Blagojevich eyes four more years as Dems try to hug away dysfunction

DENVER - Gov. Rod Blagojevich all but announced he'd run for re-election Wednesday amid a seemingly impossible Democratic "lovefest" that saw him hugging his political rival - House Speaker Michael Madigan.

The hug followed Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s impassioned plea for the party faithful to move beyond personal and historic schisms and rally behind Barack Obama and other Democrats.

From the stage during the Illinois delegation's morning meeting, Jackson sought out Congressman Bobby Rush and state Sen. Debbie Halvorson and hugged them, calling for an end to their differences over internal Chicago politics and a possible South Suburban airport.

Then, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley hugged Jackson, a move few would have expected given the frequently tense relations between the two influential Chicago families.

As a tearful Jackson recovered, he said, "I'm not going to be satisfied until I see Rod Blagojevich give Michael Madigan a hug."

The embrace stunned those in attendance. Afterward, all claimed it was not scripted.

"I had a moment," Jackson said.

"Look, whenever you hug a guy, you ought to be upbeat about it," Blagojevich joked to reporters. "I just wonder if it's the altitude. We'll find out when we get back home."

Republicans back in Illinois claimed to not be surprised.

"A hug, a dance, a wink, a nod ... these guys have been doing the two-step for five years," said House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego, noting that Madigan headed up Blagojevich's re-election bid in 2006.

And more could be coming. Blagojevich also tipped his hand toward seeking re-election even as other Democrats consider running for the office and mounting a primary challenge if Blagojevich is on the ballot.

"I think I'm a great governor," Blagojevich said. "There's more to do. And I like my job, and I have no reason to think I don't want to keep doing this job."

But Blagojevich's stature had taken abuse here.

Three potential 2010 rivals for the governor's office - Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias - were all given convention speaking rolls by the Obama campaign. Blagojevich wasn't.

The governor skipped the first day of the convention when those speeches were delivered.

And don't look for Obama to be making many appearances with the governor or offering him the national spotlight in the campaign to come. Among the things they have in common is convicted felon Tony Rezko who's awaiting sentencing for using his clout with the governor to mastermind a state investment kickback scheme. He also raised money for Obama - which has since been returned - and helped the Obamas buy their Hyde Park mansion, which Obama has said was a mistake.

Any Blagojevich appearance quickly prompts Rezko questions and the Obama campaign would like to move past that topic.

It's a significant turnaround from four years ago when Blagojevich kicked off the Illinois delegation's Boston trip with a tremendous party at the famed Union Oyster House, where the locals marveled at his hair and cheered him for president.

At the time, Blagojevich's name was circulating for bigger things, and he smiled as he swatted away questions about running for national office.

That talk is gone as federal investigations continue regarding the Blagojevich administration's hiring and contracting practices.

The situation prompted questions Wednesday of whether Blagojevich would even be on the convention floor when Illinois casts its votes for the nomination.

"I'm a superdelegate," Blagojevich said. "Of course I will."

Despite the hugging and calls for reconciliation, not everyone in the Illinois delegation joined the festivities.

State Sen. James Meeks, a Chicago Democrat, is planning a student boycott on the first day of Chicago Public Schools and demanding the governor and state political leaders fix the state's education funding system.

A planned meeting on the issue was called off Wednesday morning.

Blagojevich urged Meeks to drop the boycott but said there's simply not enough time in the coming weeks to get everyone on the same page regarding school funding.

Meeks, however, accused the governor of not making children a priority and said the boycott is still on.

And Senate President Emil Jones Jr., who did not get a hug, voiced skepticism over the newfound Democratic unity.

"It all remains to be seen, you know," said the Blagojevich ally. "So I don't know whether it is genuine or not."

A spokesman for Madigan said the disputes with the governor have never been personal as far as Madigan is concerned.

"There's a difference in approach. We've applied a common-sense approach ... that's the way Mike Madigan's done it for more than two decades and that's the way it's going to continue," said spokesman Steve Brown.

But he declined to answer whether Madigan would be willing to chair another Blagojevich re-election bid.

"I think we're focused on the November elections and Barack Obama," Brown said.

Daily Herald staff writer Joseph Ryan contributed to this report.