Jesse White should be named governor

Gov. Rod Blagojevich proved unworthy as Illinois' chief executive during his first term; re-election came only with the state GOP's inability to field a suitable opponent. Now, with the gravity of his abuse of power emblazoned across media outlets worldwide, Mr. Blagojevich, while innocent until proven guilty, must recognize his failure. He is no longer able to speak on behalf of the residents of our state. Whether or not a jury finds to convict is a matter of how well connected he remains with characters that are able to dampen the blow of impending justice. When I cast my vote for Barack Obama, I did not anticipate the resulting fire sale that accompanied the naming of his replacement. Had the Governor championed a cause of the public trust while bartering for Mr. Obama's replacement, I might have felt that he was simply playing "pocket aces" in an effort to shore up Illinois' depleted kitty. Unfortunately, Blagojevich was only looking out for himself. The fact that enough evidence has been accumulated for prosecutors to feel confident in filing charges against the governor is enough to warrant his resignation. He is likely to be far too busy mounting his defense to adequately attend to the needs of the state. A Blagojevich resignation, of course, would create a vacuum at the top of the Illinois executive branch. I suggest Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn appoint himself Senator, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan abstain from the line of succession so that she can continue with the excellent work she's doing in her current office, and we allow the office of governor to pass to Sec. of State Jesse White, the only office holder who is truly experienced in mopping up after a corrupt predecessor.

Steven Fanizza

Carol Stream