December 11, 2008
[Emphasis added]
12-9 press conference Patrick Fitzgerald: "The complaint makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever."
The complaint. Not this complaint. Not there are no allegations about barry whatsoever. Take careful notice how barry parses his words. I would like to know if this comes from him or his mam-grabbing drunken pig of a speech writer. People sure can't get Sen Clinton off their mind, can they? Folks who profess to hate "Hillary" can't stop talking about her - or it appears keep from touching her. Can't imagine what Tucker Carlson has in his bedside table.
BARRY (12-11 press conference NY Times)
Now, I'm also aware of your interest in the matter of the Illinois Senate appointment. Let me say that I was as appalled and disappointed as anybody by the revelations earlier this week.
I have never spoken to the governor on this subject. I'm confident [now that he's had time to huddle] 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.
And what has barry promised his henchman? Howard Dean? Kerry? Dodd? The pink-faced failures that have no spot? And he sure owes Barbi Pelosi. Isn't the financial crisis almost as much her fault as it is Bush's? What are barry's quid pro quos? He hasn't been around long enough to build his own relationships so he has to borrow other's and with that comes something.
BARRY: 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.
And who would that be? Emil Jones who made himself a senator barry. I thought he'd be in the running since he retired and it's only a 2-year spot. barry owes him big time and it will have to be paid back. Emil Jones' son as a successor was madness. He was looking forward to working "digitally" (diligently) with others.
QUESTION: ... given the -- in your statement, when you addressed the controversy over Governor Blagojevich, you did not repeat what your spokesman said yesterday about having him -- that he should resign. Why did you not? And could you tell us what contact, if any, you know that your staff or any emissaries from you have had with prosecutors or the FBI?
BARRY: Well, let me repeat a couple of things.
Number one, I think, like most of the people of Illinois, I was appalled and disappointed by what we heard in those transcripts. And, you know, here in Illinois -- as is true, I think, across the country -- there is a tradition of public service, where people are getting in it for the right reasons and to serve, but there's also a tradition where people view politics as a business.
And part of the reason that I got into politics, ran for the State Senate, ran for the United States Senate, and ultimately ran for the presidency is because we have to reclaim a tradition of public service that is about people and their lives, and their hopes, and their dreams. And it isn't about what's in it for me. And I think the public trust has been violated.
Yes, you have violated your supporters trust by changing your positions on almost everything that originally separated you from Sen Clinton . How many times have we heard it's not about him? If it isn't, why keep bringing it up? He starts with thaa philosophical nebulous obamanating to turn people off so they don't bother listening and ends up with himself. At least the CHANGE! is gone. Can't exactly ask people to believe in the change he's already brought to the presidency.
BARRY: So let me be absolutely clear: I do not think that the governor at this point can effectively serve the people of Illinois. I -- the legislature is going down to Springfield to make a determination as to how to resolve this issue. I think they're going to come to the same conclusion
Absolutely clear? At this point...I think..I - the legislature...they. He knows Emil Jones will take care of it...and with that comes one more favor due.
BARRY: I hope that the governor himself comes to the conclusion that he can no longer effectively serve and that he does resign.
In terms of our involvement, I'll repeat what I said earlier, which is I had no contact with the governor's office. I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain.
So, who is the first to go under the bus?
BARRY: What I want to do is to gather all the facts about any staff contacts that I might -- may have -- that may have taken place between the transition office and the governor's office. And we'll have those in the next few days, and we'll present them.
But what I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any deal-making around my Senate seat. That I'm absolutely certain of.
And the -- that is -- that would be a violation of everything that this campaign has been about. And that's not how we do business.
Involvement in the deal-making is not the same as taking about it. Who is "our office". What has the campaign been about? Precisely? Other than change! of his mind? How does he do business? Picking Sen Clinton when his whole platform was based on his fairy tale of Iraq? Who are the people still believing this?
BARRY: So, you know, I think that, like the rest of the people of Illinois, what I want to see is a quick resolution of this issue. I want to make sure that the next senator from the state of Illinois is carrying a forward tradition of service, that the next senator from Illinois is not tainted by what has taken place so far.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President-elect. Thank you. Have you or anyone in your transition or campaign been interviewed as it relates to the criminal complaint? And who is the transition adviser referenced in the complaint?
BARRY: I have not been contacted by any federal officials. And we have not been interviewed by them. As is reflected in the U.S. attorney's report, we were not, I think, perceived by the governor's office as [he smiles like he knows he wasn't on the tapes...so far] amenable to any deal-making. And, you know, I won't quote back some of the things that were said about me. So -- this is a family program, I know.
He's gloating. A family program? People's lives are ruined -- including blagojevich's young children -- who don't know if this is daddy's last Christmas. Get a grip man. He just proved it IS all about him. He's joking while Illinois politics and the US economy burn and he still hasn't grasped how tarnished he is even if he still thinks he's the obamessiah. This man is mad. 'I have not been contacted' and 'we have not interviewed'. So that means one of the "we" was contacted. He's admitting it. Pride goeth before...everything with barry. He's trying to convince us it is not about him while reminding us it is all about him.
How is this man going to lead this nation?
Dear proobamedia, what are you not seeing? Choosing not to see? We have been telling you how corrupt and unvetted he is and still you look the other way. What is it going to take?
BARRY: So, you know -- so, beyond that, I'm not really certain where the investigation is going forward. I'll leave Mr. Fitzgerald to address those issues.
QUESTION: Mr. President-elect, can you shed any light on how it was that the governor got the impression that neither you nor Ms. Jarrett nor any of the people from your office were willing to play ball and why he said those unrepeatable things about you and your -- and your staff?
And a two-parter. We have the former -- the immediate former governor still moldering in the federal prison here in Terra Haute. What's wrong with politics in Illinois?
BARRY: Well, first of all, I can't presume to know what was in the mind of the governor during this process, so I won't even speculate on that. All I can do is read what was in the transcripts, like the rest of you have read it, and shake my head.
Now, with respect to Illinois, look, as I said, I think in Illinois, as is true in American politics generally, there are two views of politics. There's a view of politics that says you go in this for sacrifice and public service, and then there's a view of politics that says that this is a business, and you're wheeling and dealing, and what's in it for me?
And there are -- one thing I want to make sure everybody is mindful of -- there are extraordinary traditions of public service coming out of Illinois, even after Abraham Lincoln.
He can't go two straight press conferences without mentioning Lincoln. He might want to stop and think that Lincoln knows what's in his heart. Doesn't he know what honest Abe means? He'll never be like Abraham Lincoln. He wants to tie himself to slavery but it will never change the fact that he has no relevance to the Oppressed Southern Negro. None. In fact, his typical white person family held slaves. He is a bona fide descendant of slave owners. Another reason why he seems to hate his mother.
And here comes the mandatory Change! chant. What has he settled on today?
You know, you've got people like Paul Simon, and Paul Douglas, our current senator, Dick Durbin, our senior senator, and many others on both sides of the aisle who have upheld the highest standards of ethics and have made enormous sacrifices to make sure that they're getting something done for the people of Illinois.
But what you also have, I think, are habits and a culture that thinks of politics as a -- as a means of self-aggrandizement. That's exactly what has to change.
I mean, this is -- if, in fact, the various allegations end up proving to be true -- and I don't want to, obviously, prejudge all these issues -- this is sort of the far end of the spectrum of that business mentality of politics. But there are more subtle examples of it, right, that are within the lines of legality but still don't fulfill the spirit of service.
You know, we know in Washington that lobbyists that disproportionate influence. We know that in state houses and city councils all across America there are times where people are not thinking about what's best for the public good but rather making narrow political calculations. And our whole campaign was about changing that view of politics and restoring a sense that when people of good will come together and are serious about confronting the challenges that we face, that not only can that be good policy but, you know what, it can be good politics as well.
Can someone please turn the dial and tell him he's not lecturing or campaigning anymore? He is preparing to lead. Proobamedia, are you ever going to stand up and be Americans and ask questions and make him answer? The joke is on you - it always has been - and you were completely played. And when are you going to expose DAVID AXELROD? He is a lobbyist. He just doesn't have to register in Illinois. Surprise.
It turns out that the American people are hungry for that. And you can get elected by playing it straight. You can get elected by doing the right thing. That's what I hope we have modeled in this campaign. And that's what I intend to model in my administration.
Who's delusional?
