New ad: Obama and Kwame

This ad is now running in Michigan:



The latest poll in Michigan showed Obama leading by only 2 points -- before Kwame resigned and pleaded guilty.

Kwame Kilpatrick pleads guilty, resigns

Via Drew M at AOSHQ, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick -- a Democrat -- admits he lied under oath:

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has pleaded guilty, ending a nearly eight month drama that has transfixed the region, paralyzed much of city business and halted a political career that once held such promise. . . .
The mayor will turn over his state pension to the City of Detroit, which paid $8.4 million to settle two whistle-blower lawsuits three former cops filed against the city. . . . In a rushed monotone, Kilpatrick told the court: "I lied under oath in the case of Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope versus the city of Detroit ... I did so with the intent to mislead the court and jury, to impede and obstruct the disposition of justice."

In a plea bargain, Kilpatrick pleads guilty on two of the eight felonies he was charged with before Barack Obama praised the corrupt and dishonest Democrat super-delegate for "doing an outstanding job":

So many corrupt Democrats! Somebody ought to write a book about that . . .

UPDATE: I almost forgot that Obama already threw Kwame under the bus. It's gotten so crowded under Obama's bus, it's hard to keep track of who's under there.

Need I remind you that Michigan is a battleground state? Or that Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm had started hearings on whether Kilpatrick should be removed from office? If you don't think the Kilpatrick scandal will hurt Obama in Michigan, think again.

Barack: Under the bus, Kwame

Detroit's indicted mayor is unwelcome in Denver:

The convention should be about the economic problems facing the nation overall and Michigan specifically, Brent Colburn, Obama’s Michigan campaign spokesman said.
"Many Michigan families are struggling as a result of the failed policies and old politics that John McCain wants to continue. The focus of our convention to people back here in Michigan should be on Barack Obama and how the party intends to get America back on track, not a distraction involving the troubles of one individual," Colburn said in a statement released this afternoon.
Later today, Kilpatrick issued a statement calling Obama's nomination "a historic event, however I'm focused on running the city, and I don't want anything to distract from that extraordinary moment. The focus should remain on uniting the party and leading our great nation in a different direction."

Translation: Democratic Party bigwigs told Kwame to shut up and skip the convention, or else his corrupt party cronies might not be too generous with those legal-defense-fund contributions.

But notice the double standard: Nobody's disinviting the Chappaquiddick swim champ, are they?

(Hat tips: JWF and AOSHQ.)

Barack Kwame Kilpatrick Obama

Michigan's Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm says "it would be incredibly cynical and wrong" for the GOP to take advantage of the scandal surrounding Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has been charged with conspiracy, perjury, obstruction of justice, misconduct in office, and felony assault.

Kilpatrick is a Democratic super-delegate whom Barack Obama has praised as "doing an outstanding job":

(Via Hot Air.) The Kilpatrick scandal is apparently one reason Obama hasn't been able to pull away in Michigan -- polls show him leading, but barely outside the margin of error.

It's easy to see how Kilpatrick being front-page news would tend to heighten racial sensibilities in the state. If Obama throws Kilpatrick under the bus, it would alienate some black voters. But as long as Kilpatrick is on the bus, it tends to alienate some percentage of white voters in Michigan. Team Obama's hope is that the Kilpatrick scandal will go away without requiring Obama to take a stand.

UPDATE 9/4: Kilpatrick pleads guilty, resigns.

Detroit follies

In Chapter 8 of Donkey Cons, Detroit is cited as the ultimate demonstration of how the Democratic Party's urban policy has devastated America's inner cities. Now the mayor of Detroit adds a new wrinkle:

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a one-time rising star and Detroit's youngest elected leader, was charged Monday with perjury and other counts after sexually explicit text messages contradicted his sworn denials of an affair with a top aide.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also charged the popular yet polarizing 37-year-old mayor with obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. Kilpatrick, who was to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, could face up to 15 years in prison and be expelled from office if convicted. . . .
Former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, 37, who also denied under oath that she and Kilpatrick had a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.

(Via Memeorandum.) When President Clinton needed some extramarital passion, he got it on with an intern. When Gov. Eliot Spitzer wanted a little side action, he hired a prostitute. The mayor of Detroit hired a chief of staff to satisfy his needs.

The pathetic thing about Kilpatrick is that Detroit is a city that's been circling the drain for years. If there is any hope that Detroit can recover from years of misgovernance, it will require leadership that's totally devoted to recovery. Instead, Kilpatrick spends his time pursuing his own personal pleasure.

UPDATE: Don Surber notes the "Name That Party" factor in the Associated Press coverage. I guess the AP feels that party identification would be redundant. Sex scandal, abuse of office, perjury, obstruction of justice -- of course he's a Democrat!