Rod Blagojevich

To some extent, that's part of it, of course. But there's other dynamics that also it's just a little bit easier to kind of test the mood of the other person if you have a third party who both people like or respect. In this particular case, it was a labor boss. by the name of Tom Balanoff, he came up to me election night in November 2008. That was the election you voted for Obama.

You and I are both guilty of that. And I was there that night. Chicago was magical, you know, historic. And it was great in the sense that finally America, you know, crossed a significant barrier. A black person can be elected president of the United States. Every black child growing up can now look and say, one day maybe I can be that. You know, there's the American dream and opportunity.

You and I are both guilty of that. And I was there that night. Chicago was magical, you know, historic. And it was great in the sense that finally America, you know, crossed a significant barrier. A black person can be elected president of the United States. Every black child growing up can now look and say, one day maybe I can be that. You know, there's the American dream and opportunity.

You and I are both guilty of that. And I was there that night. Chicago was magical, you know, historic. And it was great in the sense that finally America, you know, crossed a significant barrier. A black person can be elected president of the United States. Every black child growing up can now look and say, one day maybe I can be that. You know, there's the American dream and opportunity.

So in that sense, it was a beautiful thing. So this Balanoff guy comes up to me and he says, Brock called me last night. He said I was pumping gas in this gas station in the South Loop area, downtown Chicago. Brock called me last night. He said it was around – he even told me the time, like around 6.30 or 7 at night. And he asked me to come to you.

So in that sense, it was a beautiful thing. So this Balanoff guy comes up to me and he says, Brock called me last night. He said I was pumping gas in this gas station in the South Loop area, downtown Chicago. Brock called me last night. He said it was around – he even told me the time, like around 6.30 or 7 at night. And he asked me to come to you.

So in that sense, it was a beautiful thing. So this Balanoff guy comes up to me and he says, Brock called me last night. He said I was pumping gas in this gas station in the South Loop area, downtown Chicago. Brock called me last night. He said it was around – he even told me the time, like around 6.30 or 7 at night. And he asked me to come to you.

He would like you to appoint Valerie Jarrett as his successor to the Senate. He wanted me to know what you want. I wonder if I can come and see you so we can discuss this. I said, sure, call me tomorrow. Now, that's totally legal and appropriate. He's not suggesting anything illegal. Obama just wants to make a political deal. But what happened was they criminalized it against me.

He would like you to appoint Valerie Jarrett as his successor to the Senate. He wanted me to know what you want. I wonder if I can come and see you so we can discuss this. I said, sure, call me tomorrow. Now, that's totally legal and appropriate. He's not suggesting anything illegal. Obama just wants to make a political deal. But what happened was they criminalized it against me.

He would like you to appoint Valerie Jarrett as his successor to the Senate. He wanted me to know what you want. I wonder if I can come and see you so we can discuss this. I said, sure, call me tomorrow. Now, that's totally legal and appropriate. He's not suggesting anything illegal. Obama just wants to make a political deal. But what happened was they criminalized it against me.

Obama wasn't trying to force it. He was trying to make a deal to persuade me to do it. Or what would you get out of that? That's what we discussed for six weeks, and the FBI was talking about that. And we discussed all kinds of crazy ideas, a lot of good ideas. Spent two days talking about the possibility of appointing Oprah Winfrey. What? You might appreciate this. Yeah, I know.

Obama wasn't trying to force it. He was trying to make a deal to persuade me to do it. Or what would you get out of that? That's what we discussed for six weeks, and the FBI was talking about that. And we discussed all kinds of crazy ideas, a lot of good ideas. Spent two days talking about the possibility of appointing Oprah Winfrey. What? You might appreciate this. Yeah, I know.

Obama wasn't trying to force it. He was trying to make a deal to persuade me to do it. Or what would you get out of that? That's what we discussed for six weeks, and the FBI was talking about that. And we discussed all kinds of crazy ideas, a lot of good ideas. Spent two days talking about the possibility of appointing Oprah Winfrey. What? You might appreciate this. Yeah, I know.

She's from Chicago.

She's from Chicago.

She's from Chicago.

Okay. So we spent six weeks talking about all kinds of ideas because this was, to quote me, fucking golden. I'm not giving it up for nothing. We got a chance to do something with this. And all of these ideas and thoughts were discussed with my governor's lawyer on all those calls, largely because I knew these people were chasing me. They wanted to be sure whatever decision I made, it was legal.

Okay. So we spent six weeks talking about all kinds of ideas because this was, to quote me, fucking golden. I'm not giving it up for nothing. We got a chance to do something with this. And all of these ideas and thoughts were discussed with my governor's lawyer on all those calls, largely because I knew these people were chasing me. They wanted to be sure whatever decision I made, it was legal.

Okay. So we spent six weeks talking about all kinds of ideas because this was, to quote me, fucking golden. I'm not giving it up for nothing. We got a chance to do something with this. And all of these ideas and thoughts were discussed with my governor's lawyer on all those calls, largely because I knew these people were chasing me. They wanted to be sure whatever decision I made, it was legal.

We didn't cross lines or make a mistake. Maybe I missed something. And, you know, this was unique. And so I explored all kinds of ideas. I even spent one conversation. I think you might appreciate this. They played this at court in my first trial. My wife sitting there, loving, dutiful, devoted, faithful wife, sitting in a courtroom every single day at both trials.