Sestak Not Alone, Obama Not Truthful

As the winds swirl and the storm brews over the Joe Sestak allegations, and as the Republicans demand that an investigation be launched, let us remember that Joe Sestak was not the only congressional contender to be approached by the Obama administration.

Way back in September of 2009, the Denver Post reported that former State Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, after deciding to challenge Sen. Michael Bennett in a Democratic primary, received a "communication" from Jim Messina, President Barack Obama's deputy chief of staff.

From the Denver Post article - which interestingly is no longer available except for a cached view of the webpage - the following excerpt:

Not long after news leaked last month that Andrew Romanoff was determined to make a Democratic primary run against Sen. Michael Bennet, Romanoff received an unexpected communication from one of the most powerful men in Washington.

Jim Messina, President Barack Obama's deputy chief of staff and a storied fixer in the White House political shop, suggested a place for Romanoff might be found in the administration and offered specific suggestions, according to several sources who described the communication to The Denver Post.

Romanoff turned down the overture, which included mention of a job at USAID, the foreign aid agency, sources said.

Then, the day after Romanoff formally announced his Senate bid, Obama endorsed Bennet.

The Post goes on to point out that presidential pressure is nothing new, citing the work of Karl Rove on behalf of President George W. Bush, and referring to the Obama administration's more recent attempts to persuade New York Governor David Paterson to not run for re-election, most likely because Paterson was not a lackey for the administration.

While the practice of seeking to consolidate party power is nearly as old as prostitution, it is not illegal, though no less sleazy. The Paterson affair falls far below the radar of Constitutional conflagration, and even the naked, screaming attack of Eric Massa by the president's Chief of Staff is safe from from legal scrutiny, if not public scorn.

But when a president - already suspected by half of the electorate as subversive to America's ideals and foundation - undertakes felonious methods to achieve such consolidation, red flags (sorry for the pun) are raised. To further exacerbate the stirring of a nervous and suspicious populace, the president today squandered an opportunity to set us at ease.

Holding his first press conference in more than 300 days, he was asked directly about the Sestak allegations. One would have expected that the "most transparent president in history" would have quashed this story with ease. It was not to be:



Oh wait! We still have the little problem from back Illinois way, in the form of former governor Rod Blagojevich. If you recall, Obama has some stake in the hi jinx of that debacle, as well. His press conference response at the time - as President-elect - was the same as his response today:



Most of the above video is bluster about the idiocy of Al Gore and "saving the planet", but the last 30 seconds is telling; Obama asserts that he knew nothing about the Blagojevich saga. "There's Something About Barry" that doesn't quite meet muster. I hope we discover the truth before it's too late. Or, more accurately, I hope the truth is recognized, for the same reason.

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