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* My Sun-Times column…
If you’ve been keeping up with the Rod Blagojevich trial and skimmed through the transcripts of the federal surveillance recordings released so far, it’s pretty obvious that the defendant is a crook.
But it’s also clear that the guy isn’t very bright. Incredibly persistent, but not bright.
Many of us who have followed him closely already knew that, of course. The same couldn’t be said for those who jumped into the game late, particularly those silly cable news talking heads and some unmentionable talk radio morons. They were agog at his ability to recite poetry from memory, duly impressed when he dinged the establishment by appointing Roland Burris to the Senate, and delighted at how he held his own while they tossed the same, empty softball questions at him time and time again.
Typical cable TV doofus: “Why do you want all the tapes released?”
Blagojevich: “Because I absolutely, positively believe they’ll prove my innocence.”
Doofus reporter: “Fantastic! OK, now, please tell us how difficult this terrible ordeal has been on your family.”
It was like watching a hurricane victim endlessly describe how his house was destroyed and how he was forced to endure the additional indignity of fighting with the big, bad insurance company. Ridiculous.
Put him up against a real adversary, and Blagojevich was exposed for what he was.
For years, Gov. Blagojevich tried to outwit House Speaker Michael Madigan. Blagojevich came into office believing that Madigan was the root of all evil, so he was bound and determined to destroy the man.
But the competition was way too much for the governor. Time and time again, Blagojevich played checkers while Madigan played chess. He’d occasionally win a short-term victory, but he was always undone in the end.
Listen to the surveillance tapes and you’ll hear a frantic Blagojevich finally admitting that he’d painted himself into a hopeless corner. He was desperate to use the vacant U.S. Senate seat created when Barack Obama won the president’s race to extricate himself from the mess that he had made for himself with his unwinnable war against Madigan.
“I’d like to get the f— out of here,” a clearly defeated Blagojevich says at one point.
He was so frantic at times that he sounded like an about-to-be overthrown Third World dictator. And he proceeded accordingly.
The true high comedy on the tapes comes during the long, involved “strategy sessions” featuring Blagojevich and his top staff. Blagojevich tried to “war game” ways he could maneuver Barack Obama into providing him with a golden parachute.
Blagojevich exhaustively debated which specific words to say at various meetings, what concepts to bring up, whom they could trust and when he could spring this or that idea about what he wanted in exchange for filling that vacant seat.
But he was outwitted at every turn. Blagojevich initially wanted to use the president’s apparent desire that Valerie Jarrett get the Senate seat to his own advantage. But his long days of scheming were for naught. The president-elect’s people quickly figured out what he was up to and announced that Jarrett would be joining the administration. So much for that plan.
On and on it goes. Every scheme fails. Every idea crumbles. But he always forges ahead, never realizing he just wasn’t up to the task, or that the idea itself was morally wrong and even illegal.
He has been exposed as a willing, corrupt, inept Sisyphus. But the next time he is hurtled back down the mountain, it’ll be to a federal prison cell.
* Related…
* Zorn: Three little words reveal a big truth about Blagojevich
* Tribune: Corruption gets a break
* Illinois corruption defendants see opening as court narrows “honest services” law
* Witness: Blago given list of Obama favorites
* President Obama’s “B.S. list” for Senate seat: Hynes, Duckworth, Jackson and Schakowsky
* Blagojevich on Obama camp: “F— them.”; John Wyma in talks with Obama, Blago while cooperating with feds
* Blagojevich on tape: Get Obama to fund-raise from Warren Buffett, Bill Gates
* Tape: Blago, Harris talk Louanner Peters, floating rumors
* Blagojevich ponders political alliance with Jarrett but asks: “What does that do for me?”
* Blagojevich on Jesse Jackson Jr.: “He’s a bad guy.”
* Qualifications for next U.S. Senator: solve Rod Blagojevich’s legal, personal and political problems
* Prosecutors say Harris to finish Monday. Up next: Balanoff, Scofield
* Blagojevich sought Science and Technology grant for … the Cubs
* Blagojevich aide lies to then-governor about editorial board firing demand
* Rod Blagojevich wanted Senate President’s warchest: witness
* Tape: Brother Robert tries to talk some sense into Rod
* Blagojevich heard on secret recording talking about — being recorded
* Blagojevich on trial: Ex-governor has surreal moment in courtroom
* Blagojevich a Grinch when it comes to Christmas party
* Blagojevich’s honest services charges could get tossed — but trial will go on
* High-court ruling leaves Blagojevich on hook for bribery, kickbacks
* Blagojevich Trial: ‘I Got to Fix This’
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 9:42 am
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I don’t think you’re being fair to hurricane victims.
I’d say it’s more like the guy who torched his own house complaining about the big, bad insurance company.
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 9:47 am
He might not be a thinker, but he’s quite a talker.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 9:52 am
The sad part is that, although Blago’s later schemes were thwarted, his early shakedowns were successful which is why guys like Kelly, Rezco and him were able to generate multi-millions.
He is a man used to getting his corrupt way and his yes men feed his bloated ego over and over. Not one of them has the guts to say, “Governor, you are under federal investigation and talking on a phone line while breaking the law every other sentence.”
By the time this jury has finished listening to this self serving egomaniac concoct his schemes, they will need 2 weeks in a mental ward to get normal again.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:01 am
Didn’t suspect he was a little off when you were invited on the Bus Ride in 2006?
Comment by Northside Bunker Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:02 am
This Sisyphus didn’t become governor on his own. He had to have political support from people who knew he was a boob. He had to have insiders to open doors for him. He had to have more than Dick Mell. How could our Democrats get this guy on the ballot to be nominated?
When he first showed up as a candidate, I thought that if he was a boob, he would be a controlled boob. I was certain that after thirty years after two consecutive felony Democratic governors, the Party wouldn’t do a repeat knowing they would be thrown out into the wilderness for a generation if Blagojevich failed. So, after this guys gets inaugurated, I waited for Party leaders to start putting up his dog runs and pens so Blagojevich didn’t pee on the floors. This never happened!
How could Democratic leaders let this guy loose on our state during these times? Geez! We all knew how screwed we were in 2002, but Party leaders and supporters kept supporting him?
What good is the Democratic Party is they let people like this get nominated and elected, then sit on their hands and play mute when these incompetents commit crimes and maladministration?
The Democratic Party renominated him!
Voters can only do so much. We don’t personally work with each candidate or research their histories. We have to rely on a political party to do it’s job. A nomination by a political party has to mean something. We got screwed, not just by Rod Blagojevich, but by a Party who let this guy destroy our state, rob us and try to sell off our US Senate seat! Where were the adults within the Democratic Party? Where was Durbin? Daley? Madigan? For crying out loud - these men knew who this guy was. No way would I have ever allowed Rod Blagojevich near a gubernatorial pen or even show up as a potential candidate without outing him as the boob we all know he is. So, why couldn’t anyone in the Democratic Party except Eisendrath expose Rod Blagojevich?
This entire political party is to blame for supporting, fighting for, and hiding behind the biggest boob ever offered to voters as an Illinois governor.
Twice!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:05 am
=== For years, Gov. Blagojevich tried to outwit House Speaker Michael Madigan. Blagojevich came into office believing that Madigan was the root of all evil, so he was bound and determined to destroy the man. ===
Rich -
Do you really believe that Blago thought Madigan was “evil”?
I always thought that was just a talking point.
I think Blago was envious of Madigan’s power.
I think he recognized that Madigan was the one thing standing in his way in Illinois.
I think Blago thought all of the populism about health care, etc. was a way to overthrow Madigan and seize power for himself…but I never thought Rod actually gave a rat’s behind about the policies, because Rod never really even understood the policies he was speaking on. Just the politics of them.
But honestly, I think Blago believed that Madigan was just another power-hungry egomaniac like he was, and I don’t see how he could think Madigan evil if he didn’t believe himself to be evil.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:14 am
VM he had lots of GOP help, including Cellini, and Levine. Cellini was in the GOP leadership, and one of the goto power guy’s for the GOP, and later forfor Blago.
Perhaps if the GOP had not provided so much financial support and backing for blago he would not have been elected.
Rich, nice article. I was stunned and how bsolutley horrible and ill informed most the “media” types interviewing Blago appeared to be. The talking heads like to diss blogs and hold themselves out as the elite in the industry, but they are so desperate to attract interviews that they are afraid to be hard hitting in my observations.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:18 am
Don’t Worry, be Happy - you took the words right outta my mouth. Blago is hardly a victim of anything, as the spot he finds himself in today is entirely his own doing.
Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:18 am
I sat and read through a bunch of those transcripts and the thing I can’t get past is how much disregard the guy has for his kids. Here he is scheming away, doing his best to commit felonies, while his kids are right in the room!! He stated that he was ’serving as babysitter’ during at least one of the calls. The audacity of the man is just beyond compare. He is so wrapped up in himself and his future that he never once gives consideration to those in his family most vulnerable to the effects of his criminal enterprises.
train111
Comment by train111 Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:23 am
Amen VanillaMan….amen.
Comment by El Conquistador Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:25 am
DWBH, notice that I wrote that his claims were “ridiculous.”
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:26 am
“Perhaps if the GOP had not provided so much backing and support for Blago”
Are you serious? You seem to be confusing lack of enthusiasm for Jim Ryan and JBT with “support” for Blago.
Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:31 am
VMan -
I love it.
One day folks are complaining that Mike Madigan has too much power, the next day they’re complaining that he doesn’t exercise enough power.
So, let’s keep a few things in mind:
1. Rod Blagojevich was nominated with less than 37% of the vote in 2002.
2. In the General Election, it was Independents voting for him 2 to 1 that got him elected.
3. In 2006, in an almost unheard-of move, a sitting Governor was challenged in the primary. Rod’s opponent got almost 30% of the primary vote, despite having little support from the state’s newspapers or the deep pockets who now complain so bitterly about how corrupt Rod was.
4. Rod was re-elected in 2006 with less than 50% of the vote.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:39 am
No, money flowed from Cellini, his connections and business, Kjlellander etc into Blagos camaign coffers. GOP money and support funded his campaigns
Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:39 am
VM he had lots of GOP help…
OK - let’s explore that further.
Did Blagojevich get as much or more help than Jim Ryan got in 2002? How much GOP help did Blagojevich get to offset the GOP candidate in 2002?
GOP money and support funded his campaigns
You are going to have to modify that statement, because the GOP funded it’s own campaign. Are you saying that the GOP funded it’s own opposition’s campaign? How could that be? Why?
Cellini, Kjlellander - what? - they didn’t think they could buy Jim Ryan? The corrupt GOP money was going to Blagojevich, but not Ryan?
I’m finding your claims to be unbelievable.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:49 am
Rich you are right. Rod hated Madigan with a passion. He could never forgive the way Madigan treated him when he was a State Rep.
Comment by Windy City Mama Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:58 am
Geez, VMan, you really haven’t been paying attention. Those big GOP guns went into business wiht Blago when he was governor. It’s been outlined countless times in the press, in indictments and at trials.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:58 am
===I’m finding your claims to be unbelievable. ===
Only because you are deliberately ignoring history.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:03 am
“Those big GOP guns went into business with Blago while he was governor.”
Well, that’s because they, personally, hoped to continue feeding from the public trough no matter who was governor. But, several “big GOP guns” doing business with Blago via state contracts while he was in office is one thing; claiming that as proof that the GOP in general and, by extension, its voters “supported” Blago — in an attempt to spread the blame around — is another thing entirely.
Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:06 am
Yeah - what Secret Square said!
Did the money show up in quantities enough to give Blagojevich the edge to win, or did the money show up after these crooks discovered the new kid in town?
And I’m not deliberately ignoring history. I know these guys played in the sandbox with Blagojevich. But Ghost is saying they backed Blagojevich over their own guy, and I find that hard to believe.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:10 am
SS, there’s plenty of blame to go around, including the hundreds of thousands of citizens who voted for him the second time around.
Celline, Kjell and Levine were pretty top guys in the GOP establishment.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:12 am
SS it is the same logic spread about the dems. Blago relied heavily on GOP backed money and influence to fuels his campaigns. Without that support to his campaign he may have neverbeen relected.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:13 am
I ran into Rod at a sale barn during the state fair early in his Gov run. He walks in with a big entourage, starts glad handing and acting like he has never seen a cow in his life. Guy next to me goes ‘What a clueless doofus’. Sad to see the guy maintained that status.
Comment by zatoichi Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:24 am
There’s a valid debate here about just when state Dems should have realized Rod was a stinker, and started to really distance themselves from him. But it’s perhaps too easy, in retrospect, to say, “Oh, they knew all the time.” They knew all this?
Rich, I’m curious, feel free not to answer this or certainly do anything to burn sources, but for just one source of perspective: you hang out with this crowd, you drink with them. What’s the point in Rod’s governorship when you decided for yourself, truly, “Wow, this guy is a bonafide, George-Ryan-level crook”? At about what point did that sink in for you, covering the statehouse?
Comment by ZC Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:44 am
“Without that support to his campaign he may never have been reelected.”
Note well that even with the financial support of the “big GOP guns” Blago still got LESS than 50 percent of the vote the second time around. He won not because significant numbers of GOP and independent voters flocked to support him, but because most of them either didn’t vote at all or threw their votes away on protest candidates. The GOP did not “win” the election for Blago so much as they lost it for themselves.
Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:45 am
ZC, I remember telling my mother in 2003 that Blagojevich and his cronies would all wind up in prison. But I’m pretty sure I figured as much long before then.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:48 am
At what point are you folks going to start claiming that Blagojevich was a GOP conspiracy? That the Democrats were just a bunch of victims? Isn’t that where all this “GOP money” argument is going?
The reason Blagojevich won the Democratic nomination twice was because of two GOP big money guys? Is this the new excuse?
Kinda hard to believe for many reasons. I just don’t believe that the Illinois Democratic Party is going to just claim that their first elected governor in 30 years was really some kind of GOP plant and that the Party was victimized by the GOP in this way. C’Mon! Just how sad is that kind of thinking?
1.) I don’t believe it.
2.) It is truly pathetic.
3.) It makes the Democrats look worse than they already do if they just ‘fess up to their inability to weed out crooks and boobs as their nominees.
4.) Scott Lee Cohen. What kind of reforms did the Party take in order to prevent future Rod Blagojevichs if just a few months ago, this guy gets their nod? C’Mon! Obviously there is a systemic problem within this party system that voters should avoid.
5.) Plummer and George Ryan demonstrate a similar problem with the GOP.
6.) Any more nepotism in this state, and we might as well just end elections altogether. Voters would rather vote for family members than by party. That, in my opinion, also points to a contributing erosion with party nominations being credible reasons to vote for a candidate.
After George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, why would any Illinoisan want to vote for either party?
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:31 pm
I forgot to include Joe Walsh in #5. How could someone like that get nominated?
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:33 pm
When you read these transcripts, Rod IS alot like Nixon, with Harris his Kissinger.
Isolated, scared little guy full schemes and resentments. Harris trying to humor him (You can almost hear Harris working his Blackberry. . .Mmhmmm, Mmhmmm, Right, Right.) The only thing missing is the bottle of scotch.
Comment by Way Way Down Here Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:33 pm
WWDH,
It is particularly ironic since RB was once a HUGE fan of Nixon’s. Didn’t I hear somewhere that RB hung out at his home in order to meet him or get a lock of his hair?
It was only later that RB switched to the dem party realizing that in Cook Cty being in the GOP is like being in Siberia. Then marry the Alderman’s daughter and the sky is the limit. Please correct me if I got any of that wrong.
There is no doubt that the GOP big wigs have had their hands in this from the beginning. I would agree that the party would not have funded RB directly. Isn’t it true that those with bucks will follow those in power since that is how the bucks are kept flowing? We have that, and more, right here in the Land of Lincoln, folks!
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:45 pm
Rich - You have know idea what he was like to work for!
Egotistical, abusive, always what’s in it for me, screw everyone else.
What you see on TV is an bad act.
Comment by Illinois Tollway 6 Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:53 pm
SS hit the mark “The GOP did not “win” the election for Blago so much as they lost it for themselves.”. With 20/20 hindsight it is easy to claim the GOP colluded to get Blago elected; they didn’t. The GOP overlooked a tactic that might have been useful - put pressure on Dem candidates for supporting such a boob (Blago). That might have forced some of the Blago supporters to back away from him, and the general public to take a closer look at Blago.
Comment by Angry Republican Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:01 pm
The difficult thing for Rod now is that the tapes repeatedly show that he was putting his own welfare ahead of the people. This is in direct opposition to his contention that he was only doing what had to be done to obtain political support for good social legislation. Even his supporters will be hard pressed to buy his silly ramblings in light of his actual voice on the tapes. When Rod suddenly relaizes that no one is buying his nonsense any longer, it will be crushing for him. I would not be surprised if he had a nervous breakdown right there in the court room.
Comment by One of the 35 Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:11 pm
I renew my call for a question of the day on years and number of charges he will go away for.
Comment by shore Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:30 pm
Vanilla’s history lesson leaves out quite a bit. Lots of Dems voted against Blago in the 2002 primary, and again in the 2006 primary. The GOP had a weak candidate in 2002 and voters were ready to end the 26 year reign of that party.
You need to give Blago’s people credit for executing a simple plan to perfection- raise so much money that no Republican would stand a chance against his re-election. I believe some of the fund-raising tactics have been featured in testimony in this trial.
Judy Topinka was a good state legislator but made a worse candidate than Jim Ryan. Plus she was starved for cash when it might have helped.
It wasn’t that anyone much wanted Blago to continue as Governor, they just couldn’t stop the train.
Comment by DuPage Dave Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 4:09 pm
Vanilla’s history lesson leaves out quite a bit. Lots of Dems voted against Blago in the 2002 primary, and again in the 2006 primary.
What would have happened in 2002 or 2006 if one of the Democratic leaders publically announced why they knew Rod Blagojevich wasn’t fit for office? What would have happened if they insiders who knew who Rod Blagojevich was told primary voters in 2002. What would have happened in 2006 if a statewide office holder like White, Hynes, or Madigan decided to tell us who Rod Blagojevich was, or better yet - run against him in 2006.
You say that lots of Democrats voted for other candidates than Blagojevich in 2002 or for Eisendrath in 2006, but you are also saying that if one or more of the Party leaders or credible Democrats with personal knowledge about Rod Blagojevich said publically what we know about him today - we would have all be spared his monumentally horrific governorship. Better than that - we would have seen the Illinois Democratic Party put Illinoisans ahead of their own personal political power, wouldn’t we?
If anyone with a conscience and political power had acted on either the 2002 or 2006 primaries, they would have spared us, and reinforced their credibility as a statewide leaders.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 4:24 pm
Well, Ald. Mell sure had a lot to say. There was no shortage of news stories and smoke of investigations. You really didn’t need anyone to tell you that Blago was bad news prior to 2006.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 4:38 pm
Every day that bozo is in court is an “Up Day” for me. What a weasel.
I for one will enjoy the weekend and look forward to court in session next week.
Comment by Justice Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 5:01 pm
Word, you have been laconic lately, one might say pithy. I like it.
Comment by Way Way Down Here Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 7:20 pm
George Ryan level crook? What a load of BS. Tell me the times George Ryan conspired to enrich himself. I’m not talking an island vacation. I’m talking about plans to extort millions of dollars for himself or his family. Tell me about the monthly $10,000 checks Mrs Ryan got surreptitiously as pay-offs to the Governor. Recount for me the schemes and scheming taking place among George Ryan and his top staff to enrich him and themselves. That comment is so stupid I question the IQ of anyone making it; comparing George Ryan and his administration to Rod Blagojevich’s? Give me a break.
Comment by steve schnorf Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 9:52 pm