Changes

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that [[Barack Obama]] "dispatched [[Rahm Emanuel]] days after the vote to contact aides of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to begin talking up Mr. Obama's preferred candidates" to fill the [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat vacated by Obama, according to associates of Mr. Emanuel.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122926660096904673.html Blagojevich Aides Discussed Senate Seat], By Jonathan Weisman, Naftali Bendavid and Cam Simpson, ''Wall Street Journal'', December 15, 2008.</ref>

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that [[Barack Obama]] "dispatched [[Rahm Emanuel]] days after the vote to contact aides of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to begin talking up Mr. Obama's preferred candidates" to fill the [[United States Senate|U. S. Senate]] seat vacated by Obama, according to associates of Mr. Emanuel.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122926660096904673.html Blagojevich Aides Discussed Senate Seat], By Jonathan Weisman, Naftali Bendavid and Cam Simpson, ''Wall Street Journal'', December 15, 2008.</ref>

On December 9, 2008, Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to sell the  

On December 9, 2008, Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to sell the  

seat.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> The particular charge was that Blagojevich used the mail and telephone to deprive the Illinois people of honest services under 18 USC 1346.  Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick to declare that Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat.<ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>

seat.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_re_us/blagojevich_corruption_probe</ref> The particular charge was that Blagojevich used the mail and telephone to deprive the Illinois people of honest services under 18 USC 1346.  Liberal media outlets were disproportionately quick to declare that Obama had no involvement in the scandal, despite clear evidence to the contrary <ref>http://flapsblog.com/2008/12/15/why-is-barack-obama-lying-about-contact-with-hot-rod-blagojevich-part-3/</ref> including photos of the two together while the governor was trying to sell Obama's seat.<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/fullosseousflap/3100630034/</ref>

This also highlights the question of the Chicago "meat grinder" politics, where Obama spent the formative years of his political career.  

This also highlights the question of the Chicago "meat grinder" politics, where Obama spent the formative years of his political career.