Time to end the state's 'nightmare'

Instead of comparing himself to Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King Jr., Rod Blagojevich should be trying to emulate Richard Nixon.

When it was clear his presidency was over, that he would be impeached and convicted and that he could no longer govern, Nixon chose a dignified exit.

Three years later, as the current movie "Frost/Nixon" details, he attempted a public relations comeback by agreeing to a series of interviews with David Frost.

But Rod Blagojevich apparently is no Richard Nixon. So he's trying a different tack: A television blitz to save his reputation, fight the criminal charges against him and sully the impeachment conviction that most likely will come within a week.

Yes, it's the same kind of PR blitz that Drew Peterson has employed. And yes, the governor and the former Bolingbrook cop whose wife is missing have hired the same publicist.

What an embarrassment.

It was bad enough when Illinois and the governor were lampooned on "Saturday Night Live" and every other comedy show after his arrest. But now he's going on the airwaves himself - from "Today" to "The View" - to pitch his skewed version of events.

Even Whoopi Goldberg wondered what the heck he was doing there, sandwiched on the couch between three of the four "View" ladies: "This is turning into a bit of a media circus," Goldberg said. "I wonder if you are not hurting yourself more than helping yourself."

Imagine, "The View" hosts calling him out for turning things into a media circus. They usually live for that kind of thing.

But onward he went, also making visits to "Good Morning America" and "Larry King Live."

But not before he made another comparison - this time invoking Mother Teresa, of all people.

"You can conceivably bring in 15 angels and 20 saints led by Mother Teresa to come and testify to my good character, to my integrity and all the rest. It wouldn't matter."

It's just another odd, sad day in the life of Rod Blagojevich - and for Illinois. His attorney agreed this strategy was a mistake and quit when the governor went ahead with his plans.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin criticized him for going on television instead of defending himself in Springfield.

"The sooner he's gone, the better. I want to close this Blagojevich chapter."

So do we. Luckily, his governing days are numbered. The Illinois Senate opened his impeachment trial without him and they look like they will make quick work of the proceedings.

And when they do and his impeachment conviction is recorded, we hope to hear new Gov. Patrick Quinn ease us out of the Blagojevich years by paraphrasing Gerald Ford's line during his swearing-in speech after Nixon resigned: "My fellow Illinoisans, our long state nightmare is over."