Calling Dr. Kevorkian… (Politico) — President Barack Obama has kept mum on the fate of Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) for days — but he tells CBS News that it’s time for the embattled 80-year-old former Ways and Means Chairman to end his career “with dignity.” “I think Charlie Rangel served a very long time and served– his constituents very well. But these– allegations are very troubling,” Obama told Harry Smith in an interview to be aired on the “Early Show.” and first broadcast on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. “And he’ll– he’s somebody who’s at the end of his career. Eighty years old. I’m sure that– what he wants is to be able to– end his career with dignity. And my hope is that– it happens. “ Update: (Politico) — Frankly, President Obama, Charlie doesn’t give a damn. From my story on the Obama-Rangel drama: [A] person close to the Rangel tells POLITICO the embattled Democrat “doesn’t give a damn about what the president thinks about this” and won’t step down. “[Obama’s] statement comes as no surprise to us,” said a person close to Rangel, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly for the congressman. “We’re not surprised by this, we’ve known the people in the White House have felt this way for a while, but this doesn’t change anything for us.”
