The government has rested its case-in-chief in the Blagojevich trial and the public is about to hear from the defense.  But one thing that has already come through loud and clear from the defense side:  how the defendant and his wife present themselves to the world each day.  And frankly, I think they’ve looked great.

Rod looks dapper in his multi-hundred-thousand dollar wardrobe and his cock-of-the-walk swagger.  And Patti–in spite of her occasional gum-chewing–looks chic and stylish, especially with her smart, new, summer bob.  They may not be JFK and Jackie, but the two of them cut a confident, photogenic picture as they enter and exit the courtroom each day.  And I think that’s been part of the allure of this story.

When George and Lura Lynn Ryan would walk into the federal courthouse during that ex-governor’s criminal trial, they looked like someone’s kindly grandparents ambling into an all-you-can eat buffet on a Sunday afternoon.  But Rod and Patti have a certain snap and dismissive swagger to them…like they’re walking into a party and expect to get a round of applause when they enter the room.

I don’t know if it’s false bravado…or true bravado.  And it’s anyone’s guess if it’s having any impact on the jury.  But I’ll say this:  they make for great theater and the cameras love ‘em!