Inside the Blago Tapes: Who Is Senate Candidate 5?

Gov. Blagojevich's own words make it clear that he did not believe that Barack Obama wanted a person called "Senate Candidate 5" to be appointed to the Senate. So who is Senate Candidate 5 that Balgo thinks Obama wouldn't want as his senate successor? Marc Ambinder speculates it is Jesse Jackson Jr.

From the context of the taped phone conversations, it's probably either Jesse Jackson. Jr. or Emil Jones, Jr.

Ambinder then notes that Blago in one conversation says that he is going to meet with Senate Candidate 5. Ambinder then writes, "The only candidate with whom Blagojevich met within that period was Jesse Jackson, Jr."