* 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’