ABC News: Obama's Blago Report: Only One Rahm Call to Governor

[jAZ]

1 call to Blogo, talked about Rahm's seat
4 calls to Blogo's Chief of Staff Harris
Pushed for Jarrett, but "in return for picking Jarrett, 'all we get is appreciation, right?' 'Right,' Emanuel responded."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2008/12/exclusive-obama.html

Exclusive: Obama's Blago Report: Only One Rahm Call to Governor
December 21, 2008 9:26 AM

Sources tell me that the Obama team's review of contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will show that Rahm Emanuel had only one phone conversation with Blagojevich.

The contact, described as a "pro-forma" courtesy call, came as Emanuel was named Chief of Staff for Obama. Most of the discussion concerned Emanuel's Congressional seat (which had previously been held by Blagojevich), with only a "passing reference" to the Senate vacancy, according to these sources. No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.

Speculation in Washington and Chicago has been swirling for a week now over what the Obama team’s report would find. Until now, the contents of that report have been kept sealed, at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s office. Last Wednesday, Obama said he found it “a little bit frustrating” that the report had not yet been released.

The sources add that the report will show Emanuel also had four phone calls with Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris. During those conversations, the Senate seat was discussed. The pros and cons of various candidates were reviewed, and the sources say that Emanuel repeatedly reminded Harris that Blagojevich should focus on the message the pick would send about the governor and his administration.

Sources also confirm that Emanuel made the case for picking Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett during at least one of the conversations. In the course of that conversation, Harris asked if in return for picking Jarrett, "all we get is appreciation, right?" "Right," Emanuel responded.

Bottom line: these sources say that Obama's report, which is expected to be released this week, will confirm what Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald and President-Elect Obama have said -- and what Governor Blagojevich clearly believed: that Obama officials were not open to any kind of deal for the Obama Senate seat.

--George Stephanopoulos

[banyon]

But pete said there was much more to this...somehow!, There was WAY more contact than we'd been led to believe by the dastardly Obama...or not, even though he could not really say why it was so important though, he knew it was significant.

Oh well.

[dirk digler]

It was Obama's own report so it is rigged or complete BS....DUH /Obama haters

[memyselfI]

Who cares. They can claim WTF they want. It's what's on the tapes that matter. If they claim ONE call and the tapes reveal many then they will look rather disingenuous to most.

[whatsmynameagain]

Who cares. They can claim WTF they want. It's what's on the tapes that matter. If they claim ONE call and the tapes reveal many then they will look rather disingenuous to most.

big girls, they dont cry, right?

[petegz28]

But pete said there was much more to this...somehow!, There was WAY more contact than we'd been led to believe by the dastardly Obama...or not, even though he could not really say why it was so important though, he knew it was significant.

Oh well.

No, Pete didn't. I posted a story the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Link was included. Once again you have to resort to putting words in someone's mouth.

Nice try though.

Here is the link AGAIN counselor.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1337789,CST-NWS-rahm18good.article

Merry Christmas.

[triple]

i wonder why they weren't upfront about it?

[banyon]

No, Pete didn't. I posted a story the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Link was included. Once again you have to resort to putting words in someone's mouth.

Nice try though.

Here is the link AGAIN counselor.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1337789,CST-NWS-rahm18good.article

Merry Christmas.

Yeah, you absolutely did:

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showpost.php?p=5309903&postcount=15

Yea, shoot down my answer before you hear it cause you don't want to hear how Obama has been telling is no one on his staff has been dealing with the Illi gov.

Yea, keep your focus on attacking me cause I am sure you don't like seeing the fact your Obama isn't some squeaky clean saint like you want us to believe.

I thought I told you, mercury does not belong in your coffee.

[Duck Dog]

It was Obama's own report so it is rigged or complete BS....DUH /Obama haters

Not necessarily, but it could be.

[Dave Lane]

i wonder why they weren't upfront about it?

Ummmm Fitzgerald told them not to... Try to keep up :)

[petegz28]

Yeah, you absolutely did:

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showpost.php?p=5309903&postcount=15



I thought I told you, mercury does not belong in your coffee.

hmmm, dude you really need to get laid.

[whoman69]

i wonder why they weren't upfront about it?

Just off the top of my head if they made a statement up front without doing their own investigation and then having it turn out to be more, then some people would blow it up even farther. It was the last administration's mantra of 'deny, deny, deny' they want to get away from.

[beer bacon]

Just off the top of my head if they made a statement up front without doing their own investigation and then having it turn out to be more, then some people would blow it up even farther. It was the last administration's mantra of 'deny, deny, deny' they want to get away from.

It might also be the case that they had their report ready a week ago, but Fitzgerald, you know the guy investigating Blago, asked them to delay the report so that it would not hurt his case against the governor.

Seriously, how could anyone that is keeping up with this news not know this already? This isn't directed at you whoman69, but at the some media outlets and others who are ignoring this.

[frazod]

This alleged transcript of Emanuel's and Blago's phone conversation was making the e-mail rounds this afternoon at work.

No, I don't think it's real. But it is pretty funny. :D



RAHM EMANUEL: This is Rahm.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Hey Rahm, yeah it's Rod.

EMANUEL: Uh-huh. What's going on governor, I'm busy.

BLAGO: Well, it's about that Senate appointment...

EMANUEL: We already gave you the list of people we like.

BLAGO: Yeah, I been looking the list over. Interesting names. Good people. How's the transition going?

EMANUEL: It's going fine, governor. Are you calling to fucking tell me anything, or what, cause I--

BLAGO: No no, I'm just wondering if you have all your picks already made. I heard something about Dashle for HHS--

EMANUEL: I'm not gonna discuss ongoing deliberations, gov, you know that.

BLAGO: Hey, come on Rahm, let's not act like I'm a stranger here.

EMANUEL: Did I call you a stranger? If I thought you were a stranger, you think I'd be interrupting my important fucking business to take this fucking phone call?

BLAGO: Hey you don't have to get curt with me, Rahm.

EMANUEL: This isn't me being curt, Gov, this is me being fucking busy. Now what did you call about?

BLAGO: I'm just feeling you out, seeing if Valerie [Jarret] still wants that Senate seat, just wondering what kind of priority that is for the President-Elect.

EMANUEL: Actually, it's not a priority. Valerie's had second thoughts about the job.

BLAGO: What, she doesn't want it anymore?

EMANUEL: She's having second thoughts. You want more details, you ask her.

BLAGO: She won't take my calls.

EMANUEL: Big fucking surprise.

BLAGO: What's that supposed to mean?

EMANUEL: Um, I don't know, what's it supposed to mean governor? A.) You're a fucking crook. B.) You're a fucking asshole. C.) All of the above.

BLAGO: I'm clean Rahm, you know this. You think that fucking Fitzgerald would being twiddling his fucking thumbs if he had shit to go on?

EMANUEL: I gotta go, Gov. You appoint who you want, we really don't give a shit.

BLAGO: What if I appoint Valerie, what if she takes it?

EMANUEL: What do you want me to say? We'd appreciate it, I'm not gonna fucking kiss your ring over it.

BLAGO: "Appreciate it"? Come on, this is a senate seat we're talking about. It's worth a fuck of a lot more than appreciation.

EMANUEL: You asked us for a list, we gave you a fucking list, you want to make your own list then make your own fucking list. [Raising voice] But if you're asking for anything else from me, or Barack, or Valerie, then you can fucking stop talking right now Rod.

BLAGO: Wait a sec there Rahm. Wait just a fucking minute. Who are you to talk to me like that? I fucking made you.

EMANUEL: You made me? You made me? Tell me you're fucking joking.

BLAGO: No no no, you listen to me shit-face. You see this list I got, the names motherfucking Obama fucking wants for the Senate. I just ripped it in two. How you like that? Oops, Harris just dropped it in the shredder. Harris?

HARRIS (muffled): Yes sir?

BLAGO: Did you just drop that list in the shredder?

[Whirring, shredder noise]

HARRIS (muffled): I did.

EMANUEL: Do you have me on fucking speakerphone?

BLAGO: It's in the shredder, Rahm. The list is bye bye.

EMANUEL: Hold on a sec -- you got me on fucking speakerphone? Who the fuck do you think I am?

BLAGO: Who are you Rahm? Who are you? You're shit, you hear me? Don't come back to Chicago Rahm, it's not your town any more.

EMANUEL: Pick up the phone Rod.

BLAGO: I'll put someone in the senate who will fucking fuck you. I might even put myself in there, how you like that Rahm? How you gonna explain that to fucking Barack, every time he's gotta call me up for my fucking vote. He'd have to take my calls then, wouldn't he?

EMANUEL: [Screaming] I said pick up the FUCKING phone!

BLAGO: [Picks up phone, speakerphone off] I got your attention now, didn't I?

EMANUEL: Shut the fuck up and listen to me for one second Rod. And I want you to listen carefully, because this is the last time I'm ever going to talk to you. You are fucking dead to me. You been fucking dead to Barack since '06, now you're dead to me. Know what that means? That means you're dead to my people in Chicago, Daley on down, and all these friends you think you have aren't gonna touch you with a ten foot fucking pole.

BLAGO: Oh now you're the fucking Godfather? Fuck you.

EMANUEL: No fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.

BLAGO: Fuck you!

EMANUEL: Listen up asshole. The shit's gonna hit the fan, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, and when Fitz finally brings down the hammer it's gonna be my name that's going through your head. You won't know the hows or the fucking whys, but it's gonna have my fucking fingerprints all over it. Have a great life fatso.

BLAGO: Hey fuck--

EMANUEL: [Click.]

End of conversation

End tran script.