Blagojevich for president in 2012?

The former Illinois governor is tanned, rested and ready

Published September 21, 2009 5:45PM (EDT)

Sure, the New Yorker has long been known for its profiles of fascinating and important world leaders, political figures and authors. However, if you're like me, you've been thinking the magazine has been severely lacking in its coverage of the most compelling politician of our time: one Rod Blagojevich.

Based on the complete lack of self-reflection displayed by his subject, editor David Remnick's new piece on the disgraced former Illinois governor reads like Thurber-esque satire. If Blagojevich's arrogance, alleged attempts to use his office as a personal revenue stream and flirtation with reality TV hadn't convinced the world already that the man known as Blago lives in his own little world, Remnick's piece provides added confirmation.

Blagojevich told Remnick that he isn't ruling out a political comeback of some variety and then showed his typical modesty by comparing himself to Winston Churchill and Richard Nixon. Blagojevich said, “I believe in those comebacks” adding that, like Nixon, he "knows what it’s like to be screwed by the liberal media.”

But in what will surely be devastating news for Americans everywhere who love freedom and perfectly coiffed hair, at the end of his interview with Remnick, Blagojevich made sure to add some clarification: “When I say ‘comeback,’ I’m not necessarily saying I’m going to run for President. You understand that, right?”

Along with the piece, the New Yorker also has video of an Elvis, I mean Blagojevich, performance at a recent corporate event that really can't be described adequately in words.


By Vincent Rossmeier

Vincent Rossmeier is an editorial assistant at Salon.

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