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Obama works to distance himself from Blagojevich
AP via SFGate ^ | 12/9/8

Posted on 12/09/2008 3:05:41 PM PST by SmithL

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor — concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less — are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear.

As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post.

The president-elect was blunt and brief in addressing the case on Tuesday: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening" concerning any possible dealing about Blagojevich's appointment of a successor.

It's Obama's first big headache since his election last month, and Republicans were anything but eager to let it go away.

Said Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the new GOP House whip: "The serious nature of the crimes listed by federal prosecutors raises questions about the interaction with Gov. Blagojevich, President-elect Obama and other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: bho2008; blagojevich; bleepgate; cultureofcorruption; obama; obamatransitionfile; obamatruthfile; rats
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1 posted on 12/09/2008 3:05:41 PM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL
...other high ranking officials who will be working for the future president.

I guess that would be Rahm.

2 posted on 12/09/2008 3:08:08 PM PST by thesetruths
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To: SmithL

“This is not the governor I ... um ... didn’t really even know to begin with.”


3 posted on 12/09/2008 3:08:11 PM PST by pogo101
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To: SmithL

Before he leaves office, Bush should pardon Obama for any potential crimes regarding the Blagojevich matter.


4 posted on 12/09/2008 3:08:49 PM PST by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911)
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: SmithL

Obama: “I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening”.

But Obama forgot about the tape of Alxelrod on TV saying he knew Obama was talking with the Governor about possible choices for his open Senate seat. Sean played the tape today, so Obama might have to say it really wasn’t the Governor he knew and talked with. :)


6 posted on 12/09/2008 3:10:17 PM PST by seekthetruth
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To: SmithL

Dear Leader #1 has started his purges early...


7 posted on 12/09/2008 3:10:48 PM PST by Dallas59 (Not My President)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: seekthetruth
Is there a youtube of that yet?

This is really exciting for many of us Illinois residents. Chicago ruins the rest of the state.
9 posted on 12/09/2008 3:13:12 PM PST by randomhero97 ("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
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To: SmithL

“Unwelcome distraction”

Yeah, thats putting it mildly.


10 posted on 12/09/2008 3:13:34 PM PST by SkiKnee
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To: SmithL

Obama may yet fail to qualify as President before January 20, 2009.


11 posted on 12/09/2008 3:13:48 PM PST by exit82 (It's all Obama's fault. And Biden is still a moron. They are both above their paygrade.)
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To: Morgana
Obama is screwed.

No, we are.

Let the MSM catch their breath, they'll cover for him as soon as the Obama war rooms give them their talking points. (Remember how it took them a day or two to figure out how to attack Gov. Palin?)

12 posted on 12/09/2008 3:14:15 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body. -C.S. Lewis)
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To: randomhero97

IIRC Springfield is the Capitol


13 posted on 12/09/2008 3:14:38 PM PST by nufsed
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To: SmithL
Is there a bus big enough for all of the people Obama is going to throw under regarding this matter?
14 posted on 12/09/2008 3:15:23 PM PST by hummingbird (If Obama wins, I'm already sick of his first four years.)
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To: SmithL
Well, I've actually got to hand it to him. Past Democratic Presidents were lazy enough to wait until in office before embroiling themselves and their administrations in scandal.
No such slackers on the Obama team.
15 posted on 12/09/2008 3:15:36 PM PST by IrishCatholic (No local communist or socialist party chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing.)
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To: SmithL
Going to be tough, they go way back.

"According to Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., Mr. Obama's incoming White House chief of staff, Emanuel, then-state senator Obama, a third Blagojevich aide, and Blagojevich's campaign co-chair, David Wilhelm, were the top strategists of Blagojevich's 2002 gubernatorial victory. Emanuel told the New Yorker earlier this year that he and Obama "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."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2145764/posts

16 posted on 12/09/2008 3:15:50 PM PST by eureka! (Must not let the election continue to depress me so much.)
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To: SmithL
Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything...

The lead sentence for any story about a Republican would NEVER read like this.

17 posted on 12/09/2008 3:15:51 PM PST by Cementjungle
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To: randomhero97

Just saw the tape on another thread. Sean broke it today, on his radio program. :)


18 posted on 12/09/2008 3:16:26 PM PST by seekthetruth
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To: SmithL

“Well ....I’m not a crook” R. Nixon


19 posted on 12/09/2008 3:17:01 PM PST by Huskrrrr
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To: Morgana
Obama is screwed.

Send Lawyers, Guns and Money...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPlMmwOq7U8

20 posted on 12/09/2008 3:17:29 PM PST by ScreamingFist (Annihilation - The result of underestimating your enemies. NRA)
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