I still think the comparison with Jayne Thompson speaks volumes. Jayne, an attorney, did no work in state courts. She only had a federal practice.
babs
· 3 years ago
Trib editorial: Didn't Jim Edgar come out early against DCN? I seem to recall ads blasting her and the property tax swap - which he later tried to play as his own. So the Trib doesn't like it when Dems do it, but when their endorsed candidate does, well that's just fine.
bench coach
· 3 years ago
babs is right on the mark.
KenoMan
· 3 years ago
I wonder if Blago's wife should be required to take the Ethics Training required of all state employees. She would at least learn what a conflict of interest is.
Little Egypt
· 3 years ago
I'd like to see the score of GoverNOT Hairdo's ethics test. Anyone have access to that. Probably not because my guess is he didn't take it. Oh Tuesday, please come soon. Vote people, vote. And vote this crook out of office. He has gone around the state passing out $45 million of OUR money, using it as his campaign war chest. That makes for a pretty costly election in my view and he has crossed the line using MY money to do so. Save this guy from himself and vote for JBT.
smack-o-cratic
· 3 years ago
Ethics does not appear to be in the Blagojevich's household vocabulary. Training would be useless.
Backyard Conservative
· 3 years ago
Good follow up story in the Trib today on Mrs. Blagoyevich and her friends, with Topinka making a good point.
Backyard Conservative
· 3 years ago
Sorry, typo, how could I misspell Blagojevich?
Yvette
· 3 years ago
Questioning someone's *ethics* is neither neanderthal nor sexist -- and it's what, apparently, state employees are required to do.
What might be neanderthal and sexist -- and what, perhaps, Blagojevich might have thought he heard -- would be someone suggesting that his wife *not* conduct real estate deals -- and should spend more of her time at home with the kids.
Sure, that would be both neanderthal and sexist. But the interesting thing about this particular issue is how Blagojevich misheard the comment. To me, this mishearing -- and Blagojevich's subsequent odd outburst (and the method of complaining, getting in the SUV, pausing, then getting out of the SUV, and complaining some more ) -- says quite a bit about the governor.
First and foremost, it says he's not a particularly good listener. This is a bad thing.
Second, it says he's not a particularly quick thinker. This is a bad thing. Even Blagojevich supporters would agree, I think, with this one. Even if the comment was neanderthal and sexist -- it doesn't take a rocket scientist to spout off something like "neanderthal and sexist." That's the sort of soundbite that's easily remembered and probably media-effective -- but it has a disturbing whiff of "playground antics" to it. The mine-is-better-than-yours type of thing.
And third, it says (to me, at least) that he's been warned to choose his words very carefully. The getting in the car and getting out again -- says that despite his better judgement (or the better judgement of his handlers) he couldn't let this one go. It was burning like a slow fuse in his head.
It's all very weird. But it also points to the fact that Blagojevich is under a lot of pressure -- even though he's pretending it's all nonsense. And the pressure that he's feeling -- downstate, from the Fed, from nearly everywhere -- is not, apparently, anything he's prepared to admit -- yet, at least.
Ultimately, my reading is that Blagojevich knows -- but won't admit -- that it really *is* a house of cards, at this point. He can't admit that, of course. But even he's surprised. And that's not a good thing. If I'm right, then that's someone who's really grasping to keep everything together.
Not a good sign, I'd say.
Angie
· 3 years ago
Oh, please. What is "Neanderthal and sexist" is Rod hammering a woman and mother with negative attack ads when he knows she has a lot less money to defend herself with.
I draw an analogy to a guy beating up on a woman who is weaker than he is, only this is political. Political violence, I tell you! What a Neanderthal.
Just me
· 3 years ago
LOVED the Tribune editorial today. Wow, that packed a punch.
Little Egypt
· 3 years ago
Yvette, your posting here should become an editorial in all Illinois newspapers. You have summed up this guy perfectly. If everyone else would just get it, we would be able to send this Neanderthal packing.
Don't you just love it when a politician sticks both feet in his mouth. It would have been fun watching him hop into the SUV with one foot in his mouth but that wasn't enough. He hopped back out and promptly placed the other foot in too. What a sight, watching him climb back into the SUV with both feet in his mouth only to get hit over the head by his campaign manager for being a classless idiot.
Arthur Andersen
· 3 years ago
Perhaps it's because Jay "Punkin Head" Hoffman was the guy inside the SUV.
One_Mcmad
· 3 years ago
"Business as Usual"; what's new in the State of Illinois?
Bill
· 3 years ago
Arthur, How mature! Hoffman is one of Illinois' best legislators. If you don't like him he must be a quality person.
Anon
· 3 years ago
what's annoying is - employees & immediate family members of the Dept of Revenue can not participate in the state lottery...employees & immediate family members of CMS can not participate in surplus auctions....but the Governor's spouse can accept money (6 digits to boot - a lot more than any of these state employees makes), from a no-bid contract vendor of the state? And seriously, how much work did she really put into these real estate deals that netted her over $100,000???
Just me
· 3 years ago
Does Patty have to take the state ethics test? It's pretty darn clear in the test that such business dealings are unethical. BUT I'm a Neanderthal, so what do I know?
Tessa
· 3 years ago
Little Egypt - Right on! The Gov makes everyone else do the the Ethics test, but refuses to follow it himself, then charges that 10,000 or so took the test too fast (even though they passed the stupid thing - uh, so freaking easy you could take it without reading the whole thing before answering the questions, thanks).
Yvette - You have SO summed up this man who thinks he knows everything. Without his handlers, he is a loose cannon. Without someone telling him what to say, with a microphone in front of his face, he's going to get himself in big trouble. Much bigger than sexist and Neanderthal.
To that, I say, Bring it on. Let him be himself for once, so that the voters get a taste of what Blago is truly like. Then they can make a true choice when they vote. He doesn't deserve to be the leader of this state.
Will County Wiseguy
· 3 years ago
A lot of people who are planning to vote for Rich Whitney are not just dissatisfied with Blagojevich. They see bothTopinka and Blagojevich as being unwilling to tackle the real issues in Illinois: inadequate and unequitable funding of education, modernization of our outdated taxation system, a woefully underfunded social services infrastructure, too many people without adequate health care coverage (although Rod has done some very good things in this area), meaningful economic development, etc. Both candidates are too beholden to special interests and political cronies. Both represent "business as usual" to many voters. That's why Whitney will probably get 10-15% of the vote.
Yvette
· 3 years ago
For someone who brags about his skill memorizing 47 legitimate words (a weird thing to brag about, but that's another issue) -- the words he chooses let drop like bricks are a peculiar bunch:
-- Drunken sailors -- Testicular virility -- Neanderthal and sexist
and so on ...
A couple of points I realized about just these three sets of words above: they're strangely out of character for a man who has to "get back to reporters" about what book he's read recently. Anyone who's able to range from "testicular virility" to "Neanderthal and sexist" sounds like he's read a thing or two.
I mean, these aren't phrases you pop off in conversation -- and they're not phrases you come across on billboards or even on TV. I can't even remember the last time I heard the word "Neanderthal." It's a good word, but it's unusual. Even if you have a couple of young kids, you're not hearing "Neanderthal" on Blues Clues or whatever.
Now, if you're a reader -- if you make a habit of reading -- you acquire a nice little vocabulary in your head. You might spout words like "plethora" or talk about a "dearth of selection" or whatever. Readers tend to like words and tend to use odd words here and there -- because they have a larger vocabulary, whether they realize it or not. (Readers also check themselves -- sometimes avoiding big words based on the crowd they're hanging with -- and this "checking" sometimes makes for awkward turns of phrase. You check yourself, use a smaller word because it's more effective for your audience, but your midway through the sentence, so the small word doesn't quite flow with the sentence. So you sound like you're confused when you're really just thinking a few words ahead of what you're speaking.)
But the other thing about readers is that they like to talk about *what* they're reading. I don't know a single reader who, if you ask them what they're reading, they not only give you the title and author -- but they start talking about the plot. "And this guy, he works for the CIA, and, well, he's not really an agent, because that's the thing ... they don't *know* he's an agent, but he does it anyway ... "
So I'm not buying that Blagojevich is able to spout off these nifty phrases and not be able to spout off the latest Elmore Leonard (or whatever) book he's read.
And the fact that Blagojevich offers up something along the lines of: "Well, I could say 'Democracy in America,' but everybody spouts off Tocqueville."
First, no one spouts off Tocqueville. The only reason you start spouting off Tocqueville is because you've actually read it and you realize how enjoyable Tocqueville's writing is. But no one is going around bluffing about reading 'Democracy in America.' It's a pretentious bluff, and you're easily called on it. So it's not worth it. Blagojevich could have easily said, well, I'm reading Mike Royko or something -- anything to get a couple more Chicago votes. But he didn't.
No, what he did was try to outthink the reporter. He's pulling a 'Level 3 thinking' moment (or Level 3?) -- trying to outthink what his opponents think by saying he could say X, but he won't say X, because everybody thinks he'll say X. But the response to *this* moment is to say Y -- not that "he'll get back to the reporter."
So by attempting to do some fancy footwork, he actually just blunders into what everybody knows to be true in the first place -- that's he's not particular deep thinker. If you're gonna think deeply, then think deeply -- don't just wade back into shallow waters and wait.
Listen, the *last* book I'd ever expect someone like Blagojevich to read is Tocqueville. I mean, Elmore Leonard? Sure. DaVinci Code? I'm sure Rod's all over it. But when we start getting into Adam Smith/Tocqueville/Alexander Hamilton territory -- then I know Rod is making a bluff.
Which gets back to my original point: for a guy that can memorize baseball stats, Elvis songs, and 47 legitimate words -- who therefore has an ability to focus (albeit selectively) -- he clearly thinks that he knows what everybody else is thinking about him and continues to delude himself into thinking that we aren't savvy enough to know that he thinks he knows what we're thinking.
It's quite weird -- but always entertaining.
anon
· 3 years ago
Isn't it interesting how Blago now claims that it's ok for close family members to earn a living off state connections when he railed on and on about how his father-in-law, Richard Mell, used his connections to further the waste-site business of his distant cousin. Hey, Blago even got a law passed prohibiting close relatives of state constitutional officers from owning interests in waste sites. For more on this enlightening subject, check out this Google link: http://www.google.com/search?q=Blagojevich+MELL...
Lovie's Leather
· 3 years ago
I think it is funny, all the editorial boards coming out to tell us how much of a flake Rod Blagojevich is. The Northern Star in Dekalb had a little blurb in their editorial section about the governor. Now, just for a little backround... the Northern Star editorial board is liberal, whacky, condescending, and extremely ideological. When I read this, I almost died. Common sense from that editorial board is once in a life time... here you go.
From the editorial board | Gov's proposed wage hike Blago needs Econ 101
As we move into the final stretch of this fall's midterm elections, it is important not to become distracted by last-minute vote pandering.
We are speaking, of course, about current Governor Rod Blagojevich verbally announcing last Saturday his intent to raise the state's minimum wage if he is re-elected.
We personally can't think of a more desperate ploy the governor could use to once again secure Illinois' highest office.
Blagojevich said he would introduce the measure in next month's veto session - though he had the entire regular session, but did not address it then. Under his proposal, the state's minimum wage would increase to $7.50, $1 more than the current wage and $2.35 more than the nation's paltry offering.
Though at first glance, more money would sound appealing, but this measure would hurt Illinois' economy because employers may slow growth in Illinois due to higher labor costs than those in neighboring states
It also will drive up the state's cost of living and increase unemployment. In local terms, NIU would have to decrease the number of hourly employees it hires because it would have the same budget but still have to pay a higher wage.
Not to mention the number of businesses that would most likely relocate because of increased operating expenses.
Though the prospect of another dollar - before taxes - sounds enticing, we don't believe Blagojevich's sincerity in proposing this measure because it will not even be debated until after the election.
I mean, really. If you took a bunch of people from this forum and sat them down to actually debate Rod, what would become of him? He'd be made out to be the royal moron that everyone who has a clue knows he is. Heck, the papers are already pointing that out for everyone, so hopefully, all of the non-readers will take some time to actually try doing it within the days leading up to the election.
But no matter what happens, I think we can all sleep better knowing that Fitz is on the case. It is just that it will be so particularly embarrassing for our state if the voters themselves don't pull through and get this guy out of office before Fitz does. We will be the absolute laughingstock of the nation. So keep that in mind, you undecideds who actually plan to vote. Will you help us keep rotating the crop of new contenders for reform in Illinois until we get some winners, or will you embarrass us all on election night? Ball's in your court, folks.
Walking Wounded
· 3 years ago
A.A. Calling Hoffman "Punkin head", well, you're just..just being a Neandrathal and an anti-vegetite! What did a punkin, or any squash for that matter, ever do to you, I ask?! It's just silly! (Angie, I have friends from out of state who are actually snickering at us now from all the media reports of corrupt politicians...convicted and otherwise) *sigh*
babs
· 3 years ago
Yvette, I don't think the question was about the last book read, but something along the lines of "What book should every American read" or something like that. Neanderthals - aren't all government employees - state, federal and local, advised that spouses or domestic partners must meet ethics regulations? Even here in the big, bad City - ethics training includes many references to family ties. Does that make Da Mayor a Neanderthal - for promoting ethics? How can the Gov not get tarred and feathered by the media for this ridiculous comment?
Yvette
· 3 years ago
Yvette, I don’t think the question was about the last book read, but something along the lines of “What book should every American read†or something like that.
Fair enough. I was writing the response without the interview in front of me. Still -- this makes Blagojevich sound like a pompous twit.
Whenever anyone talks about "books Americans should read" Tocqueville is *always* cited. And for good reason -- there's no better book about America than the book about America written by a Fremchman. But Blagojevich doesn't say this -- and he doesn't even acknowledge this minor paradox -- no, he says, well, this is what I'm supposed to say, but I'm not going to say it -- can I get back to you?
That's crazy. A better response is to respond to your own point. If it's not Tocqueville, fair enough. Then what is it?
"Wait -- I need to think about it."
Good grief. Then mention a *book*. A reader would mention a book -- even if it's the last book he or she read. The fact that Blagojevich doesn't mention anything means he can't remember the last book he read -- and, in fact, he can't really remember any book. Who can't remember a book -- any book?
Someone who can read but doesn't. A literate but uncritical thinker, that's who.
This is the dude who's close to getting another four years?
At least Bush talked about reading a "couple Shakespeare."
Give the ol' POTUS credit for even mentioning Shakespeare -- and perhaps attempting one (if not two) "Shakespeare."
Buck Flagojevich
· 3 years ago
If Barney (Fife or the big purple thing) debated Rod, Rod would be toast.
Rex
· 3 years ago
Anon 12:24 - very good point.
Arthur Andersen
· 3 years ago
I apologize to all pumpkins, living or deceased, for my Neanderthal and antiVegan commentary.
Notwithstanding that the "GoverNOT Hairdo" (there you go, Little Egypt!) of Illinois can't answer a simple ethics question without assistance and Bill & Co. seem to be ok with that..
Mike Williams
· 3 years ago
Correction, Bill: Hoffman was one of Illinois best legislators, until he got mixed up with his hommie Rod.
Lou Lang or Barb Currie - one of these two are Illinois best legislators (with the exception of the Speaker, of course, but he is the best Illinois has seen in at least 50 years, if not in the history of the state.
Little Egypt
· 3 years ago
Thanks AA. I use GoverNOT Hairdo pretty frequently because weeks ago, Bill let me know where his goat was tied. Elvis is a good one too. I'm just praying that we don't have to write those for very much longer.
Lovie's Leather
· 3 years ago
Little Egypt, I think when the election is over... and Blago gets indicted, we need to call George Ryan "The old one" and Rod Blagojevich "The young one."
Angie
· 3 years ago
Walking Wounded, I've got friends in Texas who may not even come in for the Holidays because they're so embarrassed! lol
All Comments
What might be neanderthal and sexist -- and what, perhaps, Blagojevich might have thought he heard -- would be someone suggesting that his wife *not* conduct real estate deals -- and should spend more of her time at home with the kids.
Sure, that would be both neanderthal and sexist. But the interesting thing about this particular issue is how Blagojevich misheard the comment. To me, this mishearing -- and Blagojevich's subsequent odd outburst (and the method of complaining, getting in the SUV, pausing, then getting out of the SUV, and complaining some more ) -- says quite a bit about the governor.
First and foremost, it says he's not a particularly good listener. This is a bad thing.
Second, it says he's not a particularly quick thinker. This is a bad thing. Even Blagojevich supporters would agree, I think, with this one. Even if the comment was neanderthal and sexist -- it doesn't take a rocket scientist to spout off something like "neanderthal and sexist." That's the sort of soundbite that's easily remembered and probably media-effective -- but it has a disturbing whiff of "playground antics" to it. The mine-is-better-than-yours type of thing.
And third, it says (to me, at least) that he's been warned to choose his words very carefully. The getting in the car and getting out again -- says that despite his better judgement (or the better judgement of his handlers) he couldn't let this one go. It was burning like a slow fuse in his head.
It's all very weird. But it also points to the fact that Blagojevich is under a lot of pressure -- even though he's pretending it's all nonsense. And the pressure that he's feeling -- downstate, from the Fed, from nearly everywhere -- is not, apparently, anything he's prepared to admit -- yet, at least.
Ultimately, my reading is that Blagojevich knows -- but won't admit -- that it really *is* a house of cards, at this point. He can't admit that, of course. But even he's surprised. And that's not a good thing. If I'm right, then that's someone who's really grasping to keep everything together.
Not a good sign, I'd say.
I draw an analogy to a guy beating up on a woman who is weaker than he is, only this is political. Political violence, I tell you! What a Neanderthal.
Don't you just love it when a politician sticks both feet in his mouth. It would have been fun watching him hop into the SUV with one foot in his mouth but that wasn't enough. He hopped back out and promptly placed the other foot in too. What a sight, watching him climb back into the SUV with both feet in his mouth only to get hit over the head by his campaign manager for being a classless idiot.
How mature!
Hoffman is one of Illinois' best legislators. If you don't like him he must be a quality person.
Yvette - You have SO summed up this man who thinks he knows everything. Without his handlers, he is a loose cannon. Without someone telling him what to say, with a microphone in front of his face, he's going to get himself in big trouble. Much bigger than sexist and Neanderthal.
To that, I say, Bring it on. Let him be himself for once, so that the voters get a taste of what Blago is truly like. Then they can make a true choice when they vote. He doesn't deserve to be the leader of this state.
-- Drunken sailors
-- Testicular virility
-- Neanderthal and sexist
and so on ...
A couple of points I realized about just these three sets of words above: they're strangely out of character for a man who has to "get back to reporters" about what book he's read recently. Anyone who's able to range from "testicular virility" to "Neanderthal and sexist" sounds like he's read a thing or two.
I mean, these aren't phrases you pop off in conversation -- and they're not phrases you come across on billboards or even on TV. I can't even remember the last time I heard the word "Neanderthal." It's a good word, but it's unusual. Even if you have a couple of young kids, you're not hearing "Neanderthal" on Blues Clues or whatever.
Now, if you're a reader -- if you make a habit of reading -- you acquire a nice little vocabulary in your head. You might spout words like "plethora" or talk about a "dearth of selection" or whatever. Readers tend to like words and tend to use odd words here and there -- because they have a larger vocabulary, whether they realize it or not. (Readers also check themselves -- sometimes avoiding big words based on the crowd they're hanging with -- and this "checking" sometimes makes for awkward turns of phrase. You check yourself, use a smaller word because it's more effective for your audience, but your midway through the sentence, so the small word doesn't quite flow with the sentence. So you sound like you're confused when you're really just thinking a few words ahead of what you're speaking.)
But the other thing about readers is that they like to talk about *what* they're reading. I don't know a single reader who, if you ask them what they're reading, they not only give you the title and author -- but they start talking about the plot. "And this guy, he works for the CIA, and, well, he's not really an agent, because that's the thing ... they don't *know* he's an agent, but he does it anyway ... "
So I'm not buying that Blagojevich is able to spout off these nifty phrases and not be able to spout off the latest Elmore Leonard (or whatever) book he's read.
And the fact that Blagojevich offers up something along the lines of: "Well, I could say 'Democracy in America,' but everybody spouts off Tocqueville."
First, no one spouts off Tocqueville. The only reason you start spouting off Tocqueville is because you've actually read it and you realize how enjoyable Tocqueville's writing is. But no one is going around bluffing about reading 'Democracy in America.' It's a pretentious bluff, and you're easily called on it. So it's not worth it. Blagojevich could have easily said, well, I'm reading Mike Royko or something -- anything to get a couple more Chicago votes. But he didn't.
No, what he did was try to outthink the reporter. He's pulling a 'Level 3 thinking' moment (or Level 3?) -- trying to outthink what his opponents think by saying he could say X, but he won't say X, because everybody thinks he'll say X. But the response to *this* moment is to say Y -- not that "he'll get back to the reporter."
So by attempting to do some fancy footwork, he actually just blunders into what everybody knows to be true in the first place -- that's he's not particular deep thinker. If you're gonna think deeply, then think deeply -- don't just wade back into shallow waters and wait.
Listen, the *last* book I'd ever expect someone like Blagojevich to read is Tocqueville. I mean, Elmore Leonard? Sure. DaVinci Code? I'm sure Rod's all over it. But when we start getting into Adam Smith/Tocqueville/Alexander Hamilton territory -- then I know Rod is making a bluff.
Which gets back to my original point: for a guy that can memorize baseball stats, Elvis songs, and 47 legitimate words -- who therefore has an ability to focus (albeit selectively) -- he clearly thinks that he knows what everybody else is thinking about him and continues to delude himself into thinking that we aren't savvy enough to know that he thinks he knows what we're thinking.
It's quite weird -- but always entertaining.
From the editorial board | Gov's proposed wage hike
Blago needs Econ 101
As we move into the final stretch of this fall's midterm elections, it is important not to become distracted by last-minute vote pandering.
We are speaking, of course, about current Governor Rod Blagojevich verbally announcing last Saturday his intent to raise the state's minimum wage if he is re-elected.
We personally can't think of a more desperate ploy the governor could use to once again secure Illinois' highest office.
Blagojevich said he would introduce the measure in next month's veto session - though he had the entire regular session, but did not address it then. Under his proposal, the state's minimum wage would increase to $7.50, $1 more than the current wage and $2.35 more than the nation's paltry offering.
Though at first glance, more money would sound appealing, but this measure would hurt Illinois' economy because employers may slow growth in Illinois due to higher labor costs than those in neighboring states
It also will drive up the state's cost of living and increase unemployment. In local terms, NIU would have to decrease the number of hourly employees it hires because it would have the same budget but still have to pay a higher wage.
Not to mention the number of businesses that would most likely relocate because of increased operating expenses.
Though the prospect of another dollar - before taxes - sounds enticing, we don't believe Blagojevich's sincerity in proposing this measure because it will not even be debated until after the election.
And here is the weblink.
http://www.northernstar.info/articles/?id=34052
I mean, really. If you took a bunch of people from this forum and sat them down to actually debate Rod, what would become of him? He'd be made out to be the royal moron that everyone who has a clue knows he is. Heck, the papers are already pointing that out for everyone, so hopefully, all of the non-readers will take some time to actually try doing it within the days leading up to the election.
But no matter what happens, I think we can all sleep better knowing that Fitz is on the case. It is just that it will be so particularly embarrassing for our state if the voters themselves don't pull through and get this guy out of office before Fitz does. We will be the absolute laughingstock of the nation. So keep that in mind, you undecideds who actually plan to vote. Will you help us keep rotating the crop of new contenders for reform in Illinois until we get some winners, or will you embarrass us all on election night? Ball's in your court, folks.
Calling Hoffman "Punkin head", well, you're just..just being a Neandrathal and an anti-vegetite! What did a punkin, or any squash for that matter, ever do to you, I ask?! It's just silly!
(Angie, I have friends from out of state who are actually snickering at us now from all the media reports of corrupt politicians...convicted and otherwise) *sigh*
Neanderthals - aren't all government employees - state, federal and local, advised that spouses or domestic partners must meet ethics regulations? Even here in the big, bad City - ethics training includes many references to family ties. Does that make Da Mayor a Neanderthal - for promoting ethics? How can the Gov not get tarred and feathered by the media for this ridiculous comment?
Fair enough. I was writing the response without the interview in front of me. Still -- this makes Blagojevich sound like a pompous twit.
Whenever anyone talks about "books Americans should read" Tocqueville is *always* cited. And for good reason -- there's no better book about America than the book about America written by a Fremchman. But Blagojevich doesn't say this -- and he doesn't even acknowledge this minor paradox -- no, he says, well, this is what I'm supposed to say, but I'm not going to say it -- can I get back to you?
That's crazy. A better response is to respond to your own point. If it's not Tocqueville, fair enough. Then what is it?
"Wait -- I need to think about it."
Good grief. Then mention a *book*. A reader would mention a book -- even if it's the last book he or she read. The fact that Blagojevich doesn't mention anything means he can't remember the last book he read -- and, in fact, he can't really remember any book. Who can't remember a book -- any book?
Someone who can read but doesn't. A literate but uncritical thinker, that's who.
This is the dude who's close to getting another four years?
At least Bush talked about reading a "couple Shakespeare."
Give the ol' POTUS credit for even mentioning Shakespeare -- and perhaps attempting one (if not two) "Shakespeare."
Notwithstanding that the "GoverNOT Hairdo" (there you go, Little Egypt!) of Illinois can't answer a simple ethics question without assistance and Bill & Co. seem to be ok with that..
Lou Lang or Barb Currie - one of these two are Illinois best legislators (with the exception of the Speaker, of course, but he is the best Illinois has seen in at least 50 years, if not in the history of the state.