Saturday, January 10, 2009

The Dance Of The Political Veils

So history was made in Illinois. A sitting governor was impeached. Considering how many of the dishonorable gentlemen have gone to jail, the process would seem to be getting more efficient.

Talking heads spouted off, parsing the words of the press conference that followed the vote. Is he mad? Is he serious?

Rod Blagojevich is dancing.

He'd like a partner, of course. He mentioned Rahm Emanuel.

The point of the press conference was to curry favor with the public, who haven't grown thoroughly cynical. But in Chicago politics, it's the name dropping that says it all, the briefest mention of someone who will be taken down if the miscreant isn't supported.

Rahm Emanuel's seat in Congress will be won in a special election, and the new representative will get there in the same way that Rahm Emanuel got there---via the Chicago machine. Jimmy DeLeo, reputedly the Mafia's representative to Illinois state government, is organizing the Democratic slate, just as he did for Mr. Emanuel.

Blago knows all about the machine, since he's a creation of its churning. And he let everyone know that if he goes down, he'll take someone down with him, someone who's close to the President-elect who would like a flawless inauguration.

It's all a dance, choreographed and performed with skill. Rod Blagojevich will not dance alone, and his potential partners are running for cover.

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