Tom Elia seems a little confused by today’s editorial in the Chicago Sun-Times.  The paper scolds the electorate for trusting an empty suit with no accomplishments to a high executive office, and itself for endorsing him.  But which empty suit do they mean?  If we remove the name, can you tell?

If the latest farcical revelations from the Rod Blagojevich trial tell us anything, it’s that the people of Illinois — that would be us — twice elected a narcissistic goof of a governor who was all show and no substance.

The man was an empty suit, albeit a $5,000 custom-made Oxxford empty suit. …

Character counts before all else. Real accomplishments count.

And all else, if there is anything else, comes third.

Yes, of course this self-flagellation comes at the expense of disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich, he of the “f*****g valuable thing” and product of the Chicago Machine.  Blago was more than just all show and no substance, of course; he was also allegedly a crook who intended to sell a Senate opening to the highest bidder.  But even apart from the crime, the tapes at his trial show Blago to be a vain, self-centered, and irresponsible jerk who couldn’t have cared less about doing the job entrusted to him by the people of Illinois.

That’s the reason why character and accomplishments count more than talk and looks.  Before electing someone to high public office, especially as an executive, the electorate should demand a track record of accomplishment and review that for insight into character.  Perhaps Illinois’ GOP didn’t give voters much of a choice in these areas, and it’s good to remember that Blago got elected in the wake of a scandal that put the previous Republican governor in prison.  Instead of just jumping onto a bandwagon out of spite, though, voters and media endorsers need to remember that the candidate they back will be in power for several years — and if that candidate is not prepared for it, it will lead to disaster.

If the Sun-Times has learned this lesson with the Governor’s office, perhaps they’ll also reach the logical conclusion about the current President, another product of the Chicago Machine, as well.  While we don’t have the same criminal issues arising at the federal level — yet — the incompetence, self-absorption, and disdain for the actual responsibilities of the job are all there, too.