Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Everbody OK?
Next Post: If at first you don’t succeed…
Posted in:
* Oh, this is rich. The Illinois Republican Party apparently thinks that Rod Blagojevich is a trustworthy source. Why else would the state party use Blagojevich to blast away at its favorite target, Speaker Madigan? Sheesh…
As I’ve written time and time again, this goofy Blagojevich fantasy about appointing Lisa Madigan to the US Senate was an alibi, not a plan.
* Blagojevich trial roundup…
* Judge warns Blagojevich on media comments
* Former Blago lawyer: jurors pay attention to media coverage
* Blago accuses feds of leaking Jackson Jr. affair
* Blago: Axelrod asked him to mull pres. run
* Blagojevich claims Axelrod spoke to him about running for president: Asked about Blagojevich’s claim, Axelrod said he stood by comments he made April 8 before the City Club of Chicago. Axelrod, who ran Blagojevich’s 1996 campaign for Congress, told the audience he declined to help Blagojevich run for governor because he “did not see in him the qualities for executive leadership.”
* Blagojevich Says Feds Are ‘Criminalizing Conference Calls‘
* Rod Blagojevich acknowledges ‘moments of fear‘ late at night
* Blagojevich Sister-in-Law: “Violated” by Federal Wiretaps
* Let the Fun Begin: Fed Prosecutor Calls Blago a “Liar” As Retrial Nears
* Jury foreperson: Defense put on a circus, prosecution confused us
* Blago holdout worries about next jury - With jury selection set to begin for retrial, panelist from first trial has no regrets
* Tactics shift in retrial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
* Blagojevich retrial begins with juror questionnaires
* Mixed Feelings for Blagojevich Retrial, None of Them Happy
* Opinion…
* SJ-R Opinion: A different story this time around
* Brown: I can’t deny it: I’ve missed ‘The Rod Show’
* Pantagraph: Blagojevich retrial needed as a reminder
* Marin: Ready or not, here’s Blago round 2
* Cameron: Blago needs to convince jury he’s ‘goofy’
* NW Herald: Blagojevich retrial must bring closure
* Meanwhile, I will give the state Republican Party credit for this quite amusing anti-Madigan video. Heh…
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:15 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Everbody OK?
Next Post: If at first you don’t succeed…
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Do we have to comment? Can’t we just let Blago get convicted on some additional counts and then wait until the sentencing to talk? Really, what else is there to say?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:22 am
Sheesh is right. The same Blago that these same Republicans hammered for years for being a liar, is now held up by those Republicans as a credible source.
I shudder to think what a disastrous year 2012 will be for IL Republicans. While the IL GOP plays childish games, Madigan is working and preparing.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:27 am
Well, if Blago said it on Don and Roma it must be true.
I guess some GOP operatives have some time on their hands, but I’m not sure what the point is of negative attacks in April 2011.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:27 am
That pinto/rose garden video is the stupidest thing I’ve seen in a while. They can’t come up with a better analogy? No wonder the IL GOP can’t get their act together.
Comment by Bring Back Boone's Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:31 am
BBB: Agreed. That’s a terrible ad. First, you have to know that the Pinto was a terrible vehicle, which younger people might not know. Secondly, tying the Pinto to the second part of the commercial and the “rose garden” is a stretch. Third, it’s got terrible visuals and entirely too long.
Plus, do you really need to stretch back to 1971 to attack Madigan? Why go back four decades when you can just go back four years?
Comment by IL Yeezy Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:38 am
Will feds actually find a crime that they can explain w/in all their self-righteousness? It would be nice if they could succeed in connecting criminal dots instead of made-up garbage that is only a “crime” cuz they say so after the fact.
Comment by D.P. Gumby Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:41 am
I didn’t get the video, and I am not sure how many people watch them.
Comment by shore Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:43 am
shore and BBB, maybe it’s because my Aunt Jean had a Pinto. I dunno, I liked it.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:45 am
It wasn’t bad, anything with Jonny Cash in it is always good.
I think they could have done a lot more with it, less horse and more facts about the pinto… and the state of our state.
Comment by Ahoy Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:47 am
Yeah, it had that problem of blowing up when struck from the rear. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:48 am
Hey Gumby. I ain’t releasing money for your children’s hospital unless you pay off my campaign fund isn’t a new crime made up “after the fact.” It’s a really old one.
18 U.S.C. § 1951:
(a) Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do . . . shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(b) As used in this section— [. . .]
(2) The term “extortion” means the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:48 am
Since Blago was Guv of Illinois, why couldn’t the Feds use an Illinois(outside of Chicago area) jury pool?
Realize that case being prosecuted by the Fed’s Northern District of Illinois , but only seems fair to have 2nd trial with jurors from rest of the state of Illinois.
Comment by JoePeoria Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:52 am
Can we please, PLEASE stop talking about Blago. The Feds already threw the case by not calling Rezko. Why go through this charade again? What a waste of time and resources. There are actual important appointments being made by the City and State. How is Claypool not a political hire? Are the prerequisites for a City or State job that you must have absolutely no background in the field and/or aren’t from Chicago and familiar with the local issues?
Comment by JBilla Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:55 am
2nd video just made me associate Madigan with fond memories of Johnny Cash and the days when he was still around to introduce musical guests.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:56 am
♫ Wasted away again in Madiganville. Searching for my lost gavel and socks. Some people claim that there’s a Republican to blame but I know it’s nobody’s fault. ♫
Comment by thechampaignlife Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:56 am
I’m not sure what the point is of retrying Blago. He’s still got that 5 years from the count he was convicted on. It seems a pointless expense to go through this again.
Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:59 am
The video is bad. The only thing it really illustrates is how you can take several completely unrelated items/incidences and tie them together to almost say whatever you want.
The only thought that came to mind while watching the video was that the Rose Garcden didn’t fail due to lack of fertilizer from both sides.
Comment by Irish Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:02 am
The problem with the ad is:
1) Most folks remember 1971 as the beginning of the end of the Vietnam war;
2) Most folks don’t remember the Pinto.
If you’re going to spend an hour hacking together an attack ad, it should at least have a point.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:15 am
That ad is kind of funny. The song makes a point the ad didn’t intend, “when you take you gotta give, so live and let live…” So it must be an ad about compromising. Thanks for wasting your money Repubs!
Comment by Tom Joad Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:18 am
I think the Blagojevich connection to Madigan is more compelling that the pinto video. Madigan enabled Blagojevich on many levels. The horse video missed the mark.
Comment by Old Milwaukee Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:20 am
===Can we please, PLEASE stop talking about Blago.===
No.
He was elected governor twice and is on his second corruption trial. That’s not newsworthy to you? You’re nuts.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:27 am
I got a tear in my eye Monday morning when Rod was on WGN tv talking about the puppy (named Skittles) he got for his family to help them get through this. And the Oscar goes to……
Comment by Because I say so Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 10:46 am
Wasn’t it the 1972 Ford Pinto that would expolde when rear ended?
Comment by Lady GaGa Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 11:19 am
Hahahah, fair enough.
I just find the facts and figures on how bankrupt we are (very) and how we can make our government services more business-like more compelling than whether or not this guy shook down every State vendor (he did).
Comment by JBilla Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 11:50 am
Why stop talking about Blagojevich? Aren’t we in Illinois just absolutely proud of electing him as our Governor TWICE? His indictments are also in a way an indictment of us.
Our collective inability to elect someone with an upstanding character, instead of merely electing a character, is what should be discussed right about now. We still love wheelers and dealers in Illinois. We make fun of principled candidates and office holders.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 12:46 pm
== Madigan enabled Blagojevich on many levels. ==
LOL. I think you meant to say “Tom Cross enabled Blagojevich on many levels.”
Aside from “officially” supporting Blagojevich as State Party Chair and then not lifting a finger to help get him re-elected in 2006, Madigan did nothing to help Rod politically.
Certainly, Madigan was no help legislatively, thwarting him at every turn.
Lest we forget, Cross criticized Madigan and the Democrats for floating impeachment plans in 2008.
And I’ll never forget that Cross’ first official act as Governor was to go jogging with his old family friend Tom Cross.
I can find fault with Madigan for one thing, and one thing only: staying out of the governor’s primary in 2002.
It would not have been my decision, but with Lisa Madigan also in a hotly contested race and organized labor 110% behind Rod, it would have been very tough for MJM to support Vallas.
Want a different world we would be in now with Vallas starting his third term!
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 1:33 pm
The key, for me, is to see what kind of ratio there is for jurors with the mental capacity, or lack there of, to fall into the Blagoshere and be snowed over by his bobblehead tactics.
If the ratio is 1 of every 12 then Blago has a pretty good shot at hanging another jury.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 3:32 pm
Madigan-bashing worked so well last fall to give the GOP a majority, might as well keep using it.
You’d think Republicans were opposed to long service among public officials…such as Henry Hyde, Phil Crane and Strom Thurmond. Oops, wrong party.
Comment by reformer Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 3:39 pm
As a child, I sat in the back seat of a 1976 Ford Pinto for about 6 years - the last 2+ of those years were after the big exposé, so I knew I was sitting on a powder keg.
I prefer to think of the Pinto as part of the “story” of Tortelvis. (Google that name.) A hilarious concert ensued!
Comment by cover Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 4:41 pm
that video could not have been more lame…sheesh, do the same people that run the advertising division of my chicago cubs come up with ideas for the republicans?
Comment by jimmy james Wednesday, Apr 20, 11 @ 9:30 pm