William Jefferson Sestak

There is truth. Pretty much stands by itself.

There are two subsets of truth; whole truth and partial truth. That is why the oath in Court asks you to tell the "whole truth."

For example:
- Whole Truth.

In my drive from CA to FL I drove through other states including New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Louisanna, Mississippi, and Alabama.

- Partial Truth:

I drove through Arizona.

In the bizarro world of spin dumping on the Sestak Affair yesterday, that is the only way I can outline it in a short post.

- Whole Truth:

“Were you ever offered a job to get out of this race? (The contest against Arlen Specter).

Sestak didn’t flinch.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Was it Navy Secretary?”, I asked

“No comment.”

He proceeded to talk about staying in the race but added that “he was called many times” to pull out.

Later, I asked, “So you were offered a job by someone in the White House?”

He said, “Yes.”

When the taping stopped, Joe Sestak looked surprised .

“You are the first person who ever asked me that question.”

- Partial Truth:

"Last summer, I received a phone call from President Clinton. During the course of the conversation, he expressed concern over my prospects if I were to enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the value of having me stay in the House of Representatives because of my military background. He said that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had spoken with him about my being on a Presidential Board while remaining in the House of Representatives. I said no. I told President Clinton that my only consideration in getting into the Senate race or not was whether it was the right thing to do for Pennsylvania working families and not any offer. The former President said he knew I'd say that, and the conversation moved on to other subjects.

"There are many important challenges facing Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. I intend to remain focused on those issues and continue my fight on behalf of working families."

Daniel Foster outlines where we are well,

Let's look back at what Rep. Sestak told local TV host Larry Kane in February.

KANE: "Were you ever offered a federal job to get out of this race?"

SESTAK: "Yes."

KANE: "Was it secretary of the Navy?"

SESTAK: "No comment"

Later Kane asks again, "Was there a job offered to you by the White House?" to which Sestak nods and replies "yes, someone offered it."

Kane asks "It was big right?" Sestak replies, "Let me "no comment" on it."

"Was it high-ranking?" Kane asked. Sestak said yes.

That was February. Since then, Sestak has mostly "no commented." But as recently as last Sunday, he confirmed: "I was offered a job, and I answered that."

Contrast that with the White House memo, which says that Sestak was considered only for non-compensated "advisory positions" and that he had no direct contact with White House officials.

But Sestak confirms to Kane that the White House offered him a job, or at least he fails to disabuse Kane of that notion in his affirmative answer. And note Sestak assents that he was offered a high-ranking federal job. Each word here is important.

There are more than 60 boards, commissions and committees that at one time or another have advised the president. Most are not considered "high-ranking" administration positions, nor upgrades from a House seat, let alone a seat in the Senate. Besides, though vague on details, both the White House memo and Sestak use the words "Advisory Board," of which there are only two currently active: The Economic Recovery Board and the Intelligence Advisory Board. Sestak is no economist, so the most logical conclusion to draw from the White House memo — that "By virtue of his career in public service, including distinguished military service, Congressman Sestak was viewed to be highly qualified to hold a range of advisory positions. . .while holding his House seat" — is that Sestak was being considered for the Intelligence Advisory Board. The only problem with that option, as the NYT reported, is that Sestak could not have retained his House seat while serving.

In short, it appears that there is no "advisory position" in existence that Sestak would 1) be qualified for and 2) consider preferable to a Senate run and 3) allow him to retain his House seat. Which brings us to the word "job." Sestak uses it himself, not "position" or "role" or "advisory capacity" or anything else. Federal jobs pay (just ask Derb). Jobs bring clout. Jobs open up, in the language of the White House memo, "alternative paths to service" (read: power) that could give a man second thoughts about a Senate run. Could this just be sloppy language from Sestak? Maybe, maybe not.

There is more unquestionably here - something big enough for Joe Sestak sell his integrity. Admit it, this answer is lame in the extreme and opens more questions than it answers. Heck, it doesn't even answer the first question. Even Jay would have to admit that. If nothing else, they sandbagged the eventual accounting by putting this out until Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. The full truth will be known though.

As for Rep. Sestak (D-PA). Wow. You have picked up a lot of fleas. I would recommend finding a good version of Antigone.