Durbin withholds very early endorsement of Blagojevich

From Rich Miller's CapFax blog here --

Durbin decides not to endorse Governor Blagojevich six months before the filing deadline for the primary election.

And I say, good for him.

Not that I'm an anti-Blagojevich guy. But I think endorsements are crucial. They are, in many ways, one of the most important actions of an elected official. They should not be given lightly.

I kept a record of the 2004 Senate primary endorsements here, and I'm planning to keep one for all the constitutionals. Looks like the Republican endorsements will be more interested than the Democratic endorsements, as it's shaping up to be a status quo primary, but you never know.

And it does raise a question: are Illinois Democrats in 2005 like California Democrats in 2003, looking at a governor with nagging ethical questions stemming from big-time contributions and perceived favorable treatment chipping away at his poll numbers and faced with the tough question of dumping the nominee to keep a Dem in the mansion or sticking with the incumbent come hell or high water? The Democratic Governor then was Gray Davis. And we know what happened to him.