EXTRA: A lucky guess

Rod Blagojevich got 14 years as a prison sentence, and I got extremely lucky in that I predicted the sentence correctly. I wish I could claim to have some sort of special legal knowledge.

BLAGOJEVICH: Soon to be just a number


It just struck me that U.S. District Judge James Zagel would see something like 14 or 15 years as a gesture of compassion – considering that the sentence could have been (in his mind) as much as 20 years.

SO NOW, THE former governor gets 90 days to get his affairs in order. He will get to be with spouse Patti on Valentine’s Day, but he’ll be gone from our presence by March 20 – the date of the next primary election in Illinois.

And yes, I will feel some sympathy for his family. Because they are going to be hurt by this. Regardless of whether or not you believe that Blagojevich’s actions truly are criminal in nature (I honestly am not sure), you’d have to be pretty callous to rejoice in that latter fact.

Then again, after reading and hearing much of the rhetoric directed toward former Gov. George Ryan after he went away to prison (and still has just over 1 ½ years to serve) , I am aware that some individuals in our society who like to think they’re decent people are truly cold fish.

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