Newsweek's Isikoff: If I Had Subpoena Power, Here's What I'd Ask Obama

Newsweek:

Invoking his wartime commander-in-chief authority, NEWSWEEK Editor Jon Meacham has granted yours truly, a lowly investigative correspondent, sweeping subpoena power to demand that President-elect Barack Obama and his transition team answer all my questions about their dealings with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who stands accused of putting Obama's vacant U.S. Senate up for sale to the highest bidder. (He vowed on Dec. 19 to fight the charges "until I take my last breath.") It remains unclear whether Obama's assorted spinmeisters and lawyers will honor these subpoenas--or even return my phone calls. But in the meantime, the public at least deserves to know the most crucial questions. Exercising my newly acquired powers, here are the first five.

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Comments

[research]

Hey! Why didn't you subpoena BushCo!???­??????????­??????????­???

[PPatt]

While I agree with the spirit of what Isikoff writes I have my doubts as to whether he would ever be satisfied. If Obama had granted an in-depth Blogo interview or series of interviews it would not have ended until there had been hundred of hours of testimony by Obama himself. Would surrogatges have satisfied Isikoff?

It matters more whether the people are happy with the answers but in this day and age I am glad there are people liike Isikoff out there. If there had been more then Bush would have been called out more often and so much of the damage he did would likely have been averted. If it was fitting for Bush it is just as appropriate for "my guy".

[PPatt]

In regard to:

2 what happened with Senate " Candidate 1. "
How would Blagojevich have gotten the idea that this was your view? Were you or any of your aides aware, at any point, that Blagojevich wanted more than "appreciation"—such as contributions to his campaign fund or a seat in your cabinet—in exchange for appointing Jarrett?
---

Firstly, many in media find nothing wrong with Blago having been presented a list of names from Obama or by Emmanuel. Sure, complete transparency would have involved more detail. Tape recording and even video would have been any reporters wet dream. It would have been great entertainment, wouldn't it have been?

However, it is also feasible that short of any live video of Rahm Emmanuel and Governor Blagojevich, there was the plausible deniability of intimation without explicitne­ss...of the proverbial wink and a nod that would not have been worth a tell-all or even mention by Emmanuel. Certainly other scenarios are plausible as well.

While I would like to see a new precedent established for interrogation by news media, some protocol that supports transparency there will always the a point at which only trust will suffice and at which reporters such as Isikoff will be satisfied with nothing less than shadowing the President while possessing their own security clearance. And if that were possible the reporters would be left to squabble over which one get the peach assignment as if it were some sort of beauty contest.

[vivaldi265]

Hey Mr. Isakoff! I almost forgot the most important question.
8. Where the he ll were you when 09-11-01 happened and virtually nothing was done to capture the perpetrator? How come 7 years went by without you and your ilk holding Bush's feet to the fire for his failure to bring the people responsible to justice?

[BSERIUS]

Or publicly thanking him for keeping us safe these 7 years after the Clintonista regime allowed all the atrocities and Carter for starting the nightmare in the first place

[vivaldi265]

Some questions I'd like to ask Mr. Isakoff:
1. Where were you when Bush was lying us into an illegitimate war?
2. Where were you when Congress was signing away our civil liberties with the 'Unpatriot Act"?
3. Where were you when Bush and the Republican Congress were deregulating us into economic hell?
4. Where were you when the Republican Congress was rubber-stamping all of Bushes nonsense?
5. Where were you when The Bush Crime Family were destroying America's moral authority by torturing prisoners?
6. Where were you when Katrina was drowning New Orleans and the "president" was bicycling?
7. Where have you been the last eight years? Obama is not yet president and you're on his case.

[CindyKay]

What about the past 8 horrific years under the Bushwacker ?

Where were all the questions for Him ?

[jah2008]

I find it interesting to see so many "journalists" these days who suddenly feel the need to hold Obama accountable for his administration that has yet to begin, and for the past 8 years they've ignored Bush-Cheney & Co. Hm?

They remind me of those assh*le nerds who hate being bullied but when given the chance they become the bullies them selves. When Cheney ignored the media, the media did nothing. When Obama promises transparency, they decide to bully Obama even before he takes the oath.

Isikoff, Campbell Brown, David Gregory, Halperin, Dana Milbanks, et al... Pathetic!

[northstar11]

make-believe tough guys -all of them

the more interesting question for isacough and the others is:
if you had subpeona powers , what questions would you ask of cheney?
hows the pace maker holding up.?
you look good ,lost any weight lately?
planning on playing much golf on retirement?
how's the grand kids?
going on a stress relief vacation anywhere?

all those tough probing revealing things??

[StevieRae]

Let's see what Obama's report on his transition team's contact with Bugeof... has to say about transparency. Perhaps Isokoff will follow up with a piece on whether the report met his standards.

As far as Isakoff's other questions.­.....won't you let Obama at least get sworn in first?

[donttasemebro]

I seem to remember that the i diot Bush was given the benefit of the doubt for at least a few months before his incompetence became glaringly obvious. The difference between repubs and dems is a sense of fairness. Repubs have none.

[reno1190]

A FEW MONTHS HOW ABOUT 71/3 YRS

[HurryUp1212009]

This article has as much gravitas as OJ's book "If I Did It".....

[NationalTreasure]

Isikoff is a pontificating blowhard -- what a windbag

the only questions that were probative were the one about defining "inappropriate," and Rezko

the rest was a bunch of bloviated kvetching

Isikoff needs to ruminate on what the definition of "original thought," means.

[anpu]

I say we give Isikoff subpeona power for an Iraq War investigation, a Katrina emergency response investigation, a firing of justice department attorneys investigation, and a legalization of torture investigation.

Now, the press wants to be all "press-like" when the country has elected a person who appears to be the least corrupt politician in quite some time. Yet, when we had to two biggest crooks in office no one said a word. They just goosed-stepped through eight years of the worst president this nation has ever seen. BTW, the press already knows the Obama and his team had nothing to do with the Gov. This is more MSM conservative agenda BS.

[LHoney]

I have 1 question: Who the hell cares?????­??????????­???

[mikep007]

Isikoff is the same one who treated every rumor about the Clintons as facts. When you use Lucianne Goldberg as a source, you know you are scraping the bottom of 'journalism'.

[bbbbmer]

Oh here we go -- Mike Isikoff already sucking up to the GOP trying to embarrass Obama on this so nominal issue while America is crumbling.­.. Doesn't this guy have anything better to do than gossip?????