Despite
what you may have read in some newspaper editorials or Statehouse news coverage
lately, it is my considered opinion that Governor Rod Blagojevich is not
insane.
I
can't believe I had to actually write that sentence, but there seems to be a
trend to claim that the governor is losing his marbles. The Peoria Journal-Star
editorialized last week that Blagojevich was "going bonkers," and
more than just implied that he is insane. A House Democrat went one step
further and told reporters that Blagojevich was a "madman" and
"insane." House Speaker Michael Madigan's spokesman cracked wise last
week that the governor has Attention Deficit Disorder.
Yes,
Blagojevich is a bit "different," but we've all known that for a long
time, haven't we? He is who he is - a somewhat goofy enigmatic who tries so
hard to see the bright side of whatever situation he finds himself in that some
believe he may be slightly pathological. But that dogged optimism has helped
him weather more storms than anyone can count, and he's obviously relying on it
to get him through the supreme mess that the legislative overtime situation has
become.
The
truth is that while he does love a fight, the governor's recent over the top
remarks about Democratic state party chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan
("right-wing George W. Bush Republican"), his taunting,
confrontational style with legislators (calling them in seven days a week for
special sessions and then not showing up himself for all of them) and his
refusal to offer up real compromises yet are all just part of his usual
schtick. He's been doing this for years.
Remember
his 2003 attack on legislators for spending money like "drunken
sailors" after they voted to override several of his vetoes? Remember the
2004 overtime session, when he claimed that Madigan wasn't a "real
Democrat" because he had allied himself with the Republicans? Remember the
2006 campaign when he managed to turn a previously well-liked Judy Baar Topinka
into a corrupt wingnut in voters' minds?
I've
known Blagojevich since he was a member of the Illinois House. He hasn't
changed much. The outward impression you sometimes get is a shallow,
hyperactive man-child. He can be that, and more. Sometimes, the guy just can't
stop himself from taking a verbal swing at whoever happens to be near. He
certainly doesn't listen well. But he does take the time to think at least some
things through.
I
spent a couple of hours with the governor last week to get a read on where his
head is at. I discovered that the governor seems to have a fairly reasonable
end result in mind for the current overtime legislative session - a potential
compromise on revenue-generating ideas that could fund many of the big-ticket
ideas on the table, and even satisfy the Republicans somewhat.
However,
I'm not at all convinced that he knows yet how to get there from here. The
overtime session appears stuck right now, and it's mainly because he vastly
overestimated both the ability and the willingness of the Senate Democrats to
move his agenda forward in order to put House Speaker Michael Madigan on the
spot.
By
now, that gigantic universal health insurance bill of his was supposed to have
cleared the Senate, with its veto-proof Democratic majority, and be sitting in
the House. Instead, as of this writing the measure is completely stalled.
Speaker Madigan, who wants a much smaller budget increase than the governor,
won't even consider the multibillion dollar insurance plan as long as it can't
pass the Senate.
But
rounding up Democratic votes in the Senate for a bill that Madigan opposes (and
which also raises taxes on business) is not exactly an easy task. Why vote for
a bill if Madigan will just kill it, Senators ask themselves. Also, the Senate
Democratic caucus is in a state of disarray right now, partly because of
continuing revelations about Senate President Emil Jones' alleged cronyism and
nepotism. And the governor's ever-growing unpopularity under the Statehouse
dome because of his confrontational style of leadership isn't helping.
What
I'm trying to say here is that I think it's perfectly acceptable to question
the governor's competence to lead the General Assembly to a reasonable
compromise. But the hyperbole about his sanity, or lack thereof, is a bit much.
-30-
Rich
Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com