State Republicans bash Blagojevich

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- As Democrats continued to slice and dice Sarah Palin at the national level, Illinois Republicans dished it back on the local stage, attacking scandal-plagued Rod Blagojevich.

"She has an 80-percent approval rating in her state," U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) said of Palin. "Can you imagine the state we would have if we had a governor with an 80 percent approval rating rather than an 8 percent approval rating?"

Roskam also laid the ruinous state of Illinois government at the feet of Barack Obama, who has stayed far away from the feuding Illinois Democrats.

"He has been silent as to the entire fratricide that has gone on under his nose," Roskam said.

Oak Brook physician Steven Sauerberg, who is waging a long shot GOP bid to unseat Durbin, joined in.

"Sen. Durbin and Sen. Obama have not been serving this state as it has crumbled. State government for Illinois is a disaster," Sauerberg said at the delegation breakfast.