'She Made Obama!'

If you need a reason why Rod Blagojevich should be locked up in a mental institution rather than prison, look no further.

As if she weren't powerful enough, Rod Blagojevich seriously considered asking Chicago heavyweight Oprah Winfrey to take over the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

"Nobody would assail this pick," he says in tapes recorded on Nov. 21, 2008. "It's huge!"

Winfrey undoubtedly looked like an attractive candidate for senate, despite her lack of political experience. She's perhaps the most recognizable figure from Chicago, she's black -- a trait Blagojevich highly favored -- and she has clout among legislators.

"She's a kingmaker!" Blagojevich says. "She made Obama!"

And she's been watching her audience abandon her since.

But even Blagojevich understood that she might not be willing to serve.

"Oprah is not far-fetched," Blagojevich contends. Then he concedes, "The odds of her f----ing taking it are slim to none."

Just Another Day in Chicagoland Politics

Very curious. Kind of makes you think some folks are a bit worried about what the former governor might blab about.

Authorities are investigating the theft of several computers and a safe from the law offices of attorneys for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. According to the Chicago Tribune, the computers contained evidence in Blagojevich's corruption case.

Chicago police said eight computers and a safe were stolen Friday from the South Side offices of attorneys Sam Adam and his son, Sam Adam Jr.

According to the Chicago Tribune, at least one of the computers carried copies of secret wiretap recordings made in the corruption case against the ousted governor.

The burglars set off an alarm but got away and, as of Friday afternoon, authorities had no suspects in the burglary.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office declined to comment on the incident or the fact that evidence in the case apparently has been compromised.

Where was Rahm Emanuel today?

Blago Pal Suddenly Assumes Room Temperature

How convenient. A major figure in the Blagojevich fiasco suddenly assumed room temperature:

Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's former chief fundraiser died Saturday at a Chicago hospital, a hospital spokesman said.

Christopher Kelly, 51, arrived at Cook County's Stroger hospital by ambulance at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., said spokesman Marcel Bright.

Bright did not know whether Kelly was conscious when he arrived in the emergency room or where he was transported from. He said the body was still at the hospital, but was to be taken to the morgue where an autopsy was to be performed.

Kelly, a suburban roofing contractor, was Blagojevich's longtime fundraiser and had been indicted on three separate federal cases, including the one that alleges Blagojevich sought to sell or trade President Obama's former seat in the U.S. Senate.

Let me guess....he committed suicide by shooting himself in the back of the head three times....He hung himself and then tied his own hands behind his back.

Don't be surprised if you find out later that his autopsy is "inconclusive" and then his remains are cremated immediately.

And one less guy will be around to sing like a canary about Blago and the Machine. Funny how that always seems to happen in Chicago.

Ah yes, the Chicago Way.

More:

Kelly raised millions of dollars for Blagojevich's campaigns and was among his closest advisers. He had pleaded not guilty to charges included in the federal indictment alleging Blagojevich sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.

Kelly, who admittedly loved to gamble and ran up big debts at Las Vegas casinos and elsewhere, was part of Blagojevich's tight inner circle along with convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko. Rezko is believed to be cooperating with federal prosecutors after being convicted of taking part in a $7 million payoff scheme.

Kelly was due to report next Friday to start serving a three-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges that included writing off thousands of dollars in gambling debts as business expenses.

Hmmm. Another Tony Rezko associate suddenly dead.

Obama Pal Indicted On Federal Corruption Charges

All the President's Men

That shining exemplar of Chicago machine politics, Rod Blagojevich.

Obama was too busy kissing Saudi royal ass to comment.

Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and five others were indicted Thursday on charges of scheming to auction off President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat, pressuring a congressman for campaign money and lying to FBI agents. The 19-count indictment alleges Blagojevich and his aides discussed the possibility he could get a Cabinet post in the new president's administration, substantial fundraising assistance or a high-paying job in exchange for the Senate seat.

Obama's Deputy Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, said the White House would not comment.

Yeah, probably too busy catching up on his basketball picks.

Also swept up were Blago's brother and four others. I'm sure Obama has no connection whatsoever to them. Except for his close connections to them.

The sweeping indictment comes four months after Blagojevich was arrested and charged with engaging in pay-to-play politics in a major federal complaint that accused him of trading state jobs, contracts and regulatory favors for campaign contributions.

The criminal complaint charged Blagojevich with attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama and seeking the firing of Tribune editorial writers in return for state help on the sale of Wrigley Field. The ballpark and newspaper are owned by Tribune Co.

While those allegations are repeated in today's charges, the 19-count indictment also includes allegations that convicted insider Antoin "Tony" Rezko steered real estate commissions to former first lady Patti Blagojevich despite her performing no work and paid cash to Monk for a car and home improvements. The indictment claims Blagojevich attempted to extort a U.S. congressman for campaign cash by withholding a $2 million state grant to a public school in the congressman's district.

All told, the ex-governor faces 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy and lying to federal agents. The government is seeking forfeiture of $188,370 from Blagojevich and will try to take his Ravenswood Manor home if needed.

Rezko, of course, helped Obama buy his house, but the media is curiously uninterested in him.

Try not to laugh while reading this.

Gov. Pat Quinn offered his reaction at a quick news conference after stepping off a plane at O'Hare International Airport.

"This is a very sad day for the people of our state the people of Illinois are entitled to honest government all the time, the charges today are very, very serious. The defendants are entitled to their day in court, we believe in that in America. The people of Illinois are entitled to honest government that works for them 24 hours a day every day, that's what I'm committed to, that's why I was sworn in, I think, 9 weeks ago," Quinn said.

Roland Burris and the Chicago Way: 'Who Walks Away From $1.2 Million?'

It didn't take long for the skeletons in Roland Burris' closet to start coming out.

Roland Burris, Illinois' newest senator, likes to talk about his years of service to the people of the state and his steadfast refusal to engage in the politics of favors.

He rarely discusses one milestone in his long public career: a record $800,000 campaign loan he received in his 2002 run for governor. Nor is he quick to mention the man who made the loan, businessman Joseph Stroud, who provided most of Burris' financial support—$1.57 million in all—for that failed bid.

So why did this businessman go to Burris?

The businessman made it clear he had called on Burris, then a private citizen, because of Burris' political résumé. "There is an appropriate person to go to who was formerly a state attorney general here in Illinois, I believe, to properly secure prosecution of a crime," he testified in the ex-employee's lawsuit.

Burris testified that Stroud's contributions bought him no special access and he denied an allegation in the suit that Stroud had offered Burris $20,000 if the former employee were charged with eavesdropping because of tape recordings she made.

So how much total was "loaned"?

During Burris' campaign, Stroud's support accounted for more than 70 percent of Burris' political fund. The $800,000 loan remains the biggest single gubernatorial contribution since records went online in 1994, state elections officials said.

Stroud made a second loan of $400,000, of which Burris repaid $6,000, for a total of about $1.2 million in loans to Burris' gubernatorial race, state election records show. Stroud also provided $375,000 in cash and in-kind donations like airtime on WJYS, billboard ads and staff.

Politicians don't always repay campaign loans, but the amount of outstanding debt in Burris' case brought scrutiny from Illinois legislators last month when he appeared at a hearing over former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's possible impeachment.

Burris has yet to pay back a dime of these loans.

You try not paying back $1.2 million in loans to somebody and see what happens. Perhaps there were some favors involved?

"Who walks away from $1.2 million?" Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) said in a recent interview, later adding, "It's just human nature to think that with a loan of this nature that there is a monetary and a personal indebtedness to this individual."

Asked about Stroud at the time of the donations, Burris only would say he is a "friend," telling reporters, "That's all you need to know."
Burris met Stroud at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Burris said in civil-suit testimony. He said he helped to place Stroud's wife, Yvonne, on the board of the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Curious how most of the MSM is ignoring this story .

Beck Holds Blago’s Feet to the Fire, Pt. 2 (VIDEO)

Tonight Glenn Beck aired part two of his showdown with impeached Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich. Note to MSM: Why can't you ask questions like Glenn did?



That was some kind of fun. By the way, I didn't know Blago was in the stimulus package? Wow!

Beck Holds Blago's Feet to the Fire (VIDEO)

Today on Glenn Beck's show, Blago continued his magical mystery media tour, and unlike his other appearances, the interviewer this time (Glenn) actually didn't lob softballs at him. Tomorrow is part 2 of Glenn's interview, so we'll post that one then.



Here are my two favorite screen caps.





I love Beck's honest facial expressions. Priceless!

Blago Really Is Crazy: He Considered Oprah For Senate Seat

I now agree with all the Democrats in Illinois. Rod Blagojevich is clearly insane. Although I will note she is a political heavyweight.

Illinois' beleaguered Gov. Rod Blagojevich said today that when he was deciding who would take President Obama's Senate seat he considered appointing talk show queen Oprah Winfrey.

Blagojevich made the revelation to Diane Sawyer this morning on "Good Morning America" on the day his impeachment trial begins. That trial is expected to toss him out of office.

The governor said that Oprah's name came up as a potential successor to Obama in the Senate. "She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way to become president," Blagojevich said. Blagojevich added that "she had a much broader bully pulpit than a lot of senators."

His consideration of Oprah was tempered, he suggested, by that fact that "she probably wouldn't take it, and then if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way it wasn't a gimmick to embarass her."

Oprah had endorsed Obama's presidential bid and showcased his candidacy on her show.

Blago's impeachment trial begins today but he won't be showing up for that. He's going to milk his final week in office for all it's worth by making the gabfest rounds.

Blagojevich's appearance on "GMA" was part of the governor's media blitz on the day that his impeachment trial is to begin in Springfield, Ill. -- without him. Blagojevich has already conceded that he will probably be convicted of corruption charges, but is refusing to resign or to attend the trial to defend himself. Instead, he is scheduled to appear on "GMA," ABC's "The View," the "Today" show, and "Larry King Live."

On the other hand, he'll be the sanest person on The View.

Blago: 'Dec. 9 to my Family, To Us, To Me, Is What Pearl Harbor Day Was to the United States'

Dude, do you really want people to take you seriously? You brought this mess on yourself, and now to compare it to a vicious sneak attack on the United States is just a little overboard.

I guess we shold now wait for the inevitable compariosn to 9/11.

Illinois' embattled but defiant governor turned to the history books to describe the emotional strain on him and his family, comparing his arrest last month to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Dec. 9 to my family, to us, to me, is what Pearl Harbor Day was to the United States," Gov. Rod Blagojevich told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday. "It was a complete surprise, completely unexpected. And just like the United States prevailed in that, we'll prevail in this."

The two-term Democrat, speaking on a snowy sidewalk outside the office of one of his attorneys, said there was no chance he would resign before the start of his impeachment trial in the state Senate next week.

"I'm going to fight this to the very end," he said.

'It's Our Duty to Clean Up the Mess and Stop the Freak Show That's Become Illinois Government'

Good luck with that. If the freak show ever ended Springfield would be a ghost town.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has betrayed the public trust and should be removed from office, top lawmakers said Friday as the Illinois House opened debate on whether to impeach the governor, an unprecedented step in state history.

House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said Blagojevich has "forfeited his right to hold office. He should be impeached."

She noted that he hasn't given the people of Illinois an explanation for the corruption charges filed against him by federal prosecutors that include allegations he schemed to profit from his power to name President-elect Barack Obama's replacement in the Senate.

It will take a simple majority vote to impeach the second-term governor. If he is impeached, Blagojevich would then face a trial in the Senate. If convicted there, he would be removed from office.

Republican leader Tom Cross was one of many lawmakers who called the Blagojevich scandal "an embarrassment" that has made Illinois a national laughingstock.

"It's our duty to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that's become Illinois government," said Rep. Jack D. Franks, a Democrat.

Lawmakers hope the proceedings will help improve the state's reputation.

My advice to Blagojevich is simple. Make impeachment your legacy and cash in like Bill Clinton. Also, move to New York and have your wife run for the Senate in 2010.

All in the Family: Mrs. Blago Gets a Cushy Job

The deal making in Chicago just keeps on keeping on. Patti Blagojevich has herself a job, care of a business associate of Roland Burris.

Her job? Raise money to repay a state-backed deal.

"Why did the Chicago Christian Industrial League hire Patti Blagojevich?

“Who better than the first lady of Illinois?’’ said Judy McIntyre, the charity’s former executive director, who hired the governor’s wife five months ago. “Here’s someone whose name would be immediately recognizable and would open doors.’’

The charity needed money to repay a $10.8 million it obtained from ShoreBank with help from the Illinois Finance Authority — a state agency created by Blagojevich’s husband — to build a $25 million homeless shelter.

“Everyone knew we were looking for someone to raise money because of the debt,’’ McIntyre said. “They only raise about $1 million a year, they need to raise $2 million.’’

Blagojevich is paid $100,000 under a one-year contract that began Sept. 1.

$100,000 for a year's worth of making a few phone calls and putting the arm on some rich people? Nice work if you can get it. So how did this part-time real estate agent get such a prime assignment?

Gery Chico, who was another potential Senate candidate, said he helped Blagojevich get the job. But Chico said he wasn’t trying to sway the governor to appoint him to the Senate seat he tried to win four years ago, when he lost to Obama in the Democratic primary.

“Her husband had mentioned that she needed work,” Chico said. “I talked to her. I had to know what she was thinking about. She said she was very interested in children’s issues and women’s issues as well. I thought it would be a good fit.’’

Chico said he asked McIntyre to interview Blagojevich. McIntyre had worked at City Hall when Chico was Mayor Daley’s chief of staff.

After consulting with Good, McIntyre said she hired Blagojevich. She said she didn’t need — or seek — approval from the entire board, whose members include Fred Lebed. Lebed runs a lobbying firm with Roland Burris, whom the governor appointed to Obama’s Senate seat. Lebed has said he had nothing to do with Blagojevich getting hired.

All in the family, indeed.

Racist Dingy Harry to Blago: Don't Appoint Any Black People

Racist

Apparently Harry Reid has had enough of those uppity black folk from Chicago. It's bad enough he has to take marching orders from King Obama the next two years before Nevada voters toss him out in 2010. But he wanted no part of the Reverend Jackson Junior in the Senate. And the best part? He's caught on tape!

Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.

Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis — both democratic congressmen from Illinois — and against Jones — the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama — because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero confirmed that Reid (D-Nev.) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) — the new chief of the Senate Democratic political operation — each called Blagojevich’s campaign office separately Dec. 3. Sources believe that at least portions of the phone conversations are on tape.

Before their contacts, Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called Blagojevich to tell him to expect to hear from Senate leadership because they were pushing against Jackson and others, according to statements the governor made to others.

But ... but ... I thought Rahm Emanuel didn't have any contact with Blago about the Senate seat? Whoops.

Now, since Davis, Jones and Jackson are all black and Madigan and Duckworth are white, one can only assume Harry Reid is a racist. How can I leap to such a conclusion? I'm just using Democrat standards here. Therefore, it's affirmed: Dingy Harry is a racist.

'I Am the Senator, and It Sounds Good'

Doesn't sound like Roland Burris is going anywhere. This should be fun.

Roland Burris suggested he would challenge an effort to block his appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, but said he's confident Senate Democrats will relent and let him take the job.

"We think they will come around and recognize that the appointment is legal and valid and I am the junior Senator from Illinois," the former Illinois attorney general said in an interview at his office here.

He spoke Wednesday as it became clear that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich offered the post to at least one other African-American politician, and as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald sought more time to seek an indictment against the governor—and perhaps widen a five-year-old corruption case that already has resulted in felony convictions.

Gov. Blagojevich, facing federal corruption charges, named Mr. Burris on Tuesday as his choice for the Senate seat that the governor is accused of having tried to sell. Senate Democrats have vowed to block Mr. Burris's appointment, citing the allegations against Gov. Blagojevich.

Mr. Burris, 71 years old, brushed off the opposition in a 25-minute interview in which aides called him "senator" and he gamely argued that he'd make a good representative of his state. "From South Beloit to Cairo, from Galena to Zion, East St. Louis to Lawrenceville, I know this state. I know its people," he said.

He also questioned—as have several legal scholars—the Senate's legal right to keep him from taking the Senate seat. "By what authority can [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid] deny a governor carrying out his constitutional duty?" Mr. Burris said.

"I am the senator, and it sounds good," he said. "This is what I love to do. I tried to be governor not once, not twice, but three times. I'm giving up a lot of money to go to the Senate, OK? I'm taking a pay cut."

Burris is taking the effort to court. Is there anything that can legally stop it?

Probably not.

Maybe the Democrats ought to cut their losses and just seat Burris. After all, he's more qualified than Barack Obama ever was to represent Illinois in the Senate and with just a few months effort he'll achieve more than Obama ever did as a Senator. Heck, you never know. They might just get their some actual representation from their senator.

AP Laments: 'Blagojevich questioning takes up Obama's time'

Poor Barack Obama. This messy Rod Blagojevich distraction is just taking up too much of his time. The guy needs to relax and hit the golf course some more in between surfing and flashing his abs for an adoring public.

A good thing his lawyer cleared him. Otherwise he might miss his next tee time. Obama's media aide Jennifer Loven has the details.

President-elect Barack Obama has said all along that neither he nor his team was involved in any eye-popping dealmaking over filling his vacated Senate seat. Obama's hand-picked investigator agreed.

"Everybody behaved appropriately," declared Greg Craig, Obama's incoming White House counsel and the person asked to conduct the internal inquiry into contacts between the transition team and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Prosecutors have said Obama is not implicated in the case against Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder. But the corruption scandal has drained precious energy from Obama's preparations to take over the White House.

Aww, his precious energy is being drained.

Sigh.

Loven also helpfully notes once again that David Axelrod allegedly misspoke when he said Obama met with Blagojevich.

Obama's report also addresses confusion over earlier statements by David Axelrod, a top adviser who had said at one point that Obama discussed the Senate appointment with Blagojevich. Axelrod had discussed potential recommendations for the Senate appointment with Obama and Emanuel, and "was under the impression" that it would be Obama who would offer those to Blagojevich.

It was just confusion. Move along, nothing to see here.

Though nobody has yet offered an explanation why media stories noting the meetings went down the memory hole.

We're just supposed to pretend none of this ever happened.

Naturally, Obama apologists nod in agreement that Obama's in the clear.

The irony in the left’s total absolution granted the Obama transition team regarding any unethical contacts with Governor Rod Blagojevich or his staff actually makes for some pretty good comedy.

This is the crew that swallowed al-Qaeda propaganda whole with regards to every war “atrocity” ever reported instead of giving their own military or government the benefit of the doubt – including the “Haditha Massacre” where many liberals tried to outdo one another in heaping calumny on innocent soldiers. And now a single report, issued by a politician who presents no other evidence that could clarify or contradict its conclusions, is being trumpeted to the skies as “proof” that no one in the Obama camp did anything wrong.

In short, the left is apt to unquestioningly take what al-Qaeda and Obama say at face value while dismissing the reports of their own government.

Pathetic how gullible the left is.

And as expected, there was nothing to hide. The entire Craig memo is online (.pdf), and after reading it, everything we'd heard from Obama and his team was completely true. Obama never spoke to Blagojevich or his office about the Senate vacancy; no one on Obama's staff ever had any inappropriate discussions with the governor or his office; and no one Obama's staff ever had any indication that Blagojevich was engaged in alleged corruption.

A Democratic official told CNN this morning, "You're going to see this is a lot about nothing." That turned out to be completely right.

This idiot is also leaving out some milk and cookies for Santa tonight.

How Clever: Chicago TV Station Stages 'Throw a Shoe at Blago'

Way to be objective, folks. OK, it was under the guise of raising money for children. Still, I wonder if, say, a 'Throw a Shoe at Obama' fundraiser would get any attention, let alone be conceived by an allegedly objective news organization?

Via Breitbart.

Obama 'Report' by Obama Lawyer Clears Obama Chief of Staff

We can all go back to sleep now. Rahm Emanuel is in the clear. Expect the full report to be released somewhere around 11:55 pm on Christmas Eve, while everyone is snug in the beds with happy dreams of hope and change dancing in their heads.

George Stephanopoulos broke some news today when he reported that his former fellow Clinton White House colleague Rahm Emanuel was cleared by an investigation by Greg Craig, the former Clinton White House lawyer, into contacts the Obama transition team had with Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office (so far as we know Blago had no role in the Clinton Administration even though the former president and Blago both have a thing for Elvis, thank you very much.)

As Stephanopoulos reports in his blog (he also said this on "This Week" this morning:

Sources tell me that the Obama team's review of contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will show that Rahm Emanuel had only one phone conversation with Blagojevich.

The contact, described as a "pro-forma" courtesy call, came as Emanuel was named Chief of Staff for Obama. Most of the discussion concerned Emanuel's Congressional seat (which had previously been held by Blagojevich), with only a "passing reference" to the Senate vacancy, according to these sources. No deal for the Senate vacancy was discussed.

Speculation in Washington and Chicago has been swirling for a week now over what the Obama team's report would find. Until now, the contents of that report have been kept sealed, at the request of the U.S. Attorney's office. Last Wednesday, Obama said he found it "a little bit frustrating" that the report had not yet been released.

In the meantime, let's all go back to pretending Obama has nothing to do with the corrupt Chicago machine that got him where he is today.

Why Hasn't Rahm Emanuel Resigned From His Congressional Seat?

Since Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is smack dab in the middle of the Rod Blagojevich scandal, it got me wondering why he hasn't resigned from his Congressional seat yet? Before we get to that, however, we have news this morning that Emanuel indeed spoke directly with Blagojevich about who might replace Obama.

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

A source with the Obama camp strongly denied Emanuel spoke with the governor directly about the seat, saying Emanuel only spoke with Blagojevich once recently to say he was taking the chief of staff post.

But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.

At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.

Oops. Now those are tapes I'd really like to hear.

So we now have both Obama and Emanuel caught in a lie.

Change!

Anyway, since the media hasn't paid it much attention, we're wondering why Emanuel hasn't resigned from his seat yet. I cannot locate any stories saying he's already done so, but according to his Wikipedia page, there's probably a good reason why he hasn't yet done so.

After Emanuel submits his resignation of his congressional seat, the Governor of Illinois must set the date for a special election within five days, and the election must take place within 115 days.

Maybe Emanuel hasn't resigned yet because it's possible he'll be jettisoned from Obama's administration and he can just go back to Congress? It's almost a shame Blagojevich can't appoint someone in his place. Now that would really be amusing.

Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Blago Fitness Claim As He Prepares for News Conference

The incredibly weak case of Attorney General Lisa Madigan has been dismissed.

The Illinois Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's fitness to hold office.

A spokesman said Wednesday that the court rejected the challenge without comment.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan had argued Blagojevich's legal and political troubles are keeping him from performing his duties.

And now Rod Blagojevich is set to break his silence. Get the popcorn ready.

ABC News' Matthew Jaffe Reports from Chicago: Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will likely hold a press conference toward the end of this week, ABC News has learned.

The embattled governor, arrested last Tuesday, has yet to respond to charges that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

Instead, the reclusive lawmaker has stayed silent, only saying that he looks forward to speaking at the appropriate time.

Is it any wonder why everyone in Illinois has been trying to tarnish guy as being out of his mind? They know he can brings the whole machine down with the things he knows and they want to get it out there that he can't be trusted. Maybe, But can you trust any of them?

Meanwhile, a federal informant claims Blagojevich used to be a bookie. Which begs the question: Why would he go into such a disreputable profession as politics?

'Blagojevich Is Worth Listening To. His Enthusiasm Is Contagious'

A fine judge of character, that Eleanor Clift.

NEWSWEEK'S Eleanor Clift is no judge of character. Three years ago, Clift hailed Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his "fresh" approach to health care. "With his shock of black hair and cherubic face, he is reminiscent of another eager young governor, Bill Clinton circa '92," Clift gushed on a Web-exclusive column dug up by the Media Research Center. "Blagojevich is worth listening to. His enthusiasm is contagious," she rhapsodized.

Whoops. Bet she'd like to have that one back.

What an idiot.

Obama: My Lawyer Says I Didn't Do Anything With Blagojevich, So Can We Get Back to Hopenchange?

On the upside, 45% believe he had contact with Blagojevich. On the downside, don't expect much follow-up from his adoring media.

President-elect Barack Obama said Monday a review by his own lawyer shows he had no direct contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about the appointment of a Senate replacement, and transition aides "did nothing inappropriate."

Obama said he is prepared to make the review public, but decided to hold off because prosecutors asked for a delay and "I don't want to interfere with an ongoing investigation."

Sure.

How is this not contact?

I suspect the "crazy" Governor might say otherwise.

I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living, the media protected you and there were courts of public opinion and you didn't need a friend like me. But, now you come to me and you say "Don Blagojevich, do me a favor." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Instead, you come into my home on the day my phone is tapped and you ask me to do Chicago politics so you can keep your hands clean.