Blago is less likely to be pardoned than Ryan. Blago is young, his health is no reason to pardon. Ryan’s wife is a sympathetic figure and Durbin has aske for a pardon of Ryan for her sake.
Blago has been horribly arrogant. He made unilateral declarations like insisting all Seniors get free rides on CTA, without going through any process that got people on board with the idea. His politcal style of late as been holding his breath until he gets his way. We lost a huge amount of money because he refused to work with the legislature to put up matching funds. He has alienated many, many people in both parties. I don’t see why Obama would pardon him. I don’t see that Obama owes him anything but contempt. If anything, the dems in Illinois would be furious because pardoning Blago would send the message that he somehow was still deserving the support of the democratic party in illinois.
Because it was Obama’s seat it is perfectly acceptable to ask if he had any role or knowledge and it’s perfectly acceptable to demand that he be able to back any answer he gives with facts.
If his explination is sound, fine, if not, he needs to be accountable. Like everything else, we also need to ask why Obama and Dick Durbin were in so cozy with the G-Rod before.
If they didn’t know anything, I’d like to know WHY? Did Obama spend so much time and money not doing his job that he couldn’t see? Did Dick Durbin?
G-Rod has long been known to do things on the slick, like his force passage of free rides for Seniors on all Illinois public transit. While the goal was good, the method was awful. But Obama and Durbin, liked his methods then.
A year later the Chicago Transit is broke again, and we have fare increases. It’s obvious our elected people in Washington - Durbin and Obama don’t care and our governor G-Rod don’t care.
I guess you could blame them or blame the stupid voters, for electing such mediocre people like Obama, Durbin, Ryan and G-Rod to begin with
If his people were involved in getting Blagojevich busted, I think you have your answer.
I’m glad we’ve now proceeded to accusations (it saves time), but could you explain what “coziness” you’re referring to? What practices they should have been aware of and (according to you) weren’t? Otherwise, it sounds like you’re asking “What didn’t the president know, and when didn’t he know it?” Being ignorant that someone else is committing a crime is generally not a big sin. In any case it’s been well-known for a while that there was an ethics investigation going on over there.
No, it’s up to any prospective accusers to back up accusations with facts. Obama doesn’t even have to acknowledge their existence. As it stands, Obama is accused of absolutely nothing by the feds.
Explanation for what? What does he need to explain?
Accountable for WHAT, bro? What are you accusing him of? Please spell out a specific accusation and pony up your evidence.
Why would he be aware of anything, and what do you mean by “cozy?” What are you accusing Obama of? Please be specific with your accusations and please back them up with facts.
And it wasn’t like Obama spent any more time around Blago than he had to. The rest of the country may not be aware, but as a resident you should know that there are difficulties in the Illinois Decomrat Party at the moment, with a dwindling few on Blago’s side, some others on Mike Madigan’s side, and everybody else, especially national politicians, staying as far from it as they can.
serbs rarely have “good hair style” days. remember radovan with that really odd topknot thing? those that don’t go bald, have the most thick dense hair in the world. can’t do much with it except grow it long and go with a pony tail.
I should send a letter to Peter Fitzgerald thanking him for recommending Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation). He recommended him for his current position which lead him to spur today’s arrest. As far as I can tell, Peter Fitzgerald was not corrupt, and he was a good senator whom I profoundly disagreed with on many issues.
Blago tried to shake down the Trib and they never came through on their pay-off (McCormick is still there.)
He tried to shake down Children’s Memorial Hospital but they never paid up either.
And while under a known investigation he puts a Senate seat out to open bid.
The pathetic schlmiel of a goniff.
Meanwhile now the state of Illinois is looking at paying for a Special election (unless he resigns forthwith and his Lt Governor is able to appoint before it becomes necessary to vote on that) at who knows what cost on top of a huge budget shortfall. And the Dems in Congress are one vote farther from cloture until that election is held - which means a sizable chunk of Obama’s first hundred days.
If nothing else, this event is going to shine a brighter and hotter national spotlight on public corruption in Illinois than ever before in history. Some good is sure to come of that.
Speaking as an Illinois Dem, I absolutely loathe Gov. Blago. When news of his arrest hit school today, every single teacher was ecstatic that he had finally been nailed. And most of us are died-in-the-wool Democrats. Obama owes Blago nothing and that is exactly what Blago is going to get from him.
