First, apologies to Sen. Dick Durbin. It was presumptive to say that he is a rival player in the Chicago machine. In fact, he is from the southern part of the state, and may have no connection whatsoever, past or present, with the scumbaggery in Chicago.

However, it remains to be seen what influence he may have in the filling the Senate vacancy. He still advocates a special election. Will he play a major role on choosing the candidate? Wouldn’t it be easier for Blago to step down and let the new governor complete the task? 

Questions are finally emerging from the media regarding the timing and nature of Blagojevich’s “arrest”. (By the way, does anyone else find it interesting that an individual “under arrest”, especially one who holds pubic office, continues to function as if nothing happened? How come bureaucrats, civil servants, public employees, and military members are placed on “administrative leave” but elected officials can continue to exercise their authority?)

Others are now finally coming to realize that it’s becoming less likely that Fitzgerald has anything concrete on Blago aside from some taped conversations. They’re also wondering why Fitzgerald has “asked” the Obama team not to answer any questions. (Apparently, only the U.S. Attorney is allowed to leak or voice opinions on the matter.)

Recall that Fitzgerald was the Special Prosecutor in the Valerie Plame affair. Some of those who are suspicious of Obama’s innocence (such as Byron York) see this as a good thing. Others, who fear (or hope) that justice may only be selectively applied if at all, take the opposite view.

After all, it was Patrick Fitzgerald who doggedly pursued Scooter Libby on a perjury charge, while getting the real principals in the case (Colin Powell and Richard Armitage) to keep silent about its salient facts until the prosecution of Libby was completed.

Think the Blagojevich scandal may become a liability for Obama? Think that Blagojevich may even be convicted (much less prosecuted)?

If so, you don’t understand Chicago machine politics or the Democratic party.

Patrick Fitzgerald (in concert with the bankrupt Tribune) picked the optimum time to expose this ongoing case and bring it to an end before it could cause any more embarrassment to the Democratic party. If everything goes as planned, the bumbling governor will be neutralized, unable to exert any more influence on Durbin and Obama, and Durbin will get his wish for a special election to fill the vacant Illinois senate seat before Lieutenant Governor Quinn has any say in the matter.

By all accounts, it seems that Blagojevich, Durbin, and Obama all head up rival camps in the corrupt Chicago political machine. Like rival Mafia families, they help each other when it’s in their interest, and rub them out when they become liabilities.

Once Obama hit the national stage, Blagojevich was no longer useful to him and had become an embarrassment, not because he was corrupt, but because he was so stupid. He was obviously on track to cause major problems for the party, and had to be neutralized.

It’s highly suspicious, not to mention unprofessional, for a federal prosecutor to expose an ongoing investigation, and provide sensational (and seemingly incriminating) details to the press even before an indictment is handed down, much less before a trial has been completed. It’s even more puzzling to hear candid, opinionated statements from FBI officials of the type heard in this case. But the media don’t care, they love the story, and will not question the motives of the persons who feed it to them.

Much talk will be made about Blagojevich “scheming” to sell a senate seat, but scheming alone isn’t enough to convict anyone. He has to be caught trying to make a deal before they can even think of indicting him. But since they exposed him before he had a chance to carry out his scheme, his plans become thwarted, but he gets off scot free.

If they (Fitzgerald and the Trib) had held off until Blagojevich had shaken hands with someone, they would have had enough to force him to resign, allowing the Lieutenant Governor to step in and select a successor to Obama in accordance with the Illinois Constitution. They would also be able to pursue the case to its completion and get more goods on more people inevitably involved.

But such legal, orderly,  and constitutional niceties aren’t always convenient for Democratic party power machines. It so happens that (Lieutenant Governor) Pat Quinn, though a Democrat, isn’t a player in the Chicago machine. So his choice for the vacant senate seat might be a reformer like him. This would be bad news for Dick Durbin and his friends (including Obama).

Better to have Blagojevich shunted aside (even while publicly calling for him to resign but privately encouraging him not to) while Durbin gets his special election for a hand picked candidate, Putin-style. (Don’t worry about the GOP, they’ll run another Alan Keyes.)

Meanwhile, the Blagojevich affair will quickly fade away (at least by Inauguration Day), the Tribune will cease publishing, and the Chicago machine will hum along with another rival out of the way.