* The governor tried to talk about transit today, but his message was drowned out by questions on the ongoing federal investigations…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich today denied allegations made in a federal court document that he offered to help two political insiders who have been convicted in a corruption investigation of his administration.
But the governor largely avoided questions about the investigation in his first news conference since federal prosecutors indicated they are seeking to tie Blagojevich directly to a scheme to wring campaign donations and kickbacks from companies seeking state business.
Blagojevich was hit with investigation questions during a noon news conference at the James R. Thompson Center in which he called for the General Assembly to quickly pass a bill that funds mass transit. Lawmakers returned to Springfield today in response to the governor’s latest call for a special legislative session to deal with the looming threat of transit service cuts and fare increases.
At one point, in answering a question about why he does not use his bully pulpit as governor more forcefully to solve the transit issue, Blagojevich said he has tried to do that, but implied that his message was not being heard in the media.
Listen to the governor’s remarks about transit below…
[audio:gov-1-2.mp3]
- GoBearsss - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:07 pm:
I love the irony of the story, doing exactly what the Governor was complaining about:
“At one point, in answering a question about why he does not use his bully pulpit as governor more forcefully to solve the transit issue, Blagojevich said he has tried to do that, but implied that his message was not being heard in the media.
“Pointing at reporters trying to ask a question about the federal investigation, Blagojevich said: “If you guys want to cover this issue and cover the substance of it, then we can get that message out. But if you want to cover tangential, collateral things that have no impact or relevance to people, then you don’t get that message out.
“The reality is,” the governor continued, “they like to sell newspapers. They’re not interested in concrete solutions to problems for people. They just like controversy and tangents that have no relevance to the quality of life for people.”
Hilarious.
And very Daley-esque on the Governor’s part, I must say.
- Meet George II - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:17 pm:
“They just like controversy and tangents that have no relevance to the quality of life for people.”
Daleyesque nothing. The guy sounds like Ryan trying to distance himself from the Willis kids. If he thinks that running state gov’t has no relevance for the people of this state, he has another thing coming to him.
That is precisely the type of blindly arrogant mindset that buys you a trip to Oxford - and I don’t mean England.
- S. Illinois - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:22 pm:
“But if you want to cover tangential, collateral things that have no impact or relevance to people…”
“People have got to know whether or not their (Governor’s) a crook….”
Well?
- Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:27 pm:
As Richard 1st once said…Allegations, allegations, allegations…but where are the allegators (sic)?
- DC - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:33 pm:
He doesn’t get the fact that if he simply offered to compromise on the transit issue, the press would be falling all over themselves praising his ability to get things done. He needs to remember that he’s not in Congress anymore. There, it’s normal to issue press releases instead of solving problems, do lots of fundraising and not really accomplish much, yet claiming the need to be re-elected to solve the issues facing working families. Sounds dangerously familiar to the opening statement in his news conference.
This schtick works on uninformed congressional voters. It’s wearing thin - and almost wearing off- for voters who actually understand the difference between tangential and consequential.
- Lotta Liaison - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:38 pm:
Sorry, Mr. Governor, you cannot rewrite the RTA bill or any other piece of legislation. Since you already sued the House Clerk concerning the interpretation of the veto procedure section of the state Constitution you “placed your hand on and swore to God to uphold,” you should be well versed in its provisions and any case law construing it.
- DC - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:40 pm:
By the way, Rich, I’m glad you’re back.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:46 pm:
This from a guy who answered every policy question in the 2002 campaign by telling the world how corrupt George Ryan and the rest of the Republican Party was.
- Jaded - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:46 pm:
Ok, so health care is an important enough issue for him to put forth his own bill and try to pass it, but apparently transit isn’t. Where is his transit proposal?
He prefers the Saviano solution, but when that was put to paper, Saviano didn’t even vote for it. Heck, I don’t even care if he drafts a transit solution, and capital bill together and puts it out has his solution, but he should come up with something. That is what leaders do. They don’t say “pass a bill and let me do what I do with it, and then you can consider it again.” Leaders put forth proposals for legislators to consider, even if the proposals don’t pass. Kinda like he did on health care.
So apparently the Governor doesn’t care as much about transit as he does health care. That is OK, but he should just come out and say it.
By the way, don’t compare this guy to George Ryan. The fact that they may both wind up in a Federal pen someday is where that comparison ends. Ryan was a leader who got things done. Blagojevich is neither a leader nor getting things done.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:51 pm:
Commonsense, great Richard the First Daleyism. I’ll add as appropriate:
“They have vilified me, they have crucified me, they have gone so far as to criticize me.”
- Meet George II - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:51 pm:
What a sad but true statement that comparing Blagojevich to Ryan is an insult to Ryan.
- SalukiDog - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 4:53 pm:
Meet George II is onto it…this sounds exactly like G. Ryan when he would try to hold press conferences on policy issues…Gov. Rod Ryan…
- The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:05 pm:
Dear Governor Blagojevich, You keep saying you’re working on the peoples business. It is the peoples business for us to know what you know about Operation Board Games.
- BehindTheScenes - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:08 pm:
While the CTA is threatening service reductions and lay-offs, while begging for a State bailout, they were giving away rides for “one red cent” from sometime on New Year’s Eve until 6:00AM on the 1st. A nice gesture if you have the money, but it sent me the wrong message.
- GoBearsss - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:21 pm:
BehindTheScenes -
I think the message is pretty clear - don’t drive drunk.
It isn’t about a “gift” or a “nice gesture”, it is about encouraging people to ride the CTA instead of driving drunk after their big party.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:22 pm:
Well, it is a bit after five pm - How’s the “Special” session go’in? Did guv make it on time? How about a “This Just In”, Rich? Live audio link?
- Trafficmatt - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:25 pm:
Rich,
Maybe we could start up a collection of movies for the Gov. to prepare him for a possible stint in the Federal prison system. There are a number of titles that come to mind:
- Cool Hand Luke
- The Green Mile
- Stir Crazy (This one works on multiple fronts)
- Escape from Alcatraz
- Jailhouse Rock - features Elvis
As an alternate, perhaps a future “Question of the day” could be, “What movie best describes 2007 and what actual person would represent a character in the movie.”
By the way - great to have you back. I was having “Capitol Fax Withdrawl Symptoms”
- DumberThanYouThink - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:51 pm:
Capt Fax:
The only problem with having “you” back is that Blaggodiot and the other misfits who take his money are back too.
For Thursday’s OFTD how about:
—- what ever happended to the BIMP…
—- when will the Senate D/House GOP projects get released…
—- what is the over under on state investment portfolio losses…
- GoBearsss - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 5:58 pm:
— when will Madigan get back from vacation?
- Gimme Three Steps - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 6:21 pm:
The governor tried to talk about transit today, but his message was drowned out by questions on the ongoing federal investigations…
Basically Blagojevich/Corruptovich is thumbing his nose to ever single person in the State of Illinois. Blagojevich/Corruptovich has never been accountable for anything.
It isn’t a matter of selling newspapers or having people to tune-in to their favorite television news.
It’s the matter of the TRUTH!
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 6:30 pm:
“…but implied his message is not being heard in the media.” How very George Ryan like. George had the same complaint as the press continued to hound him. I agree George was a people person - just the wrong people. I sure wish the gov’s election for this state was this year.
- Holdingontomywallet - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 6:42 pm:
Rich,
I’m glad to be reading the blog again. I don’t post much, but I love to read all of the great information and entertaining comments. It seemed like you were gone for a month. Hope you had a great holiday season and welcome back.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 6:43 pm:
“Maybe we could start up a collection of movies for the Gov. to prepare him for a possible stint in the Federal prison system. There are a number of titles that come to mind:
- Cool Hand Luke …”
Not Cool Hand Luke, blago will try to claim the Paul Newman character rather than the mullet head guy.
- Flounder - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:03 pm:
It was a win win day, back to the bunker.
- question - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:05 pm:
Are they meeting against tomorrow?
- question - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:05 pm:
I mean: are they meeting again tomorrow?
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:12 pm:
You were right the first time - they are all banking that tomorrow will never come.
- question - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:14 pm:
freudian slip
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:36 pm:
So! Does anyone know what happened with the special session - is it still going or did it never start?
- JJ - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:38 pm:
Hey Dumber, congrats on getting the boss’s daughter in the pickle of trying to kick people off healthcare.
Brilliant move. Brilliant.
- Princeville - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 7:59 pm:
Senate had 14 in attend and lasted 2 minutes. House had 70 attend and lasted 13 minutes. House Mass Transit Committee did have hearing on the effects of the ‘Cross’ plan. Blago later announced disappointment, but didn’t say he was calling another session.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 8:05 pm:
- Princeville -
Thankyou.
How many special sessions do we have running at the present? Do they automatically expire when the legislature moves on to the next session? Or do they need to be concluded “sine die”? Or do they simply disappear with the morning fog.
- Dale Cooper - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 8:38 pm:
2008 is going to be more twisted than David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks”.
- DC - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 9:20 pm:
14 senators in attendance and the Governor sues Madigan for lack of a quorum??? the 70 house members that were present should have passed a transit bill and sent it to the Senate just for kicks. It would have been hilarious to see the rapid phone calls to Emil’s cell phone and the subsequent phone calls from Emil to Rodney “uhm, what the hell do we now…”
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 9:45 pm:
I don’t think the two people the article was talking about were convicted (there hasn’t even been a trial). I think they pled guilty in return for a deal. I hate to say this, but I’m developing some real skepticism about people who conveniently say exactly what the feds want to hear, and end up with 18 month sentences instead of 10 years.
- Truth - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 9:51 pm:
The SS Blagojevich is dead in the water. It wants to keep fighting, but it can’t. It will keep taking fire from the SS Madigan until it sinks to the bottom of the sea, never to be heard from again.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 9:54 pm:
Steve, somehow I think you may be channeling the guv’s very thoughts. He might just be nervous, very very nervous!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 10:50 pm:
What we witnessed today is called by some a “tipping point’ for this governor and his administration. It is vital for him to recognize the enormity of the situation he is facing and do what he can to salvage whatever he can.
Poke fun at reporters all you wish, but they prioritize news that we digest. What they did today is make a very loud and clear statement about the Governor.
Their reactions make it clear to us that although we face a great number of political problems with many real deadlines, these news stories are not as important as the current problems that beset this governor. So, in effect, Rod Blagojevich is now a bigger problem for us than our mass transit meltdown, our fiscal crisis, our payment backlogs, and the political battles between the Three Tops.
How can any governor function when he has become The Issue overriding all other state problems? He simply can’t. That is why today we witnessed a tipping point.
We need a governor. Rod Blagojevich through his sheer incompetence, arrogance, lack of discipline and focus and ethics have reduced the Office of Governor to a level of inconsequence at a time when this State sorely needs governmental leadership from the Office.
The Public knows this and is demanding answers. The Media knows this and is now asking disrespectful questions out of frustration and anger. The Governor needs to answer those questions and hope the Truth does not destroy him.
We have had a lot of governors over out nearly 200 year history. I am confident we can survive this one too, but I am becoming very concerned over how close we are cutting it. Rod Blagojevich needs to come up with credible answers or needs to resign. I was going to say “pack up”, but then I remembered he never left home to begin with - so the transition could be swift.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 11:08 pm:
- VanillaMan -
Well said, as usual. Unfortunately all too true.
- anon - Wednesday, Jan 2, 08 @ 11:31 pm:
Hey Steve, how do you think that $60 million got into Rod’s campaign fund, osmosis?
- beavis - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 2:02 am:
Like the Chicago media hasn’t covered the CTA doomsday stories to death. Is it Andy Shaw’s fault that the Governor threatens to veto every single revenue proposal? Hardly.
It’s fun to see the master of the press conference attacking the media. He almost sounds paranoid, confused and isolated. No, really.
Self-isolation is the beginning of the end for most leaders.
- beavis
“huh huh, I said Andy Shaw”
- bada bing - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 6:55 am:
Wouldn’t Rod love for the television screen to fade to black.
Sorry Rod, welcome to the real world a world of consequences.
- Budget Watcher - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 7:29 am:
Steve,
I’ve noticed the same thing that you reference…deals are made or apparently are being made with “people who conveniently say exactly what the feds want to hear, and end up with 18 month sentences instead of 10 years.”
What that implies, however, is that the feds’ overriding objective is to bag a governor, whether it’s Ryan or, in this case, Blagojevich without much regard for truth, fairness, or justice. That’s a pretty serious implication, an inference that casts serious doubt on the integrity of the federal justice system. Maybe I have too much of a Pollyanna outlook, but I still have more faith in the U.S. Attorney’s Office than to believe this is a crusade to persecute, not prosecute
- Ghost - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 8:20 am:
If people would just stop asking the gov about corruption, he could get back to the business of operating his pay to play schemes from his hanna montana themed home office.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 8:36 am:
JJ, I don’t think the “boss’ daughter” is “kicking people off healthcare.” What she’s doing is defending the constitutionality of the process that insures said healthcare will be properly approved and funded by BOTH the legislative and executive branches… not just cobbled together by executive fiat, funded by money that may or may not exist, in a fashion that could potentially leave thousands of people who sign up for the program in the lurch should the money run out, or the executive decide he’d rather fund something else next year.
- Prairie Sage - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 8:40 am:
One of the problems with blogs and news summaries is that they rarely capture the TV news take — which is why this administration spends/spent so much on video clips every day. Although the Trib made a big stink, and so did the Sun-Times, I’d venture to say that far fewer people RECEIVED those newspapers (let alone read those articles) than actually watched the news coverage last night. TV coverage was all about the Governor trying to save transit. (Undoubtedly this was helped by the fact that all of the Chicago political reporters are in Des Moines).
If the Speaker or Steve Brown was as savvy and willing to engage TV media on its own terms as they are the print media, this wouldn’t even be close.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jan 3, 08 @ 10:14 am:
Watcher, I really don’t think our feds disregard truth and justice as much as I think they have a predisposition to believing the worst about political and governmental people. I have little doubt that if our US Attorney believed someone to be innocent, they would be neither prosecuted nor persecuted.
However, we all know about the “appearance of impropriety” effect. Depending on where you start on the overall question of whether most of these folks are “bad”, then behaviors or words can be seen very differently. That, coupled with the very great value to accused or suspected persons of being seen as cooperative, is what worries me.