Career Timeline of Rod Blagojevich: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Rod Blagojevich made an impact.
Rod Blagojevich, nicknamed "Blago", served as the 40th governor of Illinois (2003-2009). A Democrat, he previously held positions as an Illinois state representative (1993-1997) and U.S. representative for Illinois's 5th district (1997-2003).
2002: Political Campaign Contributions
In 2002, Donald Trump and his organization made contributions to Blagojevich's political campaigns, including his gubernatorial campaign.
October 2005: Announcement of All Kids Plan
During October 2005, Rod Blagojevich announced All Kids, a plan to provide state-subsidized healthcare for every child in Illinois.
November 2005: All Kids Signed into Law
In November 2005, All Kids was signed into law by Rod Blagojevich, making Illinois the first state to legally require universal healthcare for children.
February 2006: Appearance on The Daily Show
In February 2006, Rod Blagojevich appeared on "The Daily Show" to discuss his executive order about pharmacists dispensing drugs, where he was interviewed by Jason Jones who comically pretended not to know his name.
March 2007: Announcement of Illinois Covered Plan
During March 2007, Rod Blagojevich announced and campaigned for Illinois Covered, his universal healthcare plan, proposing a gross receipts tax to fund it.
January 2009: Appointment of Roland Burris to Senate Seat
After outreach efforts, Rod Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to the US Senate seat at the end of 2008, and Burris was seated after some initial opposition in mid-January 2009.
March 2009: Guest Host on WLS
In March 2009, Blagojevich was a guest host of the "Don Wade and Roma Morning Show" on WLS.
June 1, 2009: Wife Debuts on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!"
On June 1, 2009, Rod Blagojevich's wife took his place on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!". She participated to earn funds to alleviate their financial struggles.
June 13, 2009: Stars in "Rod Blagojevich Superstar"
On June 13, 2009, Blagojevich starred in The Second City's musical "Rod Blagojevich Superstar", performing to support Gilda's Club Chicago, a cancer support charity.
June 30, 2009: Autobiography Announced
On June 30, 2009, Blagojevich's autobiography "The Governor: The Truth Behind the Political Scandal That Continues to Rock the Nation" was announced and released as an eBook.
July 19, 2009: Begins Hosting Radio Talk Show
On July 19, 2009, Blagojevich began hosting a two-hour weekly radio talk show on 890 WLS.
September 8, 2009: Release of Autobiography
On September 8, 2009, Blagojevich's autobiography was released in print.
April 4, 2010: Fired on "The Celebrity Apprentice"
On April 4, 2010, Blagojevich was fired by Donald Trump on the fourth episode of season 9 of "The Celebrity Apprentice".
June 2, 2010: Radio Show Put on Hiatus
On June 2, 2010, WLS placed Blagojevich's radio show on hiatus due to his ongoing corruption trial.
August 2010: Appearance at Wizard World Chicago
In August 2010, Blagojevich appeared at the Wizard World Chicago comic convention, charging for autographs and photos, and met Adam West.
August 23, 2010: Second Appearance on The Daily Show
On August 23, 2010, after his removal from office, Rod Blagojevich appeared on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart, defending himself against critique, particularly regarding his promise to testify.
May 2020: Podcast Launch
In May 2020, Blagojevich launched a politics-themed podcast titled "The Lightning Rod" on WLS-AM 890.
September 2021: Podcast End
In September 2021, Blagojevich's politics-themed podcast, "The Lightning Rod", concluded.
