No one is perfect

I am from Illinois - Chicago-land to be precise - and was raised on a steady diet of Chicago news, politics and history. As such, I grew up expecting a certain level of deceit, trickery, and swindler-ism (yes, I know that's not a word) in my local politics. While not directly impacted, due to my suburban upbringing and being born about 20 years too late, I understand the concept of the political machine, complete with precinct captains and ward leaders, that was Chicago in the days of Hizzoner, Mr. Richard J. Daley, himself.

At one point in the late 1990's/early 2000's, I was a registrar for voters in Cook County. Crazy, right? Anyway, I fondly remember fielding the occasional "Hey, can I register my dead relative?" question that inevitably came my way during voter registration drives. Persistent but unproven rumors allege that Hizzoner employed this tactic - registering votes of dead voters - in his effort to get his buddy Jack Kennedy elected in 1960. I also had wise-acres chirping, "Vote early and vote often!" at me. Gotta love Chicago.

Although I missed out on Daley the Elder's reign, I got see his son, Richard M. pull a pretty cool maneuver post-9/11. Chicago used to have an airport, Meigs Field, right in the heart of downtown. Proving to be a chip off the old block, Hizzoner Jr. decided it was too much of a security threat and literally plowed under the airport one night after dark. Seriously. One day there was an airport and the next morning all the runways had big X's plowed through them. I don't really think Richard M. sought, received, or wanted permission to eradicate an entire airport. But, he went ahead and did it. And, as far as I can tell, he didn't even get into trouble. Love it or loathe it, you have to respect the moxie it takes to pull something like that off.

As a side bar, the former site of the airport, renamed Northerly Island, is now a lovely venue for outdoor concerts. Phoenix rising from the ashes, eh?

My point in all this (there is one - I promise) is that I have a pretty high threshold for ickiness (also not a word) in my politics and politicians (hello, Dan Rostenkowski). However, I hereby announce that I am officially sickened by Rob Blagojevich. Why NBC is giving this man both validation and a platform to visibility is utterly beyond me.

Beyond the urge to throw up in my mouth whenever I see him on The Apprentice, Rod makes me sad. A reasonable person knows he has major problems when average folks on the streets of NYC proclaim you to be a disgrace. But his delusions won't allow him to admit it to himself.

My sadness extends to his family. Well, his kids, at least. Patti's no peach either. And I am sad for me. I might have voted for him once or twice...but that's my cross to bear.