Thursday, November 13, 2008
Obama's successor: We did not know this was coming?
Apparently Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich does not believe in planning ahead:
President-elect Barack Obama said today he will step down from his Senate seat effective this Sunday.
The decision adds to the pressure on Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a fellow Democrat, who under state law has the sole responsibility for naming a successor to Obama, the only African-American in the Senate.
So, Blagojevich did not know, like, five months ago that he might have to find a successor to Barack Obama. Or, after five months of thinking about it he still cannot decide who he will appoint. Or, he knows exactly who he wants to appoint but he is worried that it will be controversial and people might yell at him. Is there a fourth explanation? Should we expect the Chicago Tribune to tell it to us, or will it just note that this is an oh-so-hard decision for Governor Blagojevich?
8 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Nov 13, 06:57:00 PM:
TH,
Forget the Tribune. That was a horribly written paragraph. Blagojevich (who needs to be impeached yesterday for his involvement with Rezko) knows he has to name a Senator. He just hadn't decided who to name, whether it would be someone who is supported by a group he can pander to, or if it would be someone who is an enemy that he would want out of his hair (Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who called to have a recall vote put into the Illinois Constitution to get Blagojevich out of there).
Even though Blagojevich has no business being the Illinois governor, no "pressure" as asserted by the Trib has been added on. The Tribune (except for small doses of columnist John Kass) is becoming more and more of an embarrassment, just like every other liberal rag in the country.
By 
Anthony, at
Thu Nov 13, 07:27:00 PM:
Or, he knows exactly who he wants to appoint but he is worried that it will be controversial and people might yell at him.
Mayor Daley?
Bill Ayers?
Jeremiah Wright?
The possibilities are endless. :)
By , at
Thu Nov 13, 08:25:00 PM:
Here's one big possibility (more likely, a certainty):
Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Why? Because it's a no-brainer (and that's saying a lot for "Blago":
1. It keeps the seat safely African-American.
2. It'll throw Jesse Sr. a bone.
3. It'll probably help get Blago a pardon from His Majesty down the road.
Then again, if Blago really wanted to gum up the works, and get his revenge, he'd pick a Blue Dog Democrat or even a Republican, sit back, and munch popcorn as he listened to the screams of outrage from his fellow Donks.
By Mycos, at
Thu Nov 13, 08:39:00 PM:
Really! The guy's had like, 6 mos. after Obama was elected to the Senate to select his replacement. I mean, after all, you'd think the shooting of Malcolm X and that nasty little incident involving M.L. King, that blacks in high political office should have to wait at least 6 mos. before they get a metal plate name-tag on their office doors!
Ahhh, bureaucrats... What are you gonna do, eh?
By , at
Thu Nov 13, 08:48:00 PM:
TH,
If you follow the dreck that is Illinois politics, it would be obvious. King Blago is an egotistical idiot. The biggest question he is pondering is: should he appoint himself to the Senate seat? Seriously, this nut (currently the governor with the lowest approval ratings in the country!) thinks that if an election was held now, he'd still win!!!
By , at
Thu Nov 13, 09:11:00 PM:
Anon 8:48 is completely right. Only in the cesspool that is this state's political system could this guy be elected Cook County Recorder of Deeds, let alone Governor. He is a two bit political hack, who only rises to that status by virtue of being married to the daughter of an old time machine politician, Alderman Dick Mell. The only reason he was elected was because the Republican branch of the Combine (as John Kass so accurately terms it) put up a third rate hack to oppose him - State Treasurer Judy Barr Topinka. Every successful politician here is connected to every other one, irrespective of party, and through the Daley machine, to the mob. Obama is President because the Republicans here couldn't stand the honesty and independence of Peter Fitzgerald, made his life miserable and sent him packing. Fitzgerald might have been a loose cannon, but at least he was honest.
By , at
Fri Nov 14, 12:06:00 AM:
There is no indecision. He has simply put out a proffer. this is, after all, Illinois. The governor has aksed all possible candidates who will pay him the most in return for being nominated. My bet is black racist thug Jackson. The proof is Jesse's tears last week as he thought of the new racist wealth that Mugabe's election and his son's appointment would bring him.
He also dreams of the superiority that he and the Jackson clan would have over the greedy King suvivors.
By Georg Felis, at
Fri Nov 14, 05:52:00 PM:
Anon 12:06 hit it right on the head. He's not indecisive, the job right now is in the "bidding" process, we'll know who bid the most once the bids are opened and the job announced.
Um, unless he nominates himself, in which case his own ego won the bidding war.
