13 Comments - Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 9:15 am: Blago is toast. now we wait for Blago to slip on his blue suede shoes and do the jailhouse rock! - Cassandra - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 9:31 am: I think that this shows that playing mainly to the poor, rich contractors, elderly liberals and illegal immigrants, at the expense of the struggling Illinois middle class, may not be good for one’s poll numbers. At the end of the day, it’s the middle class that will keep this state functioning, and Blagojevich has done virtually nothing for us. He has, however, effectively presented us with a huge bill which will start coming due in the form of much higher taxes, much sooner than most realize…probably, 2007, early 2007. Even with all this expensive populist pandering, however, Blago could still win if Eisendrath nor Topinka can come up with a credible alternative vision of how the state should work–a vision that does not include ever higher taxes, rampant corruption and an ever-larger, patronage and crony-ridden state bureaucracy. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 10:02 am: 41%?! The guy is promising everyone money, wet-kissing every liberal cause, giving 4% raises to disgruntled state workers and this is all he gets? I expected him to be at 50%, not 41! Mr. Blagojevich really has his work cut out for him with voters, doesn’t he? He is a very charming man. He needs to get out and show off his great campaign presence if he is to get re-elected 10 months from now. This governor has an uphill battle. It looks like voters are not listening to his songs. - Pat Collins - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 11:26 am: You know, most private sector workers are lucky to get 2% a year raise. Many get ZERO. And, if Christine C ought to drop out of her race since she didn’t do as well as Kerry, does this mean Gun Ban ought to drop out since he is WAY underpolling Dem Govs? And I am surprised no one has commented on Elanor Clift’s “wet kiss” to “Moderate Dem. Gov. Blago”. I almost launched lunch when I read that one… - Political Hack - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 11:59 am: It will be interesting to see what Blago gets in the primary. If he doesnt’t get over 60% he’s toast in November if Judy wins. What the african american totals. Great gauge. - Downstater - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 2:47 pm: I couldn’t let this one pass without responding. I am one of those state workers who received the 4%, which by the way was not a raise. This 4% puts me back at 0% since Blago cut 4% of my pay when he took office in January 03. I have not received a raise since July 02. VanillaMan, I wouldn’t vote to re-elect this moron if I received a 20% pay increase. The state of Illinois desparately needs a chief executive that knows how to effectively manage and lead. This guy doesn’t have a clue. In my over 20 years of service I have never seen state government in such a mess. If this guy is re-elected, heaven help us! FYI, I am at home today on official leave. - B Hicks - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 3:23 pm: Hmm, do I approve or disapprove? That question is irrelevant to me. Will I vote for Rod over JBT, God yes! Will I vote for Rod over Brady, yes. Over Jimmy, yes. Over Ronny, yes. I don’t approve of everything he does, but I don’t disapprove enough to vote for a Republican! Thank you, thank you very much. - Fraydog - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 4:00 pm: B Hicks, So let me guess, Blago would spit in your face and you’d still vote for him over a Republican. I’m sure Michael Madigan thanks you very much. - Papa Legba - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 5:47 pm: I guess B Hicks is one of those 49% with no college who approve of Blago. It shows. - run4cvrlib - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 8:08 pm: Even with all this expensive populist pandering, however, Blago could still win if Eisendrath nor Topinka can come up with a credible alternative vision of how the state should work–a vision that does not include ever higher taxes, rampant corruption and an ever-larger, patronage and crony-ridden state bureaucracy. I don’t know about Edwin, But Judy will have a hard time coming up with a adminstration without corruption with her contacts to Goerge Ryan and Cellini. - Anon - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 10:34 pm: The goods news for the Blago camp is that the election is ten months away. The better news is the campaign kitty. The best news is his campaign co-chairs. - A Budgete Watcher - Wednesday, Dec 21, 05 @ 11:15 pm: The poll results are 41/53 and yet some commentors give him no chance while others see the results as encouraging. I would guess that most interpret with their hearts and not their heads. The fact is that he’s been polling since May consistently in the bottom 20th percentile of all Governors. That’s a bad place to start your campaign cycle, especially after 4 months of give-away after give-away. Still, the Primary will give all of us a better indication of the degree of dis-satisfaction, and until then, I’m not ready to count him out. We live in a solidly blue state, and it’s going to be difficult for him to lose if the party sincerely unites behind him. - 6 Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Dec 22, 05 @ 12:04 am: Judy will have a hard time coming up with a adminstration without corruption with her contacts to Goerge Ryan I’m sure Ol’ George is in a great position to help Judy with her campaign now, and be an integral part of her administration if she wins. Puh-leeeze. it’s going to be difficult for him to lose if the party sincerely unites behind him Aren’t the words “sincere” and “Blagojevich” mutually exclusive? How many party faithful will 1) unite cheerfully, 2) hold their nose and take one for the team, or 3) flat out lose their enthusiasm and lay low? I’ll bet there are more #3’s than #1’s. The trick is going to be mobilizing the #2’s effectively. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.