As Blagojevich and Prosecutors Fight to Standstill, Democrats Lose

From The Wall Street Journal:

The hung jury in Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial could be seen as a win for either the prosecution or the defense. The only clear losers were Democrats, who face the prospect of another trial in the middle of a tough election season.

A second trial will continue to draw national attention to a political culture rife with back-room deals and shady characters. And Mr. Blagojevich's conviction on a single count of lying to federal agents ensures Republicans will be able to run pictures of a felon standing next to any number of Democratic candidates the former governor has posed alongside over the years.

"It's very bad news for the Democrats," said Dick Simpson, a political scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "From Alaska to Arkansas, the Republicans will use this to say not only are Democrats big spenders but look how corrupt they are."