Jesse Jackson Jr. vigorously tries to shake off the Curse of Blago
By David Neiwert Wednesday Dec 10, 2008 1:53pm
Jesse Jackson Jr. was impassioned and emphatic in his press conference today responding to the news that he had been identified as "Senate Candidate No. 5", the figure in the Rod Blagejovich scandal whose emissary, according to Blago, had made a "pay to play" offer. (Blago also indicated on tape that Obama was opposed to this candidate's selection.)
Of course, not only is Blago clearly delusional (how else can you explain this kind of conduct when you're under investigation by the feds?), he's also clearly a liar of prodigious levels. So nothing he said should be taken at any kind of face value.
Nonetheless, the taint clearly threatened Jackson's political future, and coming out -- especially as convincingly as he did today -- was an essential first step in repairing the damage.
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I have yet to even read Jackson's bio or voting record, but only the transcripts from the wiretaps can clear #5. Unless they have Jackson saying he was willing to pay for the seat (something I am sure he could get eventually on his own) it is BULLSHIT.
Why would any brother from Chicago with as bright a future as I think Jackson might have tempt fate. Especially with such Obama coattails.
Blog has been toxically corrupt for far longer than the last few months. Obama wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole, but he did hav JJjr out on the campaign trail with him, so why would JJjr have gone near Blog w/anything that could come back and bite him?
He just isn't that stupid, and he had already hooked onto Obama's coattails.
On the previous thread, LeftandLeft has a different take on Jackson. I trust what he says since he lives in that area. I want so much to believe Jesse Jr. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I hate to see anyone, from Obama on down, have to deal with the insanity of this mess.
we'll see. we should get rid of all corruption, be it democrats or republican. Bush and his buddies would allow it if it's republican, and condem it if it's democrat, but we should condem all corruption.
I agree. All the garbage has got to go, no matter what party it comes from.
At least Obama got elected before this stink bomb exploded. Just imagine how Palin would have handled this.
was trying to close the loop on maddow's show last nite -- tony rezko as the lynchpin from blago to obama. whether it's from boredom and or malicious intent, it's clear that the high profile political reporters are framing this to somehow include obama and to use it to knock him back.
he's so uppity, you know.
Oh, I'm sure the wheels were turning in her tiny little head, when there was the possibility of her having to name a replacemnet for Ted Stevens if he would have won his re-election bid.
Nor do the governors of Arizona and Massachusetts.
I did the research yesterday.
I didn't think Jackson was particularly persuasive. He didn't deny that people acting on his behalf may have talked to Blago with a promise of raising money (only that he didn't authorize anything), he didn't say he had talked to staff members about their contacts with Blago and could rule out any promises, he didn't answer questions. Being impassioned and emphatic doesn't mean anything. (Remember 'I did not have sex with that woman" and all sorts of denials from the Abramoff group of scoundrels)
but someone in his camp went out on his/her own, you can't really hang it on Jackson, can you?
Maybe Jackson isn't be truthful about sending someone, but until proof is presented that he did....
Occam's razor is not fail-proof, but it's a useful test.
Are we really to believe that a staffer would make that kind of promise to a state governor without his or her boss's knowledge?
I don't believe Palin's people acted without at least her tacit consent, so if I try to convince myself that Jackson's people did, the only reason I can find for the difference in my beliefs is my partisanship.
I have a similar beef with Neiwert's OP. I mean, if the main evidence against this guy is wiretaps, are we going to cherry-pick the data and believe Blogajevich only when he incriminates himself, and disbelieve when he incriminates others?
The test for intellectual honesty is: what would you believe if this were a Republican mess?
...who are overly helpful. They just want to help JJjr anyway that they can and if they get a little... ethusiastic... about promising money, well, I'm sure it would come out of their own pockets because they just love JJjr so much...
Just a few bad apples, acting on their own then, is it?
No knowledge or consent by the people at the top, eh?
Scooter Libby was also acting on his own, right?
And Oliver North, and John Poindexter?
You know, you might be..
OUCH!!!! GODDAM OCCAM'S RAZOR CUT ME AGAIN!!!
I personally am glad this has come out. Jackson Jr., like Lisa Madigan, Mayor Daley II, etc., are pure nepotism political figures, using their powerful daddies to quickly move up in the world of Illinois politics....and trust me, are very jealous of the far more successful, self made Obama.
Jackson Jr. has good reason to be defensive....a smarter politican would have known better to stay clear of our corrupt Governor.
in his appearance.
in the opinion of this former Illinoisan.
I've read good things about Madigan from other Illinois commenters.
Is the success in an election by the scion of a political figure always a sign of nepotism? FSM forbid that someone's son or daughter is actually more than fit to follow in the parent's footsteps.
And I didn't realize that Jesse Jackson, sr. operated a political machine in Chicago/Cook County/Illinois. Is coat-tailing on a name even nepotism?
are you being deliberately obtuse?
Machine conductor Mayor Daley knows damn well that he does NOT want to cross Jackson, Andy K. Jessie Jackson Sr. is the architect of the 1982 black boycott of our very popular "Taste of Chicago" festival that led to the downfall of our city's first woman Mayor Jane Bryne, and to the election of our first black mayor, Harold Washington in 1983.
Trust me...all of the machine guys...including Mayor Daley...are afraid of the political impact of Jackson's boycotting capabilities.
That's why Jackson Jr. was so arrogant to even attempt to play ball with our dirty Governor...he thought that he was untouchable.
As a chicagoan who has followed the career of the father Jesse Jackson Sr. it would seem very logical that Jesse Jackson Jr. is involved and will be tainted by this scandal. The Jacksons have always been more popular nationally than locally. Read the book "Shakedown" if you want insight into the father... Jesse Jackson Sr. has abused the public trust many, many times, and the son is as ambitious as the father, and much more polished.
Wait and see... Jesse Jackson Jr. will be found to be connected to this.
Welcome to Chicago! this is how things get done.
this was the guy who wanted to cut off Barack Obama's genitals, remember?
I had forgotten all about what Jesse Jackson Sr. said. Hummm, that adds a night light on the subject.
This is going to stink for a long time. If Sr. does not get his boy cleared he will make Obama pay. Right now strings are being pulled and cash is king. Don`t worry there are many in the entourage making moves to either hold back or give up the truth. This is why Obama stayed clear of this bunch throughout the election even Oprah. All very weak minded stuff. Jesse Jackson has always been a parasitic fuckup.
What's Oprah have to do with this?
At about 2:27 the audio turns into a loud buzzing sound, both in the WMV "download" & the WMV "play".
[Thanks. We already caught that, and forwarded the information to the powers that be. Site Monitor]
Jackson must be innocent because Blago is a liar? Perhaps then the whole mess isn't about pay to play at all...it's just a case of Fitzgerald taking bluster seriously? I doubt it however.
I'm not really familiar with JJJr but just hearing him speak and go on and on and on sounded super defensive to me. didn't seem like a good strategy to me.
Whoops! I had a comment about the audio as well. I see that you all are investigating already.
So...
So!
Quite the weather out there in Illinois, yeah?
While the Media is attacking Jackson and Obama they turn a blind eye to the part former Senator Dennis Hastert played in the G-Rod crimes. Yes Dennis is up to his rich neck in most of G-Rod's criminal activity. It's in the best interest of Republicans and Democrats for G-Rod to resign. Senator Specter is doing his part to help the criminals by stalling the confirmation hearing of the new AG. The current AG is collecting a check, vacationing and stalling cases. G-Rod will plead not guilty and say he only did what the White House has been doing for 8 years so what's the problem.
But you're right. He bought up a lot of land and then had an off-ramp built near it to up the value of his land.
And which AG are you speaking of? Mukasey is the AG- are you refering to a proposed US Attorney?
Who on earth could think JJ,Jr. could have enough $$$ to "play" on a comgressman's salary. His Poppa is rich only in spirit. I'm a Florida Redneck and I have always liked JJ, Sr.
I say run, Jr. run you'll win that seat in cakewalk.
Sean "Beat a Dead Horse" Hannity said he believed JJ, Jr.
I have to pick my jaw off the floor now.
If Hannity goes south, I'm going north.
Note how he carefully denies only one-way initiating of actions, such as sending emissaries or suggesting pay for play. Note how he does not give a more blanket denial of "having" any such discussions either directly or through a representative. Based on Jackson's denials, he could have had conversations and agreed to pay for play, but if he didn't initiate those meetings (i.e., if Blago's people made the first call), then Jackson's denial would still be technically accurate. That causes me concern.
Jesse Jackson Jr. is not his father’s keeper. He told the complete and utter truth in his press conference. JJJ's farther is most likely the emissary, who went behind his back to speak with Governor Rod Blagojevich. Also, Jesse Jackson Jr. is not jealous of Barack Obama. Here is video of JJJ reading a poem to the Obama family in 2004. He said one day they would be the "First Family" of the United States of America, which hardly sounds jealous to me. This happened before Barack Obama left the Illinois State Senate to become the new Jr. U.S. Senator from Illinois. Hopefully, the truth will come to light and Jesse Jackson Jr. will be vindicated. P.S. I'm actually from Illinois.
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