RSS Feed for This PostCurrent Article

Obama’s Balls of Fury

Honestly, you cannot make this stuff up? Obama, the ping pong man promoter? Surely this is not how Don King got started on his career. In a nutshell, Obama used his influence in the Illinois Senate to get a grant for a guy who paid Barack $112,000. The cause in question? PING PONG. This piece in the Chicago Tribune offers the tasty details:

Chicago entrepreneur Robert Blackwell Jr. paid Obama an $8,000-a-month retainer to give legal advice to his growing technology firm, Electronic Knowledge Interchange. It allowed Obama to supplement his $58,000 part-time state Senate salary for more than a year with regular payments from Blackwell’s firm that totaled $112,000.

A few months after receiving his final payment from EKI, Obama sent a request on state Senate letterhead urging Illinois officials to provide a $50,000 tourism promotion grant to another Blackwell company, Killerspin.

Killerspin specializes in table tennis, running tournaments nationwide and selling its own line of equipment and apparel and DVD recordings of the competitions. With support from Obama, other state officials and an Obama aide who went to work part time for Blackwell’s firms, the company eventually obtained $320,000 in state grants between 2002 and 2004 to subsidize its tournaments. . . .

When Blackwell sought backing for his table tennis tournament in 2002, other politicians including U.S. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley offered support for the event. But Obama was the only one who provided a letter that became part of the initial application for state funds, state records show. In addition, he wrote a state Senate proclamation heralding the first tournament and an official letter welcoming “table tennis friends” to the 2004 contest, thanking spectators for helping to “make Chicago the table tennis capital of this nation.”

When I read this my mind jumped immediately to a recent cinematic classic. It stars Christopher Walken. It is about Ping Pong. It is called, BALLS OF FURY. Now you tell me? Was this Barack’s inspiration?
YouTube Preview Image

Maybe Barack can star in Balls of Fury, The Return.

  • ces

    Well, he is good at SPIN, so….

  • GOPmurderedconscience

    Not to pile on but a commenter @ Taylor Marsh posted this:

    Kinky Friedman: “Obama’s best shot is to get William Ayers to bomb Jeremiah Wright.”

    Sorry, but… BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    I’m sorry but this campaign campaign is really fun. Who said we were getting tired of it?

  • OldCoastie

    I have no idea, but is $8k a lot for a monthly retainer? Wonder what Obi did for all that cash…?

  • Reverend Wrong

    Maybe Barack can star in Balls of alls of Fury, The Return., The Return.

    I think due to his recent bout of cowardice and unwillingness to debate again perhaps:

    Ball-less Faint-heartedness?

  • Reverend Wrong

    Well, he is good at SPIN, so….

    I understand the pun, but being serious:

    Yes and no. Do you think he would be good at spin if he didn’t have the MSM in his pocket? He is able to get way with an awful lot because they lap up whatever pablum he feeds them then they regurgitate back out to the general populace. We would be screwed without the blogs shining light on him.

    With the MSM he is just another two-bit conman in a suit. And in my opinion not very good at spin at all.

  • Reverend Wrong

    He is able to get away with

    Without

    the MSM

    Sorry. Corrected version:

    Well, he is good at SPIN, so….

    I understand the pun, but being serious:

    Yes and no. Do you think he would be good at spin if he didn’t have the MSM in his pocket? He is able to get away with an awful lot because they lap up whatever pablum he feeds them then they regurgitate back out to the general populace. We would be screwed without the blogs shining light on him.

    Without the MSM he is just another two-bit conman in a suit. And in my opinion not very good at spin at all.

  • Ellen

    I read this story in the Chicago Tribune the other day and I couldn’t believe it! I have no idea why his supporters are still standing behind him. He has way too many people around him who don’t have the best interest of the USA.

  • Reverend Wrong

    He has way too many people around him who don’t have the best interest of the USA.

    And a very troubling aspect is Obama doesn’t have the experience and intelligence to know he is being walked into a personal disaster by many of the people close to him.

  • http://www.despair.com/changewinds.html Smilin’ Jim

    “Now you tell me? Was this Barack’s inspiration?”

    A past event inspired by a film in the future? Only if the lad is chronosynclastically infindibulated, Johnson-san.

    Kurt Vonnegut died for your sins.

  • Catriley

    That story was troubling in a few ways..

    1) do you really want a president that can’t seem to manage his own business? I mean, with his education he seems to tell that story of being penniless far too often. He neglected his own law practice to run for Senate? to the point that he had no income? Don’t we already have a failed businessman in the White House?

    2) $8,000.00 a month for his services to one client? This after having a full year of no work? Something stinks — of course, now seeing the background they had together, it makes sense.

    3) Whether or not it was “required” that such BS to put lists and lists of his employer’s clients on his disclosure, when he had gotten all of his $$ from one.

    I smell a rat.

  • Strawberrybitch

    Well, in my humble opinion, he can’t be all that smart to think he could run for POTUS and NOT have someone take a peek into his closet. I mean really, is he THAT into himself? I’ve always wanted to run for public office but, see, there was this one weekend, and a camera…and all the free tequila shots I apparently couldn’t handle.

  • Reverend Wrong

    He certainly lacks Hillary’s worldliness by leaps and bounds. I refuse to put my family’s lives in his inept hands even if it means voting for a Republican.

  • http://thehorizontalworld.blogspot.com/ Mary Jo Kopechne

    Blackwell was mentioned today in a good piece by Earl Ofari Hutchinson.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/tom-haydens-wife-screams_b_98893.html

    I keep thinking that for someone who was manipulating his way into politics, Obama was NOT thinking about his future reputation.

    No Balls for POTUS.

  • justsomeone

    Only a mouse click off topic: anybody read the come on & review for “Obama the PostModern Coup” by Webster Griffin Tarpley advertised on this page? Any opinions?

  • http://www.grotte-de-han.be/index.php?docID=132 chatsauvage

    All this corrupt Chicago politics should concern anyone with a modicum of integrity.

  • rjj

    Thanks for that link. It only got one comment. Hmmm.

  • http://Whosturnisit? TeakWoodKite

    Johnson-san; Smilin Jim is onto something.

  • Strawberrybitch

    Yes, hmmmmmm indeed. They’re waiting for the collective to come up with a response.

  • Kourian

    It’s a good theory but Barack doesn’t have those things with fury. He doesn’t have them without fury either.

  • http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/04/28/obamas-balls-of-fury/#more-2334 waldenpond

    Oh great, a candidate that doesn’t flip/flop. He ping/pongs. Just can’t wait to hear the snark from the commentators if Dems were unfortunate enough to have him as a nominee.

  • nancy

    Phone callers needed for IN!! LOTS of undecided voters~~~

    borrowed from http://www.hillaryclitonforum.net “Please contact me at carlaforhillary@gmail.com
    The calls are toll free and can be made from any state. There are a lot of undecided people in Indy, and we need to at least tell them that they can go to Hillaryclinton.com to find out more about Hillary.”

    “I spent 2 hours on the phones to Indiana today and the one factor that disturbs me is the number of undecided voters! If you want Hillary to take Indiana please makes 10-20 calls, at least, per day. Everyone can do it! At times it may not be the easiest thing to do, but if you keep in mind it is for Hillary, it is not so bad! You don’t know these people and they don’t know you! It is a call for Hillary! It also gives us an idea of the way things are going for us in Indiana! ”

    “Thanks for your support everyone. Calling seems hard at first, but it gets easier and easier as you do it. You are doing it for Hillary. There a so many undecided people out there, and we need to at the very least let them know about Hillary’s website. Reach out and make a call! email at Carlaforhillary@gmail.com
    Even if you can only make five calls a day, I will be happy with that!”

  • Bill Delyon

    Ping pong is bad for america how?

  • Ellen

    What???? He has people around him who don’t have the best interests of the USA? You are reaching pretty far….the LA Times has had many negative articles on Obama lately, funny, because the paper endorsed him in Jan. As you can see from the article (the article was in the LA Times.written by a Times writer)..maybe chicago papers too) he did nothing untowards here at all. I don’t know why Larry Johnson selects such petty subjects to slap onto his blog – if you want to get into it, what about the sleaze factor of Hillary and McCain? There is a trial going on right now, Clinton vs Paul – a con man that made a deal with the Clintons in 2000 and now its coming back to haunt them (as well as several of their supporters). What about the shady dealings with:

    kazahkstan and Bill
    the pardons
    Denise and Marc Rich
    Hillary worked for (horrors!!) two communist lawyers in Oakland, a firm that defended the Black Panthers!!!
    burkle
    Johnny Chung
    Charlie Trie
    Norman Hsu
    Frank Siustra
    Ray Jrinnah
    and on and on….she may have returned the ‘tainted’ money, but so did Obama. Half of her group is in jail this very day!
    EVERYTHING on Obama is his associations…its just rubbish and a total smear job on him -

  • http://camoderate ca moderate

    Ping-pong – imagine if other records were not destroyed lost.

  • Reverend Wrong

    I don’t know why Larry Johnson selects such petty subjects to slap onto his blog

    It’s his blog and no one forces you to rudely barge in every night? :) And I totally disagree with your “petty subjects” assertion. As far as your laundry list of concerns the Wright issue seems to have captured the imaginations of most Americans and they don’t like what they see. That’s what people are focusing on and will continue to focus on in my opinion. See you tomorrow night?

  • Bill Delyon

    Larry Johnson.
    He’s gone from talking about serious issues which actually really matter to the United States of America. Whether they were about Intelligence, or US Laws Dumbya/Darth Cheney and their boys have steam rolled or are completely disregarding, or are trying to pass under our noses.
    To posting nonsense headlines and prattle such as this; “Obama’s Balls of Fury”…..

    Courageous Larry…

    You’re a Champ…

  • Reverend Wrong

    Satire is a great American tradition. I enjoy the way Larry runs his blog very much and find a lot of valuable information here.

  • Retired

    Just a point of trivia, but if you watch the movie (and even the video of the ad) carefully, you will see Killerspin equipment and the Killerspin logo featured prominently in a couple of scenes. With a bit of work, Balls of Fury II could be to Obama what PT 109 was to JFK.

  • Mr.Murder

    Any relation to the vote fixing RNC Blackwell in Ohio?

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    Well I think Obama would make a great activities director!

    It’s not about ping pong, it’s about a man who got 8k a month from somebody and later repaid them with a grant. Kind of like Rezko only smaller. Cutting his teeth, so to speak.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    Yawn.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    Kurt Vonnegut died of old age.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    After he fell on his head.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    Be gentle. Obamazoids are practicing going where they are not wanted.

  • karen for Clinton

    Thanks for pointing that out Retired. I thought this was some fun spin but no there is some meat here. The flic is a Killer Spin ad, well golly is Obama gonna play some ping pong in Indiana the way he went bowling in PA? And will he get residuals?

    There’s nothing about this guy I like. Nothing.

    It’s great to hear the Gov of NC is in her “court”, as this is heading down to the wire with balls in play bouncing hard. Clearly Clinton has bigger balls. :-)

    Also it occured to me that Rendell and Nutter deserve some thanks for their courageous and dedicated service to her victory. Let’s not forget to thank them for speaking for us all and being so inspirational to PA voters as they made her case.

    May the wind be at her back as she lobs the ball over the net.

    Also, let’s not let the Rezko ball drop. This is a potentially larger bombshell sudden death match than the enormous Wright one has been. Blago is going down and Rezko and Blago will be big old news that won’t paint their good pal in an electable light.

  • workingclass artist

    Hmmm…….Wonder what other goodies would turn up in OBAMESSIAH’S missing state senate records……
    Has Michelle paid her property taxes yet ?
    Good Post Larry with just the right touch of levity…..My favorite line
    with regard to yesterday’s Wright fiasco…What part of sudden death do you not understand….
    I’m pretty sure Forrest Gump would slam Barry in a match…Chuckle….

  • workingclass artist

    Ehemmmm…….This will not play well in IN.
    Shapin up to be an EXCELLENT WEEK for Sen. Clinton….

  • simon, too

    What???? He has people around him who don’t have the best interests of the USA?

    Rezko, Ayers and the IL combine?

    Rezko, and other Obama associates, business partners, are on trial, now, others have pleaded guilty.

    Are you working FOR Obama, or against him?

    Do you know?

  • simon, too

    Kurt Vonnegut:

    No matter what you see, retain your humanity, make it reinforce your humanity.

    Best advice ever, smartest man ever.

  • simon, too

    I guess establishing one’s reputation as a political whore has it’s pitfalls, too.

    Nothing comes easy.

  • simon, too

    Speaking of waffles, I went to Costco yesterday, and bought that big box of Eggo’s, 60 waffles.

    I never eat waffles, now I can’t seem to get enough, my whole freezer is FULL of waffles, almost as if I have an irrational need to horde them.

    I almost feel like a waffle RAT, waffles and syrup, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  • simon, too

    Also it occured to me that Rendell and Nutter deserve some thanks

    Right.

    Bypass the DNC, and donate directly, that’s what I do, now.

  • workingclass artist

    Obama lives in a FOG OF ONE….

  • http://www.quality-works.com/faq.htm ce marking

    ce marking…

    The term “ISO” refers to the International Organization for Standardization. You may be curious about the difference between the names of the organization: International Organization for Standardization and the initials, ISO. If it were an acronym…

blog comments powered by Disqus