75 Comments - wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 9:59 am: That’s exactly what 47 said yesterday and it’s absolutely true. The intriguing question to me is whether Quinn somehow turns on Emanuel, playing to his unpopularity in the African-American community and close business and personal ties to Rauner. - Stones - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:05 am: It’s hard for me to imagine that Rauner would be able to steal or suppress support in the African-American community from PQ. Just don’t see it. - Bobby Hill - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:05 am: Expect to see Rev Meeks voucher plan come back. I am just hoping it’s ran like Indiana’s and not only for the poor, inner city but for everyone and anyone. - SO IL M - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:06 am: If Rauner can tone down his anti union rhetoric to get union members to just stay home also, and not make them determined to vote against him, this may be his best path to victory. Once again it sometimes gets down to convincing people who wont vote for you to just stay home. - The Captain - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:06 am: When you look at Hartigan’s downstate numbers they were surprisingly strong for a Chicago area Democrat, he lost that race with underperforming numbers in Chicago that were good but not as good as Democrats usually do. Even Glen Poshard outperformed Hartigan in the City, and his loss was widely blamed on City voters either staying home, or in the case of the lakefront liberals, going over to Ryan. This is a strategy with a precedent for success. The flipside is that the Rauner camp is going to try to pin the violence prevention program stuff on Quinn and they could overplay their hand in terms of AA vote depression. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:07 am: Eating away where Quinn is vulnerable and having the mechanism to do it with Meeks and the other Reverends and congregations is a strategy of significant merit, with a track record of success. Two things; follow through/execution and understanding that this is one major ingredient in the Cake, not the entire Cake. - Wensicia - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:11 am: It doesn’t help Quinn that he supported gay marriage, either. - Stones - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:12 am: PQ counters with an increase in the minimum wage and points out Rauner’s flip-flop on the issue. Again, definitely not a PQ fan here but I think it’s a tough sell. - Walker - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:14 am: So Rauner’s strategy is not to leverage Meeks, et al, to increase black votes for Rauner, but rather to discourage black voter turnout overall. Consistent with national GOP strategy. - justsayin' - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:15 am: African American community is livid with Rahm. Tying Rahm to Rauner could be deadly. Couple that with Rauner’s minimum wage flop and anti-union rhetoric - sound bites live forever - and Rauner’s strategy is not a gimme. - circularfiringsquad - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:16 am: The love offer will need to be pretty huge to get the Pastor to stay on board since Mitt Rauner is not anti Marriage Equality. Good luck - carbaby - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:17 am: word- I have been thinking the exact same thing. I was also thinking last week’s breakfast together(Quinn and Rahm) had to be awkward. - Hans Sanity - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:17 am: WVON could come out a winner in this gubernatorial campaign ad time shopping spree war. - Responsa - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:18 am: Regardless of how one feels about either of the gubernatorial candidates or Rahm, the idea that the good Black citizens of our state (who clearly have myriad distinctions in their own personal lives, hold a variety of educational, income, and professional levels, and have varied economic and social concerns based on geography and other factors) can actually *not* be assumed and taken for granted as bloc votes for one party anymore leaves me hopeful both for the state and for them. Sorry for the marathon sentence. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:18 am: Please stop right there. We have a gubernatorial candidate running in Illinois, and he is reaching out to all of Illinois, regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, religion or wealth. This is how it is supposed to be. Brady was blind and didn’t even bother campaigning across Illinois. Quinn failed as well. We ended up with two guys competing in different counties in the same damn state, splitting us into two nearly equal voting blocs. We ended up with a guy running for governor of Chicago, and one running for governor of Illinois without Chicago. This crap has got to stop because it will not do anything but continue to divide Illinois. Downstate needs Chicago, and Chicago needs the rest of Illinois as well. It is time to see two gubernatorial candidates campaigning across Illinois and treating every citizen as a potential supporter. This would change the way they speak to us, change the way they address our state’s issue and lift all of us. I want to see Rauner in our poorest neighborhoods, and I want to see Quinn in there too - but without spreading around our tax dollars as “grants”. The first gubernatorial candidate that can unite Illinois, regardless of their address within the state - will be the winner. It is high time for the GOP to stop writing off Cook County, south of Roosevelt Road. - Tough Guy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:20 am: Quinn has implemented numerous requirements in the purchasing process that requires minority business to receive preferences in the state purchasing process geared primarily for the African American community. It will be interesting on how that segment shows its appreciation or lack thereof in November. - phocion - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:21 am: Some differences this time. Hartigan was despised by many in the AA community going back to Harold Washington days. Quinn’s numbers there may appear weak currently, but they will “come home” as they always have for the Governor. That being said, Meeks may prove to be a wild card and could trump organized labor because of their perceived indifference or outright hostility to the black community. - phocion - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:23 am: And one more thing…many African Americans are still upset that Quinn took a pass on Stephanie Neely as his running mate. While picking up Vallas may help Quinn in the suburbs, leaving Neely at the altar could have some consequences in the City. - West Sider - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:23 am: As I said yesterday, we will welcome Bruce to the West Side and gladly hear him out, take his money…. and come out to vote for PQ. We know who has our best interests at heart. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:25 am: Couple wrinkles… “Oberweis/Rauner” and the “.01%” was something Edgar never faced as a counter to him. Edgar also had a solid, recognized base of voters, Rauner is still looking for Raunerites, including the AA community, so Rauner’s Crew is not compounding, but suppressing, in hopes of finding enough Raunerites to replay Edgar’s success. Finally the “Rahm” factor, already brought up here. Rahm is loyal. Rauner made Rahm a millionaire. Rahm will do whatever his loyalty may dictate, and that very well may be to be so close to Quinn to make Quinn even more vulnerable to the AA community, or turn on Quinn when Quinn needs him most, leaving Quinn at the alter exactly where Rauner wants Quinn. Quinn needs to realize, he can’t trust Rahm. Rahm is a liability with Quinn AND against Quinn, and Rauner’s Crew must love that too. This move by Rauner’s Crew is just another step in building the Raunerite cake. The Unions will be the counter(?), along with class warfare. Overt moves, require overt counter moves too. - dogboy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:28 am: The notion Rauner can “buy” black votes is ludicrous. He may have Meeks, but so what? Now all he needs to do is put new cars under the seat of everyone of Meek’s parishioners. - dogboy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:28 am: The notion Rauner can “buy” black votes is ludicrous. He may have Meeks, but so what? Now all he needs to do is put new cars under the seat of everyone of Meek’s parishioners. - ZC - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:30 am: Has anyone asked Meeks yet what he thinks of Madigan’s millionaire tax to fund education? Has Meeks taken a position here? - Upon Further Review - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:32 am: This strategy is sound, but the difficulty is imagining a method for Rauner to depress the black electorate any more than Quinn is doing himself. No one, including Quinn’s allies seems especially energized or enthused by the incumbent. - phocion - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:33 am: West Sider, most Republicans know that the majority of African Americans would never vote for them. What seems to be lost in your slick response is that if Rauner is perceived to be reaching out, he’ll garner a lot of support from moderates (which Brady never figured out). - Nonplussed - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:36 am: 1990 was a looonnnggg time ago. And Jim Edgar was a popular Sec. of State. And the race against Hardigan was still close. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:39 am: Last month I spoke with a prominent black pastor who told me that Rauner has been working the black churches for months. This isn’t just Meeks. If he can lower the black vote for Quinn by just a few thousand votes, it could make the difference. As I’ve said repeatedly, these guys are really smart and really strategic. Underestimate at your peril. - HoosierDaddy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:42 am: What is the basis for claiming that Rauner doesn’t want Meeks’ followers to show up and vote for him? A vote for you and against your opponent is worth twice as much as somebody not showing up to vote. - Upon Further Review - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:43 am: It is a given that a Republican candidate is not going to win a majority of the black vote, but if a candidate manages to peel off one or two percentage points in such precincts it can be a big deal in a tight race. - fed up - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:50 am: So Sneed a former Dem mouth piece writes that courting african American Revs that have similar beliefs as Rauner means he is trying to surpress the vote. its insight like that that keeps the papers circulation falling and bankruptcy a normal state for the sun times. she should stick to doing her PR for the Burkes - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:55 am: You buy votes to win. $ is more persuasive than conviction. Oops, ‘conviction’ not a good word to use in this context of The Next Governor. They buy ads that usually deceive or slander or they seek out the bagman for the Influencial Ones. Greasing palms more effective/efficient than intellectual persuasion. Just the way it is…… - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:55 am: Why is it that we are calling it “depressing” when a candidate seeks African American votes? Why are we so opposed to both sides of our political spectrum reaching out to African Americans? These people have the right to be heard and to be spoken to, just like everyone else. - shore - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 10:59 am: The problem with Republican black outreach is that it only comes in even numbered years the week after a primary election midweek with the cameras rolling. Judy Baar Topinka pulled a similar stunt-I think she went into the city to campaign in 2006. McCain in 2008 took a trip to mississippi to look at a civil rights museum. Didn’t too much. Where Republicans have tried to make inroads with African Americans is on the issue of gay marriage as in the California referendum where they formed a coalition with conservatives to defeat it a few years ago. I would highly doubt Rauner would touch that one. - Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:07 am: Sounds like a scene I saw the other night on the STARZ series “Boss”. A GOP gubernatorial candidate with her formerly Democratic manager was meeting with South Side Ward Bosses. She started out talking about opportunities she’d provide for the community, and they cut her off and said “Let’s cut to the chase”. they told her if she doled out $95K for “walking around money they could get her 3700 votes in one ward, another $120K would get her 5800 votes in another ward. Isn’t that really what happened with Quinn’s $54 million in grants in 2010? I’m sure Rauners people are having those conversations with ward and church leaders right now. If Rahm doesn’t have a problem with them “going off the reservation”, and Quinn doesn’t have the bucks to pay them off, they’ll get votes for whoever will pay the price. Rauner would just need to avoid ticking those communities off. If you think this is about policy instead of money, I think you’re missing the point. - Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:11 am: BTW, Brady never understood how the politcs and money works in these communities. If he did, he’d be running for a second term for governor this November. - IrishPirate - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:15 am: Governor Quinn needs a big Chicago vote turnout. That means a registration drive and a viable candidate to run against Rahm. Said candidate would drive up black and other anti Rahm voter registration prior to the November election. With the exception of Toni Preckwinkle all the elected members of the county government who are black AND city residents are hacks. Our two black city resident Congressmen have run for “mare” before and been trounced and in the case of Congressman Rush he is probably more preoccupied with his health issues and being federally “scrootened” than running for “mare”. Aldermen would have to give up their seat to run against Rahm and Preckwinkle almost certainly wouldn’t announce until AFTER the November election. So where to find a candidate to run against Rahm and drive up voter registration? The state legislature? How about a white candidate to run against Rahm? Dart would do well, but some scandals of his own making have weakened him. So many questions, so few answers. As for Hartigan losing in 1990 “Mare Daley” famously said after the loss “whaddya want me to do take off my pants?” Daley was lackluster in his support for Hartigan. Probably wanted to be the top DEM in Illinois himself. How did eight years of Jim Edgar work out for Daley? Be careful of what you wish for. - Worth It - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:17 am: So an undisclosed “political strategist” (likely a democrat) says that Rauner’s outreach is really a strategy to to suppress the black vote and Sneed prints it as truth. Rich seems to validate this by “All true”. I figure you mean that this type of strategy has been employed before, and could hurt Quinn, and not that it is true that Rauner is using this strategy. With all we hear about voter suppression, this is a strong insinuation and should not be repeated as fact unless there facts to back it up. Just because others may have used that strategy in the past and democrats are cynical as to a republican courting minority voters, does not mean Rauner is not sincere in his efforts to win over minority voters. For every vote he earns in typically democratic voting communities, he nets a 2 vote spread on Pat Quinn. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:20 am: @Vanillaman - We call it ‘depressing’ the black vote because the goal isn’t to convince people to vote for Rauner, it is to keep them from voting at all. It is not a bad strategy from Rauner, but there is one critical flaw: - Downstater - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:22 am: Rauner is a smart guy. He demonstrated that by surrounding himself with smart campaign people. A sincere effort of reaching out in the African-American community and Hispanic community will page dividends in the fall. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:22 am: ===So an undisclosed “political strategist” (likely a democrat)=== Likely a Rauner Crew strategist. They are brazen in their touting. They want to tell you how they will beat you, and spend the cash to do it. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:26 am: ===Rauner is a smart guy. He demonstrated that by surrounding himself with smart campaign people=== They are 1 bad GOTV away in November to be the 2nd coming of Brady’s Crew. With the whole thing, then get back to me… - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:37 am: Willy - Maybe Rauner’s voter suppression strategy is to try to turn them out? LOL - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:41 am: - Yellow Dog Democrat -, You could be right, that could be the goal, but after seeing the GOTV the Rauner Crew …mustered up… for the Primary, I dunno if they could control a suppression OR surge, lol. “Field Operations are hard!” - ZC - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 11:58 am: Any Democrats out there just remember this point: Rauner must now be considered, at minimum, the slight favorite to win the November election. That isn’t to say Rauner can’t be beaten. But a lot of everyday Dems are going to kind of have this feeling, “Ah well, we haven’t lost since 2002, no way this multi-millionaire will sell with Illinois, this race is ours to win.” Wrong. Rauner and his team are in this thing. Dems are really going to have to pull out the stops to keep control. - Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 12:21 pm: Quinn is doing a great job of suppressing the black vote entirely on his own. - Former Edgar staffer - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 12:33 pm: Jim Edgar was an elected official who spent years working in and with the African American Community. Bruce Rauner is some one who wants to buy the community off in 6 months. Lets see how that works out for him. No chance. - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 12:41 pm: This is depressing. Also, Edgar made pretty good use of the Secretary of State’s Literacy Grants to build good relationships in Chicago. If by “many African-Americans” are upset that Quinn chose Vallas over Stephanie Neely, you are referring to Neely and Mary Mitchell, then I’ll agree with you. I highly doubt not selecting Neely is going to swing the election for Rauner. - Irish - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 12:48 pm: Does it do any good for PQ to raise Rauuer’s Rev. Meeks with a Bobby Rush, Danny Davis, or maybe a Jesse Jackson? Doesn’t some loyalty come with the Anti Violence money Quinn gave away? - Tim Snopes - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 12:55 pm: Lets say a candidate for office contributes $250,000 to a church. There is a resulting return of goodwill. Should the contribution be reported as an in-kind political contribution? Or should there be no public disclosure? - Percival - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 1:08 pm: How many times have we seen this Republican pipe dream play out? It’s like a man replaying the same cowboy movie over and over, each time resolving anew that “this time the indians can win!” - fed up - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 1:24 pm: Tim, “”Lets say a candidate for office contributes $250,000 to a church. There is a resulting return of goodwill. Should the contribution be reported as an in-kind political contribution? Or should there be no public disclosure?”" Easy to find out Tim, Check Quinns disclousures for 2010, did he report giving out 50 million in state money to buy the election - Chi - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 1:37 pm: Assuming blacks will stay home or vote for Rauner assumes blacks are stupid, easily fooled, and/or willing to vote against their self-interest. - Tim Snopes - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 1:51 pm: Fed Up, that’s a pretty good cop out / diversion. It’s a legitimate question for which there appears to be a pretty big hole in the election code. There are not many people who are able to finance elections with personal wealth and make sizable church contributions out of their own pocket to advance their candidacy. - A guy... - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 1:51 pm: I don’t think anyone is intentionally doing so, but it’s underestimating the African American community to assume they can be pushed around like a bunch of pawns here. Stay home, don’t stay home, Blacks hate Rahm so that’s devastating to Bruce, etc. This is all a crock. Ministers are among the most powerful precinct captains there are. In fact they’re more powerful because their reach goes well beyond any one or two precincts. They are very capable of voting FOR someone rather than staying home to simply punish someone. They may only stay home when no one is addressing their interests. Education is something Rauner cares deeply about. A few of you tried to sell the bunk about Rahm vacations before. It meant nothing. It still means nothing. African Americans can separate out who’s more helpful to them without the ‘guilt by association’ game. That’s just utterly stupid. Meeks and Hatch can and may deliver in a manner that makes Jim Edgar’s effort look like child’s play. Bulletin to all of you Jim Edgar admirers: He was never very popular in Chicago or the Suburbs. Never. He’s not some savior. If you unwind this whole pension mess, the artichoke ‘heart’ is Jim Edgar. History has treated him way too kind. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:00 pm: ===Bulletin to all of you Jim Edgar admirers: He was never very popular in Chicago or the Suburbs. Never. He’s not some savior. If you unwind this whole pension mess, the artichoke ‘heart’ is Jim Edgar. History has treated him way too kind.=== (Sigh) Edgar was the last GOP Governor candidate to carry Cook County. Carried. That sounds pretty popular. Do you believe these comments you make, or are you just going for blatant snark? === Education is something Rauner cares deeply about. A few of you tried to sell the bunk about Rahm vacations before. It meant nothing…=== Meant millions to Rahm, making Rahm a millionaire is still a Rauner truth. Rauner cares about either Clouting his daughter with quite possibly a Winnetka drivers license and a Winnetka Daughter applying in Chicago, and Rauner cares about charter school profits. The millions “donated” are the Raunerbot taking point to refute the two truths above. That’s it. === Blacks hate Rahm so that’s devastating to Bruce, etc. This is all a crock…== If this was ALL a crock, courting AA Minsters at all would be worthless. It’s not. You can’t say things mean nothing, and then have it touted how AA ministers are the best precinct captains. Keep working, your game still needs loads of work. - fed up - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:02 pm: TIM, “There are not many people who are able to finance elections with personal wealth and make sizable church contributions out of their own pocket to advance their candidacy.” Guess what Tim, their are fewer people that are able to direct taxpayer money say 50 million to certain individuals and groups in order to advance their candidacy. But we know one who did it Pinnochio pat quinn - wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:11 pm: –Bulletin to all of you Jim Edgar admirers: He was never very popular in Chicago or the Suburbs. Never.–= What a strange thing to say. You need to take a nap or a pill or something. Edgar was the last Republican statewide candidate to win 50% of the vote in Cook County. 52% of the vote in 1994. Also, Edgar vote in 1994: DuPage: 79% Kane: 75% Lake: 74% McHenry: 76% Seems kind of popular. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ Lake: K - foster brooks - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:17 pm: If the poor neighborhoods in chicago think bruce rauner will get them out of poverty i got an iceburg to sell you in the sahara. - foster brooks - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:18 pm: *****If Rauner can tone down his anti union rhetoric to get union members to just stay home also, and not make them determined to vote against him, this may be his best path to victory*** your dreaming lol - foster brooks - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:23 pm: once those commercials start airing about rauners wealth you can kiss the black vote goodbye. - A guy... - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:35 pm: OW, you’re turning into Wet Willie. Rauner has a good relationship with the AA community. His relationship with Rahm is not a factor in that relationship. You keep spouting Stu Levine, Clouting, Rahm, Raunerbot, 9 mansions, blah, blah, blah. No one cares but you and yours. Rauner talks about Jobs, Progress, Education, Term Limits, everyone cares but you and yours. Give it up dude. You’re in a party with an empty punch bowl. You aren’t making it better. You’re trying to be the local Wm. Buckley. And you ain’t. Slinger- Run Jesse White’s numbers and Lisa Madigan’s or Jim Thompson’s or George Ryan’s pre-castrophy. They all look similar. Also consider the retreads that ran against Edgar. I lived the Edgar years in DuPage County brother, he wasn’t a big whup up here. He was often considered cruel to the city schools. Maybe he was a big shiny nickel in your book. Run Thompson’s numbers up here too while you’re at it against the remarkable Mike Howlett et al. Flawed thesis dude. But hey, it works for you. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:51 pm: Oh geez… ===His relationship with Rahm is not a factor in that relationship…=== If it isn’t, he would have said he has vacationed with Rahm and made him a millionaire. Rauner won’t, because it does matter. Omission is a form of lying. === You keep spouting Stu Levine, Clouting, Rahm, Raunerbot, 9 mansions, blah, blah, blah. No one cares but you and yours…=== You keep watching and listening to the hits on Rauner; Mansions, “.01%”, … timing is everything, Levine and that Payton Prep Clout list might even be seen. What? Rauner has NO Negatives? In the Primary, they got above 10%, they will be much higher this November. ===Rauner talks about Jobs, Progress, Education, Term Limits, everyone cares but you and yours=== Rauner says it SO much, Bruce’s “Howard Dean” rant and meltdown was him looking unhinged, out of control, and repeating over and over gibberish, trying to string together rational thoughts from talking points, not unlike Raunerbots! lol === Give it up dude. You’re in a party with an empty punch bowl. You aren’t making it better. You’re trying to be the local Wm. Buckley. And you ain’t.=== Rich’s shop. I never claim I am making a difference, nor do I claim a mantle. I comment and it appears point out your Dopey comments, including today’s that Edgar wasn’t all that popular. I am here as long as Rich allows me, and I follow the rules of the house. I am making it better by making it quite clear the next coming of Rod Blagojevich is Bruce Rauner. Refute and make the arguement. Attacking me if others doesn’t help your case. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:55 pm: A Guy, it’s not a thesis. Just reporting some facts. Give it a try some time. According to you, Edgar was not popular in DuPage County, yet he got 79% of the vote. That makes sense to you? I’d say anyone who got the numbers Edgar did was popular. You say he was not. I can’t fathom your reasoning and you offer nothing but the sounds inside your mind. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:58 pm: - foster brooks - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 2:23 pm: once those commercials start airing about rauners wealth you can kiss the black vote goodbye. This is exactly the Quinn strategy I worry about as a Dem. This is a STUPID strategy. If PQ thinks he can just point out Rauner’s wealth and say he’s out of touch and coast to victory, he’s dreaming. And BTW, why do you think black people won’t vote for a rich guy? It’s kind of a bizarre assertion. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:07 pm: === I lived the Edgar years in DuPage County brother, he wasn’t a big whup up here…=== Is this “doubling down”, on a refuted idea that Edgar wasn’t “popular” I will give you that out of all the Raunerbots, you are the most delusional. Unless you are trying to have us laugh with you, and this is snark, it ain’t working. - A guy... - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:21 pm: Wordslinger, Find a Republican who didn’t get those kinds of numbers in Dupage County in the 80s and early 90s. Then you’re really the “factman”. I haven’t once heard you comment on the part where we unionized the world and started the spiral to pension hell under this savior. Edgar was popular on your scoreboard. Duh, there wasn’t any other choice. He sure wasn’t popular in living rooms. Just about every person he endorses each cycle up here loses and loses badly; he doesn’t move the needle here bunky and he never has. Maybe Rich could weigh in on this one. RMD felt the need to rescue Chicago Schools from him back in the day. Cheeseburgers and horseracing and his cabin downstate. Yeah, we were all totally charmed by it. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:27 pm: ===Just about every person he endorses each cycle up here loses and loses badly; he doesn’t move the needle here bunky and he never has. === That is true. You saying Edgar wasn’t popular when he ran for himself, and being the last Republican Governor candidate is not only “apples to oranges”, its you trying to salvage such a Dopey argument that Edgar, himself, wasn’t popular. A Rauner-like deflect… - wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:40 pm: –Find a Republican who didn’t get those kinds of numbers in Dupage County in the 80s and early 90s.– Neither Thompson or Ryan ever got 79% of the vote in DuPage County. Thompson got 73% in 1986, Ryan 70% in 1994. By your standards, they must have been lepers in DuPage. 79% of the vote is popular. You might want to have a lie down before you spin yourself dizzier. - RNUG - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:47 pm: - A guy… - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 3:21 pm: It was Big Jim Thompson, not Edgar, who brought the unions in. - Bobo - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 6:24 pm: Just by the fact that people are arguing about this means Rauner has already done more than Brady did to get the black vote and were only a few days into the general. THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR QUINN. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 6:42 pm: - Bobo -, It is genius that Rauner and Meeks are working together. It is well beyond Brady 2010. It is part of the Raunerite cake building, and if Rauner secures the Edgar benchmark of 30%, Rauner will be well ahead of Quinn. Edgar had the ILGOP, solidly on his corner. Rauner hasn’t secured the GOP, and the first big announcement was the formation of Democrats and Indies for Rauner, hours after a Unity breakfast. Rauner’s Crew’s cake is not about building off the GOP, it’s about pockets; term limiters, dissatisfaction, and rounding up those angry at Madigan and/or Quinn, Democrat or Republican. Meeks and his coalition fit perfectly, so do their constituencies. Could be successful. Absolutely. Given the unlimited money too, this cake could bake. But the GOTV issues still remain. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 9:38 pm: guy, re the pension situation, you don’t even have a clue, do you? - A guy... - Wednesday, Mar 26, 14 @ 9:22 am: And Mr. Wordslinger, to answer my own question to you, Mr. Edgar ran against Ms. Netsch in that amazing 79% election with her husband Walter (an amazingly decent man) financing nearly her entire run. She campaigned on the first huge state tax increase since Ogilvie instituted the tax. There was an intelligent tax swap for property taxes involved in her proposal. Mr. Edgar’s “popularity” was directly related to Ms. Netsch’s unpopularity in DuPage. I repeat, Jim Edgar was never a terribly popular guy in the NE Metro area. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 26, 14 @ 9:46 am: Guy, you’re quite unhinged defending a ridiculous statement. I guess a night’s sleep did you no good. Reagan never got 79% in DuPage County: 64% against Carter in 1980, 76% against Mondale in 1984. I guess the universal love for Carter and Mondale kept his DuPage vote down. And all this time I thought Reagan was popular in the suburbs. This has been fun, but I’m sure you have other windmills to tilt against. - A guy... - Wednesday, Mar 26, 14 @ 1:44 pm: Word, Not sure why you’re bringing up Reagan. I only brought his name into the conversation dealing with adjusting Social Security and everyone went back to life as usual. Your position is Edgar is/was a very popular guy in the Chicago area. I said he isn’t/wasn’t. Nothing makes a guy more popular than being ______ Emeritus. In Edgar’s case, he’s still not popular here. It’s just a fact dude. 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