Wolfson Schools the Press Corps.... grill the Rezko thing like you did Hsu!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

from ABC's Political Punch:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/wolfson-schools.html
Wolfson Schools the Press Corps

March 01, 2008 1:43 PM

In a conference call, Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson pushed the media to be as aggressive in the Rezko case as they were with Norman Hsu, which Wolfson handled.

"I did my level best to answer appropriately, honestly, as completely as I could many, many, many questions about the relationship between Norman Hsu and Bill and Hillary Clinton, down to, in one instance -- if the person is on the call I don’t mean to embarrass him -- but down to one instance, whether or not Norman Hsu had received a signed saxophone from Bill Clinton. The number of questions that we don’t know the answers to about the relationship between Mr. Rezko and Mr. Obama is staggering.

"Just a couple: is there anyone on this call who knows how many fundraisers Tony Rezko has thrown for Barack Obama? Is there anyone on this call who knows how much money Tony Rezko has raised for Barack Obama? Is there anyone on this call who knew before a week ago that Tony Rezko actually toured the house that they purchased before Barack Obama belatedly admitted it? Is there anyone on this call who’s aware that Barack Obama met with business associates of Tony Rezko? Is there anyone on this call aware about what was discussed at that meeting? Is there anyone on this call aware whether there were other such meetings? Is there anyone on this call aware whether or not Barack Obama impugned, or, I’m sorry, opportuned Tony Rezko to obtain jobs in the Blagojevich administration for Obama allies? These are very simple questions.

"I can guarantee you that if the shoe were on the other foot, so to speak, no pun intended, I would have been getting those calls, those questions, left and right and having to come up with answers that were satisfactory to a very serious and dogged press corps. I’ve just given a bunch of questions. I bet that as good as the press corps on this call is, I bet that most of you don’t know the answers to those questions. They are legitimate questions. What is the nature of the relationship? How many fundraisers were held? How much money was raised? How many meetings were attended? What was said at those meetings? Were jobs, did Tony Rezko attempt to get jobs for Obama allies? Question after question after question after question has neither been posed nor answered in any serious way by Barack Obama. He has thus far skated by.

"Well, now the trial is beginning and I think it will be more difficult for him to avoid these various serious questions. I can guarantee you that if, again, if the shoe were on the other foot, I would be getting those questions and I’d be having to answer them to people who are very serious investigative reporters, who know their business, who know the right questions to ask, and don’t take 'no comment' for an answer."

Wolfson is not wrong here.

If you want to hear his melodic voice ask these questions -- it's almost like an aria, really -- you can listen to it HERE: http://senduit.com/e9b97c

[Unsane]

1. Thanks, Rush.

[yourguide]

2. I advise listening to the entire call

in which the advisers were also asked about HRCs experience with foreign policy crisis (there was silence for about 10 seconds before they mustered a complete non-answer)

in which they lied about threatening a lawsuit in texas

in which they called the current delegate count fuzzy math

in which they couldnt answer a question about how HRC is going to actually FUND her health care program

in which they really had nothing good or positive to say about their own candidate but just spent time tearing Obama down.

It's an hour and 14 minutes of spin and negativity.

listen to the WHOLE thing here:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Wolfson_and_Penn_unfiltered.html#comments

[Kittycat]

7. You should start a new thread just on this.

I think it's topic worthy. I really believe her handlers have destroyed her... Sure she holds ownership, but clearly her judgment is clouded.

[yourguide]

12. I cant believe any Clinton supporter

even posted part of this conference call knowing the full call is out there and it doesnt make her or her handlers look good.

seriously, it was hilarious when the reporters called her out on foreign policy experience...there was nothing for them to say, they had no idea how to respond.

[Kittycat]

20. They don't expect anyone to actually listen to it.

And the Clinton campaign is full of hypocrisy - that's their shtick.

[bigtree]

11. divert, distract

dissemble

[yourguide]

14. Listen to the call

they spend the entire call almost begging reporters to dig up dirt on Obama. I would humbly suggest people are out there looking for it, especially the HRC campaign, and if it was found it would be reported loudly by the media.

There is no "there" there.

[Kittycat]

21. You have room to talk, LOL...

As the PP said - listen to the entire call.

[bigtree]

23. this post is about Rezko. How pathetic, to change the subject. No defense?

"boneheaded" doesn't begin to describe this.

[anigbrowl]

25. Actually it's about what Howard Wolfson said to the press corps

including Rezko. How much money did Norman Hsu give to Hillary again?

[bigtree]

28. again, a change of subject. Start your own thread on Hsu. Check the right-wing blogs for info.

[anigbrowl]

24. You think it's a diversion to advice people to listen for themselves, eh?

Well we can't have people making up their own minds. Next thing they'll start wanting to have their own opinions!!

[bigtree]

36. just for folks wanting to completely change the subject of the thread

from Obama and Rezko, to whatever else the reporters and Wolfson were discussing.

The crap about someone 'making up your mind' is funny, coming from someone trying to change the subject of the discussion here.

[yourguide]

37. It's a non story

if there was any wrong doing do you think Fitzgerald would have cleared him?


the story is how desperate wolfson and penn sound almost begging the reporters to try and dig up more dirt on Obama. This story has been extensively covered in the Chicago media and again, there is nothing there.

[bigtree]

39. Obama has never agreed to an interview about Rezko with the reporters from the Chicago papers

"Obama has never agreed to an interview about Rezko with the reporters from the Chicago papers who know the story the best, and it has not been for lack of trying. My Sun-Times colleagues who are investigating Rezko have pressed for a chance to talk to Obama about Rezko."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/820948,CST-NWS-sweet01.article

[yourguide]

40. Jesus christ

he was cleared for pete's sake, why does he need to conduct an interview when he has been cleared?

He doesnt.

And those reporters have been digging at this story for months and have found nothing. jesus christ.

from the swamp:

Obama has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko and has insisted that he never used his office to benefit Rezko.

Thus far, there is little in the public record to suggest otherwise, and the few exceptions that have come to light appear minor. On Capitol Hill, Obama once gave a summer internship to the son of a Rezko business associate on Rezko's recommendation. Earlier, as a state senator, Obama was one of several South Side political and community leaders who wrote state and city officials urging approval of public funding for a senior housing project involving Rezko.

But when Rezko pushed for passage in Springfield of a major gambling measure, Obama vocally opposed it.

[bigtree]

41. there are some questions in the article

at the link

[yourguide]

43. I did read the article and again...

those questions are from Penn and Wolfson, they quote penn and wolfson in the article asking these questions, they are from the conference call.

Dont you think the sun-times have tried to establish a link more than, ah this house thing? If it was there to find I would guess either they or Patrick Fitzgerald would have found it by now.

[rodeodance]

58. In what's he got to hide?

[rodeodance]

60. SHAME on you--butting in as you did!!

[movonne]

3. That's crazy ... Obama is going to get the nomination and then it will

be the repugs theme song...if you want mc cain then you are on the right track..DU is behind the dem whomever it is...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. what you don't think that the RW machine doesn't already have this info ready to use.............

and are you suggesting that we shouldn't be talking about it here and now?

[bigtree]

8. this is a primary to decide who will face that republican. The race isn't over yet.

. . . and Obama doesn't seem to have any similar concern when it comes to accusations about Hillary Clinton. He should be made to account for these questions, as Clinton has been over the years she's been the center of attacks from all sides.

[bigtree]

5. They just ignored the fact that he's admitted to the tour of the property with Rezko

. . . indicating more than the summary reference by Rezko to the buy that he'd been claiming.

THanks for posting!!

[easy_b94]

6. IF this Rezko Thing had legs Obama would have been out of the race..in other words...

This is a NON STORY!!!!!!!!!!

[jillan]

9. The trial starts Monday - it's just the beginning.

[cali]

13. It's really not. Obama is not on a witness list and Fitzgerald

has cleared him of any wrong doing. I'm afraid you're destined to be bitterly disappointed.

[jillan]

17. I'm not going to be disappointed - I just want this case closed

so the RW can't use it if Obama is our nominee.

I still want to win in November - even if it's not my candidate.

[anigbrowl]

34. You are going to be in for such a disappointment

The trial is really about Rezko's relationship with Gov Rod Blagejovic. He is the anonymous politicians mentioned int he indictment, not Obama (per the judge the other day). The media has already looked at the story and let it die because there isn't any illegal activity taking place.

Thus all the Rezko fanatics keep saying things like 'well where did he get the money to buy that house? huh? huh?' as if there was hidden detail still to come. The answer, of course, is in Obama's tax returns, which have been made public. He made fat money from sales of his books - $1.2 million in 2005 alone for 'The Audacity of Hope'. And most of the people posing these questions already know this, although a few are just lazy and ignorant. In general, they're just trying to exploit other people's laziness and ignorance, aiming to sow doubt in hopes that the listener will just take the question at face value.

Problem is, Obama doesn't attract lazy ignorant supporters.

[jillan]

47. Did you not read my post right above this one?

Guess you were too lazy to do so :crazy:

[bigtree]

10. It's just that his former Senate campaign finance director and 17-year friend

is sitting in that NON-jail, awaiting trial.

[yourguide]

16. As is Norman Hsu

who fled from authorities if memory serves.

Patrick Fitzgerald has already cleared Obama.

[bigtree]

18. questions asked and answered

not so with Obama . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4834932&mesg_id=4834932

[yourguide]

19. Considering Patrick Fitzgerald has already cleared him

it's all been asked and answered. Not to the media, but to the Chicago Attorney General's office.

There is no "there" there.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

22. Start with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's December 21, 2007 proffer in the Rezko case.........

with its charges of extortion and kickbacks taken in 2004 from the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System: $10,000 from this crime was channeled to a "political candidate" not named by the prosecutor. The fact that Rezko was on the finance committee of Obama's campaign for U.S. Senate, and the other facts in the case, make it clear that Barack Obama was the candidate in question.


Having raised half a million dollars for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Tony Rezko got the Governor to appoint Rezko's own men to the Teachers' Retirement System, among them Stuart Levine, now indicted. And Rezko got Allison S. Davis appointed to the Illinois State Board of Investment, in control of billions in state retirement funds. Although Davis has not been charged with wrongdoing, the feds are reportedly pressing a probe of that agency. Davis is currently the president of that State Board.

Barack Obama was a Harvard Law student in 1990 when he interviewed for a job with Tony Rezko's slum-redevelopment firm. He didn't go directly into the Rezko company. But in 1993 Obama was hired by Allison S. Davis, whose law firm (Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland) represented Rezko's operations over the years, while Rezko raised cash for Obama's electoral campaigns. Davis became Rezko's personal financial partner in slum-redevelopment deals, which were then backed by State Senator Obama.

[bigtree]

26. and those three subjects have yet to be answered for by Obama

Questions about the funds raised while Rezko was his finance chair.

Questions about appointments on behalf of Rezko.

Questions about kickbacks.

[yourguide]

30. Answered to Patrick Fitzgerald obviously

and cleared of any wrong doing.

There is no "there" there.

[yourguide]

29. Already been cleared

by Patrick Fitzgerald, make all of the insinuations you like but he's been cleared.

[bigtree]

31. Those 'insinuations' don't originate with this poster.

Apparently, there are still important questions which need to be answered about Obama's association with Rezko. Those questions are coming from the press in his home town.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. thank you

[yourguide]

33. They can ask all they like

and it's all been answered to the satisfaction of the attorney general's office.

And it's not the press asking, it's Howard Wolfson and Mark Penn begging for anyone to try and dig up any dirt on Obama. Did you listen to the call?

[anigbrowl]

35. Naw, you just repeat them endlessly in the belief that there's a story there.

[anamandujano]

57. How about supplying some proof that Fitzgerald cleared him?

As of now, it just sounds like you're trying to start a rumor.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

15. The questions will be asked and answered now ...

or during the GE if BO is the nominee.

Why the reluctance, by the MSM, to ask legitimate questions.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

63. it will be too late then

[HCE SuiGeneris]

27. That's 2. 1 left. And 3 days.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

44. ahaha what did frenchie get a new account?

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[chieftain]

38. Clinton's oppo has yet to find anything on Obama. That's what

this call from Hillary's media team proves conclusively. Coupled with the pathetic attempts to hype non-issues such as kindergarten presidential ambitions and phony plagiarism charges, it is crystal clear to all but the Clinton Cult that, Wolfson and his gang have found not a scintilla of wrongdoing on the part of Barack. No matter how much Howard sputters and Penn spins, they have not laid a glove on their opponent. Does anyone really believe that if they had dirt, they would be pleading the media to ask speculative questions. If they had something, Howard would have sourced the media pack and let them do their usual destructive work on a Liberal Democrat.

[yourguide]

46. Neither has Patrick Fitzgerald

who cleared him and the chicago sun times who has been reporting on this for months.

the story is Penn and Wolfson almost begging reporters to dig up dirt, it's really pathetic.

[ProSense]

42. Has Hillary released her tax return? Obama has!

What's Hillary hiding?

[rodeodance]

59. STOP changing the subject--What's the matter--use all your Hate-Hillary post up??

[NoBorders]

45. The main thrust of this campaign has become anti-Obama

Which is pretty pathetic. I don't see anything solid and positive going on with this campaign. It's all about lawsuits over caucuses, FL/MI, negative ads, and taking down the other guy. Do they even know why they're campaigning anymore?

[Beacool]

49. The media ask tough questions of the Anointed One????

Is Wolfson smoking weed or what? How dare he imply that the Great One should be questioned on anything that could even remotely impact the perception of perfection that Obama and his campaign have carefully fostered. It's all about rallies and fan worship. What a difference to see Hillary in the poorest part of Ohio rolling out a poverty plan and at the same time seeing Obama at his umpteenth rally surrounded by fawning crowds.

The cult of personality, that's what really is important to the American public or so it seems. I hope that we don't live to regret it. Memories of Bush...........

[ElsewheresDaughter]

53. ..........

:spray:

[anonymous171]

50. boo hoo

I thought the "fighter" was used to these kinds of things.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

64. she wipes the floors with Obama in every debate...all Obama ever says "I agree with Senator Clinton"

even SNL nailed it!

[oasis]

51. Paragraph three tells you all you need to know about the Obama/ Rezco relationship.

"Politics of Hope":puke:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

52. really makes me sick too

[ElsewheresDaughter]

54. kick for thew night shift

[jlake]

56. K&R

[LizW]

61. This scares the crap out of me.

Isn't it freaking obvious? The press is just waiting until Hillary is out of the race.

Then they are going to shred Obama.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

62. absolutely! and then we lose the WH...Rove thanks all you Obama supporters!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

65. a kick before bed ... niters peeps