[VIDEO] The above is the backstory to the documentary Being Blago from WLS-TV Chicago.
During the Holiday Season I finally had the opportunity to check out the Hulu docu-series about the 40th Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich. I had shared that this was coming over the past fall and I'm sure some have already made up their mind on this based upon the history and how Blago's story would be presented
To start, of course we get a rundown of how Blagojevich started becoming politically active. His father-in-law was a longtime Chicago Alderman Dick Mell who wanted him to run for a state house seat to compete with candidates of other local politicos. Blagojevich was a lawyer having worked for the Cook County State's Attorney. From the state legislature in Springfield he later became a congressman where he defeated a Republican incumbent in 1996.
Yes we're talking about a Chicago-centric congressional district. Republicans don't always win those districts unless a Democrat really fouls up. In the case of that Republican Michael Flanagan he defeated powerful Congressman Dan Rostenkowski who ran afoul of the law at that point.
Anyway winning his congressional seat and then successfully winning re-elected that allowed Blagojevich to make a run for Governor in 2002 and win!
I don't remember much was said about his governorship other than how it ended. What I can say is that it explored the family relationships with Blagojevich, his wife Patti, and Dick Mell. I do know that in the news we found out that the Governor basically turned on Dick Mell who helped his son-in-law make it to the dance. We know that Blagojevich came from working class roots and without some type of support would he ever have made it as Governor of one America's largests states?
Eventually we go to the day he got arrested by federal authorities on charges of corruption. He ultimately gets impeached and removed from office. All of this occurs after Barack Obama wins the Presidency, since Obama was a U.S. Senator for Illinois this surely was an embarrassment for him.
We know that there was some drama of some sort in the Blagojevich household and I can only imagine the stress the pressures. The man of the house is going to go to jail and of course the media scrutiny. The real drama might be more day-to-day like how will they afford the house note. We know that both Patti and Rod Blagojevich had overtime made their rounds on the talk circuit and the reality TV circuit. Rod himself made it onto the TV program of a future President of the United States Donald Trump.
Patti herself was on Survivor and made pleas on FOX News for President Trump to intervene in Blagojevich's case. And as you see Blago is free though his federal conviction wasn't wiped away however his 14-year sentence was commuted. So we see him make speeches at various events it seems there are those who view him as a politician who fights for the common man. We see him about to perform with a band, Rod Blagojevich and the Jailhouse Rockers. We see him getting ready to clean up after their dog does his business.
Blagojevich does a rather long winded Cameo to a client can't help but mention that he was wrongfully convicted of what politician have been doing for who knows how long. He was gearing up to challenge the judgement of the Illinois state senate who voted to remove him from office and bar him from holding any state office (he wants to challenge being barred from holding any state office). Patti his wife on the other hand had her fill of politics and wishes her husband would leave it alone.
I just have to add one job he was seen holding which was revealed in the first episode of this series is part of a logistics company. So at least he's found a job outside of the media, I recently saw him on an edition of th FOX News program Gutfeld. An odd fit but now it causes me to wonder.
I hate to dump on our former Governor because he already got it probably from his performance in public office to his impeachment and to his conviction. Although one thing was analyzed here is whether or not the public has had enough of him. It does seem as if he craves attention and he is clearly an engaging figure. I would say now he's just positioned himself as being against the power structure both his fellow Democrats and Republicans, though certainly his fellow Democrats. When he got released from federal custody he even referred to himself as a Trump-ocrat aligning himself with the man who commuted his sentence.
Overall I enjoyed watching this. It seemed a bit balanced however we get the other component of this story which is the man who had to go through this. The start of his political career to his fall. We see what he has been up to since he left federal custody, we also know his thoughts about being in federal custody. He hasn't really entirely left his more political personality aside. We see the impact on his family and we also know that Dick Mell didn't participate in this at all.
Perhaps you've seen this docuseries and have your own thoughts. Please share them.
I hope to do WBEZ's own podcast series about the Rod Blagojevich story.
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