Obama Omissions
Helloooo American Media!!! Are you out there?
The London Times had this story about the trial of Tony Rezko and the old style Chicago politics that initiated the political career of one Barack Obama via a $10,000 kickback donation and multiple fundraisers.
Buried on page 59 of the indictment is a reference to one of many alleged kickbacks on a state contract that appears to have ended up as a $10,000 donation to an unnamed “political candidate”.
The kickback was allegedly arranged by Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a Syrian immigrant who became a powerful political fixer in Chicago. The “political candidate” who benefited from the $10,000 has been identified as Barack Obama, the Democratic contender calling for “change we can believe in” in the presidential race, who is said to be a longtime friend of Mr Rezko.
Is the story happening in the UK? Nope, but it’s being reported there. Question for our media here in the States, why is a ten- year old possible liaison with a lobbyist with no wrong-doing front page news in the NYT, but a criminal case with corruption allegations hardly worth a mention?
At least some reporters are asking the questions in Texas:
The Illinois Democrat did not offer any new specifics, despite being asked some specific questions, such as how many fundraisers Rezko held for him.
In trying to make his case for openness, Obama pointed to a previous press conference in suburban Waukegan in 2006 as his best effort to answer Rezko-related questions.
“I literally stood there and took as many questions on this issue as people could think of,” he said. “I took every question. I was there until everybody had satisfied their questions…You may still have questions, which I’m happy to answer. But I don’t think it’s fair to suggest that we’ve been trying to hide the ball on this.”
Obama said there have been “several hundred” news stories written on the issue and that there is not much more to say.
“The fact pattern remains unchallenged,” he said. “Tony Rezko was a friend and supporter of mine for many years…He supported not just me, but many Democrats and Republicans.”
Obama said the charges being faced by Rezko are “completely unrelated to me and I don’t think anyone disputes that.”
Then, Obama provided a brief synopsis of his 2005 real estate transaction with Rezko.
“That was a mistake because at that point there was already a cloud over Tony Rezko,” he said. “I’ve been very open about what I have called a bone-headed move. On the other hand, there have been no allegations that I did anything wrong. There have been no allegations that I in any way betrayed the public trust. There have been no allegations that I did him favors…That is the extent of the story.”
Obama blamed the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton for pushing the story, something it has done in repeated news releases.
Obama refused to say how many fundraisers Rezko held for him or who attended.
“These requests, I think, can just go on forever,” he said. “What we’ve just tried to do is respond to what’s pertinent.”
“If there are additional questions, we’ll be happy to answer them,” he said.
He then recognized a local reporter who changed the subject.
As the news conference came to an end and reporters continued to shout questions about Rezko, Obama said it was time to move on. “We’re running late,” he said.
Obama is happy to answer questions about Rezko? Apparently not. But it’s fun watching him try to blame Hillary for it.
Posted by Kathy
March 4th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Obama in ‘08……Just Because
March 4th, 2008 at 11:57 am
So if Obambi does defeat the Hildebeast today - just who is he going to blame if he’s asked about the story then? Is he going to be the next “vast right-wing conspiracy” candidate?
I grew up in Illinois. It was almost expected that the Secretary of State would die and people would find shoe boxes full of cash under the bed (happened at least twice that I know about). Chicago politicians were all covered by the Daley stench - but if he got the streets plowed then everything was fine.
Just what did people expect from a political naif who has been shoved upwards so fast he ought to have double nose-bleeds?
Here’s another interesting question - just why did Michelle Obama get a salary increase from 150,000 to 315,000 from 2004 to 2005? While she’s working as a glorified social worker and glad handler for a hospital?
I’d love to see him waffle on that question too. She has obviously learned from Hillary and would simply bring out the castration shears to anyone who would dare to ask something like that.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I’d love to see him waffle on that question too. She has obviously learned from Hillary and would simply bring out the castration shears to anyone who would dare to ask something like that~~coloradoright
No one in the MSM has anything left to shear.