Adventures in Blago-sitting: Coffee and Blagojevich

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jan 26, 2009 3:30PM

In case you weren't up as early as we were to catch our Governor on television, here's pretty much all you need to know: Senator Oprah. Appearing on ABC's Good Morning, America, the Haired One was on the defensive as Diane Sawyer came after him. When pressed about the rumor that he had considered Oprah for Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat. "The idea came to me from a friend," Blago claimed. He admitted, "She probably wouldn't take it," but that didn't stop him and his team from trying to figure out how to offer it to her so it "wouldn't appear like some sort of gimmick." As for the impeachment, he's come to accept the fact he's not likely to be Governor come February, but he's still maintaining his innocence, saying, "The fix is in." Oh, and when asked about his wife, he quoted Kipling again.

Earlier in the morning, he had appeared on NBC's Today show where he got his martyrdom on, claiming that by boycotting his impeachment trial showed, he was willing to "sacrifice myself for the principle that everyone is entitled to a fair trial."

He stuck by his guns and called the allegations of the Senate Seat Sale "flat out, completely untrue." One of our favorite quotes: "I'll point out that when some of that language was used, there were no women on the phone." How chivalrous, Rod. Of course, it should come as no surprise that he compares himself to Jefferson Smith, the good guy lawmaker depicted by Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Good to know he has a healthy, realistic view of himself. But perhaps the grossest aspect of this was Blago's presentation of "never before seen" pictures of his daughters in an attempt to garner sympathy. Sorry, Rod, the "think of the children!" defense will more than likely backfire here. Hope Ald. Dick Mell has a nice swingset in his backyard.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made for today's start of the impeachment trial in Springfield. And with Blagojevich traversing the Big Apple in the hopes of swaying potential jurors of his impending criminal case, the senior U.S. Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, said of Blago's media blitz, “That’s the governor’s choice as to what he does with his time, but Barbara Walters is not on his jury. Fifty-nine Illinois state senators are, and I think he would be better advised to be in the Illinois state senate tomorrow at noon to defend himself.”

Look for Blago on ABC's The View in just a bit followed by an appearance on Larry King Live tonight on CNN. And if you're wondering about Blago's insistence on witnesses, The Capitol Fax breaks it all down for you [via The Reader].