Obama calls for Illinois governor to resign

CHICAGO Barack Obama is calling for the scandal-plagued governor of his home state of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, to resign, a spokesman for the president-elect said on Wednesday.

"The president-elect agrees with Lt. Governor (Pat) Quinn and many others that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday on several charges, including allegedly trying to sell Obama's Senate seat.

Gibbs said Obama believed the Illinois general assembly should put in place a process to select a new senator that would have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, editing by David Alexander)