# Blago Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887 "2012-03-15T18:52:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/21 "2012-03-24T15:13:59Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’ll bet Obama pardons him on his way out of office. Either later this year (please, please, please) or at the latest in 2016 (Allah help us). No evidence, but I just have a hunch that a deal has been struck. It would explain Blago’s bizarre, cock-sure demeanor. And if Obama doesn’t pardon him, when can we expect your contrite apology for profoundly misjudging Obama’s character and, for that matter, his entire political career? (A consistent “Democratic” vote for the rest of your of your life should be sufficient evidence of your sincerity and contriteness in offering this apology, btw.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/22 "2012-03-24T15:24:01Z")
Sorry, dude; wrong forum. I’m not making a political argument here; if it came off that way, I apologize. I’m just trying to hypothesize about Blago’s apparently bizarre behavior, which I believe is pretty much on topic. ---
**Author:** ![Oldeb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@Oldeb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldeb)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/23 "2012-03-24T22:21:53Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > No evidence, but I just have a hunch that a deal has been struck. It would explain Blago’s bizarre, cock-sure demeanor. 😕 What possible deal could have been struck? Blago has never had anything Obama wanted. Considering “humble” has never been used to describe Blago, it’s not like his behavior has changed any. I guess it’s somewhat suprising in that you’d think a reasonable person would have learned something from all this and Blago doesn’t appear to, but it seems a pretty wild leap to somehow connect that to a presidential pardon. Cock-sure demeanor seems almost like a requisite for someone who tried to sell a Senate seat and extort campaign donations from a children’s hospital. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/24 "2012-03-26T16:10:16Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’ll bet Obama pardons him on his way out of office. Either later this year (please, please, please) or at the latest in 2016 (Allah help us). No evidence, but I just have a hunch that a deal has been struck. It would explain Blago’s bizarre, cock-sure demeanor. I’ve heard a rumbling of this, too…I know a guy who’s an Illinois State Trooper, and served for a time on Blago’s detail (back before Blago lost his job). Said trooper is quite convinced that a pardon is a done deal. I have to say, I’d be stunned if it were true – I can’t see what Obama would have to gain (personally and politically) by pardoning a guy whom most of the state can’t tolerate, and who has, AFAICT, absolutely zero political capital left. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/25 "2012-03-26T16:32:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I have to say, I’d be stunned if it were true – I can’t see what Obama would have to gain (personally and politically) by pardoning a guy whom most of the state can’t tolerate, and who has, AFAICT, absolutely zero political capital left. Nor do I. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/26 "2012-03-26T20:47:12Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > You can probably tell I’m not a fan. I’m sick of the helicopters, I’m sick of the reporters, I’m sick of the traffic back ups. But I do feel horrible for his girls. Amy just found out this week that[her high school is closing, too](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-15/news/ct-met-st.-scholastica-closing-0315-20120315_1_catholic-high-school-venerable-girls-wonderful-school). What a heck of a year for her. ☹ We must be neighbors. Yeah, the helicopters sent me over the top. I do feel bad for the girls. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/27 "2012-03-26T20:48:12Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Sorry, dude; wrong forum. I’m not making a political argument here; if it came off that way, I apologize. I’m just trying to hypothesize about Blago’s apparently bizarre behavior, which I believe is pretty much on topic. Drugs. Okay, that’s my guess. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/28 "2012-03-26T21:06:33Z")
I’m going to sound mean, but I don’t feel that bad for the girls. They’ve had a charmed existence until now, and they still have their mom and their well-connected grandpa, who I’m sure will prevent them from having to sleep under a viaduct. Sure, all this is upsetting to them, but there are loads of worse off kids. And their school is closing down? Pardon me, but at their age, I would’ve been cheering to have that happen. I realize some kids like their schools more than others, but it’s not like they won’t get an opportunity to go to school somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/29 "2012-03-26T21:11:19Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I’m going to sound mean, but I don’t feel that bad for the girls. > > …Pardon me, but at their age, I would’ve been cheering to have that happen. Word. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/30 "2012-03-26T21:17:05Z")
The suffering of other people does not negate the suffering of another person. These kids are losing their dad, their home and their schools all at once (Scholastica is closing, but word is the other daughter’s private tuition is possibly out of reach now). They’ve been waking up to cameras on their front lawn and helicopters in the sky above their home. That’s an incredible score in[Life Change Units](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale#Non-adults), and I just hope they’re being exceedingly well looked after, for their health. No, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even if there are starving children in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/31 "2012-03-26T21:57:40Z")
Last Friday I was waiting for a Montrose bus when the President’s helicopters flew over the neighborhood. A kid who was also waiting looked up at his mother and asked where Blago was going this time. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/32 "2012-03-27T00:47:30Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > The suffering of other people does not negate the suffering of another person. No, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even if there are starving children in Europe. I don’t wish this on them either, but while other people’s suffering doesn’t negate the suffering of these girls, it does influence how much empathy I personally feel toward them. Perhaps I’m just sick of hearing about how horrible it is what they’re going through. You can’t talk about what a shitheel Blago is without someone bringing them up. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/33 "2012-03-27T01:20:31Z")
For what it’s worth, a filler article in the Denver Post a few days ago mentioned that Blago will not be allowed to use hair dye in prison. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/34 "2012-03-27T02:07:38Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’ll bet Obama pardons him on his way out of office. Either later this year (please, please, please) or at the latest in 2016 (Allah help us). No evidence, but I just have a hunch that a deal has been struck. It would explain Blago’s bizarre, cock-sure demeanor. Are you speaking rhetorically, or do you actually want to bet? I’ll take that one in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/35 "2012-03-27T05:53:16Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > For what it’s worth, a filler article in the Denver Post a few days ago mentioned that Blago will not be allowed to use hair dye in prison. I would pay good money to see his prison hair cut. But not a lot of money, as I am a cheap bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/36 "2012-03-27T05:54:37Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Are you speaking rhetorically, or do you actually want to bet? I’ll take that one in a heartbeat. Strictly rhetorical. I’m not going to risk my actual cash, being an inveterate cheap bastard. It’s just a hunch. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/37 "2012-03-27T06:38:38Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Strictly rhetorical. I’m not going to risk my actual cash, being an inveterate cheap bastard. It’s just a hunch. You sure? I’ll give you two-to-one odds. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887/38 "2012-03-27T18:06:53Z")
WBBM reported this morning the house has been taken off the market. Patty thinks moving on top of everything else would be too much for the girls. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blago-questions/615887.md?page=1)