a dem you can be proud of



CHICAGO (AP) - Launching an all-out media blitz as his
impeachment trial draws near, Gov. Rod Blagojevich compared
himself Friday to an honest, hardworking cowboy about to be
lynched by a band of black-hatted political insiders eager to
raise taxes. After keeping mostly out of the public eye since
his arrest on federal corruption charges, Blagojevich is reversing
course with a series of interviews and public statements portraying
himself as the victim of vengeful lawmakers eager to toss him out of
office.

"The heart and soul of this has been a struggle of me against the
system," Blagojevich said at a news conference Friday.

Blagojevich denied any wrongdoing but wouldn't discuss the federal
corruption charges filed against him last month. Instead, he focused
on his efforts to expand government health care programs without
raising taxes.

He has chosen not to mount any defense in the Senate impeachment trial
that begins Monday and could remove him from office within days. He
may ask the Illinois Supreme Court to block the trial, arguing its
rules are hopelessly biased against him.