iPhone Game review: Pay2Play, cute novelty but boring and confusing

The internet is abuzz with the release of Pay2Play, a new iPhone application which allows users to pretend they are the Governor of Illinois and gives them opportunity to buy and sell among other things Senate seats in an effort to get out of debt.

Although the initial press reports refer to disgraced Governor Blagojevich, his name is never mentioned and one could assume the game also targets imprisoned Governor Ryan because it allows you to sell driver licenses in addition to Senate seats, Cushy Jobs, Contracts, Cemetary Voters, Teamsters, Liquor Licenses, Pizzas and Alcopop.

The game casts a wider net than Blago/Ryan and even goes after organized labor, implying that Governor (user) is in debted to the unions who out to collect:

You don't have much time left in office. You know getting impeached and all.
Da thing is that you still owe some monies to da unions in this town.
You got 30 days to pay them off and make as much as you can.
So lets get to it! Those senate seats dont (sic) sell themselves.

Our review:
We are still trying to figure out how to play the damn thing, but our initial impression is its a cute novelty that is worth the $1.99 price.

Click here to visit the Pay2Play iTunes page.

From the Yanki.Jp website:
Pay2Play Ever wanted to be an Illinois governor? Well now you can! Pay2Play is the game of trading and danger. How much money can YOU make selling senate seats? Head all over Illinois trading your way to success! You have 30 days to pay back the unions, make tons of cash, and get out of town all before getting impeached! Transposing a trading game such as Dopewars with a slick interface on the iPhone. Also a gaming first! Alcopops make it to the game scene for the first time. See what Illinois politicians have been so worried about! Pay2Play… a time honored tradition as old as voting early and voting often!

Did Tom Cross threaten Illinois Democrats in an effort to cover up an affair?

We aren't making allegations we are just asking questions.

Yesterday in the Illinois House of Representatives, Rep. Jack Franks, a Democrat from Woodstock, introduced HR80, a bill that asks the Sangamon County State's Attorney to look into claims by former Governor Rod Blagojevich that a state legislator sought to have his mistress hired by the state in an effort to cover-up an affair.

Upon hearing of Frank's bill, House Minority leader Tom Cross, a Republican from Oswego, responded angrily and claimed the bill was partisan payback against the GOP's questioning of the the Democrats handling of the Roland Burris controversy. Cross then threatened the Democrats by saying that the GOP will ask the State's Attorney to investigate anything Blagojevich says.

After witnessing Cross's enraged reaction Franks withdrew the bill and stated the obvious.

"Quite frankly I have no idea who the former Governor may have been refering to, but apparently you have much better idea that it's somebody on your side of the aisle," said Franks. "I had no clue, this is not a witchhunt, it was not filed in retaliation at all."

So we have questions. What about this proposed bill made Cross think that it was Democratic payback? Does he know who the former Governor was talking about? Why the unrestrained anger?

We have no idea and we are making no allegations, but the behavior of leader Cross caught our attention, raises a ton of questions and would indicate he is protecting someone.

These are questions that need to be answered. Hopefully local media will follow-up.

To hear the exchange click here.

What is Tom Cross trying to hide?

From the State Journal Register: Tempers boil over in House amid talk of Blagojevich's radio comments

By RYAN KEITH
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Legislative tempers flared as House Republicans and Democrats tossed political barbs over government reform and allegations made by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The latest dispute on the House floor today came when Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, proposed House Resolution 80. That measure would ask Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Schmidt to look into claims made by Blagojevich about legislators trading services for Blagojevich agreeing to hire legislative secretaries.

Blagojevich appeared on a Chicago radio show early last week and called lawmakers who booted him from office drunks who cheat on their spouses. He said one legislative leader, without naming names or party affiliation, approached him about hiring the secretary of a legislator when the lawmaker’s wife found out about the pair’s affair.

Franks said the investigation should help clear up any question of inappropriate, illegal behavior by lawmakers.

“We need to clean up our mess,” Franks said.

An irate House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, responded that the resolution was merely designed to punish Republicans for repeatedly rapping Democrats in the ongoing Roland Burris flap.

Republicans say Democrats have tried to downplay and cover up additional testimony from Burris that he had contacts with Blagojevich allies about fundraising – details he didn’t disclose for the House impeachment committee a few weeks ago.

“We’re going to teach you a lesson,” Cross said of Democrats. “Thank goodness we are now a state that’s open, transparent. Thank goodness we have learned from Rod Blagojevich. Oh wait, we haven’t.”
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Chicago Tribune to Roland Burris: RESIGN

Chicago Tribune editorial: Roland Burris, resign

The benefit of the doubt had already been stretched thin and taut by the time Roland Burris offered his third version of the events leading to his appointment to the U.S. Senate. It finally snapped like a rubber band, popping him on that long Pinocchio nose of his, when he came out with version four.

Let’s see if we have it right: Burris had zero contact with any of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s cronies about his interest in the Senate seat being vacated by President Barack Obama— unless you count that conversation with former chief of staff Lon Monk, and, on further reflection, the ones with insiders John Harris, Doug Scofield and John Wyma and, oh yeah, the governor’s brother and fund-raising chief, Robert Blagojevich. But Burris didn’t raise a single dollar for the now ex-governor as a result of those contacts because that could be construed as a quid pro quo and besides, everyone he asked refused to donate.

The story gets worse with every telling.

Enough. Roland Burris must resign.

His protests that he had nothing to hide just don’t square with his obvious attempts to hide something, as evidenced by the evolving truths in three sworn statements to the House impeachment panel. His Jan. 8 testimony before that panel contradicted the affidavit he’d filed three days earlier. On Feb. 5 he submitted a “clarification” detailing the contacts he’d failed to mention on the stand.

Now he has admitted that the governor’s brother hit him up to raise campaign cash, and in at least one conversation, Burris raised his prospects for being appointed to the Senate.

Rob Blagojevich’s attorney has acknowledged that the feds likely have at least one of those conversations on tape. Burris told reporters Monday night that he “talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fund-raiser on,” but “they said ‘We aren’t giving money to the governor.’”
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There is nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose, Blago calls out adultery in Springfield

From the Eric Zorn in his "Change of Subject" blog for the Chicago Tribune: Blagojevich blasts hypocrisy, adultery & excessive drinking in Springfield

This might get real good, folks. Here's former Gov. Rod Blagojevich telling tales and starting to name names during an interview on WLS-AM this morning. (Warning, don't try to diagram his sentences, just go with the flow):

Here’s a little example, an insight I’d like to share, how the system works. They give these speeches and they act like they’re so moral.

There’s a prominent legislative leader, OK, you know, who was going to work with us on a couple of issues. But, you know, this is very common, he has a little laundry list of stuff he wants, and among these things—this is how the system in Springfield works, where a bunch of these lawmakers go down to Springfield, nobody even knows who they are, they’re away from their families, it’s a whole different world down there, a bunch of them are cheating on their spouses, a lot of them drink in excess, very few of them know what’s going on.

They just take their marching orders from legislative leaders, and then the legislative leaders got to do things for them so that they can keep `em happy.

So the house Democrats, for example, virtually every one of them is getting extra pay because (Illinois House Speaker Michael) Madigan has given them all chairmanships and sub-committee chairmanships, virtually every one of them, you know, have extra stipends that they get. That’s how he buys them off to do his bidding, and basically be blind and just follow the leader.

Another legislative leader came to us because one of his members was sleeping with his secretary. And then the wife found out and she wanted that secretary fired. But this guy was in love with his secretary, so he goes to the legislative leader, they come to us, they want us to hire this woman so that we can keep that guy happy and, you know, then hope that they might work with us on some issues.

Those kinds of insights on how government works.

And it’s not just state government. I saw that as a (U.S) Congressman in Washington, that sort of stuff. And it’s, you know, part of the human dynamic and I don’t want to be too judgmental, but these same guys get up and they get holier-than-thou on their soapboxes and there they are doing that sort of thing, promoting that kind of thing, and you know, yeah, people are human and they make mistakes, but cheating on your wife and sleeping with your secretary, that’s the wrong thing to do.

Chicago Tribune reports that SEIU Illinois Council President Balanoff willing to testify against Blago

From the Chicago Tribune's Clout Street: Top labor leader cooperating in Blagojevich probe

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 7:15 a.m.

In his first public comments about former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s arrest two months ago, labor leader Tom Balanoff said he could be “a strong witness” for federal prosecutors who have charged the governor with trying to sell President Barack Obama’s old spot in the U.S. Senate.

Balanoff, the Illinois State Council president for the Service Employees International Union, was involved in secretly recorded conversations with Blagojevich regarding the Obama vacancy.

“We have fully cooperated with the U.S. attorney’s office. I believe I would be a strong witness for the U.S. attorney,” Balanoff said after a news conference Tuesday where his union endorsed state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) to replace Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel in Congress.

SEIU was an early supporter of Blagojevich and his biggest campaign contributor. But Balanoff said he was not involved in any wrongdoing and does not fear the investigation into alleged corruption in state government.
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College buddy writing in Men's Journal tells of Blago's crank calls. . .

. . .dining and ditching, and early fascination with Nixon.

This is an interesting take on Blago by one of his buddies from Northwestern University.

Men's Journal: My Best Friend Blago
During college, Rod Blagojevich loved to make crank calls to radio stations, remained true to Elvis, worshipped Reagan, identified intensely with Nixon, and was already honing his craft.

By Bill Powell

I used to go yo-hoing with the most disgraced politician in America. After a night carousing in Chicago, when we were both undergrads at Northwestern University in the late 1970s, a group of us would occasionally end up at a 24-hour diner called the Gold Coin, where we’d have a very early breakfast. And once or twice, just for hoots, we would “yo-ho.” That was our term for running out before paying the bill, thus stiffing some poor waitress working the overnight shift out of a five- or 10- dollar tip. In our youthful, drunken stupor, we thought this was hilarious.

God, we could be such assholes. To this day, 30 years down the road, it makes me shudder just thinking about it.

He’s “Blago” to you by now, the heretofore little-known politician with the unpronounceable last name and the funny head of hair. His hair, we’ve been told for the last several months, is ridiculous. To me it’s the same hair he had in college. I didn’t think it was particularly weird then, and I don’t think it is now. But that’s the thing about this American freak show that I’ve watched unfold from afar: The plethora of Blago hair jokes is the least of my confusion.

Occasionally, someone we know well becomes famous. Sometimes it happens for good reasons. Friends of “Sully,” the US Airways pilot, were delighted to tell stories about the guy they know after he landed a plane in the Hudson River. Then there are cases like Rod’s.
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Blago's NYC Media Tour 2.0

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has decided to return to NYC to run back into the limelight. He started his day with a visit to the TODAY SHOW and will continue throughout the day and ending on the Late Show with David Letterman Show. Here is appearance from the the TODAY SHOW:

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TMZ: Blago caught bleeped out after dropping F Bomb on CNN

Click here to view.



The original TMZ post is here.

"He doesn't seem like a total douche,'' the teen remarked after the former governor passed.

Chicago Sun-Times: THE FINAL HOURS : From 'lonely place' to a throng of adoring fans "'He doesn't seem like a total douche,' the teen remarked after the former governor passed."

New York Times audio slide show: One Final Day in Office

State Journal Register: Crowds come to watch impeachment trial

Check out Ricky Hendon from yesterday

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Countdown with Keith Olbermann: The Blatherings of Blago

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Rolling Stone on the Blago debacle

Rolling Stone: Blago's Revenge
On the eve of Obama's historic inauguration, the Democrats allowed themselves to be outfoxed by a craven scum eater

MATT TAIBBI Posted Feb 05, 2009 9:02 AM

God knows if any of thisis the president's fault, but in their handling of the preposterous scandal surrounding Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic Party leaders under Barack Obama have brought us all hurtling back to the nightmarish prevarication of the Clinton years — those horrifying days when the party's enduring inability to act decisively allowed Barnum-esque con men like Ken Starr to hold all of America hostage.

For almost two decades now, the Democrats have blazed up every joint in sight, only to freeze at the crucial moment of inhalation. Clinton kicked off two excruciating terms of Solomon-esque waffling by splitting gays in the military right down the middle and ended by only half-admitting to being swallowed whole by an intern named Monica Lewinsky. Then came history's first three-base balk in Florida (with James Baker waving Bush around to score), followed by a senseless war in Iraq that Democrats thought to oppose only once it became inexpedient to support.

All this bullshit, we hoped, might end with Barack Obama. But then came Blagojevich, a sleazeball whose massively publicized success in scheming a way to drop turd in the new president's inaugural punch bowl is a gate-crashing leap above station on the order of Paris Hilton screwing her way into a speaking role in Gandhi or Amadeus. It's a political disaster that happened only after Democrats once again froze in the headlights at the crucial moment, trying to flee in two different directions at once while a third-rate bookie in a tracksuit seized control of the U.S. Senate.

The irony is, before the curtain on his act got pulled back by the FBI, Blagojevich somehow got himself elected as an Obama-style reformer, railing against corruption and entrenched power. In fact, Obama himself helped craft Blagojevich's first campaign in 2002 against the "business as usual" administration of his Republican predecessor, George Ryan, serving as a key adviser along with current Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.
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Here comes the judge, here comes the judge! Blago's impeachment trial begins

Click here to watch live via NBC5

Live blogging BLAGO on THE VIEW

The show opens without Elisabeth Hasselback, but Barbara Walters appears via satellite. Its unsettling that the producers have put a monitor where she would sit giving the appearance that she is at the table. BTW, Walters teased Blago's appearance. Also Lynn Sweet will be live blogging for the Sun-Times.

10:08AM: Whoopi goes tosses to commercial but teases the upcoming Blago appearance by saying "speaking of integrity and intelligence."

10:11AM: Off topic from THE VIEW but Sweet has posted Oprah's reaction to Blago's saying he wanted to appoint her.

10:12 AM: Walters is introducing Rod, she is "sitting with him" LOL

10:14 AM: Blago claims he was taken out of context when he mentioned Ghandi, King and Mandela.

10:15 AM: Rod--Under no circumstances was I trying to sell a Senate seat

10:16 AM: Walters demands to know if Rod said those things and tells him he might be wasting his time doing media if he doesn't answer the question.

10:17 AM: Walters tells Rod she realizes he won't answers her questions re: selling the Senate seat. Rod keeps talking about when the real story comes out.

10:19 AM: Walters asked Rod where Patti is. She allegedly canceled. Walters read a quote saying that Ald. Mell says Rod uses everyone and implied that is why Patti canceled.

10:20 AM: Rod says Mell's quote was taken out of context. Rod says Patti is home taking care of the kids. Walters says Rod might not like THE VIEW after dealing with the questions thrown at him.

10:24 AM: In defending himself after Walters asked why he wouldn't resign Rod again paints the impeachment as an effort to raise taxes before Memorial Day.

10:24 AM: Commercial break.

10:28 AM: And we are back

10:29 AM: Sheri asks about the Oprah news and Blago acknowledges he wanted to ask her.

10:29 AM: Joy tells Rod he and Patti are potty mouths and he explains that had he known someone was listening he would not have used language like that. Blames himself for this damaging Patti's reputation.

10:31 AM: Whoopi asks why Rod is handling it the way that he is and says people might not take him seriously.

10:33 AM: Rod talks about how they (the legislature) were threatening impeachment even before the charges.

10:34 AM: Rod is bringing up the 6th Amendment and how he is being denied the right to bring witnesses to prove his innocence.

10:35 AM: Joy asks Rod for his Nixon impression, tells him to say "I am not a crook" he does not take the bait. Rod declares he did nothing wrong the ladies cut him off. Joy plays with his hair. Next up Nancy Grace. . .will she talk about Rod?

Blago early reports from Lynn Sweet watching on the east coast

Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times is live blogging:

1) Blago tells GMA he wanted to appoint Oprah to Obama's seat but doubted she would take it

2) Blago tells THE TODAY SHOW he expects to be removed from office, quotes a gospel song

3) GMA has split screen with Blago and State Sen. Murphy

UPDATE: GMA video is here

We'll say this much: Blago has a great self image, compares self to Gandhi, King and Mandela

Lynn Sweet in her Sun-Times blog reports on Blago's interview that appeared on NBC's TODAY SHOW this morning:

Blagojevich in NBC interview compares himself to Gandhi, King and Mandela
By
Lynn Sweet
on January 25, 2009 7:51 AM

Impeached Gov. Blagojevich, on the first leg of his media blitz timed to the start of his impeachment trial, in an NBC interview broadcast on The Today Show Sunday compared himself to human rights heros Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gahdhi.

On the press offensive, Blagojevich has lined up national interviews--NBC, ABC, "The View" to run as his impeachment trail starts Monday before the Illinois state senate in Springfield.

Blagojevich, wearing a blue ivy league shirt, told NBC he has not prepared mentally for possibly going to prison. The impeachment was triggered by Blagojevich's Dec. 9 arrest on criminal charges, including trying to auction off President Obama's vacant senate seat.

As he was taken from his home by federal agents on Dec. 9, Blagojevich told NBC, "I thought about Mandela, Dr. King and Gandhi and tried to put some perspective to all this and that is what I am doing now."
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This just in: Ed Genson resigns from Blago's legal team

AP via the Chicago Tribune: Gov's lawyer intends to resign from criminal case
January 23, 2009 4:39 PM

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's lead attorney says he plans to resign from his criminal case.

Genson's decision Friday comes one day after Blagojevich's defense team sent mixed signals over whether the governor would file a lawsuit to block his impeachment trial in the state Senate.

Saying today the governor has not taken his advice, Genson said, "I wish the governor good luck and Godspeed."

Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam told The Associated Press Thursday that a lawsuit could be filed with the Illinois Supreme Court within days, pending a final decision. But Genson told the Chicago Tribune no lawsuit would be filed.
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SNEED: Blago wants to do THE VIEW

Chicago Sun-Times: Sighting 'The View' A Blago blitz?

January 23, 2009

BY MICHAEL SNEED Sun-Times Columnist

Is beleaguered Gov. Blagojevich showing his feminine side?

Sneed hears Blagojevich, who is weighing the possibility of a major media blitz, is keen on appearing on Barbara Walters' hit ABC-TV show "The View" with its all-woman panel.

• • Translation: Word is Gov. Blago, who is being probed by the feds, impeached by the Illinois House and awaiting trial in the state Senate, is considering launching an all-out media attack.

• • The fear: It could backfire. Putting the poetry-spouting governor out to explain "Y" and having it interpreted as "X" could be disastrous.

• • The upshot: "It would be Rod's decision," a source said. "It's his deal."

• • The backshot: "The governor is weighing offers from multiple media sources -- and if he did appear on 'The View,' it would probably be in tandem [contingent?] with an interview on 'Good Morning America,' which is also on ABC-TV and has expressed interest in him appearing on the show," a top source said. "He is weighing his offers."

• • The flipside: A call to ABC-TV "The View" spokesman Karl Nilsson netted this response: "Per our executive producer, we don't discuss our bookings."

• • Translation: Sneed hears there may be a personal reason Blagojevich favors an appearance on the show, which sports an all-female panel monitored by actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg and includes Elisabeth Hasselbeck, comedian Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd.
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The GOP may want to tread lightly on guilt by association in Blagogate

Crains Chicago Business: Hastert 'Individual C' in Blago complaint: sources

By: Robert Herguth Jan. 15, 2009

(Crain’s) — Former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert is the ex-congressman anonymously referenced in the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, sources tell Crain’s.

Mr. Hastert, R-Plano, who is not accused of wrongdoing, was referred to as “Individual C” in the federal complaint made public Dec. 9, according to two sources familiar with the case.

The governor mentioned Individual C in an Oct. 22 telephone conversation secretly recorded by federal agents between Mr. Blagojevich and a concrete company executive referred to in the document as “Highway Contractor 1.”

In the conversation, Mr. Blagojevich told Highway Contractor 1 that he was "excited" about the "tollway," an apparent reference to a recently announced $1.8-billion project that calls for new and improved tollway interchanges and the construction of carpool lanes.
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