Illinois residents trusted Former Illinois State Governor Rod Blagojevich with state affairs for six years. The foundation that trust stood upon was shook with the uncovering of Blagojevich’s “pay to play” scandal to accept bribes for President Obama’s open Senate seat. It’s amazing how a few recorded vulgar tapes and federal corruption charges can leave a state, once so proud to call the new president a product of Illinois’ political system, embarrassed and ashamed by its governor’s controversy.
As embarrassing as it may be, controversy sells, and Blagojevich, stripped of his political reputation and career, has resorted to capitalizing upon that controversy. According to a Chicago Sun-Times article back in March of 2009, Blagojevich’s publicist announced that he signed a “‘six-figure book deal’ with Phoenix Books.” Six months later, Blagojevich’s book, “The Governor,” is on shelves and in the middle of the publicity machine. At first glance of the book and its intent, one can assume that Former Governor Blagojevich, while awaiting trail on public corruption charges, is using his book to cry over the spilled milk of his failed political career.
News sources are accounting that “The Governor” takes aim at some key politicians. Apparently, Blagojevich exposes such public figures as Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, President Obama’s current Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emanuel, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, and U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. According to news sources reporting about the book, Blagojevich notes his intent to approach his political nemesis, Michael Madigan, about appointing his daughter Lisa Madigan to the open senate seat in hopes that he would then support Blagojevich’s legislative agenda. In another case, then Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel requested that Blagojevich place a seat holder after he vacated his Congressional post, so Emanuel could return and fulfill his political agenda of becoming the next House speaker.
Aside from the natural inclination that Former Governor Blagojevich is taking strikes at those still playing in the political world that he no longer belongs to, what exactly is his book revealing? Should we be lead to believe that Blagojevich was a tragic offender/victim in our already corrupt political system? He may have bent the laws, but was he doing so to benefit the people of Illinois? Or, could it be that there is an overall darker side to politics, fully spliced with political placements aligning with the support of legislative agendas? If this is the case, then should we be concerned about the integrity of the politicians still in office that are named in his book?
As a separate issue, the release of Blagojevich’s book also appears to be a strong case for one exercising his first amendment right of freedom of speech. Blagojevich takes it upon himself to shine a different, perhaps blaringly truthful light upon the world of politics, and critics have already been quick to strike back. According to the Sun-Times article, “Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) announced a move to bar the impeached ex-governor from cashing in on the deal if he winds up being convicted of federal charges.” Although Rod Blagojevich managed to publish his book before the ban came into effect, should we be concerned that there is an effort to censor the public’s view of American politics? Or, if Blagojevich is found guilty, should criminals be allowed their chance to explain and financially benefit from their side of the story being told?
Posted by: | September 02, 2009 at 04:52 PM
Indicted criminals shouldn't be able to profit from their crimes. I am sure Bernie Madoff is already in negotiations to pen a book from the the Pen.
Posted by: Cam B. | September 03, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Speak of devil...a good article today in the New York Times on this.
http://tinyurl.com/nftcox
Posted by: Keith P. | September 07, 2009 at 11:26 AM