Political expediency trumps Obama meddling in State affairs

It’s rather interesting that Obama constantly insists that it’s improper to meddle in other nation’s affairs. It become even more ironic when, in his… and his TOTUS twins… address to the UN, he touts America’s committment to nations’ populations who fight for the basic freedoms we enjoy.

And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights, for the student who seeks to learn, the voter who demands to be heard, the innocent who longs to be free, the oppressed who yearns to be equal.

I’d say the Iranians and the Hondurans had to be rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter at that one…

So in Obama’s “just words”, he doesn’t meddles … or maybe he does… if is politically expedient. And proof in the pudding is a White House, now exercising the backroom bully pulpit over Massachussetts laws, and New York gubernatorial races.

As FA reader, Leo Shishmanian, pointed out in his August 21st Reader Post, even prior to his passing, Kennedy was busy trying to overturn MA law for Congressional appointees that the Lion, himself, put into place to thwart any attempt by then Republican Gov. Mitt Romney to seat a Republican for any vacated seat. When the shoe was on the left foot, however, and Kennedy was facing his own inevitable mortality, that law didn’t look so good.

As AP writer, Glenn Johnson, points out today in the SeattlePI, the liberal dominated MA state legislature passed a controversial law… with many dissenting Democrats… that enabled Dem Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint an interim replacement for Kennedy’s Senate seat.

Since MA law requires 90 days to take effect, Patrick usurped the Constitutional waiting period, and made the appointment by signing a letter that declared the bill emergency legislation. Emergency for the Democrat Congress, perhaps… they sure need that 60th supermajority vote.

But of course the GOP cried foul, and filed a law suit… which was promptly rejected by Massachussetts Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly. Additionally, he granted the State’s defense motion to dismiss the suit entirely.

“The (Republican) Party has not shown that it has a chance to succeed on the merits and, therefore, any risk of harm to the party will not outweigh the risk of harm to the governor and the commonwealth,” Connolly wrote in his decision.

The GOP did not immediately say if it would appeal. Instead, it issued a statement saying the governor’s action – and its fight – should convince voters of the need to restore partisan balance in the state. Only 21 Republicans are in the 200-member Legislature.

“It is up to the voters of Massachusetts to finally decide enough is enough and to refuse to re-elect the entrenched incumbents responsible for raising our taxes in the middle of a recession, turning a blind eye to public corruption and manipulating the law to keep their grip on power,” said GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Nassour.

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Legislative Republicans, as well as a host of Democrats, objected to the change, and after it was approved, they defeated a separate request to attach an emergency preamble to the bill. Patrick added the emergency preamble to the bill just moments before he named Kirk, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, to succeed Kennedy.

“The governor’s power to declare an emergency is not absolute,” attorney James O’Brien argued on behalf of the Republicans. “By granting the governor the power to appoint by way of an unconstitutional maneuver, this establishes a dangerous precedent.”

Connolly sounded a skeptical note, foreshadowing his eventual decision, by asking O’Brien to define the irreparable harm the party would suffer – one requirement for granting an injunction.

“The net effect of the motion is that the commonwealth would not have two senators in Washington for 90 days?” Connolly asked O’Brien.

“That is correct,” the attorney replied.

“How does that affect the Massachusetts Republican Party?” the judge asked.

O’Brien said the irreparable harm was the abuse of the constitutional process by allowing one person – the governor – to supersede the authority of the Legislature.

Internal battle, we would assume, yes? Wrong. Apparently the White House was pressuring the Massachusetts lawmakers to get this bill thru, and a Democrat into the halls of Congress forthwith. In an offhand sentence in the third paragraph was this…

President Barack Obama and his staff lobbied for the change as they try to win approval this year for their top legislative priority, overhauling the nation’s health care system.

But the quest for power by the Obama WH isn’t confined only to influencing state legislation, crafted to enable his party’s rigor mortis hold on absolute power. This POTUS is actively engaged in dissing not only one of his own Democrat Governors, but one of the few minority Governors in power…. New York Governor David Paterson.

Gov. David A. Paterson defiantly vowed to run for election next year despite the White House‘s urging that he withdraw from the New York governor’s race.

Appearing tired and agitated at a parade in Harlem on Sunday, the governor told a crowd of reporters that he would not abandon his campaign to seek a full term.

“I have said time and time again that I am running for governor next year,” he said at the 40th annual African-American Day Parade.

Mr. Paterson would not characterize what he was told by the White House, saying that he would not “discuss confidential conversations.”

“I’m not talking about any specific conversations,” he said. “As I said, I am running for office.”

President Obama had sent a request to Mr. Paterson that he withdraw from the New York governor’s race, fearing that Mr. Paterson cannot recover from his dismal political standing, according to two senior administration officials and a New York Democratic operative with direct knowledge of the situation.

The decision to ask Mr. Paterson to step aside was proposed by political advisers to Mr. Obama, but approved by the president himself, one of the administration officials said.

Realizing this type of intrapolitical bully tactics doesn’t look good, the WH started their dance of denial within 24 hours.

The Obama administration on Sunday flatly denied that the president intervened in New York state politics and urged Gov. David Paterson to withdraw from the 2010 governor’s race.

“President Obama is not involved in any way,” a senior administration official told FOX News.

The pushback came after The New York Times reported that Obama asked Paterson, a Democrat, to drop out over concern that he is damaged goods, politically, and could drag down other Democrats in the state. The Times quoted administration officials as saying the president’s request was conveyed to Paterson by Queens Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks.

But while the administration denied any presidential interference Sunday, the senior official confirmed that White House officials are, at the least, concerned about Paterson’s ability to survive in office — suggesting high-level conversations with Paterson have taken place.

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“Nobody asked him to get out of the race — it is Governor Paterson’s decision to make. We’re confident he’ll make the decision based on the best interests of the state,” the official said.

According to two senior New York Democratic advisers who spoke to The Associated Press, national Democratic Party leaders were the ones who urged Paterson to contemplate dropping out.

Really? Again with this “it’s not my fault” POTUS legacy, the scapegoats vie for the honor of their heads on the chopping block. The only problem is, three days later, it turns out that even Governor Paterson’s wife, is pretty incensed at Obama’s political treachery…. with NY’s First Lady, Michelle Paige Paterson, telling Obama to butt out.

Today, in a series of interview with the Big Apple’s panting news media, New York’s First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson said it was wrong for the White House to get involved.
“David’s the first African American governor in the state of New York and he’s being asked to get out of the race. It’s very unusual and it seems very unfair,” she told the New York Post. “I never heard of a president asking a governor not to run … I don’t think it’s right.”

During a trip to upstate New York on Monday, President Obama told Paterson, according to Michelle Paterson, that he was “a little chagrined about how the White House handled the message.”

I see… so Obama’s not upset about the message and meddling… just the method of delivery.

The overt actions by this sitting President for absolute, unmitigated power… even over the State’s, which he seeks to further usurp and castrate with a healthcare public option… is nothing short of breathtaking.

And perhaps the only thing more jaw dropping than watching this happen with little fanfare is the casual acceptance of these back to back power grabs by a complacent media and prozac-riddled nation of citizens.