Exclusive: Obama's Blago Report: Only One Rahm Call to Governor

ABC News ^ | December 21, 2008 | George Stephanopoulos

[Joiseydude]

Sources tell me that the Obama team's review of contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will show that Rahm Emanuel had only one phone conversation with Blagojevich.

The contact, described as a "pro-forma" courtesy call, came as Emanuel was named Chief of Staff for Obama. Most of the discussion concerned Emanuel's Congressional seat (which had previously been held by Blagojevich), with only a "passing reference" to the Senate vacancy, according to these sources. No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.

[EagleUSA]

I wonder what the tapes say? And, I wonder what deal that Blago will strike to minimize his sentence? Maybe he will sing like a birdie about his REAL interface with Obama and his mob....make lots of popcorn for this one.

[relictele]

Don’t worry folks. The hard-hitting objective journalist, er, George Stepstooltobrushmyteeth is on the job.

[ChicagahAl]

MSM sez “nothing to see here. move on.”

[Congressman Billybob]

Who did this "Report"? The obvious question is whether this was intended to be a whitewash, like the Watergate Report that John Dean was assigned to do for Richard Nixon? Is this report a fraud reporting on a fraud prepared for a fraud?

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "Come Back to 1600, Johnny Dean, Johnny Dean"

The Declaration, the Constitution, parts of the Federalist, and America's Owner's Manual, here.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Anyone have a bridge to sell?

[mainepatsfan]

No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed

Then how did Blago know that Obama would only give him appreciation if he chose his candidate?

[rod1]

That’s would be one more than Obama said happened originally and one enough to know crimes were being committed.

I guess a lie is not longer a lie is you get to define the boundaries.

[raybbr]

Blago’s going to walk on this. They pulled the plug before he actually made a deal. Talking about it won’t get him in jail.

[Oldexpat]

If this is the case..then why has Emmanuel hidden from the press and refused to answer questions? If he were that pure he would be out there talking.
Plus..they leak the thing to a friendly press agent to release before the real release.

[Palladin]

Oh,sure...I always believe the anonymous sources of George Stephanopolous.

[parisa]

No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.

LOLOLOLOL!

[Ann Archy]

That wraps it up....and Bernie Madoff said he did nothing wrong either.....And so di Blago say he did nothing wrong....that should end all this investigation.

[GQuagmire]

Riiiiggggghhhttttt.............

[Red_Devil 232]

May be this is a “trial baloon report” leaked to Stefigopolis just to see if it will pass. If it doesn’t then they know they have to get more creative and lie in another direction. Eventually they will come across the correct lie.

[Joiseydude]

Eventually they will come across the correct lie.

Or one that is believable to his lemmings.

[freekitty]

ROTFLOL. What bs.

[shaft29]

Didn’t he work with Emmanuel in Clinton’s administration?

[JCG]

I'll bet Rahm didn't inhale, either.

----

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[TLI]

I wonder what the tapes say?

A few days ago the fed's were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times. They can't be THAT far apart on the number.

[autumnraine]

“No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed
Then how did Blago know that Obama would only give him appreciation if he chose his candidate?”

This is Obama’s “I didn’t inhale” moment.

[autumnraine]

HA! Great minds think alike.

[Joiseydude]

A few days ago the fed's were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times.

I guess Stephanopoulos just forgot to add the 2, just a typo, no biggie. /sarc

[Jeff Chandler]

They pulled the plug before he actually made a deal.

Who had the most to gain by pulling the plug on the investigation early?

Fitzgerald had two choices: continue the investigation to the point where his job, reputation, and possibly his life was in jeopardy of being destroyed by the Democrat/Media machine, or pull the plug at just the point where he could secure his career into the future.

He did the smart thing and played ball with Obama.

[D-fendr]

Only one call to the governor. I can believe that. The tapes discuss in detail how it’s important to avoid direct contact.

Blago talked to his guys who talked to their guys. This is Chicago, ya think they don’t know how to do crime?

[saquin]

A few days ago the fed's were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times. They can't be THAT far apart on the number.

Except that report of "21 times" was anonymously sourced. It didn't say it came from the feds. It said it was from someone close to the investigation or with knowledge of the investigation or some such gobbledygook.

There are several possibilities but odds are that the "21" report was crap. It could have even been deliberate disinformation from someone close to the Obama team so that the eventual report showing 1 conversation with Blago and 4 with his chief of staff would be seen as an anti-climax and an "exoneration".

[Carley]

So those 22 calls never happened.

[Girlene]

A few days ago the fed's were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times. They can't be THAT far apart on the number.

Maybe he only had one "phone conversation", but 20 in-person meetings which were taped?

[freekitty]

I thought Obama said he didn't know the Gov.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Well, that settles it. Obama's own legal time has cleared the campaign. And, as we all know, defense attorneys never represent someone who's actually guilty:

[LaineyDee]

Don’t worry folks. The hard-hitting objective journalist, er, George Stepstooltobrushmyteeth is on the job.

You mean George....the one who reminded Obama he was a Christian and not a Muslim?

[F15Eagle]

ROTFLOL

[HondaCRF450]

No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.

O, thank God!

[eaglewingz08]

Once call TO Blago, how many calls FROM Blago? We have to refresh our Clinton Dictionary/Thesaurus for the next four years as the words from these Obamanations are never truthful and candid and often mean the reverse of what they pretend to say. How many calls to Blago’s Chief of Staff, and then mirable dictu, Blago is there on a conference call, or takes the call himself? Well all the report said was Rahmbo made a call to Blago (his telephone number), that doesn’t mean that Rahmbo didn’t call a number of some other person who then got Blago on conference call, speakerphone, etc. Also doesn’t deal with those peasky TWENTY ONE calls Rahmbo made to Chief of Staff. Yeah, they were pro forma too. I’ve lost all respect for George Stefanie of ABC, he is a tool like Chrissy Madhews and Mr. Olberbite.

[Phoenix11]

The headline is misleading... further down the article...

The sources add that the report will show Emanuel also had four phone calls with Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris. During those conversations, the Senate seat was discussed.

There's no telling how many other conversations Emanuel had with other Blago/SEIU reps or anyone else for that matter. It could be one with Blago, four with Harris, six with someone else, five with another person... the list could go on and on.

[Sarah Barracuda]

It’s good to see the media so hard at work at finding out the facts, it’s like Barney Fife at the helm

[sarasota]

I still believe that Rahm and company are complicit in setting up Blago. They don’t like the competition.

[pabianice]

[Venturer]

They have the same people counting Rahm’s phone calls that they have counting Franken’s votes.

They will get the count they want, or keep counting.

[AdvisorB]

Is this the look of a man that had only made a "pro-forma courtesy call" to the Ill Governor?

[LaineyDee]

I’ve lost all respect for George Stefanie of ABC, he is a tool like Chrissy Madhews and Mr. Olberbite.

You mean you actually respected him at one time?! :)

You're right about the Clintonese and having to look below the surface of what is actually NOT being said. I've never seen so many tap-dancers in one place ...as I have in the Democrat Parody.

[Joiseydude]

Is this the look of a man that had only made a "pro-forma courtesy call" to the Ill Governor?

Maybe only traceable call. So easy to buy a "throw-a-way" phone that is untraceable.

[Steve_Seattle]

"A few days ago the fed's were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times."

Did the Feds themselves say that, or was that just a rumor? If the Feds have Rahm on tape 21 times or 5 times or 11 times and Obama says it was only one time, Fitz could call on Obama to make a statement under oath, and that would be bad news for Obama. I don't think Obama is that stupid, to publicly go against what the Feds know.

As for the media, their approach is the opposite of what it would be if this involved Bush. They're circling the wagons around Obama, whereas they'd be attacking Bush, questioning everything, publishing anonymous leaks, and we'd be seeing editorials asking, "What did Bush know and when did he know it?" And they'd have already dubbed this "Blagogate" or some such thing.

[F15Eagle]

Once call TO Blago, how many calls FROM Blago? We have to refresh our Clinton Dictionary/Thesaurus for the next four years as the words from these Obamanations are never truthful and candid and often mean the reverse of what they pretend to say. How many calls to Blago’s Chief of Staff, and then mirable dictu,

I was thinking the same thing. Obama is the man who said he never heard any bad things by Jeremiah Wright. Then he was "shaken" by Jeremiah Wright. Then he was "sobered" by Blago.

[Steve_Seattle]

Didn’t Harris already resign over this? That would make Rahm’s contact with him even more suspect.

[Congressman Billybob]

Yep, this may be a trial balloon. How much can I get away with? How dumb and or gullible are the people and the press?

John / Billybob

[TribalPrincess2U]

I'll bet Rahm didn't inhale, either.

Or snort. Ø looks and acts like a snorter.

[Phoenix11]

Yeah, he resigned shortly after his arrest.

[Congressman Billybob]

Your point about criminal defense counsel representing "innocent" people was the heart of my latest column. I spent years going to Jaycee and Seven Steps meetings at Maryland State Penitentiary, and EVERYONE I met was innocent. Who'd a-thunk it.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "Come Back to 1600, Johnny Dean, Johnny Dean"

The Declaration, the Constitution, parts of the Federalist, and America's Owner's Manual, here.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

“I wonder what the tapes say?

A few days ago the fed’s were saying they had Rahm on tape 21 times. They can’t be THAT far apart on the number.”

Ah, yes, but you see, that “21” number was in base 3, so there are only 7 conversations when you translate that into base 10, undoubtedly four are unintelligible, leaving two mulligans and one sirloin.