CNN

I will be gald when all this mess is over, The DEMS are starting out bad with stuff they need to get taken care of ASAP, The country is in a bad shape and we can not wast time over the state of IL, Get the GOV out of office and lets get back to helping people who are out of a job

How lucky, Blago is the Dems male version of Sarah Palin.

Why should the Gov step down...if Washington is so desirous to
let Burris have the senate seat then let it be. Of course, let's
remember (as if we have to) that we still have the idiot in the
White House, too.

This is not nice! – but I have one question!

Why does Blago look so stupid??

America please! next time elect someone – anyone?
that "looks" like they might "at least" have "below average intellegence".

Smile!

It's about time they make up their minds.
It was expected for the governor to be impeached. Yet, it was unexpected that the governor would try to fight back ....surely knowing he broke the law. Unbelievable!

The continuation of another attempt to taint President-Elect Obama. Now it seems a little bit harder for another man of color to get in the Senate to even get close to the Presidency. Don't forget that Obama is half caucasian, but I guess that's not enough for some. Half African American is still too much for these hardcores. Please CNN, post this. People are really starting to see past all of this BS.

To Meh January 9th, 2009 11:25 am ET -

How many times has the US been attacked on our shores since 9/11?

President Bush says you're welcome.

What I'd like to know is.......who was the ONE joker who voted NOT to impeach Blago?!?!?!?

Who was the one who voted against?

I can't BELIEVE Blago didn't resign this afternoon!!

Compare it to breaking your arm and selling a horse. Two different issues, right? Well, war in mid-east and Illinois Governor are two separate issues. Thank about it a bit and you'll get the idea.

We need a three strikes policy for Government officials cause they are as close to criminal as you can get. We should have a very strict drug policy for Government officials as well as public notices when violated and a government sponsored website with all public information that should be public. Anytime there is wrong doing the people who elected the official should hav ethe final say as to the degree of punishment as well as monitary damages that would then go to a fund for future elections. Politicians are like characters in a super hero magazine you can see read about them but don't ever ask one to step out and help you!

richard rohde – LOL – it will only be a couple more posts until they mention Govenor Palin...

Is this going to be like the same impeachment they gave Bill clinton?
Where he says (I am not going nowhere) What a joke.
Impeach him and make him go Bye Bye.

The time has come for the hammer of justice to come crashing down on ALL crooked politicians! Enough is enough!

learning curve!

@Maggie,

Aren't those 'alleged' war crimes you reference?

Get real, if there were ANY meat to this war crimes business, don't you think the rabid partisans (Pelosi and Reid – the LEADERS of the Congress) would have already gone after Bush?

@Maggie,

The state of Illinois can't impeach a president. Go back to your civics books. Only the US Congress can impeach a president. So leave Illinois out of this, all they can do is impeach their own governor.

He will be gone, guilty or not before the inauguration.. No dirty democratic laundry needed ..

Blago is having the last laugh. The very thing that the prosecutor wanted to prevent has happened. He appointed Burris and made Illinois a joke.

What is taking the legislature so long. Kick that guy out and send Burris packing. What a joke.

Great, kick his rear out of Illinois. Send him packing to the big house. Whew...what a relief. He's causing more trouble than he's worth. What a sleazebag. Congrats to Illionois for kicking him to the curb and stoping him from making the state the laughing stock of the country. Particularly at a time when you've given the country such a great president elect.

Kudos, for doing the right thing–kicking Blagoboy OUT.

he should be impreached as it went down, & we do nothing about Bush & Chaney just sit back & talk about it, but no action, why ?

Gitmo torture isn't being moved to Afghanistan. It's been there for the last 8 years!

I wonder what the ONE votes owes Blago for???

Come on Illinois – kick him out and let the others know they will get the boot too if they pull this kind of crap.

As someone from Illinois, I do not want Blago representing or leading our state any further. I do not think he can do so effectively.
If he has something to say which will exonerate him, he should say it now. His earlier comments that the only time for him to talk were in a court of law were simply foolish.
If he cannot say something to clear himself, I hope he has the good sense to step down.

Nice to see the democraps eating one another. After they have all been eaten, we may have a great country again.

Please also include the ones that allowed our electric bills to go up too. Thank you.

This is good. You democrats showing your real selves. If you kill all of yourselves off with this kind of thing, our country will be so much the better.

I hope the trial moves along quickly and this so-called Governor is convicted! I am very glad they impeached him; our nation doesn't need another corrupt official remaining in office!

On what basis did you wish to impeach Bush? The "illegal" war? Unfortunately the Senate voted something like 90-10 to approve it, therefore it was hardly "illegal", like it or not.

Making up evidence of Iraq and WMDs? Have at it. All you have to do is prove the evidence was falsified. You know, that's the key word here, "PROOF". Although I am not a Bush supporter, I can remember Mr. Clinton bombing Iraq during his impeachment hearings on the basis that Iraq had existing WMDs and WMD programs ... I could never resolve that bombing with the later claims that Bush should be impeached because there was no evidence Iraq had WMDs.

Since the Bush bashers already have all the evidence they need in hand, this should have be a simple matter. As my dear departed Dad used to say, it is amazing how all the people who "know" everything about what is really happening in the government are busy cutting har and tending bar.

Oh Lord....the vote was 114 to 1 to impeach. This doesn't bode well for Blago. But of course, in true fashion Blago believes everyone is wrong, he is being maligned and he will be vindicated, despite all the tape recording evidence.

The vote was 114-1 in favor of impeachment. Who was the 1 dissenting vote and he/she should be investigated to see if there are any ties to Blago. This is quite and overwhelming majority, why would anyone vote against 114 other yes votes? I'm not saying guilty, but
doesn't it make you wonder why?

Uh oh, he's having a press conference @3p.m. today...He's telling on everybody....Ha ha ha ha...

Blago has created a fiasco in Illinois and if he really wanted to do the "right" thing he would residng. But no he'd rather continue to prove he is not capable of doing the "right" thing for Illinois.

Then as far as I am concerned, the House better be prepared to impeach all public officials who have been accused of corruption. Next up, Coleman? Aren't there some others? Just because the prosecutor tried Blago's case in the media first, doesn't make his allegations worse than the others.

yes richard rohde, their manical hatred, which has been inflamed by the media for the last 8 years, is the causation for the incredible amount of disinformation that has been regurgitated time after time...louder and louder until it becomes their Holy Grail. (See Maggie, pam and john below).

They can't even think straight enough to consider the fact that if there was anything any remotely "impeachable" that Harry Reid and the boys would be like a pack of hungry wolves (okay maybe rats is closer) and all over it.

Unless they see it as another right wing conspiracy....

My goodness, the Dems want to move fast before all of them come crashing down from Chicago. I say, let Blago have his say in Public–I like the guy–he does not appear to be a hypocrite and is way smarter than the rest of them. Heaven forbid the American people are privy to the rest of Chicago corruption. Not to worry, Obama rose above his scary background during the campaign–they won't let him go down now, whatever it takes.

They should turn Blago over to Cheney.......he would have him waterboarded and then we could get to the truth of the matter. While they're at it, maybe they could waterboard Cheney and finally get to the truth of the last eight years. No problem, right? Waterboarding is not torture, right?

richard rodhe> Are you refering to me? I'm not a Democrat (nor am I a "dumbocrat" as you so maturely put it).
Sorry if the truth is "sick".

These "dumbcrats" have a reason to be pissed off at the injustice in our country, however the reason Bush was was not impeached was because then we would have Cheney as president...and that is a bigger problem.

The governor thinks this process is unfair? What's unfair is Blago trying to SELL a Senate seat for personal gain. The people of Illinois deserve better and I hope they get it....and soon.

Rods a nice guy.He was just conducting business as usual,the way both republicans and Democrats have done it for years.He just got caught.The Congress would be down to less than a dozen people if they were all exposed.

disappear. please. just go away.

All I can say is you libs makes me want to vomit – you amaze me every time you open your loopy mouths, you are unbelievable, self-serving, and ignorant.

they impeach blago without blinking... but palin remains... HMMMMM double standard much??

That-a-boy, go get-em. Let's start with him and go down the list (I'm sure the list is long). In the end, the house of cards will fall. And we the people will be charged with taking our eyes off the ball.

114/1 wonder who the hold out was

You really need to question the intregity of anyone who would accept a nomination from this govenor........

@ Maggie

Get over it!

We'll have time to impeach a president. Probably in the next 4 years as he increasingly has to make a decision without waiting for public opinion to tell him what to do and for having to take responsibility for finally making a decision. Too bad he has no experience in government or in making a decision to fall back on.

The vote was 114 to 1... I'd really like to know who the ONE personis in the whole Illinois house who is still in Blagojevich's corner???

Maggie January 9th, 2009 9:55 am ET

So… let me get this straight … they're willing to impeach a governor who allegedly tried to sell a Senate seat (got to use the word allegedly until the jury votes on it, right?) but they won't impeach a president who pushed the US into an illegal war where war crimes were committed.

Does this make sense to anyone?
_____________________________________

The Illinois legislature can't impeach a president.

Great! How long is it gonna take to kick his sorry butt to the curb??

I've never seen a politician as arrogant as Gov. Blagojevich. Sir, you are a disgrace to the state of Illinois and, if you had any conscience at all, you would have quietly resigned shortly after your arrest. If you cared enough about your state and the Democratic part you represent, you would never have gone ahead to make appointments or conduct important state business as you are doing. For me, you have lost the last ounce of sympathy I, as a human being, may have had for you. Your impeachment is dead on right, and you will be convicted and removed from office shortly. This will be followed by your trial and conviction and guess what? You will spend a lot of years in prison. My sympathy goes to your kids. Other than that, you reap what you sow.

Jack Franks is the only thing good in Illinois politics.

Thank you, IL House of Representatives, for keeping this process moving.

Okay, there was one "NO" vote and three "NOT VOTING". Who was the "NO" and the three chickens?

Bush deserves all the bashing he gets Mr. Rohde.

My question: Who is the one moron who did not think Blago should be impeached???

Okay, there was one "NO" vote and three "NOT VOTING". Who was the "NO" and the three chickens.

richard, you're smoking something.

The man needs fired and he needs jail time. Bush included.

What's funny is that the people who are on here bashing Blago are all "Democrats"! LOL! Democrats destroy each other.

Bush deserves all the bashing he gets.

My question: Who is the one moron who did not think Blago should be impeached???

@ George Bush
"It looks like the Democrats got to impeach someone after all."
-----------------
It's a shame we couldn't get to you. You know, being at the top of our list for over 6 years, and all.

Now I seem to understand why women and money are such a perfect couple.( no insult to women, I love them) When it is not because of an affair with woman, it is because of a Money affair that most men lose their senses, freedom, power, reputation, happiness, and credibility.
If we make a list of all the previous fallen politicians, we will notice that all of them were addicted with either woman or money. Prove me wrong. They should be called "Womoneyers". Women and money join together to destroy men.

richard rohde

Amazing the way the dumbocrats can turn this in to a Bush bashing isn't it ? Some real sickies post here.
_______________________________________

And look around at any article not even about Obama and the haters are always on there as well bashing him. Yes, amazing.

Hey Maggie:

What proof do you have that any actual war crimes were commited?

Meh-If the hive of bees wasn't shaken before 911, why did Al-Qaeda kill 3000 innocent Americans? We weren't bothering them during the Clinton years and Bush didn't attack any of their compounds before 911, so why did they kill Americans? Hopefully the Obama and Democrat sheeple will someday face reality and realize that these killers hate America no matter who is President.

Proclaims his innocence! You know, except for him on tape talking about it. His legal defense is astounding:

The tapes are somehow inadmissible in court, therefore the governor is innocent.

What a moron.

Amazing the way the dumbocrats can turn this in to a Bush bashing isn't it ? Some real sickies post here.

@ Maggie

This is the Illinois State Congress, not the United States Congress, so they can't impeach Bush. However, I'll grant you that as backwards as it might seem, the Illinois State Congress seems to have a little bit better clue as to what justifies impeachment. Go figure.

@ Paul

Ends justify the means, huh? I suppose you're right: initiating an unjustified war on false pretenses, torturing prisoners, abusing human rights, violating and lessening our Constitutional rights, abusing executive power, destabilizing the entire Middle East, destroying our international reputation, respect and leverage and providing terrorist organizations with a whole new generation of angry, disaffected young men whose families and homeland have been destroyed...that was all worth it so long as we got to hang Saddam. I'm so glad you pointed this all out. I feel like a weight has been lifted...

im peach ment 
2. (in Congress or a state legislature) the presentation of formal charges against a public official by the lower house, trial to be before the upper house.

im·peach
To charge (a public official) with improper conduct in office before a proper tribunal.

An impeachment is not a conviction. It is the start of the process. Which, incidentally is why we should have impeached and tried Bush II a long time ago. But it's also why Blago should be impeached.

Impeached for dishonoring the office of Governor. But any conviction for an actual crime is in doubt. Stay tuned for the superficial circus.

Meanwhile, why did CNN only allow 114 posts on Palin vis Couric and Fey. After seeing clips from the Pajama Network "interview" played on Rachel Maddow's and Kieth Olberman's shows, it's obvious this ticker could have gone to over 400 posts on how ignorant, dishonest, and just plain stupid Sarah is. E.G. "I didn't actually see the interview, but it was inaccurate".

That plus CNN won't allow any posts on Sarah's involvement with delaying the arrest of Levi's mom Sherry for drug dealing. Who in CNN is manipulating the news?

I like Blago.

He makes the DEMS uncomfortable.

He does know where all the bodies are.

Illinois already started cleaning up and throwing out the crooked politicians. Unfortunately, we elected him President.

@ Maggie
You seem to grasp things too much by their surfaces. The Iraq war girl, is a complicated issue, just leave it alone and out of your topics of conversion. Now you would have wanted Bush impeached, don't you?
Won't you agree that it is easier to impeach the elephant than the lion? Let me tell you a story, " It was the cat's birthday and all the mice in the neighborhood planned a feast for Cat, you know, to earn his frienship so he would stop eating mice. . They made a pretty neckless and a crown to present to Cat as gifts. As the adult mice were conferring on the event, there came a baby mouse who wanted to share his opinion. But they shut him up and warned him to stay away when Mr. Cat comes. He persisted again to speak, and once again they shut him up, sending him to his room. He came back out and still insisted to speak. Finally, one adult mouse said, okay say what you wanna say and then go to sleep. The baby said, I see you all preparing a feast for Cat and you made a crown and necklace for him, but bear I ask which one of you all here will go and crown and put the necklace on Him?" All the adult mice remained quiet. The rest of the story is not relevant. Do you understand, Hmm Maggie?

Paul> Al Quada has expanded their operations since we went into Iraq. Bush hasn't put a stop to ANYthing. More like, we shook a hive of bees.

For all of you slinging mud at this governor let me ask, "How many of you would take losing your job to allegations about something you may have had intentions of doing but never did?"

My feeling on that is you wouldn't enjoy it nor would you take it laying down, you would fight to the end. What makes you so much better than Blago?

"Inspect yourself before you EXPECT from others"

Pablo> He does not need to have broken the law to be impeached. It's a commission, not a court of law. If they feel he is unfit to govern, they have the right to unseat him. Period.

Of course Burris would say they is no quid pro guo.
Blago did it to really stick it to the dems.
I thought Ob and Reid were supposed to be constition experts. That is why they flipped after their initial "no way Burris" statements. Some one must have taught them a thing or two. Besides that Rush, the fomer black panther, brought in the race card and the dems didn't want that.
Why isn't everyone screaming about Madow like they did Ken Lay? He was much worse. Oh, thats right, Madow is a dem.

I don't understand why he is still working. If he was arrested on felony charges for trying to sell Barack's senate seat, he should not have been able to go back to his job until after he went to court, yes, innocent until proven guilty, but, this is what is happening to the U.S. The government has kept Bush after all he has done, do we honestly have to keep these kind of people working for us until they ruin the whole state, I am from Ca. and look at what has happened here.

At least the Illlinois Legislature has something going for it. Now, if we could get an actual prosecutor other than Fitzgerald, the cook might actually serve some time.

I'm with you, Maggie, but unfortunately the US Congress is less on the ball than the state of Illinois. Talk to Nancy Pelosi. She's the one who said impeachment was off the table, and she repeatedly blocked it.

The bum needs to go!

Innocent until proven guilty, I'm sorry but that is in the US CONSTITUTION!

It seems that on a great variety of issues we have forgotten the constitution.
Objectively speaking, He should not be impeached under "allegations"
Subjectively speaking I think he's guilty of trying to sell the seat, but again let him have his day in court
This is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, not some other country.

Gitmo torture prison is being moved to Afghanistan....

here is what they said in private

" we need to impeach him 'cause he will take us all down. he knows where the bodies are. if he is gone then we can deny everything because he is a disgruntled former employee. and the upside is, we will look good because we took care of a corrupt (unlike us, he got caught) politician

WIN, WIN

First of all, let me say that as a registered Democrat in 2006 I voted Green because I didn't want see to Blagojevich or any of the state-level Democratic candidates keeping power, and I definitely didn't want us to go back to the Republicans already in jail. That said, I believe that if you look below the surface in most states (not, of course, your state, dear reader), you'll see enough corruption to disgust you. Perhaps it's time we all started turning to third, fourth, and fifth parties.

We should not be so hard on Blago ,he has not been convicted of anything,what happen to" innocent till provening guality"
Blago,have not done anythings that another politicans have not done. my question is why the hurry?
Houston Texas!

Get it done then put him in jail with Bush

It looks like the Democrats got to impeach someone after all.

A little late, of course he should be impeached.

By the way Maggie, what about the genocide by Saddam Hussein and his sons, not to mention his torture chambers? Also remember there were Al Qaida training camps in Iraq. George is a hero for stopping all that.

YES...... throw the bum out Illinois!

He is shameless. Impeach him now and start the cleanup of politics in IL He is very tainted and the good people should demand so much better.

What does he mean he's innocent? Aren't there factual proofs of his voice recorded making the statements he is accused of? Or is he implying of conspiracy against him? Does he feel guilty of saying them, but innocent for having not had time to carry them out? In this case why does the law punish people for attempt murder when they were yet to commit it? It seems like the same thing to me. If people will agree that preventing a crime is better than letting it be committed, then crime prevention calls for the eradication of all factors including objects, animals, and people demonstrating the intention of committing the crime. If everyone agrees with the above analysis, therefore, if Blagojevich really said what he was recorded saying, then, by all justice, he must be impeached. If not, then, we will make a fool out the law and out of ourselves. Are we worth of being a society?

Hurry! Impeach him already. Then toss him in jail.

This guy is a Democrat on paper and a Republican by trade and actions.

email4kh you represent what is wrong with the blogs and peoples commesnts on them let me explain. IMPEACHMENT is basically a trial it does NOT promise removal, therefore even if they had voted to impeach last month Blagojevich would STILL be the governor and would still ahve the right and responsibility to appoint a successor to the vacant senate seat. Like he set the date for the vacant house seat special election and signs the paychecks of all the state workers (not actually but his signature does appear on them) and calls out the state militia national guard if/when there is a disaster etc in other words he still performs ALL duties as governonr until the actual date that his term ends. Due to the severity and possible consequences of removing a state official I doubt that the impeachment proceedings will take less than a month once they get started. Basically people comment when they ahve no ideas of the facts and laws but simply want to join the mob and hang the guilty party who needs a trial! It is this type of thought that got us Gitmo and the situation we ahve there we are jsut applying it to an single individual instead of a group (he was accused therefore he is guilty and should be punished!@)

idiots

About time. Go faster.

Maggie – the problem is that "They" are two different government bodies – it's the US Congress that refused to impeach Bush. It's the Illinois Legislature that is ditzing around with Blago... Tho it does look as if the Illinois Legislature is finally developing some guts unlikes Congress.

The only surprising thing about that headline is the word "possible."

@ Maggie,
Your comment is what is called selective judgement in English. You are absolutely right

To Maggie: I am with you. Not that Blago does not need and deserve to be impeached, but how this could happen and a president who sent Americans into harms way for the wrong reasons not be impeached is beyond me. Clinton was impeached for a moral issue and not Bush. Something is very wrong with this picture. Oh well, the good old DOUBLE STANDARD lives on.

Just look at the democrats destroying each other. This IL bunch is laughable just like the president elect. Why can't IL wait until the gov has been at least indicted by the prosecutor? For goodness sake, the man has not been shown to have committed any wrong yet...

impeach him.

Two things should happen:
1. Blagojevich should be impeached and convicted.
2. He should give Burris his money back.

Throw the bum out.

NOW they're gonna impeach him?!?!
If they'd done it ten days ago, the Lt. Governor, acting as Governor, could have re-appointed Burris to the Senate seat and he'd have been seated already.
Way to go, Illinois legislature.

If he's guilty, good!!!! What is taking this so long? Just get it all in court, then figure ot if he's guilty, then kick him out or let him stay accordingly! We are so tired of hearing about this nonsense!

DO IT,stop talking about it,I don't think the government can,or they would have by now.

So... let me get this straight ... they're willing to impeach a governor who allegedly tried to sell a Senate seat (got to use the word allegedly until the jury votes on it, right?) but they won't impeach a president who pushed the US into an illegal war where war crimes were committed.

Does this make sense to anyone?

This guy needs not only to be impeached, but to be banished.

i think this would be best for Rod Blagojevich, he has destroyed his own political career, and has tried to ruin Obama's rep. so he most definitely needs to be impeached

walk away from your upside down mortgages now!

start growing your own food!

stop betting against yourself by investing in wall street!

you will be free from the grips of the 400 families

who own most of the nation's wealth and

thereby own you, your children, and your grandchildren as their slaves!

It's about time ! especially after hearing those awful tape recordings !
He should be ashamed of himself.

Good!!! The sooner we crack down on corrupt politicians the better.

Blago should be run out of town on a rail. Although I'm a lifelong Illinois Democrat, he is the worst governor in my lifetime (57 years). He should be impeached, then Fitzgerald should indict him, try him, and put him in jail 'till his kids are grown up.

This will be interesting. I'm sure he won't go down without a fight. Let me get the popcorn ready.....

BOOT him, and QUICK!