Wanker of the Day

To borrow from Atrios, here's the wanker of the day by former IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich:

""I'm blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived," Blagojevich said. "I saw it all growing up."


I think Blago realized today the error in firing off another ball from his loose cannon arsenal.

You Would Think Roland Burris Could Take a Hint

Roland Burris is in hot water. He knows it.

From Rich Miller:

A former top official for then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Thursday he got a “courtesy call” from Roland Burris last fall noting Burris’ interest in a vacant U.S. Senate seat—a contact Burris failed to mention to lawmakers in his evolving testimony about how he got the job.

John Filan, former chief operating officer in Blagojevich’s administration, also said Burris called him later—after Blagojevich’s Dec. 9 arrest on federal corruption charges. Filan said Burris asked him to put in a good word with then-Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn if Quinn became governor and inherited the power to make the Senate appointment.

Burris has gotten signals from the White House to consider his future. Governor Pat Quinn called for Burris to step down. And Burris' chief of staff quit, going back to be a senior adviser for Reid.

But nooooooooo.......

According to the Chicago Tribune this morning:

On Friday, Burris toured a Veterans Affairs hospital and the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago, but continued his vow not to speak to the media, whom he blames for taking his comments about contacts with the Blagojevich administration and casting him in a negative light.

"He's asked the public and officials to stop their rush to judgment and asked for the facts to come out," said Burris spokesman Jim O'Connor. "There is a legal process moving forward and he's promised to fully cooperate."

Burris is as pathetic in his hubris as was our former governor. It's all about him and not the people of Illinois.

I agree with Governor Pat Quinn that Burris needs to step aside for the good of the state (as it is the laughingstock of the country) and to have a special election in May. It's expensive to have an election during a time that the budget is in crisis, but who said democracy was cheap?

Buh-Bye Blago

(photo courtesy of the Chicago Tribune)
I have not written much about Gov Rod R. Blagojevich as my governor. There were various reasons why I held back. Now that he has been removed from office, I will finally say my piece. He was wrecking most of higher education in Illinois (except for Chicago State, which did deserve some funding)--and all to raid my university's funds to pay for mainly junk in Chicago. He would approve funding for half a bridge and not the other half if it was known that someone was not a fan of his. He wouldn't live in the mansion provided for him and his family. Oh no, Springfield was not good enough for his family.

I hope he is indicted by Patrick Fitzgerald. The man is seriously corrupt and I believe he is guilty of many allegations against him to come. I'm more annoyed that it took the Illinois Lege as long as it did to bring about his removal, but at least the man cannot hold any public office in IL for the rest of his natural life. (Just read at CFB that one of my Senators, Mike Frerichs, made that motion) And good riddance to his wife, the ungrateful First Lady.

As JRE said about Karl Rove when he left the WH in 2007, "Good-Bye and Good Riddance" to the anti-Nixon.

Helping Hands in the Spirit of John and Elizabeth Edwards

(photo courtesy of parshathashavua.com)

JRE may be out of the public spotlight most of the time. However, his campaign's spirit of helping others in a time of need lives on in many of us.

BW readers may remember that I work in a university library. It is a long standing tradition for our library to organize some type of event at holiday time to assist others in need during this time of the year. Last year library staff were very generous with a food drive for the Food Bank. At my institution, the Faculty Staff Assistance Program, FSAP, compiles a list of the most needy families they have assisted through the year. FSAP contacts these families for a 'wish list' for the holidays, and then individual campus units and departments are asked to sponsor a family. Wish list items are collected in the units, and then presented to the family before the holiday break. What's nice is the FSAP keeps the family names anonymous and confidential. My library decided to "adopt" a family.

Our unit's "family's" father is an employee who has been battling lung cancer and other health issues. He is currently unable to work and has undergone surgery just two weeks ago for another condition. Doctors are unable to start a cancer treatment regimen until other issues are resolved and he is stronger. The employee lives with his wife and two sons, ages 11 and 23. Both sons have cerebral palsy and are wheel-chair bound. The mother stays home with her sons to manage their health care.

As you might surmise from reading their story, finances are tight, and the prospects for the holiday are not bright. This family has only one full time employee income, and that member is now unable to work. FSAP supplied us this family's wish list, which was so modest. All they wanted was a Bears sweatshirt, some socks, underwear, and chocolate covered cherries for each person.

Our library raised enough not only to buy gift cards for their underwear and socks, many employees bought the boxes of the candy too. In addition, we raised over $2k in cash to give to them. Librarians are not wealthy at all, but we have big hearts. Tomorrow I will be helping out to wrap the presents.

One of my buddies whom I met through John Edwards' campaign said that her family is buying personal hygiene items and some cuddly toy bears for some folks at a nursing home as often seniors only get $30 monthly to buy such things and certainly, the bear would cheer up anyone. She and her family are offering a great helping hand too.

I wish John and Elizabeth would start another OneCorps to continue the much needed work to be done for the working poor or just helping our communities. I know Elizabeth talked about this when we were on the phone with her back in February, but so much has happened since then.

The spirit of John and Elizabeth Edwards: they had the right ideas, and there is so much we can do lift people up on a local level.

MSM and Supporters of Those Who Live in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones Either

I went to a PT session today, was fortunate to meet a storage solutions and clutter specialist (and feeling glad about that since I live in a rural area), got groceries and came home to try out my new lumber roll for my chair which sits in front of my workstation.

Check the e-mail, and I get this alert from the NYT:

Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has informed his most senior
administration officials that he had been involved in a
prostitution ring, an administration official said this
morning.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

Gov. Spitzer, you did your wife wrong more than us. Problem worse is that what you did was illegal.

Spitzer is a backer of Clinton's. No doubt this will dredge up memories of Dick Morris during Clinton's administration, and Monica L. But I am convinced Clinton knew nothing of this, and therefore should not be blamed or linked to his wrongdoing just because Spitzer supported her candidacy (why wouldn't he, Clinton is his senator).

However, the Obamatons are going to have a field day with the news, although the MSM, in collusion with them are overlooking this piece of news that is completely about unethical moves in government:

Obama consulted on health board appointees

March 10, 2008
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sen. Barack Obama was among eight state officials and others consulted about who should be appointed to a state board that later became involved in what prosecutors describe as a fraud scheme, according to a memo from a Democratic official.

The memo was discussed Monday at the trial of Antoin ''Tony'' Rezko, a Chicago businessman who was a prominent contributor to Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Among other things, Rezko is on trial for allegedly plotting with board member Stuart Levine to split a bribe from a contractor.

Prosecutors say Levine used his position on the health facilities planning board and a state pension board to pressure companies for payoffs. They say Rezko used political clout with Blagojevich to help Levine.

Wilhelm wrote his memo to Susan Lichtenstein, who was on the stand at Rezko's trial for a second day Monday. She was general counsel to Blagojevich in June 2003.

Snip

Levine was appointed to the board. He has pleaded guilty to charges in the case and is expected to be the government's star witness against Rezko. Beck has been charged with no wrongdoing in the case.

Wilhelm's memo said ''we worked closely over the past six months'' with eight officials including three state senators, one of whom was Obama.

Sun-Times

Of course, Obama may have not done anything wrong, but this smells of corruption, and I have a gut feeling Obama is part of it. But I cannot throw stones at Obama at this point since we're unclear about it.

Politics are nasty, and going to get worse within the Democratic Party before better.

Update: there is a famous line from the movie American President in which the GCD Director tells his lobbyist, "there's never an egg timer when you need one." Less than 24 hours--some dumb Kossack has already started throwing rocks at Clinton, not knowing the difference between the situations.

Seems Fitting

This morning I was looking for the county by county results of the election in Illinois. Obama won handily in my county and I knew he would since I live in a college town.

But here's one county that caught my attention as I had not heard of the name of it before.

# Precincts Clinton Obama JRE

Union

20/20

2,151 47%

1,721 38%

542 12%

That was Edwards' best showing, and of course, in a county called Union.

I thought it was interesting that Obama lost that one to Clinton.

Super Tuesday: I Voted for John Edwards (updated)

(graphic by Redjet)

This morning I woke up about 5:30 and read the paper. I discovered the precinct polls would be open at 6:00. Wearing a turtle neck, a pair of navy blue paints, and my poverty band that is identical to the one I gave JRE in June 2006 (and he wore for weeks), I cast my ballot at approximately 6:10. I voted for John Edwards and all of his delegates.

As the man handed me a "I voted" sticker, I took the time to write on it, "for JRE".

There were mainly Repugs who voted in my precinct. With the weather being mild, I think there will be a good turnout.

I went home, retrieved my yard sign, and took it back to the polling place and stuck it prominently where everyone could see it. I figured, what the hell, it would be better served there. The polling place is on one of the major thoroughfares in town, so everyone can see it.

I was surprised there were no Obama or Hillary signs. The other sign was for Ron Paul.

Despite many on the Daily Kos and actually one person on Taylor Marsh's site who tried to persuade me that my vote would be wasted and to vote for either Hillary or Obama, I do not believe it was. I voted for the voiceless. I voted a person who cared the most about the 46 million who do not have health care. I voted for the person who wanted to end poverty for the 37 million who may have gone to bed hungry along with their children, or the 200,00 veterans who were homeless.

I voted for a man who stood for principles. I voted for a man who had the decency to suspend his campaign and let all of us make our own decisions. And I voted for the most progressive ideas.

I voted proudly --albeit bittersweet--for John Edwards.

Update: links about similar thoughts by JRE supporters who are voting for him today or in upcoming primaries:

Impractical Proposals

Acebass at the Daily Kos

BruceMcF's Midnight Oil at the Daily Kos

Montana Maven

NcDem Amy at JRE's blog

Ted Daley at Alternet

Sarah Lane at Lefty Lane

Surburan Guerilla

Vyan at the DU

Ellinorianne at the Daily Kos

More l8tr...

This and That

Sen. Chris Dodd of CT is running. And he's going to hang out in Iowa on Thursday. How exciting it is to have another NE politician who thinks s/he can win because most of the Dems are concentrated there.

Convincing Iowans will be very different. Perhaps he can will add to their issues debate and see where they think Dodd really stands. If Dodd is even a little bit disingenous, as some Iowans I have talked to think about Hilary, he's got Sisyphus' battles ahead of him.

Meantime, it's been rumored at Capitol Fax Mike Madigan, Speaker of the Illinois House of Reps, is trying to help Sen. Barak Obama along by attempting to move up the primary from the 3rd Tuesday in March to Feb 5. The Illinois State Board of Elections is where...Chicago. But he will have to convince Dems at the DNC Feb 1-3 meeting this can be done, considering it's been set in stone for some time where the first primaries and caucuses would be and when.

Well, sure it would help Obama in that the 3rd Tuesday is generally spring break and might help GOTV, especially in Chi-Town. But it might help other candidates too, such John Edwards, to get the young voter's attention. Edwards has the most techie organization for this race...and I think he can find ground booters too, especially some of us in downstate Illinois.

Meantime, you can catch JRE on Larry King Live tonight, and on Jay Leno too. It will be fun to see JRE's reaction to John McCain's doctrine on LKL.