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Rod Blagojevich: in ur senate, sellin ur seats

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Posts

  • TincheTinche No dog food for Victor tonight. Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Blagojevich's a Serb, what did you expect.
    Joke. Guess you have to be from the Balkans to fully appreciate it though.
    Croats suck too.
    Kucinich?

    Tinche on
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  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Tinche wrote: »
    Kucinich?]
    He's an Elf-American.

    AngelHedgie on
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  • GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Well, if we must have corruption in this country, I like it as high-profile as possible. That way everyone knows who it is and, these days, that tends to make people a bit radioactive.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
  • Ghandi 2Ghandi 2 Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Tinche wrote: »
    Blagojevich's a Serb, what did you expect.
    Joke. Guess you have to be from the Balkans to fully appreciate it though.
    Croats suck too.
    Kucinich?
    Haha, I took a class in the Balkans, and you are absolutely right.

    I love this man, by the way. Every new detail about him is more and more amusing.

    Ghandi 2 on
  • EmanonEmanon __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.

    Emanon on
    Treats Animals Right!
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    So you're saying that the vocally psychotic Alan Keyes isn't a good example of how horrible Illinois politics are because he's just the willing carpet-bagger the Illinois GOP brought in after their first candidate turned out to be a sicko?

    Like... that's better? :(

    Well, it's not worse exactly.

    I grew up in the Chicago burbs, and after moving out East I miss good old Illinois politics. These days New England can't do the same kind of sheer balls-to-the-wall corruption as back home. I mean, sure, Buddy Cianci in Providence, but it's not the same.

    GoodOmens on
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  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    I blame the water from Lake Michigan. It's amazing they all don't look like Mohinder Suresh.

    GoodOmens on
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  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    Chicago is not the most corrupt American city, it's the most theatrically corrupt.

    I think if I met a younger Studs Terkel I would immediately give him a sloppy, enthusiastic blowjob on principle.

    Casual Eddy on
  • AstraphobiaAstraphobia Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Root! Sleep! Death!Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.

    I mean.. when the guy says they won't give me anything but appreciation, Fuck them. And calls Obama a motherfucker..

    It just seems to me that there wasn't much collusion there.

    Astraphobia on
  • wasted pixelswasted pixels Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.

    Nobody is going to like my answer. But.
    He's kind of a carpet-bagger.

    Don't get me wrong, I met the guy a couple of times when he was campaigning for his senate seat, and he always struck me as a good guy. But looking back at his career, every single move he made -- starting with moving to Chicago to become a community activist in a bad part of town -- was made with political advancement in mind. He probably didn't get entangled in Illinois politics because he knew he was just using us as a springboard for bigger and better. And good on him. I guess.

    Edit: You also have to bear in mind that he played hardball even by Chicago standards, he was just a rule-lawyer dick instead of a scumbag. He'd head off the opposition by getting their names removed from the ballots. Perfectly fair and legal, but man, that's some pretty calculating shit right there.

    wasted pixels on
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.
    I don't expect to see Obama tied up in any of this. He's always been kind of... detached when it came to state-level politics. I'm sure he's got some former staffers or people who worked on his campaign that are going to be in some hot water about this, but that's kind of unavoidable; politics is a very small world when you get to that level and everyone has been at least peripherally involved in his campaign at some point if they're a Democratic politician anywhere in the country.

    Really, it comes down to the fact that Blagojevich was obviously a corrupt douchebag to anyone who spent more than two minutes in earshot of him and Obama is shrewd enough to distance himself from those types of people. You don't make it to being President elect as a black man from Chicago if you've allowed yourself to get caught up in anything remotely like this stuff from Blago. The O-man is smart enough to have known that from the start.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

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  • galenbladegalenblade Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Wow. There's actually an old Daily Show clip with the dude. And he sounds like a dub.

    http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=115852&title=pill-of-rights

    galenblade on
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  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.

    Nobody is going to like my answer. But.
    He's kind of a carpet-bagger.

    Don't get me wrong, I met the guy a couple of times when he was campaigning for his senate seat, and he always struck me as a good guy. But looking back at his career, every single move he made -- starting with moving to Chicago to become a community activist in a bad part of town -- was made with political advancement in mind. He probably didn't get entangled in Illinois politics because he knew he was just using us as a springboard for bigger and better. And good on him. I guess.

    Edit: You also have to bear in mind that he played hardball even by Chicago standards, he was just a rule-lawyer dick instead of a scumbag. He'd head off the opposition by getting their names removed from the ballots. Perfectly fair and legal, but man, that's some pretty calculating shit right there.

    Plus he went Federal, and most of our Senators have been pretty cool. Sure, Braun was corrupt as well, but look at Durbin, Simon, the other Fitzgerald. Our Senators have generally been pretty awesome. State, city, and county are the levels where everything sucks.

    moniker on
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Ranking Senate Dems to Blago: Please Go DIAF.

    Also, there's a lot of speculation that it was Obama (or his staff) that dropped the dime on Blago. Artist's rendition:
    dimedrop1.jpg

    AngelHedgie on
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  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Ranking Senate Dems to Blago: Please Go DIAF.

    Also, there's a lot of speculation that it was Obama (or his staff) that dropped the dime on Blago. Artist's rendition:
    dimedrop1.jpg
    Yeah, the stuff that I'm hearing points to Emmanuel turning Blagojevich in. That wouldn't surprise me at all.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    So how is Obama immune or is there something we don't know about... yet. Obama's dealings with Rezko is old news but there is a real scratch my back or I'll kill you mentality in Chicago politics. You have to be naive to think that Obama and his crew are squeaky clean after all this.

    Nobody is going to like my answer. But.
    He's kind of a carpet-bagger.

    Don't get me wrong, I met the guy a couple of times when he was campaigning for his senate seat, and he always struck me as a good guy. But looking back at his career, every single move he made -- starting with moving to Chicago to become a community activist in a bad part of town -- was made with political advancement in mind. He probably didn't get entangled in Illinois politics because he knew he was just using us as a springboard for bigger and better. And good on him. I guess.

    Edit: You also have to bear in mind that he played hardball even by Chicago standards, he was just a rule-lawyer dick instead of a scumbag. He'd head off the opposition by getting their names removed from the ballots. Perfectly fair and legal, but man, that's some pretty calculating shit right there.


    If only more people out for self-advancement did it by being community organizers in bad parts of town.

    Scooter on
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    AngelHedgie on
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  • EmanonEmanon __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2008

    How so?

    Was Bush caught selling Senate seats?!? AGAIN?!?

    Emanon on
    Treats Animals Right!
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    WTF Illinois? Where do you find these guys?

    It isn't just our governors, either. You can't get into Illinois politics if you aren't either batshit crazy or a scumbag. :(

    Hey, hey, hey. Alan Keyes is not one of our guys. The IL GOP brought him in because nobody else wanted to get a public whipping. And Jack Ryan? Come on, who wouldn't want to get kinky with [Jeri Ryan]

    Jack Ryan ruined Jack Ryan's good name.

    Also, the IL Lt. Governor hasn't spoken to Blago in over a year. That seems absurd; I mean, imagine if Bush and Cheney didn't talk to one another... Actually, that's a bad example.

    Tomanta on
  • iTunesIsEviliTunesIsEvil Cornfield? Cornfield.Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »

    How so?

    Was Bush caught selling Senate seats?!? AGAIN?!?
    How alike must 2 buy/sell situations be before we compare them?

    I'm still upset about no-bid contracts going to Halliburton, a company that I believe Cheney was still earning income from running when they "won" said contracts.

    iTunesIsEvil on
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    nexuscrawler on
  • iTunesIsEviliTunesIsEvil Cornfield? Cornfield.Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?
    The last italicized line of widoson's OP mentioned that. He was going to withhold like 8mil because someone on the board of the hospital refused to donate to Rod's campaign.

    iTunesIsEvil on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    Children's Memorial Hospital. It's a research hospital and pretty much the place in the midwest for pediatrics more complicated than a fever.

    moniker on
  • iTunesIsEviliTunesIsEvil Cornfield? Cornfield.Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    Children's Memorial Hospital. It's a research hospital and pretty much the place in the midwest for pediatrics more complicated than a fever.
    Hey, hey. The Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis is pretty well respected.

    iTunesIsEvil on
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    moniker wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    Children's Memorial Hospital. It's a research hospital and pretty much the place in the midwest for pediatrics more complicated than a fever.

    At this point, calling Blago scum is an insult to good, respectible, God-fearing scum the world over.

    AngelHedgie on
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  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    KalTorak on
  • tallgeezetallgeeze Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    That's right.


    I love this story because the goofball can't even do this right. The dude is caught on tape ordering one of his goons to intimidate the Tribune I think. He tells the guys not to outright say what they want because people may be listening.

    "Assume anyone can hear anything you say" or something like that. The dumbass doesn't even take his own advice. Do politicians believe the can't be wiretapped?

    tallgeeze on
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    That's right.


    I love this story because the goofball can't even do this right. The dude is caught on tape ordering one of his goons to intimidate the Tribune I think. He tells the guys not to outright say what they want because people may be listening.

    "Assume anyone can hear anything you say" or something like that. The dumbass doesn't even take his own advice. Do politicians believe the can't be wiretapped?

    Well, what's even worse with the Trib story is that the fact that they didn't report at all on it is an indication that Zell was thinking Blago's offer over.

    AngelHedgie on
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  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    This image sums Blago up completely:
    Blagojevich.jpg

    AngelHedgie on
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  • Mithrandir86Mithrandir86 Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    That's right.


    I love this story because the goofball can't even do this right. The dude is caught on tape ordering one of his goons to intimidate the Tribune I think. He tells the guys not to outright say what they want because people may be listening.

    "Assume anyone can hear anything you say" or something like that. The dumbass doesn't even take his own advice. Do politicians believe the can't be wiretapped?

    Well, what's even worse with the Trib story is that the fact that they didn't report at all on it is an indication that Zell was thinking Blago's offer over.

    There's a whole slew of other reasons as to why they wouldn't report something like that.

    Mithrandir86 on
  • GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    That's right.


    I love this story because the goofball can't even do this right. The dude is caught on tape ordering one of his goons to intimidate the Tribune I think. He tells the guys not to outright say what they want because people may be listening.

    "Assume anyone can hear anything you say" or something like that. The dumbass doesn't even take his own advice. Do politicians believe the can't be wiretapped?
    GOSLING'S BIG BOOK O' POLITICAL ADVICE, TIP #517:
    Eventually, everything you say in the presence of a recording device, electronic or otherwise, will find its way into public domain. Perhaps sooner than you'd like.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
  • HozHoz Cool Cat Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Well, what's even worse with the Trib story is that the fact that they didn't report at all on it is an indication that Zell was thinking Blago's offer over.
    The pressure was applied on Zell himself, so there's no reason for the Trib to even know about it unless Zell gave in. And Blago wanted a specific editor fired. But with the last wave of firings at the Tribune, this guy somehow managed to stay on. The possibilities are that Zell either didn't get the message or just didn't give in, he might have even went to the FBI (which I think is likely because he was reticent to comment on the case when he appeared on CNBC).

    Hoz on
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I love how ppl are getting worked up about Obama not saying anything.


    i mean it's an open Federal investigation is it really appropriate to stick ones nose in there?

    nexuscrawler on
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I love how ppl are getting worked up about Obama not saying anything.


    i mean it's an open Federal investigation is it really appropriate to stick ones nose in there?

    I'm loving Hannity. "Well, there is no evidence that Obama did anything wrong. Actually, the evidence points to him having absolutely no involvement in this. But he came up in Chicago politics, he's clearly dirty!"

    Tomanta on
  • tallgeezetallgeeze Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    tallgeeze wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I heard something about him trying to blackmail a childrens hospital.

    Is this actually true?

    If I'm remembering correctly, one of the allegations is that he threatened to withhold $8m in state funds from the children's hospital if the CEO of that hospital didn't give him $50,000.

    I may have the figures wrong, but I think that's the gist of it.

    That's right.


    I love this story because the goofball can't even do this right. The dude is caught on tape ordering one of his goons to intimidate the Tribune I think. He tells the guys not to outright say what they want because people may be listening.

    "Assume anyone can hear anything you say" or something like that. The dumbass doesn't even take his own advice. Do politicians believe the can't be wiretapped?

    Well, what's even worse with the Trib story is that the fact that they didn't report at all on it is an indication that Zell was thinking Blago's offer over.

    There's a whole slew of other reasons as to why they wouldn't report something like that.

    Yea, at that point the point the Feds have the deed to Blag's balls. They probably told the tribune to keep quiet and let him hang himself some more.

    tallgeeze on
  • HozHoz Cool Cat Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    All this goes way back.

    2008blago1.jpg

    Hoz on
  • gtrmpgtrmp Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Emanon wrote: »

    How so?

    Was Bush caught selling Senate seats?!? AGAIN?!?
    How alike must 2 buy/sell situations be before we compare them?

    I'm still upset about no-bid contracts going to Halliburton, a company that I believe Cheney was still earning income from running when they "won" said contracts.

    I suppose there might be a difference between trying to sell political favors to the highest bidder and selling political favors to someone who didn't bid at all.

    gtrmp on
  • lonelyahavalonelyahava Call me Ahava ~~She/Her~~ Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Hoz wrote: »
    All this goes way back.

    2008blago1.jpg

    That is so win.

    So majorly win.

    lonelyahava on
  • DukiDuki Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Some quality, ethnically-balkan corruption.

    More countries need to experience this joy of joys.

    Duki on
  • Salvation122Salvation122 Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I'm still upset about no-bid contracts going to Halliburton, a company that I believe Cheney was still earning income from running when they "won" said contracts.

    Federal officials have all their assets placed in a blind trust when they are elected, to prevent conflicts of interest such as this. While it's possible (nee likely) that Cheney profited off of the Haliburton contracts there was really no way for him to know that one way or the other.

    Salvation122 on
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