Not Gonna Be Missed

If you’ll forgive one more Blago post, I find it funny that just about everyone seems to be reveling in his dismissal. Consider these headlines:

Yes, it’s big news, but giant frickin’ pictures and all-caps headlines big? I think the editors got a bit celebratory with their front pages, perhaps in solidarity with the Chicago Tribune after Blago tried to have its editorial board fired. Even Chicago’s Redeye had a bit of fun with the story.

State employees, anticipating the vote, were taking down Blago pictures all over the Capitol within minutes of his removal, and our new governor, Pat Quinn, ordered all Blago images removed from the state website by noon the following morning. News services were running before and after screenshots, and it sure looks as though the web team was thorough.

Blago spoke that evening, and he claimed he “still loves the people of Illinois.” A woman in the background shouted back “we love you too!” Speak for yourself, lady. This guy shamed himself, shamed the state, and even worse, he obviously thinks we’re all stupid. I don’t know what’s worse for him: the fact that he may do jailtime, or the fact that he may avoid jailtime simply because he couldn’t even bring his (alleged) attempted extortions to fruition.

Quinn’s situation is just like Obama’s: he’s inherited such a mess that he can’t help but look like a hero. It’s all uphill from here.