Yet Another example of Barack Obama's good Judgement

Barack Obama seems to have a knack for picking controversial friends and associates, and here's another fine example. This is a man that he has referred to as his friend and colleague, and even went as far as to endorse him in his campaign for Mayor of Detroit.

Is Barack really as naive as it appears, or does he just like hanging out with controversial people?

DETROIT (AP) — Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to felony charges Thursday in a sex scandal and will step down after months of defiantly holding onto his job leading the nation's 11th-largest city. He was ordered jailed for four months and fined $1 million.

The plea deal brings to an end a seven-months-long ordeal that led to felony charges against Kilpatrick and plunged the city, region and state into political chaos.

"I lied under oath," Kilpatrick said in court.

As part of the deal, the 38-year-old Democrat is to serve four months in jail and five years of probation. He also would pay the $1 million in restitution over the five-year probationary period.

During a separate hearing moments after Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner accepted the mayor's plea, Kilpatrick offered a no contest plea in an assault case.

The judge also accepted that plea, which called for Kilpatrick to serve a four-month jail sentence that would run at the same time.

Kilpatrick had faced 10 felony counts in the two separate criminal cases.

Groner asked Kilpatrick if he understood he was giving up the right to be innocent until proven guilty.

"I gave that up a long time ago," Kilpatrick replied.

Kilpatrick also read a statement in court and admitted his guilt, saying "I lied under oath ... I did so with an intent to mislead the court and jury and to impede and obstruct the fair administration of justice."

The married mayor and former top aide Christine Beatty were charged in March with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice. They're accused of lying under oath about an affair and their roles in the firing of a deputy police chief.

Full Article


Barack's endorsement



Kilpatrick endorses Barack

So if you ever had a friend who cheated on someone then you have bad judgement? C'mon. Seriously?

Edited to say "Cheated on someone and LIED about it, which is fairly synonomous with cheating"

[edit on 4-9-2008 by TruthWithin]

"Obama calls for Kilpatrick to resign"

[from article] "Senator Obama believes that Mayor Kilpatrick's ongoing troubles and the serious charges against him have been a distraction that the city cannot afford," said Obama spokesman Brent Colburn when asked Wednesday night.

[edit on 9.4.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

Originally posted by TruthWithin
So if you ever had a friend who cheated on someone then you have bad judgement? C'mon. Seriously?

If I happened to endorse them for a very important position like Mayor over a large metropolitan city, then the answer is "Yes"..

Originally posted by ItsTheQuestion
"Obama calls for Kilpatrick to resign"

[from article] "Senator Obama believes that Mayor Kilpatrick's ongoing troubles and the serious charges against him have been a distraction that the city cannot afford," said Obama spokesman Brent Colburn when asked Wednesday night.

[edit on 9.4.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

Would you expect anything less from Barack Obama? whenever one of his questionable associates become a political liability, it's under the bus they go! LOL How many people does this make now that he's denounced out of a sense of political expediency? I've lost count.

Furthermore, as the ex-Mayor's legal problems mounted, including a judge placing a tether on his leg, restricting travel, Kilpatrick was restricted from traveling to the Democrats' convention in Denver last week. Undoubtedly, Obama's people didn't want Kilpatrick within spitting distance of the Senator, even though Kilpatrick is a super-delegate, and his mother, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, (D-MI), is the Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

What the hell does having an affair have to do with ones ability to be mayor? He lied. That's what adulterers do. Lie.

My question still stands: How does this, in any way, reflect Obama's judgment?

To me, these things are lapses in judgment:

Hiring the same person that spread rumors about you having an illegitimate black child as one of you campaign people.

Bringing in a gun toting, "baracuda" like woman to fight your battles for you.

Voting with Bush 90% of the time.

reply to post by LLoyd45


Would I expect anything less from a man or woman trying to win an election? Of course not. Your thread is based on Obama's former support of the now-felonious mayor. I provided a link showing that the Senator called for Kilpatrick's resignation. What else should Obama do? Drag the Keating scandal out?

It's politics as usual. What did you expect?
Related thread on Detroit mayor's guilty pleas.


[edit on 9.4.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

reply to post by TruthWithin


It was not about the affair. It was about the fact that Kilpatrick lied, under oath, about the affair, ultimately costing the City of Detroit over $8.4 million, which was paid to city police officers to settle their wrongful termination lawsuit.

You're right: adulterers lie. So do politicians. We all know this. As far as Obama's political endorsement of Kwame Kilpatrick: perhaps Kwame can vote absentee from his cell in the Wayne County Jail.

[edit on 9.4.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

Originally posted by TruthWithin
So if you ever had a friend who cheated on someone then you have bad judgement? C'mon. Seriously?

Edited to say "Cheated on someone and LIED about it, which is fairly synonomous with cheating"

[edit on 4-9-2008 by TruthWithin]

This persons posts should be read as follows

"don't you simpletons know that Barack Obama needs to rule America? Do not argue this point; I am his head ATS ninja."

but, honestly. it is one thing to be freinds and endorse someone it is another thing to continue to support and endorse that person after felony charges have been brought against them... Oh yeah did we mention that this freind is the Mayor of the largest city in Michigan.

Just like Clinton. the actual offense is not as important as the lapse of integrity that it represents.

Now, if Obama comes out and genuinely condemns this mayors actions then he would no longer be responsible for the endorsement in my eyes.

but, if he or Biden come out with a statement like "it's a shame how the prosecutors handled this case." everyone will see right through it and still be up in arms about it like the Rev. Wright and William Aires. whom he never really condemned

Originally posted by ItsTheQuestion
reply to post by LLoyd45

 

Would I expect anything less from a man or woman trying to win an election? Of course not. Your thread is based on Obama's support of the felonious mayor. I provided a link showing that the Senator called for Kilpatrick's resignation. What else should Obama do? Drag the Keating scandal out?

It's politics as usual. What did you expect?
Related thread on Detroit mayor's guilty pleas.

I am sorry about my previous post. If he did condemn the activity that is good enough for me.

But, as more of his "friends" (can't think of a better word) continue to be wrapped up in scandal what does that say about the rest of the people he associates with? Or about himself and what he is about?

there is an old saying "if you lay down with dogs you get flees."

NO, that is not an insult to any one.

reply to post by irongunner


Well, irongunner, if you had read the whole post you would see that Obama DID come out and ask for the resignation.

My point is that just because people around you do stupid crap, doesn't mean that you should be accountable for it if you had NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

You guys can talk about Obama and McCains judgment all day, just use relevant examples!

reply to post by irongunner


Read the third post in the thread.

Also, read this article from the Detroit News.

Kilpatrick has never been particularly close to Obama. Unlike many African-American officials around the country, he did not endorse Obama until after the Illinois senator had clinched the Democratic nomination.

Originally posted by TruthWithin

 

Well, irongunner, if you had read the whole post you would see that Obama DID come out and ask for the resignation.

Yeah, Obama came out asking for his resignation just today as a matter of fact. How convenient to disassociate oneself at the last possible moment..

My point is that just because people around you do stupid crap, doesn't mean that you should be accountable for it if you had NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

You guys can talk about Obama and McCains judgment all day, just use relevant examples!

you mean to honestly tell us that judgment isn't an important issue for a President? His decisions impact the lives of the whole country.

reply to post by LLoyd45


Please don't flatter yourself by putting words in my mouth. Judgment is a huge part of being president. I never said otherwise. Just use relevant examples. This partisan drivel on your part is not a valid example.

Originally posted by ItsTheQuestion
Kilpatrick has never been particularly close to Obama. Unlike many African-American officials around the country, he did not endorse Obama until after the Illinois senator had clinched the Democratic nomination.

You obviously didn't watch the first video where Barack refers to him as his friend and colleaugue, and looked forward to collaborating with him often in the future..

So, what if Obama wins the Presidency and uses this judgment that he has exhibited before except this time he give light water reactor technology to Iran, because dog gonit they seem like people just hoping for change.

Could the behavior of his associations matter then?

-Go Barack Ninja Go

Originally posted by TruthWithin
reply to post by LLoyd45

 

Please don't flatter yourself by putting words in my mouth. Judgment is a huge part of being president. I never said otherwise. Just use relevant examples. This partisan drivel on your part is not a valid example.

Who's putting words in your mouth or being partisan? I was just stating the facts. Facts are now biased?

Originally posted by LLoyd45

Originally posted by ItsTheQuestion
Kilpatrick has never been particularly close to Obama. Unlike many African-American officials around the country, he did not endorse Obama until after the Illinois senator had clinched the Democratic nomination.

You obviously didn't watch the first video where Barack refers to him as his friend and colleaugue, and looked forward to collaborating with him often in the future..

Look, this is politics that we're talking about here. Words like "friend" and "colleague" get tossed around...like when Sen. McCain says "my friends" to thousands of people. And OF COURSE Sen. Obama would look forward to working with any big-city mayor.

Originally posted by irongunner
So, what if Obama wins the Presidency and uses this judgment that he has exhibited before except this time he give light water reactor technology to Iran, because dog gonit they seem like people just hoping for change.

Could the behavior of his associations matter then?

-Go Barack Ninja Go

Surely not... I'm sure his advisory cabinet will be filled with all kinds of people with good judgment like his own. How about Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Wright, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, et al.