Opinion: Don’t believe the bad stuff about Gov. Blagojevich. He likes puppies

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Anyone with a beating heart surely must be touched by the human predicament afflicting Illinois Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich these days. The poor guy simply can’t catch a break. (See videos below -- one from the Associated Press and on the jump with Barbara Walters.)

OK, the feds say they caught him trying to sell state favors and Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. And the feds have been investigating him for three years already, so anyone who comes near Blago ought to know their every word is being recorded. (Hello, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid.)

Yes, sure, Blago waxed Reid up good by stuffing his Senate appointee Roland Burris down the Nevadan’s throat. But now those black hats in the state Senate want to railroad the 51-year-old governor out of office simply on the basis of federal charges that actually aren’t even formal charges yet. In fact, the feds are seeking a 90-day extension on when they must file some.

And the governor hints the impeachment is really about his standing up for the little guy in his state against the powerful legislative politicians who are probably maybe against healthcare and education and helping working moms with preschool children.

So this week Rod ignores the impeachment trial in Springfield, Ill., because it’s clearly a railroading job to get rid of a strong governor twice elected by the people of Illinois.

And he takes his case to the national public through the media on the off chance that two or three future federal jurors will be watching and be impressed with his open-faced, golly-gee plea that he’s never done anything criminally wrong. And deadlock any future jury deliberations.

As Blagojevich well knew, the New York media are falling all over themselves to get their own exclusive interview with this outrageous but entertaining character and give him a national podium. Quick question: How many other interviews in the same day before a network can no longer claim ‘exclusive’?

And Rod tells them all the same thing with the same straight face about those quotes being taken out of context (yes, he apologizes for the rough language) and how, unlike Richard Nixon, he’d really like all the bug tapes to come out so he could clear his name for the sake of his children. (See news video below.)

But about those state Senate meanies in his own party not letting him make his case, not allowing him to defend himself? Which isn’t the American way of justice, you know.

And the politician cites Rudyard Kipling and Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and other departed saints, which doesn’t happen that much back in Illinois except in the comedy sketches at Second City. And the TV hosts laugh in disbelief when the governor leaves. But millions saw for themselves, which is all he wants.

And, have you noticed, some commentators are now starting to wonder out loud how many years and extra months of prep time do the feds really need before they actually charge this guy? Because, as Rod intends, doubt is creeping into some minds. If the guy is such a blatant crook, what’s the big delay?

In case you haven’t already been won over by the media blitz to feel sorry for the poor, legally challenged fellow who only wants to serve the people, we get word today that this %$#&*(- governor and his equally good-hearted wife, Patti, got their two daughters a puppy for Christmas. A real live puppy. With floppy ears. All happy and eager to please his youngsters with unconditional love. Which, as any American parent knows, is how it should be with loving pets and adorable children.

Just like Barack and Michelle Obama last year promised their two daughters a puppy of their very own. Of course, the new president and his wife have been in the White House now for -- what? -- a full week already and they haven’t actually come through with their campaign puppy promise yet for their two little girls. But that’s their choice. And that’s not the point anyway.

The point is, Rod and Patti did. And how could a daughter-loving, puppy-buying governor like Rod Blagojevich possibly be a crook?

--Andrew Malcolm

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