# Barack Obama And The "Blagogate" Scandal **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 4, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906 "2022-02-04T16:30:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/1 "2022-02-04T16:30:35Z")
Have been reading about [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#:~:text=Former%20Illinois%20Governor%20Rod%20Blagojevich,Senate%20seat%20and%20other%20charges.&text=Blagojevich%20impeached%2C%20unanimously%20removed%20from,by%20a%20federal%20grand%20jury.) recently. Is it possible that if Obama’s role had been subjected to a more zealous investigation, he would have resigned in disgrace, ending his presidency before it began? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/2 "2022-02-04T16:32:28Z")
Not really, no. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/3 "2022-02-04T16:38:28Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > Have been reading about [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#:~:text=Former%20Illinois%20Governor%20Rod%20Blagojevich,Senate%20seat%20and%20other%20charges.&text=Blagojevich%20impeached%2C%20unanimously%20removed%20from,by%20a%20federal%20grand%20jury.) recently. Is it possible that if Obama’s role had been subjected to a more zealous investigation, he would have resigned in disgrace, ending his presidency before it began? - What is it you Fox News thinks was left uncovered? And what proof do does you Fox News think you they have? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/4 "2022-02-04T16:40:34Z")
I think the relevant fact here, in @CHealy7’s mind, is the fact that Obama existed, and CHealy7 considers that existence shameful. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/5 "2022-02-04T16:43:15Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > Have been reading about [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#:~:text=Former%20Illinois%20Governor%20Rod%20Blagojevich,Senate%20seat%20and%20other%20charges.&text=Blagojevich%20impeached%2C%20unanimously%20removed%20from,by%20a%20federal%20grand%20jury.) recently. Is it possible that if Obama’s role had been subjected to a more zealous investigation, he would have resigned in disgrace, ending his presidency before it began? What role do you imagine Obama had in the scandal? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/6 "2022-02-04T16:43:52Z")
From your link in the OP: > **Charges** > > - Solicitation of bribes in exchange for Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat > - Mail fraud > - Attempting to bribe the _Chicago Tribune_ with state funds > - Abuse of power in attempting to gain campaign contributions from Children’s Memorial Hospital If I bribed someone to try to get Justice Breyer’s seat on the Supreme Court, how would that be Breyer’s fault? (let alone a reason to “resign in disgrace”? …FROM A FUTURE JOB HE HELD) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/7 "2022-02-04T16:44:48Z")
Yeah, that’s what I was about to ask: _What_ “role”? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/8 "2022-02-04T16:46:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What role do you imagine Obama had in the scandal? Thirded (or whatever we’re up to now) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/9 "2022-02-04T16:46:26Z")
Given the sheer enormity\* of the corruption and criminality of the Trump administration, aided and abetted by pretty much the entirety of the Republican population of both Houses of Congress and a hostile foreign power, failed to result in the president or any of members of Congress “resigning in disgrace”, I’m not sure why anyone would look at this “If you stand on your head and squint really hard at it, it could possibly look like someone associated with Barack Obama just maybe might have done something slightly shady” situation and think it would have resulted in a resignation. \*note correct use of the word ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/10 "2022-02-04T16:58:17Z")
Well, it’s in the link I suppose: ### Obama’s involvement Blagojevich was aware that [Barack Obama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama) would have preferred “[Senate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate) Candidate #1” ([Valerie Jarrett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Jarrett)), and he allegedly made efforts to obtain favors in exchange for appointing Jarrett for the U.S. Senate seat.[[13]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-Obama-13) Blagojevich said in a conversation with his chief of staff, in reference to what Obama would give him in exchange for Jarrett’s appointment, “All they’re going to give me in return is [gratitude](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude). The Senate seat’s a fucking valuable thing. Fuck them.” There was public speculation as to whether Obama’s Chief of Staff, [Rahm Emanuel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel), had a role in any discussions with the governor’s office.[[66]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-66) An internal investigation by the Obama team stated that Emanuel had communicated with the Governor’s office about who might be appointed to the Obama seat, but nothing unethical or inappropriate had transpired.[[67]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-Orfnicws-67) On December 10, Obama called for Blagojevich’s resignation.[[68]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-fox_news-68) In a December 11 [press conference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_conference), Obama stated that he and his staff and [transition team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_transition_of_Barack_Obama) were not involved in any corrupt activity, and that his staff had been exonerated by the 76-page FBI affidavit. He stated that, not only had he never engaged the governor on the topic of his Senate seat, but he was “confident that no representative of mine would have any part in any deals related to this seat”.[[69]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-69) His administration compiled a summary of who might have known what at various times. Obama stated that he did not think Blagojevich could “effectively serve the people of Illinois” and that his former Senate seat “belongs to the people”. He also stated that to his knowledge, no representatives of his had engaged in any dealmaking with the governor.[[70]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-70) > They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them. —Rod Blagojevich[[13]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-Obama-13) On December 15, the Obama team confirmed that its internal review found no inappropriate contact between Obama’s staff and Blagojevich or his staff,[[67]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-Orfnicws-67) stating “that review affirmed the public statements of the president-elect that he had no contact with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as U.S. president-elect’s staff was not involved in inappropriate discussions with the governor or his staff over the selection of his successor as U.S. Senator”.[[71]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-ILWBI-71) In April 2010, Blagojevich [moved](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_(legal)) to [subpoena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpoena) Obama.[[72]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-72)[[73]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich_corruption_charges#cite_note-73) I have to admit, I only vaguely remember this ‘scandal’. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/11 "2022-02-04T17:03:59Z")
@CHealy7: As you can’t be bothered to write a decent Op with almost nothing more than a link. Off to the Pit where **Rants** belong. * * * For the future, either write up more of an Op and Debate or please just start your Ops in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/12 "2022-02-04T17:30:30Z")
So we’ve determined that @CHealy7 is a fucking dumb-ass and shit-stain. Did Obama help us with that realization or was it already too obvious to ignore without a zealous investigation and secondly, will @CHealy7 slink off in disgrace or clean up his/her act? I’ll happily take bets on the last point, but only if I get “No, he/she will continue posting and will remain the dullest knife in the drawer.” ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/13 "2022-02-04T17:30:45Z")
Obama had fuck-all to do with Blago’s crimes. But who commuted Blago’s sentence? Shouldn’t that be considered more of a scandal? This OP is beyond pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/14 "2022-02-04T17:34:47Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Well, it’s in the link I suppose The link doesn’t answer @Dewey_Finn’s version of the question: > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What role do you imagine Obama had in the scandal? (bolding mine) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/15 "2022-02-04T17:55:20Z")
Hey, remember this thread from 2019 where he dredged up a non-issue about the Obama administration some nine years later? > [@Barack Obama and the "Tighty-Whitey Bomber"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-tighty-whitey-bomber/829735): > > Why did Obama wait three days to say anything at all about this incident on Christmas Day 2009? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest\_Airlines\_Flight\_253](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Airlines_Flight_253) And the Henry Gates thing, a decade later? > [@The Henry L Gates Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947): > > A decade on from [this case](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates_arrest_controversy),would you agree with Barack Hussein Obama’s statement that the police “acted stupidly”? And Obamacare? > [@Obamacare](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare/841364): > > Five year on from its introduction, is it fair to say that this was a scandalous disaster? Not sure why these random topics about Obama seem to trigger this kind of JAQing off. And on another running theme, there’s this one, where he wondered why Justin Trudeau hadn’t “resigned in disgrace”: > [@Justin Trudeau \[why no resignation?\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-trudeau-why-no-resignation/840767): > > Can someone explain why he has not resigned in disgrace? And even one about Donald Trump: > [@Donald Trump \[what will it take to force him to resign?\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578): > > What will it take for the American people to force this man to resign from office? And all largely launched with minimal substance and then minimal actual participation from the OP. One might hope that as **CHealy7** “can’t be bothered to write a decent OP” after several years of threads like this, he might consider what the point of posting them at all is. Top tip: it is extremely difficult to get a world leader to “resign in disgrace” (as the UK are currently finding out) and they certainly are not and were never going to do so on such flimsy premises as these. And if one wishes to argue that they should, then one should actually present an argument rather than dropping a “here’s a link/what do you think” OP and running away. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/16 "2022-02-04T17:58:37Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > \*note correct use of the word So noted and appreciated. We should find out whether Obama used “enormity” just to mean “big”. If so, he should resign in disgrace. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/17 "2022-02-04T18:05:35Z")
I contend that the OP is really a badly abused lab monkey somewhere in China. Lately they’ve been playing with his dosages. Because if he is really a human being, we need to recalibrate the IQ scale downwards to fit him in. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/18 "2022-02-04T18:08:14Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I contend that the OP is really a badly abused lab monkey somewhere in China. Lately they’ve been playing with his dosages. Because if he is really a human being, we need to recalibrate the IQ scale downwards to fit him in. - If he’s really a human being, then it’s animal cruelty. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/19 "2022-02-04T18:09:15Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > One might hope that as **CHealy7** “can’t be bothered to write a decent OP” after several years of threads like this, he might consider what the point of posting them at all is. If **CHealy7** really wants to know what people think it takes for a head of state to resign in disgrace, he (or she) could open an IMHO topic asking “what would it take for you to think a head of state _should_ resign in disgrace? What would it take for you to think a head of state _would_ resign in disgrace?” Or a FQ topic asking, “which heads of state have actually resigned in disgrace, and under what circumstances?” ~Max ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906/20 "2022-02-04T18:17:21Z")
@CHealy7 being interviewed on Fox News: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RzybAS7zltE/hqdefault.jpg "Feast On The Goo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzybAS7zltE) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barack-obama-and-the-blagogate-scandal/958906.md?page=2)