* Perhaps the most satisfying moment of Rod Blagojevich’s appearance on David Letterman’s show last night was this…
“But I’d like your listeners to know and everybody in Illinois and anyone else who’s listening that unlike those, I’ll be vindicated.” (some audience laughter) “I did nothing wrong.” (audience laughter)
The audience clearly saw him for what he really is. A lying clown.
* Another fine moment…
Dave: “Right now, other people will say, ‘Well, what he’s doing now, he’s working on the jury pool for the spring trial. He’s trying to plead his case, trying to prejudice a group of people so that it will be difficult to get an impartial jury for that trial. Anything?” (audience laughs)
Rod: “No, um - your audience obviously likes you, everything you say, they laugh at. And that wasn’t all that funny, with all due respect.”
Blagojevich was right. This isn’t funny. It’s shameful.
* Nice zinger…
Dave: “So, now, as I recall, there were 13 articles of impeachment leveled against you. So you’re telling me each one of those was a misunderstanding? Each one of those was something out of context?”
59-0. Pretty clear to the rest of us what happened there.
* More…
Blagojevich also mentioned that federal authorities have “been scrutinizing Mayor [Richard] Daley,” a shout-out undoubtedly unwelcome at City Hall.
Hours earlier, Blagojevich said on NBC’s “Today Show” that he had been offered, but rejected, a “ghost payroller” deal to stay on as “an incapacitated governor” if he agreed not to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. He said he was given the opportunity to “keep my pay for two years, keep my security detail for two years.”
A spokesman for Gov. Pat Quinn said no such deal was offered. Senate President John Cullerton said he doesn’t “know what [Blagojevich] was talking about.” And a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan said Blagojevich “has no connection to reality and hasn’t for years.”
* After the show…
“He threw a lot of stuff at me and I did the best I could to try to answer it. And his audience loves him and they’re very biased and pro-him,” Blagojevich said after the Letterman taping.
* Related…
* Dave Bakke: Vacant Lincoln Estates residences testament to Blagojevich’s failures
* Job prospects unclear for the ousted Blagojevich
* SJ-R Opinion: Blagojevich is ‘yesterday’s tomatoes’
* Blagojevich tells Letterman he’s misunderstood
* Ex-gov to Letterman: ‘Are you hiring?’
* CBS’ Letterman asks Blagojevich, “Why exactly are you here?” Show transcript.
* Blagojevich stays on the defensive
* Letterman just a guest on the Blago show
* A Top Ten for blabbing Blago
* Blagojevich: ‘The Truth Will Set Me Free’
* Blagojevich, the spoof, debuts in Chicago
* Rod Blagojevich vs. Crispin Glover
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 9:53 am:
Tiptoeing through the tulips in Never Never Land.
- Amy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 9:55 am:
how creepy, the way Blago interacted with Paul as if Blago is some Dave/Paul world bud.
david letterman is vastly underrated as an interviewer. yes, there’s the very snarky comedy, but he really hits at the heart of the matter. he’s done some great interviews before and this was is right up there, especially proclaiming Blago’s doing something wrong for all to hear.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 9:55 am:
recently heard the term “nutworking” in regard to people who recently lost their jobs and are trying desperately to find work. Last night on Letterman, Blago became the poster child for this new terminology. I am so glad I watched, and I think a huge number of Illinoisans watched this fool expose himself.
- Levois - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 9:57 am:
Actually I was surprised at this interview. David Letterman wasn’t buying any of his spiel. That’s not to say the other people he visited didn’t buy it. But man now I’m a Letterman fan again.
LOL @ comparing Blago’s appearing with Crispin Glover almost giving Dave a kick to the head.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 9:58 am:
Maybe now he’s finally done since he made an ass of himself on Letterman? Maybe? PLEASE!!!
- Vote Quimby! - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:05 am:
Back in the old NBC days Dave had a line “they pelted us with rocks and garbage.” I think that is how Rod should feel this morning…
- Dan S, a Voter and Cubs Fan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:06 am:
It’s Rod’s LIE and he is sticking to it, you have to give him an A for consistancy even if it is all a big lie.
- Concerned observer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:08 am:
Watched the whole thing last night. What really stood out from Rod (besides his attempts to thrown both Daley and Obama under the bus) was how shifty he appeared in the chair.
It was literally like he was hopped up on Jolt Cola or something. Talking extremely fast, rocking a little bit in the chair. I mean, I’ve seen this before from him (haven’t we all) but it seemed to really stand out last night.
- Levois - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:10 am:
Nervousness or just the type that just can’t sit still?
- Stooges - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:11 am:
Rod was at his lying worst last night on Letterman. Did you catch his comment that the only reason he wanted the campaign contribution from Johnny Johnston before the end of the year was so he could include it in his fully disclose quarterly report? He did admit that they were indeed talking about a contribution, so the other half of the conspiracy is his signing of the bill in return for the money.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:16 am:
I said it the other day, this was going to be one of his harder interviews. Letterman kept making him address questions no one else even brought up.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:17 am:
Blago looked like a cat in a dog pound last night on Letterman. Dave gave him shot after shot, and I think he is too stupid to realize it.
At one point when Rod said something about inviting him back, Dave said “well yeah, your doing a good job taking up time!” That was classic.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:18 am:
I’m not a Letterman fan and rarely watch him but he seemed pretty prepared to ask some pointed questions at our former governor and often used witty lines to stop him dead in his tracks. He as an entertainer did a far better job than the various news talk hosts our former governor has appeared with.
It was clear that the audience and Letterman weren’t buying what he was saying and Letterman seemed pretty interested in getting inside his head to see what actually makes him tick.
- Now on TV - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:18 am:
Blagojevich’s media-blitz approach to his employment and legal situation could be taught in law schools for years to come as what not to do when trying to get your client acquitted.
- Elliot Ness - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:20 am:
Dave’s reaction to Blago saying he wanted to appear on his show in the “worst possible way” was absolutely classic.
- Concerned Observer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:21 am:
Levois, it really looked like a combination of BOTH. This is a crude comparison, but he looked like he had an early form of Parkinson’s…could not keep full control of his body.
He was sitting on the edge of the seat, leaning forward, but constantly moving his body and hands. And he talked incredibly, incredibly fast.
- Cranky Old Man - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:22 am:
Didn’t see a link anywhere to the video, but youtube has it in 4 parts. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=letterman+blagojevich
- colby - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:24 am:
The most amazing moment was when Letterman asked, “So you honestly think that you’ll go to trial, beat the charges, and everyone will say, ‘Oh, he was right, we’re sorry we kicked him out’?” (or something similar).
And Blago said, “Yes, it’ll be a historic day.”
I mean, I know we’ve said “delusional” before…
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:26 am:
You would think Blago would go easy on old man Mell as he babbles away on these shows. I mean, he has to go home to the guys daughter and she might be thinking clearly about now that,
hmmm, maybe papa was right about this guy.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:33 am:
BTW, I think Blago may have achieved immortality with the opening banter about being on your show in the worst way. That exchange will go down in the annals of talk show humor as the possible worst way anyone has ever started an interview.
Congrats Rod.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:46 am:
When a losing presidential candidate appears on a talk show, [he] is transitioning from candidate to celebrity. Bob Dole and John McCain comfortably made this transition, as had Al Gore. Rudy Giuliani appears as ex-beloved Mayor and lovable rouge. Bill Clinton has the power of the presidency to help the transistion. Carter struggles because he was never entertaining. Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush still stuggle because they are just not comfortable in that role. Obama, I predict, will stuggle until he lets us know it he loves to be laughed at and heckled. In our day and age of newstainment, our politicians often become celebrities.
Blagojevich is the first politician to go from public office to impeached and soon to be indicted status. He made news because of scandal, and the jokes on him and his hair were not due to affection. There is a difference.
What he needed to do last night was entertain. Letterman allowed him to appear in order to answer questions, but it was a chance for Blagojevich to relax and be an utter goof. Rod had to play off his weeks of infamy and turn it to his advantage by building up a new image as a celebrity. He failed to do that. He responded to Letterman as though he was being interviewed by a reporter. That wasn’t entertaining.
Blagojevich needed to come out with a hair helmet shaped like his to place on Letterman’s head. He needed to slough off Letterman’s questions by responding as though he was in on his own jokes. He needed to act embarrassed when Letterman asked him embarrassing questions, or respond as though he didn’t hear the questions. Blagojevich needed to show the audience that he knew he was toast and that he was OK with it. Blagojevich needed to show up with a new hair style, dressed casually, and be interesting on topics other than about being a victim.
When asked about being impeached, he should have displayed both hands outwards as though shrugging and claim that the legislators, “don’t seem to be fans. Funny…when you stop feeding them pork, they get really nasty.”
“Hey Dave, is this the seat Obama sat in when he was on? I know someone who would buy it from ya!”
“Yeah, about that swearing on the tapes…I found out that hand gestures just don’t work on the phone.”
“Even after all I’ve done for them, they won’t let me remain as governor. They won’t even let me run for future offices. I wasn’t invited to the Inauguration. Last night, Nixon’s ghost appeared and b****-slapped me!”
“I was the reason for the bipartisanship you saw last week in Springfield.”
Instead of presenting material to reintroduce him to America, Blagojevich nervously stammered looking as guilty as sin. Because he is and he can’t seem to get around that.
- Irish - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:47 am:
I looked forward to this interview because I have seen Letterman handle guests who think they are going to be in control of their time on the show. Much as his mentor Johnny Carson, Dave’s comic attitude belies the intelligence of the man.
I was not disappointed. As many have said this interview was more in depth and hard hitting than any of the other interviews I saw with supposedly hard hitting news people. My absolute favorite was how uncomfortable Blago was when Dave began listing the crimes and punishments of the three previous governors who were incarcerated and finished with ” what is it with you guys is this part of the oath of office?” You could tell Blago wanted to be anywhere but in that seat.
I think you will see an end to the interviews where Blago has a free rein. I am assuming there will be some embarrassed news people when they see how a real interview is done. Thank you Dave!!!
- Deep South - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:48 am:
I thought it was great when Letterman really laughed out loud when Blago said he went to bed the night before his arrest confident of his future.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:54 am:
VanMan,
I’m not sure what you mean in your opening paragraph about Obama wanting to be laughed at and heckled? Did you mean to say Blago.
I do agree with your assesment of what Blago should have done, however, he really should have just avoided Letterman entirely.
- South Side Mike - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:56 am:
Rich, I assume Letterman went a lot tougher on Blago than you expected? To me, I don’t know how much harder he could have been on Blago without Blago storming off or going into complete silent shock. It’s sad when a late night host is tougher than 95% of so-call TV “journalists.”
Good job, Dave.
- the Patriot - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 10:56 am:
I have two thoughts:
One, he really may be crazy. He may be sitting in a cell twenty years from now looking at the wall saying he did nothing wrong and he will be vindicated.
Two, and for the last time I promise. When will the Democrat party leaders(Mr. Madigan)be held responsible for this fiasco. After watching that last night, I find it hard to imagine any reasonable person ever sitting in a room with Blago and thinking, “this is the guy we want to run the state.” That kind of misjudgment must be rectified.
- True Observer - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:07 am:
Blago’s goal is to stay relevant until the trial and hope that he is found not guilty.
For those who want to poo poo him, Google says there were 700 plus national stories on him over the Letterman interview.
He is also getting invited to national news networks.
And even more, people are still talking about him on Capital Fax.
So he has accomplished the goal of staying in the public eye.
If he is found innocent and if the legislature has enacted tax increases (gas, sales, income) he will be able to say I told you so.
He’ll be able to say he single handedly held off taxes and they impeached him on bogus charges so they could raise people’s taxes.
And just to be fair, who exactley were these legislators like Madigan and Cullerton.
Most of these are ward bosses who’s entire political power is based on handing out jobs and contracts precint captains and family who bring out the vote. If they can’t deliver the vote, no job. NO, THERE IS NO PAY TO PLAY INVOLVED HERE.
- Niles Township - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:08 am:
What does it say about our local and national media that the most revealing interview done with Blago was done a by a late night comedian (albeit a good one).
- Merit Comp Slave - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:27 am:
I thought Dave’s best line was when he said he’s watched all the previous interviews and he said the more he heard Blago say he was innocent, the more Dave thought, “Man, this guy is guilty”. He said that twice to Blago’s face - great line and gots great audience response too.
- Ben S. - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:36 am:
Did anyone else notice the band playing “Manic Depression” by Jimi Hendrix after the first Blagojevich segment?
- Highland, IL - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:44 am:
Did anyone else wake up this morning and think this all just a big misunderstanding?
Didn’t think so….
- Amy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:48 am:
“just in terms of filling time, you’ve been tremendous.”
what an awesome dis!
- Northside Bunker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 11:49 am:
The former governor keeps saying he’s embarking on this media spree to defend his name before his daughters.
Save it Rod, Grandpa Mel will end raising your daughters.
A vast improvement!
- Jake from Elwood - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 12:06 pm:
Letterman is really quite adept at asking probing questions in a humorous way. He has done this before in the past. Rod looked uncomfortable from the start; it appeared that he was starstruck to some degree. I agree with VanMan’s premise that Rod is attempting to will his way into becoming a celebrity. It just doesn’t appear that there is much lasting celebrity power there. The public, like Letterman’s audience, has laughed off this notion.
- One of the 35 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 12:20 pm:
I wonder how much longer he can continue the travel expense to appear on these TV shows. If the feds have clamped down on his use of campaign funds, his financial capacity to continue the media blitz will soon run dry.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 12:25 pm:
Letterman was awesome. He does not suffer fools gladly.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 12:40 pm:
I’m not sure what you mean in your opening paragraph about Obama wanting to be laughed at and heckled?
I guess I wasn’t clear. We’ve seen former presidents and presidential candidates go from public office to talk show guests regularly. Obama will need to transistion after his term[s] just as everyone has who’ve occupied the WH. Did you see Obama at the Al Smith Dinner? He got “soon-to-be-president” laughs. Courtesy laughs. Obama, like Carter before him, will have to let everyone know he can be laughed at, and that he enjoys being laughed at. Until then, we will continue to see comedians approach Obama carefully.
Carter never made this transition. Did you see him on the Daily Show? He has the sense of humor of a fern. Carter still takes himself serious, even as everyone is goofing on him. Obama needs to lighten up as well.
Blagojevich bombed. He demonstrated a failure to govern, and a failure to entertain. That’s two major strikes if he has an interest in life after impeachment. Right now, he couldn’t sell a book with that act he delivered last night on Letterman.
- John Ghrist - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 12:55 pm:
I happened to flip on Letterman last night and started watching Blago. Remember, I’m the person that Blago’s cronies called into an empty office one day and fired after 19 years of dedicated hard work at IDOT in May of 2004. I never voted in a primary election….Anyway, I disgustedly turned the set off when Blago said that he “was for the American Worker.” I was a good American worker and got replaced by a crony….Anything this guy says is a bunch of garbage.. Why is the media giving him so much attention? No one is allowing me to tell the world how the guy ruined my life….He said that his trial will probably come up next year. One news person said that more action is expected to be taken against him this April. On another channel, Jay Leno was doing a comedy routine on good books that have sold and others that have not done well…One of them was Blago “the sleazeball.” It was a take off, but that’s all this past governor is…The guy has left the state in shambles and was only interested in “making money” for himself…
I wish that he would just go away.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 1:03 pm:
Letterman: …what is it with you guys? Is this part of the oath of office?”
What Blagojevich should have said: “Those guys? C’Mon! Did they get impeached? NO! They went to prison for what they did. Now - Me? I’m the first governor impeached…and it was for things I didn’t do! You compare me to them? Those guys were amateurs!”
“Last week I was governor of the fifth largest state in the country! Now, I’m unemployed and on your show, Dave! Yeah! I freakin’ King of the World!”
“And ya know what else? They’re not through with me. Nah! Impeachment isn’t enough. I’m getting indicted! Woo-Hoo! 2009 is gonna be my year!”
“I lost my job. My wife lost her job. I’ve been reading the classified looking for any opportunities for ‘impeached ex-governors’ - not a lot out there Dave! - the ads say, ‘work at home and earn thousands’ - you’d think they’d return my calls?”
“I dunno. You know my last name. I have a guy looking around those little Slavic countries that might need a leader who knows health care beyond giving seniors sponge baths.”
“The worst part of this whole thing was watching reporters try to pronounce my name. Geez! If I have to listen to Lou Dobbs mispronounce my name again…How does he do with your name Dave? Does he say ‘Letterman’, or does he pronounces it like ‘Lipmund’, or ‘Littleman’?”
“I’m just glad that the Lt. Governor, Pat Quinn?, doesn’t look like Sarah Palin - or I would have been impeached last year!”
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 1:08 pm:
“Ya know last year when the Palin thing got really big, I thought I could maybe I could update my look and catch a break too. I wore the same eyeglasses as her, I put my hair up in one of those big clips she wears - but when it came to the makeup, it was like putting lipstick on a pig! And the heels…!”
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 1:47 pm:
Well first off, I don’t think Blago is being “invited” on any of these shows. His PR company is “arranging” them and with the exception of ABC paying for his flight and room last week, my guess is the PR firm is coughing up for expenses this week.
Letterman was a genius. I watched Larry King and Gretta as well and noticed that Blago managed to throw the entire Illinois legislature under the bus for fundraising. I also noticed that Blago is admitting trying to raise money by the end of the year for “reporting purposes”. “We have to report twice a year, the end of June and the end of December”, so he’s trying to make everyone believe his motives were to get the money in so it could be reported on the 7/08 to 12/08 report, never mentioning that on 1/1/09, fundraising rules changed. The audiences probably buy that but we Illinoisans know different. Blago knows different too. And most importantly, so does Fitz.
I noticed how nervous Blago was. He never sat back in the chair and crossed his leg or unbuttoned his jacket. He walked on stage to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. Of course, an Elvis song would have been better. Anyone catch Blago mentioning to Dave “Elvis sang on this stage didn’t he?” I wish Dave had picked up on that but Dave picked up on a lot so no harm.
VanMan, I like you better when you are serious and get to the heart of the matter. Resign as Blago’s joke writer. Yeah, some of the comebacks would have been funny - from any other person. But for Blago to do so would have been very out of place.
- BannedForLife - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 2:02 pm:
note to self:
self,
never appear on a program where you’re sammiched between Drew Peterson and octuplets
- Stooges - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 2:07 pm:
You’re right LE, he said “Elvis played here, in 1956.” I thought Dave was going to nail him when Rod said “they laugh at everything you say, and with all due respect, that wasn’t that funny.” Dave made one of those sour faces that he makes when a guest is a little out of line, and I thought he would take the gloves off even more.
- Zora - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 2:33 pm:
Several of you noticed, as I have, that Blago keeps grabbing for the child version of the human shield. More and more, he justifies this gone-on-too-long media tour as an effort to clear his name for his daughters’ sake.
How awful for them that he keeps drawing out the attention. And how *not* like the common man (his other favorite human shield) is his approach.
In trying times, regular folk don’t have recourse to the national media. We hug our kids, reassure them, give them love and cookies, and do our best to explain the circumstances of said trying time in age appropriate ways.
How, for the love of Mike, does going on Letterman provide age-appropriate reassurance to a young child? His narcissism is getting dangerously inflamed by the media attention and I really feel for his girls.
- Thomas Westgard - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 2:46 pm:
The star of that show was definitely Dave Letterman. The loser was not Blago, who has sunk so low he has nothing left to lose - the loser was all the so-called journalists who were too timid and/or stupid to ask the probing, substantial questions that a late-night comedian was able to pull off.
- Toast Man - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 3:41 pm:
Letterman also appeared better prepared than to tackle Blago than most all of the so called “media” experts. It is sad when a late night comedian hits harder on issues than the national media, and seems to understand the charges better than the legal scholars.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 4:03 pm:
Interesting thing about comedians, it’s easier to tell the truth when it’s framed as a joke. Letterman, Stewart, and the rest typically are able to ask more pointed questions because they are “kidding around.” I always get the feeling that main stream reporters are uncomfortable asking close to the bone questions because it is impolite. When they do ask those uncomfortable questions, they are often criticized as “going for the jugular.” It’s too bad that our social system penalizes good reporting as impolite and leaves the serious questioning to the comedians.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 4:24 pm:
The only way the show could have been any better would have been if the little mop-headed tool was the evening’s test subject on the “Will It Float?” segment.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 4:36 pm:
Interesting thing about comedians, it’s easier to tell the truth when it’s framed as a joke.
Analogous to the jester or “fool” being the only one who could be honest with the King. Letterman revealed more of the truth in exactly the same way as was done in medieval times.
- Levi voted for Judy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 4:53 pm:
Letterman said it best at the start of the program regarding Blagojevich - “why is he here?”
- Downstate Cook County (Macoupin County) - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 7:22 pm:
Dave has won me back as a regular viewer and did everyone catch what Blago said about numerous other Illinois Legilators being captured on taped conversations about fundraising prowess, personal agendas and deals they wanted to cut with him? The Federal Judge needs to slap a “gag order” on Blago and fast.
- Lynn S - Wednesday, Feb 4, 09 @ 8:33 pm:
Blago’s trying to get the other guys in trouble before they sing to Fitz and get him. Will a judge gag everyone involved? Dunno…will have to leave that to our resident jurists to comment on.
Does anyone know if Letterman is going to be selling a tape of this interview anytime soon (or maybe just doing a rerun at some point in the future when Roddy moves to the big house)? Would love to see it.