Welcome To The Circus: Blagojevich's Greatest Show
STARRING
Welcome To The Circus: Blagojevich's Greatest Show
HE SPELLS HIS NAME R O D B L A G O J E V I C H AND I doubt there's any Illinois citizen who couldn't tell you that today.
He's the poor man's Bill Clinton, all hugs and smiles and aw-shucks charm without the brilliance.
He may or may not be corrupt -- I'll leave that for 12 jurors deliberating in his federal corruption trial to decide.
But, win or lose, there's no disputing that the deposed Governor of Illinois seems destined for reality TV.
"Hey, you like my suit?," Blagojevich, 53, asks the supportive crowd greeting him outside the federal courthouse in downtown Chicago where he's being tried on 24 charges including extortion conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery conspiracy.
Among the claims of prosecutors is that the Governor and his wife Patti spent $400,000 on clothing while in office.
Since opening two months ago, the trial's been the hottest ticket in town with court watchers lining up as early as 5pm for a seat.
Prosecutors have methodically (if not persuasively) argued that Blagojevich had tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat left open by President Barack Obama’s election. The smoking gun: Blagojevich boasting on wiretaps, "I've got this thing and it's f --king golden and I'm just not giving it up for f --king nothing.” The line’s become prosecutors’ mantra and a joke around Illinois.
But there are at least two sides to every story, and Blagojevich's floridly performing defense team has put on an eyepopping show countering prosecutors.
In their plotline, the former governor is, at most, guilty of being a bumbling, dimwitted opportunist.
"That's not attempted bribes! That's not extortion!" Blagojevich’s attorney Sam Adam Jr. insisted during his closing argument Tuesday. “That’s a politician.”
And no truer words have been spoken in Chicago, the capital of clout.
