Obama's Cronyism

Baneblade · 2012-05-14, 11:40 PM

Source

This could get awfully interesting.

Edward Klein, author of the yet-to-be-released unauthorized biography of President Obama, titled “The Amateur,” has now specifically named the man who allegedly bribed Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former pastor, with a $150,000 payment to stop speaking publicly.

Klein, making an appearance on Sean Hannity’s radio show (via the Daily Caller), said, “Well, what happened is that after ABC’s Brian Ross broadcast the video tapes of the Rev. Wright ‘God damning America’ and slamming whites and slamming **** and America, he was contacted by one of Obama’s closest personal friends – a guy who travels on Obama’s plane, who plays basketball with him, who goes on vacation with him.” Klein continued to out the briber, saying, “His name is Dr. Eric Whitaker. Dr. Whitaker is the vice president of the University of Chicago Medical Center and he’s a member of Obama’s very tight inner circle. And he sent an email to a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ.”

Did I mention this could get awfully interesting?

Hannity and Klein confirmed that this was the exact same hospital from which Michelle Obama received a whopping $316,962 in salary in 2005 as a vice president for external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center, the year after Barack became a U.S. Senator. That would total a $195,052 raise from her salary of $121,910 in 2004.

Klein then said that, in an email to a member of the church, Whitaker would offer the $150,000 to Rev. Wright “if he would shut-up and not criticize Obama anymore. Then after the Rev. Wright said ‘No thank you,’ Obama himself paid a personal call on the Rev. Wright,” which took place “about ten days” after Obama’s ‘race speech’ in 2008.

Klein confirmed that the schedules reported by Rev. Wright and U.S. Secret Service Logs matched up, “so we have confirmation that [the meeting] actually took place.”

It is worth noting that the White House Dossier reported today that Whitaker just received a $5.9 million dollar grant from the Department of Health and Human Services last week. He won the grant from over 3,000 applicants.

Klein told Hannity he would give him the tapes of the interviews he held with Rev. Wright.

Not surprised.

CutterJohn · 2012-05-15, 12:00 AM

What does this matter? Even if true, its not illegal to pay someone to shut up if you're not trying to cover up a crime.

As for the grant, I'm not going to care much. Be glad its the president giving a scientist friend preferential treatment instead of an oil company executive friend. Ideally cronyism would never occur, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to change.

Figment · 2012-05-15, 05:27 AM

If you want to get really dirty, try opening a canister of Greek nepotism. :x

ItsTheSheppy · 2012-05-15, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by CutterJohn

What does this matter? Even if true, its not illegal to pay someone to shut up if you're not trying to cover up a crime.

As for the grant, I'm not going to care much. Be glad its the president giving a scientist friend preferential treatment instead of an oil company executive friend. Ideally cronyism would never occur, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to change.

I'll agree that the grant is fishy and probably unfair, but paying a dude to shut up is, to me, a non-crime. That's politics.

It wasn't as if Wright was out there blowing the whistle on misconduct or something. He was just being a looney and a douchebag. So someone with a vested interest in his silence paid him money to shut up. Wright turned it down. Exactly where is someone's rights being violated?

If this was soviet Russia, Wright would have been black-bagged and never seen again. I think it's nice we live in a country where Obama had to call him up personally and ask him to stop.

Effective · 2012-05-17, 08:26 AM

Like this has never happened ever.

Figment · 2012-05-17, 08:52 AM

Speaking of cronyism, IF the Republicans win the next presidential elections, don't they get to replace some of the few remaining "Democrat" judges in the Supreme Court? Meaning pretty much all of them would be Republicans?

And how many judges had been replaced by GW Bush again?

Baneblade · 2012-05-17, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Figment

Speaking of cronyism, IF the Republicans win the next presidential elections, don't they get to replace some of the few remaining "Democrat" judges in the Supreme Court? Meaning pretty much all of them would be Republicans?

And how many judges had been replaced by GW Bush again?

Since SCOTUS is a life position, they would have to give up their seat first.

Warborn · 2012-05-18, 08:52 AM

Obama has done way more egregious things than get some shithead preacher to shut his mouth for $150k. This kind of stuff is seriously just standard fare for anyone in politics.

Baneblade · 2012-05-18, 08:55 PM

Well you gotta admit, it is kind of funny that the shithead preacher valued his mouth more than his wallet.

Red Beard · 2012-05-19, 02:33 AM

Obama has done way more egregious things than get some shithead preacher to shut his mouth for $150k. This kind of stuff is seriously just standard fare for anyone in politics.

Hence the collapse of the whole system.

Warborn · 2012-05-19, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by Red Beard

Hence the collapse of the whole system.

The collapse of what system?

RawketLawnchair · 2012-05-22, 07:19 AM

So I guess we will all go stick our heads in the mud, aint that right?

Not me. I'd be one of the first people to raise my rifle if anyone really gave a damn.

ItsTheSheppy · 2012-05-22, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by RawketLawnchair

So I guess we will all go stick our heads in the mud, aint that right?

Not me. I'd be one of the first people to raise my rifle if anyone really gave a damn.

Not sure what you mean.

As for valuing his mouth more than his wallet... I dunno. I mean, if someone offered me money to shut up and not speak my mind... I think it'd have to be a lot of money. I can think of little more valuable to me than my freedom to speak my mind. I'm not sure what the price for selling that away would be, but I don't think the President could afford it.

RawketLawnchair · 2012-05-22, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by ItsTheSheppy

Not sure what you mean.

I was referring to the way people look at Politics.
You either stick your head in the sand or get involved.

And I chose the ladder.

ItsTheSheppy · 2012-05-22, 03:28 PM

Well I mean, I vote. I send the occasional letter to my senator and congresswoman. Not sure exactly what rifles have to do in this particular case. I mean... how much political action does this really warrant? There's no crime or even policy being discussed. Just your typical political jockeying.