Blagojevich Obama

Advice To Blago: Invoke Caesar

Stuart Whatley | Posted 02.27.2009 | Politics


Stuart Whatley

If only he had invoked Caesar from the start, instead of civil rights heroes whose legacies are so sacred to so many, perhaps he could go down more gracefully (or at least less offensively).

Blagojevich 2.0

Lloyd Garver | Posted 02.13.2009 | Politics


Lloyd Garver

What Blagojevich did is so shocking that it could make "Lincoln turn over in his grave." But Caroline getting the seat because of her zillion-dollar fund raising ability wouldn't do the same?

How About Some of that Blago to Go?

Kathleen Reardon | Posted 02.09.2009 | Politics


Kathleen Reardon

Blagojevich, by any reasonable standard, ought to be beside himself with embarrassment over the 114 to 1 vote to impeach him. Yet he's reciting Tennyson in front of cameras.

Sam Stein

Blagojevich May Show Up At Obama Inauguration

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 02.07.2009 | Politics


Embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may end up attending the inauguration ceremonies for Barack Obama. Or he may not. As Governor, Blagojevi...

Replace Harry Reid?

Michael Fauntroy | Posted 02.06.2009 | Politics


Michael Fauntroy

The Democrats should cut their losses and seat Burris. Perhaps they should cut their losses with Reid, too.

Senate Violates the Constitution in Turning Away Roland Burris

Miles Mogulescu | Posted 02.06.2009 | Politics


Miles Mogulescu

From a legal and Constitutional perspective, the question of whether or not Burris should be allowed to take his seat as the Junior Senator from Illinois is not especially difficult. He should.

Blagojevich vs. the Senate

Stanley Kutler | Posted 02.06.2009 | Politics


Stanley Kutler

In this contest of wills -- the governor's rightful authority to appoint a senator as opposed to the Senate's power to judge the qualification of its members -- the last word simply belongs to the Senate.

Enough About 'Roland Burris, Good Guy'

John R. Bohrer | Posted 02.05.2009 | Politics


John R. Bohrer

It doesn't matter how clean his record was when he was in office a decade ago or if he didn't pay a cent for his appointment: Roland Burris is a willing pawn in a very corrupt game.

A Lesser Class of Rogue

Allison Silver | Posted 02.05.2009 | Politics


Allison Silver

Though Blagojevich is regularly described as the apotheosis of the shady Illinois politician, he does not come close to the finesse and style embodied by masterful machine politicians. He's no McGinty.

Obama Aides Avoid Testifying In Blagojevich Case

Chicago Tribune | Posted 01.28.2009 | Politics


Gov. Rod Blagojevich's attorney will not get to call key aides of President-elect Barack Obama to testify at impeachment hearings after U.S. Atty. Pat...

ABC's "The Note" Embarrasses Itself on Behalf of Beltway Journalism

Eric Boehlert | Posted 01.24.2009 | Media


Eric Boehlert

Doing its best to prop up the beyond soggy Blago/Obama "scandal," The Note worked feverishly to convince fellow journalists that they didn't make fools of themselves hyping the non-story for weeks.

Blago and Me

Neil McCarthy | Posted 01.23.2009 | Politics


Neil McCarthy

In electoral politics we want to avoid the rich and famous in favor of the modest but qualified. But we make it impossible for anyone but the rich and famous to get the jobs and then keep them.

Blago Should Still Appoint Diane Nash

Stephen C. Rose | Posted 01.20.2009 | Politics


Stephen C. Rose

Diane Nash is a pillar of the civil rights movement who happens to be a blue ribbon Chicago citizen and is certainly more qualified than Caroline Kennedy to be a US Senator.

Welcome to the Blagosphere

Thomas Frank | Posted 01.17.2009 | Politics


Thomas Frank

The Blagojevich scandal is widely seen as a heavy blow for the incoming administration, but in fact it's good for Mr. Obama that it happened early on.

Jason Linkins

Obama Blagojevich Scandal Involvement Believed By 45% Of Voters: Poll

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.15.2009 | Politics


Blogger Matt Yglesias has been in Finland lately, studying up on their education policy, but all it took was a single viewing of Morning Joe to bring ...

Jason Linkins

Trib Columnist Compares Obama Blago Reaction To Bush On 9/11

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.15.2009 | Media


In the wake of the Blagojevich scandal, plenty of media types have worked hard to whip up a seamy role for Obama to have played in the matter. But as bad as it's been, nothing quite exceeds the ridiculously hyperbolic false equivalence drawn by Tribune columnist Steve Chapman.

Sunday Roundup

Arianna Huffington | Posted 01.13.2009 | Politics


Arianna Huffington

It's been amusing watching the media try to turn a scandal affecting the governor of Illinois into a scandal affecting the president-elect. Every detail was milked for maximum ominousness: a recent handshake between Obama and Blagojevich, a list of favored replacement candidates delivered by Rahm Emanuel, Rahm's "beet-red" face, David Axelrod's work for Blago in the 90s. All inflated to fill a sparse news cycle. But wouldn't it have been weird if Obama hadn't shaken Blago's hand, and weirder still if he'd shown no interest in who his successor would be? Trying to turn any of this into a suspicion of pay-to-play carries about as much weight as the Obama citizenship case. Sorry, guys, but Blagojevich said it all: the Obama people were "not willing to give me anything except appreciation."

Elect Hillary's Replacement

Aaron Zelinsky | Posted 01.13.2009 | Politics


Aaron Zelinsky

There would be the added cost of a special election, but that's a small price to pay for a Senate seat (which, as Governor Blagojevich so eloquently reminded us, is no cheap thing).

Jason Linkins

MSNBC's Tamron Hall Pushes Back On Contention That Obama And Blagojevich Were 'Good Friends'

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.12.2009 | Media


On yesterday's MSNBC LIve, Republican strategist Doug Heye attempted to characterize President-elect Barack Obama and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich as "good friends." One problem: you're not going to be able to run that game on MSNBC's Tamron Hall!

NYT's Awkward Attempt To Hype The Blago/Obama Story

Eric Boehlert | Posted 01.12.2009 | Media


Eric Boehlert

In order for the Beltway press to gin up this Blago story this week, basic journalism guidelines had to be set aside and in some cases brazenly ignored.

Sam Stein

Schakowsky Confirms: She Will Run For Obama's Seat

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 01.11.2009 | Politics


Rep. Jan Schakowsky will run for the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama should that seat ultimately come to a special election, her office confirmed ...

Jason Linkins

Press: In Blago Scandal, Everything's Always Bad For Obama

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.11.2009 | Media


Obviously, you get variations on a theme. But for my money, the angle taken by Time magazine's Massimo Calabresi in the opening paragraph of "Can Obama Escape the Taint of Blagojevich?" deserves a special award for fatuousness.

Handcuffs and Shoulder Shrugs

Toby Greenwalt | Posted 01.11.2009 | Chicago


Toby Greenwalt

The conversation has moved on to how far this investigation will lead. Whether it's a political newcomer like Tammy Duckworth or a political institution like Richard Daley, a lot of people are hoping Fitzmas only hits once this year.

The Other Blago-Sphere Takes a Hit

Robert J. Elisberg | Posted 01.11.2009 | Politics


Robert J. Elisberg

It's not just Lincoln turning in his grave, as U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald suggested, this would make even the first Mayor Daley turn in his grave, a man who could peddle boodle in his sleep without a scratch.

Jason Linkins

Blagojevich Scandal A Font Of Creative Inspiration

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 01.11.2009 | Media


Yesterday, I made mention of how neatly this whole unfolding Blagojevich scandal seemed to neatly intersect with so many cultural referents. An inves...