WASHINGTON, (AFP) -- President-elect Barack Obama plans to give "a major address" in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world, a Chicago Tribune interview said.
"I think we've got a unique opportunity to reboot America's image around the world and also in the Muslim world in particular," Obama said in the interview published late Tuesday on the Tribune's website.
Obama promised an "unrelenting" desire to "create a relationship of mutual respect and partnership in countries and with peoples of good will who want their citizens and ours to prosper together."
The world "is ready for that message."
While he described a fresh approach to diplomacy, Obama said his administration would not shrink from the struggle against terrorism, referring to the recent attacks on India's financial capital. "The message I want to send is that we will be unyielding in stamping out the terrorist extremism we saw in Mumbai," said Obama, who gave the interview from his transition team's offices in Chicago.
The Tribune wrote that Obama "plans to give a major address in an Islamic capital as part of his global outreach" but did not quote him directly.
Obama also said he would be sworn on January 20 using his full name, Barack Hussein Obama. During the presidential campaign, some of Obama's political opponents would refer to his middle name in an attempt to portray him as a secret Muslim.
But the Christian president-elect said he would follow tradition for the inauguration ceremony. "I think the tradition is that they use all three names, and I will follow the tradition," Obama told the paper. "I'm not trying to make a statement one way or another. I'll do what everybody else does."
#1
Well just don't bring up that 9/11 thing, Barry. Even though they all know Bush, Cheney and the Mossad pulled it off, I hear they still get kinda touchy about it.
Geez. A Jackson getting shaken down instead of the other way around. That's different...
Chicago Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., is the anonymous "Senate Candidate No. 5" whose emissaries Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich reportedly offered up to $1 million to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
Now, who woulda ever thunk that? Gawllee and shucks.
According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich "stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided Rod Blagojevich" with something "tangible up front."
Jackson said this morning he was contacted Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Chicago whom he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process." Jackson said, "I don't know" when asked whether he was Candidate No. 5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation." Jackson said he agreed to talk with federal investigators "as quickly as possible" after he consulted with a lawyer.
Being slow off the mark here would be a problem ...
The congressman, a son of the famed civil rights leader, denied that anyone had been authorized to make payments or promises to the governor on his behalf. "It is impossible for someone on my behalf to have a conversation that would suggest any type of quid pro quo or any payments or offers," Jackson told ABC News. "An impossibility to an absolute certainty."
"Senate Candidate No. 5" played a key role in the governor's efforts to obtain something of value in exchange for the Senate appointment, according to the FBI affidavit. According to the affidavit, Blagojevich threatened to appoint Senate Candidate No. 5 if President-elect Obama refused to help get his wife on "paid corporate boards right now. If they feel like they can do this and not f-- give me anything then I'll f-- go to [Senate Candidate 5]."
The FBI says that during an Oct. 31 conversation, Blagojevich described an approach from an associate of Senate Candidate 5: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him [Senate Candidate 5] a senator." On Thursday, the FBI says Blagojevich "was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat" because he might "get some [money] up front, maybe." Deeeeelicious!
Blagojevich thought Senate Candidate 5 could deliver something immediately:
"Later on December 4, 2008, BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. BLAGOJEVICH stated he was "elevating" Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided BLAGOJEVICH with something "tangible up front."
Blagojevich said he had a history with Senate Candidate 5 not following through on promises:
"BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that BLAGOJEVICH had a problem with Senate Candidate 5 just promising to help BLAGOJEVICH because BLAGOJEVICH had a prior bad experience with Senate Candidate 5 not keeping his word."
Blagojevich believed Senate Candidate 5 could raise money or deliver money:
"On December 4, 2008, BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Advisor B and informed Advisor B that he was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if BLAGOJEVICH ran for re-election Senate Candidate 5 would "raise[] money" for BLAGOJEVICH, although BLAGOJEVICH said he might "get some (money) up front, maybe" from Senate Candidate 5 to insure Senate Candidate 5 kept his promise about raising money for BLAGOJEVICH. (In a recorded conversation on October 31, 2008, BLAGOJEVICH described an earlier approach by an associate of Senate Candidate Five as follows: "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.")"
Blagojevich said he was getting a lot of pressure not to appoint Senate Candidate 5:
"BLAGOJEVICH told Fundraiser A to tell Individual D that Senate Candidate 5 was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but that BLAGOJEVICH was getting "a lot of pressure" not to appoint Senate Candidate 5."
#10
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. says he is "not a target of this investigation," and portrayed himself as completely duped by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich in his efforts to win appointment to Barack Obama's Senate seat.
Duped, I tells ya! Duped!!
In an emotional yet forceful speech in a Capitol press room, Jackson said he merely laid out his qualifications and his record to Blagojevich in a Monday meeting in Chicago,
...in small bills , I'm betting.
adding that he was "appalled" at the "pay for play" scandal surrounding Obama's Senate seat.
Appalled, I tells ya! Appalled!!
"I thought mistakenly I had a chance" at the Senate seat, Jackson said. "I did not know this process had been corrupted."
It's a conspiracy by THE MAN to keep me down!
Merely by being the so-called "Senate Candidate 5" in the Blagojevich indictment, Jackson's shot at the seat is tainted, but he did not back down, insisting that he has the most seniority of virtually any other Democrat in the Illinois House delegation and he has the record and qualifications to take the seat.
Dammit! Dumb ass honky just couldn't keep his big mouth shut! I had the money, you dumb ass cracker! I HAD THE MONEY!
Yet Jackson has hired a Chicago lawyer and said he would take no questions from the press.
...a clear indication of total innocence.
"I want to make this fact plain," Jackson said. "I have no involvement in any wrongdoing."
He added that he "never sent any message or any emissary to the governor" to discuss the alleged $500,000 in campaign donations that Blagojevich was demanding from "Senate Candidate 5."
#11
"...but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation."
Not a target...Hah! That's DoJ-Speak for...At this time you haven't been indicted...yet. Didja notice Jr. didn't go out of his way to deny that he was a subject of this investigation.
#12
Too bad the FBI didn't wait until money was exchanged and a new senator named. Would have been entertaining to see the supreme court justices swear in the first senator from prison.
Posted by: ed ||
12/10/2008 19:56 Comments ||
Top||
President-elect Barack Obama is calling for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president-elect agrees with other prominent politicians that "under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois."
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused of scheming to enrich himself by selling Obama's vacant Senate seat. The governor has authority to appoint the replacement. He denies any wrongdoing.
In response to questions from The Associated Press, Gibbs said Obama believes the Illinois legislature should consider a special election to fill the seat. Gibbs says the hope is to put a process in place to select a new senator who'll have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.
{Could not resist posting this in honor of our own Muck - where has he gone?}
Jake Tapper of ABC News has probably just gotten himself uninvited from any future trips on Air Obama. Tapper has been sifting through the muck of the Rod Blagojevich corruption mess with not a rake, but a backhoe. And some ugly facts are emerging from the sewage.
Asked what contact he'd had with the governor's office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening."
But on November 23, 2008, his senior adviser David Axelrod appeared on Fox News Chicago and said something quite different.
While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a "kingmaker," Axelrod said, "I know he's talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them."
(UPDATE: An Obama Transition Team aide says that Axelrod misspoke on Fox News Chicago.)
(UPDATE #2: Axelrod this evening issued a statement saying. "I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.")
Oh, but there is soooooo much more. Go read the whole thing. Obama has a long record of supporting Blagojevich - even helping engineer Blagojevich's first election to the governor's office. So, the questions now are how deep is the muck and how much will splash onto Obama. Sure, the majority of the media is going to give this a pass. But there will be a certain amount of stink that will stick.
#2
NostraRicky predicts this story's going to get spiked over the weekend news cycle. Jake Tapper at ABC is all over this story for now, but as a commenter in one of the Blago-gate threads there said, he's an MSM figleaf, there to make it look like they're doing their jobs. This story's going to get squashed most ricky-tick...the MSM has waaaay too much invested in making the Obamessiah look like he's really capable of bringing peace, healing the economy, calming the seas and curing the heartbreak of psoriasis.
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) ||
12/10/2008 1:31 Comments ||
Top||
#3
For now, this kind of things will slip on his armor. But wait a few months when paradise on earth fails to materialize and pople realize that Obama or not Obama they have to pay for rent and gas. Then it will stick and it will be time to Watergate him.
#8
I believe the University of Chicago Hospital VP position may soon get some air time as well.
One must wonder.... if Axelrod, Rham and all of Obama's NYC donk Amish Goldman-Sachs handlers knew the Feds were going to lower the boom on Blago and that Obama might very well go down as well. With bets down and insurance, Joe Biden then quietly takes a 'stage left' and the Hilderbeast and Slick with their 18 million step in with.... staff already in place. And there you have it, a Clintonian redux.
#9
Sure, the majority of the media is going to give this a pass.
Funny, even though the Governor has been under investigation for years I dont remember the MSM ever digging too much on the Obama/Blagojevich association. Yet there is something very satisfying about watching the usual talking heads squirm. Even Obamas journalistic cheerleaders are entertainingly uncomfortable with the Blago revelation. Instantly when the screen shows a picture of Obama and Emanuel standing behind the Gov. the apologetic stammers begin. The reason the media has initially given Obama a pass is not simply because of their reluctance to throw him under bus. Its because it will expose their glaring bias by their complete refusal to probe his Chicago roots during his Historic Journey.
#11
The whitewash has already begun. The press spent last night ginning up stories about how Obama was never that close to Blago, and touting the "ethics" bill Obama was pushing in Illinois.
Weird, though, how long it took to correct the statement about O! and Blago working together on the Senate seat.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
12/10/2008 9:33 Comments ||
Top||
#12
Obama's links will be whitewashed and swept under the rug by all the politicos and talking heads.
I am just curious when the promised land fails to materialize and buyers remorse sets in if all that dirt will stay hidden.
#13
Axelrod this evening issued a statement saying. "I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.")
Bullsh*t. This is what we in the South call Crawfishin".
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/10/2008 11:57 Comments ||
Top||
#14
PS, I think Muck4Doo is somewhere between Jupiter and Mars trying to find the way home.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/10/2008 11:58 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Well, if Billary starts seeing blood in the water, I would take odds on the recurrence of Slow Joe's anuerysm ailments.
#18
#15 Well, if Billary starts seeing blood in the water, I would take odds on the recurrence of Slow Joe's anuerysm ailments.
Posted by Woozle Elmeter
#28
Jeebus! Beavis' link (#17) has been removed from the news site (I had bookmarked it earlier). This is the website for the CBS affiliate KHQA. Fuckers have already begun the historical white out. Scary. 1984 scary. Dan Rather scary.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
WASHINGTON, (AFP) -- President-elect Barack Obama plans to give "a major address" in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world, a Chicago Tribune interview said.
President-elect Barack Obama is calling for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president-elect agrees with other prominent politicians that "under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois."
In response to questions from The Associated Press, Gibbs said Obama believes the Illinois legislature should consider a special election to fill the seat. Gibbs says the hope is to put a process in place to select a new senator who'll have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.
