Well, I certainly missed a big news day by sitting in airplanes all day. I’m in LA, and I saw on the CNN monitor at DFW that the governor of Illinois (and one of the “guys in Obama’s neighborhood”) has been not just indicted, but hauled off to Club Fed. I think that there will be political repercussions…
[Late evening update]
Well, that was quick. Illinois resident David Burge has found the governor’s Ebay page. I particularly like the “slightly retarded” used Senator for sale.
I’m whimsically hoping Blago tries to appoint himself to the Senate before he is impeached. It would be bad for the democracy, but it would also be pretty funny.
Alternatively: He also might go ahead and still sell the Senate appointment to the highest bidder – if he is going to do the time, he might as well actually do the crime, and not just conspire to do it. To pull that off, he’ll just have to be more furtive. The Governor might start familiarizing himself with cryptography (since he clearly has no current understanding of it!)
Oh, and: Blagojevich is free on bail, and he doesn’t live in Hyde Park. I think he technically wasn’t even indicted – there was just a criminal complaint.
He also has been consistently shunned by Obama. I was hoping the rumor (reported on Fox) that Rahm Emanuel was one of the FBI informants was true, but Emanuel is denying it.
Yeah, there is no love lost between the two men. Obama didn’t let Blagojevich speak at the Democratic convention, but did give time to several of Blago’s political enemies.
I will be watching Iowahawk with great anticipation….
And by the way, if Blago does still appoint a Senator, will Harry Reid show as much solicitude about accepting his credentials as he suggested he might in the Minnesota race?
Jim, the answer to your question might be found by looking at what the 2nd highest ranking Democratic senator did today. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin called for a special election. In other words, he opened up the possibility of a Republican Senator in order to avoid allowing a sure-fire Democratic appointment. But in fairness, I think it depends who Blagojevich appoints. If he appoints someone squeaky clean, there is no reason for Reid to make trouble. Hey, he could appoint Michelle.
So when Axelrod said Obama had been in touch with the Governor and discussed candidates, he was just making it up?
What about that whole endorsing thing?
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2008/12/09/will-media-cover-obama-rod-blagojevich-connection
Durbin’s suggestion is the best way in this situation. It would now be very hard for an appointed Senator, whether chosen by Blago or his successor, to come in without being under a cloud of suspicion.
For that matter, if the Minnesota race ends up within (literally) a few votes, or impossibly confused because of various court proceedings, it would not be a bad idea for the Minnesota legislature to create a run-off without the third-party distractions. This was done eventually in the Vermont race that was similarly unclear.
if Blagovich steps aside and let’s the Lietenant Governor
appoint someone, who has the blessing of the legislature
or picks the state senate president or equivalent, it’ll be
okay.
But Reid has already said anybody Blago picks would not
be credentialed.
Political repercussions? Like what? To whom?
I think you’re forgetting, Rand, that by Illinois standards this is mild stuff. I’m not even sure most Chicagoans would see that there’s anything much wrong here. Indeed, they’d be surprised if the governor didn’t raffle on the seat to the highest bidder.
I’m not even sure I see what’s the big deal here. Is it better that Blag trade power and influence for the appointment, instead of cold cash? Not that I can see.
As Heinlein once ascerbically observed, a bought politician who stays bought is often better than the “principled” kind — who will betray you six ways from Sunday if “the good of the people” demands it.
Oh wait…I forgot, it’s the Age of Aquarius now, isn’t it, now that The One has taken the reins of power? Governors are supposed to appoint people to fill Senate seats from pure golden disinterested motives, with the very best interests of The People at heart.
Stop laughing, you curmudgeonly bastards.
I’m not even sure I see what’s the big deal here.
I grew up in Louisiana, a state that gives even Illinois a run for it’s money in terms of corruption. I’ll tell you exactly what the big deal is: he got caught. And in the most blatant, stupid way possible.
People can be willing to put up with corruption if it is competent. This isn’t.
“Never write what you can phone, never phone what you can say, never say what you can nod, never nod what you can wink, never wink what you can smile.”
-Huey Long
Actually, that quote might have been his brother Earl Long.
Isn’t this like the 4th Illinois Governor in the last 4 decades to be charged with a crime? I think Carl’s right, the big crime is he got caught.
It certainly explains why some Chicagoans are willing to ignore pass criminal behavior so long as the person is now a good socialite with the proper politicians. It seems the determinator is getting caught. I guess if he beats the rap, Blagojevich will be welcome in Illinois social circles again.
Political repercussions? Like what? To whom?
If it ends up that there is a special election for the Senate, and Blogojevich is impeached, and either or both are replaced (sooner or later) by Republicans, I’d call that political repercussions.
Folks, this is a big deal in Chicago. Everybody at work is upset about it. Blagojevich’s political career is over, even if he does beat the rap.
Chris, are they genuinely upset? Everyone I know (here in the Chicago suburbs) thinks it is kind of funny. Only the prospect of Rep. Mark Kirk (R) becoming Senator has caused any gnashing of teeth among my Democratic acquaintances.
(Not the libertarians here should get their hopes up about Kirk)
As Bob suggests: are Gerrib’s coworkers upset that Blagojevich did these things or because his career is ruined?
I can understand innocent until proven guilty, and if aquitted, then being upset that the career is ruined. But the recorded segments regarding personal financial gain should offend any person who believes that government is “of/by/for the people” and not any one particular person of title.
The stupidity is the funny part. And the here we go again aspect to it — ‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce…’
Gov. Ryan’s license-for-bribe version of pay-to-play was a tragedy — people died. This time is much more comedic.
“I should say if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it,” “I appreciate anybody who wants to tape me openly and notoriously, and those who feel like they want to sneakily, and wear taping devices, I would remind them that it kind of smells like Nixon and Watergate.”
I am proud to say that one of the few times I’ve voted Republican was to vote against Blagojevich — I didn’t know he was a crook in 2002, but it was pretty obvious he wasn’t smart enough to be a good governor, whether he tried to be one sneakily, openly, or notoriously!
“if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it”
Hell’s bells. Is Blago too young and/or stupid to know who Gary Hart was?
He’s 52. So he’s definitely not too young.
Bob @ 15 – they seemed genuinely upset to me.
One of my coworkers knows Blago’s kids (they ice-skate together) and she was appalled at how “stupid and arrogant” Blago was. “Wasn’t he thinking of his kids?” was one of her lines.