Definitely. And it really didn’t help that the Republicans had so much infighting during their primary that two of their members were formally rebuked by the IL GOP for their ads attacking Topinka! Meanwhile Topinka had been the only Republican elected to a statewide office in that last term, so the GOP overall was seen as nasty, weak, fighting amongst themselves, and without a real focus or mission. So Mr. Ethics, turned Mr. Big Ideas, Bad Followthrough (and maybe some “Business as Usual” on top of that) didn’t seem sooooo bad.
Win!
The Illinois Republic Party is totally ineffectual. They’re the morons who nominated Alan Keyes to run against Obama in 2004, remember?
It’s a shame, because I would definitely consider voting for a decent Republican against Blagojevich, and I’ve never voted for a Republican in my life.
Hmmm…
Illinois politician? Check.
“Change”? Check.
No, it must be a coincidence. I’ll know for sure four years from now.
Not only did the Republicans look bad because of the corruption, they seemed to have forgotten how to raise money without the bribes being funneled in via the DMV. Right after Ryan was jailed, there were many stories about how the republicans had no money.
On top of that, as has been pointed out, the only Republican not tainted by scandal chose a complete dickwad as a running mate.
To be fair, the reason they had Keyes running is because Jack Ryan, who seemed like a viable candidate, though a complete mannerless dick, was revealed to have not been satisfied by getting to bank 7 of 9, but wanted to do so in public and they divorced over it. I call him a mannerless dick because of that and his paying a videographer to closely follow Obama all the time. They asked Da Coach, but in after some introspection, he decided that his temper meant he was not the best choice for senator. That left no one local who had money and wanted to try to run against Obama, who was a rock star, a media darling, and, as revealed by his handling of the intrusive videographer, cool as the underside of the pillow. A loss was likely and they wanted to nurse their strength to run for governor.
You can’t really be this simple-minded, can you?
Well, the Pubbies MUST be weak because they were beaten by the Dems, who couldn’t come up with anyone better than Blowjobovich to run for governor. You just KNOW the guy turns into the foul-mouthed troll from the tapes (shaking down a CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL?) as soon as the cameras were off him. The Illinois Dem party HAD to know what filthy scum they were running for governor, but apparently it didn’t bother them one bit. This speaks VOLUMES to me about the state of Illinois’ politics.
Didn’t bother them? His own Lt. Governor has wanted to oust him for over a year, and with a Dem-controlled Congress they’ve had a hell of a time passing a budget only for him to backstab them at every turn by springing his own Big Noble (and Expensive) Ideas on them. If it’s not screwing up the local mass transit group’s budget by forcing free rides for seniors on them, it’s something else. He did just enough Big Noble Ideas during his first term for me to think of him as at least well-meaning; turns out he was just aiming for his next, higher office. A couple of years ago, there was an article that suggested that Blago had been hoping for a Presidential run after this term, but then Obama’s popularity exploded and Blago was pissed at him for getting all the attention. Now I believe it!
No, I was being surly. Relax.
Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh. Ok, I’m relaxed. Now what’s this surly business. 
(I’m guessing I missed a whoosh – fair enough, it won’t be the first time…)
This surly business is me writing the last papers of my college career while pulling an all-nighter, a time-honored tradition.
You weren’t whooshed, although I was being facetious. I do find it absolutely amazing that Barack Obama could be a politician in Illinois and not get the Daley filth on him, though. That has to be a first.
NNNNoooooooo! Rod, stick it out! You are comedy gold. You are comedy platinum!
Ok, so the people of Il will have to suffer… but the rest of us gain! And they’ll just elect another felon anyway.
I would have a different opinion if you could start a war, or ruin the economy, or arrest and torture terrorist suspects. But Rod is just a two-bit embezzler with an unmatchable style.
You know, I was planning on posting to this thread, and pointing out that, had Blagojevich been a Republican, the Board would have been full of condemnations of the Republicans in general. But since he’s a Dem, everyone correctly criticizes only him, realizing that he’s a individual scumbag, nothing more.
I was. But I see that the fond conceit that “my side” will behave reasonably is … misplaced.
Congratulations. You win the “I’m trying really hard to be clever and teach people stuff, but instead I come across as a silly partisan dumbass” award.
Because when a party consistently collectively claims that ruthlessness and selfishness are good, and that compassion and scruples are weak, and it’s members actually DO behave in a ruthless, greedy, amoral fashion - it DOES reflect on the party when an individual acts exactly as one would expect from a group like that.
Just as a religious nut Republican reflects on the party and a Democratic religious nut doesn’t reflect on the Democrats, or a racist nut reflects on the Republican and a Democratic racist doesn’t reflect on the Democrats - those aren’t things the Democrats stand for and encourage, but they are what the Republicans stand for and encourage. What’s an abberation in one party, is the norm in the other.
Lowering the bar? Illinois has a long proud tradition of corruption and sending all manner public figures to prison, from governors to judges (Operation Greylord). We like corruption! It gives us endless hours of entertainment to try to guess who is going to be next.
My fear is that Blags has RAISED the corruption bar so high that all future scandals will pale in comparison. How do you top his act?
Bah. The Illinois residents know that government corruption is a bipartisan agenda in this state. 
If you read EC’s comment carefully, you see he condemns the IL Dems for allowing Blagojevich to run/be nominated, claiming they must have known what a sleaze he was.
Dude. We turn out just as many dirty politicians as the Republicans do. Don’t bother turning this into a “But THEY…”-off, m’kay?
For my part, I’ve got to say that I’m a huge fan of Blag…Blago… the Governor’s Lego-man hairstyle.
The unfortunate event occurred during the 2002 primary, when Blagojevich defeated one of the few politicians in the state who may have a smidgen of integrity, Paul Vallas. But Blago had the connections and amassed the big war chest, and sad to say, in Illinois running a boat-load of slimy attack ads is still the most sure-fire way to get elected.
The Illinois Republican Party has never recovered from George Ryan, and in any case is part of the same “bipartisan combine” (as John Kass puts it) as Blago and Daley. The politicians stick up for each other–that’s why Durbin thinks Ryan is a swell guy whom Bush should spring from jail.
In my acceptance speech, I plan to thank you, who by completely misunderstanding my post made it possible for me to win this award.