Good-bye Blago and good riddance

Big deal around the Chicago today, and elsewhere, about former Governor Rod Blagojovich turning himself in at a federal pen near Denver to begin his 14 year sentence.

Interesting... Blago's first trial, he got something like 5 to 7 years, and he protested that, demanded a retrial. Got one. Then got 14 years.

Think he was relying on his charm?

He's apparently self-centered and self-delusive enough to believe that he lost his first trial because his lawyers wouldn't allow him to testify in his own bealf. No doubt he was convinced that if he had been allowed to speak, the jury would have fallen in love with him and accepted his "not guilty" plea as a type of affectionate jury nullification.

Joke's on him, second trial, he talked and talked and talked and talked. And the judge gave him 14 years.

What's bizarre to me is the apparent sympathy for him. Even on Fox & Friends this morning, which showed the press mess surrounding Blago as he left for the airport -- even the Fox moderators talked about what a character Blago is. Kind of wistful about it.

The local news tonight, one reporter flew all the way to Denver with Blago on the plane.l During the flight, the x-gov held forth on the Cubs, the judicial system, etc etc. As they neared Denver, the reporter said, Blago got all kinda quiet and pensive.

Awwww.

All he did was try to sell a US Senate seat. Among other things. He wasn't a very good governor, except by Illinois standards, which means he was probably rotten and corrupt through and through like all the rest of them -- and like many people in and around the White House right now. It's the Chicago way.

Blago was so deeply entangled in machine politics that he refused to live in Springfield, the state capitol, but remained in Chicago, close to his cronies and fellow travelers, and reducing the long distance charges for those often lengthy horse-trading conversations. Like, "I've got a US Senate seat up for sale. How much you offering?"

I'm not sorry he's gone. I can only think of him as a kind of chuckleheaded psychopath. Sort of like if Ted Bundy hadn't developed a taste for coeds (and I do mean "a taste.") Blago's chickens have gone home to roost is all. He made his bed... blah-blah-blah. Good riddance.

Now if we could only get rid of Quinn and the rest of the machine cabal.

Save the Republic -- though Illinois just may be beyond redemption.