Blagojevich compares his arrest to attack on Pearl Harbor
By on Jan 23rd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Blagojevich compares his arrest to attack on Pearl Harbor
In an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) compared his arrest last month to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. “Dec. 9 to my family, to us, to me, is what Pearl Harbor Day was to the United States,” said Blagojevich, who faces federal corruption charges for attempting to sell President Obama’s vacant Senate seat. “It was a complete surprise, completely unexpected. And just like the United States prevailed in that, we’ll prevail in this.” Blagojevich’s impeachment trial in the Illinois state senate is slated to begin next week.
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Oooooooo… Rod, that’s embarrassing. Makes you sound like, well, a GOOPer.
And what’s w/ that hair?
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:46 amWow. Talk about visions of granduer and omnipotence. I hope he can get some help some day. If not he’ll become another George Bush thinking everything and every one on earth is beneath him. On second thought, he’s already there.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:47 amWould they PLEASE kick this guy out of office already?
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 amThey have medicine for this affliction now… Duct Tape!
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 amHe’s lost it.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:50 amThat isn’t a hair do. That’s a hair don’t
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:50 amHe’s completely nuts.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:50 amDid you see when he held a press conference, marched a bunch of poor sick people to stand behind him in a line and then started quoting Tennyson? This just doesn’t stop getting awesomer and awesomer. Keep talkin’, Blago. And if I could make one request: go for even bigger hair.
Maybe actually pull out an actual violin. That would work.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 amBlagojevich compares his arrest to attack on Pearl Harbor»
– - Yo Blago, your own personal Hiroshima is coming.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:56 amThis guy needs to pull a Duke Cunningham, start crying and spill the beans on your dirty buds, all of them.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:56 amIt is challenging understanding why Blago is a favorite whipping boy. He is innocent until proven guilty like anyone else. Let him have a trial and be judged then. Trial by media is not justice.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:57 amstewarjt Says:
It is challenging understanding why Blago is a favorite whipping boy. He is innocent until proven guilty like anyone else. Let him have a trial and be judged then. Trial by media is not justice.
You are right… But you just can’t change stupid..
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:01 pmstewarjt Says:
It is challenging understanding why Blago is a favorite whipping boy. He is innocent until proven guilty like anyone else. Let him have a trial and be judged then. Trial by media is not justice.
Maybe he should have not got caught on tape trying to sell the senate seat among other slips of the tongue. Unless the media put those words in his mouth. I find that doubtful.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:01 pmstewarjt Says:
Trial by media is not justice.
Maybe not, but it sure is fun. Look, he could get off on some technicality or whatnot, I don’t really care about the legal outcome.
However, even if he is found technically innocent of wrongdoing, the transcripts of the words he said from his own mouth are enough to make me throw rotten tomatoes at him.
To take your argument a step further, indeed, public opinion is indeed not the same thing as a legal ruling. That means that we are free to think he’s scum regardless of the verdict, not that we have to like him just because one hasn’t been passet yet.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:04 pmThe world loves leaders who lavishly intersperse the F word as an adjective, noun and verb.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm#13. Those are allegations. He is innocent until proven guilty. If he is found guilty, then have at him. Until then, those are allegations.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm#14, Beyond the allegations, how much do you know about him? What do you know of his record? Are you basing your whole opinion on the allegations and the media spectacle he became?
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:06 pmNext news conference for Blago will be held by the officials of the MENTAL REHAB FACILITY where he’s remanded…
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pmGot Narcissism?
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pmBlagojevich, Palin, Patterson … can somebody tell me why Republicans always insist that governors would be better as President.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pmI’ll repeat my main point: Trial by media does not bring justice. Just imagine if the capitalist, corporate media made unsubstantiated allegations against you that were plausible, but just not true? How could you ever fight back without their megaphone? Let the man have his day in court.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:08 pmWhen people make fun of everything you say maybe it’s time to shut up.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:08 pmThe man is a perceived embarassment and just needs to step down..
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:10 pmEnd of story…and take Sarah Palin with you..
his arrest is comparable to Pearl Harbor?
WTF?
More like comparing apples to lemons.
He should visit the graves of those killed on the ‘date of infamy’ and reflect about what he just said.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pmHFS! If only Bush’s and Cheney’s torture policy, warrantless wiretapping and general unconstitutional presidency and vice presidency got as much capitalist, corporate media attention as Blago, we would have been done with them long ago.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 pmI heard Osama Bin Laden put in a ‘bid’ on that Senate seat…
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:14 pmBlago is the Zero.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 pm#17 As an Illinoisan who is hoping he gets booted ASAP I can assure you he is a scumbag from start to finish. This selling of the Senate seat is just the icing on the corrupt politician cake. His own party here in the state hates him and actively works against him. That tells you something. The man was trying to get contributions from the head of a children’s hospital in order to approve state funds for the hospital to provide medical care to needy children. While a trial will happen I think we are all safe passing our own judgment based on his own actions and his own words caught on tape (while he knew he was under investigation – so not only corrupt but a total dumbass).
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:26 pmThis guy is either insane or an egomaniac. Or perhaps both. He’s worst than a Goper. Maybe not.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:28 pmWhat a crappy toupee.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:31 pmstewarjt Says:
#14, Beyond the allegations, how much do you know about him? What do you know of his record? Are you basing your whole opinion on the allegations and the media spectacle he became?
I’m basing my opinion of Blagovich by his own words. If you need more, so be it. His own words may or may not be enough for the judge, but it is clear to me the guy is a corrupt, and stupid, politician. I will be disappointed if he isn’t convicted. In my view, he is not worthy of public office.
HFS! If only Bush’s and Cheney’s torture policy, warrantless wiretapping and general unconstitutional presidency and vice presidency got as much capitalist, corporate media attention as Blago, we would have been done with them long ago.
No shit!
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:34 pmJebus, buddy, melodrama much??
Sheesh.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:38 pmHey, wait a minute — TP is critical of Blagojevich?
But he’s a Democrat!
I don’t understand — aren’t partisans all supposed to defend their own people, despite evidence, logic, the best interests of the state or nation?
Oh, hold on — that’s the Republican code.
Never mind.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:38 pmRod Blagojevich (D) compared his arrest last month to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. [...] “It was a complete surprise, completely unexpected.”
Yeah. “No one could have foreseen it”.
I’m amazed he didn’t go even further: “They crashed into my life like airlines with terrorists crashing into the World Trade Center towers.”
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:45 pmYo Stewartjt. We hear you. You’re becoming a broken record – so give it a break.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:47 pmstewarjt Says
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:57 am
It is challenging understanding why Blago is a favorite whipping boy. He is innocent until proven guilty like anyone else. Let him have a trial and be judged then. Trial by media is not justice.
_____________________________________________________________
It’s true that he’s innocent until he’s proven guilty in a court of law — one of the things that makes this country great.
But that’s not really what this thread is about. Whether Blago is guilty or not isn’t the issue. It’s about the stupidity of his claim that he’s been Pearl Harbored.
When you’re the subject of a federal corruption investigation and yet you still make remarks on what is likely a tapped phone line that you’re selling a Senate seat to the highest bidder and start listing the minimum pay requirements, it should be no surprise when marshals show up at your door.
Even if there’s a perfectly legitimate explanation for claiming that the seat isn’t going for “nothing” and demands for a high paying job for Mrs. Blagojevich (among other things), claiming shock and surprise is just plain stupid. And insulting to our intelligence. I won’t even get into the audacity of comparing his personal situation to one of the worst military attacks against us in our history.
If he’s guilty of corruption, that’s for a court to decide. But I think I can proclaim him an idiot right here and now.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:56 pmHonestly, it was inappropriate of Fitzgerald and the other FBI agents to run at Blago with their arms out making airplane noises when they picked him up. They should have realized that his medication leaves him prone to a variety of delusions.
.
stewarjt Says:
Those are allegations. He is innocent until proven guilty. If he is found guilty, then have at him. Until then, those are allegations.
Again, I am free to like or dislike anyone regardless of whether they have been found guilty of a crime or not.
.
stewarjt Says:
Beyond the allegations, how much do you know about him? What do you know of his record? Are you basing your whole opinion on the allegations and the media spectacle he became?
Yes, I am. Note that he is the one saying ridiculous things and making a media spectacle of himself. And I would be extremely surprised if the transcripts of his phone conversations turned out to have been faked by Fitzgerald. Whether or not those technically constitute a crime, I can still dislike him based on what he himself has said both on those phone conversations and publicly since then.
.
stewarjt Says:
I’ll repeat my main point: Trial by media does not bring justice.
We’re not doing this for justice.
Since public opinion is not the same thing as a jury trial, our opinions are not necessarily limited by the outcomes of jury trials.
.
Uncle Ho Says:
More like comparing apples to lemons.
I’d call it on par with comparing apples to Existentialism.
.
Joe Sixpack Says:
What a crappy toupee.
Sometimes I think they go for these insane things so people will think “there’s no way that could be a toupee; a real toupee would look much better than that monstrosity.” Ditto Donald Trump.
.
Luis M Says:
I’m amazed he didn’t go even further: “They crashed into my life like airlines with terrorists crashing into the World Trade Center towers.”
Give him another week.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 pmEvery time Blago speaks, I think of The Princess and the Pea — don’t know why…
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pmstewarjt Says:
He is innocent until proven guilty.
That is true in a court of law. But your point happens to be irrelevant in a forum where people can post their opinion on any given subject.
Until then, those are allegations.
You make it sound like it’s a he-said-she-said situation. I believe most of us have heard the tapes of read the transcripts. These are not just allegations. Blagojevich said what he said. And he said he was trying to get something in exchange for the Senate seat.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 pm.
Blago inflates the truth like he inflates his hair…
.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:01 pmShayne Says
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Blagojevich, Palin, Patterson … can somebody tell me why Republicans always insist that governors would be better as President.
______________________________________________________
They only say that when they’re running a governor and the Democrats are not. This was their mantra when Bush ran against Gore in 2000, but they were curiously quiet on this point when Clinton ran against Bush 41 in 1992. And then when Dole challenged Clinton in 1996. Oh — and when Dukakis and Bush 41 ran in 1988. Whenever they run AGAINST a state governor, governors are bad because they have no foreign experience, no national experience, or whatever excuse will sell.
In fact, the only Republican nominees for POTUS in the past sixty years who were governors were Dubya and Ronald Reagan. You have to go back all the way to Thomas Dewey to find another one. During this same sixty year period of time, the Democrats have run governors Adlai Stevenson, Jimmy Carter, Michael Dukakis, and Bill Clinton.
So if the GOP thinks that governors make such dandy presidents, I wonder why they didn’t nominate more of them?
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:10 pmrddaos Says:
The people are hoping their captain will do everything in his power to save them.
_______________
Actually, there’s pretty much been a unanimous cry for the clown to step aside.
Nice try, though. Care for some cookies and milk?
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:13 pmBREAKING NEWS:
Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno indicted on federal charges. Haven’t found any other details at the moment.
Sounds like the hammer is dropping all over!
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:15 pm… dammit…
he had a promising positive start…
way to fook it up, rod.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm“#14, Beyond the allegations, how much do you know about him? What do you know of his record? Are you basing your whole opinion on the allegations and the media spectacle he became?”
I’m from Illinois. I know a lot about his record.
Illinois will be a heck of a lot better when they toss that corrupt clown out of office (I would say “out of Springfield” but most in Illinois know that Blago never spent any time there).
Favorite non-corruption Blago story: The Illinois House and/or Senate (I don’t recall which) were in a huge battle to pass a budget bill. That evening, while Springfield was a mess with people trying to get the votes either way, Blago was seen at a Chicago Blackhawks game. He had his priorities.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:48 pmHere’s some:
Today’s indictment marks the culmination of a three-year FBI investigation into the shadowy public and private dealings of the Brunswick Republican who rose through the ranks of state government and became one of the Capital Region’s most iconic political leaders.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:00 pmRodney Massengill Blagojevich.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:03 pmThis irrational treatment of Blago reminds me of the two minute hate in 1984!
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:18 pmJanuary 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Where’d my comment go? Take two…
stewarjt Says:
This irrational treatment of Blago reminds me of the two minute hate in 1984!
Except it’s perfectly rational. You might be able to levy such a charge (actually it’s still over the top) if we were talking about a Republican, or if this was a conservative-dominated website. But we’ve got no reason to pick on Blago other than the fact of what he himself has said and done. Nothing irrational about that.
And it’s not so much “hate” as it is the chirpy contempt for which we libs are justly famous.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 pmStewart,
There is nothing irrational about it at all.
The guy is scum. He tried to sell a Senate seat, he treated most people like dirt, he rarely spent any time in Springfield, he held up government funding to a children’s hospital, he blocked a capital bill in Illinois (putting many construction workers out of work) he compared his arrest to the attack on Pearl Harbor, he claimed that his impeachment was part of conspiracy to get taxes raised, and NOBODY in Illinois ever trusted him and as a result, Illinois government nearly came to a stand still.
He’s got what is coming.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:33 pm“irrational”. I would argue entirely rational. It must be tough not having opinions unless They are backed up by a court ruling.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:35 pm“I saw you kick over my sand castle and felt the sand you kicked in my face and heard you yell ‘na na na boo boo’ but until I bring charges and emerge victorious from my day in court lets keep playing together in case you are innocent.”
And, again as an Illinoisan, I can assure everyone we are not “sinking”, we just have a jerk of a governor who needs to get booted and we are working on that.
OK. I get that it is Chicago which has a long history of election improprieties. I get that he is innocent until proven guilty. I get that americans love to conflate (it isn’t just an explosion but went off like an atom bomb / etc.). I get that the tapes may have been taken out of context.
But me thinks he doth protest too much. I also saw an item that he is suing to stop his impeachment. He is just digging his sleeziness deeper and deeper.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm15. stateofthedivision – may I add “adverb” to your post?
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:38 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says?
@ #1
“And what’s w/ that hair?”
He’s trying to cover his ass.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:43 pmHe needs to go…quickly….and like Pearl Harbor, he’s sunk.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pmI think a better comparison is Eliot Ness’s attack on Al Capone.
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:12 pmWhat an ego. Pearl Harbor was about a sneak attack on innocent people. This man got caught trying to sell a Senate seat.
If he means that getting caught is like being bombed perhaps it is. He has only himself to blame. To do it is bad enough, but to get it recorded passes all stupidity. But it is amazing how many get caught on tape or film. He won’t get the sympathy of too many people for what he did. Except the ones that are caught and jailed etc. These people never learn. I can name nine or ten right now that have been caught over the last three years.
Get a haircut.
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:13 pmRe: Blago
I can see the link between the two events: They both happened.
We always wondered what was beneath all that hair–and a brain isn’t it. Maybe that’s where he thought he could hide all that money he planned on getting for selling Obama’s Senate seat…
[Acknowledgements to Thom Hartmann.]
====
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pmHe’s giving a news conference as we speak.
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:35 pmHe’s saying, as I write this, that impeachment is not about selling the senate seat, but is about getting him out of the way so that taxes can be raised.
Unbelievable.
The man is scum.
More on the tax increase:
Per Blago: Dems want him out becuase they want to raise taxes.
Republicans are conspiring with Dems, because they want the campaign issue.
Could this be part of an insanity defense?
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:38 pmi compare your head to mt. fuji.
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:42 pmAnd I could relate my life to so many historical atrocities, yet I have the courtesy and dignity not to and make myself a mockery in the eyes of my family and the public.
Impeach Blago now and replace Burris in the Senate!
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:05 pmGod, even his metaphors suck.
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:10 pmI hereby call on Blagojevich to issue a formal apology to all of the families of the victims of the Pearl Harbor attack.
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:51 pmPhoto Caption: “Not only do I wear a Hair Hat for Men. But I am the president.”
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:34 pmThey’ve got an obsession with hanging out there in Illinois. Blago likened his situation to a cattle rustler being hanged summarily and Rep. Bobby Rush spoke about Senator Burris being hanged or lynched.
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:36 pmIf hyperbole were a capital crime he’d be executed twice.
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:53 pmI here that a defense lawyer is resigning from Blogo’s team.
Apparently, Blogo is not one to listen.
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:27 pmThe good part about this mess is that Pat Quinn will now be governor of Illinois. Quinn is a populist reformer who could never raise enough money to run for governor. He formed the Citizen’s Utility Board, which has always fought Commonwealth Edison for fair electricity prices in Illinois.
There is a common misconception that he and Blagojevich are allies. Nothing could be further from the truth. He has always been an enemy of Blagojevich. In Illinois, the Lieutenant Governor and Governor run separately in the primaries, so he owes nothing to Blagojevich. In fact, Quinn led the movement for a recall of Blagojevich for more than a year.
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 pmElBruce Says:
I applaud you!! You should be doing stand up. Thanks for the laughs!! I am happy to see you don’t save your insights for just the right.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:10 pmI hope that he is innocent, but it seems unlikely. Too bad. Another person that could have been a force of good but choose not to.
Man, Blago is really deluded of his self importance. He’s as bad as FORMER president Bush.
Geez, Bush didn’t even compare himself to something like Pearl Harbor.
Get lost, Blago.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:33 pmNow, don’t be too hasty. This guy might have a promising future in the Republican party politics. I am sure they will welcome him as a hero.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm>Maybe he should have not
> got caught on tape trying
>to sell the senate seat
>among other slips of the tongue.
I am in no way defending to the guy, but to be completely fair, all that I have heard Blago saying was that he desired to commit a crime. Analyzing that statement from a purely legalistic perspective, I will say this: with some exceptions, merely expressing your desire to commit a crime, to someone who is not a co-conspirator in that crime, is not sufficient to rise the level of a crime itself. I am not saying blago is or isnt guilty. All I know is that the tapes, at least those I’ve heard, wouldnt be sufficient to convict blago of bribery. If I call a friend and randomly mention to him that I have a new gun and I’d love to r@b a b@nk with it, that doesnt make me guilty of the crime of b@nk r@bbery, attempted bank robbbery, or even conspriacy to commit bank robbery, unless i make an agreement with the person I’m talking to, to help me commit the crime. This is probably why Fitzy is having trouble getting an indictment against the guy…because to be honest, unless theres more evidence out there, I dont think theres enough evidence to convict the guy or even for the prosecutions case to survive a motion to dismiss..
January 24th, 2009 at 3:51 amWhat can one say, he is what he is and sooner or later we are all called upon to prove our tasks were worthy. He should have his day in court and should attend as the media is not his court room. He cannot talk fast enough nor compare himself to such worthy people that have given so much to many countries and what has he given his state?? Pompas fool.
January 26th, 2009 at 9:42 am