Illinois corruption update: Gov. Blagojevich honored to get his 'ass kicked'

The voters of Illinois are a pretty crazy lot--just take a look at all of the goofs who have been elected here, such as Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Chicago Democrat, who is under federal investigation for his role in the Antoin "Tony" Rezko "pay-to-play" scandals, believes that his abysmal approval ratings in Illinois--just 13 percent--are because he is a fighter for the people.

The people are not impressed.

Here is what "Blago," who bragged a few years ago that only he had the "testicular virility" to run Illinois, told reporters yesterday:

All of those things (My note: his meager accomplishments) happened because we had to push and prod and fight through the system to get it done for people, and if I get bloodied up in the process, and there are some times when people are just not generally approving, I feel honored to get my ass kicked for the people.

Hmm..."ass kicked," and "testicular virility." The brain of the Illinois governor must be between his stomach and his knees.

It's becoming clear that Blago is considering running for a third term in 2010.

But the smart money is that a US marshall will serve him his indictment papers before then.

And if Blago does run for reelection, look for his ass to get kicked.

Technorati tags: Illinois Blagojevich Democrats politics Chicago Tony Rezko corruption

Rev. Wright returns to the airwaves

When the extent of Reverend Jeremiah Wright's radical views became public this spring, it came close to sinking Barack Obama's quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Courtesy of the National Republican Trust PAC, not the McCain-Palin campaign, look who is back.

I just saw Dick Morris on The O'Reilly Factor, and he said that the group has purchased $6 million in commercials to run the below ad this weekend.



I suppose the Barack Obama campaign will go ballistic--again--or at a minimum, they'll call the ad by their favorite word, "a distraction," but remember this: for twenty years, Obama sat in the pews of the Trinity United Church of Christ.

Remember, the Reverend Wright said "Not God bless America, but God d*mn America."

Twenty years.

H/T to Midnight Blue.

Technorati tags: religion Obama politics Barack Obama Election Democrats Jeremiah Wright AIDS race

Ditka stumps for Sarah Palin

Mike Ditka, the Coach of America, is on board with the McCain-Palin ticket. The Aliquippa, Pennsylania native introduced Sarah Palin at a rally in Latrobe.

The Hall of Fame tight end and legendary former Chicago Bears coach said this about the Alaska governor:

Sarah Palin epitomizes all the good things, all the good values, of this country.

Bear down, McCain-Palin! And listen to "Da Coach!"

UPDATE 8:00pm CDT: Courtesy of the Fox News Embeds blog, here are more of Ditka's comments:

"I'm not here because I'm a Republican, which I am, and I'm not here because I'm a conservative, which I am. I’m here because I am an American. It's time in this country you put party lines on the backburner and you put your country first." Ditka said, "When I was growing up, it was back in 1963. Then John Kennedy became president-he made a statement: 'ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.' Now, it seems to be just the opposite. This is the land of opportunity. It's not a land of handouts. If you're willing to work, you can find a job. I want to say how proud I am because I think Sarah Palin epitomizes all the good things, all the good values, of this country. She's a wife, she's a mother, she's a hockey mom, she’s a part-time coach. She was a great leader and is a great leader in the state of Alaska, and she will make a great vice president of the United States, Sarah Palin."

Hat tip to Backyard Conservative.

Related post:

Ditka on White Sox manager: "I like Ozzie"

Technorati tags: Ditka sports NFL Chicago Bears news pennsylvania Republican Palin McCain John McCain

Illinois corruption update: Niles mayor pleads guilty to extortion

Blogging from a Starbucks in Niles, Illinois.

Corruption in the nation's most crooked state comes in all shapes and sizes. Yesterday it was a big one was indicted--longtime RINO political insider William Cellini. Today it's a smaller fish--Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase. Almost all municipal elections are non-partisan, but make no mistake, Blase is a Democrat.

Term limits for politicians is not a hot-button item for me, but in the case of Niles, it's a good idea. Until he resigned this summer, Blase has been mayor for 47 years. Let me put this in perspective. Until he quit, he had been Niles' mayor longer than Barack Obama had been alive.

AP has some more on Blase:

The longtime former mayor of north suburban Niles pleaded guilty Friday to taking more than $420,000 from an insurance agency in a kickback scheme.

Nicholas Blase, 80, appeared before U.S. District Judge Wayne R. Andersen and admitted steering customers to an insurance agency owned by his friend Ralph Weiner and in return getting 25 percent of the commissions the agency received from them.

More...

He pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud involving the kickback scheme which began in 1974 and continued through 2006. He also pleaded guilty to failing to report the money he received as kickbacks on his 2005 federal income tax return.

Blase said he paid the $421,450 he received into a company he controlled.

Another scourge on the public is Rep John Murtha (D-PA), who has been a member of Congress for 34 years. But there is a good chance voters may "term-limit" him next week. Go for it Pennsylvania.

Related post:

Vote McCain: Because you don't turn America over to a Cook County hack

Technorati tags: Obama politics Barack Obama Illinois 2008 Election Democrats corruption Niles Chicago Illinois Politics Cook County Murtha pennsylvania

Happy Halloween

It's Halloween again, and have a very happy--and safe one.

Be careful, whether you are trick or treating or not.

And if you're driving--slow down!

Technorati tags: halloween photos photography

Obama, Khalidi, and another Obama coincidence

More than any other major party candidate who has ever sought the office of the presidency, Barack Obama has some very questionable associations. The Los Angeles Times has a video of Obama--which it refuses to release--of the Democratic nominee offering a tribute to Rashid Khalidi.

Pajamas Media digs deeper:

Well, the original Times report gives us only the sketchiest account. But now we have a video of a complete Khalidi lecture from June 2007. It is quite an eye-opener.

Viewers curious about the views of the man whom in 2003 Obama gave a "warm embrace" (physically or verbally?) should skip to the fifty-minute mark on the video tape. You see, Khalidi tells us, the U.S. is repeating the same error of the Cold War in pursuing its war against Islamic terrorists. According to Khalidi it is the same "blind, foolish, reductionism." And the U.S. policy is designed according to Khalidi to "get Palestinians to destroy one another." And on it goes.

His view of Israel? It is worse than "apartheid." Continue to the end of the tape when he is asked about the massive Israeli media conspiracy headed by none other than Mortimer Zuckerman. He doesn't quite buy into that, but his description of American Jews who control the money and votes to manipulate Congress sounds an awful lot like Mearsheimer and Walt’s “The Israeli Lobby.” Or General Tony McPeak for that matter.

So it would be very interesting to see precisely what Khalidi said in Obama's presence four years earlier. Was the rhetoric above the sort of language which preceded the warm words of praise from Barack Obama? The specifics matter, the context is crucial.

Fox News Channel caught up with Khalidi, and like Bill Ayers, Bernardidne Dohrn, the sellers of the Obama mansion, the Columbia professor won't talk to the media.

Another Obama coincidence.

Related post:

Obama and Khalidi and a videotape the LA Times refuses to release

Technorati tags: Israel Barack Obama politics Democrats Obama news מדינת Rashid Khalidi LA Times