Letterman v. Blagojevich

You bet I watch Rod Blagojevich on Letterman last night. Typically I let the DVR do the work and I catch the show later, but last night was worth every bit of it live …

I chuckled just at the site of Blago appearing on the stage. And I chuckled even more when the band played “My Way” as Blago took his seat …

Of course, the former Gov. wasted no time going into his I-did-nothing-wrong schpeal and arguing his case -- all stuff we’ve heard coming out of his mouth for weeks.

But the real fun was seeing Letterman peck and poke at him: “The more you hear a guy say, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong,’ and the more you hear a guy say, ‘I didn’t have a chance to defend myself,’ the more you begin to think, ‘Eh…something wrong here.’ ”

Pretty much.

Watch it all here / Read a review and the transcript here.

Ding Dong, Blago's Gone

So Rod Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois, was impeached today …

There was an interesting vibe in our office this afternoon as the proceedings played out on the television … No one cared. We’d watched enough of the insanity the last couple weeks. And I’m thinking we were about as unanimous as the Illinois Senate in that we thought he was done.

I could hardly bare watching more than a few seconds of his media blitz blabberings earlier this week …

Yet after I arrived home tonight, I couldn’t get to the TV fast enough to watch his reaction to today’s vote. We stood in front of the TV, mouths agape, watching the live coverage of him blabbering again to news cameras about all the things he accomplished as governor. The more it continued, the more I couldn’t keep from laughing at his foolishness. As one TV newsman noted, he was giving the same campaign speech over and over …

Laughing stock of the country. Though I'm really going to miss every anchor person outside of Chicago mis-pronouncing his name ...It's not that hard people!

And to think I supported his election when I was an Illinoisan in 2002.

CC, Blago and the slow death of newspapers

What a week, huh.

CC Sabathia went ahead and signed with the Yankees for a gazillion dollars. Dang, I was sure he had found a home in Milwaukee ...

Newspapers are continuing their slow death ... The Detroit newspapers are cutting deliveries. The Rocky Mountain News appears to be in serious trouble. And the Chicago Tribune is filing for bankruptcy.

Oh, and Rod Blagojevich is the laughing stock of the country ... As I told one of my editors this week -- we've been hearing all the talk of corruption and a possible indictment for months. But of all the things they'd get him for, we never expected it to be for selling the senate seat.

... Good thing I have another D-II National Championship game featuring my ol' Northwest Missouri State Bearcats to cheer me up.

Here's some reads about the Tribune's plight ...
a Tribune Co. Mulling Bankruptcy
a Downturn creates drama at NBC
a Roger Ebert: Trib bankruptcy a Zell of a deal
a Keeping calm about the Tribune's bankruptcy
a Tribune Co.'s crisis has been years in making

And here's some good stuff about Blago ...
a The indictment
a Tuesday was a great day in Illinois, a thrilling day, an exciting, hopeful day; one of the few happy days we've had lately.
a Portrait of a Politician: Vengeful and Profane
a Shakedown plot alleged by feds: U.S.: $50,000 sought from hospital chief
a Happy birthday, Guv — How about a little self-exam?
a Governor Blagojevich, resign
a Chicago Tribune withheld publishing at U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald's request
a Blagojevich sought firing of Chicago Tribune editorial writer in exchange for Wrigley Field deal
Also, it's been super-amusing to watching guys like David Letterman and Jon Stewart make fun of his hair and stumble over the pronunciation of his name. It's not that hard to say, people!

a Jon Stewart: Illinois graft 'nothing new'
a Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show": "Blagojevich is a [parental advisory here]."
a Stephen Colbert on "The Colbert Report": "It's going to take a huge bribe to get him out of this one."
a David Letterman on "The Late Show": "One count of Blagojeviching."