Gibbs denies offering job to Colo. candidate

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | June 3, 2010 | By PHILIP ELLIOTT

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON – The White House on Thursday denied accusations of back-room dealmaking after a Colorado Democrat said he had been encouraged by one of President Barack Obama's top advisers to apply for an international development job instead of challenging the candidate whom the president favored in a Senate race.

"There was no offer of a job," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement issued Thursday morning.

Romanoff on Wednesday night released a copy of an e-mail in which White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina described three federal international development jobs that might be available to him if he were not challenging Sen. Michael Bennet for the Democratic nomination.

"He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions," Romanoff said in a statement. "At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one."

On Thursday, Gibbs said Romanoff had applied for a position at the U.S. Agency for International Development during the transition period before Obama took office.

Gibbs said Messina "called and e-mailed Romanoff last September to see if he was still interested in a position at USAID, or if, as had been reported, he was running for the U.S. Senate. Months earlier, the President had endorsed Senator Michael Bennet for the Colorado seat, and Messina wanted to determine if it was possible to avoid a costly battle between two supporters.

"But Romanoff said that he was committed to the Senate race and no longer interested in working for the administration, and that ended the discussion," Gibbs said.

[ClearCase_guy]

You are supposed to offer jobs to good candidates. If Romanoff were to win a senate race, then he would do that job, of course — but if he were to lose the senate race, would these three international development jobs still be waiting for him? No? The offer would have expired? Then it’s obviously a quid pro quo and it’s obviously illegal.

[Walrus]

What kind of twisted human being could stand in front of the press, day after day, repeating what he KNOWS are lies and half-truths?

Have you no soul, Robert Gibbs?

[KEmom]

I wish more reporters would dig a little deeper to find that this is typical Chicago politics and start asking some questions on past races where the opponent withdrew.

Can anyone see a pattern here??

[craig_eddy]

But wait, there’s more:

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer – 29 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The White House acknowledged Thursday that one of President Barack Obama’s top advisers had approached a Colorado Democrat about possible administration jobs in hopes of discouraging him from running against a candidate the president had endorsed in a Senate race.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100603/ap_on_el_se/us_colorado_senate

[Oshkalaboomboom]

What kind of twisted human being could stand in front of the press, day after day, repeating what he KNOWS are lies and half-truths?

I realize it's verging on a mortal sin to say his name in vain but but the great voice of Conservatism Tony Snow defended shamnesty day in and day out. He didn't leave the job because of some conflict of conscience he left because he got sick. It's what mouthpieces do. For all we know he could be a pretty decent guy when he isn't playing propoganda minister. Tony was so anything's possible.

[dusttoyou]

Tony Snow’s defending their inept try at amnesty is one thing, where blank-faced lying because gibbs assumes he is talking to a load of dupes is a totally different deal.

[Genoa]

It depends on what the definition of "offer" is.

[Ro_Thunder]

KEmom wrote:

Can anyone see a pattern here??

If the ‘press’ didn’t see a pattern in the friends of Obama, what he says, what he does, they why would they see a pattern here?