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"Ongoing Investigation"
The Atlantic Politics Channel —
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, President-elect Barack Obama draws a line and says he won't answer any more questions about Gov. Rod Blagojevich; in particular -- who on his staff had conversations with Blagojevich: "Ongoing .... investigation." ...
Blago and the staff
Ben Smith's Blog —
... In Obama's first newspaper interview since the election, he declines to discuss what seems like the most interesting outstanding question in the Blagojevich investigation: The degree to which his top aides were aware of Blago's attempted horse-tradeing, or of the investigation itself. ...
Obama Dishes on Blago, the Oath of Office, and Other News
Political Punch —
... Obama Dishes on Blago, the Oath of Office, and Other News December 10, 2008 9:20 AM The President-elect sat for an interview with esteemed reporters from the beleaguered Tribune Company yesterday -- Peter Nicholas and Christi Parsons of the LA Times and John McCormick of the Chicago Tribune. First and foremost, PEBO says, "I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time. My strong belief is that it needed to be filled by somebody who is going to represent the people of Illinois and fight for them. And beyond that, I was focused on the transition." As for ...
Progressive Breakfast: $900 Billion for Main Street
LiberalOasis : The Blog —
... reform, Obama showed he could not escape the murky world of corrupt Chicago pols." Attytood: "this Times story is Day One of what is going to be a brand new silly season in American politics, just when you thought it was safe."
Obama speaks on Employee Free Choice Act
There has been much speculation on whether Obama will follow through on his support for easier union organizing and the Employee Free Choice Act. The LA Times asked Obama about EFCA yesterday.
In short: still supporting EFCA, won't ...
Obama Interview Transcript
Real Clear Politics - TIME.com —
Three Tribune Co. reporters (from the L.A. Times and Chicago Tribune) sat down with President-elect Obama yesterday in his first post-election newspaper interview . Obama talked Blagojevich, as well as finding a new church in Washington and keeping a campaign promise to give a speech in an Islamic capital. Here is a sampling: Q: Have you ever spoken to [Illinois] Gov. [Rod R.] Blagojevich (photo left) about the Senate seat? O: I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time. My strong belief is that it needed to be filled by somebody who is going to ...
Who On Obama’s Staff Talked to Hot Rod Blagojevich About The Senate Seat?
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog —
... Ok, now Obama’s staff is saying that David Axelrod misspoke about Obama talking to the Governor Blagojevich but what about Obama’s staff?
Obama leaves this question open with an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Q: Have you ever spoken to [Illinois] Gov. [Rod R.] Blagojevich about the Senate seat?
O: I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time. My strong belief is that it needed to be filled by somebody who is going to represent the people of Illinois and fight for them. And beyond that, I was ...
Did Team Obama Talk With Blagojevich? Obama Won't Say
The Corner on National Review Online —
... ] It hasn't gotten a huge amount of coverage, but Obama did an interview with the Los Angeles Times yesterday. He said he had never talked about the Senate seat with Rod Blagojevich. But when he was asked whether his staff had, he clammed up. From the interview: Q: Have you ever spoken to [Illinois] Gov. [Rod R.] Blagojevich about the Senate seat? Obama: I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time. My strong belief is that it needed to be filled by somebody who is going to represent the people of Illinois and fight for them. And beyond that, I was ...
The "Ongoing Investigation" Thing
Swampland —
... Give me Google, Nexis and a couple more hours and I could come up with dozens more examples. So the question is: Why is Barack Obama declining to comment because of an "ongoing investigation"? At his press conference yesterday, Patrick Fitzgerald said that everyone who knows anything should come forward. He gave no hints of a need for secrecy. "There's a lot to be said for exposing this to the sunlight," said Fitzgerald. ...
'Hussein' at the Inauguration
Politics Daily —
... Attention conspiracy theorists! Fire up the caps lock! President-elect Barack Obama has given his first newspaper interview as president-elect. In it he's asked what name he'll use at his swearing in. ...
Obama again denies discussing Senate successor with Blagojevich.
Think Progress —
... suggesting that Obama had recently met or spoken with Blagojevich regarding his successor. Yet in a joint interview with the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune today, Obama again denied any contact with Blagojevich regarding his seat: ...
Obama vs. “The Bubble”
The Moderate Voice —
... Asked by Chicago reporters about his face painted on sides of buildings and lamp posts, Barack Obama complained that “because I’m in this bubble, I don’t get to see all this stuff…I don’t get a chance to wander around neighborhoods,” saying that he missed encounters like the one on Thanksgiving handing out food at a local church. ...
Meanwhile... Around the World
Taylor Marsh —
... Obama will be sworn is an president using his full name. He also intends to reach out to the Muslim community around the world. Hallelujah. ...
Making a statement early on
Brilliant at Breakfast —
... But you have to admit, it is not only very smart in terms of signaling a change in our policy towards the Muslim world that is NOT in sympathy with Al Qaeda that Obama is going to use all three names when he takes the oath of office: ...
Did Conservatives Block The Auto Rescue Because Of The Employee Free Choice Act?
Wonk Room —
... Yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama said that he wants to “strengthen the union movement in this country and put an end to the kinds of barriers and roadblocks that are in the way of workers legitimately coming together in order to form a union and bargain collectively.” It would appear that conservatives are already gearing up for the fight, even if that means sacrificing America’s auto industry and all the jobs that go along with it. ...
Obama meets with USA Today
Michael Calderone's Blog —
Yesterday, I mentioned how Obama hasn't sat down with the NY Times since election day, while only doing one newspaper interview in the transition period.
Well, now there's two. Obama has just taken part in a "wide-ranging" interview with USA Today, his first newspaper sit-down in over a month.
