Faces From Obama's Past Reemerge

Washington Post: Blagojevich Drama Brings Figures From President-Elect's Political Past Into The Limelight

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Eli Saslow and Hamil R. Harris.

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President-elect Barack Obama spent yesterday afternoon in Honolulu, going to the zoo with his daughters and visiting his high school campus. And yet, he couldn't escape the political melodrama unfolding more than 4,000 miles away.

While Obama vacationed, some of the main characters from his political past took turns starring in a bizarre Chicago news conference. First to the lectern was embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was arrested this month on federal corruption charges, and from whom Obama has worked to distance himself. Blagojevich then introduced Roland Burris, his appointment to fill Obama's seat in the U.S. Senate. Burris once held a fundraiser at his house for Obama and calls the president-elect "somebody whose career I really helped launch."

Then, near the end of the news conference, Rep. Bobby L. Rush was beckoned to the front of the room, where he asked the public not to "lynch" Burris because of the charges against Blagojevich. Rush defeated Obama in a 2000 House race and chided him as an "educated fool" before eventually endorsing him for president and asserting that "I helped teach him."

Obama has not talked with the men in the past few weeks, friends said, and some of the president-elect's associates dismissed his connection to the trio as coincidence. But, if nothing else, the image of all three standing together in front of flashing cameras served as a reminder of the political environment in which Obama developed: Blagojevich is awaiting an indictment; Burris may be blocked from claiming the Senate seat by leaders in Illinois and Washington; and Rush pushed for a black senator to replace Obama, who prefers not to participate in "the politics of race."

After the news conference, Obama released a statement commending Burris as a "good man and a fine public servant," before arguing that he should not be given the Senate seat. Illinois, he said, is "entitled to . . . major decisions free of taint and controversy." Obama avoided mentioning race.

It is that "taint" of controversy with which Obama has become associated during the past month. He never liked Blagojevich, friends said, and federal transcripts confirmed that Obama never spoke with the Illinois governor as the latter allegedly tried to auction off the vacant Senate seat. Yet the men giving yesterday's news conference served as important components in Obama's career.

Obama endorsed Burris in the Democratic primary for governor in 2002, which Blagojevich won. Burris said in an interview this month that he "probably introduced [Obama] to Blagojevich after that" and persuaded Obama to join him in endorsing their fellow Democrat. In 2004, Burris endorsed Obama for the U.S. Senate and held a fundraiser.

"We all know each other, because we're all in the same business," Burris said this month. "We might not all like each other all of the time, but we're running in the same big circle."

Burris said he has not spoken to Obama since Nov. 4, but he pursued Obama's seat. He found a supporter of sorts in Rush, who held a news conference last month insisting that Illinois replace Obama with a black senator. Rush said that he did not back a specific candidate but that "we really are about the principle that there should be an African American." Obama was the only African American in the Senate.

Yesterday, Burris spotted Rush in the crowd at the news conference and pointed gleefully. "How you doing, Congressman?" he asked. "All righty." Burris eventually summoned Rush to the lectern. Rush wasted no time before invoking Obama's name.

"My prayers have been answered," Rush said, "because I prayed fervently that the governor would continue the legacy established by President-elect Obama, and that the governor would appoint an African American to complete the term of President Obama."

One of Rush's colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), told the Associated Press last night that he had been offered the appointment last week but that he turned it down because "I thought the environment had been poisoned."

It wasn't the first time race had come up between Rush and Obama. Rush, a former Black Panther who represents Chicago's South Side, defeated Obama in 2000 because he dominated the black vote. During the campaign, he collected the endorsements of almost every major black politician in Chicago -- including Burris -- and depicted Obama as a foreigner to black culture. "Barack is a person who read about the civil rights protests and thinks he knows all about it," Rush said.

Activist Al Sharpton said yesterday: "I think that Governor Blagojevich is trying to save himself and cynically trying to draw the president-elect into this. But President-elect Obama should stay out of this. The worst thing that he could do is be drawn back into Illinois politics."

[deathofusa]

What a bunch of freaken losers. Great to know our new president comes from the likes of these losers and cheats.

[redtrash]

Headline says it all about how much the Israel First CBSjews continue to trash and despise president elect Obama.

[you_fools]

http://www.unclejayexplains.com/media/UJ%2012-22-08.wmv

[dzemog1]

I hope Obama tells these guys to "stuff it". Forget Blago...enough said about that SOB. Burris might''ve been a decent enough candidate for consideration UNTIL he stupidly made the comment that he "helped launch" Obama''s political career. Do these guys not "get it"? Burris trying to use some past association as means to imply Obama "owes" him the seat, is nothing more than a less offensive version of what Blago did in trying to sell the seat. I know that this kind of thing happens in politics all the time, but to so blatantly do this for a seat already under a spotlight is just plain stupid. Anyone who gets consideration for the IL seat needs to be stand solely on his/her merits, and leave any "*** for tat" garbage at the door. That didn''t happen here, and worse, they all injected race, which they should both know would not go over well with the President Elect.

[gowens1]

Obama has some ''''splaining to do...

Maybe he''''ll just hang loose in Hawaii until January 20th...

Any of you Liberals having "buyers remorse" yet?


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Posted by CBSisPravda1 at 01:32 PM : Dec 31, 2008
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No not at all, he isn''t guilty of anything like George Bush is...

[p1tey1]

As an African American, I have to say that I am OUTRAGED that Blago, Burris and Rush would try to make this a racial issue. Bobby Rush is a former Black Panther. They are trying to pull that old-school, manipulation nonsense! All three are beneath contempt. Roland Burris should be ashamed of himself for accepting this controversial,tainted, appointment and trying to take this country backwards after the progress we made November 4th. SHAMEFUL!!!! Everybody should be outraged!!

[hawksprings]

"As an African American,
I have to say that I am OUTRAGED that Blago, Burris and Rush would try to make this a racial issue. Bobby Rush is a former Black Panther. They are trying to pull that old-school, manipulation nonsense! All three are beneath contempt. Roland Burris should be ashamed of himself for accepting this controversial,tainted, appointment and trying to take this country backwards after the progress we made November 4th. SHAMEFUL!!!! Everybody should be outraged!!"
Posted by p1tey1

As a European American, I say, what else is new?

[tscc2]

Truman was launched and financed by a longtime criminal and he was considered one of our greatest Presidents according to historians while misunderstood in his time. This lynching of Obama through quilt by association will not work. Obama is the cleanest politician in America. Blogo is mentally ill and the rest are just exercising bad judgment.

[element51]

CBSisPravda1.....To answer your stupid question NO, I have no regrets about supporting Obama. It does not surprise me that the Limbaugh led right would jump on this like it is a major issue. Obama has done nothing wrong and you guys can dig till you wear out your shovels and you won''t find anything. And please tell us exactly what is that you want Obama to "splain." Maybe you should ask for some "splanin" from your boys, Bush and Cheney.

[specialty8]

The dems should have stuck with Hillary. With her you knew what you were geting,after all she did win the popular vote and would have won the electorial if not for a few states bbeing cut out. Look at the mess we have now,every other week a new crook pops out from somewhere.

[element51]

DaVicar3.....Try to control yourself sparky. How many o r g a s i m s have you had over this. It''s no secret that you hate Obama and desperately want him to fail. You''re such a great American that you would rather see the country destroyed than to see Obama do something right. It really puzzles me why people like you don''t want to see any problems solved. All you think about is being able to crow "told you so." I hoped for eight years that Bush could turn things around and never once wished him to fail. Needless to say he disappointed me time after time. But he will soon be gone and why don''t you hope for the best from the new president? Think ablut it...if Obama fails and the country goes down, you will go down right along with the rest of us. Is that what you want?

[spinproof]

If Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich was thinking and acting in the overall interest and good of the State of Illinois, the Democratic Party and Pres.-elect Obama and his staff, Americans and the World for that matter would not be witnessing the "dark side" of Illinois Politics, but its very obvious Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich is only thinking about himself and his own selfish interest. Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich is also missing a key point, even if he escapes a penalty he is now politically damaged goods, politically dead and politically toxic and anyone who does business with him from now on will be contaminated and suffer politically as well. Any smart Politician will avoid Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich like the plague. There is no positive outcome possible from this for Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

[specialty8]

Obamas main problem is every single group he talked with he promised something,even if it were to opposite groups. For example the NRA and gun control people.Told everyone what they wanted to hear. Somebody is going to be real mad when he finally makes a stand on which way he is going to go. It might be in his best interest not to unpack the suitcase,he might be headed back to Chicago before the four years are up,who knows his old seat might still be up for sell.

[hatesthecolt]

Here''''s the news: The honeymoon is already over, Obama.


Posted by gctomajtom

Continuously repeating this will not make it true but if it floats your boat, rock on.

In the meantime, it''s scary when Al Sharpton makes sense but the right answer is for Obama to stay out of this.

[ddrbc]

Go Blago, Rush, and Burris! They''re all crooks including Pelosi, Obama, Reid, Kennedy, etc. The whole election was sold to us by Axelrod and his marketing machine specializing in "astroturfing" (mimicking grassroots operation). It''s about time we see crooked politicians finally sticking it to each other instead of us. They all need to be taken down. This includes the MSM media that went along with the whole scam.

[d7767w]

Obama is the cleanest politician in America. Blogo is mentally ill and the rest are just exercising bad judgment.

Posted by tscc2 at 02:04 PM : Dec 31, 2008

ROFLMAO You Dummy how dumb can you be.

[cdegolier]

I really wish people would have woken up a lot earlier. Chicago politics have always been democrat and always been corrupt. How could Obama who''s career was raised in Chicago be any different.

[ofbyfor3]

Blago is an idiot and should simply just resign. Burris should just simply let it go.

Fitzgerald has shown no evidence of ''pay to play'' on Obama''s part. As a matter of fact there is evidence quite to the contrary since Blago himself said that all he would get from Obama was ''appreciation''.

The rest is no more than innuendo and supposition on the part of those who are so dementedly partisan that they WISH that they could connect Obama to this.

Good luck with that, kids!

[d7767w]

How do you know when Obama is lying?

WHEN HIS MOUTH IS MOVING!

[mandalay-bay]

just because Obama worked around these people doesn''t mean he is corrupt in any way. There you republicons go again with your guilt by association. That worked real well in the general election didn''t it? Now you are clamouring trying to say "we told you so" told us what? Obama has not been cited in ANY wrong doing whatsoever and you neocon losers on here have a hard time swallowing that. Just because because you president was the WORST EVER, don''t blame that on Obama or the Democratic party. HAHAHAHA

[specialty8]

ofbyfor3,
Obama will not be connected to this.Blago said the only thing he would get from Obama would be appreciation,just like when Michelle received that $200k raise at the hospital she only worked at for one year.I''m sure the Obamas apreciated that also.

[wingnutsblow]

"He (Obama) never liked Blagojevich, friends said, and federal transcripts confirmed that Obama never spoke with the Illinois governor as the latter allegedly tried to auction off the vacant Senate seat."


End of story. Why is this still appearing in the corporate-media? Traitorous Republicans should stop attempting to hamstring our President-elect and focus on the real problems facing Americans. It''s the economy, stupid!

[likeitis5050]

This is just hilarious. You have all these politicians SHOCKED AND DISMAYED at the political corruption being highlighted in Chicago...and then you have the very same SHOCKED AND DISMAYED politicians who know THEY HAVE DONE THE SAME THINGS!!! Politicians acting outraged or deeply saddened over news that another politician has used his position to ''leverage favor'' is like one shark being disgusted at the table manners of another shark at high feeding frenzy.

If every single politician currently on the payroll had to suffer through an intensive background check or investigation of every single step they''ve taken since being sworn into office...none would be found clean. I''m including even those rare politicians who have done out standing work for their constituents...maintained the same platform they were elected on, and have high approval ratings, otherwise. It just ain''t gonna happen. It''s filthy water they all have to wade into and it''s just too unlikey that they are able to continuously ''shake off'' the filth. So this is all very amusing to me. This is all just a big circus side show intended to keep the spot light off themselves. They know they aren''t any cleaner...and being shocked knowing it''s Chicago is just plain Oscar Time Acting.

[notopennshut]

Even a "diamond" found in the bottom of a sewer had to be thoroughly "verified and cleaned" before it can be certified as a diamond! Burris may be the perfect candidate, however, he should not be certified and accepted until all the issues in the indictment against Blago are completely resolved. How can we trust the scum governor at this time? What else will come out of all these investigations? What part, if any, did Burris have in Blago''s life? As long as all questions have not been answered and found to be true, anyone, however vaguely associated with Blago should be viewed with suspect. They want to try and make this a "race" issue, for christ''s sake. Even if the best candidate happens to be a purple martian, so be it. This is NOT about race, but qualifications. Did Burris show correct and good judgment by angling for, and accepting the position?? What kind of character is Burris showing by "accepting" this honor bestowed on him by a sewer rat?? Everything that touches Blago is so tainted, and we must not, and cannot accept any further decisions from him - touch a ''poison ivy'' and you got it. Same goes here. No to Burris or any one else named by Blago, for that would be the greatest disservice to all the people of Illinois.

[spinproof]

Why is this still appearing in the corporate-media?

Posted by WingnutsBlow at 02:53 PM : Dec 31, 2008

Because Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich just filled Pres.-elect Obama''s vacant Senate Seat when the entire Political World asked Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich not to!

[specialty8]

I am sure of all of these people in Obamas past there are some things he would rather not be made public and tarnish his image. What supprises me is that he doesn''t seek Clintons help in taking care of this like Slick Willy took care of whitewater. All of those unfortunate accidents that happened.Plane crashes, car wrecks,and suicide.Someone once posted all the unfortunate ones on here,I think it came to twenty some. Maybe it was just a coincident.

[element51]

I am an Obama supporter and I find those of you on here who are calling for his impeachment even before he takes office to be nothing more than a bunch of sore losers. If, after being sworn in, Obama does something that merits impeachment then I say go for it. I don''t want him in office if he does prove to be corrupt. But I do not believe that he is corrupt. And it is pretty low of you to call us names simply because we voted for him. Why don''t we wait and see what happens before we start screaming for his head on a platter?

[xlib]

I thought the koolaid was supposed to do away with all these nasty things. Who messed up?
Love the references to "distraction". That''s the way any negative or potentially negative issues will be handled for the next four years. The msm will tip toe around certain issues and the faithful will resoundly come to the defense of the messiah.
Again, put a big ""R" behind blago''s name and see the difference.

[xlib]

specialty8-OR, a clintonista could invite blago to Fort Marcy Park for a jog in his business suit and have him off himself by shooting himself in the back of the head THEN, his office could be made off limits to police for 10 days THEN a suicide note could be found in a desk drawer done on a computer.
Worked before and the faithful lapped it up.

[lee2261]

Why do we have ignorant people in this country?
Free education, plenty of libraries and some of you still cannot use the english language correctly, neither can have a serious discussion based on facts.
Of course President Obama knows this people and 5 millions more in his state that does not make him their friends or connected with their activities.
We finally have a brilliant president who is a can do leader and the only one who stand a chance on unraveling this mess created by the republicans administration who was apparently doing anything right by the country.
So if you are an american support your president or go back to learning about history and logic and stop the blabber.

[xlib]

UH element51, read the posts carefully, I do believe the impeachment they are calling for is blago''s.
Besides, with the backing of the soros money, the msm and Lord knows who else, why, your messiah will be shielded from any nasty stuff.

[xlib]

lee-for the next 20 days your messiah will remain president-elect. Haven''t you seen the dandy little emblem he had made stating as such.

[stinginrich]

I thought the koolaid was supposed to do away with all these nasty things. Who messed up?
Love the references to "distraction". That''''s the way any negative or potentially negative issues will be handled for the next four years. The msm will tip toe around certain issues and the faithful will resoundly come to the defense of the messiah.
Again, put a big ""R" behind blago''''s name and see the difference.


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Posted by Xlib at 04:15 PM : Dec 31, 2008
+ report abuse

Translation: "I''m Terminally Stupid and will gladly Lap-Up ALL the Lies and deception my TV Gods tell me to"....."BAaaaaaaaaa,.....BAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa"....
"Don''t bother me with Facts and Truth",...."I''m content within my Matrix of Dullardness"....Baaaaa....

[lee2261]

Of course but he is acting more as a president even now by assembling his team early etc...and the inaguration is a formality, the votes from the delegates have been cast and the deal is done.
It just takes a little to move all the cowboys are the White house.

[lee2261]

And by the way he is not a messiah, that title goes to Bush for invoking God as an excuse to fight the axis of evil...goodness we will have the inquisition soon back in business.
Obama is a man with leadership qualities well recognized by intelligent people everywhere.
Denying that can be sign of envy or stupidity or both.
If he had been a republican who would have been elected also...bet you.All he had to promise was to bring the party back on track..leadership my friend clearly missing in Bush''s house.

[chrystosom]

This is an absurd angle for a story and, God knows, some of the comments posted on here skip absurdity and move straight into the realm of insanity. How in hell could ANYONE function in Illinois politics and NOT be ''associated'' with these three men? Work forces me to be ''associated'' with people I hold in ill-concealed contempt. Few of us can avoid it. This is utterly meaningless. Is Burris supposed to have done something wrong? No. Is Rush? No. It seems to me very likely that Obama, a man of vastly different personality and character, had no liking for Blagojevich, and he seems to have avoided him like the plague. Federal transcripts show that. And plainly there was no love lost between Obama and Rush. So the point is what? That Obama is tainted because Rush defeated him in an election and called him "an educated fool"? How does that work, pray tell? That he is tainted because he endorsed Burris for Governor in opposition to Blagojevich? And how may that be? We are entering a new year in a situation more perilous economically, both nationally and globally, than any in 80 years, and that is far from the only critical problem. These desperate efforts to cripple the President Elect, and thus the country, the nation, the people, smacks to me of treachery.

[stinginrich]

"There are no sides. There''s no Sunnis and Shiites. There''s no Democrats and Republicans. There''s only HAVES and HAVE=NOTS"....
"There''s always a confused soul that thinks that one man can make a difference. And you have to kill him to convince him otherwise. That''s the hassle with democracy"....

Senator Charles F. Meachum
(in the Film, "Shooter")

[suzyku]

Perhaps if people like you in the press would stop trying to create tabloid headlines because you are not real journalists, none of this would be important! What jerks you people are. And then you have fools like kevinkkloste who are too stupid to know that the Republicans, with the help of the press, created the terrible mess this country is suffering through now and that Obama has a very difficult road ahead of him to try and put us back together! Support the man because we need him and stop the trash reporting!

[specialty8]

Lee,
Soory if the primaries were done fairly Hillary would have won the nod. She won the popular vote and would have won the electorial vote if a few states would have counted.

[renojmc]

Ah yes, the stench of the Chicago political sewer. And it will soon stink (even more) in D.C.

[specialty8]

suzyku,
Did''t hear people complaining when the media went after Palin. We knew everything about her down to what color drawers she wore that day. That story got old and now the dogs have a new tree to bark at. What did you expect? You will be seeing alot more stories come out so get used to it.

[missingamerica]

That Blago...tsk, tsk.

Someday they will make a movie about him, no doubt; it is rare that a public figure who does something bad seizes the opportunity to something evil.

[missingamerica]

That Blago...tsk, tsk.

Someday they will make a movie about him, no doubt; it is truly rare that a public figure who does something bad sees being caught as an opportunity to do something evil.

[armor371]

OBAMA=JOKE

[robaldrich]

''Al Sharpton said yesterday . . . .''

Does anyone really still care what Sharpton says?

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by Armor371 at 05:24 PM : Dec 31, 2008

Bush=Bozo

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by b4ucmyI at 05:21 PM : Dec 31, 2008

Oh Man, the Obama Citizenship issue of this past entire year which never worked is getting Re-Cycled into 2009. Amazing how the NeoCons got absolutely no Smoking Gun on Obama.

[ofbyfor3]

20 more days, neocon sore losers!

[sgtstedenko]

CBS buried the real story today, that Fitz has asked for an extra 90 days to indict Blago. Either he has nothing, or the Rethugs want another three months to continue their guilt-by-association campaign against our President-elect, or both. The right-wing obstructs Obama at their peril, Americans are sick of "business as usual."

[edintex]

20 more days, neocon sore losers!
Posted by ofbyfor3 at 06:34 PM : Dec 31, 2008

Yes, and many of the 50 something million people who voted AGAINST Obama will be showing him even less respect that all of the nut case liberals and dems showed the current president!!

And since Obama has opened a quasi-official office ("the office of the president-elect"), we should start keeping an official tally of the charges and controversies that are associated with him, his family and his cabinet in the FREE news. Forget CBS, MSNBC or ABC. They''ll never show the truth.