After Wright comes Emil Jones

[metta 0]

Barack Obama: toxic mentors start to corrode pristine campaign

Yet Republican surrogates are drooling at the prospect of linking Obama to Wright's rants.

They intend to ask why he has stopped wearing an American flag badge on his lapel, and why his wife, Michelle, said at a rally: "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country."

The Clinton camp is treading carefully, aware that overt attacks on Obama might alienate black voters. Yet the New York senator's aides are quietly pleased by what they regard as an overdue scrutiny of Obama's past. They believe he will come to be seen not as some Messiah but as an unusually gifted political hack who has made compromises with dodgy associates, just like most other American politicians.

That intensifying scrutiny may soon lead to Jones's Illinois door, and to further uncomfortable insights into the unflattering political realities that accompanied Obama's climb from obscurity.

At one point during Obama's 2003 Senate campaign, Jones set out to woo two African-American politicians miffed by Obama's presumption and ambition. One of them, Rickey "Hollywood" Hendon, a state senator, had scoffed that Obama was so ambitious he would run for "king of the world" if the position were vacant.

When Jones secured the two men's support, Obama asked his mentor how he had pulled it off. "I made them an offer," Jones said in mock-mafioso style. "And you don't want to know."

Jones is now at the centre of a long row over his attempt to block proposed laws cracking down on his state's "pay-to-play" tradition – whereby companies hoping to win government contracts have to contribute to the campaign funds of officials.

Jones's staff say he blocked the bill because he intends to produce something tougher. No proposals have appeared.

Cynthia Canary, an activist against corruption who is fighting to have the laws passed, says Obama had little choice as an Illinois politician but to deal with an ethically dubious regime. "You hold your nose and work through the system," she said.

Yet she also thinks America is being done a disservice by those who portray Obama as somehow above the uglier wheeler-dealing of politics. "He's a pragmatic politician, and in the end if you think that he's superman, your heart is going to get broken."

Edited March 24, 2008 by metta

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That last sentence is actually what a lot of people have been saying for a while now.

[Heracles 417]

"For almost a year Jones has used his position as leader of the state senate to block anticorruption legislation passed unanimously by the state’s lower house. He has also become embroiled in ethical controversies concerning his wife’s job and his stepson’s business."

Very interesting considering Democrats are supposed to stand against corruption.

[HAL 9000 96]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

[metta 0]

That last sentence is actually what a lot of people have been saying for a while now.

I say the Republicans are only just getting warmed up.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Sure - and in other news there was a piece today claiming that McCain is associated with numerous current and former corporate lobbyists.

If the idea here is that the general election will somehow be easier on Hillary, I think that's rather laughable.

All this "Ooh he can't take the criticism" stuff seems rather hysterical and removed from reality.

[metta 0]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

Noone could. Isn't that a given?

[HAL 9000 96]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

Any Proof or are we just looking for more skid marks ?

I mean, the article is pretty clear. No link.

[simple_male 1]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

But the voters are responsible for what Obama has reached where he is now. How can you say he could not have reached where he is now? Did he do anything against the law to win more popular votes, delegates, states than his opponent?

Edited March 24, 2008 by simple_male

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

But the voters are responsible for what Obama has reached where he is now. How can you say he could not have reached where he is now? Did he do anything against the law to win more popular votes, delegates, states than his opponent?

Of course he did, Hillary is incapable of losing fair and square.

Edited March 24, 2008 by AnewKINDofFEELIN

[metta 0]

Sure - and in other news there was a piece today claiming that McCain is associated with numerous current and former corporate lobbyists.

If the idea here is that the general election will somehow be easier on Hillary, I think that's rather laughable.

All this "Ooh he can't take the criticism" stuff seems rather hysterical and removed from reality.

Just as Shakespeare wrote, "There goes Brutus, lean and hungry", Obama is an ambitious politician and it will be no surprise that he can take a load of critism.

The real question is , can the voters including his wavering fans take it?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Sure - and in other news there was a piece today claiming that McCain is associated with numerous current and former corporate lobbyists.

If the idea here is that the general election will somehow be easier on Hillary, I think that's rather laughable.

All this "Ooh he can't take the criticism" stuff seems rather hysterical and removed from reality.

Just as Shakespeare wrote, "There goes Brutus, lean and hungry", Obama is an ambitious politician and it will be no surprise that he can take a load of critism.

The real question is , can the voters including his wavering fans take it?

If, indeed, the majority of his "fan base" are people who are that naiive about what he stands for. I'm not sure that they are.

[metta 0]

Sure - and in other news there was a piece today claiming that McCain is associated with numerous current and former corporate lobbyists.

If the idea here is that the general election will somehow be easier on Hillary, I think that's rather laughable.

All this "Ooh he can't take the criticism" stuff seems rather hysterical and removed from reality.

Just as Shakespeare wrote, "There goes Brutus, lean and hungry", Obama is an ambitious politician and it will be no surprise that he can take a load of critism.

The real question is , can the voters including his wavering fans take it?

If, indeed, the majority of his "fan base" are people who are that naiive about what he stands for. I'm not sure that they are.

A good percentage of his fans are "Independents'' and disillushioned Republicans...

And don't forget, they are the ones who elected GWB not once, but twice.

Edited March 24, 2008 by metta

[HAL 9000 96]

" None of them is linked to Obama "

Enough said. Next?

Obama could not have reached where he is now, without multifarious links among whom some are patently nefarious...

But the voters are responsible for what Obama has reached where he is now. How can you say he could not have reached where he is now? Did he do anything against the law to win more popular votes, delegates, states than his opponent?

No, Emil Jones is responsible! LOL