The point of the RNC demanding 'answers' from Obama on Blago

[bigtree]

The republican party wants to tie the Obama Justice Dept. down by implicating him, by innuendo, in the Blago case and then calling for him to recuse himself and distance himself from those elements in his Justice Dept. who are involved in this prosecution and investigation.

It stands to reason that, even though the Fitz prosecution has cleared Obama of wrongdoing, there were plenty of attempts by the investigation to wrap Obama up in whatever they were fishing for in the three years the Bush Justice Dept. has been at this.

There are definitely elements of the past administration in his Justice Dept. that he will have a hard time dislodging because of their relationship with the prosecution or investigation without looking like he's interfering. Critics on the Right understand that from their experience in tying down the Clinton Justice Dept. with innuendo and legislative overreaches.

It will be tough in the coming weeks for Obama to put these disruptors in their place. Listening to Pat Buchannan screaming over this today and the RNC's immediate political appropriation of the Blago arrest to Obama presages an ugly distraction for the new administration.

[Political Tiger]

1. The maniacal Reich is going crazy over this

They've already decided Obama is guilty of something and that's that.

[bemildred]

2. Obama has already shown that he will ignore these "attacks".

Which is very much the right thing to do. When you respond you just give them credibility. All experienced internet posters already know this.

[bigtree]

6. there will be another news conference tomorrow

. . . where the Pres. elect will 'respond' to the charges

[bemildred]

9. So you are clairvoyant?

He has not responded to any "charges", he has pointed out that he has never talked to this weasel. It will have to await events, but I would expect that he will "respond" to the questions that are asked. One hopes they will not spend too much time on this.

[bigtree]

11. he did answer a few of them at his presser with Gore

. . . and, I'd expect the media to forward the charges in their questioning. He does quite well when they do this; hence, his elevation over the rhetoric of the campaign into the presidency.

[bemildred]

12. Exactly.

He is very good at "staying on message" and very good and not letting the media control his agenda or his message. It is true they will continue to try, but I think he is a different breed of cat from what they have had to deal with in the past. And I do expect him to spend a lot of time getting the message out.

[Lex]

3. Obama should just ignore these idiots.

They'll be on to some other stupid thing soon enough.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. It is a total attempt at distraction and sleight-of-hand.

If they can get people to actually wonder about this crap, they might not be able to concentrate on all the crap that the repukes have done, and are still doing.

[Wapsie B]

5. This is the gop's Whitewater and Vincent Foster for Obama.

Saddle Obama with a heavy cleanup job with the economy, Iraq, Afghanistan and try to neutralize his effectiveness in office as much as possible, thus improving the gop's chances in 2012.

[Merlot]

7. We're all tired of this

When it first started with Clinton, I was angry and blindsided. Didn't know what to make of it all, but could easily agree with it being a smear attack.

Now, we're all a little smarter, we know swiftboating when we see it. And we have the internet. So I'm doubtfull anyone but the true believers will believe what the talking heads are saying.

The heads can just go explode for all I care.

[bigtree]

8. I'm watching it unfold

. . . and I can't tell if their blather is going to get the media traction it expects. It will be a right-wing talking point for a while, at the least.

[liberalmuse]

10. The RNC needs to DIE.

They've lost all rights to complain about anything for the next millenium after thoroughly fucking up America.