When Harry met Rod …

I suspect the exact words in a phone conversation between defrocked Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and Sen. Harry Reid will come to light sooner rather than later.

In the meanwhile, Republicans are licking their chops in hopes the wire-tapped conversation will make Reid look bad. Here's an e-mail from the GOP spin headquarters tee-ing up Reid for that day.

As an aside, we here in Nevada often comment about Harry's odd telephone manner. Do you think Harry said "good-bye" to Blago, or did he just hang up as he so often does?

Inquiring minds, you know.

Anyway, here's the GOP side of things. Enjoy.

Good evening.

In case you missed it, on Friday Harry Reid’s second-in-command -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) -- announced that he received a subpoena to testify at former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's upcoming corruption trial. According to the Associated Press, “Durbin had a well-publicized telephone conversation with Blagojevich shortly after the November 2008 election when politicians were starting to focus on who would get the Senate seat Obama was vacating.”

However, you might recall that Durbin wasn’t the only senior Democrat Senator who had a well-publicized conversation with Blagojevich.

In an interview with Greta Van Sustren on Fox News last night, Blagojevich personally recounted that he spoke on at least one occasion with Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid about filling the Illinois Senate seat. While this has been reported before, last evening was the first time that Blagojevich acknowledged this interaction in his own words.

It’s also worth pointing out that while Reid told the Chicago Sun-Times on January 2, 2009, that he would “not reveal the specific names discussed, saying he didn’t want to embarrass anyone,” he then told the Las Vegas Review-Journal three days later on January 5, 2009 that “he did not remember the conversation ‘other than the generalities.’”

Let’s hope Reid gets his story straight if, when, he receives a subpoena for this upcoming corruption trial.

BACKGROUND:

In January 2010, The Chicago Sun-Times Reported That Senator Reid Called Blagojevich And Made It Clear He Did Not Want The Governor To Appoint Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones To The Vacant Senate Seat. Reid Told Blagojevich He Should Appoint Tammy Duckworth Or Lisa Madigan. “Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones. Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.” (Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco, “Reid Pressured Blagojevich Not To Appoint Jackson Jr. To Obama’s U.S. Senate Seat,” Chicago Sun-Times, 1/2/09)

It Was Reported That Reid Pushed Against Appointing Jackson, Davis, And Jones Because He Thought They Were Unelectable In 2010. “Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis — both democratic congressmen from Illinois — and against Jones — the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama — because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.” (Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco, “Reid Pressured Blagojevich Not To Appoint Jackson Jr. To Obama’s U.S. Senate Seat,” Chicago Sun-Times, 1/2/09)

Reid’s Spokesman Acknowledged The Conversation Took Place And Said, “It Is Part Of His Job As Majority Leader To Share His Thoughts About Candidates Who Have The Qualities Needed To Succeed In The Senate.” “Jim Manley, spokesman for Reid, acknowledged Friday that Reid called Blagojevich as well as other governors who had Senate vacancies in their respective states. ‘Of course Sen. Reid spoke to the governor of Illinois -- just as he spoke to the governors of New York and Colorado when senators from those states accepted jobs in the new administration,’ Manley said. ‘It is part of his job as majority leader to share his thoughts about candidates who have the qualities needed to succeed in the Senate.’ Reid declined to reveal the specific names discussed, saying he didn’t want to embarrass anyone.” (Natasha Korecki and Chris Fusco, “Reid Pressured Blagojevich Not To Appoint Jackson Jr. To Obama’s U.S. Senate Seat,” Chicago Sun-Times, 1/2/09)

Reid Later Reversed Course And Denied That He Pressured Blagojevich On Who To Choose For The Vacancy, But Acknowledged That A Conversation Took Place. “Sen. Harry Reid on Sunday denied a report that he pressured Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on whom to appoint to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate and a suggestion that race was a factor in their conversation early last month. The Senate majority leader confirmed in a televised interview that he spoke with Blagojevich in early December, but he said the conversation was general in nature and similar to talks he had with governors of New York and Colorado who also were looking to fill Senate vacancies through appointment. Reports out of Chicago that Reid sought to influence the Illinois governor are ‘part of the Blagojevich cloud,’ Reid, D-Nev., said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ ‘He is making all this up.’ ‘Blagojevich is a corrupt individual, I think that is pretty clear,’ he said.” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid Denies Pressing Blagojevich On Senate Vacancy,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 1/5/09)

Reid Said, “I Did Not Tell Him [Blagojevich] Who Not To Appoint, He Is Making All Of This Up.” “‘My one conversation with Blagojevich ... make sure you give us somebody who can hit the ground running,’ Reid said. ‘Of course we are concerned about what happens in 2010, but this has nothing to do with 2010. This has everything to do about a corrupt governor.’ Reid said he did not remember the conversation ‘other than the generalities.’ ‘I did not tell him who not to appoint. He is making all of this up.’” (Steve Tetreault, “Reid Denies Pressing Blagojevich On Senate Vacancy,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 1/5/09)

Brian Walsh
Communications Director
National Republican Senatorial Committee