Jim Lehrer On Blagojevich: What’s The Big Deal?

PBS’ Jim Lehrer is wondering why everyone is so upset with Governor Rod Blagojevich (video here):

JIM LEHRER: I think we could keep this going here for several more minutes or longer, and there’s not going to be an agreement, so let’s go to something we agree on, David, the governor of Illinois. Express your shock.
DAVID BROOKS: I think he’s a great guy. I’m just trying to stoke disagreement.
No, you know, it’s like first is tragedy, then there’s farce. I covered Chicago politics back in the day of the machine, and Fast Eddie Vrdolyak, and that was tragedy. That was really ruining a city.
This guy, he’s like he’s re-enacting a scene from the “Entourage” or from “The Godfather.” He’s like re-enacting. It’s pathetic, basically, the way he’s behaving, $500,000 for a Senate seat, when he knows people are likely to tape him? It’s just — it’s just amazing. You know, you can — well, anyway.
JIM LEHRER: Well, what about the point, though, that a lot of people are making, Mark, that the only thing Blagojevich did that’s different than the normal course of human events is that he was gross about it and he said it — he didn’t say it publicly, but he said it — there’s trading that goes on all the time over Senate — the appointment of senator — of empty Senate seats.
MARK SHIELDS: There are.
JIM LEHRER: What’s the big deal here?
MARK SHIELDS: There have been some authentic giants appointed to the Senate in the 177 senators who’ve been appointed since we first began electing senators popularly in 1913. George Mitchell, a great senator.
JIM LEHRER: No, but I mean there’s always been trade-offs. That’s what I’m saying.

I don’t doubt that Lehrer is right. I think there’s probably a lot more of this going on in government than anyone wants to admit to. But that doesn’t make it legal. It certainly doesn’t make it right.