Posted: December 16, 2008

"The Republicans in the House are not happy because they're being reduced in their numbers because the voters recognize if you put the Republicans in charge you're going to have a lot of collusion with Blagojevich."   House Speaker Mike Madigan December 15, 2008

Last night Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan appeared live from Springfield on the Chicago PBS television show Chicago Tonight. He was interviewed by Carol Marin.

 

It's a must see. You can view the 10 minute segment HERE.

 

It's pretty clear Madigan has about as much respect for Andy McKenna, Jr. and Tom Double Cross as we do - which is to say not very much. Madigan refers to McKenna and Cross as Blagojevich's "facilitators" and "enablers" at least four times in this one interview.

 

Madigan is absolutely right. We disagree with Mike Madigan on many issues - but at least he knows something about honor. His word means something.

 

And while Madigan doesn't say it - we will. It's the duplicitous and dishonest dealings of "Republicans" like McKenna and Cross that will keep the GOP from capitalizing on Blagojevich's downfall.

 

McKenna, Cross, and their puppet-masters just don't have any credibility. Until we clean our own house, no amount of hypocritical whining about Blagojevich will get the GOP anywhere.

 

We'll obviously have much more on this topic. But for now, you should definitely check out the video linked above.

 

And here are some transcribed excerpts from that same interview in case you have a problem with the download. All are quotes from Mike Madigan.

 

"They [House Republicans] were the biggest enablers of Blagojevich over the last two years. The House Republican caucus and Tom Cross enabled and facilitated Blagojevich for two years and for them to say they should have an equal place at the table is just inconsistent with their conduct over two years."

 

"I listened to them [House Republicans] for two years as they enabled Blagojevich and they facilitated Blagojevich. They wanted to give Blagojevich the ability to spend $35 billion dollars of capital money without any restrictions. And that's where we stood our ground. And that's why I've been standing in opposition to Blagojevich for all these years with no help from the House Republicans, many of these times I've been all alone."

 

Madigan on Cross' reaction to the arrest of Blagojevich: "He should have known better for all the time he spent facilitating Blagojevich  I was not at all surprised. I had an opportunity to spend time with Blagojevich. I had an opportunity to see what he was like. That's the reason I stopped going to meetings with Blagojevich, and Tom Cross continued to go to the meetings and continued to facilitate him and continued to enable him. That's the record of Tom Cross and the House Republicans."

 

"The Republicans in the House are not happy because they're being reduced in their numbers because the voters recognize if you put the Republicans in charge you're going to have a lot of collusion with Blagojevich."

 

Madigan on Andy McKenna's statement criticizing Madigan's caucus: "McKenna is in the same boat with Frank Watson and Tom Cross. They facilitated and enabled Blagojevich over two years. It's nice for Mr. McKenna to appear now and try to resurrect what he did over two years but he never held Cross and Watson back from fully cooperating with Blagojevich."