Allah does a good job here about documenting what “The One” said today about BlagoGate.

He never spoke to Blagojevich personally, he insists, and is “absolutely certain” there was no dealmaking by anyone on his team, which is quite an assertion when the facts haven’t been gathered yet.

The presser was called ostensibly to talk about the economy and introduce Daschle, his new health-care quarterback, but the number of questions about the scandal shows that the media’s got Blago on the brain. Skip ahead to 1:45 for his initial statement about it and then to 13:00 or so for Q&A, including him calling on Blagojevich again to quit. (84 percent of Illinoisans agree.) Highlights come at 15:30, when he tries to contain his glee at being cursed out in the transcripts for refusing to play ball, and then again a minute later when a reporter asks him the question on everyone’s mind. The One, for once, has no easy answers.

But, who tipped off Valerie Jarrett?

And, how was Barack Obama involved in her appointment to another position? Somebody on the Obama Transition Staff had to inform Obama and make the switch.

Was it the Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel?

Update:

Here is the transcript of what Barack Obama said this morning:

Obama: I have never spoken to the governor on this subject. I’m confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat. I think the materials released by the U.S. attorney reflect that fact.

I’ve asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the governor’s office about this vacancy so that we can share them with you over the next few days.

Finally, on this matter, let me say that this Senate seat does not belong to any politician to trade. It belongs to the people of Illinois, and they deserve the best possible representation.

They also deserve to know that any vacancy will be filled in an appropriate way so that whoever is sent to Washington is going to be fighting for the people of Illinois. I hope and expect that the leaders of the legislature will take these steps to ensure that this is so.

But, who from the Obama Transition Team warned Valerie Jarrett that Blagojevich wanted a “quid pro quo?” And, were you told?

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, Rod Blagojevich

Barack Obama and Valerie Jarrett

Fox News is reporting this story as breaking news but the Wall Street Journal had this piece last night: Blagojevich’s Big Conference Call and Valerie Jarrett’s Clean Break

Among the hundreds of hours of conversations involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich secretly recorded by the FBI since Oct. 22, one phone call is drawing particular scrutiny among politicos, journalists and others in Washington. It was a marathon conference call on Monday, Nov. 10.

The call lasted about two hours. On the phone were Mr. Blagojevich, his wife, his general counsel, an unnamed adviser, and John Harris, the governor’s chief of staff and his co-defendant in this week’s case.

But what’s drawing the most interest is who was on the line from Washington, and the sequence of political events that followed that same night and in the ensuing days regarding Barack Obama’s close friend and adviser, Valerie Jarrett.

According to the FBI, there were “various Washington, D.C., based advisers” on the call with Mr. Blagojevich & Co., although the Washington callers are not named. The FBI also said participants popped on and off the line throughout the conversation.

Ok, so who from the Obama Transition Team was on THAT call? Did they report to Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s Chief of Staff?

In other words, who in the Obama operation knew what was transpiring with “pay to play” and warned off Obama’s friend, Valerie Jarrett?

Obama needs to come clean about this and NOW.

Who will “The One” throw under the bus?

Stay tuned…….

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, Rod Blagojevich