* I don’t know how we missed this story from Monday…

llinois’ first lady wouldn’t rule out her husband as a candidate to replace U.S. Sen. Barack Obama in Congress if Obama wins the Oval Office in November.

Patti Blagojevich was answering questions during a mock press conference with a group of fourth-graders from Harristown Elementary School on Monday when she was asked: “If Senator Obama resigns his Senate seat, is Governor Blagojevich interested in his position?”

The first lady wouldn’t say no.

“That’s an interesting question. What happens is if Senator Obama becomes president of the United States, then he can no longer be a senator,” Mrs. Blagojevich told the class. “I think picking that person alone is going to be a tough job. It will only come after really careful thought over who will be the best person for the job and who will be the best person to serve Illinois.”.

Please, spare us this indignity.

* National Journal columnist John Mercurio had this take today…

With the Illinois governor about as popular as President Bush, it wouldn’t hurt McCain to publicize Mrs. Blago’s musings.

There are only so many messages a candidate can use at once, but tying Obama to his “political godfather,” who is pushing another legislative pay raise yet regularly borrows money interest free from his campaign fund, and to a horrifically unpopular and scandal-plagued governor who might wind up in the Senate might be a fun theme to develop.

* Meanwhile, speaking of corrupt Northwest Side politicians, the Illlinois GOP just sent out this press release…

Congressional candidate Dan Seals this week invited former congressman and convicted felon Dan Rostenkowski to lecture to night school students about federal policymaking and then took money from Rostenkowski in front of the class, according to student reports.

Seals, who was hired as an instructor to facilitate 10 night school classes this spring at Northwestern’s School of Continuing Studies, invited Rostenkowski to teach students Tuesday night. According to students in the class, after Rostenkowski’s presentation, the convicted felon handed Seals an envelope and said he hoped the contents would help Seals’ campaign. […]

“Dan Seals should be ashamed for taking dirty money from one of the most corrupt members of Congress in American history in front of innocent students,” said Lance Trover, spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. “Dan Seals has a track record of unethical campaign practices and should go back to school for a class in personal ethics,”

Rosti was nowhere near “one of the most corrupt members of Congress in American history,” but whatever.

…Adding… Seals has a new campaign gimmick…

With gas prices topping $4 per gallon, Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals of Wilmette is offering motorists in Lincolnshire the opportunity to buy gasoline at $1.85 a gallon at a service station on Milwaukee Avenue from noon to 1 p.m. today.

Seals says he’ll use money from his campaign fund to reimburse motorists the difference between the current price of gas and $1.85 per gallon for purchases of up to 10 gallons—all in an effort to highlight the rising price of gas since Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk became the 10th District representative on the North Shore.

*** UPDATE *** Kirk claims Seals is violating the law…

“The Dan Seals campaign may risk violating federal law by reimbursing voters’ gasoline expenses in an effort to influence their votes,” Kirk’s office said in a news release. “On its face, his action violates Title 18, Section 597 of U.S. Code.”

The law in question calls for a fine of $10,000 and/or a year in prison for offering to “make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate,” according to a Kirk campaign news release.