Congressman Sestak, Were You Lying Before OR Are You Lying Now?

During the run up to his primary challenge to Sen. Arlen Specter, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) stated that the Obama administration offered him a job in the administration if he would give up his run against Specter. This became an issue when people realized it is a felony to offer compensation to induce someone to quit a race. Since people realized his original claim amounted to an accusation of a crime, both Sestak and Obama spokeman Robert Gibbs have been evasive at best when asked about the situation. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has been pushing the issue hard for the last month or so. Yesterday, President Obama held his first actual press conference in close to a year and he was asked about Sestak's claim. Obama did his best Nixonian self-finding of no personal wrongdoing and said a full report will be forthcoming shortly. Today, a report was issued which mostly refuted Sestak's claim that they attempted to bribe him to get him out of the race. Basically the report (here's a link) says former president Bill Clinton talked with Sestak and recommended he drop out of the race for the good of the party and told him that if he wanted to stay in government service he could be appointed to some executive branch advisory board position. The memo makes a point to clarify that the advisory board positions are uncompensated (no pay). Now Sestak is saying "Yeah, sure that's about right."

Nope. Doesn't pass the smell test. This guy is a congressman trying to get a job as a senator. In other words he makes $174,000 and looking to keep making that kind of money. You don't convince him to drop out of a race with an offer of an unpaid board position. My guess is he was offered something more substantial (ambassadorship or a cabinet position) and this memo specifically modified that to an unpaid position to sanitize the crime.

Bottom line, I don't think the initial act was all that out of the ordinary in DC. The underlying crime is now less important than the cover up. Integrity should matter to voters and both the administration and Sestak have shown they are lacking in that department. Will Pennsylvanians care?

Reporters should continue to attempt to get Sestak to answer whether he was lying months ago or if he is lying today. My guess is reporters will buy the administration's spin on this and quietly move on to other matters.

Bill Richardson set to Endorse Obama

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is set to endorse Sen. Barack Obama in the Democrat primary. It is difficult to gauge how much endorsements influence primary voters, but this one is important as much for the timing as for who Richardson is endorsing. Since getting out to a fairly large lead in delegates, Obama has been coasting and lately has had to go defensive over various outrageous statements by his longtime pastor. Richardson's endorsement could help Obama in several ways. Unlike Obama and his opponent, Richardson has some foreign policy experience. Additionally, as governor of New Mexico, Richardson is one of the more prominent Hispanics in the country. Sen. Clinton is trailing by so much in the delegate count that her only chance to get the nomination would be to dominate thoroughly enough in the remaining primaries that she can legitimately claim that Obama is damaged goods and convince super-delegates to give her the nomination. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, Richardson's endorsement helps move the nutty preacher to the back burner. I don't think this completely saves Obama, but it helps. Obama needs the preacher story to fade. If it has legs past this Sunday's "news" programs, he will be trounced in Pennsylvania and beyond.

John McCain Secures GOP Nomination

Tonight, with victories in Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio and Texas, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) secured the Republican nomination for president. Meanwhile, the Democrats still have two candidates, Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, competing to represent them in November. While the Dems sort out the head of their ticket, McCain can focus on choosing a running mate best suited to match his strengths and mitigate his weaknesses.

Ohio Primary Contest

Yesterday, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh created a stir by recommending that Republican voters in Ohio request a Democrat ballot and vote for Hillary Clinton. His reasoning was we want her to stay in the race so the Democrat candidates will continue to bash each other and more importantly spend more money contesting the remaining primaries. I did NOT follow Limbaugh's advice and hope no one else did either. There are a couple reasons I disagree with that idea. The main reason is I think we should play in our own sandbox. I've resented this idea in the past when Dems have suggested similar tactics and it would be hypocritical for me to change my tune now. Beyond that, based on their extremist position regarding abortion, I feel it would be morally wrong to vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton even just as a "joke" in a primary. Additionally, I think people are mistaken in thinking Clinton would be easier to beat in the general election. Polls may currently reflect Obama as doing better against John McCain. However, reality is Obama has yet to be fully vetted and once people start seeing the full picture the polls will swing accordingly. If Limbaugh succeeds and Clinton pulls off big wins today then we will hear a lot of talk about her resilience and she will assume the "Comeback Kid" label. Lastly, the one thing I learned from the Wizard of Oz movie is you better pour the water on the witch if you get a chance.