ace...I am just trying to understand how any of that fits into this discussion and why you raised it.
First, it was your suggestion that Obama and staff should disclose what they know (despite the request from Fitzgerald that they wait). Then some remark about subjecting themselves to perjury if they told the truth about not having a role in the governor's actions.
And then you felt a need to raise Obama's "connections" to the Democratic machine in Chicago, ignoring his "connections" to numerous other constituencies in Chicago. What was your point?
Here's an interesting tidbit. When Obama was in the IL state senate he co-sponsored an ethics bill that did not have the support of Emile Jones or the Chicago political machine (or Republicans in the Senate). It died for lack of support.
But it was revived last year and Obama, long removed from the IL senate, called Jones, using his "relationship" to convince Jones to support the bill this time around and it passed.
It was this ethics bill that indirectly contributed to where Blago is today.
Quote:
THE ETHICS BILL THAT STARTED IT ALL.... Federal investigators have been focused on Rod Blagojevich for several years, but it was a deeply ironic series of events three months ago that led to yesterday's dramatic fall.
In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama's rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.
Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the law's restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say.
Tipped off to Mr. Blagojevich's efforts, federal agents obtained wiretaps for his phones and eventually overheard what they say was scheming by the governor to profit from his appointment of a successor to the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Obama. One official whose name has long been mentioned in Chicago political circles as a potential successor is Mr. Jones, a machine politician who was viewed as a roadblock to ethics reform but is friendly with Mr. Obama.
So, in an indirect way, Blagojevich's fiasco may not have come to pass were it not for Obama's commitment to ethics reform. Once Obama intervened and the bill became law, Blagojevich had to scramble to collect as many campaign contributions as possible before the law took effect. The governor's efforts garnered the attention of federal investigators, who in turn tapped Blagojevich's phone, which in turn produced stunning evidence of brazen corruption.
The Washington Monthly
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-----Added 16/12/2008 at 12 : 20 : 08-----
Quote:
Originally Posted by aceventura3
Obama used components of the Chicago political machine to rise to power and in some cases he turned his back on those who helped him. Again, I am not passing judgment, perhaps the people he abandoned deserved it, my only point is that Obama is a politician and he is good at it. That is a compliment, he is probably the only person who could have done what he did in such a short period of time. The man has "mad skills", as they say, when it comes to politics.
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LOL.,...I read the same thing...."using the political machine, turning his back on others....BUT I'M NOT PASSING JUDGEMENT" from Rush Limbaugh last week!
You are our very own Rush!
Guess what? The TFP community is smarter and more informed than your average Rush ditto head.