I have been trying to decide if the introduction to the next story should be the Mikado's List Song or Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. So I've decided to do them both. Think of it as low culture and lower culture. Popular entertainments for the times. You will note the song from the Mikado has been updated for modern times. I'm looking forward to next year's version updated to include Chicago Politics. There is an opening for a writer there.

Here is the lie, which caught my eye because of the phrasing Obama was using during his press conference on Daschle's appointment:

"I had no contact with the governor's office. I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain."

It is a lie because now we know Obama's Chief of Staff provided Blagojevich Obama's list of candidates he thought should fill his seat. The news broke last night:

Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor's administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.

Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be "acceptable" to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.

...

Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.

Emphasis mine. Does Senator Obama really think the American people care about the parsing of 'talked' verses 'sent my list of candidates through my Chief of Staff'? Come on! Who gave the list to Emmanuel? Obama of course! It was Obama's list of candidates Blagojevich was working with. OMG - are these people morons?

A.J points out some things Obama may not be able to duck.

And it may get worse. As I noted previously, when reviewing the infamous November 10, 2008 conference call, there were some counter offers from team Obama to team Blagojevich to try and tone down the quid pro quo, to make it less apparent to the public. The first one listed in the criminal complaint covers a two year 'quiet period' so that the connection of the quid pro quo to the senate seat would not be so damn obvious. The Team Obama proposal got a big response out of Blagojevich:

[statement 6] ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that the consultants (Advisor B and another consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to "suck it up" for two years and do nothing and give this "motherfucker [the President-elect] his senator. Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him."

Note he is not saying 'get nothing' forever, he is complaining about getting nothing for two years. This delaying tactic comes up later in the conference call as well, when discussing what seems to be the final solution, a three-way deal with the SEIU and a golden parachute job for Blagojevich and/or his wife:

[statement 8] HARRIS re-stated ROD BLAGOJEVICH's thoughts that they should ask the President-elect for something for ROD BLAGOJEVICH's financial security as well as maintain his political viability. HARRIS said they could work out a three-way deal with SEIU and the President-elect where SEIU could help the President-elect with ROD BLAGOJEVICH's appointment of Senate Candidate 1 to the vacant Senate seat, ROD BLAGOJEVICH would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign, and SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the future.

...[Gap 5]...

[statement 9] One of ROD BLAGOJEVICH's advisors said he likes the idea, it sounds like a good idea, but advised ROD BLAGOJEVICH to be leery of promises for something two years from now.

...[Gap 6]...

[statement 10] ROD BLAGOJEVICH's wife said they would take the job now.

...[Gap 7]...

[statement 11] Thereafter, ROD BLAGOJEVICH and others on the phone call discussed various ways ROD BLAGOJEVICH can "monetize" the relationships he is making as Governor to make money after ROD BLAGOJEVICH is no longer Governor.

If Team Obama proposed a delaying tactic to make any payback more stealthy, they are in trouble. If, as the last statement appears to indicate, they agreed on an even more stealthy plan using the SEIU it would be worse. We don't know how deep Team Obama got into the muck, but we do know they were in it. And for Obama to claim the opposite was probably the biggest crime of all.

Cross Posted at Power and Control