Oprah, A Senator? Blagojevich Considered It

But he said he decided that the talk show queen, one of the richest women in America, was unlikely to accept the offer.

 Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, charged with trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by President Barack Obama, considered offering it to talk show star Oprah Winfrey.

Blagojevich said on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that a friend of his had suggested asking Winfrey to fill Obama's seat.

"She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way become president," Blagojevich said. "She was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators."

But he said he decided that the talk show queen, one of the richest women in America, was unlikely to accept the offer.

"She probably wouldn't take it, and then ... if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way it didn't look like it was some gimmick and embarrass her?"

Blagojevich is doing the interview circuit and said he will not attend Monday's impeachment trial in the state Senate which could remove him from office.