Governor makes Illinois a national joke

This will have to go down in history as one of the most surreal weeks in Illinois politics.

Lawmakers gathered in the ornate chambers of the Senate to embark upon one of the most solemn and momentous decisions many will face as elected officials. The upper chamber was filled at times with the sounds of the voice of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, often uttering profanities. Of course, it was a recorded voice taped in conversations that served as key evidence in determining whether he should be removed from office.

But the impeached governor ignored the proceedings in Springfield for most of the week and took his case to New York to the court of public opinion. He smiled for cameras, had his hair mussed by the women on The View and did more name dropping than an episode of Access Hollywood during his whirlwind media blitz to combat allegations of corruption.

The side show provided some amusing TV for the rest of the nation and fodder for network comedians. How will the writers at Saturday Night Live be able to resist at least a few more skits featuring Blagojevich when he provides such great material?

But here in Illinois, it grew more embarrassing by the day to be associated with our highest elected official. If our state's reputation for producing corrupt politicians wasn't bad enough, now we also can claim a governor who suffers from delusions of grandeur.

If Blagojevich could stick to his script, he actually might be able to generate some sympathy.

He contended that he couldn't get a fair trial in the Illinois Senate because he wasn't allowed to provide a defense or call witnesses. He said he boycotted the hearings because he was fighting for the Constitutional rights of all Americans by standing up for "due process".

But then he had to compare himself to "Mr. Smith", the movie hero who is falsely accused but uses his idealism and determination to conquer injustice. He went on to admit that he envisions himself as someone like George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life".

"This is like an old Frank Capra movie," Blagojevich said. "Whether it's Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper, I do, I see myself in those movies."

Really? Say no more. Please?

But he did.

He compared himself to highly-regarded figures like Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King and Ghandi, all who suffered persecution for their beliefs. And if that wasn't bad enough, he brought up Mother Teresa and suggested he wanted to appoint Oprah Winfrey to the U.S. Senate.

The Senate most likely will vote to remove Blagojevich from office this week. That move would be devastating for most governors. But Blagojevich will probably only see it as further proof that he is a persecuted idealist struggling for the protection of countless falsely accused political visionaries.

If that were true, then perhaps he could explain what he was really trying to say during the taped phone conversations that were being played in excruciating detail in the Senate chambers. If he were fighting for the rights of Illinois residents, perhaps he could have showed respect for the seriousness and magnitude of the trial by spending as much time in Springfield, as he did with talk show hosts.

It won't be as easy to avoid a criminal trial if federal prosecutors pursue a case against him.

Until then, it looks like Blagojevich will plead his case in the court of public opinion. Even with the charges piled against him, he is still innocent until proven guilty. Most residents will give him that.

But if bringing ridicule and embarrassment to the state were a crime, Blagojevich's case would be closed by now.