Why cleanse this man’s words? The FCC should grant news organizations the right to cover public officials’ language without censoring it. (It sure would make Joe Scarborough's life easier.)
Here’s what “Hot Rod” really said:
Referring to Obama, “They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”
“I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying. And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself…[the Senate seat] is a fucking valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
On the Tribune editorial staff: “Our recommendation is fire all those fucking people, get ‘em the fuck out of there and get us some editorial support.”
Trying to increase his campaign contributions, he said, “I could have made a larger announcement but wanted to see how they perform by the end of the year. If they don’t perform, fuck ‘em.”
With news organizations strapped for cash, they can only do so much reporting and news writing because they have to pay people to do this (or use liberal bloggers who report the truth for free). This means show after show after show on cable news and then on network news covers the same elements of a story that is making headlines and rehashes it in much the same way over and over and over again.
Imagine if the American people heard recordings like this with the word “fuck” in it repeatedly.
The word “fuck” just amplifies his gangster-like ways even more. Blagojevich wanted to make money off of the Senate seat, get Tribune editorial staff fired (with Sam Zell’s cooperation), hold up aid to a children’s hospital to get his way, and if all failed, take immediate action to pave his rise to power with that rise leading to him being elected president in 2016?
You have to wonder. If Blagojevich hadn’t been arrested so covertly by the FBI before dawn on Tuesday, would America have witnessed a standoff between “Scarface” and FBI agents at his office at a later date?
Out of all the explanations out there, John Kass’ editorial published in the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday really gets to the heart of the situation:
Political corruption in the state that has made corruption an art form isn't funny, like a clown. The joke is on all of us, everyone who lives in Illinois. Because Blagojevich was elected governor on the reform ticket, promising to clean up the state and end business as usual.
Chicagoans aren't really surprised. This is the state run by the Combine, with the Democratic machine on one side and the Republican insiders on the other, and the Chicago Outfit forming the base. That is the real iron triangle.
Blagojevich was supported by the machine and by the now-indicted Republican power broker Big Bill Cellini. If that's not reform, what is?
The governor is alleged to have tried to sell Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, used his leverage in attempts to oust Tribune editorial writers who didn't play ball, and schemed to shake down the chief executive officer of Children's Memorial Hospital for campaign cash in exchange for a state grant.
So though Illinois isn't surprised—this is after all the home of the Chicago Way—the national media must be shocked.
