Rod Blagojevich took to the podium today to address the ongoing controversy over allegations that he tried to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. The hair was in full effect, as was the tough-talking Illinois-politician bravado.

"I'm here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight I will fight I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong. And I'm not going to quit a job the people hired me to do."

He went on to quote the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling. "I have on my side the most powerful ally there is, and it's the truth," Blago said. "And besides, I have the personal knowledge that I have not done anything wrong." He asked the people of Illinois to "please reserve judgment" and afford him "the same rights that you and your children have, the presumption of innocence." He took no questions, did not indicate how he planned to work with a rebelling Illinois legislature, and stormed off stage immediately after speaking.

Earlier: Our complete Blagojevich coverage