If I Had Subpoena Power: Five Questions for Obama

Michael Isikoff: Hmm.. How interesting. You must have missed that 'class' which thaught that "Socratic Questioning" ONLY can be effectivly utilized when wisedom, the amount of authentic -and thus unrefutable -informations one have and intelligence are in 'Balance'. What was not the case as you can evidentially see how easily it all was disproved here by nearly ALL the commenters.
Now if you really want to ask Question of magnitude: ASk about Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC to the Government, that is if you dare.
Who ever believe such a worldwide Ponzi scheme was possible without high level support, is only naive.
It was 'nice' to see a long-missed attemt of ""Socratic Questioning" by the MMS again. TO bad it falied since it might have been - intentionally maybe - aimed at the "wrong" Adminstration.

Regards, 'Achi'.
SoD1

Michael Isikoff: Hmm.. How interesting. You must have missed that 'class' which thaught that "Socratic Questioning" ONLY can be effectivly utilized when wisedom, the amount of authentic -and thus unrefutable -informations one have and intelligence are in 'Balance'. What was not the case as you can evidentially see how easily it all was disproved here by nearly ALL the commenters.
Now if you really want to ask Question of magnitude: ASk about Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC to the Government, that is if you dare.
Who ever believe such a worldwide Ponzi scheme was possible without high level support, is only naive.

Regards, 'Achi'.
SoD1

Isikoff: what a load of pretentious blather. The only story here is that there's no story, as regards Obama. Fitzgerald has said so. The report you pomposuly ask for has been withheld a Fitzgerald's request. All you media types who were baying for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s blood a week ago seem no to have forgotten that actually he was an FBI informant.

Actually, there are actually three stories here, but they are not about Obama, they are about the media:

1) you and your kind in the MSM are so desparate to get a story that counters the good press and polls that Obama has been getting that you will spout and hypothesize any old drivel to fill your column inches in the hope that, by some fluke rathet than your judgement, you might be right. None of you wants to be left behind the bandwagon.

2) These ridiculous opinion items are another reason that peiple are turning away from publcations such as yours and getting their news more directly from other online sources. I only started reading newsweek online during the election to understand what the tired old received wisdom of the main stream media was, and reading your article makes me realize it time to switch you off again.

3) Now that Obama and other politicans can appeal more directly to the population, your publication will have even less utility and reason to exist. Actually that's a shame. because our country still needs well reasoned criticism of the governments, whether Obama or Bush. But your pathetic article certainly isn't that.

Isikoff: what a load of pretentious blather. The only story here is that there's no story, as regards Obama. Fitzgerald has said so. The report you pomposuly ask for has been withheld a Fitzgerald's request. All you media types who were baying for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s head a week ago seem no to have forgotten that actually he was an FBI informant for years.

Actually, there are actually three stories here, but they are not abit Obama, they are about the media:

1) you and your kind in the MSM are so desparate to get a story that counters the good press and polls that Obama has been getting that you will spout and hypothesize any old drivel to fill your column inches in the hope that, by some fluke rathet than your judgement, you might be right. And nobody wants to be left behind the bandwagon.

2) These ridiculous opinion items are another reason that peiple are turning away from publcations such as yours and getting their news more directly from other online sources. I only started reading newsweek online during the election to understand what the tired old received wisdom of the main stream media was, and reading your article makes me realize it time to switch you off again.

3) Now that Obama and other politicans can appeal more directly to the population, your publication will have even less utility and reason to exist. Actually that's a shame. because our country still needs well reasoned criticism of the governments, whether Obama or Bush. But your pathetic article certainly isn't that.

Michael Isikoff is one of those lowbrow tabloid hacks you find all over the internet, the ones who couldn't make it as a legitimate journalist. To read more about the true nature of online journalists:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200812120015

The truth about Rahm Emanuel and the Blago scandal [he's been cleared]:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/12/obama_blago_report_to_clear_ra.html

If anyone still wonders why the only 'institution' held in lower esteem than Congress is the Press they merely need spend a few hours reading the available reports regarding Governor Pay-Rod, and President-elect Obama's relationship with Rezko before that, and then read Mr. Iskoff's questions. It requires little effort to determine that each and every one of Mr. Iskoff's 'questions' have their roots in rank fantasy and most have been shown false long ago. Will the once-valued -- and valuable -- Fourth Estate ever return to its actual function of informing the electorate on the doings of our government or will it remain the gaggle of muckraking poseurs it has become over the past 30 years?

What a jerk! If Isikof had waited another day, the first leaks from the Obama report would have already hit the news. If he'd waited three days, the official report would be out. Obama's team didn't do anything outside of normal ethical political check ins and Rahm confirmed that all Blago would get from Obama would be appreciation. Neither Harris nor Blago were foolish enough to suggest anything else. Fitzgerald says that Obama's team did nothing wrong. Obama never talked to Blago and Rahm talked to him once. Rahm talked to Blago aide Harris a few times but they didn't discuss buying the seat. This is a nasty implications article based on nothing! Our country is in a lot of trouble. It's irresponsible to tear the President down based on nothing but speculation and rumor. And especially when waiting to write the article for three days would have given the truth for all to see. The report was delayed in release only because Fitzgerald asked them to delay it. It would have been easier for Obama to refuse. Isikoff is irresponsible. Disgusting.

Isikoff is a wannabe.

The only people who buy this bogus scandal that Isikoff is peddling are the ones who believe that Obama wasn't born in the US. The "mainstream" media has stooped to the level of the Weekly World News. Maybe Isikoff will demand that Obama has to answer questions to prove he isn't a space alien to please the readership he seems to want to attract.

Sigh!

Will every one of you who think Obama is somehow hiding his birth certificate, please go here:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

and then here:http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Nov/01/ln/hawaii811010345.html

Read these pages.

UNderstand not one of these statements was not ONCE challenged by the Bush Administration or McCain campaigns OR Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Now realize:
1. Obama has presented his birth certificate, in live person, and it has been photographed in person by independent non-partisan reporters; and this birth certificate's information has been fully validated as correct by the State of Hawaii.

2. Hawaii DOES NOT release it's long form birth certificates for public view. Obama DOES NOT HAVE and CANNOT GET his long-form birth certificate OR A COPY OF IT.

The State of Hawaii does not even have a process in place for ANYONE to get a copy of their hospital long-form birth certificate.

3. Read this quote in particular:
"...Fukino said she does not believe Health Department officials could release Obama's birth certificate to the public even with his permission, although she would need to get a legal ruling to be certain."

4. Finally, once realize that if there was a single chance in the world that Obama could be found not to be a US Citizen, then not only the Bush Administration, and not only McCain, but Hillary Clinton would have pushed that to the end of the Earth!!!

5. Do something constructive with how much you hate Obama - like criticizing his policies and actions. Not this complete freakin' nonsense.

The question now becomes, Mr. Isikoff, just how old and experienced are you??
In the end, Mr. Blag is a vicitim of "antisocial personality disorder" and as such, I am sure that those who have had to interact with him over time realized that this was NOT someone they wanted to deal with.

By making the case for the questions that you have put forward here, you in imply that there is something rotten in the Obama camp - get a life!

I am sure I am not the only one who has noticed that every single neo-conservative presence on TV, the Internet and print news is spouting the exact same line of nonsense that Isikoff shows in this article. This is obviously going to be the strategy of the post-Bush neo-cons - hound the President at every opportunity, valid or not, and cast doubt and suspicion whenever possible.

And why not? They got a special prosecutor and $70m tax dollars to hunt President Clinton, even though they were never able to prove a single illegal act had taken place (Watergate).

I would urge all responsible Americans, wherever you see this shameful behavior on display, to write to the establishment that gave them an audience and demand that this be stopped. We deserve thoughtful commentary on substantive issues, not this ranting and raving from an obvious ideologue about a man who has done nothing except follow the directions of the prosecuting attorney. (Webeditors@newsweek.com)

These media outlets need to know this disgraceful tactic carries no currency with the American public anymore. We need to stand by what is right and that means refusing to give an audience to what is wrong. Enough!

What is it in "all they offered me was appreciation, bleep them" that Isikoff doesn't understand? Maybe Newsweek needs to hire some journalist who understand English.

I used to like you when you were reporting on substantive issues like the Iraq war - this is so not important - can't believe you are trying to revive a really dead horse

I get it. Mr. Isikoff may be gearing up to write a book. You know, I was reading somewhere, not too long ago, that even the publishing companies are having tough times in this economy. But they are making off like a bandit with books -- anything pro or con -- with Obama's name in the title.

You guys make big bucks writing your books -- you appear on your friends' television shows to sell your books, make a lot of money and then conjure up another scheme. Journalism has long fallen by the wave side. It's all about the almight dollar, these days, isn't it?

Mr. Isikoff could be laying the ground work for his next big expose!! But I think he'll have to find another scandal. This is not going to sell.

Mr. Issikof should get a life.