* The Daily Herald has a brutal front-page story on our “stay at home” and “reclusive” governor today, including a photo of his house. Click the pick for a better look…
Oof.
Some highlights…
The reclusive governor doesn’t appear in public much, often avoids questions when he does surface, and appears to rely on a few senior staff members and small cadre of fundraising lobbyists for counsel. […]
Mostly, though, Democrats are worried the governor’s disengagement is damaging their party’s chances to make progress on key issues. […]
During his most recent public appearance at a health care rally, Blagojevich asked a staff member if he should answer reporters’ questions, but was told no. The governor also mistook a… Chicago political writer for the publisher of a political blog and insider newsletter. […]
“The governor is here half a day a week to work with the legislature. Maybe he should expand that schedule,” Steve Brown, spokesman for Democratic House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, told the State Journal-Register in Springfield last week.
* A Sun-Times article today wonders whether Blagojevich is the next George Ryan and also takes a whack at him for avoiding the press…
Blagojevich is doing little to squelch speculation that federal prosecutors might make him the next George Ryan. […]
Meanwhile, his credibility with lawmakers in Springfield is eroding.
Blagojevich entered office in 2003 repeatedly vowing to end “business as usual” in state government.
Right now, his silence is deafening.
* Bernie Schoenburg jumps on the pile with a column entitled “History of untrustworthiness haunting Blagojevich”
It may not be easy for the rarely-in-Springfield governor to get a vote of confidence from lawmakers. Perhaps his combination of broken promises and stalled initiatives give a clue why.
Bernie also wacked the guv for railing against lobbyists in “Gucci loafers” while being devoted to wearing very expensive ties.
* But wait, there’s more. The State Journal-Register editorial page dropped in this line today…
But just as importantly, he has failed to gain trust because he is simply not in the game enough.
* And then there’s the AP…
The subpoena could create a distraction for the governor when lawmakers already complain he does a poor job of working with them at the Capitol. Blagojevich was not at the Statehouse Wednesday.
“It was hard enough to keep his attention when it was just us,” said Sen. William Delgado, D-Chicago. “His timing is bad. I don’t envy him.”
Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, said the news doesn’t help the governor’s credibility on budget plans, but it doesn’t matter much because, “we haven’t embraced many of them anyway.”
* Kristen McQueary wonders whether the feds are closing in, and employs a Cicada analogy…
Because the next time we hear about “bugs” and the Blagojevich administration, it might not be the ash borer or the cicada.
Discuss.