Daley turns up heat on Blagojevich to 'do the right thing'

Illinois needs a full-time governor who can focus like a laser on the state's financial problems -- not a "distracted" chief executive like Rod Blagojevich, Mayor Daley said Tuesday.

With Blagojevich digging in his heels and preparing to fight impeachment and federal corruption charges simultaneously, Daley turned up the heat on the embattled governor to "do the right thing."

Once again, the mayor never mentioned the word "resignation." Daley's reaction to the governor's arrest continues to stand out because it's been so timid.

But, there was little doubt what the mayor meant.

Daley, who has been at odds with Blagojevich from the get-go, agrees with his fellow Democrats all the way up to President-elect Barack Obama that the embattled governor should resign.

"What I'm asking him to do is to look at his family and look at the people of Illinois and make a decision whether or not he should stay as governor.

You can fight charges as an individual -- as a citizen. But, he should really do what is good for his family and for the people of Illinois," Daley told reporters after his annual Christmas visit to La Rabida Children's Hospital.

"It will be up to him because this is a very difficult and challenging time now. The economy is crisis after crisis. Financial problems in this state.

And of course, what the General Assembly is saying [about impeachment] -- both sides of the aisle. This is very, very difficult for him and his family."

Pressed on whether the state is "rudderless" with Blagojevich at the helm, Daley said, "It's gonna be very, very difficult.You have economic problems in every home and every business. Every city and county and township and every state [has financial problems]. It's not unique. So, you need a person

24 hours [a-day], seven-days-a-week who cannot ever be distracted on any other issue."

Daley wholeheartedly endorsed the decision by his fellow Democrats to back away from a special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat that Blagojevich allegedly put up for sale.

Republicans have accused Democrats of opposing a special election because they're afraid an anti-Blagojevich backlash could pave the way for a GOP candidate to take Barack Obama's seat in the U.S. Senate.

But, Daley denied the motive is politics.

"You cannot, because an individual does something wrong, change everything dealing with that office. You only have less than two years [until the next election]. It's about thirty-to-fifty million dollars. That's a lot of money," Daley said.

"Whoever becomes the governor -- if the lieutenant governor comes in -- then, he has the responsibility [to appoint the next senator]. That's the responsibility of the governor. If [Gov. David] Paterson can do it in New York, why cannot they do it here?"