, the pride of Serbian-Americans and Serbians everywhere, Gov. Blagojevich, it should be noted is a Reagan Democrat, as in Ronald “greed is good” Reagan. Gov. Blagojevich should switch his party affiliation to GOP. He surely would be more comfortable with the Bush gangster regime and their GOP goosesteppers…
December 11th, 2008 at 12:58 pm“RUCerious Says:
Bobwurst, I thought the term was Illini? Or is that just for football?”
Good question. Illini does roll off the tongue better. I’ve just recently returned and am willing to be corrected by my betters.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:58 pmI realize that no one wants Obama to be connected to this, but let’s just state the obvious–Blagojevich was negotiating with somebody, and to do that he had to be talking to somebody in the administration, on Obama’s behalf. Barack Obama wanted to dictate who his successor would be–pretty much typical Chicago politics. Obama’s die-hard supporters will of course insist against all reason that he’s absolutely clean in all of this, but there is no way around it–the rest of the public, many of whom where voting on hope that Obama was a different kind of politician, are going to be deeply disappointed. This is simply going to confirm everything Sean Hannity etal have been saying for years at this point.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pmNewsmax is worried that Obama will fire Fitzgerald?
LOL- Obama should appoint him Attorney General.
¶ AIO
December 11th, 2008 at 1:02 pmRUCerious Says:
Bobwurst, I thought the term was Illini? Or is that just for football?
i am another proud illinoisan (you left out the ’s’, bob… it’s not pronounced, but it is spelled with an s…)
the sports teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are known as The Fighting Illini.
the state was once inhabited by an Indian tribe known as Illini…
December 11th, 2008 at 1:04 pmor so i’ve been taught.
Bushie Says:
Gee, Obama says politicians either enter to serve or for self-aggrandizement. How much more aggrandizement could a politico get then as Commander In Chief?
Spoken like a true blue republican. Just because your boy thinks the world revolves around his empty head it doesn’t mean that everyone thinks like that.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:04 pmThis is simply going to confirm everything Sean Hannity etal have been saying for years at this point.
yea, right, mick… keep yer fingers crossed…
ah hahahaha!
December 11th, 2008 at 1:06 pmBREAKING:
bmitch fooking oconnell has decided to cause another DEPRESSION.
he’s going to vote against helping the car cos.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pmYou’re thinking back again……refering to bush, raygun, etc.
How much more opportunity to serve could a politico get would be the appropriate question.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pmMick Says:
I realize that no one wants Obama to be connected to this, but let’s just state the obvious–Blagojevich was negotiating with somebody, and to do that he had to be talking to somebody in the administration, on Obama’s behalf.
and let’s further state the obivious, that we will find out who blago was talking to on those taped phone calls. And even more obiviously, when Blago says that “all they want to give me is appreciation, fu*k them!” that means Obama wasn’t willing to give Blago anything.
Which of course bring up the MOST obivious point: that the Hannitys of the world have no interest in being fair and balanced, they just want to stir up trouble with the idiots who pay attention to them.
That would be you Mick…
December 11th, 2008 at 1:11 pmMick Says:
…Blagojevich was negotiating with somebody,…
Nice try there, Mickey, but there is a real possibility that Blago. was negotiating with himself.
P.S. Red State called, they said they were missing you there…and another thing; no one in their right mind would extol Sean Hannity.
¶ AIO
December 11th, 2008 at 1:12 pmRHF,
What would Hillary do?
December 11th, 2008 at 1:13 pmNorth Dakota tops analysis of corruption
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-12-10-corruptstates_N.htm
December 11th, 2008 at 1:14 pmConvicted Obama fund-raiser Tony Rezko is closely tied to Blogojevich
Case confirms Rezko talking with prosecutors
A footnote to the 76-page complaint against Blagojevich confirms a former longtime friend and fundraiser for Obama is talking to prosecutors in hopes of a reduced sentence
Associated Press lists Obama’s “questionable associations”
In his life and career in Illinois, President-elect Barack Obama has crossed paths with some notable figures who have drawn scorn and scrutiny. Among them
December 11th, 2008 at 1:15 pmAN ALYSIS!@!!!!@#$@#$%@$%^#$%^&*
December 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pmFOURTH TIME’S A CHARM.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pmBushie Says:
Gee, Obama says politicians either enter to serve or for self-aggrandizement. How much more aggrandizement could a politico get then as Commander In Chief?
Awww Stoop-wad, did you apply that standard to Georgie Boy?
Conversely, how much more effectively could a politician serve if he were the President?
December 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pmMick Says:
You don’t even have a cum stained dress to press this lie with……how’s irrelivance suiting you?
December 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pmIn the indictment he was complaining of personal financial troubles. That is probably his motivation — if he resigns now he loses all the salary and perks that come with being governor. That’s all that’s on his mind, not the people of Illinois. He used the Governorship as a ploy to get rich quick, and now he may have nothing at all.
Way to think about your two young daughters, Blago.
Simply RESIGN if you want to make more money–being a former governor is not exactly a bad marketing tool. Yeesh.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pmi don’t know why #34 made it – without changing that word, and #s 36,37 didn’t… if TP would please free up the band width…
December 11th, 2008 at 1:23 pmICEMAN Says: Watch me grasp at straws!
December 11th, 2008 at 1:24 pmMick
“there’s no way around it” is simply something you’ve pulled out of your ass. You have no link, and your only proof is a nod to Sean Freakin’ Hannity. Scott Fitzgerald wouldn’t know what the hell you’re talking about.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:25 pmICEMAN,
do you really want to get into this pissing contest? Jermiah Wright was smeared, William Ayers was smeared, since when was being a firebrand bad? and if you want to talk about shady political connections, let’s talk about Duke Cunningham, Tom Delay, Jerry Lweis, Ted Stevens, Tom(?) Nye (congressman from Ohio), Dick Cheney, Kathy Harris…Who have I left out? There’s a whole other list of republican perverts, not to mention the bigoted conservative regligous freaks in your closet.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:26 pmMick sez: This is simply going to confirm everything Sean Hannity etal have been saying for years at this point.
And in other news, my leaps of logic and lack of comprehension nullify the validity of my posts!
December 11th, 2008 at 1:27 pm*PATRICK Fitzgerald
December 11th, 2008 at 1:27 pmICEMAN is hoping for a cold day in hell. Cuz that’s when republicans will be taken seriously again.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:27 pmMore than one person has suggested that Blagojevich is mentally unstable. What he has done is so outrageous that no one in his right mind would have attempted it.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:30 pmObama’s press conference today was good. He answered questions in length. The man is not prone toward overemotion – he is calm and cool – no matter what the situation. Reporters want more emotional response from him, but that’s not his nature.
BTW, did someone mention here that Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky weasel, has pretty much put the kibosh on the auto loan. Tempting a national depression.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:33 pmICEMAN Says:
Same stupid troll under previous aliases including hate_america.
You’re storming up a Rezko copy-n-paste as if we need to be convinced he’s not a good guy. That proves you’re a mental midget.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:35 pmSamWeller Says:
As to be expected, this news report is no longer on the KHQA website, it was memory holed. It was however cached and archived after Yahoo crawled the web, as search engines are inclined to do.
When contacted as to why the story was no longer there KHQA said “we were not able to confirm that the meeting ever took place”.
Just because a news station says that Obama is going to do something does not 1) prove that it was Obama’s intention and 2) prove that Obama did it.
I suspect that it was more speculation on the part of the news station and they took down the story because it was embarrassing them.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:36 pmhey marie!
thanks for you info about the MUPPET CHRISTMAS movie i’m looking for…
i wasn’t able to get back to that thread till late yesterday…
just wanted to say thanks! if i find it, you get a REWARD!
December 11th, 2008 at 1:36 pmMick Says:
Barack Obama wanted to dictate who his successor would be–pretty much typical Chicago politics.
And you know this how? Just because you say something doesn’t necessarily make it true.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pmalso marie -
katy Says:
BREAKING:
bmitch fooking oconnell has decided to cause another DEPRESSION.
he’s going to vote against helping the car cos.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
mcconnell’s a fookin’ poossy…
i’ve aske TP to put up harry reid’s message to those pugs on the next thread… a kind of ‘go ahead, make my day’ statement.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pmKFC has a walking advertisement, Mitch McConnell’s brain is deep-fried.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:42 pmICEMAN Says:
In his life and career in Illinois, President-elect Barack Obama has crossed paths with some notable figures who have drawn scorn and scrutiny. Among them
Hey Iceman, just because someone walks across your path does not make you guilty of their sins. If that was the case, then Bush would be guilty of 10,000 more sins than he is already guilty of.
Do you and your ilk have any idea how pathetic you are?
December 11th, 2008 at 1:44 pmbushCO, silly… he had plenty of puppeteers…
December 11th, 2008 at 1:44 pmHannity is an excellent example of why Right wing Christofascists should be sterilized at birth.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:59 pmSam Weller’s ‘comment’ is entirely lifted from…
http://www.congresscheck.com/2008/12/10/obama-lies-about-meeting-blagojevich/
but hilariously, if I may ‘paraquote’; “As to be expected, this page cannot be found by Google. It was however cached as search engines are inclined to do”
Now http://www.congresscheck.com/author/admin/ drags up a rather weird blog, with many redundant unoriginal posts by admin Andrew McLemore who also has a facebook page that says;
“I am a journalist. A title which means a lot more than it used to. It means I have to be good (or at least decent) at pretty much everything. That means writing, photography, video, blogging and general multimedia have to be in my repertoire of skills. As of right now, they are, and I will continue to develop those skills. If you are interested in hiring me for any of these purposes, please send me a message and I will respond promptly from my gmail account. Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon. -Andrew McLemore ”
Andrew’s idea of journalism seems to be to cut and paste working journalists efforts, the end. His ‘blog’ amusingly has a copyright notice as a footer.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:24 pmkaty, at least it isn’t pronounced Ill-Annoyin’!
December 11th, 2008 at 2:49 pmHey, iceman,
I went to school with a mobster — does that make me and my classmates a mobster?
I serve on a board where a member had an ethics issue — does that make me complicit?
I said hi to my neighbor last month and today I read in the paper that he bought some child porn — am I guilty of that too?
People who think like you do are contributing to the downfall of America as you would rather advocate division and name-calling, guilt by association, and unwarranted accusations than work toward the best for the nation — a nation which has deteriorated dramatically under GWB and his cronies.
December 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pmOopsy… Obama Met With Blagojevich in Chicago On Nov. 5 To Discuss Senate Seat
From the governor’s press release:
Governor Blagojevich Congratulates President-elect Obama and Discusses U.S. Senate Seat To fill President-Elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Governor will use deliberate process to select suitable replacement
December 11th, 2008 at 4:14 pmLater in the day on November 5, 20008, Blagojevich held a news conference to talk about Barack Obama’s replacement in the US Senate:
Somebody on Obama team knew what Blago was doing
There was no glimpse of anger at the governor, no sense of betrayal in the tone of his words. He spoke as if Blagojevich had been in a car accident
Looks like History might not get made!!!!
December 11th, 2008 at 4:23 pmThe ICEMAN cometh, in his spongebob underpants!!!
December 11th, 2008 at 4:57 pmI guess ICEMAN also agrees that Rumsfeld, and bush, were in cahoots with Saddam:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/
OMG?!?!?!??!
December 11th, 2008 at 4:59 pmFor all we know Icebreath it was Obama who tipped off Fitzgerald to move fast before Blagojevich sold the seat. But I suppose it’s easier for you to just keep making sh*t up like the typical rightwing nut you are.
December 11th, 2008 at 6:13 pmWhy weren’t you here whining about Bush shipping the bin Laden family out of the country after 9/11 while nobody else was allowed to fly Icy?
December 11th, 2008 at 6:14 pm