* My parents had five boys. Whenever we were on a road trip and their passel of sons was starting to get restless and unruly, my father would warn us with what he called “The three S’s”…
Sit down, sit back and shut up.
Same applies here…
Rod Blagojevich is looking for some heavy-duty polish to spiff up his sullied reputation. He thinks he may have found it. The disgraced ex-governor has filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify the ban on him running for office — either statewide or locally.
“If I were to fall dead right here, my obituary in tomorrow’s papers wouldn’t be that good,” he told a gaggle of reporters earlier this month outside the Dirksen Federal Building, adding that he wanted to pursue “things with my life where that obituary can be corrected.” […]
We have a message for Rod. You can spiff up that reputation faster than you can say Roland Burris. Simply make the ultimate sacrifice, and step away from that limelight you crave so dearly. Your 15 minutes are up. Just walk away. Embrace a private life.
I’d add an admonition to ABC 7 for producing a “documentary” on Blagojevich that the station hyped with “exclusive” coverage of his goofy lawsuit.
*** UPDATE *** The Chicago Tribune editorial board should probably pick a lane. Whack Rod, but publish an op-ed by Ray LaHood? C’mon. Don’t y’all read your own newspaper?
- Draznnl - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 4:12 am:
Another way he could spiff up that reputation is by coming clean and admitting his wrongdoing before he walks away and embraces that private life.
- Red Ketcher - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 6:12 am:
Bingo
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 7:35 am:
In addition to the Trib’s advice, he could do some good for his reputation by going full Jimmy Carter, doing good works with little fanfare for the less fortunate among us. Deep down in there, most of us doubt he has it in him, but stranger transformations have happened.
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 7:54 am:
It’s all about legacy with Blago. No acknowledgement of or remorse shown for the horrible things he’s done. Narcissism at its worst.
- Bruce( no not him) - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:06 am:
Sorry, Rod. I’m pretty sure there is nothing you can do to “polish” your obituary. It’s already written in (banned word).
- PublicServant - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:14 am:
Rod, how can we miss you, if you won’t go away…again.
- the Edge - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:29 am:
During his impeachment trial I read more Tribune editorials than I ever had. For once they were spot on.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:34 am:
There are plenty of things he can do to gain some measure of redemption - volunteer work and the like. Doesn’t mean the rest of us have to put up with him.
- don the legend - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:43 am:
Rod should read Chuck Colson’s autobiography if he needs to see how to redeem himself.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:45 am:
==There are plenty of things he can do to gain some measure of redemption - volunteer work and the like.==
Maybe he could volunteer somewhere in the health care field, considering how big he was about health care while Governor (at the expense of state employees and state agencies’ budgets).
- The Doc - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 8:57 am:
Seriously, who’s the constituency for a Blago redemption campaign? The gross receipts tax fan club?
- EssentialStateEmployeefromChatham - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:00 am:
==volunteer work and the like==
He could also volunteer his services as one of the many Elvis impersenators.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:02 am:
It’s too bad Hunter S. Thompson has departed this mortal coil. He had a talent for writing obituaries for departed politicians.
Perhaps someone else can paraphrase that classic, when the time comes.
- Real - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:07 am:
Some people have no mercy as we can see. Rod did nothing wrong.
- Mr K - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:10 am:
And maybe show some remorse?
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:17 am:
-Some people have no mercy as we can see. Rod did nothing wrong.-
Federal judges and federal juries disagree.
- Annonin' - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:19 am:
But if Blagoof turned all Habitat for Humanity on us he might have a hard time chasing, romping around with anyone pickin'’up a tab or buying his digital message scams
- Skeptic - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:25 am:
“-Some people have no mercy as we can see. Rod did nothing wrong.-
Federal judges and federal juries disagree.” Along with a number of other people who got squashed along the way.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:32 am:
===Rod did nothing wrong===
Says the anti-vaxxer.
- Bruce( no not him) - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:35 am:
===Rod did nothing wrong.===
Pure comedy gold.
Oh, you’re not joking?
- NIU Grad - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:42 am:
He could spend the rest of his life doing actual service to help other people…maybe pursue criminal justice reform or support charities that get ex-offenders back on their feet, since he feels the justice system wronged him so much. Instead, he will spend his remaining days chasing the high of seeing himself on TV. What a waste.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 9:45 am:
For me?
For me it’s so simple.
Rod has shown no remorse, decided to con the con and get Trump to intervene… and documentaries need content.
Rod is as phony as he ever was, I have no time for a man who shook down a children’s hospital
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 10:14 am:
he had a brief period of time when he was good on issues and cared. but before that, starting as an Assistant State’s Attorney, through State Rep and when Governor, he was an empty, look at me look at me guy. waste of political space.
- Commissar Gritty - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 10:32 am:
Mr. Governor, I WILL TURN THIS CAR AROUND
- duck duck goose - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 10:41 am:
If Rod is worried about rehabilitating his reputation, that slap-dash lawsuit was probably not the way to go. All he will have accomplished is (i) losing in court very badly and (ii) reminding everyone of why he has a reputation as a crook in the first place.
- Flyer - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 10:53 am:
Prison obviously did nothing to change his ego or attitude.
- Johnny Tractor - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 11:01 am:
“faster than you can say Roland Burris.” Deft touch!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 11:07 am:
===The Chicago Tribune editorial board should probably pick a lane. Whack Rod, but publish an op-ed by Ray LaHood? C’mon. Don’t y’all read your own newspaper?===
This one isn’t on “Statehouse Chick”
Thought the Edit Biard was going to be different. Try reading your own paper, that’d be a great change.
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 11:12 am:
=Rod did nothing wrong.=
The transcripts would lead and intelligent person to determine otherwise.
- thisjustingagin - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 12:02 pm:
“I’ve got this lawsuit, and it’s (redacted) golden”.
Channel 7 “News”: Breaking Exclusive
Rest of Us: MEH.
- Big Rocker - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 12:10 pm:
Rod. What’s on your tombstone?
- EssentialStateEmployeefromChatham - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 12:20 pm:
===The Chicago Tribune editorial board should probably pick a lane. Whack Rod, but publish an op-ed by Ray LaHood? C’mon. Don’t y’all read your own newspaper?===
And then possibly followed up in an upcoming Chatham Clarion (and other small weeklies and maybe some larger newspapers) with a Jim Nowlan column.
- Brian - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 1:57 pm:
The grift for high speed rail in California has been so lucrative, marginally corrupt Congressmen/cabinet secretaries are well within the budget for a national effort.
- Loop Lady - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 2:08 pm:
His ego never diminishes does it? We need Rod back in politics like we need a new variant of Covid…
- Dotnonymous - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
Rod Blagojevich, once noticed, is totally unremarkable…except for his incredible need for attention.
- Dotnonymous - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 3:10 pm:
Rich, I believe your old man and mine would have gotten along just fine.
My brothers and I knew to zip it…when the old man laid down the law.
I can most usually distinguish between adults who lacked an authority figure in childhood and those who did not…by their sense of entitlement.
- EssentialStateEmployeefromChatham - Monday, Aug 23, 21 @ 3:55 pm:
==faster than you can say Roland Burris==
Speaking of Burris, his mausoleum is bleepin’ golden.