Did we hear the first big lie from the Obama team today?
These are facts:
On 11/23/08, President-elect Obama's top advisor and spokesman, David Axelrod, stated that the President-elect talked with Governor Blagojevich about his replacement. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxW3C_-Vpys)
On 12/9/08, President-elect Obama claimed he had NO conversations with the Governor. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioro_yzZ8vw)
The second statement is very likely a lie.
If it is not a lie, then it is highly irresponsible for President-elect Obama to have NOT had a conversation about his successor. That's right, Obama should have had a talk with the Governor about his successor and if he failed to have a conversation with him that tells us alot about him. It would be irresponsible for a man recently elected President to not offer his insights to the decision-maker on his replacement.
Personally, I have changed jobs often in the last few years. Although the decision about my successor was not always mine, I always had discussions with the decision-maker about my successor. Who better to make a fair recommendation and to exert political pressure than the President-elect about this important appointment? It would be irresponsible for that not to occur.
Let's be fair, though. If President-elect Obama discussed this with Gov. Blagojevich it would be entirely appropriate so long as there was no discussion of the type that the Governor was taped having. There is no evidence that the President-elect did anything wrong and I certainly wouldn't say that here. The President-elect would be wise to discuss his successor with the Governor and to offer his thoughts. The Governor should not make that critical decision in a vacuum. The President-elect spoke with the Governor!
The Obama team, with the help of the media and a large sum of money, ran a nearly flawless campaign. On this one, though, they are rookies. It is nearly impossible for anyone involved in politics at any advanced level to believe that the President-elect wouldn't have had a conversation with the Governor about his potential successor over the last month. His successor would possess a key vote in the U.S. Senate for the Obama Administration's policies. A U.S. Senator is very important to the President and Obama surely has an interest in who takes that seat.
David Axelrod's statement on 11/23/08 was true. The 12/9/08 statement is likely a lie.
