* As I told subscribers this morning, Gov. Quinn’s campaign has posted a testimonial from former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka, a usually reliable Republican…

That’s news and Ditka’s praise will only help the guv.

* But this testimonial from former Senate President Emil Jones? Also newsworthy, but not nearly as helpful…

Including Jones’ usual whacks at the House in this campaign spot probably won’t help Quinn with Speaker Madigan, either. And this campaign video, which includes a scene of Quinn clapping to the line “Shame on the General Assembly!” sure positively Blagojevichian to my eyes.

Nice music, though. Actually, most of the Quinn campaign videos have fairly strong production values, especially for what most people consider an amateur campaign effort so far. They’re much better than the vids posted at Lisa Madigan’s outdated YouTube site, for example.

I guess having a campaign staffer following his every move with a hi-def video camera is paying off.

* Meanwhile, Illinois Review picks up on GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Schillertrom’s alleged liberalism, which the retiring DuPage County Board Chairman talked about in a recent SJ-R piece…

[Schillerstrom] also doesn’t think his stand on abortion – “I am opposed to abortion,” he said in an earlier interview, “but I am pro-choice” — will keep him from winning a Republican primary. […]

He also has said he supports the Second Amendment right to bear arms, but “I would be opposed to concealed carry,” which would allow regular citizens in Illinois the right to carry concealed guns

Thoughts?

* Related…

* Comptroller’s documents detail history of IFDA trouble: Even as a pre-need funeral fund worth hundreds of millions of dollars began tanking in 2001, the state comptroller’s office ceased audits designed to ensure the money was safe.

* Dennis Cook to run for statewide office: Consolidated District 230 Board of Education President Dennis Cook announced last week he will run for the Republican nomination for either Illinois state comptroller or lieutenant governor in 2010.

* Zorn: Julie Hamos for (watch this space)

* Rep. Davis says poll shows he could defeat Stroger: Asked whether he has talked to Stroger about Stroger’s political plans, Davis said: “I’m going to try and reach him tomorrow.” Even if Stroger doesn’t bow out, “I will go forward,” Davis said.

* Danny Davis To Run For Board President

       

20 Comments - Shore - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 5:20 am: It’s impressive you are up this early and at it after a long weekend. Ditka won a super bowl 23 years ago and has been off the sidelines for over 17 years. His endorsement didn’t help David McSweeney in 2006. There’s a point where that kind of thing wears off. In my mind new york is doing the best job of making Illinois look good, perhaps you should do a can you top this with the political insiders at the albany times union, and sacramento bee for most outragous state government. There’s great footage on chicago tonight www.wttw.com (political junkies will like this) of election post game from 2002 in which lisa madigan is prominently featured calling for change, hugging blago, and edgar noting the budget deficit is 2.2. billion (it’s now what 9 billion). Hopefully GOP candidates that run against her will see the tape, put 2 and 2 together and ask if she’s really delivered the last 7 years. - WOW - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:17 am: given how much Emil has hated Quinn over the last six years this is a bit shocking. I guess his hatred for the speaker goes deeper. - Anon - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:18 am: Has the gates of Hades finally frozen over. Emil Jones endorsing Pat Quinn. Does everyone one forget when Quinn tried to “crash” the lunch at Maggiano’s a year or so ago and Jones would not let Quinn in and snubed him at the door. So what has Quinn promissed Emil to get him to put that on camera? - Ned Isikoff - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:26 am: Notice Mike Ditka never said the name, “Pat Quinn”. Hilarious. I’m gonna get a video of Ditka, have him talk about Walter Payton, then do a video of how good of a running back I was back in the day. Ha!!! Before you call me out, Rich, I’m just kidding. - wordslinger - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 8:51 am: Ditka and Jones for Quinn? I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1. I imagine the coach is familiar with Quinn’s veteran’s work and leaves it at that. Politically, Ditka is to the right of Attila the Hun. Jones’ reasons are obvious. Quite a civil war going on in the Chicago Dem African-American community. The weakness of Stroger and Burris only brings it closer to the surface. - South Side Pride - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 9:12 am: It appears Mike Ditka is inside the Abraham Lincoln National Museum in Springfield. Looks like the ‘youth home’ of Lincoln, just right behind him.. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm….. - John Doe - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 9:41 am: An endorsement by Mike Ditka can’t be construed as a bad thing. I would rate it as “mildly positive”. Ditka has been out of the public’s eye for too long for it to be a huge bonus for Pat Quinn. An endorsement by anyone with the name Emil Jones would have to be a “huge negative”. It would be like having George Ryan or Rod Blagojevich endorse a candidate by saying that he is “his type of guy”. What candidate would want to be linked to someone who was known to be self-serving and known for blatantly enriching himself and his family & friends at the taxpayer’s expense? If I were Pat Quinn I would say, “Emil Jones who? I don’t think I know the guy?” - John Doe - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 9:56 am: As to Rep. Davis comments that a poll conducted to find out if he could beat Todd Stroger and his comment that “he thinks” that he could defeat Todd Stroger, that is pretty hilarious. That would be like having to have a poll conducted to figure out if people think that the sun will set in the west and rise in the east a year from now. It is , was, and will continue to be “a given”. I can’t fathom anybody other than the mentally and ethically challenged voting for Stroger should he choose to run for Cook County Board President. My guess is that Todd Stroger will even have to reflect himself in the voting booth on Election Day as to whether he can in good conscience cast his vote for himself. My prediction is that Todd will decide that since no one else is in the booth with him to see how he voted that “a clear conscience will overrule his sense of self-entitlement”. - KenoMan - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:35 am: Isn’t that the same Mike Dikta that slammed Chicago and Illinois during his brief tenure as head coach of the New Orleans Saints? - dupage progressive - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:43 am: just when you think this couldn’t get any more bizarre-o!!!! Emil Jones saying ANYTHING nice about Quinn?? He used to block legislation just because it was Quinn’s. I wonder if EJ knew it would be used in a widespread way. hmmmmm…. - dupage progressive - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:45 am: oh, couple more thoughts on it — yes, i agree with earlier posting - he must REALLY hate madigan these days. But if you watch the video seems like he REALLY wants a tax increase. Why? What does he have to gain by it - $ for chicago state, what else does the guy want?? - anon - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:47 am: ONE more thought… his wife still has a great job in the quinn administration. she heads up the division in DHS that is getting wolloped. maybe this is more about her job and/or her not having to preside over awful cuts… - dave - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 10:51 am: But if you watch the video seems like he REALLY wants a tax increase. Why? Maybe because he knows that the State doesn’t have a choice, and really needs it? - Just sayin - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:04 am: Remember when desperate Republicans where trying to recruit Ditka for the senate ballot vacancy in 2004 after the “leadership” abandoned Jack Ryan and threw him under the bus? Another embarrassment for the IL GOP that Ditka’s now with Quinn. Another rat off a sinking ship. - Levois - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:23 am: I don’t know what these vids are supposed to prove other than that it’s time to worry about 2010. That video where that lady says shame on the General Assembly well that’s another instance of the blame game isn’t it. If Jones is lauding Quinn’s leadership I have the feeling that Quinn blew it this year although I’ll give him credit for not being Blagojevich! - Sewanee - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:39 am: Great music, great ads–too bad they weren’t for a better candidate. - CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 11:57 am: BTW….the ever vigilant SenatteGOP twitter tomb reminds us that the Trib confirmed over the weekend …”…A pair of Chicago Democrats, Madigan and Cullerton had written much of the Springfield playbook in their combined 68 years at the Capitol and had firm control of the legislature……” Seven decades of service without smidge of wrongdoing. Now there are two guys who should be writing real ethics laws Oh wait, they did. Good job M and C. - CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 12:08 pm: Finally got ThePresident’s spot to open. Very funny. THis was the guy who always asked Quinn what his hame was and suggested to Blagoof that he save $$$ by abolishing LiteGov.’s office. Now they are allies…or is it alleys? - Will County Woman - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 1:16 pm: so old emil jones resurfaces to support someone he didn’t like against someone he totally despises. hmmm… i think meeks is the new jones. meeks is to quinn what jones was to blago. with friends like these?????? - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Jul 6, 09 @ 3:14 pm: Mrs. Emil was on the fumigation bill list. When was the video shot? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.