The Gadfly Asks 'What If You're Wrong?'
The rush by some to put President-elect Obama and his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel in the middle of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's "pay for play" scheme to name Obama's U. S. Senate replacement raises a question: What if you're wrong?
Thus far, with no evidence of their involvement in the scheme, numerous news sites and bloggers have rushed to judgment, inferring, asserting, claiming that they must have been involved.
Let me suggest an alternative scenario for their "involvement" in Blagojevich's seedy actions: As would be the norm, Obama and/or his top advisers would be consulted in the selection of Obama's replacement in the Senate. Emanuel is the "go-to" guy. Emanuel soon discovers that Blagojevich wants to trade the appointment for a top Obama Administration job and he also discovers that Blagojevich is trying to extort money from other potential appointees and their supporters for the appointment. Emanuel tells Obama of what he's discovered and is told to tell the governor the only thing he gets from Obama is appreciation. In other words: We're not playing your game and stay the hell away from us. Obama then names his pick for the Senate seat to his staff, thus sending a clear message to Blagojevich that he isn't playing that game. In other words, the only involvement of Obama and Emanuel in this sorry mess is to say "No."
This scenario, based on the transcript of recorded conversations released thus far by U. S. Attorney David Fitzgerald, seems much more plausible than any other. The transcripts clearly indicate that, whatever the circumstances, Obama's representative (Emanuel or someone else) refused to meet Blagojevich's demands; that's the logical explanation for the governor's obscene rant against Obama as quoted in the transcript.Obama and his administration will provide plenty of fodder for his critics in the months to come. (And Obama's and Emanuel's reluctance to discuss the case thus far can be criticized as a fact.) Creating an Obama crisis out of this controversy, when there's no evidence, is as bad as Democrats attacking Republicans on the scantiest of innuendo, is as bad as some Democrats and bloggers insinuating hanky-panky by some Oklahoma Republicans with no evidence at all. The Blagojevich investigation, it is to be hoped, will answer all the questions about Obama and Emanuel that are now floating in the ether. The more circumspect among us will await further developments before turning to the tar and feathers. - Mike McCarville
Thus far, with no evidence of their involvement in the scheme, numerous news sites and bloggers have rushed to judgment, inferring, asserting, claiming that they must have been involved.
Let me suggest an alternative scenario for their "involvement" in Blagojevich's seedy actions: As would be the norm, Obama and/or his top advisers would be consulted in the selection of Obama's replacement in the Senate. Emanuel is the "go-to" guy. Emanuel soon discovers that Blagojevich wants to trade the appointment for a top Obama Administration job and he also discovers that Blagojevich is trying to extort money from other potential appointees and their supporters for the appointment. Emanuel tells Obama of what he's discovered and is told to tell the governor the only thing he gets from Obama is appreciation. In other words: We're not playing your game and stay the hell away from us. Obama then names his pick for the Senate seat to his staff, thus sending a clear message to Blagojevich that he isn't playing that game. In other words, the only involvement of Obama and Emanuel in this sorry mess is to say "No."
This scenario, based on the transcript of recorded conversations released thus far by U. S. Attorney David Fitzgerald, seems much more plausible than any other. The transcripts clearly indicate that, whatever the circumstances, Obama's representative (Emanuel or someone else) refused to meet Blagojevich's demands; that's the logical explanation for the governor's obscene rant against Obama as quoted in the transcript.Obama and his administration will provide plenty of fodder for his critics in the months to come. (And Obama's and Emanuel's reluctance to discuss the case thus far can be criticized as a fact.) Creating an Obama crisis out of this controversy, when there's no evidence, is as bad as Democrats attacking Republicans on the scantiest of innuendo, is as bad as some Democrats and bloggers insinuating hanky-panky by some Oklahoma Republicans with no evidence at all. The Blagojevich investigation, it is to be hoped, will answer all the questions about Obama and Emanuel that are now floating in the ether. The more circumspect among us will await further developments before turning to the tar and feathers. - Mike McCarville
Labels: Gadfly's Columns
posted by Mike McCarville @ 5:01 PM
<< Home