January 28, 2009
To borrow a phrase still floating amidst the detritus of the interminable and bloated presidential campaign….I have officially flip-flopped! I am now firmly and proudly in Rod Blagojevich’s corner! I just got finished watching his interview with Fox News’ Glenn Beck, and I’m impressed.
Now don’t misunderstand me, Blago is as dirty and as crooked as the day is long, but he has done something that most other Democrats, including the recently-elected sainted one, wouldn’t dare do: He went into enemy territory and answered every question Beck posed, forthrightly and with humor. I may not have liked all his answers, but at least he faced the fire.
This show of heresy alone, his acts of malfeasance aside, will probably get Blagojevich drummed from the political system…the good ol’ boy network certainly can’t sit back and do nothing when one of theirs deigns to fields tough questions. It reflects poorly on the 535 dissemblers in the Capitol, the thieves and liars in the White House, and the corrupt governors across the nation.
The Messiah, to his credit, did do an interview with Bill O’Reilly, but beyond that, he spent his seemingly decade-long campaign (remember when he wasn’t going to run for president until he completed his term in the Senate?) going into comfortable environments, reading scripts, and fielding softball questions from hard-hitters like Oprah Winfrey, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres, Keith Olbermann, and Chris Matthews.
John McCain, of whom I’m no fan by any stretch, at least had the sack to go places where he knew the cards were stacked against him. He made appearances on the Daily Show, the Colbert Report, David Letterman, Chris Matthews, and The View. Sarah Palin was ritually abused by the press, especially during her sandbag interview with Katie Couric. Imagine being made to look stupid by Katie Couric…the mind reels. But at least Palin bucked up and showed up.
That brings me back to Blagojevich. Like him or hate him, he answered Beck’s questions. Though he refused to appear at his own impeachment proceedings in the Illinois senate, I’m confident, after seeing his arrogance up close on Beck’s show, that he skipped the impeachment hearing out of hubris, not fear.
As this country is far beyond ever hoping for an honest politician, at least give me one with balls who will spit in the face of his sanctimonious brethren. Dare I say it…Blago for Prez in 2012!!