She' s No Lady

by Shaker Kathy from Birmingham Blues

So we all know that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday, charged with attempting to sell the US Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. And we know that the case is based on wiretaps of Blagojevich's home and office, which caught him uttering some obscenities as he discussed the various targets of his alleged pay-to-play scheme.

But did we know that his wife was also heard to utter the f-word? Oh noes, the little woman said "fuck". And said it repeatedly. Let me sit down right now. I think I have the vapors.

The Chicago Tribune published a story yesterday that opened with this totally not sexist description of Patricia Blagojevich:

An unflattering portrait depicting Illinois First Lady Patricia Blagojevich as a modern-day Lady Macbeth who plotted against her husband's perceived enemies and backed his corrupt schemes emerged in court documents connected to the governor's arrest Tuesday.

Yes, of course. The scheming woman with blood on her hands. How original.

While reporter Stacy St. Clair acknowledges that Patricia Blagojevich has not been charged with any wrongdoing, she also tells us, "Her alleged ambitions and brashness are outlined in a 76-page federal criminal complaint…" Brashness? Really?

She helped her husband hatch a plan to sell President-elect Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate seat. She angled to trade her husband's power for lucrative spots on corporate boards. And she unleashed an obscenity-filled tirade suggesting Tribune Co. ownership should "just fire" Chicago Tribune editorial writers if the company wanted the state to help it unload Wrigley Field to ease its crushing debt.

"Hold up that [expletive] Cubs [expletive]," she is quoted as saying in the background as her husband talked on the phone, authorities alleged. "[Expletive] them."

See, that last part is most important. We can tell because the reporter emphasized it. Yes, Patricia Blagojevich may have had a hand in her husband's plans to sell Obama's former Senate seat. Yes, she may have attempted to trade on her family connections to advance her own career. (Gosh, no one has ever done that before!) Yes, she may have encouraged her husband to punish his political enemies. And none of this is okay.

But worst of all, she used profanity in the process!

Steve Rhodes of NBC Chicago picked up the banner, quoting the Tribune article, with emphasis on the Lady MacBeth meme, and pointing out yet again her propensity for profanity. Some of the commenters there also have a bad case of missing the point:

Are you kidding me? Listen to her talk! That will tell you what kind of women she is. Corrupted!

What a WHITE TRASH piece of bleep!

Patti isn't a woman, she's a dog. So referring to her as "The (bleeping) First Lady" is actually a complement. Her poor daughters.....

Rod Blagojevich is being excoriated in the press because he allegedly tried to sell a Senate appointment. His wife, who allegedly aided and abetted him in his efforts, is catching hell – oops, I mean heck – because she has a potty mouth.

At the risk of destroying my own reputation, I have to ask, "What the fuck?"