Blago's Crazy Media Blitz

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 8:44 AM on January 26, 2009.

With his impeachment trial in the state Senate poised to begin, Illinois' Governor-for-now Rod Blagojevich (D) has launched something of a public-relations campaign, sitting down for chats with various news outlets. Unfortunately for Blago, the p.r. offensive is just offensive.

On Friday, Blagojevich said he believes his arrest is analogous to the attacks on Pearl Harbor. He also compared himself to a cowboy about to be lynched.

His choices for comparisons are getting worse.

Impeached Gov. Blagojevich, on the first leg of his media blitz timed to the start of his impeachment trial, in an NBC interview broadcast on The Today Show Sunday compared himself to human rights heros [sic] Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

On the press offensive, Blagojevich has lined up national interviews -- NBC, ABC, "The View" to run as his impeachment trail [sic] starts Monday before the Illinois state senate in Springfield.

As Dec. 9 unfolded, Blagojevich told NBC, "I thought about Mandela, Dr. King and Gandhi and tried to put some perspective to all this and that is what I am doing now."

He didn't appear to be kidding.

Blagojevich could be in Springfield, Ill., to present a defense -- his lawyers have already quit -- but the governor is instead launching this media tour. In addition to NBC and ABC, Blagojevich will be on CNN's "Larry King Live" this evening.

Michael Calderone noted, "Blagojevich is skipping his impeachment trial on Monday, perhaps assuming he'll have better luck in the court of public opinion." Perhaps, but it's hard to imagine how this will help him improve his political and legal standing. For one thing, the public still hates him. For another, after hearing the governor compare himself to Mandela, King, and Gandhi, voters will probably hate him more, not less.

Post Script: Blagojevich reportedly told ABC's Diane Sawyer this morning that he considered Oprah Winfrey for the Senate vacancy, but he was worried it might "look like a gimmick." Imagine that.

Tagged as: media, corruption, chicago, illinois, gov. rod blagojevich, corrupt establishment