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The JBT Express
Monday, Aug 21, 2006 [Somewhere just outside Farina, Illinois aboard the “Common Sense Express” bus.] Birkett: OK, everybody, let’s take our seats so I can get a head count. One, two, three, four… plus me makes five. Let’s roll! Radogno: Wow, they really must’ve loved us at that last stop. Check out the guy running behind us waving his arms! Rutherford: He looks sorta familiar. Pankau: Is it Dan Hynes? Birkett: Carole, go back to sleep, please. Radogno: Oh, Dear God! Stop the bus! Stop the bus! JBT: Birkett, you freakin’ moron, if I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times, there are six of us. SIX! [Ssssscrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeechhhhh!!!!] [thump] Rutherford: I think the poor guy kept running when the bus stopped.
- Posted by Rich Miller
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- Link - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 12:50 pm:
That’s a sweet lookin ride. Did they buy a new bus, or just paint over John Cox’s photo?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 12:55 pm:
No wonder they want to eliminate the sales tax on gasoline. Is it possible to get negative gas mileage?
- QueenB - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:05 pm:
Oh, my sides! It’s only funny because I can imagine it actually happening. Poor Stu-ey!
- Little Egypt - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:11 pm:
YDD, our son is in Iraq and the tanks get 4 gal/mile. I think that’s pretty negative gas mileage.
- anon - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:17 pm:
Rich - Is this for real???
- Tazewell Tattler - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:20 pm:
Oh the cruelty.
The collison did occur, but no harm :)
All in the know understand we are in the race so that BrickheadJoe can claim he lost to Lisa Madigan by a narrower margin than the Stu crew.
We are also hoping for federal judicial appoinment from LaHood and Bush. But that’s a big secret.
Meanwhile the CommonSense Excuse drags on
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:21 pm:
Anon, are you asking about the story or the bus? If you’re asking about the story, you should probably take your gullible self somewhere else. If you’re asking about the bus, yes, it’s real.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 1:29 pm:
…But if it did happen, I’m not sure Steve Brown could find another candidate by the end of the month.
- Woe is us - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:01 pm:
Rich, what are you implying by saying that Steve Brown would have to find another candidate. Isn’t Steve Brown MJM’s mouthpiece, or is a Steve Brown calling the shots for the ILGOP?
- DOWNSTATE - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:03 pm:
The bus people gave them the wrong bus.One that size was suppose to go to the Gov. to haul all of his horse manure about kids and old women.
- Tazewell Tattler - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:08 pm:
Are Rich and the GOPs trying to blame Steve Brown for all this too?
- Nice Suit - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:27 pm:
Didn’t Rod use “Moving Illinois Forward” for his election 4 years ago?
- Jaded - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:45 pm:
I can’t think of anything less fun than being on that bus. If I had to staff the bus, I would make sure I had a never-ending flask of vodka to dull the pain. Talk about 5 different personalities (I say 5 because I have no idea who Stu Umholtz is or if he is even a real person).
- Anon - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 2:48 pm:
If the Dems. find out they took this bus from the Dem Day events at the fairgrounds and re-painted it, heads are will come off.
- Eagle One - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 3:14 pm:
Good thing you weren’t on the bus then, huh Jaded?
- annon. - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 3:24 pm:
Not a campaign worker here or a volunteer but a real live honest observation !! They just left Decatur & met with good coverage & a nice reception at a nearby restaurant with about 100 in attendance. Not bad considering it’s a Monday, a work day & a blue collar Dem town. The local candidates were there as well ! Nice unified group !! And, the bus idea is great saving $$$ with one ride. All candidates in one spot going to places & regions accross the state who last saw a state wide candidate maybe 25 years ago !! May be different personalities as a previous poster said…but hey they’re together, trying & at least speaking & supporting each other over this week !! None seemed ashamed to be with the others !! GOP maybe starting to turn the corner.
- Dooley Dudright - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 3:47 pm:
Not nice, Rich (and QueenB, and anyone else who thinks this is funny). Umholtz does have a family, including children. Have Stu CHASE your figurative bus, if you must, Rich — but don’t embellish beyond that. Please.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 4:33 pm:
“Moving Illinois Forward” was the name of the Blago PAC set up to give money to legislators and others. I just remember this because of Rich and others cracking MILF jokes in front of Blago and Wilhelm and it was obvious those two fellas had not a clue what y’all were talking about.
- Lee - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 5:02 pm:
Yellow Dog Democrat
Boy, do you have a lot of nerve talking about Republicans wasting gas. Think of all the gas Blagojevich waste driving from Chicago to Springfield ever week. Oops!!!
- B Hicks - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 5:10 pm:
annon 3:34
Ringers perhaps?
What do you think, Rich?
- whattttttttttttttttttttttttttt - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 5:19 pm:
Decatur no, Gop has no local candidates for county offices. did not invite their only county officeholder to the event.
Have no fear Julie Curry will bring Macon County into the Democratic victory fold.
- Disgusted - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 5:52 pm:
Rich: Pass the word along to the campaign manager.
Blago just sent out a letter to all the physicians in Illinois, asking them to support AllKids because they “found” $550 million to pay the physicians Medicaid backlog. I found this out today. So what happens to the nursing homes, the hospitals, etc. I guess they just go on waiting.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 5:59 pm:
Lee-
If you think Blagojevich drives to Springfield, or is there every week, I don’t know how you can call yourself a good Republican.
YDD
- Reddbyrd - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 6:25 pm:
Being on the CommonSenseExcuse would be a hoot, becuase you would be sealed in from the outside world, not listening to the laughter from the Fuzzy Math Follies or watching the calculators explode trying to make it all add up. Buckle up!
- DeepFriedOnAStick - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 6:30 pm:
Meanwhile, the Blago ‘Bag of Laughs and Lies’ Bus passes the ‘Common Sense Express’ as if it’s standing still. Oh wait, it is.
- Ashur Odishoo - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 7:12 pm:
The sad part is that Chicago Democrats who all live within 5 miles of each other can even be competitive in a state as large as Illinois.
Except for the state fair, do the Dems ever get out of Chicago?
Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Representative 11th District
- So Blue Democrat - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 7:21 pm:
Yellow Dog Democrat,
What about all the Chicago political hacks of the Governor’s that that taxpayers are paying to fly and drive from Chicago to Springfield? So please do not talk about gasoline costs. I wish someone in the news media will evaluate total travel costs of each state agency for such costs.
- annon. - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 8:30 pm:
yes !! local county office candidates in decatur. sorry dude!!! yes ! the local representation was there, local state rep., local GOP state rep. candidate, local county board candidates, local GOP central committee , interested folks & the state ticket. sorry, 5:19pm….I was there. and b. hicks NOT ringers but the local party faithful , apparently a few who took time from their day to come out. and, yes quite a few at the “get-together” after the thing in central park . julie who ????? you mean the once st. rep/ bladgo whatever now lobbyist ?? haven’t seen her in a while.
- muletown - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 8:50 pm:
Let’s see Rod get his ticket on a bus and ride around. They would probably be in the cargo hold because no one wants to be seen with him.
Southern Illinois people like to look their candidates in the eye and shake their hand. Ask Rod how it worked 4 years ago. Pretty damn good cause he finished third in Chicago and won the nomination. He can’t look them in the eye this time. You may stick it to ‘em once but you won’t do it a second time.
The bus and its inhabitants are playing very well in Southern Illinois. Topinka, Birkett, Pankau Radogno, Rutherford, and Umholtz were very well received. Not by Republicans alone I might add.
I am telling you now. Rutherford will beat Jesse White. Topinka will beat Blagojevich. The other three you will stay up late counting the ballots because they will be that close.
Last year about this time everyone was saying The White Sox will fold. They didn’t and neither will this team.
- liesure suits - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 8:51 pm:
The GOPers quit hobnobing at the country club long enough to rub elbows with their servants.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 9:14 pm:
I’m sure that Rod’s bus was further back down the road. It probably got slowed down because of all the people being thrown under it.
- annon. in the stykes - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 9:43 pm:
What bunk about the GOP !!!!! Talk about stereotypes & a “mindset”. We’re ALL not country clubbers & we’re ALL not rich & powerful. It’s what we believe !! Just like ALL dem’s are not poor, oppressed, common folks & the like that they like to portray being !!! The Dem’s in power are so far out of main stream & have put it to this state, unions , business & the good people of Illinois then come back “courting their votes” …they thinking it will be better if the Dem’s are back . They are so dis-jointed they can even be seen with each other. The “guv” has people avoiding him like the plague running around trying to find a friend while they run away!! And you want 4 more years of our “illustrious governor” ???We’re bankrupt man !!. Hell we’re just about last in everything but corruption !!! Put that cat & his tribe on the bus, the “big dog” back to Chi-town.
- muletown - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 10:22 pm:
Speaking of streotypes Rod Blagojevich is for unions!!! Hey AFSCME how do you like him now!!!
- anon again - Monday, Aug 21, 06 @ 11:02 pm:
excuse me bud but i think AFSCME has one of the best contracts they have ever had. So we dont need as many as you did but we do get the job done. I will explain to you after the Gov wins again where you are missing the boat oh well i cant wait there arXXXXX i have to wait sorry
- muletown - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 4:51 am:
That is probably why they have refused to endorse him they love him so much
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 5:26 am:
And you people busted Obama for driving a SUV
- Anon - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 8:25 am:
What a waste of expensive fuel.
Is Topinka even riding the bus? Where does she chain smoke?
- Lee - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 8:52 am:
YDD
You missed the point, which is not unexpected. I know Blago is never in Springfield. It was a joke and a comment on him not caring about the whole state.
- Anon - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 9:11 am:
The fact that Blago may want his young daughters to attend school in Chicago, instead of in Springfield where they would just get a lot of crap from the kids of disgruntled state workers, is understandable.
Springfield is about as unrepresentative of the rest of the state as you can get. The citizenry is never safe while the General Assembly is in session.
Picking on Blago for not living in Springfield is petty and a stupid distraction. In the days of the internet and instant communication, who gives a rat’s a** where he lives? I actually think it’s better that he spends less time surrounded by the lobbyists and other feeders from the Gov’t trough.
- Downtown Mike - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 10:01 am:
I guess the lobbyist can’t find Chicago. With his constant fund-raising efforts, he is surrounded by lobbyist more than if he actually showed up to govern.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 10:29 am:
I will agree that Springfield is not representative of the state of IL. It’s a city where the primary industry seems to be government and many people’s idea of a good job is a state job. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and up here the city is a prime source of employment, but at least our industry is a little more diverse.
- Bill - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 10:51 am:
The Governor’s office is in the Thompson Center where it belongs.
The only Gov’s to spend much time in Springfield lived in Charleston and Kankakee.
They probably thought Springfield was an improvement.
- Levois - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 10:56 am:
This was make for some good comeddy for sure.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 10:57 am:
Are they running biodiesel on the “Common Sense Express?” Doesn’t it just make sense????