The Spreading Blagojevich Mess: Rahm Emanuel

As the Senate seat-selling mess surrounding Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich continues to make news, the New Messiah is being swept up in it to an increasing degree.

For example, he initially denied that either he, or his campaign staff had 'any contact' with Blago. Next, the Illinois Rookie somewhat backtracked, saying he would have to await a thorough analysis of his campaign staff's activities, in order to publicize any communications between Blago and the Rookie's staff.

Then we learned that Rahm Emanuel, the incoming President's chief of staff, had, in fact, been contacted Blago 21 times- all caught on the wiretap tapes. But, we are assured, these were all legitimate.

Rather than discussing the sale of the New Messiah's seat, we are told these were, in all probability, perfectly reasonable discussions, wherein Emanuel was dictating to the Governor which candidate his boss wants to replace him in the Senate seat.

Of course, liberals like Fox News' Alan Colmes keep parroting the 'fact' that, at present, there is no evidence of the Rookie being involved in his Senate seat's sale by the Governor of Illinois. Then they claim that conservatives are simply smearing the First Rookie, with no evidence.

In the worst example of egregious logic, of course, presented by Colmes, they claim that his distance from this mess merely confirms the incredible ethical superiority with which the New Messiah will preside in his new job, come January 20.

What's more likely, as conservative commentators note, is that the growing public disgust with, and notable stench of this entire affair will hang over the Rookie's transition and inauguration like a black cloud.

That he did not know of Blago's intent, given the small, inter-connected world of Illinois state Democratic party bigwigs, is, of course, unbelievable.

If the First Rookie didn't know of this, he's incredibly naive and incompetent. If he did, he turned a blind eye, once more, to Cook County corruption within his own party.

Yes, it's true, either way, he's committed a terrible blunder. Liberal Democrats chafe at this obvious fact, and claim it's unfair.

But what hasn't occurred is that which would have exonerated their New Messiah. That is, as various conservative pundits have suggested, a stirring, passionate speech by the incoming President on the evils of such unethical behavior, the need to root it out in its entirety, and his own explanation as to either why he did nothing about it, or how he was shielded from knowledge thereof.

Oh, by the way, notice how ineffectual our incoming President's words have been with the Governor of his own state. Blago won't step down, and the Illinois Democrats in the legislature, having had five days to clip his wings, have failed to either: pass legislation removing the Governor's power to appoint the temporary Senator, or remove him via impeachment.

Is this the change we needed? One would think not.