Rod Blagojevich

What they wanted me to do was to basically say that I was guilty of trying to sell a Senate seat, and I was trying to sell it to another guilty party, who was the guy who started the whole thing, by the name of Barack Obama, who wanted to buy that Senate seat, because that's where the whole thing began. It was Obama on election night.

What they wanted me to do was to basically say that I was guilty of trying to sell a Senate seat, and I was trying to sell it to another guilty party, who was the guy who started the whole thing, by the name of Barack Obama, who wanted to buy that Senate seat, because that's where the whole thing began. It was Obama on election night.

He sent an emissary to me to suggest a political deal because he wanted this woman named Valerie Jarrett to be appointed to his Senate seat. The governor points to the Senate. Pause for a second.

He sent an emissary to me to suggest a political deal because he wanted this woman named Valerie Jarrett to be appointed to his Senate seat. The governor points to the Senate. Pause for a second.

He sent an emissary to me to suggest a political deal because he wanted this woman named Valerie Jarrett to be appointed to his Senate seat. The governor points to the Senate. Pause for a second.

Jamie, there's feedback.

Jamie, there's feedback.

Jamie, there's feedback.

You use third parties, emissaries between two people.

You use third parties, emissaries between two people.

You use third parties, emissaries between two people.

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.

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.

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.