Or maybe we could have the seat feature the political criminal of the month: I vote William Freezer Jefferson for January. I think Sandy Burger would make a good Feb. pic.

I say don’t replace him at all. Tell Illinois they can only have one US Senator from now on. One corrupt senator from Chicago is quite enough.

t.ferg on December 14, 2008 at 5:09 PM

Hell, if that’s the case, we in New York don’t deserve ANY senators. LOL.

And didn’t I hear from someone somewhere that the Illinois state consitution specifically provides for the governor to appoint a replacement, so a special election has no basis in law.

JonRoss on December 14, 2008 at 5:03 PM

Ah, but Democrats believe that constitutions are “living” documents that can be interpreted to mean whatever they want them to mean, regardless of the actual words in the document. So if they can find a constitutional right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution (that nowhere mentions any such right or even anything remotely like it), they can certainly find a right to a special election in the Illinois constitution.

He should be able to go out there and clean this mess up no problem! These are his friends and acquaintances aren’t they?

Unless, that is, he was really a fraud all along. This guys term as President is going to be the worst in the history of the U.S.

They should just hold a state lottery for the seat, Buy a ticket become a US senator. It wouldn’t really matter who won it since the Democrats have proved conclusively that any idiot can be a US Senator.

Dreadnought223 on December 14, 2008 at 5:18 PM

Instead of printing lottery tickets, they can just draw a prisoner number from the DOC roster. At least the good people of Illinois will know ahead of time just what kind of criminal will be holding office.

Sheesh, Ed. Look at the website on which you are posting this “poll.” How lopsided do you think the result is going to be?

Len on December 14, 2008 at 11:03 PM

Sheesh, Len, why don’t you go to your corner and cry about it a while, and it’ll be all better.

How many times do the citizens of Chicago have to prove that they don’t care about the corruption?

Tanya on December 14, 2008 at 6:23 PM

Apparently, over and over and over….

Apathy got us to this point in the American politics. It’s no way out either.

Entelechy on December 14, 2008 at 5:19 PM

I’ve never been apathetic. I’m one of the most rabid right wingers you’ll ever meet.

My post reflects resignation in the hopelessness of the People’s Republic of Illinois.

Hope that clarifies it for you.

Major correction, especially for my friend Jaibones :)

Of 14 voters Vote 1 of 14, 19% said thumbs down. What’s wrong with you?

Entelechy on December 14, 2008 at 4:48 PM

J, I noticed too late, and forgot the correction. So sorry,

Just to get to a special election, Blago would have to sign the bill. If he hasn’t gotten what he wants when the bill gets to him, he could sit on it for a while and then veto it, forcing an override.

They would do it but we’d already be into Obama’s term.

Look, if it has to be an appointment, it will be a Democrat, and a liberal one at that.

If it comes to that, why not a broad base of support for Abner Mikva?

He supported Obama, but he would be good when it comes to the Clinton confirmation hearings. He wouldn’t get the committee assignment to participate, but he has been out front in what he has publicly said about the idea.

He was on Fox today with Chris Wallace and is a very bright, measured guy.

From their point of view, it would actually be the best step that the Democrats from Illinois could do to begin to establish at least some measure of public confidence in their political process. And, he would set a considerable standard for the future.

He is 82 and would probably would not want to stay for long, so Republicans could take some comfort in the fact that some guy was not coming in to grab the seat for the next four terms. He might even agree up front to fill the seat for just the remainder of the term (unless Illinois requires a special election come this November, in which it would be shorter.)

There would be opposition, such as NRA, but every Democrat will hold a position similar to his.

The irony would be that the appeals court judge who wanted to appoint Obama as his clerk, and who was turned down, ends up being appointed to fill the remainder of Obama’s Senate term.

“Is Obama mired in corrupt Chicago politics?”
59% [of Chicago residents] said yes.

jimmy the notable on December 14, 2008 at 5:20 PM

27% said no and you can’t have any of the $100 bill that I found in my mail box.

14% said that they had not yet checked their mailbox.

I have zero faith in the integrity of any election in Illinois that includes Cook Crook County.
SouthernGent on December 14, 2008 at 7:28 PM

Fixed it for ya.

I’d prefer to see a list of what Ditka has accomplished in his life up against Caroline Kennedy before I drew any conclusions about her worthyness vis-a-vis Ditka.

Red State State of Mind on December 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM

Ditka throws a mean clipboard and wouldn’t hesitate to throw at the likes of Reid.

Regardless of his flaws, trust me when I say this, the folks love Mike Ditka here in ChiTown and he’d win in a landslide.

Better duck quick Reid and Pelosi, Ditka’s an equal opportunity clip board tosser!!!

How should Illinois replace Barack Obama?

I’m voting for one of those chickens in a box that pecks “Yes”, “No” but mostly “Present”.