Blagojevich's Defiance Complicates Democratic Strategy

[DeepModem Mom]

WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
Blagojevich's Defiance Complicates Democratic Strategy

The decision by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to -- in his words -- "fight" charges that he was seeking to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate badly complicates state and national Democrats' efforts to quickly dispose of the matter and avoid any long term damage to the party's prospects....

Many Democrats had hoped privately that Blagojevich had (finally) come to the realization that he was in a politically untenable position and the best -- and only -- thing for him to do was step aside. But, for Blagojevich, his pledge to remain in office is in keeping with an increasing isolation that has taken over his governorship since the investigation into wrongdoing in his office began in 2003. Blagojevich appears to keep his own counsel and hasn't spoken to even his lieutenant governor in nearly 18 months.

The national attention surrounding Blagojevich's expletive-filled conversations -- obtained in a federal wiretap -- in which he appears to be willing to sell the Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder has already slowed the momentum of Democrats coming off a sweeping victory in the 2008 elections.

Although Obama has repeatedly sought to distance himself from the investigation, Blagojevich's ties to Illinois politics as well as conversations between a senior aide to the governor and incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel have complicated these efforts. Public polling suggests that average Americans do not suspect Obama of any wrong doing nor has the controversy swirling around Blagojevich affected the stratospheric approval ratings for the president-elect. But, it has forced (him) and his political team off message with less than a month before Obama is sworn in as the 44th president.

Blagojevich's pledge to remain in office means that impeachment proceedings against him -- begun earlier this week by the Illinois legislature -- will proceed. It also means that the story will remain national news for the foreseeable future as the storyline is almost too good to be believed. Expect Republicans to continue to keep up the public pressure for a special election to replace Obama -- using Blagojevich's strident statement of innocence as evidence that the process of impeaching him is sure to drag out and, therefore, any appointment will be tainted....

The political strategy on this one is simple: the longer Blagojevich stays in the national spotlight, the worse for Democrats. Even once this boil (so to speak) is lanced, Democrats will still need to deal with the scar from it. But, as long as Blagojevich stays in office, the longer that recovery period is postponed.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/blagojevich_decision_further_c.html#more

[Unsane]

1. If Blags is innocent, let him fight the charges.

I don't expect him to roll over and take trumped up charges if he believes he is innocent; that's not in his Serbian make-up.