PHOTO: Serbs Defend Blagojevich: Rod Was Framed!

Blagojevich`s father immigrated to the USA from Serbia. His family had a tough life, therefore Rod started working as a child.

American president-elect Barack Obama has called Rod R. Blagojevich, Illinois governor, to stand down. However, Blagojevich shows no indication of doing so.

He was recently arrested over FBI suspicions charged with trying to shake down people for political favours. He is charged with demanding money and favours for the Illinois senator seat. According to his function, he had a right to determine a replacement in the Senate, but a special commission will see to this after the scandal.

Furthermore, he severely insulted Obama in a telephone call. Obama`s decision on Blagojevich`s resignation was confirmed by spokesperson Robert Gibbs.

Blagojevich aided Serbian immigrants and wanted their votes

Milorad Rod Blagojevich, of Serbian origin, advocated aid to Serbian immigrants in Illinois during his political campaign for Congress. Blagojevich wanted donations, as well as votes from Serbian immigrants, although they are mostly Republican. He is the first Democrat to take the Illinois governor seat after a 30-year Republican rule and the second governor of Serbian origin, after George Voinovich from Ohio.

Blagojevich was born in Chicago in 1956, while his father Radisa Blagojevich immigrated to the USA from Serbia. Although Blagojevich did not keep his name Milorad, he kept the initial R. in his full name, to remind him of his father Radisa.

Milorad started working early in his childhood to help his family. He graduated from Foreman High in Chicago and enrolled the Tampa University. Later on, he transferred to Northwestern University, where he attained his degree in 1979.

Blagojevich a reserved, but good man

He also graduated from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 1983. He defeated Democrat Roland Burris and Paul Vallas in 2002, during the primaries for the governor seat. Afterwards, he also defeated Republican rival Jim Ryan with 52 percent of the votes.

Blagojevich is said to be a reserved man, so many were shocked, to say the least, with his verbal assault on Barack Obama.

His neighbours said he was rarely spotted in the street and that he would never take walks in the neighbourhood with his family. Those who managed to get to know him a bit better say he is a good man, always willing to help.

Serbs believe Blagojevich was framed

The Blagojevich case is also a top issue in Serbia, especially in the area of his origin.

In Veliki Krcmari, a small village near Kragujevac, nearly everyone is talking world politics, Blic paper writes. Rob Blagojevich`s father comes from that village, and despite FBI charges, everyone defends him there. Rod`s cousin Dragan Blagojevic still lives there.

- We watched the news and could not sleep all night long. Our Milorad was famed the whole mess. There, this is all because of politics. And he graduated from two good universities in America – Dragan Blagojevic said.

Otherwise, Rod Blagojevic is fluent in Serbian and was baptized in an orthodox church. He visited Serbia once in his life, when it was bombed in 1999. He came to take over imprisoned US pilots whose plane was shot down above Kosovo.

According to a source close to the family, Rod has a positive disposition and is convinced that all charges would be dropped, because the court will not be able to prove them.

Take a look in the photo gallery: Serbs Defend Blagojevich: He Was Framed.

PHOTO: Illinois Gov. On Job Despite Calls To Quit