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Reform and renewal - greeting card edition

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Illinois

Several columnists and bloggers wrote about the governor’s suspiciously timed greeting cards during the campaign. The AP has more today.

Just weeks before Election Day, Jen and Andrew Fitzgibbon got a card from Gov. Rod Blagojevich congratulating them on the birth of their new baby.

The only problem was that the Fitzgibbons’ youngest daughter, Lydia, wasn’t so new anymore â€” she celebrated her first birthday the week the card arrived.

Batches of greeting cards bearing niceties from Blagojevich and his wife arrived in mailboxes right before the spring and fall elections, raising new ethical questions about the Illinois governor.

As expected, a spokesman denied the timing was political, but check this out:

The state sent a batch of 13,792 cards in February â€” ahead of the March primary â€” and three more batches totaling 89,185 cards in the two months before the November election.

Amazing.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 9:05 am

Comments

Yeha I got my card from the crook and his wife. It was nice that they wanted explain the virtues of breastfeeding to our family. Too bad my 11 month old daughter was sitting in her high chair eating spaghetti and a roll when we got the card otherwise id havenver known how great breastfedding was and how much joy my newborn would bring

Comment by just watching Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 9:39 am
I know of a couple who received a congratulatory card from the Gov & Mrs B nearly a year after the birth of their child. Their child died of crib death at only a few weeks old. The card was not well received.

Comment by Another Anon Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 9:40 am
The problem is how Blagojevich sees himself as governor. He thinks he is a crowned head of state dispensing crumbs to hard working little people too stupid to understand his greatness. Somewhere between birth and today, Rod’s head expanded to gargantuan size.

As governor, we have to endure his constant self-promotion, self-centered gubernatorial style. It will take years to remove all the “Rod Blagojevich” signs, stationary, and fast food action figures from our state.

Eat it up, Illinois Democrats! You made him our embarrassment by refusing to make him accountable for his numerous ethical violations, broken promises and fraud. When he goes down, you are going with him.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 10:30 am
Poor Governor Sleazy! It would appear that even a scoundrel like him gets screwed around by the slowness of the U.S. Postal Service. Of course, it is always easier to blame the USPS than the incompetence of your own cadre of political hacks, isn’t it?

Comment by fedup dem Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 11:53 am
Amazing, no. Par for the course, yes. What a pandering fool.

VanillaMan - Even though his head has expanded to an enormous size, it is still emptier than the states treasury.

Comment by Buck Flagojevich Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 3:19 pm
Rod is running Illinois like a Nanny State.

Even if you’re not a parent, you should be totally creeped out by all of this. Immunize your kids, breastfeeding is healthier, blah blah blah.

Hillary’s “village” is right here in Illinois. I feel sorry for all of the kiddies who are going to be raised not only by their moms and dads (although judging by the stats on out-of-wedlock births, there might not even BE a legal dad), but also by a meddling, obnoxious, Nanny State bunch of intrusive people on top of it.

Comment by Angie Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 3:36 pm
Raising “new” ethical questions????

When are we going to start getting answers to the OLD questions?

Fitzy! Where are you?

Comment by Angie (post-script) Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 3:40 pm
Blago has NO SHAME!

Comment by NW Side Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 5:41 pm
It’s nice to know that what State Troopers we have left on the road can drive around in unsafe 150,000 mile or more squad cars, the prisons are understaffed as many state agancies (idot), yet we have enough money to have printed and mailed these pieces of crap for political purposes.

Comment by Concerned Voter Wednesday, Nov 29, 06 @ 6:00 pm
I thought I was supposed to receive a $1500 check for the new baby. Do you think the Gov. forgot to send it. His friends sent check why can’t he.

Comment by Where's my check Thursday, Nov 30, 06 @ 5:18 pm