Redstate

Posted at 3:14pm on Jun. 12, 2008 Frightened Dems pull party apparatus back to Chicago

DNC to be near Barry's freinds and mentors.

By Mark Kilmer

I think, deep down, quite a few of us all liked Howard Dean, insofar that his rhetoric was over-the-top funny and his instincts were… well, "YEAAARRRRGH!" And, as Rush Limbaugh reports, Howard knows the score so far. Spake Limbaugh into his Golden EIB Microphone on Wednesday:

I had a plant today in a Howard Dean breakfast with reporters, and I just got the report from the plant who attended the Howard Dean breakfast, and this is what he said. He said, "Democrats are nervous about Obama's chances in November, but Howard Dean called such unease healthy." I know they're nervous. They have been nervous when the guy started losing primary after primary after primary in major states to the witch [Hillary?]. They were bugged by this. They were troubled by it. He did not get votes from traditional Democrat constituencies. You know they're worried! So my plant at the Howard Dean breakfast confirms this. Dean says, "I'm actually thrilled that they're nervous. I think it's about time. Last spring there was this feeling of confidence, that we're just going to roll through everything, and that's how you lose elections. So I'm delighted that Democrats are really worried about whether they can win or not. I'm just delighted about this! It's absolutely going to be close."

There is no way that Howard Dean is excited that they are worried.

Obama's nervous, as evidenced by the fact that he is moving Howie and the party apparatus from DC to Chicago. Ben Smith at Politico.com tells us:

Read On…

Posted in Chicago | Democrats | DNC | Emil Jones | Obama | Pflager | Rezko | wright — Comments (26)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 1:12pm on Jun. 11, 2008 Blue on Blue: And lo, there were rumors of impeachment in the Illinois legislature.

Obama campaign no doubt about to preemptively issue a "____ was not the man that I knew" press release.

By Moe Lane

Breitbart has some details of a very interesting memo:

Memo outlines Illinois gov's potential impeachment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The speaker of the Illinois House is circulating a memo outlining how legislative candidates can call for impeachment hearings against the governor, calling corruption during his tenure "a tumor."

A spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is also chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, said the memo is intended for candidates who have requested more information if voters ask about Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and potential impeachment.

The memo sent to some House Democratic candidates, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, offers a rundown of Blagojevich's alleged "misdeeds and malfeasance" and detailed talking points on the merits of impeachment.

Division Street has what purports to be the entire memo: feel free to read it, then come back here for discussion.

Read on.

Posted in 2008 | Barack Obama | Blagojevich | Corrupt Democrat Watch | Illinois Combine | Rezko | Rooting For Injuries — Comments (2)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 3:52pm on Apr. 14, 2008 Tony Rezko and Nadhmi Auchi: More of Obama's gifts (that keep on giving)

By Soren Dayton

The Chicago Sun Times Rezko blog is reporting that Barack Obama attended a reception organized by his mentor, Tony Rezko, for Iraqi zillionaire Nadhmi Auchi:

When Tony Rezko held a reception at his home for Iraqi-born billionaire Nadhmi Auchi on April 3, 2004, White House hopeful Barack Obama and his wife were also there, Stuart Levine testified just now at Rezko's trial.

Who is this Mr. Auchi? This is not entirely clear, but the allegations include "former accomplice of Saddam Hussein", "convicted for fraud in France", among others.

Read on for more.

Posted in Archived | Barack Obama | Nadhmi Auchi | Obamafiles | Rezko — Comments (7) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:24am on Mar. 9, 2008 Two grand? *Two* grand?

As in, [the integer between one and three] grand?

By Moe Lane

What? Oh, it's like this. About two and a half years ago I got married. My wife and I had about 100 people at the reception, which we had catered with a very simple, straightforward Sunday brunch theme. The site was nice, but not elaborate; the wine and beer was not only donated, it was homebrewed (by people who could walk into any microbrewery and/or winery in the country and be hired on the spot); the DJ was a CD player with four preloaded CDs of songs we wanted to hear. We, in fact, were absolutely ruthless in cutting out every expense that we didn't see a need for, and went with the economical choice whenever possible. It still cost us six grand.

Clearly, I should have gotten Tony Renzo to do my party planning. From " Rezko cash triple what Obama says" (Via Instapundit):

At the time of the party, the state was in the process of foreclosing on a low-income apartment building Rezko's company rehabbed in Obama's state Senate district -- a rehab project on which Obama's law firm worked. Rezko had also abandoned many other low-income apartments, leaving numerous vacant units in need of major repairs.

[snip]

Between 75 and 80 people attended Rezko's cocktail party, according to Burton, but he said the campaign has no list of the guests.

More than half a dozen people who were there said between 100 and 150 guests were treated to an open bar and food served by Jewell Events Catering, run by renowned Chicago caterer George Jewell. Valets parked cars for the guests, who each were asked to donate at least $1,000.

Rezko picked up the tab. The exact cost of the party has never been disclosed to the Federal Election Commission, which allows hosts to pay up to $2,000 for fund-raisers held in their homes and not report the expense. If a party costs more than $2,000, the candidate must tell the FEC about it.

Burton said, based on a conversation a former Obama staff member had with Rezko, that the party didn't cost more than $2,000.

I mean, don't get me wrong: we had a fine time in Tuscany as-was. But we'd have had an epic time with four grand more to play with.

Posted in 2008 | Obamafiles | Rezko | The Chicago Way — Comments (8)/ Email this page » / Read More »