Transition Team Emails “Exempt” from disclosure: How Convenient!!

     ABC’s George Stephanopolous reported yesterday that sources close to President-Elect Barack Obama’s transition team have said that their internal report will show that there was no wrongdoing on Rahm Emanuel’s part in his “limited” contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

    The sources say that Emanuel’s contact was “one time” and that it had nothing to do with Obama’s vacated Senate seat. However, the report stops short of releasing any emails or written correspondence between the transition team and others. It seems that those records are not subject to public scrutiny, falling outside the freedom of information rules, as they do not address the transition period records of the President-Elect.

     Isn’t that just so convenient, and did we expect that the Obama report would implicate Emanuel?

Will Fitzgerald Protect the President-Elect?

     The two-counts that are revealed in the 76 page affidavit that precipitated the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday is merely the tip of the iceberg in the ongoing investigation into the Governor, Tony Rezko, and others in the well-publicized world of Chicago and Illinois corrupt politics.

     U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald chose his words very carefully at the press conference which outlined what the Government was investigating. First and foremost, the Feds wanted to stop any further actions, aprticularly with regard to the filling of the Senate seat vacated when Barack Obama resigned his Senate position. He further went on to say that no one should draw any conclusions about any of the individuals named within the affidavit, and that the “affidavit” does not imply any wrongdoing by the President-Elect.

     Then there is the responses from the President-Elect himself, wherein he says that “we, I, have had no conversations with the Governor”. This statement, however, completely contradicts the statements, on television, made by Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod on November 23rd, wherein he stated that Obama had discussed several names with Gov. Blagojevich, and that Obama was “fond” of several of the individuals discussed. When questioned on the contradiction, the Obama spokepeople stated that Axelrod was “mistaken.”

      Fitzgerald is known for his thoroughness in his job, and is relentless in making sure that everything is in order. As the new administration begins in the White House next month, Fitzgerald was to be one of the many whose resignations would be requested by the White House. It is now assumed that given the volatile nature of this present investigation, it would be unwise for the Obama team to replace Fitzgerald.

      Does that mean, however, that Fitzgerald will protect the President-Elect as the investigation proceeds? Since there are hours of wiretap recordings, it can be assumed that there is information not yet released that could implicate members of the Obama staff, if not directly to Obama himself. Will Fitzgerald use these recordings, or stop short of any implication of the President-Elect? Going a step further, since the Chicago Police Department has not been able to move further on the murder of Trinity Church Choir Director Donald Young, and the various threats and actions against Larry Sinclair, will Fitzgerald be able to see if any of these other activities have any links in his corruption investigation?

     From a different angle, given that there are allegations about deals for campaign contributions, union endorsements, etc., and given that some of the Obama contributors included “Mickey Mouse”, will the Federal Elections Commission reverse itself, and look into the contributions made to the Obama for President campaign?

     Looks like old fashioned Chicago politics at its best!!

Word of Advice to America’s Youth: Don’t put ANYTHING on the Web, because it will come back to haunt you!!

     Career recruiters have been touting the “evils” of the social networks on the Internet for years, and have issued strong warnings in seminars and lectures on our college campuses and in our high schools. Since you never know where one’s path may take you, what is meaningless today, may haunt you tomorrow.

     Case in point involves Facebook, MySpace, and one certain Obama campaign worker.

      If you’ve looked at the “questionnaire” for vetting if you are interested in a position in the Obama White House, several questions pertain to the Internet. One asks what URL’s, blogs, social networks you might post, comment, or appear on. And another asks if there is anything that might cause embarassment to family, friends, or the President.

      And therein lies the twist. President-Elect Obama was able to appeal to the youthful masses because of Jon Favreau. As Obama’s head speechwriter, the 27-year old graduate of Holy Cross College was able to write for Obama from the youthful perspective that brought the youth masses to his rallies. Now Obama has tagged the youthful Favreau to be the White House Director of Speechwriting.

     On December 5th, this was found on Favreau’s Facebook account, and shown in the Washington Times, as well as swirling through the Internet:

Favreau is the one doing the “groping”

     With Senator Clinton having been tapped to be the Secretary of State, the head of Obama’s cast of  “All Star” characters, one could say that this photo of one of his key campaign staffers is a “bit of an embarassment” for the President-Elect. Favreau has already extended his apologies to Senator Clinton.

     Of course, having read all of the questions on the vetting questionnaire, even President-Elect Obama could not pass his own vetting. After all, Larry Sinclair’s tell-all book is less than a month away…….. and since there’s no legal challenge to it, one could add another layer of credibility and validity to Mr. Sinclair!

Constitutional Posturing

     Co-President Elect Hillary Clinton is very wise to retain her Senate seat pending Senate confirmation, particularly in light of the CONSTITUTIONAL questions about HER eligibility to leave the Senate for the Office of the Secretary of State.

    Is this a bizarre twist? Clinton’s Co-President Elect Obama refuses to settle a Constitutional question on his eligibility for office because of questions on his citizenship, and there is not more than a whisper of the story, with a few lines creeping into the mainstream media. Yet the MSM is very quick to put forth every story that purports the fact that the Constitution has a provision that would keep Clinton out of the Secretary of State position primarily because the pay rate for the office was raised while she was a Senator, and a Senator cannot constitutionally take the civil office if its pay was raised (above the Senator salary) while the Senator was serving.

     Its time for Obama to play by the rules: Prove your citizenship, and lets get on to the business of fixing this country’s problems….. with our new President, whoever that person legally shall be!

Military State: Is this our Future?

     Websites like radio host Hal Turner have been reporting stories regarding an impending crisis, one that is beyond the imagination of the average member of a free democracy. These stories have been swelling through the cybernews forums for a long time.

     But now there are stories being reported by Obama’s media friends that actually underscore and give credence to the concerns that the Hal Turner’s have been expressing. Hal Turner is known as a white supremacist, and can also be anti-semetic and homophobic in his comments, all of which are views that JAMES does NOT espouse. But, take those factors out of the substance of the articles he is posting to view his story with an open mind.

     For example, several weeks ago, the blogosphere mentioned that our troops would be used domestically after Obama is inaugurated. Then, a week before Thanksgiving, Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked for a comprehensive report as to how many troops would be necessary on our domestic front should they be needed. That story was followed yesterday by news reports that 15000-20000 troops would be used as “first responders” units because of terrorist warning intelligence information that highlights chemical warfare. It is important to note that the military is STRESSING a role that is not centered around domestic law enforcement because, at least for now, that would be an illegal action.

     Bloggers like Hal Turner have also been blogging and reporting about our financial crisis long before it occurred. From reports of the Chinese being angered over the Fannie Mae Freddie Mac debacle to reports of the minting of the Amero (USA/Mexico/Canada version of the Euro), it is apparent that what some people are writing off as conspiracy theories should actually be listened to, maybe with a bit of skepticism, but with an open mind.

      Some blog reports have stated that some of our retired military are receiving notices about possible recall. How ironic then, that while talking with acquaintances during the Thanksgiving weekend, it was mentioned that a veteran of two tours in Iraq, out of the military for a few years, ahs just been recalled and sent by the military for medical emergency training! Caught our attention!!

     Armed military walking the subways, the airports, the bus terminals! Sounds like Uganda during the reign of Idi Amin!, or North Korea! Obama did promise CHANGE!

The “Co-Presidency”:As the ClintObama Cabinet Takes Shape, is the MSM Honeymoon over?

     Just days before Thanksgiving, President-elect Obama introduced the financial segment of his Cabinet and advisors, and he spent the rest of the week countering the attacks made against his decisions– by his leftwing supporters like Arrianna Huffington of the HuffingtonPost.com!!

    Timothy Geithner was named as the Secretary of the Treasury, and while I find the appointment of any Democrat against my convictions, this one came with some merit. Mr. Geithner, at the helm of the New York Federal Reserve, has been an active participant with the Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on the mortgage crisis, AIG bailout, and the $700 Billion bailout. This will ensure that from the financial sector of the Executive Branch, there will be continuity in the handling of the present financial dilemna.

Obama introduces his Economic team, including Timothy Geithner at his left

    In addition to Mr. Geithner, Obama has reported that Paul Volcker will serve as a key financial advisor, heading a new White House panel tasked with job creation and financial strategy. Mr. Volcker brings with him a great depth of financial expertise, having served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

    The appointment of many from the Clinton era, like Rahm Emanuel and Eric Holder, have caught the ire of those who elected Obama as the voice and face of Change. Even Obama’s adoring media pundits are questioning the appointment of this third Clinton administration.

    Now, as Monday approaches, the Obama transition team is bracing for what may well be the “beginning” of the end of the Obama honeymoon with the media and the electorate.

     Within the next 48-72 hours, Obama will formally announce his foreign policy team, and amidst the speculation, the leftwing is already in an uproar. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who has a countdown clock in his office for Inauguration Day, has allegedly agreed to remain in his position, for at least another year. This will assure the orderly implementation of the pact that the Bush administration has successfully negotiated with the Iraqi government for our orderly withdrawal by 2011.

The Co-Presidency of Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama

     And culminating weeks of speculation, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be named as the Secretary of State. At this point in the building of the ClintObama administration, the establishment of Hillary and Obama’s “Co-Presidency” will be complete. There has been a great deal of speculation as to the reasoning behind Obama’s choice of Sen. Clinton as Secretary of State, and what it may ultimately cost his Administration in the long run. After all, all Cabinet members serve at the “pleasure of the President”, but exactly how does Obama ask Sen. Clinton for her resignation? Even more problematic in the appointment of Gates and Clinton is their support of the war in Iraq as opposed to Obama’s view of the Iraqi war.

     The left blogosphere has been steaming since Sen. Clinton went to Chicago to discuss the position with Obama, and they became more incensed when the Gates’ appointment was mentioned. Their reaction when the announcements are formally made on December 1st will most likely put Obama on a greater defense with the media. Imagine that, and he is not even the President yet!

The ClintObama Cabinet continues to Reflect the “Change” Theme

     Giving the ongoing appearance of his theme of “Change” in Washington, the President-Elect continues to put his Cabinet and Administration together, with more Clintonite staffers.

     Today, it has become apparent that the Obama team has been quitely checking the Senate votes to make sure that the probable Attorney General nominee would face minimal or no opposition in the confirmation process. Eric Holder, the controversial Clinton acting Attorney General, is the name that is presumed to be forthcoming as the first Black American AG nominee. Eric Holder, a 20-year veteran of the Justice Department, handled the list of pardons issued in the waning days of the Clinton presidency, and he has revealed little about the controversial pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich. Some figure that Holder will be grilled in a confirmation hearing about the ties of the pardon to Rich’s ex-wife and her sizable donation to the Clinton library.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and Eric Holder

     President-Elect Obama has had Eric Holder in his inner circle of the campaign. It was Holder along with Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg who headed up the Obama Veep vetting team. Now, with Holder, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, Greg Craig (as Sr. White House Counsel), and nearly 3 dozen other Clintonites tapped to serve the Obama White House, the candidate of Change is sending the clear message that Change comes in going back to a Clinton White House– This will be the ClintObama administration!!

      So, when is Hillary meeting with Condeleeza Rice to check out her new office!!

Washington Times Ad: Highlighting pending Constitutional crisis

     Our President-elect, Barack H. Obama, has resigned his seat in the United States Senate less than two weeks after his election, the earliest any President-elect has done such an action. In the two weeks since his election, Obama has maintained a somewhat low profile, except for a 60 Minutes interview, a trip to the White House to check out the new “digs”, and meetings to set up his Administration. He even took the future First Lady to dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago for a three hour quiet dinner. And all of this while the number of lawsuits and challenges to his eligibility to be elected the President continue to mount.

     Dr. Alan Keyes has become a party to a California lawsuit seeking to have the Secretary of State require verification of Obama’s birth records. Philip Berg’s case is pending an answer from the Obama lawyers before the U.S. Supreme Court. There are lawsuits pending against several other Secretary of States with similar issues as expressed in Dr. Keyes’ complaint.

     In the Washington Times Weekly, a full page ad ran in the November 17th edition that hit the streets this weekend:

     The answer to all of this seems so simple: Barack Obama should simply release the verifiable original document that the State of Hawaii recently acknowledged that they had on file. The time, the moment, is now, to put this matter to rest. There are far too many issues facing this Nation to have the air of uncertainty about Obama’s Constitutional eligibility remain as we move forward. Yes, 52% of the electorate voted for Obama, but if he cannot meet the Constitutional requirements, he cannot be permitted to take the Oath of Office– the oath that says he will “uphold the Constitution”.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?

     Reports from the Obama Presidential transition team are showing the New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is on the short list of prospective candidates for the coveted position of Secretary of State. A source within the transition team said has confirmed to the Associated Press that Sen. Clinton met with President-Elect Obama at his Chicago office. There was an obvious “double contingent” of Secret Service agents onsite, since Sen. Clinton has a Secret Service detail assigned to her because she is a former First Lady.

     Sen. Clinton’s office did not confirm or deny any meeting, except to say that she had no “official public schedule” for Thursday.

     Obama, who had campaigned on the pretext of “Change” coming to Washington, is surrounding himself with Washington insiders and powerbrokers. The selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his Vice President was just the first selection that shows that Obama is counting on the “Politics as usual” network to move his agenda. Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff and Ron Klain as Biden’s Chief of Staff add to that network plan. Both men had positions in the Clinton Administration, and Klain led the recount battle in Florida for Vice-President Gore in 2000.

     The two Cabinet positions being watched carefully by the world in general, and the global financial markets in particular, are the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State. Sen. John Kerry has publicly lobbied for the Secretary of State position, and Rep. Chuck Hagel has also been mentioned for the position. Putting Sen. Clinton in that role has many positives for Obama, including the high level of international respect that is accorded to her and former President Bill Clinton. But the greatest benefit to Obama would be in having her within his Administration as opposed to in the Senate where she can be a vocal challenge to him, and where she could, if she wanted to rebuke tradition, challenge a sitting President for the Party nomination in 2012.

     For the Change President, it is looking more and more like the same old Washington and the same old Clinton people!

Rep. Paul Ryan Challenges his Colleagues

     Yesterday I listed Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as one of the young and rising stars of the Republican Party. According to the Journal-Sentinel in Milwaukee, Ryan has been non-stop since Election Day, appearing on news broadcasts and such, looking every bit a Party leader.

     In the Wall Street Journal on November 11th, the Congressman penned an OpEd to challenge his Republican colleagues as they prepare for the next legislative session, the 2010 elections, and ultimately to regain the White House in 2012.

     Here is his challenge: Take Some Political Risks

• OPINION
• NOVEMBER 11, 2008

Take Some Political Risks

By PAUL RYAN

After two straight electoral defeats, it is time for a substantial party shake-up. We don’t need a feather duster; we need a fire hose.

We need to be honest about the root causes of our current financial crisis: loose money, crony capitalism and a lack of market transparency and information. We need to adopt a policy of sound money by requiring the Federal Reserve to focus exclusively on keeping inflation in check, as I’ve proposed with my Price Stability Act. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose excesses helped lead to the current mess, must be taken off the backs of taxpayers. We need a complete overhaul of our outdated financial regulatory system to emphasize market transparency and accountability.

The greatest threat to our nation’s future prosperity is the explosion of entitlement spending. Our entitlement programs are headed for a painful collapse that will bankrupt this nation and leave our children with an inferior standard of living. If we don’t tackle these problems, they will tackle us.

David Gothard

We must also offer bold alternatives to the destructive tax policies that the Democratic majority will work to enact. We must go beyond simply calling for lower taxes. We need a complete overhaul of our tax code. At a time of fierce global competition, the individual and business tax reforms I put forth earlier this year would encourage companies to invest in America, promote jobs here at home, and strengthen the paychecks of American workers.

We must take control of the health-care debate, and champion patient-centered alternatives to the socialized health-care proposals advocated by the Democrats. Health-care decisions should be made by individuals and their providers, not government bureaucrats or insurance company bureaucrats. We need to offer reforms that make health care more affordable, more portable and more transparent, while strengthening the social safety net.

What Does the GOP Do Next?

• Danny Vargas: Diversity is Destiny
• Paul Ryan: Take Some Political Risks
• Henry Olsen: What Would Reagan Do?
• Peter Robinson: Put California in Play
• Richard Land: Stay Faithful to Core Values
• Michael Steele: Listen. Adapt. Be Positive.

We cannot simply put up roadblocks to the emboldened Democratic majority. We need to offer an alternative future. Absent reform, our federal government will double in size within a generation. We must change course from this path of stagnation, and we must have leaders willing to provide a path that keeps alive the American ideal and keeps our government limited.

Our party has become too fearful of our own ideas. Since 1997, congressional Republicans began a steady retreat from principled leadership to political expediency. A party built on spending discipline and government reform succumbed to the siren songs of government expansion and earmarked giveaways. Republicans squandered the opportunity to limit and reshape the relationship between the federal government and the individual.

I ran on these bold ideas and innovative solutions in a congressional district carried by Barack Obama — yet I received 64% of the vote. I challenge my colleagues to rethink political risk taking. Taking on our most serious fiscal challenges will restore relevancy to the Republican Party and will keep alive America’s commitment to freedom and prosperity.

Mr. Ryan is a Republican congressman from Wisconsin.

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I have this idea that we will be hearing a lot more from and about Rep. Paul Ryan!