19 Comments - illinois insider - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 8:50 am: edwin comes across to me as the kinda kid who grew up never having to do any chores. i see him as a sort of limosuine liberal who grew up pampered with everything handed to him and he is coming off as mere opportunist, who rather than point out a positive agenda, would want to focus solely on g-rod’s mistakes, of which there are definiely some dumb ones. edwin though has to show a positive vision, not just rag on g-rod, who has a laundry list of AWESOME accomplishments in the eyes of progressives/liberals. Liberals wish there was school funding reform, and Rod weren’t so eager to NOT raise taxes when we need to, but other than that, he has been good on the issues that Democrats care about - All Kids IS a REALLY big deal, despite any cynicism about the program - it jumpstarts the righ conversation. Having uninsured children is unacceptable in such a rich nation - Sammy Esposito - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 9:00 am: Good points, Rich. I heard Eisendrath on the radio over the weekend and came away with the same impression. He’s very bright and nailed several good sound bites. But he comes across as being a bit aloof. I’d recommend a dose of self depricating humor. Maybe he should make fun of his family’s wealth — the way Kennedys used to. This might help him answer the question you posed about what makes his promise to clean up different than Blago’s. Something like: “I didn’t get into politics to make my family and friends rich. My family and friends are already rich.” - Cassandra - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 9:09 am: It is certainly true that Eisendrath is going to have to do more than make the occasional comment about corruption under Blago to be credible on the issue. And that may be difficult. The wealthy liberal whites who support Eisendrath really don’t care that much about corruption, patronage, featherbedding, and so on. They consider it to be part of the cost of government. And the costs of corruption really don’t affect them because higher governing costs and attendant high taxes have proportionately little to no impact on their very high disposable income. Maybe they’ll have to stay in a little cheaper hotel in Anguilla or forego purchase of a pricey antique. Eisendrath is a poster child for this group. We middle class taxpayers are paying for the corruption as our taxes would be much lower without it. When Eisendrath comes up with a real plan (don’t even try property tax caps, they don’t work) to actually reduce my total tax burden while providing real and painful (to Blago, Stroger, Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and their pals) corruption reform, I’ll vote for him. I need that money for my retirement fund. - Anon - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 9:33 am: It doesn’t really matter whether Eisendrath is good or bad. He started way too late. He’s still just a blip on the screen and there are only 9 weeks left. If he had 10 million to dump into his warchest, he might have a chance. But he has categorically ruled out self-funding, saying that he just doesn’t have that kind of money. I’d be surprised if he raised $1.5 million, and if he doesn’t it means no TV at all, which means he’ll still be a blip on the screen on primary day. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 9:41 am: Illinois Insider- calling Edwin ‘a mere opportunist’ is the type of comment that could only have been made by a Blago stooge. Your guy is the biggest opportunist out there. Ask anybody that has known him for any length of time. Shameless and borderline psychotic. - DOWNSTATE - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 10:24 am: Golly gee would someone give out maps so these guys will come down here and talk to us. - Anon - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 10:42 am: “Limousine liberal”: Could have described FDR, if there had been limousines back then. - U of I College Dems - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 10:47 am: Eisendrath spoke to our group last night in Urbana. A few observations/highlights: *He is a pretty good natural public speaker and well versed on most major state issues. *He did seem a bit angry and negative (Howard Dean-like if you will) *He does come off as a bit arrogant. A few times he abruptly interrupted people from the audience asking questions. He also took sole credit for fixing the CHA *He admitted that he doesn’t have any backing from elected officials/big name politicos (other than Paul Vallas), but claims that many secretly support him and are afraid to do so publicly. He said some of the signers of the infamous Carol Ronen letter called him and tearfully apologized *He claims that expect to raise between $3-6 million dollars(without self funding) and will have enough to do TV in metro Chicago *He claims that he has a few tricks/gimmicks up his sleeve that will win over many primary voters (he insinsuated that this includes funny/quirky TV ads) *He said that Ron Gidwitz once endorsed him for re-election as Alderman - illinois insider - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 11:38 am: yeah i’m a blagojevich stooge because i am not impressed with Manilow’s fortunate son Eisendrath. and I’m a stooge because I’m a liberal democrat and think Rod has done a great job on certain issues that I care about (health care, choice, min. wage, overtime pay, labor issues, etc.) while acknowledging the shortcomings of the current administration. everybody has shortcomings, and many of Rod’s have been stylistic, rather than on policy. so to the Eisendrath stooge, let the best man win . - Anon. - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 11:59 am: “He doesn’t come off as a pleasant sort.” Sense of entitlement. I’ve met him, I’ve heard him speak, and I’ve read others’ impressions of him, and that is the impression I get. He may well produce nice TV ads - but you can’t help but think that the more “real” people - folks in the Bungalow Belt and downstate - meet him, the less they’d like him. - Bill - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 1:05 pm: Illinois insider, Whenever any blogger says anything positive about the governor they are called a stooge, a punk, stupid, uninformed, etc.. The real people don’t care about the governor’s personality or the fact that some state employees don’t like the Stratton building; they care about insurance for their kids, and the raise in minimum wage for their neighbor, and increase in funding for their neighborhood schools. Eddie comes off as an arrogant, know-it-all, rich kid trying to buy his way into office because that is exactly what he is. He has just about as much substance now as he did when he was an alderman rubber stamping the mayor’s proposlas. People ought to check his voting record or his performance as a Clinton lackeybefore getting their hopes up. Bring it on. - CHS - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 2:48 pm: Hey, give Eisendrath a break! It takes some guts to go against Blago and his $15 million war chest. I applaud Edwin for bringing to light all the mishaps of the the Blago administration. IL deserves better. Take the time to listen to Eisendrath’s ideas. - Downstate Republican - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 3:42 pm: Eisnedrath’s hope lies in any polls conducted a few weeks before the election. If he can make any credible showing against Rod (in the polls), it will give needed press coverage to EE’s candidacy, and a boost to his supporters. Downstate Dems are equally afraid of Rod winning or losing the primary. The empty Goveror’s Mansion is hugely symbolic to downstate voters who already feel ignored. The Downstate Politicos who were HUGE Rod supporters in 02′ are lying very low this season. The Governor’s race is starting to feel like the Karmeier/Maag race of 04′. People won’t openly talk about candidates, but there is quiet seething inside. - Nancy - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 4:05 pm: In regards to EE having a map of downstate, I hear he was going to the Colonial Kitchen in Chrisman today! - Spfld_Wonket - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 6:00 pm: Give the maps a break guys. Look at Ed’s travel schedule. All mayors from downstate…and by downstate - we’re talking Sesser. Now, go ahead make fun of the fact that mayors of one-horse communities south ofI-70 don’t amount to more than a warm bucket of horse-spit but it does show that the support is there and is probably growing. He’s never going to get major name endorsement - but he’s doing the right thing in taking what he can get and that may pay off HUGE dividends. - LaSalle - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 6:23 pm: EisenWho? Bring it! - Stone Hack - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 8:36 pm: Eisen 43% and rising drath - Team Sleep - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 8:46 pm: Blago feels just as much of an entitlement as Mr. Eisendrath. He is Dick Mell’s son-in-law and has been a state rep, Congressman and now Governor. He has been pushed at every level by the establishment and now is doing everything in his power to get re-elected. He does not want to give the governor’s mansion up (well, I guess in a weird way he already has). - CBM - Thursday, Jan 19, 06 @ 10:34 pm: Edwin was at a campaign event for a state senate candidate recently and seemed very approachable. I didn’t get the “limousine liberal” vibe at all. Why is it “limosine liberals” are so offensive to the right? They don’t seem to mind “Lear jet conservatives” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.