Blagojevich jogs while Ill. House votes to impeach

[January 10, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich was out jogging in Chicago as lawmakers in Springfield voted to impeach him. Upon returning from his jog, he likened his situation to long-distance running.

Blagojevich refused to answer any specific questions about the 114-1 vote by which the House impeached him Friday.

But he said: "Let me simply say I feel like the old Alan Sillitoe short story 'The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.' ... And that's what this is, by the way, a long-distance run."

He then promised to say more at an afternoon news conference.

Earlier Friday, the 52-year-old Democrat emerged from his home in a black jogging suit and berated the media for bothering his neighbors, before heading out on a jog.

He now faces a Senate trial. If convicted, he'll be removed from office.

[Associated Press]

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