I have asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the Governor's staff about this vacancy so we can share them with you.

I'm guessing they will suggest this is obstruction of justice or conspiracy of some sort.

I move that emergency legislation be passed to temporarily move Inauguration Day to December 19, 2008.

Is there a second?

Contrary to the idiotic, interchangeable placeholders known as pundits who proclaimed that Obama wouldn't mention Blago unless asked, Obama did his level best to answer the damn questions in his opening remarks so he could get on to the business of appointing Daschle. It infuriates me that the reporters' questions were completely redundant and a waste of time. (There was one token health question at the end.) Why is our media so petty, obsessive, and drama-hungry that they had to waste Obama's and all our time that way? Why weren't there questions about healthcare, which is far more critical now and will be for years than this silly, temporary blip? Obama is a patient man, utterly in control of himself -- I can't imagine he wasn't more annoyed that I was.

I think that the key fight going forward is going to be the position of organized labor. Obama promised to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, but the right seems to see the auto bailout debate as a way to go in the opposite direction and break the UAW. I see in the Wall Street Journal today that they want to make a big deal of alleged SEIU involvement in the Blogo machinations. They will go with the "labor = corruption" angle.

I hate to "drink the KoolAid", but once again Obama appears to hit the nail on the head.

My question after yesterday was how did Blago know Obama wasn't playing along with his scheme, if Obama didn't talk to him about it? While that hasn't been answered, Obama basically describes how that will go about being answered, by detailing contacts between his staff and Blago. And it gives me the impression that Obama was telling the truth yesterday, although I'm still curious about the omission of information about whether his staff had been contacted. To be fair, Obama did say he was only going to give facts the other day, and the one fact that he knew for sure is that he himself had not talked to Blago about the Senate seat.

Oh, and I also hope that, going forward, the Obama administration bans any variant on "I can't comment on that because of the ongoing investigation". That's a Bushism, and it isn't really true.

In specific cases, not commenting because of an investigation is proper, but even in those cases it's not true that you can't say anything about a subject.

Nobody so closely involved with a scandal this important could possibly be so straightforward and calm unless they were hiding something really big.

His calmness and straightforwardness are proof that he's hiding something!

"Obama Denials Raise Question Of Coverup"

"Suspicions Mount Over Apparent Lack Of Evidence"

"No Obama Contacts: The Dog That Didn't Bark?"

This really is a chance for Beltway journalists to do their profession proud!

We seem to have elected the political equivalent of a Zen master. I was unabashedly in Edwards' corner a year ago, but even aside from his affair, there's no way Edwards could have handled the past five weeks as well as Obama has. I don't think Hillary could have done nearly as well either.

We're watching a uniquely talented man take over the reins of this country.

I move that emergency legislation be passed to temporarily move Inauguration Day to December 19, 2008.

Seconded!

Why do we have to wait till the 19th? Can't we elope with him today?

Actually, there is one big unanswered question.

Why did Obama's preferred choice withdraw and why was the gov so sure Obama's team wouldn't play ball?

Did his team find out about the bribery mess and simply walk away (not the best response) or did they tip off the prosecutor and that is being withheld because it could compromise the prosecution's case if revealed at this time?

For the record, I'm an Obama fan, but his team needs to demonstrate that they go beyond refusing to engage in corruption themselves and actively seek to stamp it out. Failure to report an obvious impropriety would be a black mark in my book, even if there was absolutely no wrondgoing on the part of Obama's staff.

It's surprising that the media, being fixated on controversies real or imagined, haven't asked Obama to refute the possibility that there was a bidding war between Biden, Clinton, Richardson, etc. for Vice-President.

"I don't doubt that Fox News and some media detractors will find something to complain about as a result of Obama's comments, I'm just not sure what it'll be."

I think you forgot to put the entire ReThuglican Party in there. And what they will complain about is Rezko, the link between Obama and Helmet Hair.

They'll make being from Illinois a crime also.

Did his team find out about the bribery mess and simply walk away (not the best response) or did they tip off the prosecutor and that is being withheld because it could compromise the prosecution's case if revealed at this time?

So if, as you say, revealing that Obama's staff tipped off the prosecutor that Blago was demanding bribes could compromise the case, why are you demanding that Obama tell you right now whether or not that happened?

"My question after yesterday was how did Blago know Obama wasn't playing along with his scheme, if Obama didn't talk to him about it?"

The news has been out there. Rahm dropped a dime. The Man himself never talked with Helmet Head, but Rahm took his call, brushed him off and called Fitzgerald.

It's all on the tapes and will come out at the trial, IF Helmet Head doesn't plead out. And he's such a doofus he probably won't. Rahm will come out smelling like a rose.

I'm with bleh also.

It's surprising that the media, being fixated on controversies real or imagined, haven't asked Obama to refute the possibility that there was a bidding war between Biden, Clinton, Richardson, etc. for Vice-President.

So if, as you say, revealing that Obama's staff tipped off the prosecutor that Blago was demanding bribes could compromise the case, why are you demanding that Obama tell you right now whether or not that happened?

I'm not. You inferred that.

I simply said it's an unanswered question.

I have no sense of urgency about the answer.

BUT, if the answer is they did nothing but walk away, I'll be disappointed.

So sue me.

"Failure to report an obvious impropriety would be a black mark in my book"

Okay, I know I'm going to be well and truly flamed for this, and might well deserve it, but...
Can't we find more felicitous phrasings for some of these allusions? Would it really have been that tough to say "big red 'X'," or "demerit," or something that didn't so clearly reinforce the "black" = "bad" trope that so much of the English language historically conveys?
Puts me in mind of that DC pol who got in great trouble for correctly using the word "niggardly." Yes, it was entirely justified to do so. Yes, people's responses were ludicrous. But wouldn't it just have been easier to say "cheap" or "miserly" in the first place, and avoid all the fuss?
I suppose I should be grateful that at least nobody's [yet; the day is young] referred to the Democrats' willingness (in perfect contrast to the last decade-plus of Republican behaviors in similar circumstances) to make clear their unanimous revulsion at Blago's corruption as "calling a spade a spade."

It's all on the tapes and will come out at the trial, IF Helmet Head doesn't plead out. And he's such a doofus he probably won't. Rahm will come out smelling like a rose.

I hope that's the case, because it not only puts the team in a great light, but it signals to everyone else that they better not even try any bullshit that might come back to bite the Obama team in the ass or Rahm will fuck them up.

The brass knuckles of reform.

Someone told Fitzpatrick about this bozo. We don't know who. Until we know who the informer is speculation about Obama and his camp is idle.

I honestly get the feeling that Rahm, no matter how many times he denies it, tipped off the prosecutors or was in some form or fashion a major player in exposing Blago. I say this because, no matter what the media says, Obama and Blago were not fond of each other, sure they may had respect for each other, but that's as far as it went. The indictment seems to validate that. Also, the fact that Rahm held the seat previously head by the governor, so would assume that those two had a more cordial relationship and Blago felt that he could talk to Rahm instead of Obama and felt that because of that relation he could get over Rahm and when he wasn't going to play the gov. corrupt game, it infuriated him and the gov. just went on the deep end.

If there was some contact with the Obama team, I'm glad it happened because it finally sped up the process to indict Blago and further expose him for crook that he is.

"Failure to report an obvious impropriety would be a black mark in my book"

Okay, I know I'm going to be well and truly flamed for this, and might well deserve it, but...
Can't we find more felicitous phrasings for some of these allusions?

Absolutely. How about "it would be a big, babyshit yellow smear on my shit list?"

Black is considered "evil" because of it's association with darkness and night. At least that's what I always believed. Not that there aren't also racial associations that are quite willingly employed by some people as a coded reference. There is even more misogyny than racism in our idioms, and it probably does make a difference, consciously or subconsciously to societal perceptions. Language is powerful.

However, I think clarity and expedience is more important than propriety in most cases, so I, for one, will not be policing my idioms.

"Why do we have to wait till the 19th? Can't we elope with him today?" - Karen

I think there's a law that says you can't elope without at least two Elvis impersonators in attendance and they're all booked up until February.

Bummer, though.

lobbygow,

Your scenario implicitly presupposes the Obama organization knew about Blago's plans. From Mr. B's own admission on tape, the Obama team only promised him their appreciation (thus leading to some salty language). Any contact could eaily have been: "We would appreciate it if you looked at [insert shirt list] for the replacement." {Blago stares incredulously into the phone awaiting a bribe that never materializes as the connection dies}. I'm not saying it went down like that, but it is very possible that Obama Inc. had no evidence of payoffs - it being ILL, they may have suspected like no tomorrow, but publically calling Blago corrupt with no proof would have been bizzare.

I have been thinking about this story. I wouldn't be surprised if Team Obama turned Blago. It is the explanation that best fits the facts.

The potential upside to Obama if he turned Blago in would be tremendous.

Imagine the guys on K-Street this afternoon. They must be in endless meetings reconsidering how they do business. There is a new sheriff in town and he doesn't tolerate business as usual.

All in all, I'm not sure how Obama could have handled this any better.

He could have resigned, and let John McCain be elected next week by the Electoral College. Otherwise we'll wake up next month with that horrible Rezko man in the Cabinet, or something.

Because the Republican Party is the party of probity, responsibility, and values. And it's the natural governing party in this country, which only lost this go-round because of a fluke.

In fact, given that the GOP is the party of probity, responsibility, and values, and our natural ruling party, I don't see the point in spending a billion dollars every four years on these elections.

It's like the Washington Generals getting a pick in the NBA college draft and spending millions on free agents. They're not supposed to win -- that's not what they're there for.

(Can I have the job at NRO now? Can I? Can I?)

I moved from the Chicago area to Santa Fe a year ago and I can tell you that everybody in Illinois with an above room-tempature IQ KNEW Blago was "dirty". And, everybody knew the Feds were on to him.

His wife's a real piece-of-work, too.

Moving the inauguration to December 19 would be wonderful if it were possible, but January 20 is in the Constitution (20th amendment) and with the best will in the world that would take a lot longer than 8 days to change.

AJB--It's surprising that the media, being fixated on controversies real or imagined, haven't asked Obama to refute the possibility that there was a bidding war between Biden, Clinton, Richardson, etc. for Vice-President.

Considering the person he picked has just about the lowest net worth of any Senator of either party, that would have to have been a very strange bidding war. What did they bid with, chemicals and chickens? Even the National Review wouldn't buy that...

Okay, I know I'm going to be well and truly flamed for this, and might well deserve it, but... Can't we find more felicitous phrasings for some of these allusions? Would it really have been that tough to say "big red 'X'," or "demerit," or something that didn't so clearly reinforce the "black" = "bad" trope that so much of the English language historically conveys?

If the concern is that the ignorant might associate it with race because of the "black" in "black mark", how is "red 'X'" any better?

Anyway, the black in black mark comes from a practice of noting earned penalties with a literal black mark next to a persons name, it has nothing to do with race.