Former U.S. Atty: Blago appt. shows he’s ‘crazy like a fox,’ playing to future black jurors.

[babylonsister]

Former U.S. Atty: Blagojevich appointment shows he’s ‘crazy like a fox,’ playing to future black jurors.
By Faiz Shakir at 5:15 pm


Former U.S. Atty: Blagojevich appointment shows he’s ‘crazy like a fox,’ playing to future black jurors.»

Earlier today, Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) appointed Roland Burris, the first African-American elected to statewide office in Illinois, to take Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat. Democratic leaders have indicated they are planning to block the appointment. Speculating on Blagojevich’s motives, former U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey told CNN that the Illinois governor may be acting “crazy like a fox” and looking ahead to his own potential trial. Coffey said Blagojevich’s “conniving strategy” may be an effort to persuade future African-American jurors:

COFFEY: My question is: is he crazy or is he crazy like a fox? Rick, consider the fact that everything that Rod Blagojevich does at this point is with reference to his concern about spending a lot of prison time. So what does this appointment do for him? <…>

Let’s get to what may be the more conniving strategy of Rod Blagojevich. He has now put an extremely prominent African-American in play, he says, to replace the ultimate respected African-American in politics right now, Barack Obama. And he is going to say, no matter what the Senate does, I did what I could, and those guys in the Senate blocked it, that Secretary of State blocked it, but I did the right thing. And how will that play if at all to African-American jurors on the Rod Blagojevich jury panel trial one day? He may be trying to get a few points down the road, because he is surely going to need all of the points he can get.

Watch it/read transcript at link~

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/30/blago-af-am-jurors/

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Hasn't the Gov resigned yet? He should tomorrow.

[babylonsister]

3. He's going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming out of there. nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. I knew I had read something funny about this CNN legal analyst

"Coffey quit his job in May 1996 after being accused of biting a topless dancer on the arm during a visit to an adult club after losing a big drug case."

I know that's not important but : http://multi-medium.net/2008/03/13




Anyway, I think Blago is trying to play the cards he has left. This wasn't an altruistic appointment.
Obama released a statement today saying

"Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it. I believe the best resolution would be for the Governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place. While Governor Blagojevich is entitled to his day in court, the people of Illinois are entitled to a functioning government and major decisions free of taint and controversy," said President-elect Obama.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. has he bitten anymore dancers recently?

[jacksonian]

5. excuse me, but

accused of selling a seat that didn't get sold? Isn't this just wierd?

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. ACCUSED. What ever happened to "Innocent Until Proven Guilty?

Blagojevich is a sitting Governor. IL has laws. Those laws state that the sitting Governor shall name a Senator's successor. He's been convicted of NOTHING. In fact, I've seen the wiretaps used to produce the complaint questioned as to their lawfulness. RIGHT HERE on DU.

Oh, the irony: An INNOCENT Democratic Governor appoints a Democratic African American to the open Senate seat in his own state. White Democrats then go on record as not only opposed to his appointment, but promise to block it.

White Democrats promising to block the appointment of a black Democrat to a seat he is plainly qualified for.

Is there something I'm not getting here?