Chicago Sun-Times's 'The Rise and Fall of Rod Blagojevich' Ignores Obama's Role
Posted on the Chicago Sun-Times's Web site today is "The rise and fall of Rod Blagojevich," written by Carol Marin, the newspaper's political columnist. Illinois's former Democratic governor is heading to the Federal pen this week, and Marin writes "he had surrounded himself with con men and creeps." She names a few, most notably convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko. She ignores a man who had a substantial role in elevating Blagojevich to the governor's office, Barack Obama.
In a 2008 New Yorker accounting, Ryan Lizza wrote:
Rahm Emanuel, a congressman from Chicago and a friend of Obama’s, told me that he, Obama, David Wilhelm, who was Blagojevich’s campaign co-chair, and another Blagojevich aide were the top strategists of Blagojevich’s victory. He and Obama “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor,” Emanuel said. “We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.”
In June, 2002, Obama told interviewer Jeff Berkowitz:
…right now, my main focus is to make sure that we elect Rod Blagojevich as Governor, we—
Jeff Berkowitz: You working hard for Rod?
Barack Obama: You betcha.
Jeff Berkowitz: Hot Rod?
Barack Obama: That’s exactly right.
Even after Blagojevich's corruption was widely known and Federal investigations underway, Obama insisted that Blago was the right guy for the job. In August, 2006, then-Senator Obama explained to a crowd: "We've got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois and for that reason I am proud to stand behind him."
Yet somehow Marin comments on the rise of Blagojevich without mentioning Barack Obama's key involvement in helping him win the the governor's mansion and then stay there. In much of the mainstream media, the game plan this election year is to protect Obama as much as possible.
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Comments
the sewer is backed up
Submitted by MidAmerica on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 12:39pm.
I never voted for Blago. Think he's an odd duck. But I feel it is a tragedy that he has been railroaded and sentenced for 14 years when all the slimeballs around him got away free.
I also notice that Rod has been particularly quiet. He has a family. just sayin'.
Blago is not...
Submitted by GeneralAl on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 3:27pm.
Blago is not the one who should be going to jail, Michael Madigan is! He's the biggest crook in the state with the protection of his darling little daughter being the state Attorney General. That's general, as in General Confusion!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
Err Mike -- Blagojevich Guilty of Trying to Sell Obama's Senate
Submitted by Gary Hall on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 12:48pm.
Blagojevich Guilty of Trying to Sell Obama's Senate Seat
Jun 27, 2011
After ten days of deliberating, the jury in the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial has declared him guilty "on 17 counts, not guilty of one count and one with no verdict announced in court Monday, with verdicts on other counts still to be read," reports the Associated Press. The Chicago Tribune adds:
Blagojevich showed no reaction as the jury found him guilty on 17 of 20 counts against him. He then sat back in his chair with his lips pursed and looked toward his wife Patti with disappointment on face. The jury deadlocked on two counts and found him not guilty of one count.
Blagojevich had been accused of corruption for trying to sell Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat and for scheming "to shake down executives for campaign donations," the AP reported. Last year's trial eventually found the ex-governor guilty of only one of twenty-four counts--lying to the FBI--after jurors couldn't reach a unanimous decision.
(;~/ gary
Hey!!
Submitted by KornKing on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 1:57pm.
Who's that guy standing behind Rod? Uh, never mind.....
'Surrounded by con men and
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 2:34pm.
'Surrounded by con men and creeps'??? Sure sounds like Rhambo and Baraka to me...................of course, when asked about the relationship, Baraka said 'I'd seen him around the neighborhood................I knew his name.............but I didn't know what he did or what he stood for'.
What I want to know is what
Submitted by dscott on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 3:54pm.
What I want to know is what happened to the $400,000 Mr. Frawley handed Tony Rezko to give to then Senator Barack Obama? In whose pocket did the $400k end up in? What was the money for? Inquiring minds want to know BEFORE the November 2012 election...