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This just in… Daily Show clip

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Illinois

Watch it here or here.

Thanks to KA for the heads up.

And Edwin Eisendrath shows he has no sense of humor. From a press release:

Last night Governor Rod Blagojevich’s disrespect of Illinois voters reached new heights. Thumbing his nose at over 100 years of civic tradition, he has refused to debate his Democratic primary challenger, Edwin Eisendrath. He says he is too busy governing. BUT HE HAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR LAUGHS ON CABLE TV.

After watching the clip, I kinda doubt that Rep. Stephens has a sign in his pharmacy that says “The customer is always right.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 2:55 pm

Comments

Should anyone be surprised. I’m certain a fairly witty teenager could run circles around Rod, he doesn’t want to be embarrassed more than he already has been. I’m really curious to see how many debates hes going to agree against the Republican nominee…It’ll definitely be interesting.

Comment by ISU REP Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 3:04 pm
You are right that he should lighten up about the “disrespect” thing, but he certainly has a point about the Governor claiming to be too busy to do anything but govern, and then finding time for joking around on nation-wide cable show.

I think (and have said before) that the “too busy….governing” line itself is what’s really disrespectful. How stupid does Blagojevich think we are?

Comment by gopartisan Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 3:07 pm
Given the circumstances, I thought both the Governor and Ron did just fine. It WAS funny.

Comment by steve schnorf Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 3:23 pm
While Schnorf is correct that it was funny, both the governor and the representatives let themselves be played for fools.

It didn’t make either of them look good. Where were Blago’s “handlers.” Anyone who watches the show should have known better than to let the Governor make an appearance. The gov had a bit of a “deer in the headlights” look when he was asked whether he was the gay governor. You could see the wheels turning as he tried to figure out what to say to (1) deny that he is gay, and (2) not offend any gay supporters. As much as I hate to I’ll give him credit, while he lost the battle of quips he didn’t say anything to offend any potential supporters.

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 3:43 pm
Couple things here folks…

ISU_REP - you obviously missed the 2002 debates, where the Blagojevich held his own against a lifetime prosecutor - hardly a “witty teen” (or less-than witty collegian).

With respect to Edwin’s absurd connection to the debates - not that anyone not reading this blog will ever even hear his carping - but this segment taped long before EE began crying for debates-a-plenty. It wasn’t live…

Of course he looked goofy and befuddled. Anyone who watches the show will tell you that EVERY guest of the taped interview segments looks little off. That’s the point.

And a final point - back to Eisendrath. Every election, there’s at least one guy raising his dander about not getting to debate. Demanding a debate. Calling it bad government that his opponent won’t debate. That guy is usually down (way down) in the polls. That guy usually doesn’t have any money. That guy’s trying to get all the free exposure he can. That guy never wins the race.

Comment by SenorAnon. Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 4:06 pm
Nothing personal but fie on your mac unfriendly links.

Comment by Mac user Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 4:51 pm
What? Did Rod think he was going to get some free national publicity from his appearance on the Daily Show? Maybe its me, but he came across as rather “unprepared” for his segment. Did he think his superior wit would carry him through without him looking like a fool?

I didn’t know GRod could possibly be embarrassed but he had a nice shade of pink going on with his cheeks to match his “deer in the headlights” expression.

Comment by Papa Legba Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 4:56 pm
I’m a Mac guy. That second one works for me. Not the first one, though.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 4:57 pm
what a maroon. He was played for a sucker and never saw it coming.

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 5:30 pm
About the debates, shouldn’t the Eisendrath be polling at least 25% or something? You can criticize Blago for not debating, but I don’t think he should be obligated to debate Eisendrath just because he is in the race. Hell if I was in the race should I feel entitled to a debate?

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 7:41 pm
That brought a tear to my eye I was laffin so hard. I wonder if the G-Rod handler who failed to clue the gov in that Daily Show is a comedy program got the old ax?

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 8:10 pm
I would like to think that the people running this State are not so amazingly stupid that they actually thought this was a real interview, and that G-Rod was just trying his best to play along. If not, than our State is screwed up worse than I thought.

Comment by Long Time Reader; First Time Poster Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 8:25 pm
Sorry but I am convinced that GRod takes himself too seriously to have played along with that interview. Especially since he came off looking rather, um, dopey.

Although I am sure he will be saying he was playing the foil and it was all a prepared act.

Comment by Papa Legba Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 9:28 pm
I thought the skit was vintage Blagojevich….a joke

Comment by anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 9:40 pm
I agree the gov and stephens both looked like fools. If it was a prepared act they did a crap job of showing it. Actually there is no way to look good on a segment like this, especially the way they edit it. His handlers must have been nuts to let him on that show (even though I think it is a great show). There is NO upside.

Comment by anon Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 11:08 pm
And this man is to busy to start his campaign? Are you kidding me? Does anyone think this guy is hard to beat in the general? That clip is worth 1 million dollars thats how much it will take to live that down…Whos in charge?

Comment by Reagan Democrat Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 11:57 pm
This was classic Daily Show! My favorite parts were when GRod talks about Schwarzenegger and says “I’ve seen the first movie he ever made… Pumping Iron” and when the interviewer tells Stephens (my own rep!) how offended he is the governor is dictating…and says “That’s YOUR job!” talk about deer in the headlights.

Comment by Paul Simon Museum Guy Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 8:57 am
why did they have to get a Kansas City newspaper headline? at least they didn’t mention Ron’s recent pharmacist license suspension….

Comment by Paul Simon Museum Guy Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 9:01 am
One probably also won’t see this sign: “The Customer Always Comes First at Stephens Pharmacy.”

Comment by Keep the Day Jobs Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 9:19 am
The Governor wasn’t too full of himself to let someone make fun at his expense, and to me that is a very positive attribute. Ron was brave enough to stand up for his beliefs (with which I do not agree) in a situation where he knew his views would not be well received, and that ain’t bad either.

Comment by steve schnorf Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 4:50 pm
To respond to two of the commentators above:

1. Hairdo probably did not fire the staff person who got him on the show. He just sent them to some unfortunate state agency to be stupid there, all the while tell the experienced workers that, “I’m from the Governor’s office and you’re not!”

2.If I had people running an executive office and a campaign like the group he surrounds himself with (right hand doesn’t know what the left’s doing), they would all be fired.

Comment by Ex-Newfie Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 9:55 pm
schnorf-

I don’t know what show you watched, but it didn’t look to me like the gov was playing along. He looked stunned, searching for something cute to say.

He did not see the train coming when he stepped on the tracks.

At least he was smart enough not to kick up a fuss and demand that he be treated with the respect he assumes a person of HIS stature deserves.

BTW. Stephens people have already come out and said they expected to look foolish in the final edit. Blago’s office has been silent. When that happens, you should know from past behaviours, that they are working hard to manufacture up a good excuse why the gov was such a good guy and “played” along with the gag.

Comment by Papa Legba Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 10:19 pm
Very funny segment by the Gov. and the subject reminded me of one of the reason’s I’m glad he was elected. As for not debating his opponent…why would anyone waste their time? I agree with Feb. 10 Anon 7:21. The guy isn’t posting serious numbers. Just because his family has money doesn’t make him a candidate worthy of the Gov’s time.

Comment by Tistophone Saturday, Feb 11, 06 @ 11:21 pm
Now we know that the “GOV” did not know about the flow of the show … can you imagine how bad he would have done had he been prepared to be the “foil” … really, he is better off not prepared … he’s an ok “guy” … just an inadequate “GOV” …Peace!

Comment by Geo.Ryan Fan Friday, Feb 24, 06 @ 2:51 pm