Forums | MacLife

Illinois governor's words 'beyond greed'
Recordings stun political analysts with profanity, threats and demands

..

Why so brazen?
What is mystifying is why Blagojevich spoke so openly and so brazenly. He knew the feds were looking into his administration for the past three years for alleged hiring fraud; one of his top fundraisers has been convicted, another is awaiting trial. He even warned some associates not to use the phone because "everybody's listening ... You hear me?"

Blagojevich also is no neophyte. He was baptized in the nitty gritty of Chicago Machine politics and confirmed in back-room bargaining and big money deals. He spent years climbing the ladder, first as a state representative, then a congressman and finally governor. He was boosted to power by his father-in-law, Alderman Dick Mell, a veteran Democratic ward boss and longtime stalwart of the once mighty Machine.

And yet, in conversations recorded from late October to last week, Blagojevich seemed almost oblivious as he vented his frustrations about being "stuck" as governor, complained of "struggling" financially, and allegedly talked of using the Senate appointment to land a lucrative job in the private sector, or even an ambassadorship or a Cabinet post.

"It's about greed," said Don Rose, a longtime political strategist in Chicago. "He's got to be completely off his rocker to be talking like that at a time when he knows the feds are looking at him. ... He's out there like he's talking to his wife in bed."
..

"I'm going to keep this Senate option open for me as a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain," he is quoted as saying. "You hear what I'm saying. And if I don't get what I want and I'm not satisfied with it, then I'll just take the Senate seat myself."

...to rehabilitate his public image from his current ~16% approval rating to good enough for a potential Presidential run in '16. Delusional.


Edit. On YT: Blagojevich Yesterday: "Tape My Conversations"

Last edited by Bat (2008-12-10 1:42 am)

Apparently he still has the power to appoint a new senator. He should openly do it for money just as a smurf you to the fuzz.

I don't think the senate has to accept who he chooses.

LLEVIATHANN wrote:

E-bay

Some people have put this on eBay.  No, I'm not going to look it up for you.

And, the honeymoon is over. The GOP is going after Obama on his connections with this guy:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/12/1 … ml?ref=rss

Hank Rearden wrote:

And, the honeymoon is over. The GOP is going after Obama on his connections with this guy:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/12/1 … ml?ref=rss

And apparently Obama is calling for this guy's resignation.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 … to-resign/

Awesome! Simultaneous post.

ABC confirms that "Senate Candidate #5" in the FBI affidavit is Jesse Jackson, Jr.

bedstuy wrote:

Wow.  I'm also reading that Blago is a former prosecutor.  What IS it with Chicago.  I thought Philadelphia was bad because we had a member of City Hall jump off the 550 ft tower a few years ago.

Are you kidding? Chicago has long been known for its "broken legs" politics. That's why this clown talked so brazenly about taking payoffs. It's the way things are done there. He was probably genuinely surprised at his own arrest, despite knowing about the investigations.

It is interesting that Obama largely managed to escape unscathed. I have no doubt that he probably had to pull some questionable moves to get ahead in that town.

Works for the Republicans.

bedstuy wrote:

What IS it with Chicago.

It's all that recycled Lake Michigan water or all the smurf that floats down from Milwaukee. Not sure which.

Local radio host says we should just put bars on the Governor's mansion and be done with it. LOL'd @ that.

Last edited by LLEVIATHANN (2008-12-10 2:53 pm)

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned just how ugly this guy is. His hair is terrible (toupee?), and his eyes are too close together and too small for his massive cheeks.