Rangel Under Growing Pressure to Resign

Obama Sends Blunt Message in CBS News Interview; Embattled Congressman Shows No Sign of Abruptly Ending 40-Year-Career

(CBS)  Democratic New York Rep. Charles Rangel's battle to beat back the ethics charges against him and stay in Congress took a major hit Friday from President Obama, who sent an unusually blunt message to a member of his own party in an exclusive CBS News interview, CBS News Correspondent Bill Plante reports.

"I think Charlie Rangel served a very long time and served his constituents very well, but these allegations are very troubling," Mr. Obama said.

In an interview with CBS "Early Show" Anchor Harry Smith for "Sunday Morning" and Monday's "The Early Show," the president all but said Rangel should resign from Congress.

"He's somebody who's at the end of his career, 80 years old," Mr. Obama said. "I'm sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity, and my hope is that happens."

After Rangel and his lawyers would not agree to a settlement which would have required him to admit to at least some of the allegations against him, the ethics committee announced 13 formal charges Thursday.

A half-dozen Democrats in Congress have already called for Rangel to resign. They are clearly fearful that a trial - beginning in September and lasting for weeks - could have a devastating effect when voters go to the polls in November.

More Rangel Coverage

Obama: Rangel's Ethics Charges "Very Troubling"
Ethics Panel Recommends Charles Rangel Reprimand
Charlie Rangel: List of Charges
Rangel Denies Wrongdoing in Ethics Case
Rangel Faces 13 Ethics Charges
Dem Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick: Rangel Should Resign

Making matters worse, unrelated ethics charges have also been filed against Democrat Maxine Waters of California, which could lead to a second trial this fall.

Despite the nudge from Mr. Obama, there's no indication that Rangel, who's already lost the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee, is prepared to take the next step and resign.

Whether Rangel will survive is unknown. An admonishment like that from a president would torpedo just about any other politician but don't bet against Rangel, who by all accounts doesn't really care what the president thinks.

Besides, New York congressional delegation still supports him. So does the Congressional Black Caucus. Some members are very upset that the first black president took such an usually public cudgel to one of the caucus's founding members.

[blazercoach]

Let's imagine another day and time and this end to the story:

Besides, the Texas congressional delegation still supports Mr. DeLay as does the Congressional White Caucus. Some members are very upset that the white president took such an unusually public cudgel to a fellow white man.

[bradkt1]

I am a Democrat and I think that it is time for Charles Rangel to go. Using the "everybody else does it" defense doesn't impress me...nor does it impress any cop or judge when you run a red light or a stop sign or get caught doing anything else illegal.

Charlie got caught. We just need to catch a few more of these Congressmen and Senators...or a lot more.

[frailsadhappysame]

i'll be well again soon, so you can torch me again till i torch you again till you torch me again till i torch you again . i miss you so much


and atop that the message dragon and mosquito and human huvan and galaxy toddlers and the like comprising the machine: and muffin hell . glitch glitch glitch . mis-thought, miscommunication, mis-step, error error, whoops silly no not that that way, this this way . oh my, it's my hair it's too pretty somebody mess it some . watch out for that... cave bear thing . do you think i'd look better if i was almost three feet tall already


by frailsadhappysame July 31, 2010 10:49 PM EDT


i dreamt in the night: i had a gold fish in a bag for each my two heads and two hands . and a brother and sister were fussing and arguing: you always make free other-war weapons all over the world for our grandparents . you always make free lunch bus toy all over the world for our grandparents . the grandparents just kept looking at each other and blushing and smiling . my socks kept wanting to stay on and be uncovered, though usual they claim to want it the other way (my old ones liked it opposite) . my underwear kept wanting to stay off and covered though usual it's either other way . i woke up sick again . two days ago i was sick, like a flu bug a little . at first i thought a spider bite . i took some multi-vitamin, some fish oil, a ibuprofen / naproxen, drank lots water . yesterday, i felt well all day . but woke with a ache all over this morning . not as bad as two days ago . but, i'll rest mostly and be ill anyway . maybe it's a fake ill . or a fetish one . not a real one . it hasn't said yet

[sven655]

The 40-year career congressional criminal Charlie Rangel deserves to waive his pension and serve the remains of his life in a NY State prison. Dignity? For a public thief? Years ago they would tar and feather them and run them out of town on a flatcar.

[frailsadhappysame]

i'll be well again soon, so you can torch me again till i torch you again till you torch me again till i torch you again . i miss you so much


and atop that the message dragon and mosquito and human huvan and galaxy toddlers and the like comprising the machine: and muffin hell . glitch glitch glitch . mis-thought, miscommunication, mis-step, error error, whoops silly no not that that way, this this way . oh my, it's my hair it's too pretty somebody mess it some . watch out for that... cave bear thing . do you think i'd look better if i was almost three feet tall already


by frailsadhappysame July 31, 2010 10:49 PM EDT


i dreamt in the night: i had a gold fish in a bag for each my two heads and two hands . and a brother and sister were fussing and arguing: you always make free other-war weapons all over the world for our grandparents . you always make free lunch bus toy all over the world for our grandparents . the grandparents just kept looking at each other and blushing and smiling . my socks kept wanting to stay on and be uncovered, though usual they claim to want it the other way (my old ones liked it opposite) . my underwear kept wanting to stay off and covered though usual it's either other way . i woke up sick again . two days ago i was sick, like a flu bug a little . at first i thought a spider bite . i took some multi-vitamin, some fish oil, a ibuprofen / naproxen, drank lots water . yesterday, i felt well all day . but woke with a ache all over this morning . not as bad as two days ago . but, i'll rest mostly and be ill anyway . maybe it's a fake ill . or a fetish one . not a real one . it hasn't said yet

[thy-only_king]

I think they should drag Rangel and waters through the mud until nov.

[simkatu]

Thank goodness there has never been a prominent Republican forced to resign because of ethics violations. Oh wait! There's like a million examples, including a freaking President. There's like a hundred more Republicans caught molesting children
http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/2007/06/republican-hypocrisy-revealed.html

Ranger is dirt and needs to go, but pretending this is Democrat vs. Republican issue is nonsense. There's not more than 20 honest politicians in Washington.

[tothestars2]

To echo some of the postings here, where is the voice of NANCY PELOSI? Where does the "drain the swamp" queen stand on this issue? Why is NANCY PELOSI remaining silent on this and the issue of MAXINE WATERS? Is she involved somehow? Her silence is deafening.

[thy-only_king]

For her part, Pelosi seemed almost resigned to her party enduring a month of bad press at an inopportune time.
I guess she couldn't find a big enough rug to sweep this under.

[thy-only_king]

But instead, the Rangel and now Waters ethics stories will fester for a month.

Of course, this constitutes paying the fiddler when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promised she will ?drain the swamp.?