Make my Day......GOV Blagojevich arrested.

[Boris Godunov]

Good edit of "...when they've already issued a blanket denial."

Obama's camp has addressed the matter with the media as far as Fitzgerald's office wants them to. What is Emanuel going to add to it, when they've been asked not to talk about details yet? What controversy is there, considering Fitz has already said Emanuel isn't a target of investigation? What could he have to say to illuminate the situation?

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
"...when they've already issued a blanket denial."

Note that the above quote is also applicable to just about any politician under any circumstances, anywhere, ever.

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Obama's camp has addressed the matter with the media as far as Fitzgerald's office wants them to. What is Emanuel going to add to it, when they've been asked not to talk about details yet? What controversy is there, considering Fitz has already said Emanuel isn't a target of investigation? What could he have to say to illuminate the situation?

Nothing substantive most likely. It's just the usual political theater for perception's sake that the media is clamoring for, and there's absolutely nothing whatsoever to lose and at least a pittance to gain in satiating them like the salivating dogs that they are.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Exactly. Just appearing at a press conference helps, even if you don't say anything. The press cares about access, not actual answers.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Naked Gents Rut
Exactly. Just appearing at a press conference helps, even if you don't say anything. The press cares about access, not actual answers.

It'd be especially smart to give a little access when the Chicago Sun-Times invites more speculation with stuff like this...

Emanuel talked directly to gov: source
DEEPER ROLE? | Pushed Jarrett for Senate seat

December 18, 2008

BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

A source with the Obama camp strongly denied Emanuel spoke with the governor directly about the seat, saying Emanuel only spoke with Blagojevich once recently to say he was taking the chief of staff post.

But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.

At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.

After Jarrett took herself out of the running in mid-November, Emanuel submitted a list of suitable names to the governor's camp that didn't include her name.

Emanuel, who has refused to comment on the issue, is not accused of wrongdoing.

In portions of conversations released in a criminal complaint against Blagojevich, he can be heard complaining that Obama wouldn't give anything in return for a Jarrett appointment.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/b...18good.article

And before someone belts out the predictable kneejerk defense, note that neither NGR nor I said there's anything wrong with having had "direct discussions" (even if other sources in the Obama camp have previously claimed he only spoke to Blago's staff and/or that only his staff talked to Blago - even so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume they were mistaken and/or wouldn't have been in a position to know who spoke to who when). In fact I'd have expected it, nothing wrong with it. I merely think it's incredibly boneheaded and self-defeating to keep hiding from the press while stuff like this comes out, when it would be so easy to turn this into a non-story overnight.

Anyone who seriously believes that setting the record straight now would actually "interfere with the ongoing investigation" in any material way (even though Fitz already let the cat out of the bag a goddamned week ago and any potential accomplices have already scurried away to safety) has his head up his ass, akin to anyone who takes it at face value that cabinet members actually do retire to "spend more time with their families" just because they say so. I mean come on.

[Naked Gents Rut]

In fact I'd have expected it, nothing wrong with it. I merely think it's incredibly boneheaded and self-defeating to keep hiding from the press while stuff like this comes out, when it would be so easy to turn this into a non-story overnight.

Agreed.

[DanS]

Blagojevich Says He'll Fight Until 'Last Breath'
Governor Says He Is Not Guilty And He Will Not Leave Office

The political theater is going to be delicious on this one!

[snoopy369]

Reserve your seats now!

[Zkribbler]

Blagojevich Says He'll Fight Until 'Last Breath'
Governor Says He Is Not Guilty And He Will Not Leave Office

...Hmm, sounds like he wants to bargain his resigination for no prison time.

[snoopy369]

I'm fairly sure there's no need to bargain here. I'm also wondering if this accomplishes something else - giving more strength to the "elect Obama's replacement" crowd (ie, the Republicans, who think they can win the election).

[Zkribbler]

I disagree. I understand he's been nailed doing a bunch of things wrong, not just trying to sell Obama's seat. The prosecutions going to want jail time. He's going to trying to up the ante so he can bargain that punishiment away.

[Boris Godunov]

Someone please stop this press feeding frenzy over Emanuel and Blago. If only Rahm had spoken to the press, it wouldn't still be at the top of all the news headlines right now...

[Zkribbler]

The authorities asked the Obama camp not to talked to the press until the official investigation was done [sometime today]. So, to keep from interfering with the investigation, the Obama camp has honored this request.

Unfortunately, our infantile press corp. is incapible of understanding this.

This is not about justice, it's about headlines and ratings and important stuff like that.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Just a small sample of the pieces that came out over the past three days...

Senate-for-sale case threatens new chief of staff

Barack Obama aide demanded Senate seat for President-elect's friend

Obama set to release Blagojevich report this week

Report on Blagojevich Ties to Be Out Soon

Pay to play: the murky political world of Blagojevich's Illinois

Poll finds split over Obama aides' contacts with Illinois governor

Fix Pick: Blagojevich's Tentacles

Yes, the media appears to have no interest in this story anymore.

[Boris Godunov]

None of those have been the top news stories, either. I know you're disappointed, but you need to face facts that most people aren't paying attention to Emanuel and don't really care whether or not he's held a press conference in which he would say the exact same thing that has been said by the administration.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Naked Gents Rut
Just a small sample of the pieces that came out over the past three days...

Naked Gents Rut hits horse**** motherlode.