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Lawrence: Blago never learned the art of silence
By Mike Lawrence, Director (retired), Paul Simon Public Policy Institute
Mike Lawrence was asked by his clients to write a supplemental column relating to the verdict in the Rod and Robert Blagojevich trial.
Calvin Coolidge made a typically terse observation that deserves attention now that a jury divided on 23 other counts unanimously agreed that former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich lied to federal agents. “No man ever listened himself out of a job,” the iconically laconic 30th president of the United States once said.
Decades later, the 40th governor of Illinois offered his own take on the perils of loquaciousness. “I’ve learned a lot of lessons from this whole experience and perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I talk too much,” he said after ducking the sworn testimony he repeatedly declared he was dying to deliver. Blagojevich’s confession of fallibility reflected no bolt of introspection.
VIDEO: Jackson on the Blagojevich consequences
Visiting professor John Jackson has been an observer of Illinois politics for decades, but the consequences left behind by the Rod Blagojevich administration are a breed of their own.
Blagojevich, who was convicted Tuesday of lying to FBI agents in 2005, left office with Illinois suffering a $13 billion budget deficit, a change in the way business is done in Springfield and a black mark on the Democratic Party.
Jackson spoke to the Blagojevich legacy in this week’s video commentary…
VIDEO: Yepsen talks Blago, campaign contributions
* Related from the Southern Illinoisan…
Despite Democrats being better off without Blagojevich in the headlines, Yepsen said the trial has had a much smaller impact on the party than he originally though. He said voters who chose to punish the party for Blagojevich’s actions had already made up their minds not to vote Democrat and few were swayed by the actual trial.
“This is not a voting issue for some people,” Yepsen said.
He said surprisingly Democrats have seemingly improved their positions in spite of the trial.
Lawrence: Less talk, more action earns political respect
By Mike Lawrence, Director (retired), Paul Simon Public Policy Institute
The following is an excerpt from Mike Lawrence’s weekly syndicated column.
Soon after taking the reins as Illinois’ 40th chief executive, Rod Blagojevich outed and ousted dozens who had been embedded in state jobs through the shenanigans of the 39th.
Blagojevich named and nailed his targets as he condemned George Ryan’s administration for flouting personnel rules in a vain attempt to shield loyalists from the incoming governor’s firing squad.
“This is the type of backroom, underhanded deal that has marked state government in recent years. It’s a business as usual approach that has been winked at and allowed to go unchecked but will not be allowed in my administration,” Blagojevich declared.
VIDEO: Yepsen discusses Blago trial fallout, Kirk’s presser
Another week in the federal trial charging former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of political corruption brought out names in the White House and the Democratic Party’s U.S. senate nominee.
However the Blagojevich trial does not seem to be having as much of an impact on the party’s popularity among voters, said Institute director David Yepsen.
Yepsen was featured in this week’s video commentary. He said polls suggest voters offended by the Blagojevich incident seem to have already left the Democratic Party.
Yepsen also touched on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s press conference in which he apologized for exaggerating on his past accomplishments.
Here’s this week’s commentary:
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