BREAKING: Rham Emanuel Had Bill Clinton Offer Sestak An Unpaid Job

Nothing to see here, move along.

The White House asked former President Bill Clinton to talk to Rep. Joe Sestak about the possibility of obtaining a senior position in the Obama administration if he would drop out of the Democratic primary race against establishment-backed Sen. Arlen Specter, the Obama administration said in a report released Friday morning.

The report, by the White House Counsel's office, said Sestak was offered jobs in the executive branch that were uncompensated.

A White House official said these were for advisory boards. One of the jobs specifically discussed with Sestak was the president's intelligence advisory board. But a White House official said the plan was for Sestak to always remain in the House and he couldn't have served in the House and on the president's intelligence advisory board.

The report also described the Clinton conversations as informal and unhinged from any precise job offer since, as a former president, Clinton could not guarantee Sestak anything.

How exactly was a spot on an advisory board supposed to get him out of the race?

BTW- They couldn't have made Sestak SecNav if they wanted to. He hasn't been retired from the Navy long enough.

Was the delay in announcing this simply to hide the Clinton connection? Were they embarrassed that they used the dreaded old guy or as Chris Wallace on FNC just speculated it was to protect Clinton's image as an above it all statesman. The problem with that is no one except Democrat fanboys thinks he's a statesman. Bill Clinton was one of the main surrogates for Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail. He's a political animal. Also, it's not like Obama is reluctant to throw folks under the bus. I can't imagine he was enjoying getting beat up daily to protect Bill Clinton. That's not O's style.

They are trying to bury this over Memorial Day weekend and I'm sure the MFM will do their best to play along now that they know this is an Obama/Clinton production but Bubba's involvement only raises the stakes to find out what really happened. Right now this doesn't add up.

The unpaid part is an important part of the story. Based on that the White House and any defense counsel, will argue the position wasn't really a thing of value and therefore not a bribe.

On the other hand, the White House has now publicly communicated to Sestak what the story is. Now the ball is in his court, no reason for him to play coy any more. I presume he'll carry the water here. Obama may have supported Specter (halfheartedly) but Sestak is going to want a few stops with Obama (at least in areas like Philly) leading up to November.

posted by DrewM. at 12:04 PM

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