Katie Couric's Notebook: Illinois Governor

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: Gov. Rod Blagojevich

The allegations are astounding. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces federal charges that he put President-elect Obama's Senate seat up for sale. Prosecutors say they have tapes of Blagojevich discussing how he could benefit by picking Mr. Obama's replacement, either getting money or a job for himself or his wife. Although there's no evidence Mr. Obama was aware of it, Blagojevich allegedly considered ways he could be named to a cabinet post or as an ambassador in exchange for his senate choice.

Illinois has a history of political corruption, but it's ironic that Blagojevich took office five years ago as a reformer, promising to clean up the mess left by former Gov. George Ryan, who's now serving six years for fraud and racketeering.

Mr. Obama's seat is vacant because the American people wanted change. If these allegations are true, it's clear change may be needed even more badly back home.

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by science2682 December 11, 2008 1:00 AM EST: I MUST SAY WEBSMITH1.........,THAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL REPLY I''VE READ THUS FAR. P.C.P, POWER CORRUPTS PEOPLE. BUT ONE THING CAN''T BE TWO FORMERDEM. JUST BECAUSE HE''S A DEMOCRAT, DOESN''T REFLECT ON THE WHOLE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. ARE YOU SAYING THAT OBAMA IS A CROOK BECAUSE HE''S DEMOCRAT? ALL THE CLEVER RESPONSE. ALL I CAN SAY IS, ANOTHER DOWN, ALOT MORE TO GO.; Reply to this comment


by kenhamlett December 10, 2008 6:43 PM EST: Change your state, Change your nation, change the world.

It all begins by having a leader who can and will set the baseline for ethics. While Illinois has its problems they are not alone. They just seem to spend a great deal of time doing time for getting caught. Corruption is nation wide. Almost everywhere I have ever been has had its share of garbage running the show at a local or state level. California has its Sacramento Scum, South Carolina has its Greenville Garbage, We won''t even get into Texas Trash. It was once a rare event to see open displays of legal and ethical corruption in this country. These days it is becoming a given that once crime has infiltrated government that it is immune from review.
I have to applaud the FBI in this Illinois matter. They have sat back for many years and ignored ever sort of crime imaginable but now I have seen several instances of very positive action to try to make a change. I guess they see the handwriting on the wall. Obama says there will be change so the FBI is getting an early start.
Now we need to make local enforcement of laws and ethics a priority. We can not leave it all to the Feds so start cleaning up your own neighborhood.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw December 10, 2008 1:45 PM EST: "Relativity applies to physics, not ethics."

Albert Einstein; Reply to this comment


by akirayamanak December 10, 2008 11:15 AM EST: Virtue may require reward.
Ethic realizes an adequacy for itself.; Reply to this comment


by es48 December 9, 2008 9:33 PM EST: No one in Chicago is astounded. They''ll be laughing and shaking their heads in the bars tonight wondering who the Governor made mad.; Reply to this comment