• Barack Obama,  Rahm Emanuel,  Rod Blagojevich

    Video: The Obligatory “I Will Fight Until I Take My Last Breath” by Hot Rod Blagojevich

    Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago today

    Hot Rod professes his innocence in the video above, “I have done nothing wrong…” and “And I’m not going to quit a job the people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob.”

    It will be a LONG couple of months for the people of Illinois and the Obama Administration because it is ALL going to come out – the Chicagoland way.

    Merry Christmas to Rahm Emanuel from Hot Rod.


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  • Barack Obama,  Rahm Emanuel,  Rod Blagojevich

    Shocker: Rham Emanuel Had Direct Talks With Hot Rod Blagojevich Pushing Valerie Jarret for Obama’s Senate Seat

    Rham Emanuel and Rod Blagojevich

    Rahm Emanuel (Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff and former Illinois Congressman) (right) and Gov. Rod Blagojevich at a news conference in 2004

    No, not really.

    President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

    Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

    The Tapes! The Tapes! The Tapes Boss!

    American voters will learn more when Patrick Fitzgerald receives a Blagojevich indictment and the wiretap tapes flow to Blago’s attorney and thus the world.

    Rham Emanuel is starting to glow (i.e. becoming radioactive).

    Stay tuned…….

    Previous:

    Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel Pushed Hot Rod Blagojevich to Appoint Valerie Jarret to Obama’s Senate Seat

    Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat? Part Two

    Barack Obama on BlagoGate:”Absolutely Certain” No Deal Making From Transition Team – But, Who Tipped Off Valerie Jarrett?

    The Blagojevich Private Conference Call, Valerie Jarrett and The Obama Transition Team

    Was the SEIU an Obama – Blagojevich Intermediary for the Senate Seat?


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  • Caroline Kennedy,  Hillary Clinton

    The Making of a Senator – Caroline Kennedy Forgot to Vote; Only 37% Say She Is Fit for Senate

    Caroline Kennedy and Al Sharpton

    The Rev. Al Sharpton, center, stands beside Caroline Kennedy as they field questions during a news conference outside the famed soul food restaurant Sylvia’s in Harlem, New York, Thursday Dec. 18, 2008. The late President John F. Kennedy’s daughter acknowledged Wednesday that she is seeking to be appointed to the Senate seat held by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been nominated by President-elect Barack Obama to be secretary of state

    OOPS Caroline Kennedy POLL FAULTED screams the New York press.

    Caroline Kennedy, who’s making her case to succeed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, didn’t vote in several elections – including the 2005 mayoral primary and the 2002 general election, The Post has learned.

    City Board of Elections records show the former first daughter also didn’t cast a ballot in the 1997 mayoral primary race and several other primaries since she registered at her current address as a Democrat in 1988, a Post review showed.

    Such civic committment. Isn’t this what Caroline is touting as her qualifications for office?

    Please.

    Exit question: Who is doing this OPPO research on Caroline? Rudy?

    Update:

    Rasmussen has only 37 per cent of U.S. voters think Caroline is qualified to be in the U.S. Sente.


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  • Automaker Bailout,  George W. Bush

    George W. Bush PUNTS $17.4 Billion to Automakers

    Punting the ball

    In a sign that the Iraqi journalist REALLY did hit President George W. Bush in the head the other day, the Bush Administration announced this morning a loan package for United States automakers.

    The Bush administration came to the rescue of the troubled U.S. auto industry Friday, offering $17.4 billion in loans in exchange for concessions from carmakers and their workers.

    “Allowing the auto companies to collapse is not a responsible course of action,” President Bush said. He said that a bankruptcy was unlikely to work for the auto industry at this time and would deal “an unacceptably painful blow to hardworking Americans” across the economy.

    The firms must use these funds to become financially viable, or lose the taxpayer money. The official said if the firms have not attained viability by March 31, 2009, the loan will be called and all funds returned to the Treasury.

    President George W. Bush spoke early Friday about his administration’s plan to avoid collapse of the U.S. auto industry.

    Bush made a statement at 9 a.m. EST at the White House.

    This bridge loan package for the automakers is the classic PUNT to the incoming Obama Administration. Bush was simply afraid of the forced bankruptcy of a major American industry on his watch.

    Political courage from a Republican President that said: “I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system….”

    Flap will be glad to see Bush return to Texas.

    What a disaster.

    And, now, it is announced that Secretary Paulson will be going back to Congress to ask to replace the TARP money that has been transferred to the automakers.


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  • Barack Obama,  Day By Day,  Gay Marriage,  Gay Politics

    Day By Day by Chris Muir December 19, 2008 – Queer Eye for the 80’s Straight Guy

    Day By Day 121908

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Does anyone think Barack Obama is abandonding the Gay Community by inviting anti-gay marriage Pastor Rick Warren to offer a prayer at Obama’s inauguration?

    Symbolism over substance.

    Yes, the Homosexual Lobby will bellow and bloviate about the injustice but they will eventually have proposed/enacted all of their agenda.

    Don’t see any protests in the streets or talk about boycotts of the Obama inauguration, do you?

    Previous:

    The Day By Day Archive


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2008-12-19

    • Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, the state's high court on Thursday said a would-be Good Samaritan accused of rendering her friend paraplegic by pulling her from a wrecked car "like a rag doll" can be sued.
      California's Supreme Court ruled that the state's Good Samaritan law only protects people from liability if the are administering emergency medical care, and that Lisa Torti's attempted rescue of her friend didn't qualify.

      Justice Carlos Moreno wrote for a unanimous court that a person is not obligated to come to someone's aid.

      "If, however, a person elects to come to someone's aid, he or she has a duty to exercise due care," he wrote.
      ++++++
      Flap smellls a recall of the California Supreme Court brewing. Waht a ridiculous decision.

    • Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he will not sign a package of bills Democrats sent him today to increase taxes and make program cuts, an $18 billion effort passed without Republican votes.

      The governor said the package did not include provisions to stimulate the economy by loosening environmental standards, making more use of contractors on public projects and give him flexibility to furlough state workers without union intervention.

      Republicans claimed the Democratic package was illegal because it raised $9.3 billion in taxes without a two-thirds vote. But Schwarzenegger did not criticize that approach.

    • Reporting from Sacramento — Sidelining the Legislature's minority Republicans, Democratic lawmakers today passed an $18-billion plan to ease the state's financial crisis through higher gas, sales and income taxes and cuts to schools and healthcare.

      But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he would veto the package, saying it did not go as far as he wanted to stimulate the economy.
      +++++++
      Arnold is vetoing the measure for the wrong reasons. But, Flap will take it.

    • Gavin Newsom held his second town hall-style meeting of his campaign for governor Tuesday night, this time fielding questions from Santa Rosa residents.
      Many of their inquiries had to do with local issues. But then came the no-brainer question: Mr. Mayor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been nominated as chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, a promotion that almost definitely takes her out of the governor's race. Care to comment?

      "Yes, she is, thank you and goodnight," Newsom said with a grin. The room burst into laughter and applause. (You can't say the mayor doesn't know how to work a crowd.)

      In all seriousness, Newsom told the audience, he'd be very surprised if Feinstein decided to run, given the power associated with the Intelligence Committee job.
      +++++++
      Flap bets Jerry Brown is relieved as well – damn relieved.

    • Reporters Jump All Over Mostly Silent Princess Of Camelot; Mayor Of Syracuse Doesn't Offer Endorsement
      Who Should Get Senate Gig? Siena Poll: Cuomo 26, Kennedy 23
      +++++++
      Caroline has it in the bag. Cuomo will run for Governor as Paterson steps down.
    • California may soon have more bankrupt towns on its hands.

      The city of Vallejo, Calif., gained national attention earlier this year by filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. Now, two neighbors are fighting to avoid the same fate, as the state's economic crisis spreads.

      Isleton and Rio Vista, small towns roughly 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, say they have begun consulting with bankruptcy lawyers as they draw up plans to deal with their mounting budget crises. The towns' leaders say they hope to avoid bankruptcy, but concede the move may eventually be their only option.
      ++++++
      Where is Arnold?

      (tags: California)
    • A new military plan for troop withdrawals from Iraq that was described in broad terms this week to President-elect Barack Obama falls short of the 16-month timetable Mr. Obama outlined during his election campaign, United States military officials said Wednesday.
      The plan was proposed by the top American commanders responsible for Iraq, Gen. David H. Petraeus and Gen. Ray Odierno, and it represents their first recommendation on troop withdrawals under an Obama presidency. While Mr. Obama has said he will seek advice from his commanders, their resistance to a faster drawdown could present the new president with a tough political choice between overruling his generals or backing away from his goal.
      ++++++
      Want to be Obama stays with their recommendtions?
    • Elián González could play a role in next month's confirmation hearings for Barack Obama's nominee for attorney general.

      Last week, eight Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee fired off letters to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Ark., and Attorney General Michael Mukasey seeking any documents prepared by Eric Holder or his staff on a variety of Clinton-era controversies, including “the April 22, 2000, raid in Miami, Florida, by Border Patrol agents to take Elián Gonzalez into custody.''

      Holder served as deputy attorney general during the raid in Miami. His role as an Obama presidential campaign advisor prompted a small contingent of Cuban exiles to protest outside Obama's speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami in June.

    • Attorney General-designate Eric H. Holder Jr. told Congress under oath that he had "only a passing familiarity" with the criminal case against billionaire Marc Rich before President Clinton pardoned the fugitive financier in 2001- testimony that is now raising concerns among lawmakers reviewing Mr. Holder's nomination.

      Correspondence with the Justice Department and testimony secured by Congress from other witnesses show that 15 months before the pardon, Mr. Holder met privately with Mr. Rich's attorney and received a presentation about what Mr. Rich's defense believed were flaws in the government's case.