SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Taking his defense to the airwaves rather than his impeachment trial, Gov. Rod Blagojevich lashed out at his accusers Monday and revealed he had considered naming Oprah Winfrey to the Senate.
On the day his Senate trial was to begin, Blagojevich was hundreds of miles away in New York, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America" before scheduled appearances on "The View" and "Larry King Live."
"I'm here in New York because I can't get a fair hearing in Illinois, the state Senate in Illinois," Blagojevich said in between TV appearances. "They've decided, with rules that are fixed, that don't allow me as a governor the right to be able to bring in witnesses to prove that I've done nothing wrong."
The embattled governor told ABC that the idea of nominating Winfrey to fill President Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat came to him as he explored potential candidates for the job, which federal prosecutors allege he tried to sell to the highest bidder.
"She seemed to be someone who would help Barack Obama in a significant way become president," said Blagojevich, who had been discussing a replacement since before the November election. "She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators."
Blagojevich, 52, worried, though, that the appointment of Winfrey might come across as a gimmick and that the talk show host was unlikely to accept. In the end, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris to the vacant seat.
The Democratic governor's comments about Winfrey came just hours before his impeachment trial was set to get under way in Springfield. Blagojevich is refusing to take part, arguing that the rules are so biased that he can't possibly get a fair hearing. "The fix is in,"he said on ABC.
"I'm talking to Americans to let them know what's happening in the land of Lincoln," he added. "If they can do it to a governor, they can do it to you."
In addition to the appearance on ABC, NBC's "Today" show also aired an interview with the governor Monday.
Sen. Dick Durbin said Sunday that Blagojevich should be defending himself at the trial. "Barbara Walters is not on his jury," the Illinois Democrat said, referring to the "View" co-host.
Blagojevich is accused of abusing his power by scheming to benefit from the Senate appointment, circumventing hiring laws and defying decisions by the General Assembly.
State senators have denied Blagojevich's claims that the trial is unfair.
"The suggestion that this is somehow unfair to the governor is the most self-serving, ludicrous statement I have ever heard in my life," Murphy said.
Addressing the federal wiretaps in which Blagojevich is heard talking about selling or trading the U.S. Senate appointment, the governor said his comments were snippets of conversations that were "completely out of context."
He maintained the conversations were "part of a political process to leverage to be able to pass a public works program, expand health care and get a deal where we don't raise taxes on people," he said.
His Dec. 9 arrest was the final straw for lawmakers, who had spent six years butting heads with Blagojevich. The House quickly voted 114-1 for impeaching the governor. That sent the case to the Senate, where it would take a two-thirds majority to convict Blagojevich and throw him out of office.
Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn would replace him, becoming Illinois' 41st governor.
