Senators: Blagojevich was his own worst enemy

A week ago I did three posts. I consider those posts to be an impeachment special that I wrote right on the cusp of the vote that essentially fired Rod Blagojevich from the Governornship. My last words on the final post of that day was, "Bye Rod".

But Mr. Blagojevich didn't go away after that. He held a presser outside of his north side home, a place he refused to leave in favor of the Governor's mansion during his 6 year tenure. He's been interviewed on national programs since his removal, but really got shellacked on of all places, The Late Show with David Letterman.

Today I offer an article where the Senators give their unanimous vote to impeach the Governor. Senators Kimberly Lightford and Dan Harmon both Democrats says:

"There was much belief in our caucus that he could have mounted a serious defense to the charges. But he didn't," Harmon said after the unanimous votes to fire the governor and bar him from holding any state office.


Lightford admitted she wasn't always satisfied the prosecution had proved its case, but added that while Blagojevich "made the best campaign speech of his life" just before the Senate voted, he "didn't put himself under oath, produce a defense, or answer questions."

While "it appeared we came to our conclusions (to convict) at different times," she and at least some others decided that "if he didn't care enough to come in and defend himself, why should we?" she said.

That vote to convict didn't have to be based on agreement he was guilty of all the charges made by the House prosecution team. He only had to be found guilty of some of them, Lightford explained.

In the end, "the evidence (against Blagojevich) was overwhelming and unrebutted that the governor abused power time and time again," Harmon said.

Lightford said she was upset at the way Blagojevich got the General Assembly to support some of his prescription and health care programs, not knowing he had skirted federal laws to put parts of those programs together, thereby making the lawmakers his unwitting accomplices.

Are they saying that Blago essentially cheated to have his way? That he was a liar in achieving his objectives?

Perhaps his closing statements also showed how clueless he was. Perhaps he did come to the point that he didn't care anymore. Some speculation was that he didn't want to be Governor anymore hence his attempts to either procure himself an appointment as a cabinet secretary in Obama's cabinet or some other high powered gig.

Or perhaps his problem was that he's often found himself in campaign mode that he just couldn't help but give the camapaign speech of his life. He's been accused of governing via press release, so why would impeachment be any different. And it didn't help that he already chose to boycott his own impeachment trial unwilling to submit his evidence or his witnesseses and a lot of them said their were insulted  by his comments and considered them self-centered.

Of course like I said he already didn't have a good relationship with the state legislature. Especially the state house with whom he's largely warred against since his re-election in 2006. Yeah he was his own worse enemy and that was probably the main thing that did him in.

I sincerely hope that I can find other things to talk about other than Rod Blagojevich. Thankfully his reign over Illinois is over, but his attempts at publicity will contiune until eventually national media outlets get tired of him. Perhaps he can find himself on the Daily Show again so that they can make fools of him once more.