Rod Blagojevich, "America's Least Popular Governor".

If you were under the mistaken impression (and I honestly don't understand how you possibly could be) that the GOP has a monopoly on graft and corruption, then you ought to tune in to one of the numerous and timely stories about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. He's recently come under fire for a few missteps, including an attempt to auction Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. Democrats have been having a pretty good time slamming their opponents for their moral turpitude, and while Republicans have demonstrated much of it over the past few decades, it should be noted that party affiliation does not necessarily determine one's integrity (or lack of it).

One need only take a cursory look at Chicago politics to reinforce the belief that Democrats know how to get their hands dirty. In some ways Blagojevich can be looked at as the quintessential Chicago lawmaker. Born in 1956 to Serbian immigrants and raised in the northwestern part of the city, he knows what it is like to be on the lowest rung of society. Growing up he worked odd jobs (shoeshine boy, pizza delivery, meat-packer, etc.) to help support his family. He attained an undergraduate certificate at Northeastern and got a law degree from Pepperdine. He entered politics by winning a seat in the Illinois legislature, and then successfully insinuated himself into the US House of Representatives.

Ironically Blagojevich concentrated on legislation dealing with crime and law enforcement. After a couple of relatively inactive terms in Congress, he went on to make a bid for Governor in 2002. He ran on a platform of "ending business-as-usual" in state government. This was a reference to the former Governor George Ryan, who served time in prison for ethics scandals arising from his stint in office. Although he was able to win re-election in 2006, he quickly found himself under investigation by both the Illinois Attorney General (Lisa Madigan) and the FBI. Through it all, he has been able to oversee a progressive agenda facilitated by Democratic control of the state. As a result he is particularly favored by African-Americans and labor leaders.

Despite a few loyal constituencies, Rasmussen Reports found Blagojevich to be "America's Least Popular Governor" (his ratings have been below those of George W. Bush). He has been rejected by Illinois Democrats due to his purportedly dictatorial leadership style, and a refusal to engage in productive communication. Various officials have called him a "a madman", "a 10-year old child", "insane", "disengaged", and "cuckoo". His own Lieutenant Governor (Pat Quinn) has reportedly not spoken to him in over a year. No doubt there are a lot of public figures that would like to distance themselves from Blagojevich, as well as his infamous campaign fundraiser Tony Rezko. Shady associations, along with multiple accusations of hiring fraud, have plagued the Governor for years.

Even a brief summary of the crimes and misdemeanors that Blagojevich has been suspected of perpetrating is beyond the scope of this post. His alleged desire to sell the US Senate seat to the highest bidder seems to be the tip of a vast Illinois iceberg. If he refuses to resign despite the increasing pressures of the local media, national press, and various politicians within and without his party, he could actually be in the position to appoint someone to fill the Congressional vacancy. Impeachment proceedings are likely, but they could stretch out over months. Meanwhile, rightwing hacks are attempting to tie the President-Elect to this ne'er-do-well despite their historically strained relationship. The FBI has recordings of Blagojevich referring to Obama as a "motherf--ker" because the future Chief Executive refused to offer the Governor anything in trade for the appointment of his choice for the empty Senate seat (other than "appreciation").

McCain and Palin Take Their Masks Off.

This weekend the McCain/Palin ticket announced that they will respond to their supporters' continued calls for them to "take the gloves off". One might assume that this would mean that the GOP would redirect their efforts to address Obama's positions and his record on the important issues facing the nation. But instead it means that they wil continue to direct their attacks against Obama's character and "associations". We've actually been seeing this strategy for weeks. Recall the fallacious attempts to tie former employees of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac to Obama. It turns out that the charges should have been reversed. There are at least 9 of those employees working on the McCain campaign, including his campaign manager Rick Davis.

Now the GOP is becoming increasingly desperate due to poll numbers that show their opponent with a commanding lead. So they have decided to dredge up half-baked attacks centered on supposed "associates" of Barack Obama. There is nothing new in these accusations. FOX News and Right Wing talk radio has been flogging these tales for months. Indeed there have been a number of occasions when writers of "conservative" blogs have tried to shift the conversation away from McCain's weaknesses using names like Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko and William Ayers. No matter how many times I've pointed out that these are meaningless red herrings, McCain backers seem determined to push them forward.

So I guess it's time to address the reality behind these flaccid jabs. Jeremiah Wright was one of many pastors that presided over the Chicago church that Obama once attended. There are recordings of sermons Wright delivered that contain invective aimed at the powers-that-be in American society. Some on the Right have interpreted specific comments as racist and anti-government. Barack Obama has denounced Wright and left the church as a response to those criticisms. He has been clear that he does not agree with whatever incendiary comments the Reverend has made. This past April John McCain explicitly declared the Reverend Wright issue off limits. Going back to that well would clearly brand the McCain/Palin ticket as hypocritical.

William Ayers is currently a professor of early education at the University of Chicago. He cofounded an organization called the Weather Underground in the late 1960's. That group became the more violent wing of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) , and Ayers was eventually accused of involvement in several bombings in opposition to the Vietnam War. His relation to Obama is minimal. Apparently he once hosted a "coffee klatch" for Obama's run for the state senate. They lived in the same neighborhood, and ran into each other due to their shared passion for educational reform. Barack Obama was eight years old when the Weather Underground was active, and has denounced its past operations. The two do not speak to each other currently.

Tony Rezko is a civil engineer who has been a Democratic and Republican fundraiser in Chicago since the 1980's. By all accounts he was corrupt, as many lobbyists and fundraisers on both sides of the aisle have proven to be. He was convicted on bribery and fraud charges in 2008. Rezko raised money for Obama's senatorial campaign. When Obama found out the extent of Rezko's corruption he donated 2/3rds of all the money that Rezko had raised to charity. There are also allegations that Obama and Rezko had mutual interests in a private real estate deal. But there have been no allegations of criminal behavior associated with that incident. Neither has Obama ever been accused of participating in any of Rezko's criminal activities.

The emphasis on these flimsy "associations" demonstrates the fundamental inability of the McCain campaign to offer widely appealing solutions to the nation's problems. I expect that this new direction will backfire on the McCain/Palin ticket. Not only is it a transparent distraction from the economy, but it allows the Obama/Biden staffers and the media to dispel the shadowy rumors that have been making the rounds for the last year. Finally it puts the issue of political association on the table for both candidates, which could prove devastating for a Republican challenger who is trying to dissasociate itself from the terribly ineffective policies of the Bush Administration and its many fallen GOP legislative supporters*.


* Not to mention McCain's involvement with The Keating 5.