Gov. Blagojevich Goes 'On the Record': 'The Fix Is In'

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," January 26, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Tonight, Governor Rod Blagojevich goes "On the Record." We know you want to hear from him, and now you will. Moments ago, we met the embattled governor of Illinois at his hotel in New York City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAN SUSTEREN: Governor, thank you very much for doing this. Welcome to New York. It's cold.

GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: New York's a great place. No place like it.

VAN SUSTEREN: Not -- not as cold as the Windy City, is it?

BLAGOJEVICH: It's a little bit warmer than Chicago, but not much.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you follow what happened today?

BLAGOJEVICH: In what regard?

VAN SUSTEREN: In Illinois, in the state senate.

BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I'm informed of things and I'm told about how things are developing. But again, there are fundamental rights that are involved here, and that's...

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, I actually...

(CROSSTALK)

• Watch Greta's interview with Gov. Blagojevich

VAN SUSTEREN: I actually agree with you. No matter what, you ought to be able to call witnesses and present your evidence. So you and I agree on due process. I don't know if you've got problems. I don't know if you're guilty as sin or whether your political enemies are getting you, but I agree with you on that.

BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I appreciate that.

VAN SUSTEREN: So what do you think is going to happen in the end?

BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I think the fix is in. I think they've made a predetermined judgment. They have set up rules that don't require them to prove anything and then don't allow me to disprove what they're not proving. And I can't even call witnesses. I would love an opportunity to be able to have the whole case heard now.

Those allegations, I've asserted, are not accurate and I've not committed any crimes. I'd like the chance to be able to have all those tapes brought in and let's have a discussion immediately in the state senate so I can show my innocence and let the people of Illinois know I didn't let them down.

VAN SUSTEREN: How mad are you about all this?

BLAGOJEVICH: Well...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got to go, Governor. Governor, got to go.

BLAGOJEVICH: ... You take one day at a time. The whole thing has been a surreal nightmare. I still find it hard to believe. I -- you know, I believe in the American justice system, and I still believe that prosecutors are mostly good and right. I used to be one. But I just fell somehow there must be some big misunderstanding. We're all on the same side.

VAN SUSTEREN: Governor, we've heard -- wait, Governor! We've heard part of the tapes -- hold on one second. Just a second. We've heard part of the tapes. I'm not going to ask you about all the tapes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, we have to go.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you -- is there more to the tapes?

(CROSSTALK)

BLAGOJEVICH: When the full story is told, you will see someone who's discussing a variety of options and wants to do the right thing for the people of Illinois. That's what the final story is.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right (INAUDIBLE) I know this Larry King guy is standing right here, but (INAUDIBLE) Governor, Oprah? Were you going to really appoint Oprah [for the senate]?

BLAGOJEVICH: Her name came up in discussion. And I looked at it seriously, and there were a variety of different things that we talked about, including how do you approach Oprah. She's so big and she's...

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you ever ask her?

BLAGOJEVICH: Well, that was a delicate thing, and I didn't want it to feel like it was a gimmick. So we talked about how to do that. Oprah by herself is worth more than 100 senators, so -- because of her bully pulpit and her -- her following, and -- and so she was talked about in a rather serious way.

VAN SUSTEREN: In the state senate, you want to invite -- you want to subpoena Rahm Emanuel? Why Rahm?

BLAGOJEVICH: Can I call you tomorrow?

(CROSSTALK)

VAN SUSTEREN: What about Rahm Emanuel? What do you want out of Rahm?

BLAGOJEVICH: Rahm Emanuel has said publicly that -- recently on a national television program that his conversations with me were appropriate. That's consistent with what virtually everybody (INAUDIBLE) everybody would probably say, and therefore, I'd like him to be able tell that to the state senate.

VAN SUSTEREN: Have you called Rahm? Can you make a phone call to Rahm, make a call and just ask him, you know, Will you do this, Rahm?

BLAGOJEVICH: Well, the state senate's the one that won't -- their rules won't allow -- won't allow me to bring him in or witnesses like him.

VAN SUSTEREN: Can't you give him a call, though?

(CROSSTALK)

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Governor, nice to see you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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