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*** UPDATE *** I’ve heard from several people, via calls, e-mail, instant messages and in comments, to now believe that this story about the guv going positive is bogus. Yes, he does have a new positive ad on the air, but he’s still running negative TV ads.
CBS2 claims the governor’s campaign has gone positive.
But, with a new statewide poll hinting challenger Judy Baar Topinka may be closing the gap, the governor’s campaign shifted gears.
An ad released today never even mentions his opponent. […]
“How nice, we’re going to have something that’s not going to trash me for a change,” said Topinka.
I think they’ve probably still got a negative ad track going, but I’m not yet sure. Anyone out there see any negative spots on morning TV?
As could be expected, the governor’s campaign spokesperson denied they were ever running a lot of negative spots to begin with.
[Sheila] Nix dismissed Topinka’s complaints, and said the Blagojevich campaign has run “many, many more substantive, positive message ads,” than negative ads.
“We know that over half of our ads have been positive,” Nix said.
She said ads which used Topinka’s “own words” weren’t counted as negative.
Paul Green had this zinger in the CBS2 piece:
“She has been the only winner the Republicans had and now she looks like she’s never won a race in her life. It’s just an incredible display of what negative advertising will do to a disinterested and uninformed electorate.”
The governor had this to say in a different CBS2 story:
Earlier, Blagojevich has said, “For four years, we’ve been digging in that mess that George Ryan and his state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka left for us. Sometimes you get a little bit dirty when you’re digging in that mess.â€
And Topinka had a message for voters who are currently parked with the Green Party:
Republican candidate for governor Judy Baar Topinka is asking voters to not “waste their vote” on the Green party candidate. Topinka says she is gaining momentum as we head into the these last few days before the November 7 election. […]
“We’re breaking at just the right time. I’m a good finisher. Always in my elections, I come in strong at the end,” said Judy Baar Topinka, (R)-candidate for governor.
Blagojevich was trying to focus yesterday on the next four years.
The governor told about 200 members of Local 597 of the Pipefitters Union that if he is re-elected he would raise the minimum wage again, pass universal health care and come up with an additional $100 million for stem cell research.
“It’s time for us to send a message to Republicans that health care is not a privilege,” Blagojevich said. “It’s a right. Will you do it? Will you get out there and make sure we’re moving forward? Let’s move Illinois forward.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:43 am
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The only wasted vote is a vote for someone who you don’t like. Topinka must be desperate. Does she really believe that she can appeal to Green voters? She’s a corporate-sponsored candidate that hasn’t said ANYTHING about a plan to eliminate the so-called “spoiler effect.” I’ve mentioned Instant Runoff Voting several times on this blog, and one would think that her people are smart enough to be reading Capitol Fax. I will be voting for Rich Whitney, the best candidate in this race; and it will not be a wasted vote, because I will be supporting the platform in which I believe. If everyone else had the courage to do the same, we the people could get the change we really want!
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:52 am
Sounds like he’s trotting out his Presidential platform. If he get re-elected Tuesday, he’ll announce Rod for America on Wednesday.
Comment by bomber91 Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:53 am
Oh, and by the way Rich, CBS2 Chicago has very little credibility, in my opinion. They’ve shown themselves to be one of the most biased stations in Chicago. The have consistently omitted Rich Whitney, a ballot qualified candidate polling in the double digits; and having actually spoken with their politcal editor, I suspect that this is intential. Maybe he’s another “angry Democrat.”
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:56 am
I saw two ads for the Governor last night during the news (both of them looked and sounded good), but have not seen any this a.m. I think Topinka is onto something with the Greens’ support, but I think she is wish-ful thinking to think that the Greens’ would jump onto her band-wagon, so they don’t waste their vote. Green’ are Liberals; if they decide to vote for someone other than the Green candidate, it would most likely be for the Democrats.
Comment by SilverBackDemocrat Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:58 am
waaa waaa waaa. Topinka can just cut out the whining. Everyone knows she’s been the nastiest player in this game for as long as anyone can remember. Peter Fitzgerald and Jack Ryan would certainly back that statement up.
I don’t think someone who recently joked about being the “sword of justice” who would cut her opponent “to pieces” with her assault weapon rolling pin, is in any position to talk about nastiness. Or how about when she said Blago had “little weasel [or was it beady?] eyes”? Or how about in the primary when she called her opponents “morons”?
Topinka’s the Queen of true personal attacks. At least Blago’s sticking to substance, and to the extent his ads are negative, it’s just a function of how nasty Topinka’s own quotes have been.
Yes, Blago has a lot of nerve to just repeat what Topinka has said herself. How dare he!
Comment by Real Clear Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:05 am
You can’t get the Greens to vote for you if you don’t ask. There are many Whitney supporters who just don’t want Blagojevich anymore, and should discover that Topinka isn’t an extremist on most issues - and she isn’t Blagojevich.
As to Blagojevich, he continues to do what he’s done for four years, promise. As to what the Veterans are discovering, just like all his other promises, Blagojevich doesn’t deliver.
We’ve discovered that Blagojevich has no clothes, has no credibility, and will promise you the moon for your vote. Instead of giving us reform, we need to vote in someone else to do the job he was elected to do.
If he is re-elected, he will be the first governor wearing an orange jumpsuit to his inaugural.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:08 am
I saw a VERY negative ad that I had not seen before against Topinka. I saw it in the Chicago market around 8:00AM during the Early Show.
Comment by Jeffm Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:12 am
Memo to the brainwashed and lemmings: The only federal office Vlad Corruptovich will ever have, is a CELL.
Re-elected or not.
Comment by Rabbit Hole Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:14 am
I would have to agree with real clear. The supposed negative ads I have seen show Topinka, with her own words and comments, and yes I agree they are negative. But, negative in the sense that she says negative and mean things about people she disagrees with, like Oberweis, the Gov, etc., you need to do more than go to funerals. These are her words and the people of the state are seeing and hearing them first hand. Just like the old banter theme of Harry Truman or close, Republicans think I’m giving them Hell, but actually, I’m just telling the truth and they think it is Hell.
Comment by SilverBackDemocrat Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:19 am
Judy can whine all she wants and beg the Greenies for their votes. It won’t help at this point. People will vote for the Governor because he has their best interests at heart. He has pledged to raise the minimum wage, fight for health care for all Illinois citizens, raise funding for education, and has pledged to not raise sales or income taxes. Topinka has run an “I’m not Rod ” campaign with no program of her own except to criticize what the Governor has proposed. As for Rod running for President,as much as I hope he would, I think that he is committed to serving the people of Illinois for at least four more years. We need to continue to put this state on the right track and make Illinois work for the people and not the other way around. Rod’s administration will provide more service with less government.
Don’t forget to vote!
Comment by Bill Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:23 am
Isn’t Big Tony Rezko’s status hearing this morning @ 8:15?
Comment by Speaking of Negativity Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:28 am
Sorry Bill, the only thing Vlad (Rod) is committed to is fleecing the State of Illinois.
If he wins next Tuesday it will be a very hollow and shallow victory - Fairytale Over!
Comment by Guy Fawkes Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:37 am
Where’s information about Rich Whitney in this awful CBS2 reporting? CBS2 has really turned out to be worst news station, by far, it seems to me, for serving the public interest of informing the electorate.
Comment by Dorian Breuer Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:42 am
Guy,
When he wins next Tuesday, the governor will continue to fight for the working people, the less fortunate, the children, thge senoirs and the veterans of this state like he has for the last four years. We need four more years to finish what we have started.The fun has just begun.
Comment by Bill Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:47 am
I was going to vote for the Green Party guy because I thought he might be better than the other 2 but I keep reading in the blogs that Judy wants my vote and that I would never leave the Green Party. Guess what, I have left.
Comment by Faust Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 10:02 am
“Let’s move Illinois forward…” into bankruptcy!
How is the gov. going to pay for all these new entitlements? Universal health care for all and stem cell research money cost $$$$. And then hiking the minimum wage? Great, chase off business to surrounding states that abide by the federal minimum wage, thereby lowering the state’s take of business taxes.
Also, raising the minimum wage raises the payroll of taxing bodies, because they aren’t exempt. When I worked at a public library, when the min. wage went up, it caused a ripple effect all the way up the payscale. Money had to come from somewhere, and unfortunately the library had to raid the materials budgets to make up for the increased payroll costs.
Comment by Anon from BB Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 10:42 am
Positive or negitive it’s all lies coming out of their mouth.That’s why they are sliding in the polls and will lose the election.The veterans just caught him in another lie.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 10:46 am
If those identifying themselves are Whitney voters purely out of protest switch to Topinka, she’ll win. The true Greens will stick to their guns and vote for their favorite candidate, as they should.
Comment by Cartman Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 10:48 am
Fleecing the State of Illinois is fun, that pretty much says it all.
Way to stay on task Bill.
Vlad (Rod) will never finish out his second term.
Comment by Guy Fawkes Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 11:37 am
RealClear, if you think Judy is the neastiest player in the game, you’ve either been asleep for the last 10 years, or you are showing your bias.
To the larger issue, though, much of what’s happening points out to me the problems that come from not having a GOP agenda in this State. For example, the Governor has clearly put himself on the right side of the health care issue with the public.
OK, then let’s debate vision. What is our GOP plan on health care? Do we believe you’re not entitled to it, but you are entitled to lower taxes from not having to pay for it? Then we ought to say it. Has the Governor in fact come up with good ideas that we support, but we believe we would implement them better? Great, why don’t we say so? Do we have even better ideas than the Governor? Wonderful, let’s hear it.
Why do we think it’s in your best interest to elect us? I don’t think the public will be satisfied on issues such as health care, education, property taxes by us simply saying Blagojevich’s plans are bad and/or unnaffordable, or hollow, or your taxes will have to go up. What has to follow those statements is “and here’s what we will do instead”.
I’ve talked before about what I call “the Republican disease”. We have allowed ourselves to be defined by what we’re against rather than what we’re for. It’s not JBT’s doing, it has been endemic for years.
Comment by steve schnorf Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 11:38 am
Bill, why is Blago refusing to say or do anything about the so-called “spoiler problem?” We’ve given him the solution, but Democrats aren’t acting. As far as I am concerned, that eliminates all whining rights about any “spoiled” votes in the future.
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 12:06 pm
I just done the averages of the leading polls.Zogby 7,Rasmussen 7,Mason-Dixon 4, Survey 8 and the average is 6.5 for the Governor and if the Repubs,Blago haters and bus accident people turn out he’s done.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 12:32 pm
I hope you all don’t think that everyone who is voting for Whitney is a liberal because that’s not true. I’ve spoken with a lot of different people many of whom are Democrats or Republicans and they are going to vote for Whitney in this election. Why you might ask? Because they are sick and tired of business as usual in Springfield. They want change - or a least to send a clear message that they are tired of Blago’s promises and JBT telling them who to vote for. They don’t consider their vote a wasted vote either.
Yes this morning I saw a negative ad showing Topinka looking stupid. The sound bites and facial expressions shown in slow speed is purposeful manipulation on the behalf of each party. Taking sound bites out of context will allow you to present any view of the person that you wish. I suggest those of you who were going to vote for Whitney to do that - vote for the person you believe is the right person for the job, otherwise you’re voting scared.
Comment by Judy, Judy, Judy Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 12:41 pm
JUDY JUDY JUDY the only thing you are going to send is a message to Blago that you agree with him and threw your vote away.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 12:47 pm
Steve Schnorf,
As much as this may horrify you I agree with you completly. That could be the reason for the “green phenomena”. I thought that,of all the repubs, Bill Brady was the most viable candidate to give the voters a choice in philosphy of the way state gov’t should operate.
Unfortunately the primamry voters chose “Rod Lite”.
If by some miracle Judy should win Ill be disappointed but it will still be four more years and with a probable income tax increase as well.
The progressive agenda can’t lose this time around.
Comment by Bill Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:17 pm
The governor today made claims he was to thank for the Bear’s continued success this season. “Judy Barr Topinka was Mike Ditka’s treasurer, and she never lifted a FINGER to help that pass-rush defense. What is this thinking!?!?!” he said.
Well, it makes as much sense as anything the actual Blago campaign has claimed so far.
Comment by Dead Pappa Hallas Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:20 pm
The only way to pay for all the new programs will be for Gov. Quinn to raise the state income tax to 6%….
Comment by Siyotanka Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:32 pm
I notice in Bill’s defense of Blagojevich he keeps saying that the govenor ‘pledges’ to do this and ‘pledges’ to do that.
Kinda of ironic that during Blagojevich’s last campaign he also ‘pledged’ to do many things that he never attempted to do once elected. When questioned as to why he made all these promises and pledges but never tried doing any or them the governor’s response was that those ‘pledges’ were just ‘campaign puffery’ and he couldn’t be expected to be held to what he said on the campaign trail.
Comment by Poor Milorad Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:54 pm
Stay outta Football Rod!
The Chicago Bears do not need you or your politics!
Stick to yer shady political dealings….
Yer a expert when it come to shady.
Comment by Da 46 Defense Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 1:56 pm
Re: “’It’s time for us to send a message to Republicans that health care is not a privilege,’ Blagojevich said. ‘It’s a right. Will you do it? Will you get out there and make sure we’re moving forward? Let’s move Illinois forward.’”
Hey, Rod! Why haven’t you paid down the state’s Medicaid backlog, then?
Dang it (I’m trying not to swear, Rich), but it is precisely this type of baloney that gets my canard about this incumbent (and that’s aside from the investigations, indictments, and his awful hairspray job, mind you). He keeps trying to promise new stuff without taking care of what’s right there in front of him that needs to get fixed.
This guy is, politically, like a slick-talking, used-car salesman. If he really cared about healthcare, he’d be working AG Madigan on her negotiations with the Illinois Hospital Association on getting some type of actual accountability tied to the tax breaks the non-profit hospitals enjoy. Instead, he took in about a quarter million dollars from the IHA and is choosing to NOT work with AG Madigan, which must have her totally ticked off.
Side note: For more on this stuff, go read the blog wherethemoneygoes.com, as Joe has been digging up all sorts of very interesting nuggets of info related to the IHA and their donations to Rod’s campaign, about the indictments, about the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board shenanigans, and so forth (plus, having worked in healthcare finance, it is pretty clear that half of these healthcare finance people really are slime, just hit the website Taxpayers Against Fraud to read about some of the quit tam/False Claims cases with some of these hospitals).
If Rod cared so much, he’d be working WITH AG Madigan’s team, and he’d be more focused on paying down the state’s Medicaid backlog already. These are pressing, we-need-em-done-today-not-if-you-get-elected-again issues. TODAY. Now. Pronto.
Comment by Angie Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 2:18 pm
Pardon my typos (I was angry when I typed that last post, understandably). It is spelled “qui tam” litigation.
Comment by Angie again Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 2:21 pm
If a vote for Whitney is a wasted vote, then a vote for Topinkavich is like not even voting at all.
Comment by M.V. Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 3:01 pm
Bill must have been dropped on his head as a baby too many times. How anybody can blindly and so robotically keep repeating such drivel is beyond me.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 6:29 pm
Here’s some more interesting (and true) info with regards to Rod purporting to be for so much improvement in the healthcare system. Take a look at how many different groups and individuals are investigating the pricing, billing, charity care, collections activities, and hospital CEO executive compensation issues as the controversy rages on. Here’s the list:
Senator Charles “Chuck” Grassley
The Senate Finance Committee
The House Ways and Means Committee
The OIG
The GAO
The IRS
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan
Plaintiff’s lawyers
Unions
The Illinois Department of Revenue
Tax Assessors
Community groups like the Champaign County Board of Review
And where’s Rod Blagojevich? He took in about a quarter of a million bucks from the Illinois Hospital Association.
Read about all of the Medicare and Medicaid fraud cases, and then ask yourselves just how Rod not doing anything more constructive than taking in campaign contributions from these healthcare folks is making healthcare more affordable?
So AG Madigan decides to do something constructive, and Rod is in the news talking about how he wants to help the hospitals protect their tax exempt status, but…and get this…he’s NOT working closely with AG Madigan’s team! No kidding! He won’t even comply with her request to release the subpoena information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
And again, I reiterate, he’s sitting on top of a massive Medicaid backlog. Rod, quit promising everyone the stars and the moon unless you can actually deliver something, pal.
Comment by Angie Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 6:57 pm
Bomber91,
“Rod for America”??? If you are thinking about a national campaign, you are living in a dream world.
Yes, he was part of a story in the New York Times today; however, it was about the corruption in his administration.
Comment by So Blue Democrat Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 7:18 pm
Just once, in his continual rant about Rod’s wonderful accomplishments, I would like Bill to address where the governor is going to get the money to pay for all this. I would also like him to answer why the governor promises money and then doesn’t deliver, as in his promise to the down-and-out high school. They STILL don’t have a check.
Comment by Disgusted Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:22 pm
After going to the following website:
http://cbs2chicago.com/illinoiswire/IL–Blagojevich-Subpo_i_n_0il–/resources_news_html
I am jumping to the conclusion that GoverNOT Hairdo has lawyered up. Now Bill, I know you are going to say they are staff attorneys, but how do we know that???????
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 8:34 pm
If you were Blago, wouldn’t you have a cadre of criminal defense attorneys on staff . . . at taxpayers expense?
Comment by Citizen A Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 9:19 pm
“We need four more years to finish what we have started.The fun has just begun.”
OK, Folks, was this quote-
a) From Pat Fitgerald’s last press conference.
b) From one of Bill’s posts.
c) None of the above.
d) All of the above.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Nov 3, 06 @ 11:12 pm
Hey, look on the bright side. If Rod does manage to dupe the silly voters who plan to keep him in office where he’ll be too distracted to actually be able to deliver on all of his used-car-salesmanlike promises (let alone that he can’t pay for them all), at least Fitz will be around to show the rest of the nation how to really bust up a crooked mess of an Illinois government. I mean, at least it’ll get media attention the whole time it is all going down, right? Dear God, but we might serve as a model for other states that are trying to clean up corruption.
Nah. I’d still rather vote the guy out. One termers until they prove they deserve a second one should be the modus operandi for smart voters.
Comment by Angie Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 12:38 am
Disgusted,
Carterville high school DID get their money, but don’t let the truth get in the way of your rod bashing.
Joe, give it a rest. Every time you invoke the name of Fitzgerald you tempt fate. You had better keep those shredders and magnets going. Give my regards to the fast one.
Little e,
The governor has all of the lawyers that a governor needs in this day and age.
Time to go. One last weekend of hard work then, VICTORY!!!
Comment by Bill Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 6:26 am
A little boo boo by the gov. in Belleville he promised to cut more state jobs to balance the budget.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 7:50 am
Keep it coming Angie. Every one of your smarmy posts just reminds folks why they can’t stand Topinka’s people.
Just keep calling the voters names like “silly”. It will all be over soon. But you’re doing nicely.
Comment by Peachy Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 8:26 am
Listen, Peachy. You’ve got an incumbent who fights with Daley, who fights with his father-in-law, who won’t comply with a request from the Illinois Attorney General who is a fellow Democrat (and such a good one that I’m voting for her, by the way), and who watched as his hate crimes panel literally fell apart before his eyes after he appointed a top aid to Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan to a post on that same panel.
But who did he get along with? A bunch of guys who got indicted!
What else would you call anyone who still plans to elect this guy? “Silly” is actually being gentle.
It is quite clear what Illinois voters need to do, party affiliation aside, to clean up this mess. Make them all one termers unless they prove to us that they deserve another term and won’t be saddled with massive investigations all the time.
That’s my non-partisan argument for the day. And if JBT doesn’t do something decent to turn this mess around, then believe me, but I won’t be voting her in for a second term either.
Comment by Angie Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 3:45 pm
By the way, speaking of “negativity,” go Google some of the stuff that Louis Farrakhan has said. It isn’t stuff like “silly,” believe me.
Do it. Then run around yelling proudly about how you voted for Rod on election day. I dare you.
Comment by Angie (post script) Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 3:55 pm
Keep it coming Angie, your rants are GOLD for the Blago campaign.
Are you sure you don’t want to tie Blago to Hitler? Come on, I know you can do it!
But tell us, what is he fighting with Daley about? I must have missed that. And hasn’t Daley had plenty of indictments and convictions in his own administration? I’ll answer. Yes, he has. Several people convicted just this year - including his patronage chief - for hiring fraud at City Hall.
So you want him to work closely with some officials who have corruption, but expect him to distance himself from others?
I’m just trying to understand here. Angie, maybe you should get Blago a scorecard so he knows which “bad” players he’s not supposed to fight with.
Comment by Peachy Saturday, Nov 4, 06 @ 8:57 pm
Bill, somehow I’ve come to think that you and I believe in a whole lot of the same things. I do diagree with much of what you say on this blog, but I suspect you do, too.
Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Nov 6, 06 @ 2:03 am