Scandal in Illinois

Highly Unlikey — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:30:04 GMT

Many stories were written about the connections between Bush and people like Jack Abramoff and Scotter Libby. But there are no degrees of separation between Obama and Blagojevich. Each supported the other in their election and re-election bids. Both worked closely on tax policy for Illinois and on defeating the Republicans during the Obama Senate bid. The personal dirt dug up on Obama's opponent during his 2004 Senate run came right from Blagojevich's office. So lets see if our national disgrace of a media follows up on any stories that connect Obama to the corruption in Illinois.

Scandal in Illinois

Kathy, Pinellas Park, Florida — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:31:27 GMT

This is another reason why most Americans hate politics and want change. The Gov. deserves a trial but I think he should be asked to step aside until that's over.

Poor President Elect Obama ... can he even get a break before he takes office?

Scandal in Illinois

jerry/corpus christi texas — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:33:34 GMT

I would not be surprised if barack Obama was involved in this. Obama has shown he would trade earmarks for campaign contributions and I think as the investigation continues, his name will come up more and more.

Barack Obama has learned well when it comes to being as sleazy as The Clintons....

Scandal in Illinois

Pat, Boston, MA — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:33:55 GMT

Our kind of town - Chicago is.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE - DEWEY BEATS TRUMAN

When we think of Chicago/Springfield/Illinois - we think of Abraham Lincoln, Wrigley Field, Ernie Banks, Harry Caray (disco demolition night), Oprah Winfrey, '85 Bears, Michael Jordan, '68 Democratic Convention, 1960 Nixon/JFK Presidential Election hi-jinks, Eddie Stanky, Phil Donahue, Mike Royko, Mayor Richard Daley, long suffering Cubs fans, Studs Terkel, Bobby Hull, Chicago fire, Al Capone, Bob Newhart and Barack Obama. A true American city.

Governor Adlai Stevenson- 1900-1965. One of the really really good guys to come out of Illinois. Sophisticated, interesting, very very intelligent. Although not born in Illinois, nevertheless, when we think of him, we think of Illinois. Always. His grandfather was Vice President of the United States under President Grover Cleveland (1893-1897). Adlai served one term as Illinois Governor, having been elected in 1948 in a landslide victory. He also served as Ambassador to the United States from 1961 to 1965.

From Wikipedia:

"Adlai Stevenson moment," a reference to the famous televised confrontation between the US ambassador to the UN and his Soviet counterpart, Valerian Zorin, during the Cuban missile crisis. On October 25, 1962, Stevenson asked Zorin if the USSR was installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. Zorin took umbrage. "I am not in an American courtroom, sir, and I do not wish to answer a question put to me in the manner in which a prosecutor does." Stevenson persisted: "You are in the courtroom of world opinion right now, and you can answer yes or no." When Zorin continued to demur, Stevenson fired off the memorable line: "I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over, if that is your decision."

After he lost the 1952 election many people who voted against him wrote Stevenson letters expressing admiration for him. Again the Democratic Party's nominee for President in 1956, he received the largest popular vote of any losing candidate in American history.

Words Stevenson spoke at a memorial service for Winston Churchill January 28, 1965, at Washington's National Cathedral, can serve as his own epitaph as well: "We shall hear no longer the remembered eloquence and wit, the old courage and defiance, the robust serenity of indomitable faith. Our world is thus poorer, our political dialogue is diminished and the sources of public inspiration run more thinly for all of us. There is a lonesome place against the sky."

“Shall we see his like again?” Walter Lippmann asked amid the outpouring of grief and national introspection that followed the July 14, 1965, death of Adlai Stevenson.

btw, Adlai was a cousin of McLean Stevenson, Col. Blake of M*A*S*H.

So here's to Chicago. A great American city who has given this country much much more than just political corruption. And a city by the way that everyone I have spoken to list as the #1 city they love to visit.

Cheers.

Scandal in Illinois

ujw, ny — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:36:54 GMT

I can't see how Gov. Blagojevich is going to gain either politically or financially unless he can sucessfully bribe U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald at this point.

Scandal in Illinois

SANDRA — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:38:50 GMT

I AM SICK OF THIS EVERY TIME SOMEONE GETS IN TROUBLE THE MEDIA AND THE MSM DO A JOB PUTTING PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA IN THE PICTURE . I AM SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING THEY WANT TO DERAIL OBAMA'S PLANS AND PUT A CLOUD OVER PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA'S DAY JAN 20 2009 . I BELIEVE NOTHING SHOULD STOP THAT GREAT DAY , LET MORNING JOE CNN AND FOX NOISE WARE THEIR SELF OUT WITH THIS NEWS SPECIAL THEY ARE RUNNING UNTIL SOMETHING ELSE CATCHING THEIR EYE.

Scandal in Illinois

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:38:56 GMT

Get rid of the bum. I feel for the people of Ill., but wonder why this guy was elected twice????????? Can I get a reply from Chicago?????????

Scandal in Illinois

Dave — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:42:21 GMT

Tom Friedman is absolutely correct regarding the foolishness of this "bailout"....investing tax payer money into our auto companies is like investing billions into a typewriter company in the age of the personal computer!!!!!

Scandal in Illinois

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:49:02 GMT

Republicans are creaming their pants with glee over this one, hoping that this somehow taints Obama's presidency (yeah, he'll still be president on January 20th so GET OVER IT).

While Blogo's acts are beyond reprehensible (the guy's got to be the dumbest SOB on the planet), and I hope that he gets a well deserved foot up his a55, this certainly doesn't rise to the level of...

- Ignoring intelligence of an impending attack on 9/11/01, or hustling the family of the mastermind of the attack out of the country before they could be questioned.

- Misleading the public on WMDs in Iraq, and ignoring the pre-war intel that said they didn't exist there.

- Outing a CIA agent because her husband criticised the administration's move to go to war with Iraq.

- Various grotesqueries and torture of prisoners at Gitmo and Abu Gharde.

- Illegal wiretapping of American citizens.

- Rounding up and imprisoning American citizens, then designating them "enemy combatants" so that they can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge.

- Hiring a rogue security outfit and cutting them loose in Iraq where they kill innocent civilians simply because they can.

- Being responsible for the deaths of over 4000 soldiers, and countless other civilians, not to mention thousands upon thousands of other soldiers who've come home permanently disabled because of a war that was unnecessary.

So have your feel good moment, Republicans. Just keep in mind when you're keeping score of the partisan sleeze-bombs, your guys are way ahead in this game.

41 Days Until Inauguration Day!
http://jawillie.blog.com
(don't worry, more blog entries coming soon)

Scandal in Illinois

CT Kathie — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:09:18 GMT

so much for the gleam of the 2nd city. I remember talk right after the election about the renaissance of Chicago and how it would take on a much more important role as the political center of America. I actually started thinking about it as an interesting vacation destination.

Now Obama probably wishes he was from Alaska or some godforsaken place like that.

Scandal in Illinois

Reality Bites — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:10:15 GMT

Poor President Elect Obama ... can he even get a break before he takes office?
------------------------------------------------
What a joke. The guy has been on a two year break from any real press scrutiny. If more people did some honest reporting, then some of the rosy glow in Obama supporters' eyes would fade.

Scandal in Illinois

Seattle Sue — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:11:32 GMT

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv++++I don't know why Blagojevich was elected twice anymore than I know why G.W. Bush was elected twice. I suppose that a lot of people in our country can be fooled.

Scandal in Illinois

Gilman Chatsworth, Blairsville GA — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:23:44 GMT

Cindy,

As a former Illinoisan, I can tell you that the Republicans couldn't find a reasonable candidate to oppose him. Judy Baar Topinka was never going to get it done in an election, due to the fracture in the Illinois republican party between moderates and hard-core conservatives. Blago was the first democratic governor in awhile, and his election did damage to the morale of the repubs.

Scandal in Illinois

eagle1776 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:29:10 GMT

Of course the President-Elect is not involved in this but the Republicans and the hate mongers of conservative talk radio are drooling over the possibility of even a teeny tiny little bit that they can blow out of proportion. The fact is that there are crooks and scoundrels on both sides of the political spectrum. The GOP had a few bad weeks and now it is time for the Democrats to have their bad days. Part of doing business and making changes means to clear the scum off the top of the political pond.

There will be more scum from both sides before it is all over and that scum will be eliminated.

Unfortunately we, the people, must take part of the blame. We elected the scum in the first place, and have not held them accountable. People pay attention only a week or two before an election and then go on about their mundane lives meanwhile the public is taken for a ride by the very scum bags we see surfacing in guys like Jefferson, Blogo, Foley, Stevens etc.

Scandal in Illinois

WAS RAHM EMANUEL INVOLVED WITH THE GOVERNOR ? ... — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:06 GMT

THIS STATEMENT BY THE THE FBI ABOUT CHICAGO POLITICAL CORRUPTION:

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge in Chicago Robert Grant said he was asked by reporters when he first started the investigation "whether or not Illinois is the most corrupt state in the United States."

"And I didn't answer that question, yes or no, and I can't answer that question today. I don't have 49 other states to compare it with.But I can tell you one thing: If it isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, its certainly one hell of a competitor," he said.

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ARE YOU PROUD TO KNOW THAT OUR NEW PRESIDENT WAS PART OF THIS POLITICAL SYSTEM?
DOES IT INSPIRE YOUR CONFIDENCE THAT HE WILL DO THE RIGHT THING?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE APPLE DOES NOT FALL FAR FROM THE TREE?
DO YOU THINK SPECIAL AGENT ROBERT GRANT WILL BE FIRED OR FORCED TO RETIRE?

Scandal in Illinois

Sean Joliet, Illinois — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:37:32 GMT

Cindy in Las Vegas: here's a reply from not Chicago, who aren't the only people who elect our Governor, but an Illinoisan. We had 25 years of corrupt republican governors, who demanded that if you wanted a state job or to keep your state job, you had to give to their campaign; or if you wanted a state contract, give to their campaign. George Ryan was a very corrupt man from the day he entered politics in Kankakee, Illinois. Blago won reelection in 2006 because voters were still hung over by years of these scandals and political intimidation; and Blago's corruption was only a rumor. Plus he had a very weak opponent. Myself, I switched party lines to support his opponent.
What Blago has done sickens me. But understand that in Illinois, both parties are no different in levels or corruption and it is not confined to just Chicago, it's statewide. Thankfully we have Pat Fitzgerald representing the area and bringing this to light. If Fitzgerald was your area's federal prosecutor how well your elected leaders fare. Corruption is everywhere.
Illinois has a history of good honest leaders; from Lincoln to Stevenson, from Paul Simon to the man he endorsed before his death: Obama.

Scandal in Illinois

Chris - IL — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:41:29 GMT

Blagojevich has been a yet another shameful Gov. for the state of Illinois. How was he elected twice? Well, the previous republican governor is currently in federal prison. Blago's re-election in 2006 came at a time when Bush was already giving republican's a bad name, and the stench from George Ryan was still fresh in the air. And the allogations about Blago were just starting during the 2006 campaign. Many of us assumed that much of it was just typical dirty politics trying to make him look worse than he was (while we now find out he is far worse than probably anyone imagined!).

Was it a mistake to re-elect Blagojevich? Absolutely! I think it speaks to human nature to try to avoid the party that is perceived as being responsible for fostering a scandal or failed leadership. Note how even previously well liked and well respected republicans lost elections in the 2008 cycle.

I will be writing my state representatives this week to let them know that I support an effort to prevent Blago from appointing our Senator. And I also support impeachment proceedings. While I agree that people are innocent until proven guilty, there is no way he can effectively lead the state of Illinois while this is going on.

It is hard to imagine that with all we've seen so far, he isn't guilty. But the courts will decide that. In the meantime, we need to get him out of office so our state can continue to function while the case goes to court.

Scandal in Illinois

Diane from Illinois — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:19:50 GMT

Get rid of the bum. I feel for the people of Ill., but wonder why this guy was elected twice????????? Can I get a reply from Chicago?????????
cindy, Las Vegas, Nv
******************************************************
Because he was going to "clean up" the corrpution the last Governor (George Ryan) created. I honestly think the power goes to their heads once they're elected. People treat them differently because of their positions and they get use to it. Then they expect it. Next, they demand it. This just doesn't happen in Illinois. It happens in every state. Just happens to be our turn.

Scandal in Illinois

Michael MacDonald, Ann Arbor, Mich. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:27:57 GMT

Gov. Blagojevich complains in taped conversations that Obama and his team will not entertain his corrupt demands; Patrick Fitzgerald says there is no evidence of an Obama connection. Nevertheless, the press frantically hints that there must be and as the comments above show, many people are ready to believe Obama is involved, no matter what the evidence shows. Another journalistic triumph.

Scandal in Illinois

marty,columbia,s.c. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:31:23 GMT

Remember GWB was elected twice, I voted for him the first time, knew he wasnt my guy the second time around. I dont know why the American people think that being stubborn or just plain admitting they were wrong is a bad thing. So i dont know why they would elect him the second time around. We know why all the dems endorsed him (politics). Now we should just let Patrick Fitzgerald do his job and bring out all the dirt he can, and I trust him to do that , no matter where it leads. I also trust PE Obama will be left out of the equation.
marty

Scandal in Illinois

Sick of the Gov., IL — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:34:47 GMT

Well, Blitheringidiot didn't get my vote the second time! I admit I voted for him the first time, but after seeing his actions, and his refusal to move to Springfield I was done with him. He thinks Chicago is the capitol of Illinois and it's not. However, since Chicago has more population than the rest of the state put together, the have a lot of clout. Blitheringidiot LOST in Southern Illinois but Chicagoans pulled him through. He should resign, but probably won't. What stuns me is the sheer arrogance and greed of the man! He KNEW he was being taped, but just didn't care. What an idiot!

Scandal in Illinois

Warrior, Corpus Christi — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:54:21 GMT

Get over it Jerry, your candidate LOST! Your ignorant rants impress no one but you!

Scandal in Illinois

shirley,los banos,ca. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:00:19 GMT

Fitzgerald made all these bold headlines during the valarie plame mess,and who went to jail?scooter libby,no one else.Don't get too excited about this man,he likes to grandstand,then does nothing.