Dec 10, 2008 10:47 pm US/Central
Scandal Puts Illinois In International Spotlight
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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The whole world is watching as the arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich casts a long shadow over Illinois.
CBS
The whole world was watching Barack Obama in Grant Park on election night. Now the whole world is watching as the arrest of a governor casts a long shadow over Illinois. CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports the concept of corruption is the same in any language.
"It's the most egregious act of public corruption I have ever seen," Roe Conn of the Roe Conn show said.
More than just American media have been wrapped up in the Blagojevich controversy.
News outlets in Serbia and Bosnia are serving up a healthy helping of the Illinois-based scandal.
It's broadcast to them live thanks to Chicago-based foreign correspondent Alexander Zigic.
"My phone's been ringing off the hook and every time I pick it up it's a different station," Zigic said. "It seems lately Chicago's been in the news and this story just won't go away," Zigic said.
Whether in German or Italian, internationally the story of the Illinois governor allegedly trying to sell the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama is front page news.
In fact the pair are often shown together in international media. They appear in Rome's daily "La Repubblica." It's where Italian student Sigrid Lupieri's been following the saga.
"They're talking about Cook County as Crook County and definitely speaking of political corruption involving Blagojevich," Lupieri said.
This comes at a time when Chicago and the state were basking in the glow of the Obama victory helping to erase the region's imperfect past.
When asked what French tourist Carolyn Bidaut knows about Chicago, she said, "Al Capone."
You don't necessarily have to understand a foreign language to know some of these articles talk about corruption - and that makes headlines in any language.
When asked if she is surprised that people are that interested in our governor, Lupieri says, "It does somewhat considering the corruption problems we already have in Italy."
Zigic says even though Blagojevich is of Serbian descent, he really wasn't that well known in the land of his ancestors until now. He says it is especially the Obama connection that is peaking interest in the controversy.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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