Obama to Investigate His Own Team
December 11, 2008Does anyone else see the conflict of interest problems when Obama promises to gather information about his own team regarding Blago, and the pay-to-play politics implemented to sell Obama’s former Senate Seat?
Via Hot Air:
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.
If Obama wants to “gather” the information about what his team knew it shouldn’t be that hard. Obama should look right at Chief Rahm. As National Review Reports:
Mr. Emanuel was among the few people in Mr. Obama’s circle who occasionally spoke to Mr. Blagojevich. He declined to answer questions on Wednesday, waving off a reporter who approached him as he walked across Capitol Hill.
A Democrat familiar with Illinois politics and the Obama transition, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there probably were calls between the Blagojevich and Obama camps about the Senate seat. It was not clear if any calls were recorded by federal agents, who had tapped the governor’s phones.
Someone from Obama’s told Blago he would get appreciation for appointing Obama’s choice to the US Senate. Rahm is probably the best place to start. He was the only one we know who spoke with Blago. If I were “gathering” information we would be interview number one. That’s where Obama should start. If he hasn’t, I am sure the FBI already has.
-reagan21
Trust, But Verify 
So Obama wants to “gather the facts” or is it “get the facts straight”? Imagine if Bush and Gov. Perry were involved in something like this and Bush said “I’ll gather the facts on my end”. Yeah, OK there. This thing is going to get messy. If the U.S. Attorney gets replaced after inauguration day it will add to the mess.
here is a transcript from Rahm and Rod’s conversation. Hate to tell you, but Looks like Rahm was NOT playing ball with Blagojevich.
RAHM EMANUEL: This is Rahm.
ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Hey Rahm, yeah it’s Rod.
EMANUEL: Uh-huh. What’s going on governor, I’m busy.
BLAGO: Well, it’s about that Senate appointment…
EMANUEL: We already gave you the list of people we like.
BLAGO: Yeah, I been looking the list over. Interesting names. Good people. How’s the transition going?
EMANUEL: It’s going fine, governor. Are you calling to fucking tell me anything, or what, cause I–
BLAGO: No no, I’m just wondering if you have all your picks already made. I heard something about Dashle for HHS–
EMANUEL: I’m not gonna discuss ongoing deliberations, gov, you know that.
BLAGO: Hey, come on Rahm, let’s not act like I’m a stranger here.
EMANUEL: Did I call you a stranger? If I thought you were a stranger, you think I’d be interrupting my important fucking business to take this fucking phone call?
BLAGO: Hey you don’t have to get curt with me, Rahm.
EMANUEL: This isn’t me being curt, Gov, this is me being fucking busy. Now what did you call about?
BLAGO: I’m just feeling you out, seeing if Valerie [Jarret] still wants that Senate seat, just wondering what kind of priority that is for the President-Elect.
EMANUEL: Actually, it’s not a priority. Valerie’s had second thoughts about the job.
BLAGO: What, she doesn’t want it anymore?
EMANUEL: She’s having second thoughts. You want more details, you ask her.
BLAGO: She won’t take my calls.
EMANUEL: Big fucking surprise.
BLAGO: What’s that supposed to mean?
EMANUEL: Um, I don’t know, what’s it supposed to mean governor? A.) You’re a fucking crook. B.) You’re a fucking asshole. C.) All of the above.
BLAGO: I’m clean Rahm, you know this. You think that fucking Fitzgerald would being twiddling his fucking thumbs if he had shit to go on?
EMANUEL: I gotta go, Gov. You appoint who you want, we really don’t give a shit.
BLAGO: What if I appoint Valerie, what if she takes it?
EMANUEL: What do you want me to say? We’d appreciate it, I’m not gonna fucking kiss your ring over it.
BLAGO: “Appreciate it”? Come on, this is a senate seat we’re talking about. It’s worth a fuck of a lot more than appreciation.
EMANUEL: You asked us for a list, we gave you a fucking list, you want to make your own list then make your own fucking list. [Raising voice] But if you’re asking for anything else from me, or Barack, or Valerie, then you can fucking stop talking right now Rod.
BLAGO: Wait a sec there Rahm. Wait just a fucking minute. Who are you to talk to me like that? I fucking made you.
EMANUEL: You made me? You made me? Tell me you’re fucking joking.
BLAGO: No no no, you listen to me shit-face. You see this list I got, the names motherfucking Obama fucking wants for the Senate. I just ripped it in two. How you like that? Oops, Harris just dropped it in the shredder. Harris?
HARRIS (muffled): Yes sir?
BLAGO: Did you just drop that list in the shredder?
[Whirring, shredder noise]
HARRIS (muffled): I did.
EMANUEL: Do you have me on fucking speakerphone?
BLAGO: It’s in the shredder, Rahm. The list is bye bye.
EMANUEL: Hold on a sec — you got me on fucking speakerphone? Who the fuck do you think I am?
BLAGO: Who are you Rahm? Who are you? You’re shit, you hear me? Don’t come back to Chicago Rahm, it’s not your town any more.
EMANUEL: Pick up the phone Rod.
BLAGO: I’ll put someone in the senate who will fucking fuck you. I might even put myself in there, how you like that Rahm? How you gonna explain that to fucking Barack, every time he’s gotta call me up for my fucking vote. He’d have to take my calls then, wouldn’t he?
EMANUEL: [Screaming] I said pick up the FUCKING phone!
BLAGO: [Picks up phone, speakerphone off] I got your attention now, didn’t I?
EMANUEL: Shut the fuck up and listen to me for one second Rod. And I want you to listen carefully, because this is the last time I’m ever going to talk to you. You are fucking dead to me. You been fucking dead to Barack since ’06, now you’re dead to me. Know what that means? That means you’re dead to my people in Chicago, Daley on down, and all these friends you think you have aren’t gonna touch you with a ten foot fucking pole.
BLAGO: Oh now you’re the fucking Godfather? Fuck you.
EMANUEL: No fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.
BLAGO: Fuck you!
EMANUEL: Listen up asshole. The shit’s gonna hit the fan, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, and when Fitz finally brings down the hammer it’s gonna be my name that’s going through your head. You won’t know the hows or the fucking whys, but it’s gonna have my fucking fingerprints all over it. Have a great life fatso.
BLAGO: Hey fuck–
EMANUEL: [Click.]
End of conversation
I hope you are right because our country does not need a scandal like this to go up to the White House even before PE-BHO takes office. However, there were 21 total conversations between the two. Both Rahm and Obama asserted there was NO conversations between the two. Let’s let the story unfold. We were just presenting the news.