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I didn't read the question. I think, however, that the first item on the agenda of Illinois public officials, including the next Senator, should be bailing out the Tribune. The Trib had the Governor's number, and the indictment illustrates that news organizations should not be owned by private corporations with economic and political interests that might stifle investigative journalism.

UNITY UP THE RIVER

If Blagojevich is convicted,
He'd be the second who fell
And might be right at home in sharing
Gov.Ryan's cell.

Being the governor of Illinois
Confers luxury perks
Yet somehow seems to be attracting
Bipartisan jerks.

I've just read the indictment (76 pages, available on the news websites) and all that I can say is, "holy bleeping moley!" Is this how government is run these days? I work in an environment that can get pretty nasty, deal-wise, but I have never heard anything like this. If it's all true, then this guy was a racketeer. (I especially like the parts about his wife screaming in the background "F the Cubs," or something of that order.)

Reading between the lines, the Governor tried via his advisors to make a deal with the Obama people, but Obama blew him off.

By the way, my Dad was born in 1900 in East Harlem and was familiar with Tammany Hall. The morning that JFK won in 1960, I was only 10 years old, but I remember my Dad walking into the kitchen, after the vote finally came in from Cook County, and saying "Well, looks like Daley finally finished counting the votes from the cemetary."

Maybe it's just something Illinois.

Hey...your headline says "Chicago Governor Arrested." I know it's "flyover country" to you New Yorkers, but Chicago's just a city in the STATE of Illinois. STATES have governors; cities have mayors.

Obama and Blagojevich are both close friends and business associates of Rezko, but rest assured that the media won't explore these connections or link our next Presiddent in any way to the corrupt governor.

i wouldn't pay for the seat, but I would work for free.

Sleaze politics in Chicago? This shouldn’t be surprising.

Obama rose to power through a church that preached racist rhetoric and hate speech. This is accepted as the norm in Chicago. Sit silently while your preachers preache hate. I don’t expect much from such politicians engrossed in this scene.

Brian, I read an article on line where the Gov. of Chicago was trying to get the union SEIU to give his wife a post paying at least $100k - $300k a year, what the media also needs to look into is that SEIU is patr of 1199 that gave one of its V.P.'s Patrick Gaspard a position as head of his political office.

Why are so many Democratic governors under wire tap investigation in the United States? Are they being targeted by the Bush administration?

How much would I pay for the seat? Nothing, I wouldn't pay for it even IF I were qualified for it...which I'm not.

Brian -- Ask him how they are going to actually appoint somebody? Who's going to do it? The Lieutenant Governor?

Let's have one of the "contestants" come out with their side if they've been approached.

That's my question too? Who was he talking to?! I also heard that Jackson was one who was being considered. This is real sleaze, wow. And what kinds of dealings was he involved with when he was a congressman?

it's not so shocking... (i'm from illinois) - our last governor, George Ryan, also went to prison on corruption charges. that's illinois politics for ya

it's the luckiest senate seat in the senate!
sit here, and who knows where you'll be in 2 years time!

Hey Brian, you describe this as "almost unbelievable." The sad, but amusing truth is, as a Chicago transplant to New York, I don't find this surprising at all. The only surprise was that Blagojevich didn't get arrested sooner.

What is the yearly salary of the Senate seat?

I wouldn't pay more than the salary times 3.