Sestak’s Statement Today Does Not Square With His Original Story

Sestak’s statement today was orchestrated to jibe with the White House’s statement:

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.

PA working families 1 Obama administration 0.

(What about families that are out of work due to “challenges facing PA”? Doesn’t he fight for them, too?)

Neither here, nor there. How does any of that square with what he originally said on  Larry Kane’s radio show February 18:

(Kane): During the taping of my Comcast Network Voice of Reason show, which airs Sunday night at 9:30, I asked Congressman Joe Sestak: “Is it true that you were offered a high ranking job in the administration in a bid to get you to drop out of the primary against Arlen Specter?”

Sestak looked a little surprised by the question. He said, “Yes.”

I asked him if the job was Navy Secretary. He said, “I can’t comment on that.” In the next few seconds, he admitted that it was a “high up’ job, that it came from the White House, and that he didn’t accept the offering. He proceeded to say that nothing will stop him from completing the race against Specter for the Democratic nomination.

Was I surprised?  A little. After all, I was just probing.

Two hours later, I called the White House press office. I played the tape, and asked for a reaction. They never called back. That didn’t surprise me. If it did happen, and if they did try to get Sestak out of the race, how could they deny it?

Who would call an unpaid position on an advisory board a ” high ranking” “high up” job?

And this may be splitting hairs, but  he reportedly told Kane the offer came from the White House…not from an intermediary speaking on behalf of the White House.

Anyone buying this whitewash? Besides the MSM, that is?

UPDATE:

Dick Morris says the whitewash won’t be enough to keep the WH out of legal trouble:

But these evasions will not blunt the force of the law. If Clinton acted at Emanuel’s request, he was Rahm’s agent and the Chief of Staff is still on the hook. And, an unpaid position is still “something of value” within the meaning of the bribery statute which prohibits the offering of something of value in return for a vote.

And, remember why they wanted Sestak out of the race. The White House needed Specter’s vote to kill filibusters and could only get it if he would switch parties, a move he conditioned on getting Sestak to drop out and assure him a clear field for the nomination of his new party. So the bribe offer to Sestak was made by an agent of a government employee, it involved something of value, and it was to procure a vote in the Senate — all the elements needed for a felony to have taken place.

PREVIOUSLY:

Expect A Friday News Dump From White House On Sestak (with updates)

Breaking – Jobgate II: Sestak Not The Only Dem Candidate Bribed By Obama White House?…

The Latest On The Sestak “Jobgate” Scandal: Who’s Going Under The Bus?

An Impeachable Offense (With Updates)

Joe Sestak, the Inartful Dodger

Video: So Who’s Wrong Part 2 – The Sunday Morning After

Video: Joe Sestak Answered Honestly