Rahm continues his listening tour. The Rahmfather emerges. John Kass.--Scott Stantis cartoon, Chicago Tribune
...Other Chicago news:
- Illinois Democrats botch absentee early voting push
- Claypool accuses Berrios of giving tax breaks to clients of campaign donors
Thompson began the interview allowing the governor to indulge in some typical Blago fare (“I’m the anti-Nixon,” “play the tapes”), even going as far as calling Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald’s handling of the situation “totally inappropriate,” but choosing to quickly switch gears with Blagojevich to ask about his impression of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Blagojevich often cites Emanuel as a source supporting his claim that he did nothing illegal in his deliberations to appoint a successor to President Barack Obama, and did his best to defend Emanuel’s honor against Massa’s accusations of harassment:
“The idea that Rahm Emanuel would be in the house gym… lobbying another congressman, whether he had clothes on or not, is the reason why I wanted him to be the guy to cut the deal to make the attorney general senator in exchange for jobs and health care and no taxes. Rahm is a tough guy, and he knows how to get things done, and that’s precisely the reason why he was the one I wanted… that story about him in the shower with Congressman Massa sure sounds like the Rahm I know!”
Oh yeah. An old Capone tactic. Rahm managed Blago's first gubernatorial campaign:
During the primary, state Senator Barack Obama backed Burris but supported Blagojevich after he won the primary at Burris's suggestion,[25] serving as a "top adviser" for the general election.[26] Future Obama senior adviser David Axelrod had previously worked with Blagojevich on congressional campaigns, but did not consider Blagojevich ready to be governor and declined to work for him on this campaign.[26] According to Rahm Emanuel, he, Obama, Blagojevich's campaign co-chair David Wilhelm, and another Blagojevich staffer "were the top strategists of Blagojevich's 2002 gubernatorial victory", meeting weekly to outline campaign strategies.[26] However, Wilhelm has said that Emanuel overstated Obama's role in the sessions, and Emanuel said in December 2008 that Wilhelm was correct and he had been wrong in his earlier 2008 recollection to The New Yorker.[26]Of course.
...Rod Blagojevich loses bid to overturn his lone conviction
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