Friday, December 12th, 2008
Bettie Paige, R.I.P.
Fed continues to refuse to disclose to whom it’s lending bailout money, and under what conditions.
Ugh. Legal guru Roger Abrams wants a federal “Secretary of Sports.” Because that’s what sports needs–more meddling from politicians.
I didn’t realize that the Nation ran a front-page story in which Sean Penn slobbers all over Raul Castro. How embarrassing for them.
Rahm Emanuel refusing to answer questions about his possible role in Blojo-gate. Ladies and gentlemen, your new White House chief of staff!
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TheAgitator.com
An excellent (totally SFW) tribute to Betty Paige: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oek9ZJU0lU
I can already see the -35 that I’ll end up with for posting this, but why do members of the Obama administration owe answers for a criminal complaint that none of them are named in? Blagojevich might have had designs on asking for all kinds of outrageous things; that doesn’t mean he did. He’s an idiot, but assuming that because they’re from the same state, Emmanuel (and by extension, Obama) had anything to do with this is absurd.
You know Bettie was a true beauty, when after 58 years her photos are still amazing to look at.
I just showed a few pictures to a 23 year co-worker who had never heard of her, and his jaw is still hurting from the drop.
She will be missed!!!!
In other news, the Senate killed the Auto rescue bill.
So the white house says it may just go ahead and give them the money anyway, out of the $700 bil.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/13auto.html?_r=1&hp
Paving the way for them to come back for the auto rescue money later, though now it won’t be for the auto industry.
And Mr. Change we can Believe In has already assembled an administration that promises to be as corrupt as the one it is replacing.
But maybe we will at least get a sports czar! Nothing like the land of the free running around creating as many czars as we can.
Only a matter of time until we get the czar czar!
“But even if our new President were to select someone else to lead DOS, it would be a worthy effort to provide a federal presence on these matters that affect so much of our lives.”
I really don’t know how he typed this with a straightface. Tax rates affect my life……..this years world series winner, not so much.
Spell Check on Aisle 1: It’s BettIE Page, not Betty Page. Plzfixkthxbai.
I can already see the -35 that I’ll end up with for posting this, but why do members of the Obama administration owe answers for a criminal complaint that none of them are named in?
That’s a fair question, but if you read the article I think it’s pretty clear. Emanuel may not be a defendant in this particular suit, but there are some pretty damning assertions in the Complaint that–if referring to Emanuel–definitely call for an explanation. Keep in mind that Fitzgerald’s decision to only name Blago and Harris as defendants doesn’t mean the others are innocent. Other arrests could easily follow this one as the Feds gather more evidence.
The Secretary of Sports report mentions the “Corporate-Sponsored Bowl.”
Before we dive into this sort of nonsense, it would be wise to spend some time contemplating the results of Corporate-Sponsored Politics.
I always thought that the standard was “the appearance of impropriaty”. If Emmanuel was a Republican, take a wild guess which loudmouth former Senator would be calling for his resignation?
What damning assertions are there in the complaint that could even remotely be about the Obama team? The DOJ complaint specifically says that Blago-man was pissed because the Obama team wouldn’t play ball.
The worst you could possibly get out of this is that Blago pitched an illegal quid pro quo at Rahm the Space Knight and, while he turned it down, he didn’t report it to the proper authorities.
That seems like pretty weak tea to me.
What Chuchundra said.
Funny, I was under the impression that when the President-Elect and his team are cleared by the most dedicated, non-partisan and honest prosecutor in the federal system — and may have even tipped the DOJ of the corrupt acts — that such facts might count for something.
C’mon, Radley. Leave that sort of TAINT! TAINT! ANSWER EVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN CLEARED!!! SCANDAL!!! nonsense to the mouthbreathers on Fox. Just because you write rational articles for an irrational organization is no reason to cut them slack on this.
Even more in Emanuel’s defense, local Chicago press has reported that the reason Emanuel is not answering questions is that he’s the one who reported Blagojevich in the first place.
#10 | Chuchundra | The DOJ complaint specifically says that Blago-man was pissed because the Obama team wouldn’t play ball.
If the Obama team never talked to Blago then how did he know they wouldn’t play ball? Obama and Blago worked hand-in-hand for many years. Only now that O has moved on up will he not play along. That’s what pissed off Blago, his old partner in crime kicked him to the curb. I hope O really has turned over a new leaf, otherwise this will be an ugly introduction to his administration.
If you haven’t seen “The Notorious Bettie Page” it’s a pretty good flick.
I understand Rahm Emanuel was at a concert for his kids when he was pressed for questions. He declined to answer saying that he was their for his kids. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Lets wait and see if he opens up, but I doubt it. “I can’t comment on an ongoing investigation….”
I know that this isn’t really a defense per se, but if a reporter threw a question at me as I was going into my kid’s concert, I probably wouldn’t answer right that second either.
Secretary of sports? That’s so 1980′s, what we need is a Sports Czar.
Seeker and Chuchundra-
“ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he wanted ‘[President-elect Advisor] to get the word today,’ and that when ‘he asks me for the Fifth CD thing I want it to be in his head.’” (Complaint at para. 112).
The question here is what “Fifth CD thing” was Emanuel asking about? It could be as innocent as Emanuel simply going to bat for a political ally that he and/or Obama felt was qualified to replace him as congressman of the 5th Congressional District. It could also indicate some sort of quid-pro-quo arrangement. I don’t think it rises to the level of “Fox News mouthbreathing” to pursue the issue.
Maybe outside of Chicago it’s easy to view Obama as above the fray, and these sorts of allegations as “weak tea.” But as somebody who’s seen firsthand how city politics works here (and how Obama won the support of the Chicago Machine), I have every right to be suspicious–particularly when it comes to a party hack like Emanuel–and I’ll ask questions until I get a satisfactory answer. I commend Radley for doing the same.
Make sure you close the windows, you don’t want to let the stank out!
My first act as Secretary of Sports would be to apply the designated hitter rule to the National League.
Pitchers have no business hitting.
Yeah, so he’ll be totally open to dispel any rumors, right? Oh, wait….
“I can already see the -35 that I’ll end up with for posting this, but why do members of the Obama administration owe answers for a criminal complaint that none of them are named in?”
Because this is the administration that is bringing “CHANGE”! You know, open and honest government? This is the administration that Balko backed and you all fell for.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Pitchers have no business hitting.
How about this one?
C. Zambrano (CHC): 83 AB, 9 R, 28 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 24 RBI, .337 BA, .554 SLG, .891 OPS, 124 OPS+.
Sabathia also helps himself out at the plate from time to time. And he’s AL!
RIP Bettie. They just don’t make gorgeous like they used to.
Thomas Paine’s Goiter,
Sorry, are you defining change as “responding to allegations against a governor whose corruption you weren’t involved in.” Because that’s what it seems like you’re defining change as. And exactly how much does Obama have to respond; I believe he’s already had a press conference and insisted that the governor resign. What more would you like?
Yeah, I see it as thus-
If Blag was talking to Rahm, and knew the Obama administration wouldn’t play ball, that means the Obama administration knew Blag was trying to sell the seat.
Which begs the question, why didn’t Obama or his team report Blag, or denounce him publicly?
Here’s the new administration, same as the old one.
Leonson,
Yes, if. But what if Rahm wasn’t talking to Blago?
Well, Sam, follow me here, if he wasn’t talking to Blago, he would gladly tell us that.
“Pitchers have no business hitting.”
“How about this one? C. Zambrano (CHC): 83 AB, 9 R, 28 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 24 RBI, .337 BA, .554 SLG, .891 OPS, 124 OPS+.”
There’s always one or two statistical anomalies. All they do is confirm the rule. Pitchers suck at hitting as a rule. They provide one guaranteed out per nine batters faced by a Nat’l League pitcher.
Where’s the glory in that?
My second act as Secretary of Sports would be to jail anyone who disagreed with me.
:p
Michael,
Follow me here. People with knowledge of the probe say that Emmanuel isn’t the target: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_on_go_pr_wh/emanuel – Meaning he owed the reporter no response, especially at his child’s recital.
Just because he’s not under criminal investigation doesn’t mean he doesn’t owe an explanation for unethical behavior.
Or are you holding the new administration to a lower standard than the old one?
I’m going with this explanation: he was in direct communication with Blagojevich but had little reason or desire to throw the man a bone, and he is now trying to stay as far away from this story as possible because there are other appointees who got their position as a bribe *hack*Clinton*hack*. Business as usual, but getting embroiled in a scandal before Team Obama is even in office is not a good way to start off.
There’s a little Betty Page in all of us.
http://rightklik.blogspot.com
Leonson,
What did Emmanuel do that was unethical?
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ClubMedSux:
I spent years watching the mainstream media whore itself to a series of non-scandals, watched it whore itself by saying “questions remain!” when questions had been answered, and go on repeating the questions even when could have had the information if they had bestirred themselves to look. I watched them spit forth GOP talking points and Starr leaks as if they were gospel truth, I watched the FBI and Special Prosecutor’s office become GOP subsidiaries*. I watched the corporate press and the GOP, each other’s best friends and enemies of both free expression and the free market, do their best to neuter a democratically-elected president….. And after all that I’m supposed to believe that watching the whole thing crank up again the second there is a Dem president is nothing but good reporting? Please. Pull the other one. It’s got bells on it.
* – Does anyone here believe that if Louis Freeh hadn’t been so keen on keeping the GOP on the Hill happy in order to bloat his budget, if his goddamned altar boy attitudes hadn’t been so offended by Clinton having a sex life outside his marriage that he developed a frothing hate for the PResident, that he might have troubled himself to actually do things like sort out the FBI’s hideous computer, administrative and investigative tangles and scandals? One of the reasons those Saudi murderers got away without being apprehended before 9-11 was the fact that repeated warnings from field agents disappeared into the maw of FBI HQ, a dysfunctional mess where the Director cared more about the President’s dick than he did about counter-terrorism or counter-intelligence.
“#23 Sabathia also helps himself out at the plate from time to time. ”
Hey, let’s lay off the fat jokes. :)
Remember that the auto bill will continue to be killed until it gets bloated with pork. Much like Gov. Blago, that bill is too f****** valuable to give away.
However; it WILL get passed.