In the summer of 2009, the cell phone of Rep. Joe Sestak (D., Pa.) was ringing.
Sestak: Hello?

Bill Clinton: Admiral Sestak, hi, it’s Bill Clinton.

Sestak: President Clinton! What a nice surprise.

Clinton: Please, call me Bill.

Sestak: Please, call me Admiral.

Clinton: How’ve you been, Admiral?

Sestak: Fine, sir, fine. I’m steaming full speed ahead in the House. Some of my staffers want four hours of sleep a night. Can you believe that? Civilians!

Clinton: You always were the hardest-working guy in my White House.

Sestak: Thank you, sir. Serving on your National Security Council was an honor for which I’ll always be grateful.

Clinton: Speaking of gratitude, Admiral, I have a personal favor to ask.

Sestak: Fire away, sir.

Clinton: Rahm Emanuel is a dear friend, and I’m proud that President Obama made him his chief of staff. Rahm asked me to call you.

Sestak: Why?

Clinton: They don’t want you to run against Arlen Specter for Senate.

Sestak: But, sir, my mind is made up. I’m going to run.

Clinton: I knew you’d say that. So I’ve been authorized to offer you a prestigious new position if you’ll reconsider.

Sestak: What’s that?

Clinton: It’s called “Special Adviser on Presidential Problems.” They created it just for you.

Sestak: S.A.P.P.?

Clinton: Yes. And if you agree to be a SAPP, Admiral, you will become one of the president’s most trusted counselors.

Sestak: Where would my office be – in the West Wing?

Clinton: Your office would be at 1022 Longworth Building, Washington, D.C.

Sestak: But that’s where my office is now.

Clinton: Exactly. The president wants you to keep your House seat.

Sestak: But how could I serve in Congress and work at the White House?

Clinton: They’d call you when they needed you, Admiral. It would be an unpaid position. They can’t offer you anything of monetary value, legally speaking. Say, we’re not being recorded, are we?

Sestak: Sir, I can’t do it.

Clinton: Admiral, I should also mention that Senator Specter holds a special place in my heart. Back when he was a Republican, he voted against my impeachment conviction. Remember all his yammering about Scottish law? To this day, I still don’t know what he meant. But what a clever guy – saved my presidency.

Sestak: I appreciate that, sir. But I’ve decided to run for Senate.

Clinton: Very well, Admiral. I told Rahm I would try. One more thing: Let’s not tell anyone we had this conversation, OK?

Sestak: Aye, aye, sir. Who would believe it anyway?

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/95836919.html#axzz0qHqOgg36

Here is the transcript:
“Larry Kane: I have a question for you. I don’t know how accurate this is but a lot of reports are that the party has tried very hard to get you out of this race.

Joe Sestak: Haha, yes.

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

JS: Yes.
LK: Was it the Navy Secretary?

JS: No comment. I – let me –

LK: Was it high-ranking?

JS: Let me just say that both here in Pennsylvania and down there, I was called quite a few times and all I’ve said is, look, I felt when a deal was made that it was hurting the democratic process, I got into this because I think that deal started getting us off the track of where the Democratic party should go. I would never get out for a deal. I’m in this for the Democratic principles and working families.

LK: Okay, but, was there a job offered to you by the White House?

JS: Ye-

LK: That’s what I want –

JS: Yes. Someone offered — yeah.

LK: It was big, right?

JS: It was — never — let me not comment on it. We had a closed comm–

I will vote NONE OF THE ABOVE and sleep well at night.

sheeeeesh. i’m surprised there’s enough room for him and his ego in that tiny country.

“An unpaid position is still a job”??? Really???
Tell you what Bill, when you are making calls for Sestak about the unemployment situation in this country and Joe’s “plans”… you just tell that “An unpaid position is still a job”.
Maybe you can be in one of Joe’s commercials saying that.

Bill, as for this “Gem”:
“The Democratic voters of Pennsylvania didn’t see him as unqualified to be our next Senator”
Actually, 46% of those that voted in the Primary DID see Joe as unqualified (or qualified but less desirable). The 54% of Primary voters that actually chose Sestak represent only 13% of the registered Democrats in Pennsylvania. That’s about 1 in 8.

Matt-
I guess with Bill’s definition, he can claim he has a “high ranking job” working for Sestak.

I serve on the board of a community organization. Is that my “job?” When I take over the role of chair, have I been “promoted?” Absolutely not. David Diano has already made this point, and quite clearly in my view.

What’s more, Sestak’s performance on “Meet the Press,” where he flagrantly and repeatedly refused to answer direct questions and clear the air is, objectively, alarming enough to give even a politically dispassionate observer significant pause.

What I would like to see you and Bruce Bailey do is explain, coldly, objectively, and thoughtfully, why voters shouldn’t be troubled by this. If all you’re going to do is through “your [sic] a republican rat” and use profanity, then forget about responding, because you’ll just pollute this blog up with — yes — propaganda. Nobody here appreciates that.

The floor is yours. Make some good use of it.