43 Comments - wndycty - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 5:38 am: I keep hearing rumors about M. Madigan being behind the attempted smear job on Alexi (murder, Abramoff, etc.), which if true is just disgusting. I understand that the state party is backing Mangieri, the slated candidate, which is perfectly acceptable but for the state party chairman to be behind crap like this is deserving of backlash. I did not have a dog in this fight but the alleged actions of the chairman have pushed me into the Alexi camp. Rich can you comment on the attempted smear job ob Alexi? I think he said on FOX on Sunday that the literature sent pushing the smear came from the Illinois Democratic party. Is this true? - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 6:46 am: One guy is on TV, one isn’t. It is not hard to figure out where this ends. A million bucks of family money, plus the Obama endorsement and you are done! - jabotinsky - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 7:14 am: The Illinois Democratic smear campaign has also moved me to the Alexi camp. Why does Madigan always feel he has to turn to sleaze on the other guy to win elections? Besides Alexi’s is a banker and isn’t this the State Treasurer’s race. Paul M. seems like a nice guy, but has no fiscal experience for the position. - Paul Powell - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 7:47 am: What is going to be absolutely funny is when Alexi wins this and Madigan and cronies have to explain there literature which says “Illinois can’t afford another politician like Alexi Giannoulias.” I can tell you that out in the heartland democrats are not happy that Madigan is spending state democrat party money to bash another democrat. It is one thing to back Mangieri since the party endorsed him but it is totally wrong to bash his opponent, especially when he wins Madigan has to come back and tell the public now we have another politician like Alexi Giannoulias. What we don’t need is more politicians like Madigan. - Anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:06 am: These numbers look good for the Giannoulias campaign and they look good for the people of Illinois. Giannoulias has run at totaly poitive campaign based on the fact that the person best qualified to be Treasurer (the States banker) would be a person who has made his living by running a very profitable bank, in the private sector. The negative literature sent out by the Mangieri campaign has backfired in Southern Illinois. Democrats down here are furious that one Democrat would attemp to attack another Democrat in the manner that the Mangieri campaign is doing. I hope Giannoulias wins big so that in future Democrat primaries campaigns will look back at this race and say negitive ads don’t work. Giannoulias has my vote. - Pete Granata - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:12 am: When your guy is caught with dirty underwear its always a “smear campaign” - Chicagograssroots - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:17 am: I wish negative campaigning didn’t work, but it does. 200 years of history show that voters tend to switch quicker and with more conviction after hearing a negative message about an opponent versus a positive about your candidate. But I agree — excessively nasty attacks are counterproductive in the primary. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:25 am: I talked with a former long-serving downstate County Chairman last after Emil’s event and was fascinated. He told me that he really wanted diversity on the ticket, but was so turned off by the last attack piece, that he is going with Alexi-as are a number of other significant County Chairs. More fascinating was the statement, “I can’t believe with Paul’s issues, that they would attack this kid”. He wouldn’t elaborate, but it makes you wonder. Illinois Independence 1 DPI 0 - Not so offended - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:29 am: This is politics kids, if poor Alexi can’t handle the heat he needs to pack up his suitcase full of money and move on. Voters need to get away from this simplistic view that since Alexi is a banker he would naturally be the best choice. Illinois has never had a State Treasurer with substantial financial experience, if I recall, JBT majored in journalism and Pat Quinn did serve as Chicago Revenue Director but was otherwise a consumer advocate. When it comes down to it, Mangieri’s life experiences in regard to financing adds up to twice the financial experience Alexi has had sitting in the big chair at daddys bank. I’m sure Mangieri’s dealt with a few mortgages and interest rates in his lifetime supporting a family of fourteen. I look at it this way, in order to deal with interest rates a person must find it necessary to finance a purchase, I doubt Alexi has ever had this dilemma, just put it on dads tab. Well, I for one am hoping Alexi can’t get by in this election like he’s gotten by in his life, by having dad write a check. - Not so offended - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:31 am: This is politics kids, if poor Alexi can’t handle the heat he needs to pack up his suitcase full of money and move on. Voters need to get away from this simplistic view that since Alexi is a banker he would naturally be the best choice. Illinois has never had a State Treasurer with substantial financial experience, if I recall, JBT majored in journalism and Pat Quinn did serve as Chicago Revenue Director but was otherwise a consumer advocate. When it comes down to it, Mangieri’s life experiences in regard to financing adds up to twice the financial experience Alexi has had sitting in the big chair at daddys bank. I’m sure Mangieri’s dealt with a few mortgages and interest rates in his lifetime supporting a family of fourteen. I look at it this way, in order to deal with interest rates a person must find it necessary to finance a purchase, I doubt Alexi has ever had this dilemma, just put it on dads tab. Well, I for one am hoping Alexi can’t get by in this election like he’s gotten by in his life, by having dad write a check. Oh yeah, I got a recorded message on my machine from Senator Dick Durbin this weekend endorsing Mangieri. Has it run up north yet? - Re: Anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 9:55 am: I’m from southern Illinois sir/madam, and beleive me when I say that downstate is less than furious with the ads put out by Mangieri, in fact I’ve spoken with many people who feel they were quite informative. This kid couldn’t be more out of touch with southern Illinois. Alexi hasn’t dipped a toe south of I-80 and we recognize that down here. As far as the numbers go in the Tribune poll, they mean nothing downstate. The “Tribune” down here is something you play in the high school band. - Anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 10:16 am: There is only one S. IL downstate county chair for Alexi and he was the one guy that was bought off by Blair Hull last time… I think Mangieri does well with the downstaters… Alexi’s background does not fair to well with the voters - John 3:16 - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 10:30 am: Not so offended – Mangieri’s financial experience? ? ? Dealing with a few mortgages? ? ? If that is your standard, let’s call the guy at Washington Mutual who handles hundreds of mortgages a month and make him State Treasurer. JBT sat on a few committees that got her involved with financial and investment issues. And being Revenue Director and consumer advocate are solid qualifications for Treasurer. But since you think lots of kids = financial experience, you should recruit Bill Paxton’s character from HBO’s “Big Love” — he’s got three families and three houses. - anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 10:56 am: Anon 9:25 - I’d be really intererested to know what chairs are going to flip to Alexi over a little mail piece - Don’t give too much power to this long time chair — I’m a southern chair and I’m standing strong behind Mangieri!! As I know many others are!! Politics is Politics — nothing personal - including a look at who lives where! - Not so offended - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 11:28 am: John 3:16 - In order to manage money, one must understand the difficulty there is in earning it. I doubt Daddys little helper has ever had to experience this toil. - Jaded - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 11:50 am: Looks like a good match-up. The super rich (who all think they would be great elected officials these days) and the old time machine. I have my money on the machine, but you can never count out the super rich now can you. No matter who wins, the internal strife may just give the Republicans a good chance of retaining this office. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 11:51 am: If you don’t think Alexi has dipped a toe under I-80, you have no idea what you are talking about. He has been down state multiple times in the last month, and will be down again Wed. and Sat. Yes, all the attack adds have been put together and funded by Madigan and the DPI. Would someone like to explain to me why the money of progressive democrats are being used to attack the progressive in the race. Alexi’s banking experience is not the only reason to vote for him next week. The biggest reason is to get a democrat in power that isn’t another Madigan Lapdog. Tell me how having one man in Illinois control all the power is good for the state or for the party. That being said, this thing isn’t over yet by any stretch of the imagination. The truth is that negative stuff does switch undecided people the fastest. Hopefully people can see through the b/s that these negative mailers are pushing. I’m sorry but a bank that does $750 million of buisness is going to run into a few bad people. That doesn’t mean these people have anything to do with Mr. Giannoulias, or how he will run the Tres. office. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 11:59 am: Rip all you want on Alexi, but what exactly are Mangieri’s qualifications? Perennial office seeker a la Ray Wardingly…couldn’t carry his OWN precinct in a State Senate race…ridiculous hypocrite and flip-flopper on the issues…only came in after the Speaker’s entreaties to several others were turned down…real nice resume for higher office. Face it, neither one of them were the best the Dems had to offer. The only thing that Mangieri has to set him apart is being MJM’s boy. If you consider that to be a plus, fine. But I think that that is just what downstaters were trying to avoid. And the only people that are saying Alexi can’t handle the heat are his detractors. He is doing just fine and will finish strong. I will say this, it is one thing for campaigns to attack each other in a Democratic primary, but it is a crappy thing when it gets done under the name of DPI. They could have at least had the decency to transfer money to Mangieri and let him bear the cross for the slurs. But he doesn’t even have the ‘decency’ to do that. This isn’t about who wins to the DPI, it’s about control-pure and simple. - Not So Fast - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 12:18 pm: First, how is a guy with 12 kids going to find the time to run a Statewide office? Neglect the kids? Or neglect the office? Second, I heard an anti-Alexi ad on the radio this morning in which Mangieri tries to turn his lack of relevant experience into a plus. He argues that we don’t want “bankers” running the treasurer’s office. He should remember that philosophy next time he needs surgery — wouldn’t want a doctor running an operating room. - babs - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 12:29 pm: Anon 11:59am “And the only people that are saying Alexi can’t handle the heat are his detractors.” Brilliant!!! Neither one is a great choice. Alexi playing the victim is pretty sad. Rich boy, daddy’s banks and he can’t take a bit of criticism without calling Daddy for help. Not sure which is worse, MJM or Daddy. With a toss-up like this, I’ll vote for the one who got in early. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 12:53 pm: Babs you dope, how has he played the victim? He was attacked, said he was attacked, and moved on. They want to rattle him and it’s not working. Too bad that DPI is more interesting in control than fighting for Dem issues. As far as the one the got in early, MJM backed him as a means of telling Judy that she would have had a lay up if she stayed put. The guy was tossed in as bait, not a candidate. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 1:03 pm: The bottom line is that Alexi has no record to run on. Most people in public service wait their entire career to take a shot at a statewide office, and the schoolboy legend, with his oversized ego makes it his first run. Who does this kid think he is? - Legend in his own mind - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 1:09 pm: I used to play a fair amount of tetherball in gradeschool. I’m now considering a run for Secretary of State. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 1:18 pm: Um, Dan Hynes? Um, Lisa Madigan who became AG without ever trying a case? Both of whom have gone on to prove themselves worthy, by the way. Or is it a different set of rules that apply when they don’t come from a South Side family? Weak and hypocritical argument. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 1:26 pm: Re: 1:18pm - Your point is well taken, however, Hynes and Madigan came from strong democratic political families that had paid their dues to the party and the state. The Giannoulias’ have paid significant contributions to the Republican party in the past. They have had no clear political direction. It’s just a tougher pill to swallow. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 1:49 pm: 1:26, conceeded, but saying that the families have paid their dues so that the kids deserve it is a tacit ok for nepotism. Can’t we do better? - HeKnowsBarack - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 2:20 pm: Let’s face it, the banking stuff might be enough if there weren’t a boat load of shady deals associated with the bank and Alexander…Pretty funny listening to those who worry about the “smear” when all the mailers do is reprint newspaper stories which are based on facts. Too bad other reporters did not look behind the press releases. Maybe they still will. As was pointed out earlier, Alexander appears to have lost 25% of his support since he leaked his own poll last week. Guess the truth is sinking in. Next we can wait for the impact of the Funky QB if he actually shows up at the big bday bash. Talk about scary - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 2:40 pm: Interesting article on Alexi in Crain’s yesterday. Just cought it on their website. If this kid’s elected the State of Illinois, through the Treasurers Office, is going to be indebted to some scary customers. - Cheaper By the Dozen - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 2:48 pm: The stories–real ones–about Mangieri and his family would be used against him with great effect in the general. He’s a time bomb. People on here say they know the situation, think he’s a nice guy, but there is a very tangible, funky smell around him, with lots of weird characters, poor judgement. Mike Madigan made a very bad decision and Barack Obama picked a problematic candidate, but a better one. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:04 pm: Cheaper knows that of which he speaks. When his past comes out, it will assure that a Mangieri win is a sure Rodogno win. But again, this isn’t about winning the General for MJM, it’s about being able to deliver HIS guy. - anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:09 pm: if cheaper knows something why hasn’t this come out before? trying to muddy the waters with unstated accusations about someone’s life is the real “dirty politics” - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:10 pm: 2:48 and 3:04 - Am I missing something? Is there a secret link on this page that I’m not seeing that will guide me to the info on Mangieri’s damning past? Or am I just supposed to follow the tangible funky smell. If you guys have the goods on Mangieri let’s hear it, help all of us make the right decision. - Anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:17 pm: HeKnowsBarack, what internal poll are you talking about? I’m not sayiing it doesn’t exist, I’m just wondering where it is. I’ve been paying close attention to the race and haven’t seen any poll like that. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:37 pm: DPI’s numbers aren’t that far off of the number’s Giannoulias released, fyi. Knowing DPI, that means it gets nothing but nastier this week. If Mangieri does somehow pull it out only to get squished in November, the Speaker throws his hands up and moves forward to his real concern in 2010 - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 3:45 pm: I really feel that the Democratic primary is the election. I don’t see Rodagno gaining any momentum in Southern Illinois or in the city. Her base, if she has one, just isn’t large enough to carry any weight. This fight ends March 21. - B Hicks - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 4:57 pm: They’re both great candidates, and they both would do a fine job in the treasurer’s office. I voted for the Greek dude, but if Knox County wins, I’ll support him 100%. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 5:07 pm: The tribune poll is showing 10% points less for Alexi than did his internal poll. The points for mangieri are about the same. No 25% drop has occurred, and I haven’t seen any info on the tribune poll to judge how accurate it is. - John 3:16 - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 7:03 pm: Not so offended – You continue to promote ridiculous standards. Difficulty earning money? How about difficulty in making it grow? Mangieri himself talks about the constitutional duty to get highest rate of return, but (a) gives no indication as to how he is going to do that; (b) hasn’t shown us at what point in his life he has proven to grow even personal investments; and (c) doesn’t have a clue on how to GROW money. And since you have so much insight on the work Giannoulias has done at the Broadway Bank, how did the Daily Herald and Sun Times conclude that Giannoulias’ financial background was so strong that it warranted an endorsement? So stop with the ridiculous argument that raising 12 kids has anything to do with managing and growing $7 billion, becasue JBT might post and call you a name as well. - anon - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 8:30 pm: The only pro-Gianoulis email I have recieved has been a smear on Mangieri. The fact the guy has a lot of kids is aside the point. He tried to sue Maytag to recapture Knox County incentives paid to them. The Republican taxing bodies there wouldn’t go fo it. This is the kind of economic populism tha can win elections. - John 3:16 - Tuesday, Mar 14, 06 @ 10:47 pm: Anon 8:30 – Mangieri did in fact try to sue Maytag, and he proposes shareholders lawsuits now as a way to get more revenue. Sounds like a terrific platform for Attorney General. - Nickname - Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 7:58 am: Tribune has endorsed Mangieri - John 3:16 - Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 4:40 pm: Peoria paper (Mangieri’s backyard) endorsed Giannoulias and confirmed a 2 to 1 lead in the polls. - anon - Thursday, Mar 23, 06 @ 7:45 am: Alexi is an idiot. Want to know how to buy votes, this is how you do it. How can someone be the VP of a bank when you just got out of college? Oh yeah, when its your daddy’s bank you can call yourself anything. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.