Monday, December 15, 2008

Time to make this story sleep with the fishes



Obviously, the dominant story at the moment is the corruption case against Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. (One thing I've learned from this story is both how to spell and pronounce Blagojevich.) I've been reading about how some people think that President-Elect Obama is lying about any contact with the governor; that Team Obama is dragging their feet after the P-E promised a thorough study of who talked to whom, and not releasing the report; and even a call for Rahm Emanuel's resignation as Chief of Staff...although he's not yet the official Chief of Staff, since Obama hasn't even been inaugurated.

Stop picking on Rahm, you big meanies!

In all seriousness, this is just getting stupid. This is a non-story. Let's review, shall we?

Blagojevich was taped by the Feds wanting money and/or lucrative jobs for both himself and his wife in return for the appointment to Obama's vacant Senate seat. No doubt about it, the guy is a slimeball and a crook.

In his press conference last week, P-E Obama stated that he had no direct contact with the governor concerning the Senate seat, and that his aides had "no inappropriate discussions" with the governor about it.

Emanuel spoke with the governor about a short list of people that Team Obama would like to see in the Senate seat. There is nothing untoward or inappropriate in such discussions, and it seems obvious to me that Obama--he's a Democrat, remember?--would want a Democrat in the seat, and preferably someone who he has worked with in the past and knows would be supportive of his policies. Illinois does not have a special election for vacant Senate seats: they are appointed by the governor.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has said that prosecutors are making no allegations that Obama was aware of any nefarious plots, and Emanuel has been told that he is not a target of the investigation.

The governor himself--on tape--said that Obama wouldn't help him and called him a vulgar term (I'll let you know if I find out what it is). The governor went on to say that even if he did appoint someone on Team Obama's list, "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation." There is a vast difference between speaking about who you'd like to see in the Senate seat and providing funds or appointments in return.

The report issued by Obama's team was ready today, but federal prosecutors asked them not to release it until at least the week of December 22, due to the ongoing investigation, and possible further interviews that they need to conduct.

There is nothing here that smacks of any wrongdoing by P-E Obama, Rahm Emanuel, or Obama's transition team. The attempt of the media to make a mountain out of this particular molehill is perplexing at best, and inflammatory at worst. I remember getting so frustrated at work, because the focus often ended up on some trivial issue, like where to put a new centrifuge, and I wanted to say, "There are bigger issues here--like how we don't have enough people to do the work!" The same concept applies here, and I'd like to see everyone focus on the dire economic straits our world is in rather than trying to make some nonexistent and nebulous connection between Obama and a corrupt governor.

I don't generally read comments on political blogs (But I cherish each and every one of yours, never fear! Well, except maybe for the lovely and charming Anonymous Troll.), but in reading some lately, it seems that there are quite a few people that will never accept Obama as their President. Hey, time to face reality, folks. He IS your President-to-be, like it or not. When I talked to my Mom last week, she told me that even my Dad is coming around. He's not happy about it, and like I've said, we had a couple of heated discussions about it, but Mom said he told her that Obama is going to be his Commander-in-Chief, he knows that's the way it is, and he will support him. When it comes right down to where the rubber meets the road, don't we all want our country (and our world) to see better days? Why on earth would you want someone to fail if it also means the failure and collapse of your country? That's insanity.

Okay, on to other things, and unless there's something really juicy that pops up, I won't write much more about The Little Story That Wasn't.

I hope you're all staying warm. It is freakin' freezin' out there! The winds were really strong today, and I had to wear my parka out and about. It gets too hot in the store, but it works for me when walking from the store to my car! I think I have everything taken care of for Christmas, and finished up with Ken's stocking stuffers. I got myself a couple of 10-pound hand weights because I'm ready to move on up from my wimpy little 5-pounders. Woohoo!

I've also started looking into which buffet to go to when we're in Vegas. Hard to believe that's coming up in just about 3 weeks! I'm reading that pretty much the best buffet on the Strip is at the Mirage, which is where we'll be going for the Cirque du Soleil "Love" show. However, it would be great to find a buffet that offers plenty of seafood, because we loves us our oysters on the half shell! Any ideas from you all? Miss Ginger? Katie? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

When we were there last, we went to the Sunday Champagne brunch at the Golden Nugget. We won't be getting into Vegas until Sunday night, so we'll miss the champagne brunches. Drat! I'm sure we'll muddle through somehow, though. I'm not usually a buffet kind of gal, because I feel like I can't really eat enough to pay for it. But high-end stuff like oysters and crab legs and lobster? Just stand back and watch me work. I'll get my money's worth, believe me!

14 comments:

  1. I have never been to LV but hope to get there some day. Obama haters are going to jump on any little tid bit to start an argument over him. I kinda had to LOL at the Iraqi who threw his own shoes at Bush. Now THAT is a news story. XO

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  2. I'm staying warm....it was 62 degrees here today! I have to say Rahm is really looking quite evil in that photograph.

    Regardless of whom someone voted for or what they think of Obama, we should support our President. I don't know what is so hard for people to understand about that.

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  3. Vegas Baby. The next couple of weeks are lite, then it is off to the city of sin :o)

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  4. Nothing about Obama per se, or your new crush ;), but I've always said that a politician who comes out of IL claiming to be free of graft and corruption is as convincing as someone who grows up in a bordello and swears they have no idea what ti**ies look like.

    I'm sure Rahm is in the clear on this one, but these stories are always going to make news because of the track record of that lovely state.

    Dan # 3 (or 4, I lose track ;)

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  5. it was so windy here my power went out at home (when i was at work of course) brrrr. we went from 56 to 16 degrees in a matter of hours once we got your cold front. gee, thanks a bunch!

    oy..those media types...they act like there has never been a corrupt politician before sometimes.

    enjoy your trip!

    xxalainaxx

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  6. Our politics are the same, yes ma'am they are!

    Please, please, please when you are in Vegas, eat exactly five jumbo shrimp cocktail for me!! Thank you!

    Love,
    Melissa

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  7. We like the buffet at the Main Street Station just around the corner from old Lost Wages. Also Boulder Station has an excellent buffet. I can't remember what they had in the way of seafood however. It's colder enough to freeze the ........(well you know the rest)here. It's supposed to be down in the teens here tonight. Linda in Washington state

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  8. One of these years, I plan on making it up to Chicago to see Cirque. (the past several summers they've been there for at least a month at a time) I saw the generic version at the Morris last winter. (they were good even if they weren't THE Cirque) I've heard enough about all this Blagojavech nonsense. Just get the guy out of office and get on with it. No need to drag it out as we've been doing with everything else lately.
    Love,
    Jamie

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  9. Check out the Bellagio Buffet, I've HEARD it's really good, but have not experienced it myself!! Enjoy!!

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  10. The Mirage buffet is lovely- I had it Sunday upon arrival. THe first thing I had was a SHRIMP COCKTAIL for Beth Ann, and they also had lots of other fish and sushi dishes. There is also a seafood buffet at Rio bu I haven't been to it in years. And if you feel like splurging on something yummy, Joe's Stone Crab, the Miami Beach institution, has a restaurant in the new part of the Caesars shopping area. spensive but worth it!

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  11. I love buffets, and to add sea food in there? Count me in.
    So is the old saying true about Vegas? You know the one........"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?"

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  12. Forget all that political junk -- that photo of Rahm is SO hot! At first, I thought it was George Clooney.
    I'm also substantially uninformed about Las Vegas buffets (the only restaurant I've ever been to in LV is Emeril Lagasse's place), but if there's an eating establishment that serves raw oysters, I'm there!

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  13. In my business, if it walks like a duck...

    If this story was about a Republican, your position would be different.

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  14. I am the with you on the buffet, which is part of why I think big Thanksgiving Day dinners are overrated. Whenever someone goes out to eat with me, they are stunned that I can be 'full' after eating only 2/3 of my plate.

    Sometimes, after you have worked with your 10lbs, you should push out a few more reps with your 5lbs, at the end of your set for a particular exercise. That is good training.

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?