‘A Senate Seat on Ebay’

Like most prominent Illinois Democrats, Quinn has been regarded as a strong critic of Blagojevich. Jesse Jackson Jr., who met recently with Blagojevich to discuss the Senate job, has also frequently been at odds with the governor. Similarly, Senator Durbin and Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago rarely even try to conceal with frustration with Blagojevich. Even Richard Mell, a Chicago alderman whose daughter, Patti, is married to Blagojevich, is not believed to be on speaking terms with his son-in-law.

Before becoming governor, Blagojevich served as a congressman in the seat subsequently held by Rahm Emanuel, who has been tapped as White House chief of staff by Obama.

In a news conference on Monday, Governor Blagojevich, in a combative stance that seemed almost cocky, issued a challenge to prosecutors. Likening the prosecutor's methods of taping to underhanded behavior of the Nixon administration, the governor nonetheless said he welcomed being recorded.

"I don't care whether you tape me privately or publicly," he said. "I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful."

Less than 24 hours later, he was under arrest.

Chicago political analyst Paul Green, a professor at Roosevelt University, said Blagojevich's apparent behavior was astonishing, given that he knew he was under scrutiny from the prosecutor's office.