83 Comments - Anonymous Coward - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:09 am: Go jogging… … down Pennsylvania Avenue. - VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:11 am: He will do a big interview with a major new outlet. - Froze to the Bone - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:12 am: Resign as Governor - Cranky Old Man - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:13 am: I realize chances are “slim” and “none”, with “none” being the heavy favorite, but resigning would be nice. - Levois - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:13 am: You’re asking us to predict what he’s going to do next? - Name Withheld - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:14 am: Shave his head and ‘ditch the football’. - been there - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:16 am: announce a major new initiative. - HoBoSkillet - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:16 am: Sing “I’m a little tea-pot” to a bunch of kids in front of the old state capitol. - zatoichi - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:18 am: Be on QVC selling Lincoln’s other hand, chairs, and new jogging suits. - A Citizen - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:18 am: Announce his support for Springfield as the site for the 2016 Olympics. - JoBo - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:19 am: Streak down Michigan Ave! - Justice - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:19 am: Resign…..but then again that is just wishful thinking. It certainly would grab the headlines in large part from Obama, though this is a major event in American politics. Let’s hope he simply hides somewhere, quietly. - The Doc - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:21 am: I think it could be two items: appoint a new chief of the MWRD, and make a flashy statement about how he’s vehemently opposed to any sort of tax increase om working people. - heet101 - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:22 am: announce that he will challenge Obama in the next dem primary - Bill Baar - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:22 am: I think it will be interview on taxes and health care… it will be a lot of the President and I did nothing wrong… - the Other Anonymous - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:23 am: I wonder if the Governor is reading this QOTD to get ideas? But if I had to guess, he will call a special session (ha-ha, even though the GA is already in session!), probably to deal with universal health care. - Greg - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:25 am: One word: Secession It solves everything… But Burris is out of a job. - Vote Quimby! - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:27 am: I think nothing…he will behave himself, saving it up for the impeachment trial. I think even Rod understands that this is Obama’s moment: for the country and the world. Anything he does to distract from that would just add to the woes. He behaved himself at the Senate, let’s hope it goes past Tuesday. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:29 am: Blago’s written response to impeachment is due on inauguration day… I’m sure just following the timeline by the Senate, he’ll be distracting enough - Truth Teller - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:29 am: Maybe he was too distracted himself to realize going to Washington would be a violation of his conditions of release - Siyotanka - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:30 am: Get new lawyer…and sue the State for defamation of character… - OneMan - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:34 am: several options 1) Deploy the National Guard to provide health care in poor neighborhoods 2) Send a host of state workers on a one week unpaid ‘vacation’ 3) Use the National Guard to deal with the foreclosure crisis 4) Kino 5) Announce a deal to lease the Lottery/Toll Roads/State Capitol/Manson/fairgrounds/His hair - Macbeth - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:36 am: Finger crossed: He’ll resgn. - Macbeth - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:36 am: Resign, I mean. Ugh. - Been There - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:37 am: ===I think it could be two items: appoint a new chief of the MWRD=== Doc, he just gets to appoint a commissioner not a new “chief”. The commissioners pick the president from amongst themselves. This won’t happen next week but I can see him appointing himself. He resigns which stops the impeachment and he keeps a goverment salary until he his convicted. - Muskrat - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:39 am: “Accidentally” crash the Gubernatorial jet into the Potomac River at 11:55. - sal-says - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:40 am: Maybe he could just FIRE HIMSELF??? - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:40 am: Macbeth, I assume you also meant “fingers crossed” and not “finger crossed.” Kinda tough to cross one finger. lol - Bookworm - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:41 am: Sign or AV some bill he has on his desk, and issue some splashy press release or hold a press conference to explain why. Most likely candidates for this dubious honor are the amendments to the Smoke Free Illinois Act to provide for due process and other stuff, and the bill to restore funding for SOS, AG, etc. If he vetoes or AV’s either one of these, nothing can be done about it since the 95th GA is no longer around to override him. - Loyal Whig - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:42 am: Call out the National Guard and arrest the members of the Illinois Senate. - Anon - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:44 am: Float an inflatable Greyhound over D.C. — everyone under the bus! - Ben S. - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:46 am: He did break his word on not appointing a senator, so I’ll predict he’ll break his word and resign an hour before Obama gets sworn in. - Carl Nyberg - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:46 am: He could commute the sentences of the 25 Black men doing time in Illinois based on confessions tortured out of them by Burge and his crew. Blagojevich could use the occasion to lambast the moral inadequacies of Richard M. Daley, Dick Devine, Lisa Madigan and past U.S. Attorneys for lacking the moral courage to do the right thing. He could also attack the media for blowing up allegations of favor trading into impeachable offense when no major figures (besides Burge) have ever been held accountable for their malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance in the matter of torture by rogue police officers. Here’s a draft for Blagojevich’s press conference. “Politicians trade favors. I am accused of trading favors in a way that is unseemly and according to my detractors, illegal. “But Richard Daley, Dick Devine and many public officials, including past U.S. Attorneys, have turned a blind eye to torture. They knew it happened and prosecuted the victims–all Black men–while protecting the perpetrators. “The Chicago media, which has castigated me, has only focused on the small fish, a police commander who committed and ordered torture. Why are the editorial boards able to muster so much outrage over foul language and trading favors and so little outrage when 25 Black men–25 men who are in all likelihood innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted–spent a total of 500 years in the Illinois prison system b/c politicians like Dick Devine and Lisa Madigan fought against releasing these men who were tortured. “Why is it the media ignores or downplays torture? Is it too boring to connect the dots? Or are these self-righteous editorial boards afraid of challenging Mayor Daley? Or is it that the victims were too poor or too Black?” - Bookworm - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:47 am: My previous prediction assumes, however, that those bills will have been sent to him. The GA might want to wait the whole 30 days allowed by law to send bills to the Governor, in hopes (of course) that there will be a different Governor by then. - anonymous - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:51 am: here’s a list from least likely to most likely distractions the guv will try… 1. resign 2. special session the day before or after the inaug 3. Announce he’s running for the 5th CD seat 4. Announce the annulment of his marriage 5. Call out the national guard to shelter the homeless from the bitter cold 6. File his objection to illinois’ impeachment clause in federal court 7. File new rulemaking and hold a splashy press conference to prevent home foreclosures 8. Go joggin in Obama’s neighborhood 9. Give out a “Governor’s Hometown” award to cities in each of the 59 senators district 10. Hold a press conference demanding George Ryan NOT be granted clemency - anon - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:55 am: How about a live appearance on Saturday Night Live - Amuzing Myself - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:56 am: His lawyers will file a myriad of paperwork requesting delaying the trial for time to prepare/review documents, etc. and/or try to find another way to cause a constitutional crisis that would involve court interference. - Scooby - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:02 am: I realize this isn’t the ideal time to finally get our wish, but why not invade Missouri? Let’s be honest, they have it coming. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:02 am: Scooby wins. lol I’m for that war. Always have been. - Little Egypt - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:07 am: I don’t have a clue. There are some good postings though and I really like the one that he will resign (hope springs eternal). Whatever he does, and we know he will do something, it will be good and will definitely get the attention of the national press. There are no limits to his egocentrism. - raisin - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:08 am: Rich, Lots of Cards fans are Sox fans, too. Let’s invade the north side together, rather than war with each other. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:16 am: ===Let’s invade the north side together, rather than war with each other. === The idea is to annex the St. Louis stadia, the casinos, etc. into Illinois. So, your beloved team would then be put on the public dole like mine (and like the Cub folks want). lol - Wacker Drive - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:16 am: Rod could pull his lower lip over his head and swallow himself. - Downstate weed chewing hick - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:20 am: Things I wish he would do: 1. Resign 2. Get a hair cut 3. Reopen the parks 4. Sell of his Cubs stuff on ebay and become a Mets fan. 5. Plead guilty 6. Just go away. - He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:27 am: Send the White Sox to Omaha, they need a big league baseball team…..Oh wait, they still won’t have one. (bet this gets yanked) - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:35 am: Very borderline. Very. - Obamalac - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:43 am: Appear on the Tonight Show. Jay Leno always has something to say about our Guv. He could let John (the announcer) touch his famous hairdo! - McLean Farmboy - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:45 am: Unfortunately, The one thing he CANNOT do is resign his office…it is the only chip he has left to bargain with the US Attorney in hopes of keeping his wife out of the pokey. As he might (so eloquently?!?) put it “I’ve got this thing and it’s f***ing golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for f***in’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it.” - IrishPirate - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:47 am: I can go over the border. Announce that he’s getting a sex change and marrying Ozzie Guillen. - You Go Boy - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:47 am: grab the mic from David Gregory and challenge Joe Biden to an arm wrestling contest - Speaking at Will - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 11:58 am: Announce his bid for Governor in 2010. - 2ConfusedCrew - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:12 pm: First, can Mr. Lucky produce an actual invite? Word is Blagoof was scratched from all event lists a la the Illinois Society Next his routine will include an effort to burn Down Obama’s Hyde Park crib - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:18 pm: McLean, that’s true, but he’s fast running out of time to use that chip. He has to know by now that he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in heck of avoiding conviction and removal from office in the Senate trial. The reception he got at the swearing-in should have convinced him of that if nothing else would. If he’s to have any hope of the feds showing him any mercy at all, he has to resign before the trial gets under way. Some argue that if he resigns, it looks like an admission of wrongdoing and would hurt his chances of acquittal in the criminal trial. I don’t think that’s necessariliy the case. If he resigned next week or on Inauguration Day, he could portray it as making a noble sacrifice for the good of the state, so that Illinois will be in a position to deal with the bad economy and claim whatever federal aid the incoming presidential administration can provide without the cloud of his impeachment hanging overhead, etc. etc. A resignation on Inauguration Day itself would also give him one last chance to stick it to Obama by stealing the spotlight from him, as I am sure he believes Obama did to HIS presidential aspirations. Although I’m not betting the farm on this, I do believe it’s a possibility. - TaxMeMore - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:27 pm: Fire his Inspector General for not catching the corruption? Call for Lisa Madigan’s resignation for not trying to protect us from corruption. I’m sure there is a state law Blago has broken that she could use to arrest him on state charges and at least try to keep him behind bars and out of the Governor’s seat. And don’t tell me she’s letting the Feds handle it, Lisa Madigan is accountable to the people of Illinois, not George Bush’s Justice Dept. SNL or Leno would be good too, although he should drag his kids out with him instead of trying to hide behind others’ kids. - 2ConfusedCrew - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:28 pm: BTW the impeachment ticket on sale a Ebay has zero bids. That is about what Blagoof is worth these days - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:32 pm: Now that the feds have unveiled their state bailout plan and restrictions obviously aimed directly at Blago are included, that gives Blago even more reason to cast his resignation as a heroic sacrifice rather than a surrender. - sneaker - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:34 pm: Invade Missouri? After the month Illinois has put forward we should be hiding in the hall of shame. As far as guessing what Rod will do next is like predicting the Cubs 09 season, who knows… - Cogito - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:38 pm: Establish a chair in poetry memorization and recitation at Chicago State University and appoint himself to it. He would hold the CSU Chair of Bleeping Poetry. - TaxMeMore - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:41 pm: What makes anyone think for a second we could actually win a war against Missouri? With the quality of leadership in this state I think we’d go down quick. Now, trying to bribe for or buy parts of Missouri might be possible. Maybe Blago should sell parts of Illinois to pay for his child healthcare programs? There’s gotta be a good 30-40 border counties Blago and the Chicago Dems have no use for anyway. - Chanson - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:41 pm: Make a deal with the feds and tell all. - BIG R.PH. - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 12:43 pm: He will announce that he is going into drug rehab. He will also say that for the last 7 years he has actually been smoking crack and it has been the drugs “doing all the talking”. Now your left with a Governor who has been impeached, who is now in rehab and because of HIPAA cannot be prosecuted in the Senate and cannot be removed from his job because of “Health” reasons. Front page of every paper in the country!! - North of I-80 - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:01 pm: Shave his head and do a press conference announcing a new program “for the people” to help kids with some deficiency. No questions, just a 30 min monologue and he’ll rattle off an e.e.cummings poem. - jwscott72 - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:05 pm: Resign would be best, but why start doing the right thing now? Barring that, here’s the Governor’s tick tock for 1/20/09: 6:15:47 AM: Hears knock on front door. Assumes fetal postition fearing the worse. 6:16:18 AM: Patty opens the door. It was the paperboy. Rod goes back to sleep. 8:15:07 AM: Rod comes down for breakfast and gets agitated that he is not front page news. Uses several expletives on the phone arranging an 11 AM press conference. 10:59:47 AM: Rod has a hair out of place. Press conference delayed an additional ten minutes. 11:10:07 AM (CST): President calls on “an end to corruption throughout the land” and re-appoints Patrick Fitzgerald during his inaugrial address. 11:47:14 AM: By ten minutes, I meant Blago time which means presser won’t start until 2ish. 12:07:52 PM: Rod has a craving for Portillo’s, heads to lunch, but notices three black SUVs behind his car. 12:18:23 PM: Rod re-assumes the fetal position when Fitzgerald and seventeen FBI agents enter Portillos. Patty pays for their lunch. - Commonsense in Illinois - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:05 pm: I was just wondering…since the Governor was released on a recognizance bond, I wonder if the real reason he’s not going is because he fears the judge won’t let him leave the state? Saying he doesn’t want to be a distraction is pretty magnanimous by itself (and made the news). - Jake from Elwood - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:08 pm: He will annex Graceland through an O’Hare style strip annexation. - Anon - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:19 pm: ==No questions, just a 30 min monologue and he’ll rattle off an e.e.cummings poem. == Such as “I sing of Olaf, glad and big”: “I will not kiss your [bleep]ing flag”??? - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:28 pm: An admittedly hypothetical and silly question here: if Blago did resign as governor and appoint himself to the MWRD board, would that necessarily stop the impeachment trial? It’s my understanding the Senate will actually vote on two questions: whether to remove him as governor AND whether to disqualify him from holding any other public office. If he resigned and took the MWRD position, the first question would be moot, but what about the second? - copernicus - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 1:53 pm: mcgreevy x spitzer = attention - Say WHAT? - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 2:01 pm: I’m kinda worried. Lets see… Almost everybody will be in DC, and the Governor wants to stay behind? Will he be in Chicago or Springfield during this time? Somebody had better stay back and mind the store. Just sayin. - TaxMeMore - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 2:25 pm: Perfect time for a pre-emptive strike from Missouri. Maybe Blago’s done the deal and they will provide him immunity after they overthrow us. Could he call a Special Session on Inaugeration Day? That would be funny, and kinda serve them right for partrying with Obama instead of taking care of Illinois. - OneMan - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 2:40 pm: He will use a little known codicil in the Faber College Charter that gives the dean unlimited power in times of campus unrest… He will claim the same thing about the Illinois state constitution and go all Dean Wormer on the Illinois Senate and revoke their charter. - Macoupin County Kid - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 2:41 pm: I say he’s going to make up with his ‘Pappy-In-Law’ and then declare world peace. - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 2:44 pm: Copernicus’ formula should read: (Spitzer - hookers + hair) + Senate seat + (Other appointments x $25,000) = Blago - anonymous - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 3:00 pm: the REAL question is what is blago going to do BEFORE (maybe even hours before) the impeachment vote? It is clear that this man is going out with a bang and NOT a whimper. So this begs the question, what will he do just before the most important vote concerning his life occurs (that is of course excluding those 12 jurors he will be facing in 2 years)? My answer is that he is going to do as much damage to his enemies as possible. The leaking of the Jack Franks job request info is the tip of the iceberg. If a senator asked for a job for a relative, the media will here about it. If a married senator has a springfield girlfriend, his wife will here about it. If they ever cheated on their taxes, he’ll call up the Revenue department. My point is, what is the big bang going to be? He is going to terrorize these senators until it becomes clear they still will vote to convict AND then what? My answer is that whatever is the worst damage a governor can afflict on the state and its elected officials is the path this man will take. A bang not a whimper folks. Rich, you have any insights? - Cheswick - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 4:19 pm: Move himself and his family into the governor’s mansion. Enroll the girls in Springfield public schools. Paints the heated driveway “sunshine yellow.” Erect a statue of Nixon on the Statehouse lawn. - walkinmyshoes - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 4:23 pm: Take a tour of the federal prisons to see where he may be calling home? - Cheswick - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 4:35 pm: The day before inauguration: Pardons everyone who was put on Illinois’ death row since George Ryan. Erects statue of Elvis on Statehouse lawn. - Southern Gal - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 8:41 pm: What will Blago do to distract from Obama’s inauguration? *He won’t resign, as he is convinced he “did nothing wrong” (Perhaps an echo of Nixon?, but definitely a narcisisst’s view) *He will do something to grab headlines, but it won’t be anything altruistic, rather something that fits his personality, ie “what’s f%^&ing in it for me?” *It will probably be something ineffective, since his lawyers bailed and he has no one with any “sense” to advise him, but himself. *I predict he will “temporarily” step aside, so as to keep his salary, while the criminal trial proceeds. This guarantees his income until the criminal trial is over, which will take years. - PPHS - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:39 pm: Whatever he does, he will announce it from the steps of the old state capitol, on the coldest day of the year. - Sweet Polly Purebred - Friday, Jan 16, 09 @ 10:50 pm: Throw the kitty under the bus??? - Rich Miller - Saturday, Jan 17, 09 @ 12:50 pm: ===*I predict he will “temporarily” step aside, so as to keep his salary=== The Senate trial will almost undoubtedly continue, so he’ll be removed from office anyway. - wordslinger - Saturday, Jan 17, 09 @ 9:42 pm: Will claim diplomatic immunity for all his actions as he is in reality an emissary from the planet Mongo. Explains a lot. - Capitol View - Monday, Jan 19, 09 @ 1:42 pm: If Blago recites any more poetry, it should be Ozymandius, as a reflection of his own years of public service and how he will be viewed in future years. (Don’t know it? Shame on you!) Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.