Chicago on the Potomac

At the outset of today’s column I must categorically state that Scott Matheson’s legal resume’ is very impressive. I believe that Mr. Matheson will and should be confirmed by the US Senate. However, the announcement last week regarding Mr. Matheson’s appointment to the Tenth US Circuit Court of Appeals was totally bungled. The White House’s timing was, to put it mildly, flawed. It was quite natural that local and national political writers would question the propriety of such an appointment. Considering the President’s political roots, Representative Matheson’s scolding of local and national media is laughable.
Jim, wake up and smell the coffee!
With the possible exception of Louisiana and New Jersey, nothing quite says corrupt, political machine like Chicago. I won’t bore you with the past history of Mayor Richard Daley Sr. and the 1960 Presidential election; let’s just keep it within the last ten years or so. The President was a part of Illinois machine politics for years. Tony Rezko, convicted on several counts of racketeering and bribery, arranged a sweetheart real estate deal for the President’s Chicago home. Convicted Viet Nam era terrorist William Ayers mentored the President’s political career; a career launched in Ayer’s Chicago home. The impeached and convicted governor of Illinois tried to sell the President’s former Senate seat. The President’s wife was given a "no need to show up" $300,000 a year job. Mrs. Obama was not replaced when she stepped down in 2007 to campaign with the President. The position was eliminated shortly thereafter.
Healthcare reform is the President’s signature issue. His press secretary has promised, "Whatever it takes" to get healthcare reform passed. In the Senate we’ve been treated to the "Louisiana Purchase" and "The Cornhusker Kickback" to name the two largest taxpayer funded bribes to date. When congressional leaders are willing to spend BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to buy votes, why wouldn’t we be suspicious of the odd judgeship or political appointment. It’s the Chicago way!
In an email to Mr. Matheson the day after his brother was nominated, I told the congressman I did not envy his position. It seems to me that the President has put the congressman in a "can’t win" situation. After voting against healthcare reform twice, changing his vote now would be political suicide with the voters in Utah’s Second Congressional District. I believe that a vote for the Senate bill currently before the House would almost certainly mean defeat in the fall. On the omnipresent other hand, a vote against the Senate bill will almost certainly incur the wrath of both Speaker Pelosi and the President. Maybe Representative Matheson should just pull an Obama and cast a principled vote of "Present". Now that’s the Chicago way.