"He's been extremely determined to help Patti as much as he can, and certainly I think he'd be willing to help me," Blagojevich says, pausing. "I don't feel like I . . . I don't feel like I can ask, I don't feel . . . it's just not the nature of the relationship."

Mell spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family, and Patti Blagojevich said he showed up for one of his granddaughters' birthday parties this month.

She said her father, who some say kicked off the feds' investigation of her husband after a public dispute over a landfill, regrets any role he might have played. She said she thinks he would "take it back in a minute" if he could.

Asked if Mell would attend the trial to show his support, since things were on the mend.