Candidate No. 5
[Guest post by DRJ]
ABC News reports that Jesse Jackson, Jr., is the unnamed Candidate No. 5 whose surrogates offered Gov. Blagojevich up to $1M to be appointed to Obama’s Senate seat. The report also said Jackson doesn’t know if he is Candidate No. 5 but he will agree to an FBI interview after meeting with his attorney. He indicated he is not a target of the investigation.
On Monday, Jackson met with Blagojevich for 90 minutes as part of a “highly visible campaign” in which he “touted his credentials” to succeed Obama as Senator. Afterward Jackson expressed confidence in the process the governor was using to make his choice:
“I am convinced that the governor has a very thoughtful process that he has put in place and is wrestling and weighing a number of issues in this enormous decision that he has to make,” Jackson said. “Today, I leave confident that the governor has put in place processes and that his interview process for this position is thoughtful.”
That confidence apparently evaporated overnight because Jackson was quoted yesterday as saying he was shocked by Blagojevich’s indictment and “deeply concerned” that the Senate appointment process had become tainted.
– DRJ
I guess Jesse Jr. didn’t learn to shakedown like his father does.
Comment by PCD — 12/10/2008 @ 9:53 am
is this a great country or what?
it’s like watching the roaches scurry when you hit the lights in a cheap hotel……
i can’t wait until Blago cuts a deal with the prosecutors and starts talking.
/pass the popcorn please
Comment by redc1c4 — 12/10/2008 @ 10:01 am
I wonder exactly what “at no time” means …
Appears Axelrod was right. Even the “gov” has the meeting on his web site.
Comment by Neo — 12/10/2008 @ 10:11 am
I’m sorry. This is just too funny. Jesse Jr. was a NATURAL to get the job, and this?
Oh god, I think i’m gonna wet myself, I’m laughing so damn hard…
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 12/10/2008 @ 10:32 am
Will he be cutting Obama’s nuts off?
Comment by Da'Shiznit — 12/10/2008 @ 10:34 am
Through a spokesman, Obama now has called on Blagojevich to resign.
Comment by Official Internet Data Office — 12/10/2008 @ 10:37 am
Is it illegal for a candidate to transfer his campaign funds to PACs for other candidates?
Comment by MayBee — 12/10/2008 @ 10:41 am
I guess Obama is going to personally deliver the “if you say a damn word” speech personally.
Comment by Da'Shiznit — 12/10/2008 @ 10:44 am
6, BHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! ROTFLOL!!!
If anyone thinks Blago is going to go quiet has another think coming, unless there is a Pardon for Blago and his wife, and money to live in style for the rest of their lives.
Comment by PCD — 12/10/2008 @ 10:44 am
Maybee,
I thought you could send it back to the Party and the Party could then re-distribute.
I also thought their can be no quid pro quo involved in it.
“I give this to Howard Dean and then Howard gives it to you and then you blow me.”
That would be illegal.
Comment by Da'Shiznit — 12/10/2008 @ 10:46 am
So we now know that we have two unbelievably stupid politicos in IL – both knew full well of the Fed’s ongoing investigations, yet still acted as if business was being conducted as usual. Idiots.
Comment by Dmac — 12/10/2008 @ 11:01 am
Both believed they were above the law, because no one had ever reigned them in. PLUS one of their own, someone from the very same political machine, is about to be president.
Comment by Rob Crawford — 12/10/2008 @ 11:05 am
Jesse Jr. characterized the process as “thoughtful” since it was precisely what he witnessed his dad doing for years.
I am loving the irony that the seeming fact of integrity on BHO’s behalf in refusing Blago’s entreaties is now coming back to bite him as they deny all knowledge. How can they claim credit for actually doing the right thing if nothing happened? Beautiful.
Comment by Ed — 12/10/2008 @ 11:15 am
Rob, you make a valid point, but these guys were in severe denial to think they wouldn’t be nabbed eventually after doing crap like this – when an esteemed member of The Combine (ex Gov. Ryan) gets put into the slammer, then anyone with a semblance of rationality would realize that all bets are off at this point. Like Daley’s old man said many years ago to his cronies – “do anything you like, but don’t get caught.” Which is exactly why his son will get off Scott – free in all of this, as more of his associates go to the big house in Joliet. A few years ago a Chicago Alderman said that Blago was a sociopath, and I’ll bet anyone that his defense atty. will be using a strategy like that during his trial – truly insane behavior, even for this place.
Comment by Dmac — 12/10/2008 @ 11:15 am
PLUS one of their own, someone from the very same political machine, is about to be president.
OK, but we already know that Obama will throw anyone under the bus as soon as they become expendable or inconvenient – that principle has been well established by now. “This is not the Governor that I thought I knew,” blah, blah, blah.
Comment by Dmac — 12/10/2008 @ 11:18 am
Four more years of this. At least the Russians will recognize the process. This is how they govern.
Comment by Mike K — 12/10/2008 @ 11:41 am
Jesse Junior grew up stupid.
Rather than pay Blagojevich $1 million for the Senate seat, Jesse Senior would have demanded to be paid $1 million in addition to being given the Senate seat.
Comment by Perfect Sense — 12/10/2008 @ 12:13 pm
Or else he would lead a nation-wide boycott on all things Illinois.
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 12/10/2008 @ 12:17 pm
Jackson’s attorney just said that Jesse Jackson Jr. is “entitled” to the U.S. Senate seat.
Comment by Wesson — 12/10/2008 @ 1:13 pm
“Jackson’s attorney just said that Jesse Jackson Jr. is “entitled” to the U.S. Senate seat.”
Wesson – Of course he is!!! It’s a beautiful country. If Jesse Jr. is entitled to the seat there is absolutely no reason for him to pay for it, in fact, Illinois should be paying him.
ATTICA, ATTICA, ATTICA, ATTICA
Comment by daleyrocks — 12/10/2008 @ 1:23 pm
“Jesse Junior grew up stupid.”
The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Comment by daleyrocks — 12/10/2008 @ 1:25 pm
“Jackson’s attorney just said that Jesse Jackson Jr. is “entitled” to the U.S. Senate seat.”
Wesson – Of course he is!!! It’s a beautiful country. If Jesse Jr. is entitled to the seat there is absolutely no reason for him to pay for it, in fact, Illinois should be paying him.
Of course he is entitled to get what he paid cash for aint he?
Comment by TC — 12/10/2008 @ 2:16 pm
I know what Jesse Sr.’s reaction was when he found out Junior was exposed:
“AW, NUTS!“
Comment by L.N. Smithee — 12/10/2008 @ 2:42 pm
Jackson pere is now retaining counsel! Coudl he have been the “emissary”?
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
What with the newspapers imploding, I think we are a classic deflationary spiral, but this time for a worn out philosophy, liberalism.
Comment by Patricia — 12/10/2008 @ 3:56 pm
IT TAKES TWO TO DO THE CORRUPTION TANGO.
Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich tried to S E L L an US senate seat. . .Jesse Jackson, Jr. tried to B U Y it for a million. One party is just as bad as the other. A corrupt transaction cannot happen without a seller and a buyer. The buyer is just as guilty as the seller. Both parties need to resign, or be kicked out of office.
Greed and payoffs can no longer be allowed or tolerated in politics. Eight years of George W. Bush taught us that lesson.
Comment by Buddy 'Friendly' Wachenheimer — 12/10/2008 @ 4:59 pm
Greed and payoffs can no longer be allowed or tolerated in politics.
Eight years of George W. Bush taught us that lesson.
Can you provide a link between those two sentances?
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 5:09 pm
You know he can’t.
Comment by Rob Crawford — 12/10/2008 @ 6:46 pm
Wachenheimer must be german for “Baseless Slander”
Comment by SPQR — 12/10/2008 @ 6:47 pm
Comment by Rob Crawford — 12/10/2008 @ 6:46 pm
I thought I should at least ask, even though it did appear fruitless at the time.
It is his responsibility to respond.
Without the challenge, the accusation would just lie there as unchallenged assertion, which then turns into fact (at least in some mindless spheres).
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 7:08 pm
AD – You have come around to my way of thinking. Idiocy must be confronted when it rears its ugly head. Especially like tmj, and Wachersteiner.
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:17 pm
Yes, I had my Road to Damascus moment last night.
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 7:21 pm
How many times has the media mentioned that Blago is a Dem? How many times did Olberdouche call Blago comically corrupt prior to Baracky getting drug into this?
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:27 pm
I think the media are pretending this doesn’t exist until they have time to scrub their caches. After all it’s their job to help the new president!
Comment by Patricia — 12/10/2008 @ 7:36 pm
What happened last night, AD?
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:37 pm
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:27 pm
Brit Hume did a roundup of who did, or did not, mention Hot-Rod’s party affiliation in the coverage yesterday, and this morning. I think it was in his “Grapevine” segment if you catch the replay.
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 7:37 pm
In Germany, when a man over 50 goes in to have a colonoscopy under the national health plan, the doctor puts the examination instrument into the patient’s Wachenheimer.
Comment by Official Internet Data Office — 12/10/2008 @ 7:38 pm
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:37 pm
Had a colloquy with liesntyranny on the “Corruption” thread.
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 7:40 pm
AD – Let me guess. Baracky is the pinnacle of honesty. Blago is an outlier. Republicans are corrupt.
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 7:47 pm
Worse, the GOP is Racist Scum!
Comment by Another Drew — 12/10/2008 @ 7:58 pm
Calling us racist is so last year.
Comment by JD — 12/10/2008 @ 8:10 pm
When Jesse Junior is frog marched…
…is it polite to laugh out loud?
…is it polite to point and snort?
Comment by Perfect Sense — 12/10/2008 @ 8:31 pm
The dogs keep barking but the band moves on.
Comment by Buddy 'Friendly' Wachenheimer — 12/11/2008 @ 6:33 am
Jesse yesterday – “I haven’t met with Blago in 4 years”
Jesse at the Illinois DNC breakfast this summer – “Let’s hug each other for party unity and have the feel-good photos run on the front cover of the Sun Times.”
Gotta go make popcorn.
Comment by carlitos — 12/12/2008 @ 6:27 am