The career trajectories of Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich were headed in opposite directions in November 2008 when the frustrated Illinois governor suggested the newly elected president at least throw him a tasty political bone.
Obama was relinquishing his U.S. Senate seat and was interested in seeing it go to his good friend Valerie Jarrett. Blagojevich held the power to make that happen. On government wiretaps played in court at Blagojevich's retrial Wednesday, the former governor was heard discussing how an intermediary had run a proposal by the Obama camp: Jarrett would get the Senate seat and Blagojevich would be named to a Cabinet post.
When word came back that all he would get for making Jarrett a senator was "thanks and appreciation," Blagojevich erupted: "(Expletive) them," he snapped.
Jurors in the retrial were seated only Monday, yet they have already heard taped conversations in which Blagojevich repeatedly discusses a variety of schemes to cash in on his power as governor.
Obama was relinquishing his U.S. Senate seat and was interested in seeing it go to his good friend Valerie Jarrett. Blagojevich held the power to make that happen. On government wiretaps played in court at Blagojevich's retrial Wednesday, the former governor was heard discussing how an intermediary had run a proposal by the Obama camp: Jarrett would get the Senate seat and Blagojevich would be named to a Cabinet post.
Jurors in the retrial were seated only Monday, yet they have already heard taped conversations in which Blagojevich repeatedly discusses a variety of schemes to cash in on his power as governor.
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