Abramoff Unplugged
Posted by on March 8, 2006 at 11:38 AM
Can't beat this... Jack Abramoff sat down with Vanity Fair and pulled no puches. I am about to sink my teeth into the nine page pdf right now. So far, the choice quotes floating around the Internet(s) regard Conrad Burns & John McCain:
Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns's committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it's a little difficult for him to run from that record.
Excellent, Smithers ... And "maverick" McCain:
"Mr. Abramoff flatters himself," Mark Salter, McCain's administrative assistant, tells Margolick. "Senator McCain was unaware of his existence until he read initial press accounts of Abramoff's abuses, and had never laid eyes on him until he appeared before the committee."
Abramoff says, "As best I can remember, when I met with him, he didn't have his eyes shut. I'm surprised that Senator McCain has joined the chorus of amnesiacs."
Wednesday morning required reading, indeed.
UPDATE: Abramoff on Ken Mehlman:
Ken Mehlman, who recently claimed he didn't really know Abramoff. According to documents obtained by Vanity Fair, Mehlman exchanged e-mail with Abramoff, and did him political favors (such as preventing Clinton administration alumnus Allen Stayman from keeping a State Department job), had Sabbath dinner at Abramoff's house, and offered to pick up Abramoff's tab at Signatures, Abramoff's own restaurant.
UPDATE II: Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich, whose spokesman Rick Tyler tells Margolick that "Before [Abramoff's] picture appeared on TV and in the newspapers, Newt wouldn't have known him if he fell across him. He hadn't seen him in 10 years." A rankled Abramoff says "I have more pictures of [Newt] than I have of my wife." Abramoff shows Margolick numerous photographs: "Here's Newt. Newt. Newt. Newt. More Newt. Newt with Grover [Norquist, the Washington conservative Republican Über-strategist and longtime Abramoff friend] this time. But Newt never met me. Ollie North. Newt. Can't be Newt ... he never met me. Oh, Newt! What's he doing there? Must be a Newt look-alike.... Newt again! It's sick! I thought he never met me!"
Seriously, I could update this post all day. However, I'll refrain and encourage everyone to read the piece in its entirety, linked above.
Comments (19) «
"WASHINGTON — A group of well-connected Democrats led by a former top aide to President Clinton is raising millions of dollars to start a private firm that plans to compile huge amounts of data on Americans to identify Democratic voters and blunt what has been a clear Republican lead in using technology for political advantage.
The effort by Harold Ickes, a deputy chief of staff in the Clinton White House and an adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., is prompting intense behind-the-scenes debate in Democratic circles. Officials at the Democratic National Committee think that creating a modern database is their job, and say that a competing for-profit entity could divert energy and money that should instead be invested with the national party.
Ickes and others involved in the effort acknowledge that their activities are in part a vote of no confidence that the DNC under Chairman Howard Dean is ready to compete with Republicans on the technological front.
"It's unclear what the DNC is doing. Is it going to be kept up to date?" Ickes asked, adding that out-of-date voter information is "worse than having no database at all."
Ickes' effort is drawing particular notice in Washington because of speculation that he is acting to build a campaign resource for a possible 2008 presidential run by Hillary Clinton. "
http:// seattletimes.nwsource.com...demsdata08.html
Howard is the best thing that's happened to the Democratic party in decades, and they have to try and undercut him. They can't do it with the grassroots so they'll try this way. I am so mad. Off to fire off letters.
Posted by LH*Seattle on March 8, 2006 at 11:58 AM
This Harold Ickes' project seems to be a big waste of time and money to me.
Most Democrats realize that putting Hillary on a ticket would sink us faster than the Titanic. By all means send me your campaign lit by expensive snail mail (I already get it on the internet). But you can't change peoples' minds about Hillary with a list.
The only way to change voters' minds is meeting them face-to- face and that takes volunteers not a data base.
I liked this Abramoff's quote best:
President Bush, who claims not to remember having his picture taken with Abramoff. According to Abramoff, at one time, the president joked with Abramoff about his weight lifting past: "What are you benching, buff guy?"
The most laughable, outrageouslly ridiculous of this article, is where Abramoff says that he and Tom DeLay used to sit for hours and talk about the BIBLE! Is that the most hypocritical thing you ever read??? Two morally bankrupt, corrupt, low-class men discussing What Jesus would do??? I am sure they convinced themselves that he would approve of their actions!
Gawd, these Republicans know no lows, do they?
I have said all along, the Democrats could have made a big stink about the wire taps, the CIA leak, the far right appointments of the SCJ, the lying about the Iraq war and everything in between but the one thing - the very one thing which will bring the Republicans to their knees will be the stench of the Abramoff corruption. And they fell hook line and sinker for it - by running away and saying they never met the guy...now the guy is singing and he has pictures....
meanwhile - we Democrats are just sitting in the weeds - waiting....sometimes those who keep their mouths shut become the biggest winners in the end.I don't think we Democrats have to do anything - the Republicans will do it to them themselves.
I'll be dancing in my jammies, as the saying goes!
The Republicans believe they are Greater than God? They speak where God's Word doesn't speak, and they ARE NOT Silent where God's Word is silent?
While Democrats speak only where God's Word speaks and the Democrats are silent where God is silent!
Jesus said pray that the least and the greatest would have time and opportunity to hear God's Word, believe and obey it! The Republicans want to take the sinners life before he can see the error of his way! Everyone has a soul and if that soul is innocent, it goes back to God. You can make your soul innocent, by receiving forgiveness of sins and raised to walk in newness of life. That is why Democrats believe
following God's Word and not to go about making your own commandments of men.
The Republican House of Congress is still working political dirty tricks. I watched them this morning and what they do is enough to convience any voter to kick out Republicans and vote in Good Solid Government found in Democrats.
A Baby's soul is innocent!
"(Two) men discussing What Jesus would do??? I am sure they convinced themselves that he would approve of their actions!"
Posted by PamB
Um, I doubt that . . . . since Abramoff is an Orthodox Jew, and as such does not follow the teachings of Jesus. But hey, don't let facts stop a good rant.
Um, I doubt that . . . . since Abramoff is an Orthodox Jew, and as such does not follow the teachings of Jesus. But hey, don't let facts stop a good rant.
Just because he's an Orthodox Jew doesn't mean he CAN'T have a conversation about the guy - I mean maybe it was along these lines:
Tom: Well, ya know, that there Jesus feller did clean house at the temple because of the corruption thing going on.
Jack: Yeah, I heard about that - damn kid. Of course he had to disappear because of that. Seems the government was after him in a big way. Sort of like if they ever found out about us.
Tom: Yeah but who in the hell is ever going to find out about us, I mean, they might make a movie out of it and call it Broke Mountain or something but, we're safe.
Jack: Smile, they're taking a picture....
Whether Abramoff was a Jew or not (as I remember, so was Jesus), does not take away from the hypocrisy of these two lowest of men, discussing the Bible! Unless it was how to use it for their own benefit !
(Kath, LOL ! So right-on!)
Posted by Kathy_in_Indiana on March 8, 2006 at 02:30 PM
Yes, well, I can see your point, and for people who construct their politics around imaginary conversations, I think you just might be persuasive.
ach, doncha love it when Jack-off says he'd rather teach in an inner city school than spend the taxpayers dollars on the big house...
@sshole!
shows you what he thinks teachers are worth, too...i'm passing this one around the office, highlighted
the bush voters already express deep buyers remorse, so this should give them the pain they so richly deserve
kudos to the loyalists that reelected Tom Delay...nice job on closing the gap, btw, to the dentist that worked on him...the photo with Jack is pre-makeover
Posted by bookman on March 8, 2006 at 04:12 PM
bookman,
that was funny. you're condescending, as usual...go play at freerepublic
and for people who construct their politics around imaginary conversations, I think you just might be persuasive.
Posted by bookman on March 8, 2006 at 04:12 PM
It's obvious you didn't bother to read any of this, it might make you open your mind up to the fact that Republicans are all a bunch of Corrupt, jerks.
Tom DeLay, who once referred to Abramoff as one of his closest friends. Abramoff explains his working relationship with DeLay, saying, "I didn't spend a lot of time lobbying Tom for things, because the things I worked on were usually consistent with the conservative philosophy." Abramoff has "admired Tom DeLay and his family from the first meeting with him," he tells Margolick. >"We would sit and talk about the Bible. We would sit and talk about opera. We would sit and talk about golf," Abramoff recalls. "I mean, we talked about philosophy and politics."
do you doubt your very own Drudge ???
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7.htm
fade was right. go over and play at freerebublic, where they talk just like you all day long. They are comical. I go there just for laughs on how blind people can be, if their wallets might be affected. They cannot say one single thing GOOD about Bush or Republicans, only bash the Democrats! just like you!
Jack Abramoff sat down with Vanity Fair and pulled no puches.
If you mean punches, Tim - I agree. :)
It looks like he gave out more than a few bloody noses and broken ribs.
im surprised the GOP has hired someone to kill Jack Abramoff
Hello, NSA people reading this...would you puhlease get this idiot godisanAmerican on March 8, 2006 at 08:24 PM some medication or incarceration...i don't care which.
he needs help or punishment...see above.
good heavens
mike malloy is back on the air...yes, life is good
oh, as usual eff off, spy jerks...just my usual greeting to you. get a real job, traitors!
I love that photo of him with Tom De Lay!!!
Please,someone get a copy of that photo to the Campaign Staff for his Democrat Opponent.LOL
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