Rahm's Media Flop

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright December 11, 2008
All Rights Reserved.                    

              When FBI investigators secretly recorded Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich trying wheel-and-deal with Barack’s empty Senate seat, it revealed egregious abuse of his office and the public trust.  No one could fully account for Blago’s financial troubles or, for that matter, his mental health problems.  Whether he’s found guilty or not of conspiracy and bribery doesn’t exonerate him from abysmal judgment, calling into question his fitness for office.  Listening to the tapes reveals a broken-down, raging politician, acting more like Al Capone, the infamous Chicago mobster, than Illinois’ chief executive.  State Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan asked the Illinois Supreme Court to declare Blago unfit for duty, suspending his gubernatorial powers.  “I recognized that this is an extraordinary request, but these are extraordinary circumstances,” said Madigan, hoping to push the embattled governor to resign.

            U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald charged Blagojevich Dec. 9 with conspiracy and bribery, citing recorded conversations with FBI agents.  Blago didn’t pull any punches stating clearly what he wanted in the way of cash, favors and jobs for he and his wife.  Barack was asked whether he or anyone on his transition team had contact with Blagojevich or anyone in the governor’s office.  “I was not aware of what was happening,” said Obama on the day Blago was arrested by federal agents.  “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening,” denying any personal involvement.  What Barack didn’t say was whether or not his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had any contact.  When Rahm was asked that question yesterday, he was uncharacteristically defensive, refusing to answer any questions about his contacts with the governor’s office.

            When chased down by the Chicago Sun Times at Chicago City Hall for his children’s recital, he lost his composure.  He was asked on the fly whether he had been in contact with Blago about Barack’s senate seat.  “You’re wasting your time,” Rahm told the reporter.  “I’m not going to say a word to you.  I’m going to do this with my children.  Don’t do that.  I’m a father.  I have two kids.  I’m not going to do it,” apparently referring to answering questions about whether he had any discussions with Blago about filling Barack’s senate seat.  Rahm, after all, was as close as it gets with Blagojevich after taking over his 5th District Congressional seat Jan.4, 2003.  Blagojevich became governor Jan. 13, 2003 with support from both Barack and Rahm.  When Barack beat Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) Nov. 4, discussions were already underway about a replacement for his soon-to-be empty senate seat.

              No one knows yet whether FBI recordings include conversations with Rahm or Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Chicago’s 2nd congressional district, mentioned as possible Candidate 5 in Blagojevich’s short-list.  Based on his close relationship with Blago, it’s inconceivable that Rahm would not have had contact about Barack’s senate seat.  Both he and Barack were rumored to support close advisor Chicago lawyer and businesswoman Valerie Jarrett.  One Fitzgerald’s voice recording, Blagojevich said he didn’t want to give [this] “mother- ‘F”er [Obama] his senator. ‘F’ him. For Nothing.  ‘F’ him,” said Blago, apparently in reference to getting rebuffed by the Obama transition team.  “We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree, and we wanted to stop it,” said Fitzgerald in response to why he moved to make the Dec. 9 arrest.  If Rahm did anything wrong, he would have been named in Fitzgerald’s complaint.

            Rahm’s hostile response to the Chicago Sun Times raised more suspicions whether warranted or not.  He would have been far wiser to tell the reporter he couldn’t respond now because of the delicate nature of the investigations.  But he would give more details in due time.  Asked whether he could attend his daughters’ event and answer some questions, Rahm overreacted.  “I’m not as capable as you.  I’m going to be a father.  I’m allowed to be a father,” pushing away the reporter’s digital recorder.  Keeping one’s composure and showing grace-under-pressure are prerequisites for jobs in the public eye.  If Rahm can’t take the heat, he shouldn’t have accepted chief-of-staff, except on an interim basis.  His response to the press threw gasoline on an already explosive story, tying a corrupt governor to highly unethical and illegal pay-to-play politics with the president-elect’s former job.

            Rahm shouldn’t be apologizing for his prior relationship with Blago, before his old friend went over the deep-end.  Instead of antagonizing the press, Emanuel should help give the situation a more plausible context, namely, of course there were discussions about preferences for Barack’s replacement.  There’s nothing illegal about lobbying for his or Barack’s choice of Illinois’ next senator.  Whatever Blagojevich’s financial or emotional problems, they have nothing to do with opining about his preference to fill Barack’s empty seat.  Instead of barking at the press, Rahm should be helping them ascertain the facts, especially whether he was the “president-elect advisor” accusing Blagojevich of putting Barack’s senate seat up  for sale.  There’s no crime in talking to Blagojevich about preferences for a new senator or telling the pushy governor to jump in the lake.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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