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* The Tribune essentially endorsed Tony Peraica yesterday. After encouraging readers to watch the debate between the two men at a Trib endorsement session, the edit board writes:
After you see Stroger betray his lack of preparation on one huge county issue after another, after you see him repeatedly sidestep the urgent need to clean up and downsize this mismanaged mess, ask yourself: What more do we need? Do FBI agents have to button up our coats, hand us our mittens and drive us to the polls so we can demand decent government now? Are we so timid that we can’t take Cook County back from the ward bosses who rip us off? […]As citizens, we can’t undo the making of a miserable county government. All we can do is decide who, if anyone, will now clean it up.
* Mark Brown did endorse him.
Have you had enough, yet? That’s Tony Peraica’s campaign slogan. He says he has been using it for a year and a half now. I probably didn’t pay much attention for the first year because I never would have expected to be in his corner. But you know what?
I’ve decided I have had enough. I’m voting for Peraica.
It’s not an easy fit. He’s a conservative Republican. I consider myself a liberal Democrat. […]
But we seem to have one important belief in common: the idea that Cook County government needs to be turned upside down and given a good shaking.
* Peraica launched his new TV ad yesterday.
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 11:39 am
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Ah, yes, The Toddler!!
On September 17, he ducks a routine budget question from Tom Roeser on the radio show by saying . . .
. . . it’s good, wait for it . . .
“I HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET YET.”
It was September 17, and he hadn’t bothered even to review the County Budget!! (I guess John Daley hadn’t yet sent over a script on that issue.)
But there’s more! A week later, he knew enough to tell the kids at the Mikva event that he has no intention of cutting taxes. (He has no intention of cutting them, all right - quite the opposite!! )
GO TONY GO!!!
Comment by Bubs Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 12:09 pm
I watched the debate. It is shocking. I cannot believe that a massive organization like the Cook County Democrats cannot find a grown-up to run for President. It isn’t like Todd is “bad”, it is more like Todd wouldn’t know how to be bad if he tried. The guy looks like Opie Taylor, but Opie made more sense when he talked. Comparing him to Steve Urkeil is definately not a stretch, but then Urkeil was a nerd genius, while Todd just has the nerd part down.
We face a catastrophe in Cook County. We have the FBI swarming around uncovering scandals. We have a massive deficit that appears unsurmountable. The county is is bleeding. This is going to take a miracle to fix. Expecting Todd Stroger to do it, is little more than a very sick joke. Todd needs to go back to running his lemonade stand in front of his daddy’s house.
If Stroger is elected, then get out of Cook as fast as you can. The guy is Forrest Gump without the luck.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 12:23 pm
Vanilla, hold your criticism until I remind you of Alan Keyes. At least he could formulate a thought, although his stubborness surpised most.
It is amazing how he distances himself from his daddy, but that is absolutely the only way he has gotten into government positions, on that name.
I love Youtube! JBT and Peracia are using it quite well. Don’t pay writers, just use real footage against your opponents.
Comment by Wumpus Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 12:26 pm
Peraica is using a solid, positive ad to present himself to Cook County voters. It appearsw Stroger won’t be getting any newspaper endorsements. Seems the best Noonan can do for Stroger is to scare Claypool progressives - and hope that they forget about corruption and poor services for minorities and the poor.
Comment by Phocion Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 12:35 pm
This Cook County race reminds me a lot of the Gov’s race - no good choice.
I’m puzzled by the fact that Peraica says Cook County Gov’t is so bad, yet HE’S the one who has been serving on the Board for years. And if the answer is that Commissioners lack the power to get anything done - then why do we have them in the first place? Why doesn’t Peraica return his pay?
Comment by RealClear Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 1:38 pm
Shocking that he’s not familiar with the budget. Didn’t the Sun-Times tell us just yesterday that the Budget Director is a relative of some kind? You’d think he’d be able to get a copy.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 1:57 pm
Most of my progressive values align with Stroger rather than Peraica. However, one of the most important (if not the most important)components of that value system is a belief in good competent government. Its why I supported Claypool in the primary and now am considering voting for Periaca in the general.
However, Periaca needs to convince me that he will be able to significantly reform Cook County.
My admittedly superficial impression is he is a social conservative suburban republican hack. I see no reason to vote for him, if he will simply bring in his team or, worse yet, focus on implementing his social conservative views. I fear a case of the Who song, “Won’t get Fooled Again” with the new boss actually being worse than the old boss.
The only way I will ever vote for Stroger is if he quits acting like he owns the position and develops a true course of reform.
Comment by Objective Dem Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 2:17 pm
When all the dust settles and the votes are counted, I think Todd will win comfortably. The rest is just sound and fury.
Comment by paddyrollingstone Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 2:22 pm
There is no doubt that if TonyP is elected he will face huge problems getting anything passed which affects the privilege and perks of the majority Democrats. The first year will lean heavily on his bully pulpit and he will have to learn not to try to swallow the whole fish in one bite.
That being said, there needs to be a clean out of a lot of the non legislative staffs. I can not see Todd doing that.
The key players are still in the shadows: who runs Todd? Who runs Tony?
pete speer
Comment by Truthful James Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 2:40 pm
This video is a must see.
That editorial board interview was very embarassing for Todd Stroger. It was reminiscent of a high school student unprepared in front of the class.
Admittedly, I am voting and supporting Peraica, but Stroger’s answers were so weak, I actually felt sorry for him. It was painful watching Peraica go into explicit detail then watch Todd shift and avoid any real answer.
Todd basically said “I don’t know anything” I want to have a study done. He didn’t have one solid plan or idea.
Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Representative 11th District
Comment by Ashur Odishoo Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 2:44 pm
Wumpus, you are thinking with your rumpus. Both Keyes and Stroger are embarrassments. The difference between you and I is I recognize it - and you don’t.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 2:45 pm
Have you heard Peraica’s radio ads on WGN 720 in Chicago? There is a gospel choir singing his name in the background! Uhh… they are not good.
Comment by Newshound Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 3:02 pm
RealClear, Peraica has had only one term. If that’s serving for YEARS, as you put it, Toddler’s dad served for CENTURIES.
Comment by Anon from BB Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 3:08 pm
Hey RealClear, pull your ignorant head out of whatever it is in right now and use it to watch the County Board Meetings on public access.
Had you done so over the past few years, you would see Peraica challenging waste, openly questioning hack hiring, and being a leader in defeating the bloated Stroger budget last Fall!
As to not being able to get things done, recall that out of 17 County Commissioners, there are 5 GOP, and 3 Reform Democrats (although Quigley is starting to look a bit “greasy” of late.) That means they need only 1 more vote to be a majority, and that can come from any number of the other Dem. Commissioners on any given issue. That is exactly what happened on the Stroger Budget.
At long last, this time REFORM CAN ACTUALLY WIN!
Comment by Bubs Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 3:46 pm
Tony P. has been trying to get things changed in Cook County. Why would anyone in their right mind vote for Todd.
Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 4:04 pm
Objective Dem,
I’m no fan of Peraica’s kookier social views, but I wouldn’t characterize him as a “hack”. To me a “hack” is predictably partisan and an advocate of the status quo.
Peraica is partisan but in his own way. A whole bunch of Republicans think he’s an arrogant prima donna.
Peraica is partisan. He hates hypocrisy in a way that will probably make it more difficult for him to govern.
But I wouldn’t call him a “hack”.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 4:35 pm
This should be interesting
Channel 11 at 7:00 PM
The candidates for Cook County Board President squared off at a downtown debate this afternoon. Tonight on “Chicago Tonight” hear from representatives from each camp about how their candidates fared.
Guests:
Dan Proft - Representing Commissioner Tony Peraica
Mike Noonan - Representing Alderman Todd Stroger
Laurence Msall - President of Civic Federation
Comment by anon Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 4:53 pm
Did Tony let that Proft guy into the room?
We are in real trouble now!
Comment by Fast Eddie Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 5:18 pm
On a less serious note…
Last night, my wife pointed out that while Todd looks remarkably like Erkel, Peraica is a dead ringer for Mr. Mackey from South Park.
Chicago politics are a comedy, so this is appropriate.
Comment by Ken in Aurora Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 5:27 pm
This race is truly about two awful choices.
Comment by Way Northsider Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 9:29 pm
Nyberg: Peraica was a member of the 11th Ward Democratic Organization for years until 1996. He learned the art of hackery from the pros.
Fast Eddie: Didn’t you know? Dan Proft has been a paid member of the Peraica campaign from the beginning. If Tony wins, Proft will be doing the County hiring…and squirrelling away a good chunk for himself.
Comment by Anon Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 9:42 pm
Speaking of Peraica as Commissioner:
Within his district is both Cicero and Western Springs.
He is winning more and more support out of Cicero, where he helped elect the current mayor, an employer of Dan Proft.
However, Western Springs is known for its tradition of Republicanism and good government. And out there, they hate Peraica.
Just some stuff Mark Brown probably doesn’t know.
Comment by Anon Monday, Sep 25, 06 @ 9:46 pm
Hey Bubs or Flubs or whatever, aren’t you already going down on one sinking ship, i.e., Topinka’s?
Yeah, Peraica’s such a reformer he put his son on the County payroll. He’s nothing but an opportunist. Alan Keyes’ old staff will work their magic again for dear old Tony.
Comment by RealClear Tuesday, Sep 26, 06 @ 12:11 am
The Tribune video was great! I hope this was not the first and last candidate endorsement interview/debate video. The voters need to see more of these from a variety of candidates…especially the constitutional office candidates.
Comment by CrunchyCon Tuesday, Sep 26, 06 @ 5:07 am