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Today in wacky multi-media

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* Gov. Pat Quinn appeared on Jonathon Brandmeier’s WGN Radio show this morning. Brandmeier loves him some Pat Quinn. And Quinn was the loosest I’ve ever heard him. He started by deftly ad-libbing through some ad copy and seemed to have a splendid time throughout the entire show. If you do nothing else today, listen to this…

That’s the Pat Quinn I used to know. More like this, please.

* This next one is not so funny. Apparently, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough is unaware that Rod Blagojevich’s jury convicted him on 17 counts this past June. The host of Morning Joe kept repeating a blatant falsehood on national TV yesterday.

“The jury was deadlocked on all but one count,” Scarborough said, referring to Blagojevich as “my friend.”

“A 14-year sentence for something that the state, really, had trouble proving, is so excessive.”

That was the first trial, Joe. There’s been another trial since then. Maybe you didn’t notice. It was in all the papers.

“Put a mark on his name, send him to jail for a year or so,” Scarborough suggested. “This is total BS, total BS,” he said.

Yeah, perhaps if he’d just been convicted of lying to the FBI, a year would’ve been enough. But he was convicted of 17 charges this year, plus the FBI lying charge. That’s less than a year per charge.

* Watch



Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A Fox News producer called me a while ago to invite me on some show or another.

“I don’t do cable,” I said. He acted like he’d never heard of such a thing. This is national news, he said. You’ll be seen all over the country. “Forget it,” I said. “I do Public Television and that’s about it.” He was so baffled that he was speechless, so I hung up on him.

I hate cable news.

* SEIU held a demonstration outside CME’s headquarters this week asking people to please, pretty please donate their spare change to the rich

Clever.

* And, finally, Rod and George sing the Illinois Song

* More stuff…

* VIDEO: Statehouse Wreath

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:54 am

Comments

  1. === I don’t do cable ===

    respect…

    Comment by bored now Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:02 am

  2. It’s like the governor is channeling Ron Santo

    Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:05 am

  3. ““I don’t do cable,” I said. He acted like he’d never heard of such a thing. This is national news, he said. You’ll be seen all over the country. “Forget it,” I said. “I do Public Television and that’s about it.” He was so baffled that he was speechless, so I hung up on him.”

    Awesome. Love it!

    Comment by CC Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:11 am

  4. I hate cable news.

    \m/ Miller! Whooo! \m/

    – MrJM

    Comment by MrJM Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:13 am

  5. Rich: You’re better off staying away from cable news.

    I was on national Fox News, a few years ago, as a supposed expert on business ethics. Their first question was on the ways that Clinton’s infidelity had led to a breakdown of ethical standards on Wall Street. My answer was “that’s not what led to these problems”, and they quickly switched to some tape on a missing blond woman, and never returned to my interview.

    Comment by walkinfool Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:16 am

  6. >>“I don’t do cable,” I said. He acted like he’d never heard of such a thing. This is national news, he said. You’ll be seen all over the country. “Forget it,” I said. “I do Public Television and that’s about it.” He was so baffled that he was speechless, so I hung up on him.

    I hate cable news.

    Comment by Northsider Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:21 am

  7. –I hate cable news.–

    It’s not news, it’s not entertainment. It’s like what Menkcen said about Calvin Coolidge. “As appalling and fascinating as a two-headed boy.”

    Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:22 am

  8. Okay… not sure what happened to the rest of my post, but here it is again:

    Well done, Rich. I’m a journalist, too, and 98 percent of cable news (and 100 percent of Fox “News”) is a fetid, steaming pile of garbage that has contributed mightily to our societal slouch into Idiocracy. Thank you for refusing to play along with their agenda.

    Comment by Northsider Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:22 am

  9. You need a like button for that comment Rich!

    Comment by Because I say so... Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:28 am

  10. Rich, you’re my hero.

    Comment by ChicagoJ Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:30 am

  11. it is appalling that scarborough, or any other national talking head, would be so far off the mark. the simplest google search would give him a summary. was he the one who said the second trial was double jeopardy?

    Comment by langhorne Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:37 am

  12. I don’t watch Morning Joe anymore, but happened to surf by it, so I watched.

    Joe was so over-the-top, I couldn’t tell if he really believed what he was saying, or just looking to stir something up.

    Plus, they kept trying to compare state & federal statutes (which didn’t seem to make sense).

    (And your standing invite to come on CapitolView is still open.)

    Scott

    Comment by Scott217 Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:38 am

  13. northsider: and cbs, abc, and nbc are unbiased? would like to read or hear on of your pieces to determine your fairness.

    Comment by anon Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:44 am

  14. anon, there’s bias everywhere. This isn’t about bias. It’s about broadcasting from a fantasy world.

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:48 am

  15. “I don’t do cable,” I said.

    Well so much for that chance to be on Toddlers and Tiaras as a judge Rich…

    Comment by OneMan Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:54 am

  16. ==I hate cable news.==

    Amen! And any other “news” program where the reporters spend more time on their hair than Blago does.

    Comment by anonymice Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:56 am

  17. The Morning Joe show yesterday was like something from an alternative universe, like the old Cracked Superman comics. Scarborough and Mike Barnicle railing about how Blago received 14 years and you can kill someone and just get 2 years.

    Comment by Zool Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:03 am

  18. Scarborough is one of many examples as to why the national media has lost my respect. Kudos Rich.

    As for the SEIU..please give my spare change to all the greedy wealthy Democrats in Illinois!

    Comment by Scoot Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:03 am

  19. I think the cable news people find it hard to understand why someone wouldn’t want to go on national shows to promote themselves. Who doesn’t want to be famous? Who doesn’t want to be a shameless self-promoter, flogging whatever bs they want to sell, whether it’s an idea or a product. It’s like running for a low level political office simply to serve, not to use it as a stepping stone to something better.

    It’s an alien concept to those people Rich, and one of the reasons we love you. You are way too thoughtful for cable news.

    Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:05 am

  20. “Breaking News” and reported as such 15 times an hour……ain’t “Breaking News”!

    Good call Rich!

    Comment by South of I-80 Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:05 am

  21. I forget the specific names, but twenty years ago during the Gulf War some retired Army General was on the TEE VEE being interviewed by some panel about the war. He was asked what the ecological and health effects of the oil well fires the Iraqis set were going to be.

    His answer: Not my area of expertise. I don’t know.

    The panel was visibly dumbfounded that he refused to pull an answer out of his lower region.

    Comment by IrishPirate Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:23 am

  22. Rich, your attitude towards cable is like many journalists’ attitude toward bloggers.

    Comment by Downstate Illinois Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:30 am

  23. Rod & George Sing; “Now dat dar is funny, I don’t care who you are!”

    Comment by MeAgain Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:33 am

  24. Doing the right thing for the right reason. Way to go, Rich.

    Comment by Aldyth Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:34 am

  25. DI, was that meant as some sort of insult? lol

    What people think is their problem.

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:35 am

  26. Have to give Quinn credit for knowing where NIU was going for it’s bowl

    Comment by OneMan Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:37 am

  27. You are right Rich, listening to Quinn in this context it’s like he is a different guy

    Comment by OneMan Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:41 am

  28. Agreed, OneMan. The guy is a walking encyclopedia.

    What I liked most, though, was that for the first time in a long time he seemed to be enjoying himself in public. He always seems like Eeyore. There are problems here, but being governor is a great job, man. Enjoy it while you can.

    Plus, I’d rather have a happy governor than a depressed and angry governor any day. Not good for my business, but better for the state.

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:42 am

  29. I wish I’d known Rich didn’t do cable before I sent his photo to Who Will Be America’s Next Top Model…. (They’re starting a new male edition.)

    Comment by soccermom Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:45 am

  30. What was funny about Quinn this moring was that the ad copy that he was reading cold was for “The Trump Tower”! I wonder if The Donald will pull his ad from GN. But, it was a great spot!

    Comment by South of I-80 Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 12:00 pm

  31. Cable “news” programs compared to real television journalism, is like comparing MAD magazine to Time.

    ==This is national news, he said. You’ll be seen all over the country.==

    I’m surprised Rich didn’t say “Bite me!”

    Comment by Wensicia Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:14 pm

  32. ==He was so baffled that he was speechless, so I hung up on him. I hate cable news.==

    This is why I love you…

    Comment by jb Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:37 pm

  33. ===This is why I love you… ===

    Uh… Mom?

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:44 pm

  34. Scarborough apparently needs a better class of friends…and a smart phone.

    Comment by Jaded Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:19 pm

  35. The Governor was really fun to listen to. And he is indeed at least passingly knowledgeable about a great many topics. Plus, I like his choice of an after work drink, same as mine, though I like mine neat.

    Comment by Anonymous Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:32 pm

  36. ==“I do Public Television and that’s about it.”==

    Don’t even have cable at our house. BTW, do you do Radio?

    Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:12 pm

  37. ===BTW, do you do Radio? ===

    I’m too busy these days to do much of anything that doesn’t involve getting paid.

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:18 pm

  38. Thanks Rich for saying no to cable news. As most everyone has said, cable news is far from unbiased news. Although you can find some bias on the regular stations too, I am glad that you stick to public television. You do have standards.
    I refer so many people to read your blog that don’t have a clue what’s going on; and of them there are many.

    Comment by Anonymous Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:22 pm

  39. You could have been a conteder, you could have been somebody…

    Comment by NIref Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:23 pm

  40. The problem with broadcast news in general was perfectly summed up by Don Hewett, the founding producer of 60 minutes. I think it was Mike Wallace who told the story of Hewett walking into a production of that venerable show and announcing: “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that for the first time in TV history the News Division of this network has shown a profit for the corporation. The bad news is that for the first time in TV history the News Division of this network has shown a profit for the corporation.

    I rather think that really competent, insightful journalism on television ended with that milestone. Thank God for Capitol Fax and those few like it.

    Comment by Springfield Skeptic Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:30 pm

  41. “I don’t do cable”

    Rich, if I had your face I wouldn’t do cable either…

    What? Don’t tell you weren’t getting sick of this love-fest and weren’t looking for a good reason to throw out a “bite me”! :)

    Comment by Jaded Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 4:04 pm

  42. lol

    Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 4:07 pm

  43. 14 years is completely outrageous. Send someone from Countrywide to jail, Fitzy, then maybe I’ll be impressed

    Comment by west side don Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 4:14 pm

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