Governor talks to possible Obama replacements
SPRINGFIELD _ Gov. Rod Blagojevich is talking with some of the candidates to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, but he's giving few hints about his plans for filling the vacancy.
The Democratic governor spoke this week with U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Luis Gutierrez and Janice Schakowsky, officials said Thursday.
Davis said they had a pleasant but very general conversation. The two did not discuss policy details or how Blagojevich will make a decision.
Schakowsky gave a similar assessment but added that Blagojevich indicated he probably would not choose Obama's replacement until mid-December at the earliest.
Blagojevich has also discussed the job with state Senate President Emil Jones, who was one of Obama's political mentors.
The governor, who has sole power to appoint Obama's replacement, has not spoken to some other often-mentioned candidates -- notably U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Tammy Duckworth, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said people shouldn't read anything into who has talked to the governor and who hasn't.
"There really isn't anything new to report. He continues ahead with the decision process," Guerrero said.
Obama resigned from the Senate on Sunday. Immediately after the election, Blagojevich said he hoped to make a decision by Christmas but cautioned that he couldn't make any promises.
Obama will leave behind the only U.S. Senate seat held by a black politician, and some black leaders have called on Blagojevich to consider that as he picks a replacement. Of the most mentioned candidates, Davis, Jackson and Jones are black.
Blagojevich said his top staff would help him review candidates. He said he wants a senator who shares his views on expanding access to health care and improving the state's infrastructure.
Democrat Dick Durbin, the state's other U.S. senator, has said he wants to talk to Blagojevich about who might replace Obama. But spokesman Joe Shoemaker said Durbin's calls to the governor haven't been returned.
"He has not been able to talk to him. We've tried," Shoemaker said.
Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat about to begin her sixth term in the House, said the governor called her Tuesday. They discussed their shared interest in health care, and he confirmed that she would be considered for the job, Schakowsky said.
Davis, a Chicago Democrat who just won a seventh term, said he called the governor on Tuesday to talk about replacing Obama. Blagojevich returned his call on Wednesday.
He described the governor's attitude as cordial and upbeat but "very noncommittal." Blagojevich basically confirmed that Davis would be interested in the job but didn't try to interview him or discuss it in detail.
"It was not part of what you would call the vetting process," Davis said.
Jones, who retires in January from his position as head of the Illinois Senate, confirmed through an aide that he has talked to Blagojevich about replacing Obama. He would not describe their conversation.
The highest-profile candidate is Jackson, a member of Congress since 1995. He has frequently talked about his interest in the job and even released a poll to bolster his claim that he has the most public support.
"The congressman has not had any direct conversations with the governor as of yet," said spokesman Kenneth Edmonds. He "looks forward to the opportunity to discuss the potential appointment."
Duckworth spokeswoman Christine Glunz said the director hadn't spoken to Blagojevich either. But she noted that Duckworth is part of the Blagojevich administration, making her familiar to the governor and his staff.
"I think they know her and have worked with her enough that she wouldn't need to go through the same kind of review," Glunz said. A statement from Gutierrez said his top priority is immigration reform and he wants to serve wherever he can make progress on that issue, whether it's the House or Senate.