Axelrod: Obama Wouldn’t Even TALK to that Corrupt Guy

Last month, David Axelrod told reporters that Obama had talked to Blago about his replacement in the Senate.

The transition team just sent out a statement saying that is incorrect.

I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.

I guess the operative phrase there is "spoken directly."

At least that means we won’t hear Obama on tapes introduced at Blago’s trial. 

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54 replies
  1. readerOfTeaLeaves says:

    Well that hardly seems fair to Red State, the Corner, FauxNewz, and all other ‘media outlets’ who are slavering to hear tapes of Obama talk to Blago.

    Good heavens — they’ll be left to screech out puny, weenie little headlines like: “Obama and Blago from Same State as Lincoln!”

    Can’t have that now, can we?

  2. MadDog says:

    Sooner or later (and my bet is on EW), the names of those who did talk directly to Blagojevich (and his wife) is going to come out.

    So, I’m guessing EW already has a list like:

    Advisor A – Name 1, Name 2, Name 3…
    Advisor B – Name 1, Name 2, Name 3…
    President-elect Advisor – Name 1, Name 2, Name 3
    Senatorial Candidate 1 Jarret, 2 Jackson, 3, 4, 5…

    So (tapping toes), will she or won’t she go public? Of course she will! *g*

  3. MadDog says:

    ”I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.”

    A couple of points:

    What was the question that produced the above answer? Was it ”Who on Obama’s Team spoke to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy?”

    And who exactly on the Obama Team did speak to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy?

    Also, I note that Axelrod’s statement is only about Obama not speaking to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy.

    Did Obama speak to Governor Blagojevich about other things? Were there ”pay-to-play” considerations involved in any of these other things?

    • bmaz says:

      Also, I note that Axelrod’s statement is only about Obama not speaking to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy.

      That is correct. There is no contra to the proposition that Obama talked to Blago. No, there will be nothing of pay to play about it though from the direct wording of Fitzgerald at his press availability today. Appears they likely did talk though at this point.

      • MadDog says:

        And I bring up the point to highlight a need for transparency by the entire Obama Team.

        Getting out in front of this is better than letting Faux News and the wingnut bloggers cast a nation-wide aspersions net.

        I’d recommend (to the limit that Pat Fitzgerald allows) that the Obama Team members who did talk to Governor Blagojevich step up and confirm their involvement and content of conversations.

        Cynical as I am, I’m guessing that isn’t SOP for political teams, and that we are not likely to see it happen.

  4. emptywheel says:

    Here’s the question:

    “Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney’s office today,” said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption. “But as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time.”

    Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”

    But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different.

    While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a “kingmaker,” Axelrod said, “I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.”

    • MadDog says:

      Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”

      (My bold)

      Walking back the “we were not” part and replacing it with the “I was not” part leads one inevitably down the path of “others” on the Obama Team whoe were speaking to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy.

      Again my advice to the Obama Team, get out in front of this ASAP!

      • Quzi says:

        Walking back the “we were not” part and replacing it with the “I was not” part leads one inevitably down the path of “others” on the Obama Team whoe were speaking to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy.

        Again my advice to the Obama Team, get out in front of this ASAP

        Very good point.

        • MadDog says:

          And that ABC News Jake Tapper link you posted makes clear that Obama, Rahm and Axelrod were all seriously involved at one time or another in Blagojevich politicking.

          • emptywheel says:

            Yeah, but I’ve heard very different takes from people who know more abotu IL politics and I trust more than Tapper. I think Rahm has close ties. Not sure about Obama. Ax definitely soured on Blago.

            Just as significantly, they are not stupid people. Anyone could see Fitz was tightening the noose around Blago–particularly after Obama had to skate narrowly around Rezko during Rezko’s trial. So even if they still loved Blago (which only Rahm might), I can imagine they treated Blago with industrial strength rubber gloves.

            • MadDog says:

              You are correct sir!

              And that makes no difference whatsoever to selling this swill to an adoring public as the latest gotcha gossip.

              Repugs are salivating at the face-time prospects on national media with the attendant elevation in their party’s public approval ratings.

              Upholders of the country’s morals, doncha know?

          • muleboy303 says:

            did Tapper ever mention the name of the guy who once worked on Biden, Clinton, Blagojevich, and Obama campaigns sequentially ? former youngest chair of the DNC ?

            would not David Wilhelm serve as a useful back-channel conduit for PE team/IL Gov’s office communications ?

        • MadDog says:

          Another critical reason for the Obama Team to get out in front of this ASAP is this whole fetid stew is like blood in the water for Repug sharks.

          There is nothing that the Repugs are better at than making hysterics under the rubic of pompous self-righteousness and self-appointed guardians of the public good.

      • prostratedragon says:

        Yeah, that’s already much too close to channelling Prissy* for my comfort. And if someone else has endplayed Obama into that spot, all the more reason to act with elegant dispatch.

        —-
        *You can meet Prissy here, in Part 3 no. 5; the opposing assertions are given at provocatively different points in time. Prissy’s a favorite admonitory guide of mine.

      • Loo Hoo. says:

        I’m no bright light, but why wouldn’t Obama’s team be involved in his replacement? Obama would know the players better than most.

        • MadDog says:

          I agree wrt involvement, and surely they can see that by not describing that involvement in full, they are fanning the flames rather than dousing them.

          It would not be unlikely that the Obama Team was caught off guard by the timing of Pat Fitzgerald’s presser, and that they are in fact busily checking out who knows what-when in order to lay it all out for public exoneration in the very near future.

          At least, that’s what I’d be doing if I was part of the Obama inner circle.

          There is no benefit to allowing this to smolder…unless there is fuel to burn.

          • MadDog says:

            And now to argue a contrary position to my previous statements about the Obama Team laying it all out there. President Elect Obama needs to come forward with this type of public presentation:

            “I personally have had no contact with Governor Blagojevich about my Senate vacancy.

            As I am set to assume the position of President on January 20, 2009, and will then be responsible for upholding all laws of the US and in authority over the DOJ and other law enforcement organizations, it is incumbent upon me to ensure that no interference nor even appearance of interference take place with this case or any other case.

            I firmly support the complete independence and authority of Pat Fitzgerald and his team to follow all the evidence wherever it leads them. All members of my own team have been instructed to provide any and all information they may have on this topic to Pat Fitzgerald and his team. Let any chips fall where they may.”

    • plunger says:

      Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”

      Sure looks like Obama isn’t being truthful with this statement. When I heard him say it, I caught him correcting himself.

      To imply that his staff was fully in contact with the Governor, yet not briefing Obama on any of it is completely not believable.

      It didn’t take him long to break his pledge to always be truthful with us.

  5. prostratedragon says:

    Over at Salon they’ve pinned Marc Ambinder with the conjecture that candidate 5 looks like JJJr., based on known meetings.

    If I’m reading this correctly (not much sleep the last few days), you really don’t want to be candidate 5.

    • emptywheel says:

      No, you don’t, and there is reason to believe it could be JJJ.

      Poor guy wanted to get to the Senate and now he may have a problem staying in the House.

  6. emptywheel says:

    One more piece of evidence to show just how clueless Blago seems to have been from Obama–and reality.

    Fitz alludes to conversations tapped earlier than November 13 (but not included here) where Blago and his allies were trying to figure out whether they got to name Rahm’s replacement.

    Sorry. The AP reported on that on the 6th. I knew that on teh 6th. And the fucking governor didn’t know? REally??

    In other words, there’s a lot of delusion there on Blago’s part.

    • mack says:

      He’s a frickin’ maroon.
      Even the dumbest Chicago Alderman (Patrick Levar gets my vote) never talks on a land line.
      Daley looked like he was pulling out his hair over Harris’ indiscression.

    • emptywheel says:

      Yeah.

      I think there are a few candidates to be 5. We might be able to tell who it is by watching their lights to see who’s up all night tonight, because that person’s in a heap of trouble.

  7. bgrothus says:

    They did not arrest his wife, but she seems to have voiced her interest.. .were the home taps in part for her?

  8. Petrocelli says:

    Marcy !

    You have run 10 Marathons today … or did you use a Jet Pack ? *g*

    What was that James Bond Song … Nobody does it better !

  9. ralphbon says:

    It would be weird and irresponsible if Obama and/or his surrogates were not communicating with Blago about Obama’s replacement. Axelrod’s unnecessary walk-back raises unnecessary questions and draws unnecessary attention. A poor PR move, IMO. And does this count as the first non-denial denial of the Obama administration?

  10. joanneleon says:

    It would be perfectly logical for Obama to have had a conversation with Blago, at some point, about candidates for his seat. I don’t understand why they are pushing the point that he *never* spoke to him about it. I think he probably did, and I see no reason why anyone would take issue with that. Now it looks like Axelrod had to back pedal after Obama said he had no contact. The fact that they are now parsing words makes it look suspicious, after Fitzgerald made it clear that Obama had nothing to do with the shady dealing. Oh well, hopefully I’m wrong. Axelrod needs to make a clearer statement.

  11. Loo Hoo. says:

    Obama was asked a question about Carolyn Kennedy last weekend and responded that he had his hands full with what was happening in Illinois. I can’t find a link…

  12. bmaz says:

    My guess is they are making sure that they do a full survey of all of their people to make sure they know everything that any of them said or did. Get it right, get it straight and then, and only then, get it out.

  13. radiofreewill says:

    I’m with bmaz!

    And, imvho, Axelrod could use a few rounds in the gorilla pit with pugil sticks during physical training, too – he needs to sharpen his Talking-to-the-Press Game, or face demotion to the JV the next time he ‘wings’ an errant Obama-attribution.

    At his level in Team Obama, Axlerod should have better Situational Awareness than he showed when Talking to the Press about Obama and Blago – the Son of PT Barnum and Boss Tweed.

    So, I agree, they’ll sort themselves out internally, and then get their response out…

  14. randiego says:

    Ugh. I feel a wingnut freak-out coming on, helpfully bounced everywhere by an empty-headed media echo chamber. Rezko! Ayers! Rahm Emanuel!

    !!!!Rezko/Ayers/Obama/Rahm/Blagojovich/fundraising!!!!

    Trying not to remember that the Clinton presidency was hobbled by the Supidity That Was Whitewater/Monica/FileGate/etc…

    And then, there was oh-so-helpful Isikoff on Rachel bringing up all of the above, including discussing FBI agents showing up at the White House. Dirtbag.

    • Leen says:

      Just after Fitz’s press conference I continued to watch Fox. It was all IMPEACHMENT IMPEACHMENT.

      Double standards and hypocrisy rule at Faux News

  15. JohnLopresti says:

    I would expect Republican fretting in the press as washback in each replacement of appointees, nominees, and the scandal purged, wherever the person deciding the replacement is a Democratic party member.

  16. BayStateLibrul says:

    Isikoff looks like a sleaze ball, doesn’t he?
    If Fitzy follows his modus operandi, we won’t hear from again
    until nine months hence, when he announces indictments?
    No comment.

    • BlueStateRedHead says:

      Isikoff looks like a sleaze ball, doesn’t he?

      Should someone tell Rachel what we know about him, i.e., he does not only look like one? And that he lowers the tone of her neighborhood?

      She is held to a higher standard, but that’s her own damn fault, being a ph.d. and mixologist and coming from the BayState.

  17. Loo Hoo. says:

    Here’s what Obama said on Meet the Press re Carolyn Kennedy:

    PRES.-ELECT OBAMA: Well, let me tell you this. Caroline Kennedy has become one of my dearest friends and is just a, a wonderful American, a wonderful person. But the last thing I want to do is get involved in New York politics. I’ve got enough trouble in terms of Illinois politics.

  18. Leen says:

    Did Fitz use as strong of language describing Libby’s part in outing Valerie Plame Wilson? I don’t recall him referring to Libby’s actions as “appalling, as low as it goes” “Lincoln would roll over in his grave”

    Marcy would know. Were Fitz’s choice of words for Libby as piercing as they were for Blago?

  19. wrensis says:

    Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. They will try to distance Obama at this point to protect themselves, but it would seem even odder if there had not been some communication with the office of the Govenor?

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