Under The Bus

The next person under the Obama bus may be his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, who apparently was in contact many times with Governor Blagojevich regarding filling Obama's vacant Senate seat. That is, if Obama really is "appalled."

Not the Rod Blagojevich I knew? Not the Rahm Emmanuel I knew?

Interesting that now, Blagojevich will be in a position to offer information about corruption in Illinois politics to save his own skin. Tony Rezko apparently is singing like a bird in advance of his sentencing, which has now been put off.

Stay tuned for details to emerge about that shady house purchase deal between Rezko and Obama. (Not the Tony Rezko I knew.)

Jennifer Rubin has comments about Obama's emotional response to bad news:

President-elect Barack Obama, who played little if any role in the final negotiations on the car bailout, pronounces himself “disappointed” by the collapse of the legislation. Better than”sad,” which was his self-described state of mind, before realizing he was really “appalled” by Gov. Blagojevich’s misdeeds. Disappointment, sadness — rather passive and melodramatic reactions for the leader of the Free World. But this has been his default state whenever things go wrong — Rev. Wright, legislation, criminality, etc.

It is an odd emotional reaction, but one designed to deflect responsibility ( Why didn’t he join the car bailout negotiations?) or commitment. Most of all, the vagueness perpetuates the moral equivalence that dominates his thinking and suggests that bad actors are really just misunderstood. Be prepared to hear President Obama is misty-eyed at the news that North Korea has reneged on another treaty obligation, melancholy that the Senate sees fit to fully investigate Eric Holder’s conduct, and down-right glum about Hamas’s refusal to cease violence against Israel. It will be hard to remain filled with hope.