Is this a joke?

Blago got his wake-up call yesterday from the Feds and asked, "Is this a joke?"

(Maybe he could claim it was all a joke as he knew the Feds were on to him.)

Mark Brown suggests Blago could plead the insanity defense. (I have to think Governor Tight Pants might have a case.)

WLS' Don and Roma are calling it Bleepgate.

Sneed points out another set of shoes to drop and quotes Fitz on the Trib firings Blago tried to engineer:

Quoth Fitzgerald: "The governor said . . . 'If they don't perform, bleep 'em . . . Fire all those bleeping people. Get them the bleep out of there and get us some editorial support.' And the bleeps are not really bleeps."

The Sun Times is calling for his resignation--let us recall they endorsed him and other Dem thugs. Where have you been? To their credit, the Tribune did not. They have acted very responsibly under tremendous pressures.

Mary Mitchell can't believe it--for once she's not talking about The One:

There was so much hope in the air, thousands of people came to Springfield for his inauguration, and elderly legislators who had spent their entire careers in the General Assembly without witnessing a Democratic governor dragged themselves out for the event.

What I want to know is if Rahmbo is on the tapes talking to Blago. He says he didn't rat Blago out. (In the other front page story in the Trib The One says his heart remains in Chicago.) Meanwhile, David Axelrod is already saying he's "misspoken" before The One even takes office. Looking a little shaky Barack?

John Kass on Blago, He's the clown, but the joke's on us.

More: Illinois AG Lisa Madigan may get the Illinois Supreme Court to rule the governor unfit for office. Speculation is Senate Candidate No. 5 is Jesse Jackson Jr. who has cancelled a public appearance today--with an indictment hanging over whomever it is. [correction--he cancelled on an interview with WLS--still on for a luncheon speech.] Wouldn't it be the ultimate justice for the shakedown artists of the Jackson family to be nailed finally. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-!0th) may run for the Senate in a special election.

P.S. And let's not forget Valerie Jarrett, Senate candidate No. 1 who suddenly pulled herself out of consideration. From my earlier post:

Who is Senate candidate No. 1? Discussion of a deal involving the SEIU-er rats. The union official was an emissary for Senate candidate No. 1. page 9 "Change to Win" mentioned. Recently on them, Ambinder. Change to Win backed Obama over Hillary. Senate candidate No. 1 is a woman, who has withdrawn. Valerie Jarrett?! page 9. Currently Obama's senior White House adviser. Sweet from Dec. 1. Ambinder today on the implications. Ben Smith, What the transition knew:

The transition hasn't yet responded to questions about Rod Blagojevich's indictment, but the key question is whether the transition was talking to prosecutors, whether Obama and Valerie Jarrett knew that Blagojevich had offered her the Senate seat in exchange for a labor job, and how she, the transition, or SEIU handled the solicitation of a bribe. (The existence of a transcript suggests that the SEIU official -- Andy Stern, the president, had met with Blagojevich just before the election on the subject, though nobody is identified in the complaint -- was wearing a wire.)

One piece of speculation: Jarrett's abrupt withdrawal from consideration for the Senate seat suggests Obama's circle aware of the investigation.

It is clear from the complaint that Obama refused to offer Blagojevich anything for appointing Jarrett.

"ROD BLAGOJEVICH said he knows that the President-elect wants Senate Candidate 1 for the Senate seat but 'they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F*** them,'" says the complaint.

Valerie Jarrett, another Chicago Way player. From this post:

Valerie Jarrett, slum landlady, the successor to Tony Rezko.

Hell, yeah, where's the MSM been, hmm? Plus Fellow Illinois bloggers with more, Bill Baar, Marathon Pundit, The Bench, and Reverse Spin on Obama's connection. Pat Hickey, Chicago Daily Observer.

UPDATE: Volokh does the Senate appointment discussion timeline.