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Hooray for Bonnie Hunt!

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* I’ve never seen her show and know almost nothing about her, but Bonnie Hunt gave Rod Blagojevich some of the beat-down he richly deserves today. Watch it…

What does it say that a daytime talk show host is more aggressive than major network TV news broadcasters?

Comments

I adore Bonnie Hunt - she doesn’t get the kind of attention she deserves.

I love that we can say that Blago got the smackdown from the mom from “Beethoven”… yeah, the dog movie.

Comment by Bill S. Preston, Esq. Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:21 pm
Big fan of Bonnie’s. She grew up here - I think her dad worked for the City so she knows the drill.

Comment by paddyrolingstone Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:27 pm
So Bonnie does what no one else could do?

Really?

A cursory review of what’s going on is enough to provide plenty of stuff to challenge what this schmuck says and he gets a pass until Bonnie Hunt’s show. I betcha he wasn’t ready for that!

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:29 pm
I especially liked the moment of flustered silence when she asked why none of his friends was coming forward saying he’s getting a bum rap.

Comment by cynically anonymous Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:32 pm
I don’t really like her, but God Bless her for pushing the envelope with Blago. About darn time….People let him get away with this nonsense….

Comment by View from the Cheap Seats Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:46 pm
The entire interview is a must-watch. My two favorite moments: 1. BH reads the “bleepin’ golden quote and Blago interrupts and says, “But what comes after that?” BH - “And can you get a job for my wife?” 2. Blago says he is trying to get the facts out. BH responds, “You are trying to get the plea out. Those are two different things.”
YOU GO GIRL!

Comment by El Conquistador Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:46 pm
I just watched it and I think he did just fine. I cant figure out what he did to cause the entire world to dismiss everything he says and believe that whatever comes out of his mouth to be a lie. I dont think I’ve ever seen this before.

I do think that he made an extremely salient point at the end of the interview wneh he turned the tables on Bonnie and asked her what she would say to her father if he acccused her of doing something wrong that she didnt do. She said “I would tell him that I didnt do it.” Rod said “thats right…I didnt do it. Everything is on tape and somebody is lying and it isnt me.” I’m sorry, but I think that he makes valid points about the presumption of innocence and that he has been denied that presumption.

Like him or not, he isnt being treated justly.

Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:50 pm
Clearly someone else is to blame for booking him on this show. He was trying to tell his story, the truth and now this media person — who’s probably pals with the Madigan’s — won’t even let him talk.
Once again Rod Blagojevich is the victim.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 2:59 pm
She gave him room to talk- and why is it that the time when apologies start is when your hand is caught in the cookie jar????
If he was concerned about his innocence…. why write a book- work on your defense.
Give me a break

Comment by Inish Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:08 pm
Anon,

Wow, what are you smoking?

Ok, fine, he makes valid points about presumption of innocence. That doesn’t make him innocent.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:13 pm
===I cant figure out what he did to cause the entire world to dismiss everything he says and believe that whatever comes out of his mouth to be a lie.===

Did you just move to Illinois? If not, were you in a coma the past seven years?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:13 pm
Anon 2:50, SERIOUSLY? AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Comment by RobRoy Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:17 pm
RodB has had plenty of opportunities to “tell his story”. All he does is say that it was horse trading Illinois style. Isn’t that what he campaigned to end? Isn’t that what he accused others (George Ryan) of doing and he was the Knight w/shining armor riding the white horse to our rescue?

If RodB doesn’t want people to talk him down why is he appearing in public? Why doesn’t he just shut up and work on his defense? I know he needs to make $. Maybe he should have co-written the book w/Patti and she could go on the talk show circuit. No one forced him to make these rounds.

Claiming MJM was in on the shake down is the silliest thing I have ever heard of.

RodB will have his day in court. A jury will be empaneled who will swear to hear the facts and decide. The court and the press have to presume innocence. I don’t have to.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:20 pm
Anon 2:50 — nice to have you back Rebecca.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:20 pm
Anon,

The presumption of innocence only applies to the burden of proof in a criminal trial, not appearances on TV talk shows. I don’t have to give anyone the presumption of innocence unless I’m sitting on a jury.

Comment by ThreeSheets Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:21 pm
Three sheets, you are a very smart person. I understand your point, but a person deserves the opportunity to have his day in court before an impartial jury and to be judged on the facts. From the time he was arrested, this story has never been fairly reported. So, when I refer to the presumption of innocence, I’m speaking to the spirit of that phrase, not the literal interpretation.

Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:27 pm
===From the time he was arrested, this story has never been fairly reported.===

Yeah, sure. That’s it. Blame it on the media now.

Please.

This guy lies almost every time he opens his mouth. That’s not opinion. It’s a documented fact.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:30 pm
Anon,

What part of the story hasn’t been fairly reported? When was Blago denied the opportunity to hold a press conference and say whatever it is he wants to say to rebut the charges? He’s been on tons of TV shows, radio shows and got to make a speech at his impeachment hearing.

While complaining that this or that is out of context, he never once has explained the context. What is the context of “this thing is golden.” He doesn’t have to wait until he is in court. He can do that now.

What has he or his PR people been muzzled about?

No one disagrees he has the right to a fair trial with an impartial jury and no one will deny him that. But even if one concedes some general spirit of the presumption of innocence in the general public, that can be overcome by meeting the burden of proof.

The man played the state for years. He’s a con man, and all his PR stunts are more con.

Comment by ThreeSheets Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:39 pm
Michelle F, you’re spot on. Where can I get in line to be a victim, too?

Bonnie’s a cool chick and a tough broad who’s way too smart for TV. Fox Friends in the Morning, she ain’t.

Maybe she can join John Stewart and David Letterman as the best hard-new interviewers on TV.

Paddy Chayevsky and “Network.”? Dude, you had no idea.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:45 pm
And yet Rich Miller drones on calling exguv a blatant prevaricator - this after exguv made him a millionaire! No thanks, no appreciation, sheesh, the shame of it all.

Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:46 pm
I am a millionaire only by Sun-Times pension standards.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:49 pm
Eh, if the guy does not want to be prejudged, he can take his face/mouth off every media front he can find to splash it on.

I don’t want to read his version of anything in a book, nor hear ad nauseum ‘the truth will come out’, ‘it’s out of context’. Yeah, yeah, I get it, he’s innocent, innocent he tells us and will remain that way right up until a jury finds differenly. How much longer til that trial any way?

Comment by Cindy Lou Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:50 pm
And every interview after this one will get progressively tougher and tougher for G-Rod. Fingers crossed that he blames his fellow Democrats for leading him astray every time he goes on TV or radio interviews.

Comment by Okay Then... Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:53 pm
The reason we are seeing the Bonnie Hunts do better interviews with politicians is because their livelihood doesn’t depend on sucking up to politicians. Reporters have more at stake when asking political questions, so they are more cautious and more defferential.

No one is going to go up to Bonnie Hunt and tell her how disappointed they were with her interviews because they don’t expect her to do interviews that pass for news and analysis.

This is the danger politicians take on when they appear on shows like these.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:55 pm
Rich, before it’s over - if ever that time comes - we will enjoy your hand on the pulse of the Dead Guv Walking. Surely we’ll have a year or year and a half more to look forward to? Did you just say in the last post that this is your pension plan ? :O)

Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 3:57 pm
That last clip from the Trib site should give his lawyers pause when thinking about putting him on the stand. He’s got a seriously short fuse. Seems to me that getting under his skin makes for much better television than letting him blather on about “helping people.” You can only hope that future interviewers bother to have the facts to go at him.

Comment by And I Approved This Message Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 4:01 pm
I’d love to see him on the stand.

A talk show? Try a sharp-toothed, cross-examining prosecutor and a no-nonsense, been-around-the-block judge like Zagel.

Game over.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 4:18 pm
Wordslinger. That’s my point.

Comment by And I Approved This Message Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 4:22 pm
how about judge ann williams?

like bonnie hunt, a tough chicago woman.

Comment by been there Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 4:26 pm
Thank you Bonnie, good job getting under his skin.

I’ve grown tired of the usual Rod interview where he drones on and on and the interviewer just lets him go and doesn’t press too much. Bonnie was able to get him riled up and she made some good points that he really didn’t answer.

For those talking about him being treated unfairly or what has he done. Here’s an example. When he came in on his white horse and told us he was going to clean everything up, one of the things he did was create an annual ethics exam that ALL state employees take. Very simple, very common sense. It basically boiled down to telling you - if it’s improper, don’t do it, IF IT EVEN LOOKS OR SMELLS IMPROPER, DON’T DO IT. Lot’s of what has come out in the media looks like it was improperly done or has that smell.

So it was basically a do as I say, not as I do type of thing.

Comment by Concerned Voter Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 5:31 pm
I think since he hates Springfield so much they should move the trial down here so then he can really enjoy the city.

Comment by David Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 7:40 pm
Go Bonnie! Finally had a chance to see the clips.

Blagojevich had the opportunity to try to defend himself during the impeachment hearings. He could have called witnesses on his own behalf.

He didn’t.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Sep 11, 09 @ 9:55 pm
Putting him on the stand would be a death wish.

You would hear the following over and over from the judge: “Please answer the question, Mr. Blagojevich”.

A trial is just a bit different from a reality TV show…

Comment by Michael Saturday, Sep 12, 09 @ 5:18 am
I got to watch part of the show, and thought she did brilliantly. He was actually squirming in his seat!

OK, Rich, what about Tami Hoffman termination from HFS? Is this the beginning of “fumigation” or is still Blago-related?

Comment by Icebreaker Saturday, Sep 12, 09 @ 5:55 am
I always got a kick out of the fact that Bonnie Hunt actually has her own show, but that was good work. I loved it.

Also, I think VanillaMan makes an excellent point about tip-toeing around politicians. She can afford to ask the right questions.

Comment by The Intern Sunday, Sep 13, 09 @ 12:37 am