The Sole Man

It was good to see that now former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich does not have a hole in his right shoe.


This was plain to see from yesterday's NYT front page photo, above the fold, that I'll assume was in most editions. Paper editions. The story was cute because the reporter tied Elvis in because in the background of the photo an Elvis figurine could be seen in the window. Rod and Elvis thus were leaving the building. (The online link doesn't tie into this picture. Sorry, you had to be "there.")

It was a while ago, but there was that senator from Illinois, Adlai Stevenson, who was photographed from a stage, clearly showing holes in his shoes. It became so famous a photo that the photographer was awarded a Pulitzer prize for photo journalism. The photographer, William Gallagher, remembers looking up and seeing the 1952 Democratic presidential candidate with his legs crossed, clearly showing off shoes in need of repair. He thought to himself that this man is a millionaire, and he's got holes in his shoes!

Adlai was a millionaire before becoming a politician, so the holes in his shoes were from being forgetful. Or eccentric. It's good to see Rod has made the job pay at least well enough to afford footwear that won't get his feet wet.

I guess the joke can now be that he'll need good shoes for "pounding the pavement" now that they released him from the statehouse and are trying to put him in the Big House. But something tells me suffering will not enter into the picture and he might no longer have to settle for a cut in pay.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-shoe-pg,0,6752869.photogallery?index=2


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