Dec 10, 2008 9:30 pm US/Central
Truth In Politics: Gov. Scandal Winners & Losers
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich speaks to the media after visiting with workers occupying the Republic Windows and Doors factory on Dec. 8, 2008, in Chicago, Ill.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The scandal involving Gov. Rod Blagojevich is affecting many politicians, not just the governor and his chief of staff. CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery takes a look at the winners and losers in Wednesday's Truth in Politics.
There's no hint that Illinois' most famous resident, President-elect Barack Obama, has any involvement. But it can't be good to have the whole world watching round-the-clock coverage of his home state's latest corruption scandal.
It's not good either for Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. to be live on multiple national news channels saying Blagojevich made false claims about him on secret FBI recordings.
House Speaker Mike Madigan and soon-to-depart Senate President Emil Jones rate as losers since they co-chaired the governor's 2006 re-election campaign.
Winners? U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. And the jailed George Ryan can now tell fellow inmates at Terre Haute, "Hey, at least I never sold a U.S. Senate seat!"
Democrat Blagojevich's scandal may help all top Illinois Republicans: House Leader Tom Cross, Congressman Mark Kirk, Senate leader-to-be Christine Radogno, candidate for governor Sen. Bill Brady, even beleaguered GOP Chairman Andy McKenna.
Some Democrats win. Valerie Jarrett apparently abandoned her Senate ambitions after learning of the governor's alleged greed. Lieutenant Gov. Pat Quinn will soon be governor. Attorney General Lisa Madigan is preparing to run for governor. Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias want bigger jobs, too.
A surprise winner: Dusty Baker. Although the former Cubs manager is still reviled as a hopeless loser by some local baseball fans, it turns out he went to bat for the kids at Children's Memorial Hospital, personally intervening with Gov. Blagojevich.
That makes Dusty the winner of the week.
The truth is - it's only Wednesday in this wild week. New revelations could yet rewrite our list of winners and losers.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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