Remember, Barack Obama was the candidate that was not supposed to be there.....
Wow, memory lane....
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Saturday, January 3, 2009
Iowa Caucus: One Year Ago..... (Video)
Michelle Obama and the Girls are in D.C.
Seems right to get to D.C. on a Saturday and prepare the girls for their new school on Monday.
Future first lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters slipped into Washington last night, flying in from Chicago a day earlier than expected and checking into their new, temporary home at the posh Hay-Adams Hotel.
The departure allowed the family a little extra time to get situated before Malia and Sasha Obama begin classes tomorrow at their new school, Sidwell Friends.
President-elect Barack Obama is scheduled to move today to the nation's capital from his home town of Chicago.
It was the start of classes after winter break at Sidwell that drove the Obamas' plans to arrive in D.C. weeks before inauguration and the family's official move into the White House. The family had requested to stay at Blair House, a guest house on Lafayette Park where presidents-elect normally stay ahead of their inauguration. But the White House declined, saying the building was already booked "by White House officials, the State Department and its Office of Protocol for various events."
FYI, the Post article is dated January 4, 2008.
Glad to see the future First Lady and her girls get settled in. Sidwell Friends, treat Malia and Sasha as one of the family.
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Reid, Burris to Meet about Obama' senate seat
Well, I hope this is going towards a consensus on this Obama senate seat. Maybe, Reid is willing to meet Burris after the flurry of the last 24 hours and Reid's injection into Illinois politics.
Or maybe the Democratic Establishment is getting the message that it is getting nasty out here and someone needs to be seated to take this eye sore off the media table.
Arrangements are under way for a Wednesday meeting between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Roland Burris, the Democrat tapped by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, ABC News has learned.
Burris confidant and business partner Fred Lebed of Chicago tells ABC News that, despite the opposition of Senate leaders, Burris is on track to arrive in Washington Monday, and on Capitol Hill, Tuesday.
"He intends to be sworn in and seated in the U.S. Senate," said Lebed, who added that Burris and his "staff" are "looking forward to get sworn in, seated, and to roll up our sleeves."
When Burris arrives at the doors of the U.S. Senate next week, says Lebed, "he will have a few close friends and supporters with him. he is very careful and has cautioned me to make sure this is not a spectacle."
Again, we will see what happens. Burris is a solid seat warmer, though appointed by the embattled Governor Blagojevich. In fact, he may be the one cleanest Illinois politician that any governor has appointed.
Source
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Ann Coulter blasts Michelle Obama to sell her book
Ann Coulter, the blonde colored, stick now is blasting Michelle Obama on her style. This coming from a skinny, annoying, unfashionable, vamp who does nothing but talk about folks to sell her books. Ann Coulter is classless and not in the same league as Michelle Obama.
Right-wing flame thrower Ann Coulter blasts incoming First Lady Michelle Obama as a freakish Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis imitator in a book to be published next week.
In her latest screed, titled "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and their Assault on America," Coulter accuses the liberal left of playing the victim when in fact, she argues, they are the victimizers.
As usual, Coulter throws plenty of bombs herself.
Lashing out at the President-elect's wife, Coulter wrote, "Her obvious imitation of Jackie O's style - the flipped-under hair, the sleeveless A-line dresses, the short strands of fake pearls - would have been laughable if done by anyone other than a media-designated saint."
Coulter said Cindy McCain, the wife of vanquished GOP nominee John McCain, "dressed well without freakishly imitating famous First Ladies in history."
Coulter facetiously and snidely refers to Michelle Obama as a "saint" and "Mother Teresa" and suggests that her public service career "advanced in lockstep with the political advancement of her husband."
Anything to sell damn books.
And if you want to keep up with Michelle's style, check out Mrs. O under the blogroll to your right.
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Former Iraqi Prime Minister Bush "An Utter Failure"
This is not new to me or a surprise to me, nor should it be to you. The Iraq War was not a necessary war, but a war of Bush's choice. A war that Bush will have to live with and wonder if it diminishes his already tawdry legacy.
Former U.S.-installed Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has denounced the policies of President George W. Bush as an "utter failure" that gave rise to the sectarian venom that ravaged his country.
In an interview published on Saturday in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Allawi found fault with American management of Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 as well as the government of present Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Even with the shifty al-Maliki in power, one has to question, "How long will Iraq last?" Sure, they indicate they want us out, but what will happen to this country that we spent and wasted billions of US dollars on. I know, well I feel I should care, but I don't. We wasted too much money, time and lives in a country that had NOTHING to do with the 9/11 attacks. We had a bush league president who took us irresponsibly into war and along with it destroyed this economy. I really am not feeling ANYTHING for Iraq right now. Nada, nothing, zilch.
"Yes, Bush's policies failed utterly," said Allawi, describing the U.S. administration that once backed him. "Utter failure. Failure of U.S. domestic and foreign policy, including fighting terrorism and economic policy."
"His insistence on names like 'democracy' and 'open elections', without giving attention to political stability, was a big mistake. It cast shadows on Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Egypt, and I believe this will be remembered in history as President Bush's policy," he said.
Many people echoed the same sentiments back THEN, well look where we are now. And Saddam Hussein? He was a terror, a walking killer, in my opinion, but there are many Napoleonic dictators running around this world as bad as or worse than Saddam, and I don't see us forcing our will on them.
"Ending Saddam's regime was essential, but replacing the Saddam regime with extreme chaos was not right," he said. "I did not imagine the political process would eat itself from inside or that it would abandon the rule of law and establish political sectarianism."
Iraq, what a wonderful state we created.
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Obama's Weekly Radio Address (Video and Transcript)
Focusing on his economic stimulus package: American Recovery and Reinvestment
Transcript
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Friday, January 2, 2009
More Reid interference regarding the Obama Senate Seat
Again, call Harry Reid, "Acting Illinois Governor", if these reports are true.
Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.
Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Why was Harry Reid making calls to Blago? Why is he trying to tell Illinois politicians what to do in picking a replacement for Obama? I understand he is the senate leader, but this is too much. And funny, all the candidates he pushed against are African-American. What is up with that one? Obama is African-American and won, why not these other candidates? I am not a fan of JJJ or Emil Jones (he is too old), but still this interfering is just too much. For the record Tammy Duckworth ran for the congressional seat in IL-06 and lost, while all the others mentioned above have won seats in their districts.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero confirmed that Reid (D-Nev.) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) — the new chief of the Senate Democratic political operation — each called Blagojevich’s campaign office separately Dec. 3. Sources believe that at least portions of the phone conversations are on tape.
And they are on tape telling Blago who to appoint? Ain't it a bitch.
All of this stinks from HIGH HEAVEN. Which is why the senate never should have stepped in the Blago mud pile.
Amazing. Reid don't have the spine to go against Bush & Co, don't have the spine to denounce traitor Joe Lieberman, but has all the spine in the world to get into Illinois politics.
Source
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Roland Burris from The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, "I am the junior senator from the state of Illinois" (Audio)
Burris says that he is the Junior Senator of Illinois
“Well, the process will be this. We will travel to Washington on Monday. We will appear at the Senate chambers on Tuesday when the Senate is in open session. I will more than likely be denied entry, and then I will leave,” he said, adding that the Senate’s number two Democrat, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, is trying to arrange a meeting Wednesday morning with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
Blagojevich, Burris, and some constitutional law experts believe that Senate Democrats do not have the authority to block an appointment. While Blagojevich is facing criminal charges, he remains governor with all of the authority provided to the office. Illinois state legislators dropped the ball on an initial plan to pass emergency legislation that would have required a special election to fill the seat, and are now moving forward with impeachment proceedings.
“What [Democrats] didn’t take into consideration…is the fact that the governor is the governor. He has a constitutional and legal authority to appoint a replacement for the United States Senate when there is a vacancy,” Burris said, “And for them to summarily say that they aren’t going to seat that person does not withstand all of the precedents and the law.”
Audio
Transcript
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Now Harry Reid is the Governor of Illinois, Wants to Appoint Dan Seals
Yes, Harry Reid is the Acting Governor of Illinois. Why Harry? Because he is the one, with Dick Durbin making the moves here, no one else. Since Reid has dipped both feet in Blago's waters he is now behind the scenes to push, prop and prep Dan Seals to replace Obama in the US Senate. Dan Seals, Mr. Milquetoast, is Harry Reid's compromise choice. Seals is bi-racial, African-American and was not on Obama's list of replacements for his seat.
Sources said the choice is likely to be someone young and dynamic, like Dan Seals, who ran in a northeast Illinois House district in 2006 and 2008. It needs to be someone who would appeal to the white Republicans in downstate Illinois, to prevent the seat going to the GOP in a future election.
Is there anything wrong with Seals? No. He ran and lost twice for Mark Kirk's congressional seat in IL-10. The problem is that Unindicted Governor Rod Blagojevich already appointed a candidate to replace Obama, Roland Burris. The other problem are the legal ramifications here. No matter how anyone feels about Blago, he is the Illinois Governor, NOW and that is how the law will look at it.
For Harry Reid to get Dan Seals ready for say March or April to be named will backfire. First, they have to get Blago out of office and who knows how long that will take, next Burris have a very strong case and will fight for this appointment (he already has a motion in the IL Supreme Court), and if Burris fights this he could win.
Why in the world would Harry Reid want to jump into Illinois politics is beyond my belief!!! If Reid somehow steal the appointment from Burris and do some behind the back politicking and have Lt. Quinn (if he becomes a governor) appoint Seals, this move too, will look ILLEGITIMATE.
And guess what? The Republican candidate looks stronger by the day.
Let the drama from Illinois continue....
Source
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No Drama in Colorado Senate Appointment
No issue in Governor Bill Ritter's decision, which will be announced tomorrow. Word on the street, Micheal Bennet, Superintendent of Denver Schools.
He will take over Senator Ken Salazar's seat. Once Salazar is confirmed, he will head the Interior Department under the Obama Administration.
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Democrats calling the police on Burris if he shows up
GREAT, GREAT.....
Democrats will call the 5.0, Po-Pos, Pigs, LAW on 71-year old Roland Burris if he shows up to be sworn in Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Does anyone here think this is political suicide? And in Chicago with a huge African American base, do they think many will applaud this? Especially, since Burris is a known quantity throughout the State of Illinois and highly respected? And this coming from Harry Reid, a so-called leader who is no leader at all? One who allowed Joe Lieberman, the man who endorsed John McCain, slimed Barack Obama, back in the caucus and to retain his chairmanships? But he is now dipping his toe in ILLINOIS POLITICS? This is straight up bullshit at its highest.
Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders' plans.
They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.
Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.
The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders' plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.
Source
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Jennifer Hudson "may" sing at Inauguration
Yes, Beyonce was running around stating she wanted to sing at the Inauguration, but I always said that Jennifer Hudson had the inside track.
Why?
She is a home town girl, from Chicago.
She has had much tragedy in her life these past few months, but to see her emerge out and about again, it is all good. Please sing, Jennifer.
OSCAR winner and former "American Idol" star Jennifer Hudson hasn't been able to perform since her mother, sister and nephew were brutally murdered in October - but sources say she may be summoning up the strength for President-elect Barack Obama. "Organizers want Jennifer to sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the Inauguration on Jan. 20," our source said. "They are talking to Jennifer about it. It would be the first time she performed since the murders. She is from Chicago and a huge Obama supporter." Hudson sang the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August. Her rep didn't return calls.
Source
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Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, Not Backing Burris (Video)
Jessie White is stating he will not sign any paperwork, certification for seating Roland Burris. The thing is this, "he is not required too." The law in IL is dubious, though Burris has filed a motion to the IL Supreme Court for White to sign the necessary papers. I don't know how this will go because the IL Supreme Court already denied IL AG Lisa Madigan to remove Blago from office.
The Democrats, the IL Democrats, have only themselves to blame. Especially, when the IL Legislature (Democratic) had the opportunity to call a special election but ran chicken and left this for the governor or lt governor to make the call. Well, Blago is the only one around here who knows the law and the power of the Illinois Governorship and used it.
Reid and Company in D.C. walk lightly because Burris is gaining steam here in Illinois to be seated and for this eyesore to be taken OFF THE TABLE. Why should we listen to Reid anyway? Here is a man and the Democratic Senate who did not have the courage to boot the traitor, Joe Liberman, after sliming Obama and supporting John McCain. These folks are the LAST ONES anyone should listen too.
for real.
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Manufacturing in US lowest in 28 Years
This is nothing new to me, it has been dropping sharply with Bush in office, and now it is just a shock?
Manufacturing activity dropped more than expected in December, hitting the lowest in 28 years as new orders and employment continue to decline.
The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said Friday its manufacturing index fell to 32.4 in December from 36.2 in November. Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected the reading to fall to 35.5.
Any reading above 50 signals growth, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. The index has fallen steadily for the last five months as the economy deteriorated.
Again, this country NEEDS JOBS, since we have sent the majority of our "middle class" working family jobs to Mexico, India, China.....
Source
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Obamas heading to Washington, DC on Sunday (Video)
The Obamas have arrived back in Illinois early this morning. The Obamas will stay at the Hay-Adams Hotel until the 15th of January, when they will move into Blair House until the Inauguration. FYI
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Obama Hosting Commander-in-Chief Ball
Well, he will be Commander-in-Chief....
Continuing the tradition started in 2005 by President George W. Bush, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced today that President-Elect Barack Obama will host the Commander-in-Chief’s inaugural ball to honor the country’s active duty and reserve military. Additional invited guests will include wounded warriors (Purple Heart recipients), families of fallen heroes, and spouses of deployed military.
“It is a privilege to honor our men and women in uniform during our inaugural festivities by continuing the tradition of the Commander in Chief’s Ball,“ said President-Elect Obama. “Our troops represent the best America has to offer, and without their dedication and sacrifice we would not be able to enjoy the freedoms that we are coming together to celebrate on January 20th. They deserve our thanks and our gratitude. Michelle and I look forward to attending the Commander in Chief’s Ball and sharing this special evening with representatives of our armed forces.“
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Obama Cabinet Confirmation Hearings
This is going to be a busy month, more importantly weeks before the inauguration.
Here is the confirmation schedule for cabinet posts:
Here are the Obama Cabinet confirmation hearing dates announced so far. Shown are date, nominee, department, and Senate committee:
Jan 8, 10 AM - Tom Daschle - Secretary of Health and Human Services - Health, Education, Labor & Pension (Also Finance)
Jan 9, 9:30 AM - Hilda Solis - Labor - Health, Education, Labor & Pension
Jan 13, 10 AM - Arne Duncan - Education - Health, Education, Labor & Pension
Jan 13 - Steve Chu - Energy - Energy & Natural Resources
Jan 14 - Eric Shinseki - Veteran Affairs - Veteran's Affairs
Jan 15 - Eric Holder - Justice - Judiciary
Jan 15 - Ken Salazar - Interior - Energy & Natural Resources
Still to be scheduled:
Hillary Clinton - Secretary of State - Foreign Relations
Tim Geithner - Treasury - Finance
Tom Vilsack - Agriculture - Agriculture
Bill Richardson - Commerce - Commerce, Science & Transportation
Tom Daschle - Health & Human Services - Finance (Also HEL&P)
Shaun Donovan - Housing and Urban Development - Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Ray LaHood - Transportation - Commerce, Science & Transportation
Janet Napolitano - Secretary of Homeland Security - Homeland Security & Government Affairs
No hearing needed:
Robert Gates - Defense
All confirmation hearings can be seen on C-Span, check your local listings
h/t DemConWatch
More information, here.
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy New Year to All....Welcome 2009!!!
May this year bring us peace, hopefulness, jobs, less stress, a new economy and the good riddance of George W. Bush and Company.
Enjoy the parades, football games, basketball games and have a great New Year's Day.
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Obama Opens Inauguration Store
Well, we all know he can raise money and many of us bought through his store during the primaries and general. Now we can purchase inauguration goods, while not at the inauguration through the Obama Inauguration Store.
And why not?
I have DirecTv and on just about every channel they have 1/2 hours blocked selling the "Barack Obama Coin" and Montel Williams on there to peddle it to boot!! Nothing O can do about it, he is now, "public domain." So, to defray inauguration costs, why not sell your own goods?
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Roland Burris heads to IL Supreme Court for Obama's Senate Seat
This is getting uglier by the day.....
Democrat Roland Burris went to the Illinois Supreme Court today to fight to be seated in the U.S. Senate.
Burris, appointed by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday to the seat once held by President-elect Barack Obama, asked the justices to force Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to co-sign Blagojevich's proclamation that Burris is the state's new senator.
The senate never should have gotten into this mess.
Here are the court filings, and I said Burris was going to fight this.
White's action may be little more than symbolic, but it could provide the U.S. Senate just enough reason to stand up against seating Burris, a Democrat who previously served as the state's attorney general and comptroller. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called White today to "thank him for his strong position on this important matter," White spokesman Henry Haupt said.
White, also a Democrat, already had said he would not sign the proclamation, given that the governor has been charged with corruption related to his alleged attempt to auction the Senate seat.
On Tuesday, White spokesman David Druker said the secretary of state's office doesn't believe White's refusal to sign the document would have any practical impact on Blagojevich's appointment of Burris.
"We feel the governor can still take the appointment to the Senate," Druker said.
Lucio Guerrero, the governor's spokesman, said White made his decision and "now it's up to the courts to decide."
The only one who lawyered UP was Blago and again, he may just have the last word.
Oh, US Attorney Peter Fitzgerald asks for a 90 day extension on the Blago case. So, much for Blago out by, what? January? February?
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Obamas moving to Washington, DC this weekend
Not surprised, the girls start school next week.
Even in a town where the hotels are swamped for the inauguration, it turns out to be easy to get a room if you’re the one being inaugurated.
President-elect Barack Obama and his family will move to Washington this weekend in time for his daughters to start school, aides said Tuesday. With the White House still occupied and the official guest residence unavailable, the future first family will hole up in one of the city’s most exclusive hotels.
Chicago Sun-Times
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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Illinois Little Napoleon Marches On
I am from Illinois, grew up in Chicago, and all this drama today was hilarious. It brings me to this song, Comedy Tonight...............
••
I think we all have come to the conclusion that Illinois Lil Napoleon, Rod Blagojevich just doesn’t GIVE A DAMN!!!
What is going on in Illinois reminds me of all the council wars that was downtown and every blow hard alderman/woman trying to snap off in front of the nearest camera.
It just amazes me that our own Lil' Napoleon is the only one who apparently knows the laws of Illinois, knows his powers, and is sticking it to the Democrats from Chicago to Washington, D.C.
I mean, think about it.
Blago has been arrested, his verbal viagra put out there for everyone to read and laugh about, has been assaulted daily in the local and national media, has been called every name in the book, threatened repeatedly of what the Illinois Legislature is going to do to him, has seen his closest allies quit their jobs and are probably talking it up to Fitzy, but in the end he is having the LAST WORD.
Obama, Reid, Daley, Durbin, Quinn, Madigan, and everyone else can say whatever they want, so far their pressers and paper statements have not put any action in removing our Lil' General Napoleon from running around Illinois doing whatever the hell he wants, within legal bounds. Instead of everyone running to a camera for a presser, these Dems should have been seeking council on how to LEGALLY REMOVE this clown. It is apparent that it is going to be much harder than many thought it would be.
I remember when everyone was saying, me included, "Oh Blago won't seat anyone in Obama's seat." Well, we can all eat those words. At this point, I won't be shocked at all if Roland Burris, who is a decent man, ends up being seated in Washington, D.C. as the next senator of Illinois.
And our Little Napoleon will continue to run around Illinois, with the last word.
Oh, and Bobby Rush bustin' in on the presser, throwing down the race card or the "you better replace Obama's seat with an AA..." Typical Chicago, but it could be very effective.
Illinois politics, at its finest.
••
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Roland Burris interview on MSNBC (Video)
Burris was announced by Blago to replace Obama's Senate Seat.
and Chuck Todd lays out the legal ramifications of seating Burris
Blago don't give a DAMN!!! He is not going anywhere, he is using his power and he is putting Illinois Dems, Harry Reid and Washington on notice....this is a HOT MESS!!!
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IL Lt Governor Pat Quinn on Blago's Decision on Roland Burris Appointment (Video)
Secretary of State Jesse White will not certify the Burris appointment.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White put out a statement saying that although he has "respect for former Attorney General Roland Burris" he "cannot co-sign a document that certifies any appointment by Rod Blagojevich for the vacant" U.S. Senate seat previously held by President-elect Obama.
"As I have previously stated publicly, I cannot co-sign a document that certifies any appointment by Rod Blagojevich for the vacant United States Senate seat from Illinois," the statement reads. "Although I have respect for former Attorney General Roland Burris, because of the current cloud of controversy surrounding the Governor, I cannot accept the document."
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Obama Says "NO" to appointment of Roland Burris
The cards are starting to stack.....
Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it. I believe the best resolution would be for the Governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place. While Governor Blagojevich is entitled to his day in court, the people of Illinois are entitled to a functioning government and major decisions free of taint and controversy.
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Harry Reid's Statement on Appointment of Roland Burris to Obama's Senate Seat
My take, Harry Reid needs to stay out of this, seat Burris and let Illinois battle this seat out in 2010. A special election is not going to happen, it costs too much money and Democrats can LOSE Obama's seat due to Blago's scandal.
SEAT BURRIS. We need the votes for Obama's stimulus package.
Illinois politics, a hot mess....
It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety. We say this without prejudice toward Roland Burris's ability, and we respect his years of public service. But this is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat. Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus.
Next week we will start one of the most important debates of the year – outlining an economic recovery plan to create jobs and invest in America. And in the coming weeks, we will be working to protect homeowners and consumers, make America more energy independent, strengthen our national security, and improve health care and educational opportunities. There is much work to do and a lot at
stake. It is thus critical that Illinois and every other state have two seated Senators without delay.
We again urge Gov. Blagojevich to not make this appointment. It is unfair to Mr. Burris, it is unfair to the people of Illinois and it will ultimately not stand. The governor must put the interests of the people of Illinois and all Americans first by stepping aside now and letting his successor appoint someone who we will seat.
Source
Burris Story Here
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Former IL Attorney General Roland Burris to be named Obama's Senate Replacement
Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting this:
I've learned that Gov. Blagojevich is poised to name former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President elect Barack Obama in the Senate on Tuesday afternoon. The embattled Blagojevich, fighting impeachment charges in the Illinois House, just called a press conference for 2 p.m. Chicago time at the Thompson State of Illinois Center.
Burris was the first African American to win statewide office in Illinois when he was elected comptroller, serving from 1983 to 1991. He served as Illinois Attorney General from 1991 to 1995. Burris previously ran and lost bids for the U.S. senate and governor.
If tapped as planned, Burris would be the sole African American in the U.S. Senate.
This is a shock, but Burris is clean as a whistle and Obama's backed Burris' run for the governorship in 2002.
Again, the moxey, balls, etc., of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Here is Burris' bio.
Burris claims he will only serve the remaining 2 years of the Obama term, so he is looked upon as a seat warmer, place holder, whatever.
Only in Chicago....
Chicago Tribune
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Zbigniew Brzezinski calls Joe Scarborough of morning joe, "...stunningly superficial..." (Video)
"....you have such a stunningly superficial knowledge of what is going on....."
Has anyone noticed when you have someone of intelligence who goes on that show, one who knows what they are talking about, Scarborough always comes off as "stunningly stupid.." And I am being kind here....
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Monday, December 29, 2008
United States of America, "We should be ashamed" (Video)
Yes, we should be very ashamed.
While George W. Bush with his wife and VP in tow are scouting around for any open mic that will listen to them, millions of Americans are making hard choices. And many of these choices are life threatening.
Many understand the video of everyday Americans sacrificing their life saving prescription medication to pay rent, mortgage, food, clothes for their kids, etc. The sad part of this is that this is another bubble that has been building for a very long time, but why would George W. Bush even worry about it? These people are invisible, don't matter to him, if they did we would not have to view the following:
Health care in this country is part of the rising economic costs and must be dealt with. How we allowed to vote persons in office to side with insurance companies and how we have allowed insurance companies to become our doctors by payment chart is something we all have to take a hit on. We allowed this and look where we are at, the prognosis does not look good.
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More Inaugural Information
Washington, DC – In the remaining weeks before the 56th presidential inaugural, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) will be issuing a series of advisories to help people who plan to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The following is a special alert for those people who will have tickets to the swearing-in, but may have questions about getting to and from the event that morning. Because of the large crowds and the potential for inclement weather, those people with special needs are advised to pay careful attention to these details.
TIMING
While the actual swearing-in will take place shortly before noon, the formal program begins at 11:30 AM and the musical prelude and seating will begin much earlier. Security checkpoints will open for ticketed guests at 8:00 AM, and the committee advises arriving no later than 9:00 AM to ensure that you are through the checkpoints by the time the program begins. Screening will end when the program begins at 11:30 AM and late arrivals will not be able to enter the grounds.
GETTING TO THE SWEARING-IN
Getting to the swearing-in ceremonies that morning will be very difficult because of the large crowds. In addition to the 240,000 ticketed guests, a million or more people are expected to view the inauguration from the National Mall between 4th Street and the Lincoln Memorial, along with hundreds of thousands of others who plan on watching the Inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.
We recommend planning ahead, but also caution that any plans made in advance should be double-checked in the days and hours prior to the event in case of changes to transportation schedules, street and other closures, and other factors that may impact your travel plans. We also recommend developing back-up plans in case your original travel plans need to be changed at the last minute.
The District of Columbia’s inaugural website will have the most up-to-date information on road closures and other travel alerts. We recommend that guests bookmark the site, http://www.inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp, and check it frequently for changing information.
A security perimeter will be established around the U.S. Capitol and the parade route on or before January 20, 2009. Subway stations, bus stops, and streets within that perimeter will be closed. Street closures throughout Washington, D.C., will make traveling by car or taxi very difficult. Bridges from Virginia crossing the Potomac River into Washington, D.C., as well as major roadways from Maryland into Washington, D.C., may be closed to all but bus traffic.
Read it all, here.
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Tamron Hall, MSNBC is right with comparison to the RNC and "Barack the Magic Negro" (Video)
Hall states, "Well let me tell you this — if someone referred to me as “Tamron Hall the Magic Negro Anchor Lady,” I would never see it as anything funny or amusing."
Amen, on that one.
The RNC, GOP lack of sensitivity is just amazing. They really don't think that what they say is a representative of their party as a whole, but it is. My take, let them keep it up, we see this really helped them at the ballot box this past November 4th. The same groups that they talk negatively about are the same groups they need to win at the ballot box. Think Florida, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia. These are the states with high Hispanic and African American constituents, the same groups that helped Obama win the presidency.
Keep it up, GOP; you will really win groups over with your consistent intolerance.
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Jay-Z opening the inauguration party in D.C.
No surprise, the rap community was all about the OBAMA....
Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z, whose lyrics President-elect Barack Obama channeled on the campaign trail in a swipe at his former rival, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, will headline an inaugural weekend opening party in Washington.
Jay-Z, along with singer Akon, and rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, will perform at the Love nightclub on Friday, Jan. 16, the club’s owner, Marc Barnes, said in an interview on Monday.
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Laura Bush, "He's not a failure"
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have been making the rounds on television to focus on the "good things" that happened from this administration.
Now Bush has pimped his wife, Laura Bush, to state that his presidency is not a failure.
From all the presidents that left office, that I can remember, I don't remember the former First Ladies going on television to push and talk about their husband's legacy, let alone to say that their husband is not a failure.
Sure, George W. Bush can now hope he is resurrected and looked more favorably in 25 years on from now, but the failures of this administration is just too much.
We can talk about Bush's failures all day long, but Iraq, the collapse of the mortgage industry, Katrina, his cronies holding high levels jobs and not qualified, the spitting on the constitution, job loss under his leadership, is just the tip of the iceberg for George W. Bush.
The bottom line, George W. Bush has left too much on the street, too much destruction on his watch, inflated government like no other president before, leaving his failure for the Obama Administration to fix and walking away the most unpopular president in American history.
That is the reality of George W. Bush.
More video of Laura Bush interview by Chris Wallace of Fox News
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Sunday, December 28, 2008
60 Minutes, CBS: Obama Road to the White House (Video and Transcript)
60 Minutes Memory Lane on Barack Obama...or the media figured out how to get ratings, riiiiight......
Transcript
Cross-Posted @ Daily Kos
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Obama, fighting as the bubble closes in
While everyone loves photos of the Obamas, and let's be honest, "WE ALL DO", the bubble called Secret Service is closing in at rapid speed.
“It’s just hard to know that there’s somebody with you all the time,” said Steve Elmendorf, who was deputy campaign manager for John Kerry in 2004. “Being able to get up and go biking or go for a walk, or hold hands with your wife — everything you do is not just under the scrutiny of the press or the pool.”
For Obama, who received a Secret Service detail earlier than any presidential candidate since the practice began, the scrutiny is much more intense.
The glare on his family is shaping up to be unprecedented, both because Obama assumes the presidency amid a 24-hour, Web-dominated media age where many traditional boundaries don’t exist and because of what he represents. He’s the first African-American to be elected president. At 47, he’s a young guy – as presidents go. He also has a youthful, attractive family that is social and active.
I was talking to a friend the past few days and she said, "Now the Obamas are finally realizing that the bubble is real and all the things they love to do, will be photographed from here on out and many things they will just have to stop doing." I pooh-poohed it, but sitting here she is right. After the paparazzo photo of Obama shirtless and the girls running around in bathing suits, along with Michelle Obama, pictures of that magnitude is over. It has to be, the family must have privacy and after having that one photographer, who sold the pictures to the paparazzi after taking pictures less than 200 feet, it will stop.
“There's still some things we're not adjusted to," Obama said in a “60 Minutes” interview after the election. “You know, the small routines of life that keep you connected, I think some of those are being lost.”
Does this mean that Barack Obama will become like President Bush? Totally out of touch, in denial, won't burst the bubble to reality not even once? It does not have to be. We don't want Barack to become like George W. Bush and his total lack of understanding what happened after Katrina, remember his aides had to burn a cd/dvd of the news coverage and give it to him so he could understand what actually happened. Remember Bush does not watch the news or television.
Please, we don't want that again.
I don't think Barack Obama will become GWBII in that regard, but he will lose much freedom, that is part of becoming President of the United States. It will be up to him if he will fall into the bubble or have it half closed. We will see.
The day before Thanksgiving, a sixth grader at a Chicago school asked Obama about his new life.
“You don't have a lot of privacy," Obama told some 200 children, adding that going to Walgreen's and riding a bicycle are now far more involved than before.
Those close to the Obamas have spoken to the media less and less since the election. Calls and e-mails to close friends and associates of the Obama’s were not returned.
“My husband and I have been asked not to speak with the press about the Obamas,” one of them wrote in an e-mail. “They would prefer that we stay out of the papers for now.”
It seems the narrower the gap between transition and reality gets, the more private Obama has tried to become.
“You can see how he chafes at it,” Elmendorf said. “It’s hard for people who like to do outdoors things. It’s also hard for people with young kids. … You decide at 9 in the morning, I’m not going out anymore, then at 2 p.m. you decide, ‘Hey let’s get some ice cream.’”
“Normal people can do that. The president or president-elect can’t do that,” he said.
It is getting that tough folks, the bubble that is.
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Face the Nation, CBS, December 28, 2008 (Video)
Chip Reid speaks with President-elect Barack Obama's White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod, Ill. Lieutenant Gov. Pat Quinn and Nobel Laureate in Economics Paul Krugman.
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Meet the Press, December 28, 2008 (Video and Transcript)
On Meet the Press: Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni talks about her country's on-going offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Then, President-elect Obama's chief campaign strategist and senior adviser David Axelrod talks about the presidential transition, solutions to the economic troubles and remaining questions about the Blagojevich corruption scandal. Plus, a political roundtable on the economy, the President-elect, and the Bush legacy: Rich Lowry, Todd Purdum, Michelle Singletary & Richard Wolffe.
Transcript
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