Up, Down and Around Our Town

"I am not a crook". - Richard Nixon

" I didn't have sex with that woman" - Bill Clinton

"If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit." O.J. Simpson

We're about to add one more to that list of folks who figured that they were bigger than they really were. Sometimes the news that you receive comes in so jaded that you are sure it has been messed with. On this occasion, I'm not sure we even have scratched the surface.

6:15 in the AM and the doorbell rings and you answer it with two Federal Agents who are about to take you into custody. Handcuffs and all - ain't that sweet. OBTW - you are the sitting Governor of Illinois and by 8:00, you have posted bond so you can go home. What came next was almost too much to believe until you realize where it came from.

Any reader of this column will know that I am no fan of Rod Blajogevich. From the first time I heard him speak, there was an air about him that just made your skin crawl. Now I know why. He is devoid of any character, honesty or moral compass. He is, although I am sure that many smarter than I will elongate on the label, a narcissistic sociopath. One who figures that no matter what he does, he is warranted.

Well, the truth has almost come out.

Everyone from top to bottom that matters has already called for him to resign. In fact, I believe that as of last count, only the Pope and Pee Wee Herman were wavering. It is time to rid this state of this guy.

I was on the road on Tuesday with a group of great students. Sadly, the weather was hardly great and we were migrating our way to Moline for a most impressive visit with John Deere on Wednesday. From the moment we left, the airwaves were filled with the news of his exposure and thankfully, WGN, WLS and WBBM never wavered from the story all day. After our 4 hour trip to cover 121 miles, we even cut dinner somewhat short to catch the Channel 9 review of the day. Revolting and almost hard to believe. That is, until you roll it all into the Cabbage Patch Doll that has been posing as the Governor of the State of Illinois. Even the students got into it by the end of the day and most were just as revolted as the rest of us. One particularly young lady hails from Springfield. Now, normally, you would find the Governor of the State of Illinois living in what can only be described as a pretty nice house. But not this nutbag.

His kingdom is in Cook County. His Vatican is in Ravenswood. That is what he considers the State of Illinois. All of the little people are at his beck and call. Until Tuesday. His own Lt. Governor hasn't been spoken to by the King for almost 18 months.

In a state that pays no bills and still can't balance a budget, this is quite a quandry. Until you realize that every expenditure was now directed to cross his desk (at least for now). Connect those dots. Don't pay the Long Term Care Centers, don't pay the pharmacies, goodness sakes, don't pay the hospitals or physicians, but make sure that you accumulate $3.1 million in your own coffers so you can impersonate a real player.

This is bi-partisan. Even the students kept asking how this idiot got re-elected. Then WLS put on a tape of the two that he defeated. One was indicted and divorced and the other one sounded like something out of the Sci-Fi Channel.

Did we forget that the President-elect is from Illinois? Evidently, the President-elect had little regard for this whackjob and simply decided to ignore him and his potty-mouthed wife. Seems that they were simply in it for the money.

"Show Me The Money!" - Rod Tidwell to Sports Agent Jerry Maguire.

Senate Seat for sale? Why not? It was in his power to fill it and why not jack up the price with a little quid pro quo? UMR can explain that term for you. Problem is that the Senate Seat isn't, nor should it ever be for sale. And it will not.

The overwhelming feeling is one of sadness. Not for him - after all, sociopaths like Rod Blajogevich and Tony Soprano need not express that feeling. No, the sadness is for the stink that now permeates Illinois politics again.

Richard Nixon resigned. Bill Clinton was impeached and was rescued by his buddies. OJ got away with a double murder, but the long arm of the law finally caught up to him on another matter. We can only hope that this saga takes a typical line. His plans were to ride the Democratic Machine to his destination and then abandon it when he got what he wanted. Now he will soon get what he doesn't want.

And like the bully that finally gets felled, the public will applaud. No Cabinet post and no Presidential run in 2012 or 2016. This Alfred E. Newman character's fifteen minutes are up. Let's see if he has one shred of character and resigns. Even in this crazy state, he could surface later in another job - such is done all of the time - and even his Real Estate Magnate of a wife may surface as well. The question is where?

He has an 8% approval rating. Makes W look like the 2nd coming.

For the record, all of Illinois politics doesn't run like this. Mostly because there are decent people with a conscience and a sense of proportion who run for office. Neither pertains to this soon-to-be ousted public official.

Even the Right -Wing Talkers were giving the President-elect a pass. Not so much for Rod. Good bye, Rod! We won't miss you for long.

I was thinking how to explain this to my hero someday. She may look at what it takes to be a politician. I'll have a pretty good template of what doesn't work. In living color. Oh, how I wish we could still get the Tribune here in Quincy. They printed a special edition. Such news will keep even a bankrupt corporation in business a few days longer.

10 days left till Christmas. Lots to talk about, but we simply took the one at the head of the line. We'll do better next week. Comment when you feel like it. Till then, and as always, I remain.....