Barrel Strength

Afternoon – Dec 9, 2008

Axelrod: I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the President-elect has spoken directly to Governor Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject.

Morning – Dec 9, 2008

Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect Obama today said “I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening.”

Nov 23, 2008

While insisting that the President-elect had not expressed a favorite to replace him, and his inclination was to avoid being a “kingmaker,” Axelrod said, “I know he’s talked to the governor and there are a whole range of names many of which have surfaced, and I think he has a fondness for a lot of them.”

Nov 5, 2008

Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.

That’s one of Obama’s first priorities today.

He’s meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.

Oops!  The above story has disappeared from the KHQA website.

Stay tuned for more tap dancing!

Update

h/t Gateway Pundit

Nov 5, 2008

Governor Blagojevich Congratulates President-elect Obama and Discusses U.S. Senate Seat To fill President-Elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Governor will use deliberate process to select suitable replacement

STACLU comments.

Democratic Senators say ¡No más!

President-elect Barack Obama called for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign on Wednesday, hours after the embattled governor reported for work amid charges he plotted to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are warning Blagojevich not to name a replacement for Obama, hinting they may refuse to allow his choice to take the Senate seat.