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* Click on the pic to see how a St. Louis TV reporter learns firsthand the occupational hazards of covering Gov. Rod Blagojevich…

Watch your step, dude.

…Adding… The governor’s office claims Blagojevich took questions from reporters during that St. Louis-area visit for 20 minutes and the above reporter never asked his question.

It still makes me chuckle because I know the feeling the story evokes, even if the piece itself is possibly disingenuous.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:09 pm

Comments

‘There’s nothing unusual about leaving through the basement kitchen,’ said Abby. ‘We don’t avoid the media. That’s not how this office operates.”
I do like the gov’s watch-check when he passes the camera… good to see Elliott Davis getting his exercise!

Comment by Metro East News Guy Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:16 pm
Blagojech is such an arrogant… He really makes me mad, and I hope that he makes a lot of other people mad too–so mad that they realize it is because of behavior like this that they shouldn’t continue to vote for people like Blagojevich.

Comment by Squideshi Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:17 pm
We paid for it but Rod doesn’t have to justify it. Let’s see - I wonder if the PR firm paid campaign money to Rid? I wonder if the amount was $25,000? 25K for $5.2 million. Sweeeeet!

Comment by 5.2 Million Reasons Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:22 pm
In a matter of time I wouldn’t be surprised if the PR company’s name matches an entry in Public Official A’s campaign disclosures. Any word on what firm got the contract? Just curiously, I wonder what the advertising budget is for the Illinois Lottery? It would be interesting to see a correlation between prioritization of marketing a product that supports education versus a “product” to promote a bridge…

Comment by dc Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:23 pm
By the intensity of the piece, I almost thought it was about something important.

Seriously? You think the Governor knows about a specific PR contract at some agency?

Comment by problem Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:23 pm
squideshi is right about the arrogance, but this reporter seems like kind of a jerk himself. i did enjoy his holding the microphone at the closed passenger window of the suburban and nice “on your side” touch giving out the phone number at the end.

Comment by a cub fan Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:24 pm
Think the governor did not know about a 5.2 million dollar deal?

Comment by Speaking At Will Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:25 pm
Blago running scared and it wasn’t question about corruption or was it.

Comment by Governor What-A-Joke Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:34 pm
Check and see how many checks for $25K this PR firm has given Blago. I’m betting there’s at least a few.

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:47 pm
TV media needs reporters like this guy. Someone who digs, instead of some lame story about the health problems of manicures. A small piece like this demonstrates more about what kind of person the Governor is than several news columns. Bring him to Chicago!

Comment by Garp Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:48 pm
It’s pretty much the same way he avoided walking past me in the 2002 campaign. He once went into the Old State Capitol for a radio debate through the parking garage while he supporters were above waiting to cheer him.

Comment by Cal Skinner Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:49 pm
Do we know what PR firm it is?

Comment by Matt G. Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:49 pm
Davis is pretty useless. It’s good theater sometimes, but he’s also been known to sandbag people. Come in and talk to them for an hour and then show up when the person he earlier interviewed is about to leave and insist they are avoiding him and make a big scene. I imagine the jumping down the hill there was more for dramatic effect and he could have simply walked around before that.

Comment by archpundit Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:52 pm
Is it the same PR firm who pushed for the massive Illinois Tollway expansion and toll increases?

Comment by Wacker Drive Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:55 pm
While this was funny, it’s kind of typical Fox. All heat and no light. They spend all this time in the piece showing all the silliness in trying to track Rod down, but they don’t even bother with the basics of journalism. How about at least a couple of the 5 w’s?

Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Who was the PR firm?
What did they get paid $1.2 million to do?
Where are the campaign contributions from the firm to Rod?
When did they start their work?
Why did they need to outsource the contract?

I mean good grief, they spent months on the story, drove to Springfield a number of times and all they have to show for it is a bunch of silly video. Pathetic.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:56 pm
By the way, I’m thinking the folks at Cohokia Airport might not want the FAA to see this little snip it. Their security seems lax to say the least.

Comment by Garp Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 12:56 pm
This burly guy does a pretty good Pam Zekman imitation. What a joke!

Comment by chiatty Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:00 pm
Conlon?

Comment by Diamond Dog Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:05 pm
The guy spends a couple months trying to get a story but gets stonewalled by the Gov so he makes getting the story the story-Not the best journalsim-but still fun to watch and it does have a point.

Comment by Garp Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:05 pm
Elliot Davis is not really a journalist….its more theater than anything. He has quite the reputation down here in the ‘lou. Sometimes he is accurate ($60K SUVs and health insurance for part-time township commishes) but he and his cameraman live for the confrontation.
Madison County Chair Alan Dunstan actually had a video crew record his interview about flooding….a bad decision because Davis made that the whole story!

Comment by Metro East News Guy Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:23 pm
Just saw the update….Davis NEVER will use footage from a presser. He’s always barging into offices, rattling on locked doors and the like. While Milorod MAY have answered questions (nothing appeared in any media down here), Davis would not have been one of the flock. He’s a lone wolf.

Comment by Metro East News Guy Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:26 pm
Too bad he gave the Springfield office number…Rid Blago doesn’t spend much time there methinks.

Comment by M0NSTER TRUCK Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:28 pm
When all the smoke settles and Blago ends up at ClubFed he may have a future as a quarterback on the Prison Football Team. I haven’t seen anyone scramble like that since Fran Tarkinton played for the Vikings.

Comment by Dan S, a Voter & Cubs Fan Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:34 pm
Again!
Who was and is the PR firm?
And what is there connection to Blagojevich?
And waht were campaign contributions to date?

Comment by Rod's Old Bi-Polar Pony Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:41 pm
Too bad he did not FOI IDOT for the work product…most know the file is M.T…..Might check with Matt V. now that he has escaped to ISBE….bet he has some stories to tell.

Comment by Wild Bill Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 1:44 pm
And the demonization of Chicago continues….

Comment by HV in HP Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 2:07 pm
Imagine how a “real” journalist would have run this story. Name of PR firm, amount of contract, what they were supposed to do, # of PR employees at IDOT, we tried to get comment, but they refused. end of story. Think of the amount of airtime this show boat wasted without providing even the most basic information.

Comment by Anon 9:18 Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 2:10 pm
It pains me to ever defend POA, but Mr. Davis is lucky he didn’t get injured (other than almost falling on his caboose.) He arguably committed a Federal felony by walking on the ramp at St.Louis Downtown Airport, “unsecured” or not.

Those numerous times where he charged the vehicle or the Governor, at least a couple without the cameraman in plain sight, very likely were tense moments for the security detail, whether they knew him to be media or not.

I can tell you unequivocally that had this been a Federal protectee and the Secret Service the detail on duty, the video would have been shorter and would have shown Mr. Davis getting up close and personal with the concrete the first time he pulled that stunt, followed by the revocation of his press pass.

Oh, and by the way, his journalism sucked, too.

Comment by Fox Mulder Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 2:43 pm
I may be wrong, but I seem to recall the contract going to Burrell Communications.

Not even 60 Minutes does “gotcha” anymore.

Why not answer the question? Why give him the reporter the satisfaction.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 2:57 pm
“…governor’s office CLAIMS Blagojevich took questions…”. So, is it true or not?

“…disingenuous” How so? Since IDOT CLAIMS it can do it, why pay?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 3:18 pm
Interesting, $5.2 mil to a Chicago PR firm to promote a bridge that the people in the Metro East strongly support anyway. I have’nt seen anything for the $1.2 mil spent to date other than a puff piece on Jay Hoffman. Maybe the money is not meant to promote a bridge but to promote a Governor and try to make us all forget about Rezko, Ata, ….. As for the posts that ask for the name of the firm, you have to remember the people watching this in the Metro East are well-schooled in public corruption. Another big waste of taxpayer dollars hardly is shocking. The fact that all that money went to a Chicago firm for a bogus Metro East project, now that will get the local Democrats mad. “Hey Governor, why are’nt you blowing that taxpayer money on good, generous supporters from the Metro East?” All in all, a nice little news story.

Comment by Cousin Ralph Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 3:24 pm
Elliot Davis is more of an entertainer then journalist. I have a hard time taking Fox2 news seriously because they let Elliot anchor.

Comment by Madison County Voter Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 3:44 pm
how much consulting money did Rezko get for that?

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 3:54 pm
Where did this goof Davis get his J-school degree, in a cracker jack box? I cannot see anywhere in this entire sequence the name of the firm, its officers, or terms much less any evidence that such contract exists.

Comment by The Fox Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 5:19 pm
my guess is that its JT that got the contract.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 5:58 pm
this was stupid

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 6:34 pm
It is not uncommon for IDOT to hire PR firms for specific projects. Depending on the project, they may be a subconsultant.

The Prairie Parkway had a PR firm as a sub.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 7:05 pm
The PR firm in question is likely D&T Communications. The Sun-Times did an article (entitled “New PR firm snags state contract”) on this when the contract was first awarded in 2004.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 7:14 pm
Did anyone else catch the tease about the the wild hog problem in Missouri (”they attack women…)that some pol dubbed a “Pig Bomb”? The only pig bomb near me is the Paulina St. Meat Market.

Comment by PC Tuesday, Apr 29, 08 @ 9:44 pm
Blago plus May sweeps = TV goodness.

Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Apr 30, 08 @ 1:57 am