So it turns out that my dear governor was everything everyone thought he would be. One local media person covering the current and hopefully soon to be former governor's long ago Congressional campaign, said that after talking to him, "you wanted to check your wallet and take a shower." Eugene Robinson feels the same way, more or less, that everyone does. Whether any of the charges are really justified will have to wait for trial, as it should. Nonetheless, Robinson, a member of the liberal media, has found a way to imagine Obama into the middle of this mess.
In handling questions about the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich — for allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat to the highest bidder — Obama has gone strictly by the book. His statements have been cautious and precise, careful not to get ahead of the facts or make declarations that might later have to be retracted.
For most politicians, that would be good enough. For Obama, who inspired the nation with a promise of "change we can believe in," it's not.
The scandal involves Obama in only the most tangential way, as far as anyone knows, and actually seems to cast him in a favorable light. But the longer he leaves obvious questions unanswered, the longer the president-elect will have to talk about the seamier side of Illinois politics rather than initiatives such as saving the U.S. auto industry or revamping health care.
By all accounts, Obama is a pretty careful guy. He's about to be inaugurated President of the United States, so he's justifiably careful about the legal implications of what he says. He's probably also knows that whatever he says will receive heavy amount of interpretation. Regardless, he has called upon his staff to reveal any contacts with Blagojevich, and he has asked the governor to resign from office. What more does Robinson want? What would constitute "change" in this circumstance? Robinson answers:
None of this is likely to hurt Obama in any material way or even dim the glow of his victory and upcoming inauguration. But maybe it can be a lesson. Real "change" would be throwing away the playbook and getting all the facts out now, rather than later.
That's pretty silly. And it's an impossibly stupid standard for "change." It's not unlike asking someone participating in a legal battle not to seek legal counsel–why, after all, would he need legal counsel if he's not guilty?
Well, I think Obama’s done everything by the book so far.
However, if somehow the person on #112 on the indictment turns out to be Emanuel Rahm, then Obama is in some serious trouble.
I lived in the 5th district when Blagojevich was its representative. I remember asking him a serious question one time at a meeting. His response was to talk about an entirely unrelated trip he just took Europe. After he was done, I asked for clarification of how that answered my question. His response was to say that he thought he had answered my question. At one point during that same meeting, he had to ask one of his advisors what the word “carcinogen” meant. A true dumbass! He definitely seemed like a crooked, sleazy politician, but his lack of intelligence was truly the standout feature.
Hey BN,
You repeatedly call for “balance” on this site. Why don’t you actaully try showing some yuorself and try not to turn everything into a right-wing spin job! Your and your ilk’s hypocrisy is almost as astonishing as Blagojevich’s stupidity.
Two things
1. This quote from the piece “The normal thing would be for Obama’s staff to talk to Blagojevich’s staff — and, unless prosecutors have asked him not to, I don’t understand why Obama hasn’t stated this simple fact.” Robinson suggest that the only legitimate reason not to say anything more is if prosecutors asked him not to, which is, I think, false.
2. BN-I read the indictment with special focus on #112-I read it as BlagoVeech making plans to speak or have an intermediary speak with President-Elect Advisor, not that any contact was made. How,even if Emanuel was the the advisor referred to, does that cause any problems for Obama?
Thanks Jack for reading the indictment and making the obvious point–Blagojevich is the governor of Illinois, that Obama would have contact with him in the context of the Senate appointment is absolutely not a mystery to any rational person.
Much of the Republican case against Obama was guilt by association (see the work of Freddoso the younger)–Obama came from Chicago, so, ergo therefore hence it follows that.