What an interesting story! Enjoyed the facts and learning details from both sides! Great job!

Well told story that only makes Blago, by his and his family’s own words, look worse than he already did. Just about the perfect length, excellent background and details, and intriguing with laughs throughout.

Loved hearing the events firsthand and in such an unbiased way.

Well done podcast. Lots of people have opinions on him but I think Rod was a dope who made things in politics more explicit and was punished for it whereas other politicians are not. Yes he wanted personal benefit for the senate seat but he did not get a benefit, he was foolish to not play Obama’s game because he was jealous of him. Why was he audiotapes for years and other politicians not taped?

Informative and to the point. Great show!

It could be the next Coen Brothers movie.

So well-edited, from the music to the narration and, of course, the swear-filled tapes from Blago himself. New, original interviews from Patty Blagojevich, prosecutors and more are the icing on the cake. This is like watching an amazing documentary on political corruption, except for your ears.

Blago should NOT be given clemency. Every citizen should listen to this podcast.

When you put Lisa Madigan on episode 3 Swap Blago with her dad in her quotes and you have 100 percent truth

My heart goes out to Patti, Rod and their daughters.

What happened to public service? He didn’t like being governor because it wasn’t easy or fun? Only about what was in it for him and his family. Wow - crazy story.

I knew nothing about the subject of this story before listening. It's very interesting.

Although there are comparisons made to events happening today, this podcast presents a very real look inside the slippery slope of politics. I remember the headlines around the Senate seat, but never understood how the everyday dealings happened until now.

Rod deserves ZERO sympathy. None. Corrupt politicians deserve the worst out legal system can throw at them. Corrupt politicians put our whole system in jeopardy. As for Patty? Wow... just wow. Daughter of a corrupt politician, wife of another. She really thinks she is a victim here. She disgusts me. Her sense of entitlement is astounding. She was thick as thieves with her corrupt husband. She too is unworthy of sympathy in this. She still has an attitude as if she’s been wronged and now goes on her own media tour? Disgusting. Using their daughters as a reason they deserve special treatment is reprehensible. Truly. This family can wallow in their self pity. They embody everything wrong with politics in this country today. Let him ROT!

Great show!

This appears to be more about Trump bashing than a story about Blagojevich. Couldn’t get past the first episode.

This should be required listening for every voter in Illinois as well as every politician. I learned so much of what was not reported on at the time and the ‘inside’ scoops on the prosecution. Loved every episode! Well done!

Very informative and keeps the listener engaged. Do a podcast on ex-Cicero town president Betty Loren Maltese!

The production and approach is very well done. I accept some comments that Mrs.Blagojevich gets sympathetic treatment but she's paying a price also and is struggling. She is open and articulate about the problems despite being in denial about her husband's crimes. I am on a POA binge and it's informative and entertaining. Well done WBEZ Chicago. I hope you get to produce The Rise and Fall of Donald Trump and the spin-off series, The House of Javanka.

I was in college in Chicago when Blago got impeached. I’d grown up in the Chicago area, family had been in Chicago for 3 generations, but that was my first real exposure to the whole Chicago corruption thing. At the time I didn’t care much about politics, I was too busy with college to do more than vote in the presidential elections and laugh at the Blago rat street art that kept popping up. A lot of things have changed since then so it was great to hear the whole story laid out with plenty of familiar WBEZ voices. I may not have the thickest of Chicago accents, but it brought a grin to my face to hear the uncensored tapes of Blago dropping the f bomb every third word. The only thing missing was maybe a side episode talking about how Jesse Jackson Jr and his wife went down after this happened

Firstly, well done. Blago has less appeal for me than a commute on the Brown Line, yet I've done a six episode binger. Have a listen. Enjoy the ride. (BTW, food consumption should be banned on public transportation.)

This podcast was great. Definitely covers the events surrounding the crimes and post-conviction. Wish there were more episodes

Wow...not sure if I'll get through this one. The wife lives in a clueless cloud of self-deception, the reporter asks about his (obvious) guilt, she says "well he's not guilty" and the reporter has no follow-up other than "yep, welll.." Seriously? You couldn't have talked about the evidence (of which there's an abundance)? This kind of corruption requires serious reporting, not "nice guy"kid glove reporting. Blah.

I love this podcast! WBEZ hit the nail on the head with this one. Even if you’re not from Illinois, it’s still amazing.

I listen to a lot of podcasts. This one is well told, interesting, and insightful. Just the right length to tell the story. Wonderful first hand accounts.

This podcast was excellent. The creators did a great job. I really think this is a must listen. Anything else I write won’t do this podcast any justice. Just listen and enjoy the roller coaster of changing emotions and opinions.

I consumed this series in a day and was entertained. Production is outstanding and the story is well written and narrated. Most of us are smart enough to draw the parallel that WBEZ was nudging us toward. But they just couldn’t help themselves but to spend the last few minutes of the series firing at Trump. And no, I’m not a Trump supporter. Also, it’s NPR, so I get it. All in all, I enjoyed this series. I would absolutely recommend it. The WBEZ folks are boat racing the other podcast groups (except maybe Gimlet) with their content, production and delivery.

I have never understood or had any interest in politics (probably from my limited understanding). I click on this podcast because I’ve run out of good stuck and I landed on a goldmine! I’ve learned a lot and the storytelling is fantastic! I highly recommend this to anyone especially if your not particularly interested in the topic, it will teach you a lot and open your eyes!

This podcast has a lot of promise but falls flat with the kid glove treatment of Rod’s wife Patti. She was in on his corruption yet in all your interviewing of her, not once do you really press her as journalists should do. Is this a podcast or a platform for Patti to campaign for a pardon from Trump???????

Loved every minute!

The whole point of the podcast is to pretend that since Rod lied, Trump must be lying. It’s intellectually dishonest and manipulative. An otherwise interesting story ruined. Highly disappointing.

Trump, Trump, Trump...blah. What the heck does that guy have to do with Blago? Nothing, but gotta shove him into the podcast because...reasons.

I've found this podcast absolutely fascinating and enjoyable. It truly is a peek behind the curtains of Illinois/Chicago politics. The use of first person interviews and the actual FBI tapes really makes this podcast a first class production. I've really enjoyed listening to every episode!

Thank you for keeping this in the spotlight with Trumps toying of a pardon. Amazing work guys.

Really great listen. Journalism well done.

Brings back lots of memories. I don’t get the sense that the writers are being easy on Rod or Patti.

So the real purpose of this podcast is to rehabilitate this corrupt politicians reputation. His downfall was he had a low emotional IQ.

Excellent

Having not lived in IL during the rise and fall of Blagojevich, this is enlightening and fascinating. The host is an excellent story teller. I feel like the cadence is a little choppy - It feels like they're trying to create a third in the series of "Making of..." but cut each episode to 30-40 min. I also think Patty Blagojevich is not being challenged much but maybe that's how the host kept her talking through the whole production.

This is such an awesome show

This podcast is amazing!!! It is gobsmacking to hear how blatantly corrupt this politician was and it makes me wonder if this is what is going on with all of them!!! Really eye opening and completely addictive!!! One of the best podcast I’ve heard in a LONG TIME!!!

Seriously every two weeks for a new episode is so old foogy radio. Lost me

But where's his Jared Kushner? No nepotism??

In keeping with the details and with insightful interviews, WBEZ hits another home run with Public Official A. If you never listened to Making Obama with the great Jen White, do that one too!

I am eagerly trying to listen to Part 3 of this amazing podcast but it won’t play. Please fix. Thanks!

Public Official A is done well overall, with a star studded cast of voices (although the ex-governor is conspicuously lacking). The information is excellent, and really educates about the Blagojevich administration. However, I feel as if the hosts skimp on some of the juicy details that the public wants to know about Rod. More short excerpts, quotes, and funny stories (like the one about the brush) would make the show more entertaining.

All WBEZ presenters, that is, talent, likely have a compelling podcast, just nearby! Coming Soon.

This is a well produced podcast with an interesting story, but the show relies too heavily on the hollow and dubious comments by Rod's wife, Patricia Blagojevich. Patricia has been on a media tour in an attempt to have her husband pardoned and while that may provide an opening to hear a defense of the disgraced former governor, it doesn't justify the amount of unchallenged airtime the podcast offers her. None of her claims are challenged and many of the recordings appear far too sympathetic and deferential to an obviously unreliable narrator. Patricia's comments are largely either completely unnecessary or obvious spin. The host's narration is also subpar. The reporter sounds like he's telling a story to children and fails to live up to the high-quality production WBEZ obviously provided for this podcast. So far, this show is a disappointment.

Love this podcast! But super interesting and well told spotlight on the dysfunction that continues to this day.

We can only wish that all of our crooks are this dumb.