I have to say I felt bad for Jessie Jackson Jr this morning. He gave an interview with his wife and broke down saying how in five years he wants his kids to google his name and have it come out clean. He said he is determined to get his name cleaned up by this mess. I don't know if he's guilty or not as we haven't heard his involvement except that he was going for the seat. Whatever the outcome it was nice to see he is thinking about his children first. Blago wont say anything except we will hear from him when the time is right. You'd think he'd be trying to get his voice out there if he was innocent but maybe his lawyers are saying otherwise. If it were me I'd be all out there. lol

I honestly don't think that this would have been moved on if they didn't have sufficient evidence to convict him. Of course, we aren't going to get the whole story just through the media....we'll hear what they want us to hear.

I don't live in IL but we've had our own fiasco here in GA with the Brian Nichols case (he shot the judge, court reporter, deputy, etc. while trying to escape). He's guilty...no question about it. Just as Blago is. But the taxpayers will foot the bill for a long, drawn out trial that is, IMHO, a waste of money and time. If there was any question of innocence then it would be well worth it.....but more often than not there's no question about it.

I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this. The whole justice system we have in the U.S. works more for the guilty, it seems, than the innocent.

there are many ways to look at this...(as with everything)

first of all, in concept. I am definitely for "innocent til proven guilty"

it is an ideal...because there are many incidences where one can look guilty or be framed and before the electronic age, many innocent folks have been accused of crimes they did not commit.

usually, a person's character and actions will speak louder than their words and since we're all human. Human beings are programmed to form "opinions" first.

We all do that.

In this "Big Brother" era, where everything is tapped, taped, recorded, it makes it harder for the "innocent til proven guilty" to take effect because of the media thus opinions are definitely formed before the trial.

And I agree with the folks that stated that it goes deeper. Everything does.

But it is the whole picture...

Blag's actions have been louder than words. His actions have formed people's opinions about him already...

how would they prove for him to be innocent will be very hard...

IMHO, I think the only way for this case to be fair is to bring in people from other countries that have no access to our media. LOLOL

anyways, I know I didn't answer the question. My opinion is that innocent til proven guilty IS in my principle. But a person's actions will always affect my opinion..

and right now, Blag's actions aren't speaking well for him...that's just a fact...

Amen Brother Moi!

Can I get a hallemalujah sistah!!!

(sorry to hijack...I am such a turd sometimes...)

Innocent until proven guilty...it's a wonderful idea in principle, but has never been the reality in the USA...I repeat never. Jefferson/Sally Hemmings. Lincoln sleeping with men. There has been many an assasination of character of politicos in the past, whether it's been true or not.
And Blago can always claim that he was just talking bull...but then his underlings can state that he sent them to talk to the Tribune bosses to fire the editors who badmouth him...and he will be toast.
Blago is part and parcel a product of the Daley machine...and until you get rid of Mayor Daley and his underlings, the Chicago/Illinois mudpile will remain the same. Believe me, I grew up in Blago's FIL's ward, know how it works.

So Frank, I agree with you...he's taking a licking in the press...but he asked for it, the same way Gary Hart asked for it when he told the press, "just try and catch me", and they caught him with Donna Rice. Same thing.

Patrick Fitzgerald, the state's attorney, wouldn't have had him arrested if he didn't have a case against him. And the citizens of Illinois are being held hostage in the meantime.

Doesn't matter to me if he's a Dem or Rep...he's a snake. Not alleged.

hey I agree with everything said, that's what makes this a wee bit tough to digest i am being hypocritical in my own thinking too, part of it is conditioning, and me being stereo typical " he did I am sure he did, he is a politician" see what I mean, but thats there own fault, I agree D he is asking for it, Sandy I feel same way, I kind of agree with states attorney asking him to step down, had she just come out and said why "it would be for the better of the states finances," I would of respect her more, speak the truth it goes a lot farther, any who the fact still remains he hasnt been found guilty although I feel he is guilty. so do you force him out on something not gone to trail, its a mess lol

this is where true character comes in to play and well he has none, so much for that concept

I would fess up and take my bumps and resign if I had one ounce of suspicious behavior involved in this issue,(I wouldnt of gotten into the mess in first place)

I dont get these folks who have so much going and blow it on something illegal or something totally stupid

ROTF! Did anyone watch SNL last night? I almost lost my dinner laughing so hard when they did the news segment "Really." Amy said "When I call my dealer I don't ask for weed. I ask for $50 for circus tickets! Really?!"

It was funny but so true! Why would someone who knows he's being tapped talk so openly about bribery? ROTF

SNL Really

oh i think I know this one, cause they are stupid?

did I get it right

I heard on the radio that Att. Gen. Lisa Madigan was on Meet the Press this morning. She said that there are important issues that need to be dealt with now...that she's not convicting him by her action to remove him temporarily, but that these issues need to be addressed, and he is incapable, by reason of these charges, of dealing with them, specifically a highway funding bill that has not been dealt with for 2 years, and we in Illinois will lose funding from the U.S. gov't if we don't get this bill done now. We also took a hit from the bond rating due to the charges. He has been staying at home for some time now (which I didn't know about). I knew he didn't go down to the state capitol, but he hasn't even been going into his Chicago office until the charges were brought. It's a "no-show" job, a la SNL (and many ciy contract jobs, too).
I have been so upset about this...even though I know that's how business is done in this state. After Obama's election, I was so thrilled to see that maybe something in politics might change. But I was brought back to reality by this, and it saddens me so. I want to believe in people's innate goodness, but politics attracts those who are in it for themselves, IMHO.
Again, I want to move to an island...build a shack...sip some drinks...and not think about anything. I guess that's called heaven...