(CNN) - Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Monday that he considered appointing Oprah Winfrey to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat.
"She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way become president," Blagojevich said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit that other senators."
The idea to appoint the talk show host came from a friend of the governor, Blagojevich said
“We talked about, if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way that it didn’t look like it was some gimmick,” he said.
The Democratic governor said Winfrey was one of several candidates he was considering for the position.
Blagojevich is facing federal corruption charges for several allegations, including trying to trade or sell the Senate seat that became vacant after Obama was elected president. His impeachment proceedings are scheduled to begin Monday in the state Senate.
Blagojevich is expected to skip the trial. He has scheduled appearances on several news programs on Monday, including CNN's "Larry King Live" and ABC’s “The View.”
In an interview this weekend with NBC's "Today Show," Blagojevich said he is drawing inspiration from people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi.
"I thought it was actually a friend of mine who was playing a practical joke," he said of his arrest. "Unfortunately it wasn't. And then the day unfolded and I had a whole bunch of thoughts - of course my children, and my wife - and then I thought about Mandela, Dr. King, Gandhi and tried to put some perspective in all of this and that's what I'm doing now."
Blagojevich, a second-term governor, was impeached by an overwhelming vote in the Illinois House of Representatives earlier this month.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
From CNN Politics
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Is this guy serious? He shouldn't be allow to give his opinion anymore...I mean I love Oprah...but come on...
She's one of the few who could afford what he was asking for the seat.
I agree with just joe. We need to focus our attention on more important issues. Blago needs to go and hide under some rock for a few years, or better yet behind bars. Really, Illinois does not need any more bad PR.
We should just have an election for future senator selections.
This guy will say anything to be popular..........what a typical democrat.
This criminal would have appointed Bugs Bunny if he could have persuaded Disney to cough up enough cash to make it worth his while.
Why wasting everybody's time time with his non-sensical rantings???
Wow, and the people of Illinois voted for this guy........twice. I'm not one to share the opinion that O would not have made a decent Senator, but coming from this guy......wow. Hey Blago since you are name dropping to get some love, did you mention that you thought about me, Michael in Houston, I got some deep pockets. LMAO!
OK, this is over the edge. He has lost his mind.
Oprah?
This guy is a nut job. He really doesn't live in the same world as everyone else. I'm still scratching my head over his Gandhi quote and now this! He needs his meds.
this guy needs psychiatric evaluation
Sick Sick Sick he got issues he need to address, so step
down and address the issues.
This guy is an idiot. He has made a mockery of our political system.
I posted at 9:15 a.m. and I am still "awaiting moderation". Give me a break, post it without that notation, please. No worse than any others-I think CNN, that you see my name and won't post me.
Sorry PC from DC, given all the money Madoff stole from numerous and worthwhile charitable institutions, Blago, as sick as he is, is a distant second to Madoff.
I'm sure Oprah is honored to hear this. Hopefully the IL senate will do their job with due haste.
In the meantime, maybe the state abbreviation for IL should be changed to ILL
HaHa........This is all too funny. American politics never seizes to amaze me. Just a word....in England Blaggar means liar, so the clue was in his last name to start with. This brings me to the point why did you elect him not once but twice. Strikingly similar to bush getting elected twice, even though he couldn`t string a sentence together. Americans need to stop voting through the media and do a little research before they pull the lever. Otherwise it all comes down to who has the best PR and most airtime. Minor things like honesty and integrity takes a back seat. Just remember, you get what you vote for.
its a good thought for the change. they only nominate men.
I'm pleased to hear so many US voices agreeing that this Govenor is 'off the scale' of acceptable political behaviour'.
In the UK we scratch our heads in disbelief that celebrities and actors are electable as politicians on your side of the pond.
(Not that we are happy with ours right now.)
I wish you every good fortune with your new President who, at the very least, can put issues across clearly and make decisions firmly.
Most of the rest of the world hopes/ believes that he will be just and wise.