Jeez, are we being showered with good news these days, or does it just seem so after the drought of the last 8 years? Blagojevich is gone, unable to talk his way out a 59-0 guilty verdict in his impeachment trial. Who takes his place? His Lt. Governor of course. Who is he? Why Pat Quinn — community organizer!

Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was schooled in the politics of the Chicago Machine, but his successor’s career has been built on grass-roots organizing to cut government and protect the little guy.

…Quinn and Blagojevich campaigned on the same ticket, but the two Democrats had little in common.

Blagojevich rose through the infamous Chicago Machine while Quinn began his career crusading against utility companies and organizing petition drives, including one that cut the size of the Illinois House by one-third _ putting dozens of politicians out of work.

Excuse me while I just run out and hug a total stranger!

As lieutenant governor, Quinn became a vocal advocate for veterans. He helped start a relief fund for military families, pushed for better health care benefits and made a point of attending funerals for Illinois service members.

Quinn, who once hiked nearly 170 miles across the state with his elderly doctor to promote universal health care, said his passion is in grass-roots organizing.

“I think that’s really actually more my interest in life than anything,” Quinn said.

House members once greeted him in their chamber with a chorus of boos following his successful effort in 1980 to reduce the chamber’s size to 118 members.

Three years later, he helped create the consumer watchdog group Citizens Utility Board, which filed a landmark lawsuit against Commonwealth Edison Co. that produced $1.3 billion in consumer refunds.

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