More of that deafening silence

[sirs]

The Audacity of Silence About Tony Rezko

    Jury selection began today in Chicago in the trial of Syrian-born businessman Antoin ?Tony? Rezko, a major supporter of Barack Obama. Two days before the 2006 elections in which Democrats won by running against a ?culture of corruption,? Chicago newspapers revealed that Obama purchased a home that summer for $1.6 million, but only because Rezko?s wife bought an adjoining parcel for $625,000 to complete the deal. Rezko was already under federal investigation for kickback schemes.

    To a political opponent, this might resemble a lobbyist?s sweetheart deal like the one that started Rep. Duke Cunningham?s political decline, where a lobbyist paid $700,000 more for Cunningham?s home than his own sale price months later. But the national media are anything but opponents of Obama?s. Despite Obama?s high national profile as a Democratic symbol of hope, network TV news and the national news magazines have done a dreadful job of telling the Rezko story, and have struggled not to repeat it.

    A Nexis search through February 2008 finds Time magazine has never mentioned Tony Rezko, despite several soaring cover stories on Obama. U.S News & World Report noted it once, briefly (September 24, 2007). Newsweek disposed of the smelly land deal in one paragraph ? paragraph 20 ? in a January 31, 2008 story that actually touted Obama as a reformer.

    An MRC analysis of all broadcast news shows through February 29 found the TV networks weren?t much better.

    Evening News. Only the NBC Nightly News has aired a full Rezko story, by reporter Lisa Myers on January 28, a week after Hillary Clinton threw out Rezko?s name at a debate. ABC?s World News hasn?t touched it.

    CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric mentioned it once in passing on April 27, 2007. She then reported her own story celebrating the ardor of Obama?s community organizing in Chicago: "Most people stayed in that job for four months. Obama continued to fight for four years, cutting his teeth on community activism, the first measure of his leadership skills that are now being tested on a much larger stage." She then reported her own story celebrating the ardor of Obama?s community organizing in Chicago. Reporter Dean Reynolds mentioned Rezko in passing again on February 28.

    Morning News. The networks aired only one story explaining the Rezko deal, from ABC reporter Brian Ross on the January 10 Good Morning America. ABC?s Diane Sawyer asked Obama two questions about Rezko on January 23, two mornings after Hillary mentioned the name in a debate. She pressed him on whether he had really returned all Rezko?s donations, but she also disdained the topic: ?We have heard a lot of people say they are exhausted by this charge, counter charge.? On CBS that morning, Harry Smith tossed in one Rezko inquiry.

    On NBC, Matt Lauer pressed not Obama, but Hillary Clinton with it on January 25: ?Does it make sense to use something like this, Tony Rezko, against Senator Obama, when there really is no such thing as political purity anymore??

    Other Shows. When the Rezko issue has surfaced on other shows, its appearance is usually brief. On NBC?s Meet the Press, Tim Russert softly pressed Obama last November 11 (for about 300 words of talk between them, less than a typical Russert question). CBS Sunday Morning commentator Nancy Giles mentioned it in passing on February 24, but CBS?s other Sunday shows (Face the Nation and 60 Minutes) have repeatedly skipped it in their Obama interviews.

    Terry Moran raised it on ABC?s Nightline on February 25 (for about 500 words of chat). George Stephanopoulos raised Rezko in two This Week interviews before this past weekend. On May 13, 2007, he asked Obama, ?What were you thinking?? Obama replied ?I?m very proud of my ethics record. I mean, I was famous in Springfield for not letting lobbyists even buy me lunch.? How many lunches would a lobbyist have to buy to equal Rezko?s $625,000 parcel purchase? ? Tim Graham


Just imagine if this were McCain

[Christians4LessGvt]

ya know sirs something I am observing (a different silence)
there is some degree of the old liberal guard that are not enthusiastically embracing Obama
i am not sure why, because he is super super liberal
why are they holding back?
it's almost as if they had their hearts set on Hellary
sure the crowds and rock stardom is there for Obama
but alot of that is young kids, blacks, and the media
why do we not see XO, LANYA, MICHAEL T singing the praises of Barack Hussein Obama?

[Xavier_Onassis]

why do we not see XO, LANYA, MICHAEL T singing the praises of Barack Hussein Obama?

there is some degree of the old liberal guard that are not enthusiastically embracing Obama

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What, you think we are all programmed by the mighty Anti-Limbaugh in the Sky to support He Who is Designated.

I voted for John Edwards in the primary. I prefer Hillary by a slight margin, since I sense that Obama's ability to raise funds are due to some fatcats support of him.

I won't vote for more war, graft, incompetence and stupidity, which seem to be traditions of the GOP.
Rezko is immaterial to the presidential election, and no one can summon another Ken Starr to trash the new Democratic president so easily. am sure that there are many conspiracies at work to keep the war going, to prevent healthcare, to keep oil prices high and an energy policy nonexistent, in addition to embarrass, besmirch and otherwise discredit whomever might outpoll McCain. There are also doubtlessly designs to steal the election probably assassinate the president as well with yet another crazed lone gunman.

 

[Christians4LessGvt]

xo i hate to say it

but i just wonder if some of the LEFT are not solidly behind Obama because he is black?

look at the things Slick Willy has said

they basically had to lock that nutcase away in the attic to shut his ass up.

[Rich]

>>but i just wonder if some of the LEFT are not solidly behind ABM because he is black?<<

I'm sure that's true for some democrats. However, I'm absolutely sure there are large numbers democrats voting for Barrack Hussein Obama for no other reason than he's black.

[Christians4LessGvt]

"large numbers democrats voting for Barrack Hussein Obama for no other reason than he's black"

i'ma whitey with guilt complex?

[Rich]

I'm sure there's some of that, but from what  hear on local radio and television,and the national media, Black people are voting for Obama simply because he's Black.

[fatman]

If you're going to engage in supposition Rich, I guess it'd be fair to say that a lot of Republicans are voting for McCain because he's white, or a man.  Not all mind you, but a lot.   

Wow, this broadbrush thing is easier than I thought.

[sirs]

I think Rich is referencing folks who have publically commented on why they're voting for Obama (or Hillary).  I've heard much of the similar, folks actually voting for Hillary, because she's a woman.  Damn her positions, policies, or where she (or Obama) would take the country.  We need "change"     

[fatman]

I think Rich is referencing folks who have publically commented on why they're voting for Obama (or Hillary).  I've heard much of the similar, folks actually voting for Hillary, because she's a woman.  Damn her positions, policies, or where she (or Obama) would take the country.  We need "change"      

In fairness to Rich sirs, I realized what he was referencing, and to be honest he's probably right.  There almost certainly are people voting for Hillary because she's a woman, Obama because he's black, or McCain because he's a white male.  There's always going to be racism, sexism, whateverism, and those folks are going to vote one way or another.  I'm not sure it's proper to describe the whole on the basis of the fringe, and that goes for Dem or Repub.

I think that this goes to what you and I were discussing in another post, the fear monger aspect of modern politics.  Perhaps we can effect some change, at least in this tiny corner of the world, this forum, of rejecting that attitude.  It'd be a great start at the very least.

[Rich]

>>I think Rich is referencing folks who have publically commented on why they're voting for Obama (or Hillary).  I've heard much of the similar, folks actually voting for Hillary, because she's a woman.  Damn her positions, policies, or where she (or Obama) would take the country.  We need "change"<<

Exactly. I've actually heard people say, "I support Obama because he's Black." and other variations on the theme. Some say he's Black and it's our turn. Either way, it's a stupid reason to support a candidate. But then there are people who say they support Mrs. Clinton because she's a woman. I have yet to hear anyone say they support McCain because he's White or male.  That's not to say there aren't any, but I have yet to hear anyone say it publicly.

[fatman]

Some say he's Black and it's our turn. Either way, it's a stupid reason to support a candidate

Total agreement.

But then there are people who say they support Mrs. Clinton because she's a woman.

Your statement that either way, it's a stupid reason to support a candidate, also applies here, to which I am again in complete agreement.

I have yet to hear anyone say they support McCain because he's White or male.  That's not to say there aren't any, but I have yet to hear anyone say it publicly.

You won't hear anyone make this claim, with the possible exception of some white supremacist loonies.  And we both know the reason, there would screams of racism/sexism emanating from the far left, although it's perfectly acceptable to some to do the same exact thing, only reversed.

Racism and sexism are both wrong, and they remain wrong even when the one suffering the racism/sexism is reversed.

[Xavier_Onassis]

People have a right to vote for whomever for any reason, but electing someone solely because he is Black, White or she is a woman is not a wise reason.

If Obama is the candidate, I am sure he will cause many Black people to vote for him that normally do not vote at all. Lieberman got more Jews to vote for he and Gore, and raked in tons more money than normally from Jews as well.
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Look at the things Slick Willy has said

they basically had to lock that nutcase away in the attic to shut his ass up.

------------------------------------
What did he say? I can't recall anything that has damanged Hillary's campaign.

He has not been locked up, either. He hasn't missed a day campaigning, nor has Chelsea.

I favor Hillary slightly over Obama BECAUSE Bill would have a greater role in her presidency. He is a clever politician, and it that is what it takes to get things done. Contrast the difference in effort Bill put into negotiating in Israel with what Juniorbush has done. Granted, the net result is nothing terribly substantial, but Bill did work out something that could be turned into something acceptable, while all Juniorbush has done is make optimistic noises that signify nothing.

Change is indeed what is required. Hardly more than a handfull of McCainiacs want a rerun of Juniorbush, and fewer than that want to see another Dick Cheney.


And again, Rezko is a total non-issue. Rezko has received no special favors, nor will he if Obama is elected. This is met with total silence even in this forum. No one gives a crap about Rezko. Photos of Obama in a turban are more disturbing to most people.

[sirs]

I have yet to hear anyone say they support McCain because he's White or male.  That's not to say there aren't any, but I have yet to hear anyone say it publicly.

And there in lies the difference, when it comes to referencing why folks are voting for whomever.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I have yet to hear anyone say they support McCain because he's White or male.  That's not to say there aren't any, but I have yet to hear anyone say it publicly.

And there in lies the difference, when it comes to referencing why folks are voting for whomever.
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There was a time when most everyone in Mississippi said that they would vote for a White man for that reason alone, and for many years it was the intent to make sure than only White men were running.

But this is a racist attitude, and although there are many racists around, very few wish to identify themselves as racists. James Eastland was a racist and proud of it. Jesse Helms was a closet racist, and called all Black people "George". But he would not announce that said Georges should never be elected. We are now up to the third and fourth generation since segregation, and it is understood that being a blatent racist is not cool.