It has been an interesting note in a career curiously linked to Dan Rostenkowski, the once powerful chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, charged and and later convicted of mail fraud. An unlikely Republican, Michael Flanagan, beat Rostenkowski in 1994. Rod Blagojevich won the seat back next election in the heavily Democratic district. Son-in-law to a powerful Chicago alderman, Blagojevich set his sights on the governor's chair, which had been held continuously by the GOP since the early 70's. Blagojevich won his party's gubernatorial nod in 2002, when Republicans were soundly thrashed in the aftermath of the George Ryan license for bribes scandal, with his ambitious sights set on the White House.
No doubt that Blagojevich was dismayed at the turn of events that led to an obscure state senator propel himself to the White House with almost no federal or administrative experience. But in the meanwhile he was playing hardball politics, aggressively pursuing campaign funds with no ostensive goal besides clinging to power.
As Bill O'Reilly noted, Rod Blagojevich got treated over the past week more kindly on shows like The View than John McCain, an American hero. The double standards of the liberal mass media are not exactly newsworthy. I have to admit that Blagojevich has certainly been a colorful character and one never knew what he was going to do or say next. But the people of Illinois deserve better. Illinois tonight has a new governor, Pat Quinn. I wish the new governor the best; hopefully now the Illinois legislature can focus on tough issues like resolving budget problems and fixing the pension system.
