Rahm Emanuel talked with governor's office about who should

[spindrifter]

fill Obama's Senate seat

By Bob Secter | Tribune staff reporter
9:23 PM CST, December 12, 2008

Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to be White House chief of staff, had conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration about who would replace Obama in the U.S. Senate, the Tribune has learned.

The revelation does not suggest Obama's new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?

<snip>

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.

<more>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-rahm-obama13dec13,0,3359611.story

[polichick]

1. JJJ wasn't on the list?

[mucifer]

2. nothing illegal about that.

[spindrifter]

4. Absolutely nothing implies that Emanuel

did anything illegal. The thing the press is lathered about concerns who from the Obama side said anything to Blagojevich or his aides about the replacement. We know from the investigation that Blago was peeved that all he would get from the Obama people was appreciation--and not material appreciation or any other appreciation that comes through patronage.

[ananda]

3. I tell you..

Obama and team knew who and what to avoid ...

[mucifer]

5. but if you read the whole tribune article it still questions Rham's role.

pisses me off :grr:

[iamjoy]

6. Being Forthright Is Best

We all know that Obama or one of his staff/friends, etc had conversations with the governor about who should be appointed to his Senate seat. We know this because shortly after the election, it was reported Obama wanted Valerie Jarrett.

We also know because there are reports that Blagojevich had the attitude of "all Obama's willing to give me is appreciation, screw that."

So, it seems Obama or some one in his camp was in conversations with the Illinois governor about a successor and that the Obama camp wasn't going to play Blagojevich's dirty little game.

[Skink]

7. Somebody is about to Lawyer up.

[Lex]

11. Who? Why?

[EFerrari]

8. We know Obama's people talked to that creep because he was MAD at them

for not playing with him. Thank heavens they did or that would never be on tape now, vindicating Obama and his staff.

[Selatius]

9. I generally feel that Rahm was never really left wing enough for my taste. If Rahm falls, oh well.

I would like to see Obama's economic team junked and replaced as well. Putting foxes in charge of the hen house. Madness.

[leftstreet]

12. Thanks for saying this

It's looking like a Team of Foxes.

:-(

[defendandprotect]

20. Agree --

[brianna69]

10. All is good

Rahm didn't even talk to Blago. He spoke with Harris(Blago's chief of staff who resigned toady).

[MannyGoldstein]

13. You Can Take The Boy Out of The DLC...

...but you can't take the DLC out of the boy.

It's a safe bet that Emanuel did nothing illegal, but he did do something wrong/embarrassing/sleazy. It's in his political lineage.

I expect we'll know within a few days.

[mucifer]

14. Did you seriously think Obama wouldn't make a few suggestions to blago

about the seat? Ever since I knew it was gonna be blago's choice I thought Obama would get his point to blago about who he'd like. There is nothing illegal about that and I hoped Obama would because I respect his opinion and so should the governor. But, I'm from IL and I also had in my mind that blago would not listen to any suggestions by Obama mostly because I knew and know he's nuts. I wasn't expecting to see him take it this far tho.

[defendandprotect]

16. Yeah...but what should the reaction be to "offer something" for the appt ---

Obviously that msg was sent to whoever was in touch with Gov --

[mucifer]

17. The reaction should be something that makes blago call Obama a not too nice word

[defendandprotect]

19. I'll buy that ---

[Doremus]

22. Wha'?

What is "wrong/embarrassing/sleazy" about suggesting candidates for the seat?

I just can't understand where you're coming from with that.

[Celebration]

24. Why? This seems totally normal to me

Why wouldn't Obama and his team have suggestions for who should be appointed? The answer is, of course they should.

[Enthusiast]

25. Agree completely.

Of course an Obama Administration should have an interest in a senator that would replace him, and why not.

[defendandprotect]

15. Bush wouldn't have responded --

[spindrifter]

26. No, but Ro*e would have been all over it.

[pinto]

18. I think it natural that an IL Sen. would advocate some Dems for the open seat.

*Advocate*. He'd be remiss in not doing so, whatever the Governor chose to do with the process.

from the same article -

Schakowsky said it was natural for Obama to take an interest in the selection process for his Senate seat. "It makes perfect sense for the president-elect or his people to have some interaction about filling the seat he was vacating," she said.

I'm unfamiliar with the intricacies of IL politics, but if, say, Sen. Boxer here in CA moved on to another position, I would hope she advocated to our (R) Governor some possible replacements.

[Skip Intro]

21. I'm tellin ya, this whole thing smells.

I don't know how, I don't know who, but something is fishy about this whole thing.

[Oilwellian]

23. Transcript Leaked: Rahm & Blago (wow!)

FBI File #9536B
Wiretap on line 312-XXX-XXXX
November 10th, 2008
12:42 PM Eastern Time
Rush transcript:

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.

* existenz's diary :: ::
*

Transcript continued:

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 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. 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?



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: I said pick up the FUCKING phone!

BLAGO: 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:

End of conversation

End transcript.

(snark) :D
Someone on Daily Kos has too much time on their hands:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/12/142929/59/901/672355

[spindrifter]

27. Wow, these guys need a Thesaurus.

[monmouth]

28. Oh, I so see Al Pacino starring as Emanuel. Hey, Al's not too old,

he has an Emanuel attitude and would have no problem with dialogue. Just a thought.

[Blue_In_AK]

29. Here's another "leaked transcript"

:rofl: http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2008/12/progressive-alaska-obtains-blagojevich.html

RE: What the ___'s up, you ___ing slimy ____ ?

RB: ____. ____. You ____ing wanna ____ing pay? 'Cause, otherwise, you ____ing ____ing ____ing not gonna ____ing play, you ____, ____, ____, mother____ing ____.

RE: ____!!! Who the _____ do you ____ing think you ____ing are, you sleazy, _____ing good-for-_____ing, ______ing piece of ____?

RB: I'm a ____ing, piece of _____? You ____, _____ing, _____ing, _____ing sack of _____! I'll ____ing tell you, you ____ing, ______ing, _____ - ____ing......

[spindrifter]

32. Succinctly stated!

[McCamy Taylor]

30. Sam Zell (R)'s bankrupted Tribune courts a bailout with more anti Dem propaganda.

[LaydeeBug]

31. bfd. nt