Obama's Blago Ties

I'm not going to blame Barack Obama for the corruption in the Illinois Governor's office. But it certainly continues the disturbing pattern of the President-Elect showing extremely poor judgment when choosing his friends, associations, place of worship, and endorsements.

First, most of America yawned when it learned that Barack Obama began his political career in the living room of a terrorist. I expect a similar response to the the fact that Barack Obama gained his first experience in a statewide political campaign working on behalf of the Blagojevich. How ironic that the student would become the President, while Blago would become the auctioneer of Barack Obama's Senate seat. 

This New Yorker piece probably deserves a fresh new look. Making It   

That year, he gained his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign when he advised the victorious gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich, another politician with a funny name and a message of reform. Rahm Emanuel, a congressman from Chicago and a friend of Obama’s, told me that he, Obama, David Wilhelm, who was Blagojevich’s campaign co-chair, and another Blagojevich aide were the top strategists of Blagojevich’s victory. He and Obama “participated in a small group that met weekly when Rod was running for governor,” Emanuel said. “We basically laid out the general election, Barack and I and these two.” A spokesman for Blagojevich confirmed Emanuel’s account, although David Wilhelm, who now works for Obama, said that Emanuel had overstated Obama’s role. “There was an advisory council that was inclusive of Rahm and Barack but not limited to them,” Wilhelm said, and he disputed the notion that Obama was “an architect or one of the principal strategists.”

David Axelrod, the preëminent strategist in the state, declined to work for Blagojevich. “He had been my client and I had a very good relationship with him, but I didn’t sign on to the governor’s race,” Axelrod said. “Obviously he won, but I had concerns about it. . . . I was concerned about whether he was ready for that. Not so much for the race but for governing. I was concerned about some of the folks—I was concerned about how the race was being approached.” Axelrod’s unease was warranted. Blagojevich and people close to him have been tied to a seemingly endless series of scandals. The trial of Tony Rezko revealed that Rezko used his influence in the Blagojevich administration to profit from companies seeking business with the state. There is speculation that Blagojevich will be the next governor to be indicted, and the Democratic Speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan, has raised the issue of impeachment.

Part of Obama’s political success is that he has been able to exploit relationships with important yet ethically dubious figures in Illinois while still maintaining his independence.

How are we supposed to ever accept without extreme skepticism anyone who Obama endorses for anything? 

I've said this many times. Politics in general is a dirty business. But nowhere is it dirtier than in Illinois. I don't believe it to be even remotely possible for anyone to make it through the party ranks in Chicago and be even partially clean. But the people disagreed, and elected him. At a minimum, events have once again proven that Barack Obama has at best shown horrendous judgment. 

Hell, even a slimeball like David Axelrod could tell the guy was bad news. The fact that Obama couldn't tell the same or chose not to care is a pretty damning indictment of either Obama's poor judgment or obscene lust for power at all costs.

Related Post : Why Obama's Lust for Power is a Danger to America