Tuesday, December 09, 2008
If you needed further evidence that Blago is an idiot...
...look no further.
Blagojevich and his inner circle were expansive in pondering just how they could leverage the Senate appointment for financial gain, and at one point the governor floated the notion that legendary financier and Obama supporter Warren Buffett could somehow be brought into the deal.
In a November 11th conversation with John Harris, his Chief of Staff, Blagojevich said he could start a 501(c)(4) political organization to extract money from the billionaire Sage of Omaha, whom the governor called Obama’s “friend.”
He actually thought he could shake down Warren Buffett. Now, I'm not that into the canonization of Saint Warren (if the phrase "Sage of Omaha" does not bust your gut, you must be from Omaha), but who in their right mind would think that he would dirty his hands to do a favor for the governor of Illinois?
MORE: Heh: "Blagojevich blows his shot at a pardon".
5 Comments:
By 
Viking Kaj, at
Tue Dec 09, 05:17:00 PM:
Blago's comments will surprise no one familiar with the Chicago machine. Similar statements are made by many others, usually off-the-record, and I wouldn't doubt that Obama has made one or two. The only difference is that Blago was dumb enough to get caught on tape, but then I'm sure Blago will say it was just a joke. Some of this sooner or later will end up sticking on the President-soon-to-be-annointed, and it ain't gonna smell like holy water.
Finally, for the record from someone who used to live there, Warren's nickname with the national press is the "Wizzard of Omaha" (Sage is a culinary herb, don't know where that came from). But most Omahanians (say it like with Mr. Haney from Green Acres) just refer to them as Warren and Charlie (Munger, the workhorse behind the scenes). If you want to see Warren live check out Gorat's steakhouse on a Tuesday night. And while you are there, be sure to order a basket of deep-fried parsley.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Dec 09, 07:00:00 PM:
Viking: "Finally, for the record from someone who used to live there, Warren's nickname with the national press is the "Wizzard of Omaha" (Sage is a culinary herb, don't know where that came from)."
Headline from the International Herald Tribune (a favorite newspaper of English-speaking international business people):
"Buffett, the Sage of Omaha..."
Link:
http://www.iht.com/articles/1997/12/20/mbuff.t.php
From Wiki's bio on Buffett
"Often called the "Oracle of Omaha," or "the Sage of Omaha," Buffett..."
Meanwhile, "Warren Buffett sage of Omaha" brings up 121,000 hits on Yahoo.
Webster's definition of "sage" from m-w.com:
"1: one (as a profound philosopher) distinguished for wisdom
"2: a mature or venerable man of sound judgment"
Also, wizard is spelled with one "z," not two. Don't worry about it, Viking. We all make typos.
But next time, do your homework before you "shoot from the lip."
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Dec 09, 08:46:00 PM:
Dec,
Sorry about the extra "z", I was typing in a hurry since I needed to leave early today.
And just to show you that any fool can do a web search, Google returned 1,090,000 results for the "Wizard of Omaha".
But I can tell you, nobody from Omaha calls him wizard, sage, bonze, sensei or anything of the like. He's just part of Warren and Charlie.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Dec 09, 09:09:00 PM:
Thanks for the additional info, Viking. My point is simply that TH's use of "Sage of Ohama" is far from unusual in business circles--domestically and internationally.
The world extends far beyond the hay-wagon trails around Omaha. (That's a wisecrack--don't take it seriously.)
Years ago, I stopped for gasoline in Laramie, Wyoming.
The guy at the service station asked me, "Where're you goin'?"
"Omaha," I replied.
"I went Omaha once--all by myself," he told me.
(I love Wyoming. It's one of my favorite states. Nebraska has nice people, too.)
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Dec 09, 09:12:00 PM:
P.S. Make that Omaha, not Ohama. As I said, we all make typos.
