Question of the day
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
What do you think of Ron Gidwitz’s pledge?
Republican governor hopeful Ron Gidwitz pledged on Monday not to raise or accept campaign money during his first two years in office, the latest volley in a campaign battle already driven by criticism of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s prolific fundraising operation.
“Illinois is overrun with deals and dealmakers at odds with the public’s best interests because the ‘favor economy’ flourishes in Illinois like nowhere else,” Gidwitz said at a news conference. […]
Gidwitz also said Monday that he would not accept campaign contributions from state contractors or employees.
Underwhelming? A positive step? Makes no difference? Let’s hear it.
- The Colonel - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 5:41 am:
He won’t have to worry about keeping that pledge.
- Bill Baar - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 5:56 am:
hey, at least he’s making a commitment.
I’d want to know does this mean he’s also not accepting a commitment in years 1 and 2 to contribute in the out years.
- Concerned - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:25 am:
Oh please…you could sail a battleship through the holes in this pledge.
Big deal, so *he* doesn’t fund raise. What about all his ‘Friends of’ PACs? They can still shake you down. What about the party infrastructure? Money is fungible and can be moved around. So while he is not getting his hands dirty, everyone around him still is. Something tells me even if he is elected (and I hold with The Colonel) he’ll have a record amount of money in his war chest come re-election time. And if you don’t take this money, someone else will.
But as Illinois goes, ‘looking’ like you are making an effort is equal to actually putting forth the effort, so this should be a winner.
- Rele Tahrd - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:27 am:
I agree with the first two comments. As we have seen over the last three years, the committment is all that counts. Words mean everything, deeds nothing. Say whatever you want to say, then do whatever you want to do and blame the resulting firestorm on George Ryan.
On this one, Gidwitz sure doesn’t need the money which makes it a little more believable. But all politicians have their special interests to take care of.
- Shallow Pharnyx - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:57 am:
Good idea- still won’t vote for him.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:09 am:
Nice words. I am not personally asking for nor accepting any campaign dollars either. My brother will handle all that.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:13 am:
The only good thing about the pledge, which, I agree is meaningless because Gidwitz can’t win,
is that he feels he has to make it and hype it a bit.
We are not nearly as concerned as we should be about corruption in politics in Illinois, and that is reflected in this rather tepid pledge.
- Bill Baar - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:27 am:
Maybe the pledge should be to refuse to sign legislation for bills with earmarks for special interests.
Heck, take all the lobbyist’s money but just refuse to do any favors for them.
Read George Will’s column in today’s Wash Post on cleaning up Congress.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:02 am:
When you are a slumlord getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in guaranteed rents from the government, you don’t need campaign contributions.
- Can't imagine - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:30 am:
He sounds like ROd. Make any promise and do what you want. NOW the state is giving $1 million to rebuild a church. Sorry it burned but wonder if a church in Barrington or Nashville Il burned would they get the money? He msut really want Emil Jones support.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:43 am:
From all of these posts, it’s tough to tell who feels more threatened by Gidwitz - Blago or Topinka.
The pledge seems like a good one. Just because others have weaseled for daylight out of their promises in the past doesn’t mean we should assume Gidwitz would weasel out of his.
My guess is that, if he were here, Gidwitz would say that his ban on fundraising during his first two years would apply to not only to him self personally, but his campaign committee.
I’m as partisan as the next guy, but let’s give Gidwitz the benefit of the doubt, especially since he doesn’t have a political track record to the contrary.
- Reddbyrd - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:13 am:
thank goodness RonnieG doesn’t have the former US AG on his side or as Desi once said there’d be some ’splalinin’ to do:
In year-end filings, Ashcroft’s firm, The Ashcroft Group LLC, reported collecting $269,000, including $220,000 from Oracle Corp., which won Justice Department approval of a multibillion-dollar acquisition less than a month after hiring Ashcroft in October.
- Obama Overrated - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:18 am:
How about Blagoevich pledging $$$ to the South Side church that unfortunately burned down last weekend. Is this a SEPARATION of CHURCH and STATE?? Rod will do anything for a vote.
- Obama Overrated - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:22 am:
The Siver Lining in a Blagoevich Re-Election would be by the time 2010 comes around, Chris Kelly and the rest of the Blago Fiundraising Goons will be indicted by the FEDS making sure Lisa Madigan has no chance to win as Governor in a culture of corruption.
- ONEMANCANMAKEADIFFERENCE - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:34 am:
If he holds on to these promises and it is not simply the same rhetoric that Governor Blagojevich hyped about, “HE’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE”.
The question is:
Will he hold on to those promises?
We expected the same from Gov. Blagojevich and we got the contrary!
- ONEMANCANMAKEADIFFERENCE - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:36 am:
Obama Overated, you took the words right out of my mouth with your name and your 10:18 comment.
All I can say is AMEN!
- Pat Hickey - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:44 am:
I love it - Slum Lord For Reform! I’m getting all misty-eyed . . . choking back manly sobs . . . sorry; I have to be alone for awhile.
- Anon. - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 11:04 am:
So, there’s the thing about him being rich. And then there’s the other thing about him not being viable. So, sure. Great pledge.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 11:51 am:
It doesn’t make any difference because he’s not going to win.
- go ron go - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 12:55 pm:
So if you’re running for office and not polling well you shouldn’t announce what you’d do as governor? At least Ron is doing something, unlike our front runners who are hiding.
- It wasn't me! - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 1:16 pm:
Used to be doing the wrong this always grabbed the headlines. Now, even talking about doing the right thing comes as a surprise to Illinois folks.
- Reagan Democrat - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:32 pm:
Go Back and look Oberweis made the “Not excepting any contributions from anyone doing business with the state” commitment in his campaign for Governor announcement on April 15th. Looks like the anti-corruption stand is polling well. He’s just a little late
- the wonderboy - Wednesday, Jan 11, 06 @ 2:09 pm:
Actually the anti-corruption stand never polls well…the average voter doesn’t believe that any politician is truly anti-corruption. Any campaign that is depending on that stand as part of their platform should realize that in current Illinois politics there isn’t a single person running for office that will be trusted based upon that promise. That being said, why would ANYONE trust ANYTHING that The Milkman says? How many times does he have to flip-flop before we realize that he has no backbone and won’t stand for anything when it really counts?