Blogs and Stories
Blago on the Offensive
Stephen Chernin / AP Photo
You thought the tapes were a disaster. Dan Abrams reports that Rod Blagojevich’s efforts to woo Larry King and other media members are one of the great p.r. catastrophes of our time, because the outspoken governor won’t make what might be a compelling case.
Poor Milorad R. Blagojevich. Who knew he'd be longing for the good ol’ days when everyone just thought he was a crook. Political thug hawking a seat versus media road kill rotting in the heat? I am not sure which is worse.
No question Blago's sold-out media tour will end up wedged into P.R. and legal textbooks in a small fluorescent yellow box labeled DON'T. But for a moment let's try to forget his self-proclaimed kinship with Messrs Gandhi, King, and Mandela. (I know, I know, it’s hard). Put aside the fact that he assumed that Larry King, who is Jewish, must therefore know Yiddish, saying on television that King would "certainly understand" the word "meshugas," Yiddish for crazy. You know, Larry, I also enjoy a nice bagel with lox and shmear…
Gov. Blagojevich has somehow managed to make even Gary Condit's disastrous TV appearance seem like a masterful apologia.
Let’s try to ignore how condescendingly Blago spoke about his doting wife, offering this explanation for why she used naughty curse words on the secretly recorded tapes: "If she picked that up, I take full responsibility. She doesn't speak like that. She just hears me sometimes." There are a thousand ways to get the public on your side; talking about your wife like she is a parakeet isn't one of them. In the end, all of that is terrific media fodder but really just demonstrates how out of touch this man of the people really is.
And let’s ignore the gaggle of legal analysts who suggest that by refusing to show up at his impeachment trial, Blago is somehow hurting his chances for political survival. That is like advising Ted Haggard to attend the Saddleback Forum. Blago is dead meat. Adlai Stevenson testifying through a spiritual medium wouldn't save him now. And while Blago was marinating, a big time TV interview could have really helped.
For someone else.
It seems Blago went public with the following talking points: 1) "the fix is in" on the impeachment trial; 2) I should be able to call witnesses at that trial; 3) the tapes that, gosh, sure do sound like me, were taken out of context; 4) I, Rod Blagojevich, am a fighter; 5) I, Rod Blagojevich, am a doting father of two girls; how dare they do this to them?; 6) I Rod Blagojevich am the greatest governor of Illinois. Ever.
Listen to newly released recordings of Blago's phone calls.
On the face of it, these are not all bad arguments. The “fix" (especially in Chicago politics) and his inability to call witnesses are potentially convincing ones. The public might even be receptive to someone who just wants his side of the story heard. The problem? When asked for specifics, Blago refused to answer, claiming, "As the Supreme Court says, I can't talk about a pending case."
Really? They said that? Uhh . . . no. Larry King (somewhat uncharacteristically) pushed him on it and he responded, "You are not supposed to comment on an ongoing case, and as a former prosecutor I agree with that procedure. You don't want to complicate or taint any of the specifics of anything." Huh? There is nothing legally that prevents him from talking. He hasn't even been formally charged. (Then again, he seems to wallow in his ignorance of the law; Blago once bragged that while at Pepperdine law "I barely knew where that law library was.") What he really meant was that anything he says can and will be used against him in the criminal case. That's his real audience, the upcoming judge and jury. Therein lies his problem. Sure many lawyers advise any defendant against going public in any situation. And in some cases they are wrong to say so. An interview in the right environment can help the accused. Just not here.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Amateur Hour at the White House
Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, is author of Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy (HarperCollins 2009), a book that shows how to think about and use power in the 21st century. He is president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Going Rogue: The Index
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
Bush's Lawyers Strike Back
Dan Abrams is CEO of Abrams Research, an attorney, and chief legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
The Man Who Got New York Back
Dan Abrams is CEO of Abrams Research, an attorney, and chief legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
Building a Better Guantánamo
Dan Abrams is CEO of Abrams Research, an attorney, and chief legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
I am a lawyer, but not a "criminal defense" attorney. [I guess they don't want to be called criminal lawyers anymore.] However, I still know a "client from hell" when I see one. When I saw the highly touted criminal lawyer that Blago engaged, I said to a friend that this lawyer would rue the day. Clients who are lawyers are almost always a "challenge", but adding delusisonal adds an extra frisson. I have heard conflicting stories about the relationship between Blago and his former lawyer. Did Blago fire the guy or vice versa? Does Blago have a new lawyer? From the PR tour (which laypeople call "polluting the jury pool"-as if DA Fitzpatrick can't find people in Chicago who don't watch daytime TV crap), it sure looks like he doesn't.
Another comment: I love the people who are complaining taht Pat Fitzgerald isn't giving daily press briefings. These are the same people who are complaining that the Madoff prosecutors are being too "secretive".
Here's what I don't get. Why on earth would anyone WANT to do an interview with this nitwit? The general consensus is that he's a self-serving dope who can't even keep his lies straight or even come up with a coherent cowboy analogy, but he continues to get booked on all of these shows for interviews. Who really cares? What he deserves is to be completely ignored by those he seeks to showcase his ridiculous dog and pony show. This is worse than Springer.
Hey Dan!
I have been reading every article I come across re. Blago. I use the FIND feature and I cannot find the words "Democrat" or "Democratic". Why is the media ignoring the fact that he is a Dem Gov.? Would that have happened if he was a Repub (never mind what would have happened if McCain or Palin or Bush has been instrumental in getting him elected in the first place)
Im not a Repub wing nut. Just a guy asking questions......
Regarding his argument #3, which I've heard him make repeatedly, I wish the interviewers would then ask, "You say this was taken out of context. Alright, then in WHAT context is it OK to say 'This thing [Senate appointment] is bleeping golden. I'm not going to give it away for nothing'? What context would lead all of us to say, 'Oh, now I understand'?". Follow up with all his other clearly slimey statements about selling his office duties for contributions or favors. He won't be able to, and he'll repeat the other stupid comments, like I can't comment on this pending case.
Love him or hate him, the fact is that his PR campaign has spurred enough questions to warrant reasonable doubt both in the court of law and in the court of public opinion. That's as much success as anyone can have in his circumstances. I'm no fan of Blago, but being objective, I now have a few questions; like a lot of my friends across the spectrum:
Where is the damning evidence of his criminal actions? His words on tape are morally reprehensible for a public figure, and for that alone, I think he should be impeached. Still, how comes he is being impeached by a state congress whose members are as guilty as anyone else of at least making similar statements? Where's the sense in that? If it is not purely motivated by politics, why are the impeachment proceedings so brazenly similar to a kangaroo court? Why has Blago still not even been indicted?
Bottom line, his words on tape are morally reprehensible and unbecoming of a public figure. But so far, they are hardly crimminal. Besides, the hypocrisy of his detractors, esp. other politicians...and now Dam Abrams, is stunning.
I think Dan Abrams simply overstates how "catastrophic" this is.
Oh yeah, I forgot the democrats are a bunch of losers too.
I cannot look at Blogo without thinking, "We observe today, not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom......"
Is his hair chic as retro or just anachronistic? Shouldn't our politicians have to consider our sense of fashionablility before they go on the airways?
This is like seeing someone defecate in public. You don't want to look, you can't believe he's doing it, but you sure can't miss the odor.
Why do otherwise well informed bloggers like Mr. Abrams keep repeating that Blago 'hasn't been charged with anything yet'? Wasn't he charged after he was arrested at his home in December?
I hadn't thought of spinning the 'context' of the tapes to include a ~political~ payoff of the nature that was suggested. That's certainly a good example and is entirely within the realm of possibility. Unfortunately, I doubt I could find it believable if he were to say something like that now: he's done a great job of looking like he was scrambling for an out and, pathetically, not being smart enough to come up with anything... although, unlike a 5-yo caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he hasn't yet tried "A man came into the room, Dad...."
This is an interesting article, Dan, but you need to use the spell check/grammar check option on your computer. I noticed a lot of mistakes. Perhaps you should ask someone you trust to proofread your piecesbefore they are posted.
Obviously this guy is "out there", but why was the FBI wiretapping him in the first place? Apparently he pissed someone off, but who was it that sic'd the feds on him to begin with?
I miss Dan's show on MSNBC... maybe he can get the 10:00 hour? Please?
He's got Geraldo on his side. 'Nuff said.
What's Blago done that other politicians haven't? The only difference between him and them is that HE got caught.
This user is no longer registered.
More Dan Abrams and less of that insufferable blow-hard Tucker Carlson.
Carry on.
It's hilarious that the people who leave comments on DB chiding the writers for poor grammar and spelling invariably have grammar and spelling errors in the comments they've left.
Annie57,
Does "piecesbefore" pass on spell check?
Opedanderson,
Maybe there is something wrong with your "FIND feature" since just googling Blago I find the word 'Democrat' or 'Democratic' many times.
Go figure...
Oh, BTW, I got a word Yiddish word for Blago, shmegegi!
I'm as baffled as anyone by Blago's No-Magical, All-Mystery Media Tour. However, you've got to admit he's 110% committed to clearing his name no matter how deranged he appears. It's comedy, it's tragedy, it's Blago!
Dan,
Loved reading this, have really missed your honest comments on things like this. As for Blago he just doesn't get it and I thought Palin was annoying.
Whoo boy!
As the Blago Turns.
Or reality-tv: Blago: Corruption Live!
why is there anyone apologizing for this pathetic man? His 'PR' campaign created enough 'reasonable doubt' in the court of law and public opinion? The only difference between him and other politicians 'is that he got caught'? I mean, really? Let's not punish him, that would be unfair to all the others law breakers.... This rampant cynicism about public duty is simply proof of how far the Republicans have succeeded in demeaning government.
Blago's behavior was beyond the pale. There is no excuse, ever, to extort people in order to simply do your job. Others doing this, I hope they are caught and are prosecuted as well. As far as criminality, we will all see just how much he broke the law when he faces a jury.
Hooray for the Illinois Senate!
Mr. Abrams,
I would like to hear your opinion on whether or not Patrick Fitzgerald violated the rules with pretrial publicity and should he and /or his AUSA's be removed from the case?
And was it appropriate for the Director of the FBI, Robert Grant
to phone in and discuss the case on a Chicago radio talk show?
And I would also like for you to share your opinion on Senator Patrick Leahy's BushTruthCommission.
Do you believe that this truth and reconciliation commission to investigate the Bush-Cheney Administration's abuses will bring criminal charges, or is it a white wash?
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.