IL State Treasurer/Obama Ally Giannoulias Planning to Challenge Roland Burris–Report from Our Chicago Correspondent; Medicare Musings

~~By InsightAnalytical–GRL & Chicago Correspondent Leslie

We’ve got a tidbit from Chicago Correspondent Leslie today and a bit of musing about Medicare today.  But since I’ve been swamped by the follow-up since my mother’s fall a few weeks ago, I haven’t been able to finish up the articles I’ve been researching. So, please consider this an OPEN THREAD today and post anything that’s on your mind or any news that has caught your eye!

From Chicago via Leslie:

I am sending you a story about Alexi Giannoulias, the IL State Treasurer, whose family-owned bank played a role in the samming of the woman who owned the Hologram Museum (I sent you the link to the Chicago Reader story a couple of weeks ago.)

When Obama was running for POTUS, he distanced himself from this guy, but now that Giannoulias is thinking about running for the seat now held (by a thread) by Roland Burris, it seems there may be something to the Obama-Giannoulias relationship.

Here is a quote from the article (linked below):

“. . . On Monday, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias — who refers to Obama as his political mentor — announced that he will form an exploratory committee to determine whether he’ll be in that race.”

Editor’s note:  Guess what? The link Leslie provided for this story is no longer working.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29466902/

We cannot find the page you requested.

Error 404

The link you followed may be broken or expired. Please try your link again, or take a look at our homepage for today’s top news.  Below you can find today’s most e-mailed and most viewed stories.

I searched the MSNBC site and came up with zip.  That sure “expired” quickly…

Here’s an excerpt from the original information posted here about Giannoulias a couple of weeks ago:

Also from Leslie  and on a more sinister note is this story from the Chicago Reader by Ling Ma about the state treasurer of Illinois, who has ties to Obama.  As Leslie says, it captures the “heart and soul” of Chicago politics, where “They scratch each other’s back. Oh, but they care about the little guy…(snark)!”

Broadway Bank is owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulis, Illinois state treasurer and a political ally of Barack Obama. Giannoulis was the bank officer who approved the loan to Loren Billings.

The full story is fascinating  just on the basis of the story about holography and what is described as the last holography museum in the U.S.  But what really is disturbing is how this elderly woman was cajoled into taking out a loan by “friends” at Giannoulis’  Broadway Bank and how her life may be ruined. Obama’s friends in Chicago really know how to do this sort of thing well…

Leslie adds: Oh, BTW: The Tribune had a headline saying “Race Played a Role in the Senate” selection. All I can say is . . . “No sh*t” .

***

Since my mother got home from the hospital we’ve been visited by a nurse who took a blood test, a nurse to assess her case, a physical therapist and, today, an occupational therapist.  She’s going to have bathing assistance and several weeks of instruction by the therapists on what her limits are and some things she can do to keep up her strength.

It took awhile to kick in, as schedules are already in place.  The therapists who have done her initial assessments both have full-time jobs in the hospital, but come after work to do the initial interview.  Then, the full-time people take over.

These services in Medicare are very helpful and you would think that they would automatically be expanded under this “stimulus” package/health care reform spending. But, who knows?  Since we’ve already been warned that “expensive” older people are just going to have take their lumps, I bet these professionals will be hit as hard as the hospitals when it comes to payment.  They may even lose their jobs.  I’m just so cynical at this point about Obama and his arrogant crew that I can’t see them doing anything GOOD for anybody except his favored demographic groups and donors from the financial world…

T.A.R.P, Recovery Plan, Term Limits Action…All Obscured Under the Cover of Media Hoopla

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

What’s been going on under cover of the media’s endless coverage of an airline incident in NY and the Inauguration hoopla?

While the plane floated in the Hudson River,  the Senate passed the remaining $350 billion in T.A.R.P. expenditures.  Since it would have been necessary for both House and Senate to vote down this measure, the funding is now assured and already in process.

Just to be certain their tight vote passed,  Roland Burris was sworn in early that day and Joe Biden withheld his own resignation from the Senate until day’s end, after the vote. You won’t see reports of such maneuvers in the MSM, but we’ve have to expect them to continue as this Administration gets into gear.

Speaker Pelosi, for instance, appears to be planning a re-interpretation of House Rules to serve the purpose of “dead of night” measures to circumvent opposition. Rumors indicates she hopes to start taxing Americans’ retirement funds, while evidence is clear she remains a strong backer of ACORN, according to the Center for Individual Freedom. Founded in 1998, this organization tends to focus on Republican and libertarian values and is part of the Townhall.com consortium.  These days, however, we find ourselves having to at least look at information sources other than the MSM, even if they are in the “other” camp.

From CFIF.org:

On the very first day of Congress, Pelosi pushed through a change to a House rule known as the “motion to recommit,” a rule that was implemented a CENTURY AGO specifically to PROHIBIT the leadership of the majority party from railroading horrendous legislation through Congress under the cover of darkness.

(SNIP)

Nancy Pelosi changed her tune on a great many things once she assumed the position of Speaker of the House.

Two years ago, she said; “Bills should generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the minority the right to offer its alternatives, including a substitute.”

Even the liberal Washington Post could not help but comment on Pelosi’s blatant hypocrisy and her apparent rush to change the rules when it comes to transparency and openness:

“When they took over in 2007, Democrats set aside their pledge in order to muscle through their agenda during the first 100 hours; their promises continued to prove hollow in the ensuing months…. Democrats brought more measures to the House floor under closed rules – permitting no amendments – than any of the six previous Republican-controlled congresses.”

Check out this post at The Swine Line, the blog  of  Citizens Against Government Waste,  for more detailed discussion.  I’ve extracted the links to the House Appropriations Committee documents from the post:

Spending package/Recovery Bill http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/RecoveryBill01-15-09.pdf

Report language http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/RecoveryReport01-15-09.pdf

The question that remains related to T.A.R.P. is what will the House of Representatives do to regulate its distribution and oversight. Barney Frank, Democratic Chair of the Banking Committee has presented a bill which claims to serve that purpose. This bill is subject to a vote as early as this week, following the Inauguration.

H.R.384
Title: To reform the Troubled Assets Relief Program of the Secretary of the Treasury and ensure accountability under such Program.

Additional information on the bill, including cost estimates, text, amendments, etc: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR00384:@@@

Of even greater concern, however,are the currently nebulous contents of the “Obama Recovery Plan.” Expected to multiply the initial costs of T.A.R.P., this package of ten bills is currently a mere shell for the insertion of who knows just what. Apparently, all the Obama rhetoric has yet to be magically transformed into substance. By contrast, another bill also introduced on January 7, to discourage teen pregnancy is four pages long – offering an amount of detail greater than the 10 sketchy Recovery bills combined! Yet the headers of this package portend sweeping changes in almost every aspect of American life. One, for instance, with a header related to “Fairness” for the middle class (?) includes, on its short list of potential laws, a brief reference to CardCheck (Pelosi and ACORN’s approach to storming small businesses with mandated unions, initiated with the peer pressure of no secret ballot.) Note that this is  just one  item on a longer list on one bill of ten! For a review of the massive scope but lack of content of this “Recovery Plan” see here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/d?d111:0:./list/bss/d111SN.lst TOM:/bss/111search.html|

There’s every indication the Democratic power-party is preparing for diverse back room deals and dead of night maneuvers to turn our country’s standards and laws upside down as quickly as possible – all with the blessings of a co-operative Mass Media which is committed to informing citizens about as little as possible of what is going on.

Take, for instance, the re-introduction of a Resolution of January 6 by Rep. José Serrano (D-NY) to eliminate term limits on the Presidency. The history of its prior introduction (1995 to 2007) has been weak. To grasp the orientation of Rep. Serrano),  just look to some other bills he introduced that day: to provide federal funding for clean needles to drug addicts (with 31 co-sponsors) and to end our trade embargo on Castro. This time around, the threat of ending term limits has meat on its bones – cosponsored, as it is, by Barney Frank. What, may we ask, is the head of the Banking Committee thinking to sponsor a bill extending Obama’s term in office – with no limits?! (Please note; Rep. Frank’s co-sponsorship is dated November 2008 but buried in the record of an earlier record of the measure. Just an error?)

Here’s the bill: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj111-5

***

The Wake Up America movement (W.A.M) is enlisting volunteers to “Watch Washington Now”  track legislation and communicate to both Congress and the mainstream media what is acceptable and what is not. (Quick use sample letters and contact information for key figures will be provided.)

To get involved with W.A.M. please click this link (or the logo on the right sidebar). Preserving our democracy needs your support.

http://www.wam08.org/GetInvolved.html

Women in Power: The Example of Prime Ministers in Bangladesh, “A No-Casserole Zone”

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

As Inauguration Day draws closer, many of us are still feeling very angry and insulted. Even though most of us were not naive about politics before the 2008 primary season began, we still were in for a shock on  two fronts. First, the utter corruption of the Democratic Party, once our “safe haven,” became painfully clear. Second, and related to this, was how the party saw their hand-picked candidate introduce misogyny, as well as race, into the campaign and didn’t make any moves to stop it. Not that the leadership even wanted to…

So, many of us feel that Hillary Clinton, even if she weren’t the first choice of some, still was badly treated and was “robbed” of the nomination.  Later, Clinton decided to stay and play with the boys, which was very disappointing. On the Republican side, Sarah Palin was trashed just to be trashed and suddenly the only person on either ticket with long executive experience wasn’t “qualified” ; and she was undermined by factions in her party as well.

So here we are in the United States, with so many of us not feeling fine about the status of women these days.   Many of us who have been in this fight since the 60’s see things slipping away, while many women and girls, along with the media and many men, either don’t get it or if they do, are just willing to accept a disdainful, hollow man as President rather than a more experienced, tough, fighting woman.

(As an aside…seeing the Roland Burris debacle unfolding, you can almost understand why Hillary Clinton wanted out of the Senate. I wish she hadn’t decided to stay in the game as Secretary of State, but it’s clear that Harry Reid et al will stop at nothing when it comes to getting “their” people in…and Clinton is not “theirs.”)

Which brings us to another thing to ponder.  We’ve seen NOW and NARAL cave, and we’ve witnessed Nancy Pelosi in action.  We  may speculate that once women reach a certain level, they’re in a power game and they forget where they come from and play the game alongside the men in the same way.  And this includes undermining other women.  It may be that they’re jealous of the power they’ve gained, fearful of losing it to a rival,  or may it’s just what’s in their own characters.  Whatever is going on, it’s clear that just because a woman gains power, there’s no guarantee that they will be any different from men in power. The media may try to undercut women in power with hints that they are “emotional” or “weak” but anybody watching can see these women are playing the power game no-holds barred.

As an example, let’s take a look at recent events in Bangladesh. Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries and one of the most politically corrupt, had an election on December 29, 2008.  For the last two years the country has been controlled by a caretaker government backed by the military which was installed  to try to bring stability to the country and stop political violence.

According to the BBC’s Q & A published before the election (Q & A: Bangladesh Election,December 17, 2008):

The two main parties competing for power are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina – also a former prime minister…Between them the two women – bitter personal enemies – have alternated from government to opposition for most of the last two decades….both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia have been detained during the last two years on corruption charges along with dozens of other top political and business leaders. Many fear that the character clash between the women – reflected among their respective sets of supporters – means that their mutual rivalry will overshadow the pressing problems the country faces.

Prime Ministers Zia (L) and Hasina (R)

Sheikh Hasina Wazed won a landslide victory on December 29th, marking her second election as Prime Minister. According to Reuters, “Security remained tight across Bangladesh and police were on alert for attacks by Islamist militants as the army-backed interim authorities prepared to hand over to civilian rule….Strikes, street violence and attacks by militants trying to turn Muslim-majority Bangladesh into an Islamic state based on sharia, Islamic law, have hampered past Bangladeshi governments.”

Today, January 7th, Hasini has been sworn in as Prime Minister (Hasina emerges with a change)

Her charter for change, which includes building of a “digital Bangladesh”, drew public attention, particularly of the young generation, which was finally reflected in the battle of ballots, observed political analysts. Her promise of change also reflected in the formation of the cabinet as she appointed young and fresh people.

The restraint in her speech attacks on her political rivals won her popularity in the run up to the election. Her call upon all political parties to shun politics of confrontation, and to develop a healthy political culture for building a prosperous country, also earned her public kudos.

We’ll see.  Hasini’s rival, Khaleda Zia ,who was the first woman prime minister elected in Bangladesh, initially vowed to work with Hasini even though she stood by her charges of voting fraud, but has already revived the bitter rivalry.

From The Daily Star (Bangladesh), January 7, 2009:

AL’s journey for ‘change’ started thru’ killing Says Khaleda

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday came down heavily on new Awami League (AL)-led government, saying that it has started its journey towards “change” through killing, snatching and criminal activities across the country.

(SNIP)

“You’re observing what is happening across the country. Does it mean change? Do people want it?” Khaleda made the remarks after visiting the bereaved family members of Nazrul Islam, a leader of Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, who was killed in the city’s Bijoynagar area on Monday.

(SNIP)

Khaleda, who didn’t attend the oath taking ceremony of Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet, demanded immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the killing.

Both these women have been jailed and both have been either threatened with exile or actually exiled. In Zia’s case, corrupt relatives have fled the country (elder son, Tarique Rahman, still awaiting trial). Observers believe that there will never be political peace in Bangladesh as long as these two women are on the scene.

All this reminds me of Benazir Bhutto’s history in Pakistan, which probably shouldn’t be a surpise as Bangladesh was once part of Pakistan. Like  Bhutto,  Hansini comes from a political family; she is the daughter of Bangladesh’s first prime minister.  Zia is the widow of the assassinated Maj. Gen. Zia ur-Rahman (assassinated in a failed coup attempt in 1981); she has also been elected to the office of prime minister twice.  As with Bhutto, corruption is the name of the game when it comes to these political rivals.

So, while lots of people mourn the demise of Hillary Clinton’s bid for the Presidency, the reality is that while being a woman in power does make a statement, it’s not always the statement we dream of.  In the meantime, let’s see how Pelosi, Clinton, and other women in the Obama Universe operate. We already know what Pelosi is capable of.

And let’s see long Sheikh Hasini lasts…THIS time around…

***

Related Post: After “Aunt Benazir’s” Assassination, Fatima Bhutto Still Fighting to Reveal the Truth [Posted December 27, 2008]

Bangladesh’s Political History from InfoPlease

KING HARRY SAYS "HE’S NOT WELCOME" (UPDATE 1X) Burris Stopped by “Paperwork”

~~By American Lassie

It isn’t very often that I find anything amusing in the news anymore, but I find the situation in Chicago very entertaining and I am loving every minute of it.

Governor Blagojevich of Illinois has the bull by the horns and he is not letting go.

By appointing Roland Burris to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama he has that opportunistic bunch of Illinois (and Washington) Democrats all reaching for their Immodium AD.  They all have their bowels in an uproar.

Especially Bobby Rush, Lt. Governor Quinn, and both Jacksons – Sr. and Jr.

Bobby Rush has started playing the race card, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn is salivating for the Governor’s job, and both Jacksons are in a frenzy over just what exactly is in those tapes that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is holding.

A filing from Fitzgerald’s office requesting an extension of the time to prepare the case against the governor states “The government has been conducting a diligent and thorough investigation in this case, but the investigation includes multiple defendants and potential defendants.”

Patrick Fitzgerald says more time is needed because of the complexity of the corruption case against the Illinois governor who was arrested on a criminal complaint. Fitzgerald’s office said “multiple witnesses have come forward in recent weeks to discuss their knowledge of criminal activity.”

Everybody is getting nervous.  Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White,  says he will not sign the requisite papers to approve the appointment of Roland Burris, or of any other person Gov. Blagojevich might appoint.  Harry Reid says that any appointment by Gov. Blagojevich would be tainted by fraud and would not be seated by the Senate.  His words pertaining to Roland Burris appearing in the Senate – “HE IS NOT WELCOME.”
King Harry is forgetting that in America you are presumed innocent until found guilty.  Until there is a trial and he is found guilty Rod Blagojevich is still the legal governor and entitled to make appointments and sign legal papers.

A Constitutional fight could loom over Roland Burris’ appointment.  The fight may go to the Supreme Court as Burris intends to fight for his right to the seat he has been appointed to by Gov. Blagojevich.

Under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, governors alone have the power to appoint a replacement to complete the term of senators who are expelled, resign, or die.

AMENDMENT XVII (1913)

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

The governor’s power to fill vacancies is granted by Illinois election law.  If the legislature writes a new law and takes that power away from him, Blagojevich could VETO the legislation to remove his appointment power.  CATCH 22 !!!

“The governor has the Constitutional and statutorial authority to make the appointment,” Burris said.  “We are certainly going to make contact with the leadership of the Senate to let them know that the Governor of Illinois has made a legal appointment, and that I am currently the Junior Senator  from the state of Illinois”.

Harry Reid is twisting the Constitution to make it sound as though the Senate has the right to deny anyone they wish.  Not so:

Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution gives Congress the  power to be “judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members.”

Article 1, Section 3 says “no person shall be senator who shall not have been attained to the age of 30 years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States.”

Roland Burris meets all those qualifications and has been a life-long citizen of the State of Illinois.  He is 71 years old.

Harry Reid says it is not about Mr. Burris, but about Rod Blagojevich’s integrity.  Senate leadership spokesman Jim Manley said,  “This is like judging the integrity of an election, free from fraud and corruption.”  GIVE ME A BREAK !!!!!!  Free from fraud and corruption?  After this past election cycle, he has the nerve to say that?

Trying to thwart Mr. Burris from being seated in the senate because of their opinion of Gov. Blagojevich is like (in Mr. Burris’ words) comparing apples and oranges.

In 1967 the House of Representatives refused to seat Adam Clayton Powell, D-NY, during a corruption investigation.  The Supreme Court weighed in on the side of Mr.Powell stating  “The house is without power to exclude any member-elect who meets the Constitution’s requirements for membership.”

The Illinois State Supreme Court refused to grant Lisa Madigan’s (Illinois  Attorney General) attempt to stifle the governor’s authority.  As long as he hasn’t been tried and convicted it is his duty to perform the duties of an elected governor (which he is).  And the  duty now before the Governor of Illinois is to appoint a member to the seat vacated by Barack Obama (which he has).

In Chicago’s Oakwoods Cemetery Burris has erected a granite mausoleum listing his many accomplishments, including being the state’s first African-American Attorney General  and the state’s first African-American Comptroller.

The Illinois House has bumped up its schedule and will meet several days this week.  A spokesman for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (father of the Secretary of State Lisa Madigan) says the chamber may vote on a recommendation from the special committee studying whether Blagojevich should be impeached.

The Democrats (once the party I supported) are in a pickle; there’s Minnesota (decided but facing lawsuits), New York and Illinois, bringing their dream of a 60-seat majority into sight.  They thought they had their hand-picked members all line up and now they are hoisted by their own petard.  The rejected the idea of a special election to replace Obama in Illinois and now it seems the governor has more guts than they thought and their plans have gone astray.  He has outfoxed the foxes, and I am enjoying every minute of it.

I hold no sympathy for Blagojevich if he is guilty of the things they say he is guilty of, but I say let the courts play out their hand and let’s see the evidence.  In the meantime he is still the governor with all the powers of a governor and, as I said, if they pass a law in the Illinois Legislature, as governor he has the right to veto it.

I know nothing about Roland Burris other than what I have read and heard recently.  He seems to have a clean record of accomplishments by all accounts, except by the Chicago Tribune and I wouldn’t  put much stake in anything they have to say.

I think it is very suspicious that they pulled the rug out from under Fitzgerald before he was ready to take action.

What goes around comes around, and it’s about time some people got hit by the boomerang.

***

NOTES:

Burris Drama Plays out as Senate Set to Begin Work (January 4)

Reid said he expected to meet with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Monday evening in hopes “we can solve this issue on a bipartisan basis.” Reid added, “I’m on old trial lawyer. There’s always room to negotiate.”

(Negotiating with the Republican Senate leader?  WHY???? Other than to screw a Democrat who isn’t in the Obama crowd??)

Cornyn rips Reid on Blago calls (January 3)

Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee get into the act…

document.write(cnnRenderTimeStamp(1231194131650,[‘January 5, 2009 — Updated 2222 GMT (0622 HKT)’,’updated 5:22 p.m. EST, Mon January 5, 2009′]));

UPDATE 1

Secretary of Senate rejects Burris, aide says

(CNN) — Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson has rejected Roland Burris’ appointment to the Senate, an aide to the secretary told CNN.

Erickson rejected Burris’ appointment because his certificate of appointment was missing the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, the aide said Monday.

Rule 2 of the Standing Rules of the Senate states that the secretary of state must sign the certificate of election along with the governor. (MORE)

The Past Week: December 28, 2008-January 3, 2009 (Court Dates; Barnicle on Bloggers; Burris-Delmarie Cobb Connection [Clinton Supporter]; Economic Collapse; The Feeding Machine)

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

As we regroup for the REAL onslaught of Obama et al in a couple of weeks, let’s catch up on a few items of unfinished business.

First of all, if you’ve lost track of the court cases involving Obama’s eligibility to be President, check out this section of the January 1 post  from Truth Is Gold entitled New Years Blessings:

On the political front, much history continues to be made, despite media’s refusal to report any of it. Rather than report that 54% of the American people now believe there is reason to be concerned about Barack Obama’s eligibility to occupy the Oval Office, http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84990 or that Supreme Court of the United States has now scheduled two conferences on Philip Berg’s cases, Jan. 9th and 16th; [Mr. Berg has now entered an interpleader naming Barry Soetoro himself as a defendant, thus shifting the burden of proof to Soetoro/Obama, also naming a member of the military as a plaintiff, which satisfies the standing issue]; or that, although Congress is scheduled to count the electoral college votes which were due by December 15, 2008, [December 24th was the deadline for receipt of electoral votes at NARA], Public Law 110-430 changed the date of the electoral vote in Congress in 2009 from January 6 to January 8, [again for the first and only time in history], and that a presidential candidate has only 180 electoral votes, with 26 states not yet reporting despite the fact that the deadline for receiving votes was over two weeks ago. http://larrymwalkerjr.blogspot.com/2008/12/electoral-college-update.html , http://archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/ Some of the states have not yet responded and some have refused to vote for Soetoro/Obama. In any event, he is still one hundred votes from the 270 required to get elected. [It has been touch and go from the beginning, so why should it be any different now? Don’t blame us, we tried to warn everyone that he was unelectable!] It is surely the first time in history that our country has been faced with a candidate about whom nothing is known except for the fact that he is most certainly not eligible to be president because he is not a natural born American citizen, and yet all we hear about is Barry’s fondness for wearing his hat backwards and playing with his Blackberry while complaining about his security detail as Middle East conflicts continue to escalate.

In short, we are facing a number of historical firsts, NONE of which main stream media has seen fit to report.

And what’s this about a Kenyan birth certificate?

***

Speaking of the “main stream media,” one of its stellar representatives, the delightful Mike Barnicle (the guy who told Joe Scarborough a few weeks ago that Obama wasn’t vetted by the media because we all “knew him” and that it was all about having a “feeling” about him) –THAT Mike Barnicle– paid homage to the blogosphere the other day by uttering this astute analysis:

“I’m sure, and I know, that there are some terrific bloggers, and some legitimatge bloggers. But I think by and large, a huge percentage of people who are blogging, are doing it for self-therapy.”

What this barnacle affixed to the bottom of the media garbage scow, of course, fails to mention that any such need for “self-therapy,” if it even exists, is there because of the pain caused by watching the media bend over to enable the creepiest candidate in my lifetime, Barack Obama.

***

Meanwhile, as the Blagojevich-Burris saga remains alive the folks at The Chicago Reader give Blago the win so far (Thanks to our Chicago Correspondent Leslie for this item)…

Meet Senator Burris

by Mick Dumke on December 30th 2008 – 7:48 p.m.

(SNIP)

The governor has an obvious gift for helping other politicians look decisive, thoughtful, and bright, even some of those who are currently sitting in jail. But I’m afraid I’m with those who think he won this round of politics.

“I think it was a very smart decision on the part of Rod Blagojevich—it was ingenious,” political consultant Delmarie Cobb said in an interview this afternoon. “Who better than Roland could rise above what’s going on? His integrity is unassailable…. If there’s anybody you could put in who doesn’t draw lightning, it’s him. I think Roland can ride it out.”

To be sure, Burris has been involved with his own business and political dealings, and Cobb, who was one of his top advisers during his 1998 and 2002 runs for governor, clearly remains a fan. But after talking with several other elected officials, I think she’s right: Burris may just make it into the U.S. Senate.

The above piece fails to mention that Delmarie Cobb was a Clinton supporter. But, if you click on her name  in the above excerpt, you’ll come to a a story from April 2008 entitled “Race in the Race.”   Interestingly, Cobb had no problems with Jeremiah Wright. But she really was very strong on taking issue with the tactics of the Obama campaign.  She pretty much nailed him to the wall back then. Pity that Clinton “pulled her punches and that we didn’t see Cobb on TV at the time.  According to correspondent Leslie, she was a delegate for Clinton at the convention and was “threatened” because of it, which was not unusual. (When I hear the current blabbing about how “good” it was of Obama to appoint Clinton as SOS, it makes me want to gag all the more.)

Cobb has long and strong ties to Burris… you have to wonder if Clinton is enjoying Cobb’s praise of Burris!! This is an excerpt from a long interview which is well worth reading in it’s entirety, as it touches on so many of the issues that still bother us today. (Note: Italics are mine.)

Race in the race

by Mick Dumke on April 2nd 2008 – 7:08 p.m.

Democratic consultant Delmarie Cobb is a veteran–in 1996 she was the press secretary for the Democratic National Convention, and over the years she’s managed campaigns and dispensed advice to a long list of local and national politicians, including Jesse Jackson, former Illinois gubernatorial candidates Roland Burris and Dawn Clark Netsch, and congressmen Jesse Jackson Jr. and Bobby Rush.

(SNIP)

What [the media has] decided is that [Obama] is a new black person who doesn’t make race an issue. This is someone we can accept. But this is a fight in the black community—it’s between the black people who’ve been fighting their whole lives for civil rights and the people who’ve been the beneficiaries of that fight.  (MORE)

In the full interview,  Cobb makes some very strong statements about the treatment of Hillary Clinton and other female candidates and use of the term “bitch” to describe strong women as well as other interesting comments about other aspects of the primary race.

***

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Watch for a piece on Monday by American Lassie on the Burris appointment!

***

Trot on over to Logistics Monster if you want to worry more about the economy:

America’s Economic Collapse: An Intricate Web Of Money, Power, and Political Agendas, Part I

America’s Economic Collapse: An Intricate Web of Money, Power and Political Agendas, Part 2

***

As I finish compiling this post, Chaplin’s Modern Times has just ended.  That “feeding machine” for the worker on the assembly line reminds me of how we’ve all been force-fed Obama for the last year…What AGITA!!

***

THE PAST WEEK

*By Kenosha Marge

*The Squirrel in the Driveway

Why Chris Matthews Has Nothing to Worry About…

7. The Man Who Paints Street Numbers…(Final Installment in Our “Season of the Heart” Series)

December 31st–World Healing Day: Locate a Labyrinth or Find Your Place, Wherever You Are

Revisited: Seeds Planted in 2004, a Suicide in 2008 (And a Few Other Stops Along the Obama Way)

A Party Held HOSTAGE: Michelle Obama Wasn’t Alone in Her Hostility at the Rainbow/PUSH Conference in 2004–Protests Against Jesse Jackson, Threats Against Democrats/Kerry By Ministers in an Eerie Preview of the Rev. Wright Episode

BREAKING: El Paso Man Commits Suicide, Leaves Note to Obama “Take Care of My Family”; Other NM News–VOTING Problems, Giuliani in So. NM Tonight (Saturday)

*On Being “Disagreeable”

The Past Week(s): December 14-27, Recaps and Random Thoughts (”Heart” Series; Betty Currie Returns; “Money as Debt”; FDA Caves to Pressure, Antibiotics Back IN Food Animals as of 11/30)