90 Comments - diane - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 4:13 pm: This is really pathetic. I hope the voters are just as disgusted as I am. - 7fingersmarty - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 4:52 pm: I think the ad is too soft,and maybe a little late.The real pathetic part of this Republican primary is that Topinka is even a choice.We are getting ever closer to “The Land of Lenin.” - Sour Milk - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 4:54 pm: When I saw “Train Wreck”, the first thing I thought of was the Oberweis campaign. Let’s hope for Oberweis’ part that voters don’t think it’s a negative attack against HIM ! - Six Degrees of Separation - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 4:59 pm: And to think that I thought Blago was the target in this election. Or was it Brady? To defeat the enemy, you must first define him/her/it. Or is it a case of “the whole world’s against us”? - Marta Elena - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:02 pm: Dude, I’m surprised about the Topinka picture at the gay pride parade. I have been there a few times over the years - and believe me, just about every state wide politician is in the parade. - Rick - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:02 pm: But where is the picture of Judy dancing with George? - Darrell Democrat - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:26 pm: off topic, but don’t know where else to go. Edwin left his RV tour to fly to chicago to appear at an event with Dick Mell. Any word on what’s going on? - YNM - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:31 pm: I just threw up a little bit in my mouth … I’ll tell you what … if I had to pick Oberweis or Topinka, it’s not even a choice. Thankfully, we don’t have to pick either one … thanks to the Brady Train. - anonymous - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:37 pm: Two words to describe Oberweis: pond scum - YNM - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:38 pm: just to clarify … if i was left with only two choices, oberweis or topinka, i’d take topinka any day. oberweis turns my stomach like sour milk. - CHS - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:38 pm: Maybe Dick Mell decided blood isn’t thicker than water and is throwing his support behind Ed Eisendrath. - Anon, - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 5:53 pm: Obie, Obie, You have got to be kidding me. - SenorAnon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:03 pm: It is so pathetic that he has so much money and runs such an ameteurish, garbage campaign. Jack Roeser and Co. might be the state’s biggest purveyors of worthless trash. Seriously, this has all the earmarks of some nut running his own campaign - except this fool has money. Just no political weathervane. No professional campaign consultants. And no sense. - scoot - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:07 pm: What a LOSER!!! Obermilk after this election it’s freekin over for your…that means no more running for office, you are the embarassment to the party not Judy. - Ann - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:11 pm: Perhaps, Dick Mell has been supporting Edwin all along and decided to make his support more visible with 3 days to go until the primary. - Long Time Reader; First Time Poster - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:53 pm: I am really beginning to hate this man. I wonder where he’ll be Wednesday morning. - Just Observing - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:54 pm: 1. That straw thing is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard; 2. Mell supposedly has Blago on his palm card. EE just went to Mell’s senior bingo (which attracts about 1,000 seniors) — Mells says Blago was also invited but didn’t show. I don’t think Mell is doing anything really for EE, but Mell surely doesn’t mind taking little jabs here and there at Blago, - ANON - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 6:59 pm: This ad is AMAZING! Too bad it wasn’t a few days earlier, may have made a bigger impact. Great job guys! - Astonished - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:12 pm: Roeser is out of control, and Oberweis is absolutely toast after this election. By the way, I also believe that photo is from the movie Evasive Action…wherever it’s from it is not stock photography. I will take personal pleasure in turning that piece into the film producer’s copyright attorneys…those guys protect their stuff bigtime (free speech doesn’t include ripping off other people’s creative property). Let’s hope Roeser adds a copyright infringement settlement to his growing legal woes. - Central IL Stater - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:18 pm: The ad is stupid. I’m guessing these are all in the Chicago area? I haven’t seen a one. I’ve only see the one comparing Looserweis to Brady. ‘Hey Looserweis, tell me, if this is a two person race, why are you going after Brady? Or do you feel Judy’s not gonna win now so you’re going after Brady? OR is it that you can’t count? One-Judy, Two-Brady, three-looserweis.’ Geeze. This guy is a nutcase. Please people don’t vote for this guy. If anyone should BOW OUT of the race it’s Looserweis. Dear God, please let Mr. Oberweis come in 4th place - maybe 5th place. It would prove that IL is not for those kind of politics. I like Brady b/c I believe he can’t unite both ends of the party like Reagan did and Bush. Go Brady Go! Let’s win this thing! - SCS President - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:33 pm: Hey Central IL Stater, You said it best: “I like Brady b/c I believe he can’t unite both ends of the party like Reagan did and Bush.” Brady can’t unite the party! You said, it not me! Anyhow, when Brady gets less votes than Oberweis on Tuesday, I believe you’re comments are going to change drastically. Even if Oberweis loses, there is no doubt that he will beat Gidwitz and definitely Brady. 3 Months ago, my money would have said Gidwitz would’ve came in 4th… not anymore, now it’s Brady coming in last (well close, don’t forget Martin). I find it funny, Brady and Martin have very close to the same amount in their campaign war chest… Martin has what, less than $500 or so on hand? Yes, I am an Oberweis supporter, however, my eyes are opened and I know that Brady doesn’t have a fighting chance. I believe Gidwitz has a better chance than Brady. On election day, I will be voting to save our future, I will be voting for Jim Oberweis and laughing when you’re so called “looserweis” does not LOSE to BRADY! - Wumpus - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:52 pm: The only problem with this ad is it illustrates his pure hatred for Judy. It is beyond pollitical rivalry, more personal. Bi-Polarweis ™ has an unhealthy obsession with Judy and the goofs at FTN seem to worsen the problem. Once again, he cannot mentally keep it together. His wild eyes show that he is indeed, Bi-Polarweis ™. - Six Degrees of Separation - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:56 pm: And they say politics is a game. Straws, anyone? http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=4651026&&nav=1sW7 - Nickname - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 7:59 pm: Is Joe Weigand crazy too? Obie gets 10 chances and the other guys get one a piece?!? I need to go to the next reinvention of the Roesser supporters to call them all friggin nuts! Does anyone else see tht thi porposal is a bit unfair? I was correct in my initial thinking that Obie should have teamed up with that other nutcase, Wegman. They are both attractive candidates at first, until you listen to them for any time period greater than 10 minutes. I actually took her literature, but something told me not to pass it out. “Under Oberweis’ proposal, presented to his opponents Thursday, he would have had 10 chances to pull the winning straw and the other two would each have gotten one chance, Oberweis campaign manager Joe Wiegand said Saturday. “It just shows the kind of innovative free-market thinking Jim brings in,” Wiegand said. - Anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 8:03 pm: 277620Few will vote for Oberweis they realize now that not only can’t he win but he can’t run a campaign. If you want a conservative to beat Blago Brady is the one to do it. Brady as he’s proven has the best chance to pull this party together to beat Blago. He is a real leader with all the qualifications and heart to make this State great again. Blago has proven he can’t lead us. Judy has shown that the best she can do is hide when the going gets tough. Obie does not have a clue. Gidwitz nice try but sorry no sale. Brady is the best the GOP can put forward to win. - Anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 8:14 pm: I’m beginning to feel embarassed to be an Illinois Republican . . . again. The last time I felt this bad was during the Keyes campaign. Roeser & Co. were up to their eyeballs in that fiasco, too. Can we throw them out of the Republican Party or something? - Central IL Stater - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 8:20 pm: Dang I’m more tired than I think I am. That’s it! I’m getting an editor. SCS President: BILL BRADY CAN unite the party. And you know it. I think it’s time for Looserweis to face facts. He’s gonna loose BIG on Tuesday. But the real story will be when Senator Brady Wins this thing. Also, money doesn’t win campaigns VOTES DO. “I will be voting for Jim Oberweis and laughing when you’re so called “looserweis” does not LOSE to BRADY!” SCS, so you’re admitting defeat! You know, there was a comparison piece that came in the mail to the house today stating that Looserweis was the true conservative that that we would be wasting our vote. If you’re settled on loosing Tuesday as you obviously stated above, Who’s TRULY wasting their vote? Please stop pretending Looserweis is going to win and vote for a true conservative and class act, Bill Brady. My friend, I think it is YOU who is wasting your vote. Please don’t waste your vote, vote for Bill Brady - the one who’s gonna win this thing. - Rich Miller - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 8:23 pm: Central IL Stater, if you could scan that Oberweis mailer in and email it to me, I’d be grateful. Thanks. - Anon 1 Million - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 8:26 pm: Sounds like Obie thinks, or at least his followers think, he is Col. Kurtz from “Apocalypse Now” fame. Careful Obie, is that Martin Sheen stepping off the boat?? - anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:22 pm: This is really a simple deal. The race is between a liberal, topinka, and oberweis, a conservative. Do you want a conservative to win or a lib? If you’d like a lib to win (judy) vote for brady or judy. If you’d like a conservative to win, vote for oberweis. It is really that simple. Trackback ArchPundit - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:34 pm: Please, Please Let this Man Stick Around After Tuesday Oberweis and Weigand appear to be upping their level of craziness by the hour. In an aptly titled post, Rich describes the new Oberweis bizarreness. The Blagojevich campaign is considering it’s super secret plan to kidnap him and hide him… - E ticket - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:38 pm: Update: Obecause has updated his offer to Rock, Paper, Bazooka, best of three tries… I am picturing Obie sitting behind a desk piled high with yogurt containers like Tony Montana in Scarface, just losing his mind…”bring it on!!! Say hello to my little friend!!!!” What a brilliant campaign; he’s basically made the whole state lactose-intolerant. - 7fingersmarty - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:41 pm: If someone could point out three important differences between Judy and Blago- not counting his obvious hair superiority- I may reconsider my vote for Obie. - pretenting - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:42 pm: Is the standardbearer for families in Illinois married or divorced? A bio during the U.s. senate race listed Ober as divorced. He says in his U of I alum bio that he has been married 35 years. Which is it? - YNM - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 9:47 pm: Does this straw thing mean that Oberweis actually is for expanding gambling in Illinois? hmmm … - SenorAnon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:01 pm: This is actually kind of sad, because the crazier he gets, the more fun he is to watch. And now it seems he can’t possibly run for anything again ever. Welcome to Crazy Town. Have some Ice Cream. Jim Oberweis’ political career is in a persistent vegitative state. Tom Roeser can keep feeding him and waving Mickey Mouse Balloons in front of his face - but the compassionate thing would be to pull the plug for good. - Anonymous - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:04 pm: That’s the last straw. I’m voting for Brady. - Rich Miller - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:17 pm: E Ticket, that has to be one of the funniest comments ever. I’m still laughing about it. - anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:20 pm: Jeez, I thought I would find conservatives here looking to elect a conservative! Guess I was wrong with all the “railing” (tee hee no pun intended) against the only conservative (Oberweis) who has a chance at beating the lib, topinka. There has not been a poll yet that shows Brady anywhere near Oberweis. Oberweis has quickly been catching topinka in the polls with gidwitz and brady remaining well under 20%. I believe the straw joke was just that. A joke! Jeez, don’t you conservatives have any fun around here, or just enjoy railing against Oberweis??? If you were number two as of the last poll, wouldn’t you do what Oberweis did? I would jokingly do the same thing. “You wanna pull a straw? Lets go!” “one for you, ten for me! Who’s first?” I think it’s great. You have to have a little fun in life! Again, if you want topinka to win, vote for topinka. If you want a conservative to win, vote for Oberweis. It is really that simple. - Anonymous - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:21 pm: Just came back from a far downstate Lincoln Day dinner in Marion. Topinka, Oberwies and Brady were all present. Topinka returned to the spunky personality that has been missing in action the last few months (at least when I’ve seen her). It reminded the faithful that she if wins the primary she has what it takes to beat Rod. Oberweis’ delivery was just bad. I think it was the same speech from last fall. It was an introductory speech you make at the beginning of the campaign, not a speech with 72 hours to go. There was just stock political phrases thrown together to last five minutes. Previously, I had met Oberweis in person and he generally came off better than he does in the media. This time, the ice cream had melted. His best line of the night was his lame joke about how negative campaigning was hitting close to home, now that Baskin-Robbins was coming out with a Blagojevich sundae. The joke would have fallen flat if it had not been for the “Does it have nuts?” question shouted out by a local reporter for the Marion Daily Republican sitting up toward the front. Her line may have been on the best of the night. Just to shake everything up, the county chairman had Joe Birkett and Steve Rauschenberger go next. Joe gave a forceful delivery like a boxer constantly jabbing. He’s a fighter and he proved it. Still, the best speech of the night went to Rauschy, who was the first to point out that the real clock ticking down was the one until the polls closed, not the timer next to the podium. He spoke to the future and to the need to secure the middle class votes in order to win. I actually hadn’t settled on a Lt. Governor candidate. Tonight, Steve won my vote. BTW - It really helped that he wasn’t angry. He spoke at the Pre-World Trot Derby Dinner last September. He was a tad angry during the speech. On the way out he still was upset. That was my first up-close view of him. I wasn’t impressed. This milder and calmer Steve is a winner. Finally, Bill Brady spoke. I’d never seen him in person. He came off well. He’s the opposite delivery-wise compared with Topinka and yet still be able to deliver it well. Where she is hyper kinetic and crazy (she kissed 11th-term Marion Mayor Bob Butler on the top of his head), he spoke eloquently and forced the audience to actually listen. I think he scored with a lot of voters. Come Tuesday, Southern Illinois will split their votes. Many will support Judy because they like her personally. She may not be their first choice ideology-wise, but they feel she has the best shot at winning. But as I talked with folks tonight one thing emerged clear. Whoever wins Tuesday, the party down here will support 100 percent. - Rich Miller - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:24 pm: Anon 10:20, what if it wasn’t a joke? From the coverage, I don’t think it was. - Shadrock - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:31 pm: Can you go nuts drinking milk from mad cows? Is it any wonder that the party is in the condition it is with the brain trust we have in Obie and Roser (aka) The Cashew Cluster. - anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:37 pm: Rich, when has the press ever been anything but negative towards Oberweis? I’ve watched debates where Oberweis is the clear winner with many snippets the press could broadcast where oberweis schools the others, but they never air. The media is pro topinka, and HUGE anti Oberweis. The lib media does not like a true conservative who has a real shot at winning. The lib media continues to try to rail him…not really a suprise. The lib media will continue to portray topinka as the golden girl because she is liberal and could possibly win the primary. The press also recognizes Oberweis is a true conservative having a real shot at beating the lib topinka. It’s no suprise they try to turn his campaign into a joke as they want a lib from both parties to square off in November. Again, if you all like a conservative that has a shot at winning, the vote has to go to Oberweis. - Anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:49 pm: Anon 10:20 the crap Obie’s spreading isn’t funny. Questioning the integrity of all of the Brady supporters and other candidates for that matter does not make them very jovial. Of course if Obie was a credible candidate that would be a problem (conservative or otherweis) but he’s proven he’s a joke. I don’t usually get this harsh but I am tired of his foolishness. It makes the party look like it’s full of a bunch of amateurs. Brady is the only true conservative in this race. He doesn’t call people the Taliban, He knows one end of an assault weapon ban from the other and isn’t afraid to say he will sign the marriage amendment. - Rich Miller - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:49 pm: But what if he wasn’t joking? Considering that he offered to draw straws in December, I don’t think he was joking. - Darrell Democrat - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:50 pm: Rock paper bazooka…. that WAS the best post I’ve ever seen! Thanks for the info about EE… hope it does some good. - Anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 10:59 pm: Anon 10:37 - that has to be one of the most delusional, paranoid posts I’ve read in a while. You Oberweis staffers need to come up from the Fuhrerbunker once in a while to get some air and sunshine. The Trib is anti-Obie all right - because he falsely represented their product! Most normal people find Jim Oberweis, Jack Roeser, and all you people more than a little disquieting. Keep dreaming of when you can “take power.” Keep dreaming, because a dream is all it ever will be, as you will find out on Tuesday, when your boy doesn’t crack 25%. - Darrell Democrat - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 11:00 pm: I think Illinois Republicans first should try nominating an electable, unindictable candidate, then as time goes by try to work on ideology. If Obie goes this crazy now, what will he be like at Halloween if he wins the primary? Will he be challenging Blagojevich to a game of “HORSE” to determine the winner? How about the voters, don’t they count? - steve schnorf - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 11:35 pm: Man, it seems that far too many of you folks seem to think the goal of a campaign is to win in March. Important new info for you: it isn’t, and if you don’t understand that it isn’t, that explains some of the goofy remarks that get posted here. We need to win a November election. - Lovie's Leather - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 11:49 pm: Ahh… I have accepted the JBT nomination… and pray for it now to get the “morons” out of the media and back into their multi-million dollar mansions where they belong. - anon - Saturday, Mar 18, 06 @ 11:57 pm: anon 10:59 pm: I do not get where you are coming from. The trib as well as the sun is anti oberweis because Oberweis is the ONLY true conservative threat to the libs. Both these papers will swoon topinka, as she is not a true republican having endorsed democrats in the past. Why didn’t topinka (as illinois republican chair) back oberweis who came in second to ryan instead of choosing keyes from out of state? Say what you want, but right now the choice is clear. Brady and Gidwitz are not going to touch the two front runners, Oberweis and Topinka. Notta suprise there’s so much positive press for Brady right now…the press understands that a vote for conservative brady is really a vote for topinka. So we all have a choice. Think long and hard about what the media tells you. There’s a reason they don’t play Jim Oberweis clips from debates. There’s a reason they don’t focus on the fact that Topinka promises to show up at parades and debates then doesn’t. She’s the lib media golden girl. Jim Oberweis is the only true conservative that has a shot at winning. Again, it comes down to two front runners in the republican primary…Oberweis or topinka. Oberweis is conservative, Topinka is not. My vote goes to oberweis…It’s that simple. as the “republican” who marches in gay pride parades, or Oberweis who stands strong on Republican issues. - Six Degrees of Separation - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:07 am: Let’s just dispense with the primary and the general, and have a duel at 20 paces. - Six Degrees of Separation - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:11 am: Of course, Obie gets to bring his Gatling gun, while the others are allowed a Daisy rifle. - T.J. - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:24 am: “Let’s just dispense with the primary and the general, and have a duel at 20 paces.” At this point, that sounds great. - Sour Milk - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:40 am: Why don’t we just give Oberweis some straw from the floor of his cow barn and be done with him ? - Anon - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:46 am: 1. If indeed Topinka affirmatively chose not to offer the 2004 Senate nomination to Oberweis after Ryan flamed out, her judgment is looking better by the day!!! 2. Brady’s out of it, huh? Better peek over your shoulder. Or maybe just look sideways out the Oberweis bus window. . . while Brady passes Obie on Tuesday. 3. They did play Oberweis clips from debates. I’ve heard them on the radio. - Anon - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:52 am: Not to mention that Oberweis is a total hypocrite with his latest ad, according to the Tribune: “Oberweis has sought throughout the campaign to link Topinka to Ryan. But in 2004, while running in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, Oberweis has acknowledged that in 2004, while running in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, he twice met with Ryan to seek his support. Ryan went on to make calls encouraging support for Oberweis.” - Sour Milk - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:58 am: Exactly — and Oberweis’ Deputy Campaign Manager is Brad Roseberry, who was a longtime aid to George Ryan and has admitted to doing political work on state time. Um, isn’t the same thing Oberweis is trying to smear Judy with in his latest TV ad ? The hypocrisy is breathtaking. - Lovie's Leather - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:59 am: Wow, these Oberweis people have really lost it. Not just the staffers, but the regular voters who support him. It is sad really. The “everyone is against us” mentallity they carry must be quite a stress-load. Let me tell you from a Republican psuedo-conservative point-of-view, we don’t hate Oberweis because he is conservative. We hate Oberweis because of the way he conducts himself. I admit, we share quite a bit ideologically. But I can’t stand the man. I, in the face of an Obee governorship, would vote 3rd party. If you knew me, that would be a scary comment. I am a straight ticket Republican voter. Let me just say this, don’t vote for your candidate because you think they have the best chance to beat Blago, or because they have the money to run a campaign, or because you think they are the only conservative that can win the primary. Vote for your candidate because you believe in them. I believe in Ron Gidwitz. I also believe he has no chance in hell to win the nomination. But I am not gonna turn my back on Ron to vote for Judy just so Obee loses. And I hope that Brady voters don’t turn their back on him to vote for Obee so he can defeat Topinka. Vote for who you think can do the best job… (I have to throw this in for levity)… and then we can all rally around Judy once she wins. - DOWNSTATE - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 6:11 am: Are you sure that this so called milkman is not Blago in disguise trying to sink the Republican party.No republican trying to take the higest office in this state would act like him. - Levois - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:11 am: That Oberwise story is pathetic. I can’t take him seriously anymore. That is if it’s true. - Shadrock - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:17 am: Lovie’s Leather - well said. - Shadrock - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:18 am: Loui’s Leather - sorry, dislexic fingers. - northern illinois - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:41 am: it is sad to see obie acting this way. Vote for Brady, a class above obie. A Statesman, a Family Man, and a Businessman with the right thinking and experiene. - Anon - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:05 am: Brady is a conservative has already beat Obie (It hasn’t sunk in yet, but Obie knows it). I guess the question is when Obie will drop out to give Brady a clear shot at Judy? Bill has the horses and political skills to beat Judy and will beat Rod in November. - E ticket - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:46 am: Obie, when milk goes bad, it turns to cheese. And you stink. Brady would never get my vote due to his stance on putting creationism in our schools. To me, that points to a mindset I can’t get behind. He looks the part, but the longer you talk to him, the more plastic and fake he starts to look underneath. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the arguments that Judy ever “supported” Keyes. She was overruled by the boys club on that, and she never made any bones about it. Blame the Syverson faction for that craziness. While I have a sore spot about the hotel deals and Judy, I believe she has learned her lessons from that, and we will not see a repeat, unlike Blago. - notquitehip - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:52 am: Topinka is not a Republican and Oberweis is not the Republican we want to be. - PCJ - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 10:58 am: I was in several meetings with Alan Keyes and JBT. When they would leave the podium and pass in the halls they woudn’t even shake hands or speak to each other. They did not get along. But I do feel she wanted him on the ballot. Jack Ryan scared the hell out of the Rep. leadership. Much like Fitzgerald he would have been too poular with the public and challenged the deep rooted establishment. Because Fitzgerald would not take any more time away from his family he never reached the level of popular statewide Republican leader he could have in a second term. JBT and the gang did not want to risk the chance of Ryan or Obie or anyone else getting to popular with the voters. So here we are in 2006 with a party that has no clear leadership. Our past leadership is either under inditment ( G.Ryan, Daniels, and their staffs), and our current leadership is making fools of themselves by campaigning like kids on the playground. I have known JBT, Obie, and Brady for over 8 years and have watched them move and shake. I will be voting for Brady because I believe it is a vote for the future of our party. I don’t care if he can’t beat JBT in the primary. She won’t beat Blogo. in the fall, and then she’ll be in the same place Obie is now. I have heard Mr. Gidwitz has many more skeletons than Jack Ryan ever did and so do not see him being there in the fall. His ads are nice, but no clear track record or plans, and I have not seen him downstate. The thought of Brady and Rauchy. leading the state would be wonderful, but for now I would like to see them get enough votes to be in a position to lead the party. When the part gets leadership then we can start thinking about winning statewide elections, but not untill then. The real challenge for the Republican party begins after the primary when the races for the state central committee begin. There may be hope yet. - WHAT A JOKE - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 11:06 am: The “Pay To Play Polka Ad” Cracks me up. What a joke. - State worker AFSCME - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 11:33 am: Oberwise is Koo Koo for coco puffs! GO JUDY! - YNM - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:49 pm: anon 11:57 (how about getting a moniker so we can keep track of you?) are you serious? seriously, are you serious? “I do not get where you are coming from. The trib as well as the sun is anti oberweis because Oberweis is the ONLY true conservative threat to the libs. Both these papers will swoon topinka” really? so that’s why the trib endorsed gidwitz … yeah, ok … the same gidwitz that your “conservative” candidate said he would back if he had to pick one from the opponents … “as she is not a true republican having endorsed democrats in the past.” so, what is a “true” republican? is oberweis a true republican? hmmmm … not according to your own standards he’s not. “Why didn’t topinka (as illinois republican chair) back oberweis who came in second to ryan instead of choosing keyes from out of state?” why would she back oberweis? he’s made it clear, AGAIN, why no one who has a vision for this state should back him. “Say what you want, but right now the choice is clear.” the only statement you made that i agree with. “Brady and Gidwitz are not going to touch the two front runners, Oberweis and Topinka. Notta suprise there’s so much positive press for Brady right now…the press understands that a vote for conservative brady is really a vote for topinka.” of course, it’s a media scandal … gotta be some reason. funny thing is … obe and your followers claim brady can’t win because of lack of name recognition, then you go out and pull the crap you’ve pulled the past few days and guess what - brady gets some press. great campaign strategy. “So we all have a choice. Think long and hard about what the media tells you. There’s a reason they don’t play Jim Oberweis clips from debates.” I think we all heard the “yippee” quote. “There’s a reason they don’t focus on the fact that Topinka promises to show up at parades and debates then doesn’t. ” really, i thought she made it clear from the start she would not be at all the debates … “She’s the lib media golden girl. Jim Oberweis is the only true conservative that has a shot at winning.” umm, ok … the media might like her … lots of people appear to. but your contention about oberweis is wrong on both counts … he’s NOT the only true conservative, in fact his record (based on your standards) makes him not a true conservative at all. and, he’s not electable. again, his records shows that and his constant mis-steps make it ever more clear. who actually things he would have ANY chance in a general? “Again, it comes down to two front runners in the republican primary…Oberweis or topinka. Oberweis is conservative, Topinka is not.” if it’s a two-person race as you claim, and as jim has claimed over and over, why has he even bothered with brady? wonderful observation skills on distringuishing obe as cons. and judy as not … profound. “My vote goes to oberweis…It’s that simple.” congratulations. that says more about you than it does about anyone else, including the candidates. “as the “republican” who marches in gay pride parades, or Oberweis who stands strong on Republican issues.” huh? wha’ huh? - Mad Cou - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 12:50 pm: I’ll be shocked if Oberweis can break 23% on Tuesday. He’s just a scary dude. Oberweis is a conservative? Says who? Oberweis and his cronies saying it doesn’t make it so. I think that self-identified conservatives are swinging strongly to Brady, especially downstate. That’s who Oberweis’ “conservative” rhetoric is benefitting. Topinka will win the primary because Gidwitz, unfortunately, does not have the name recognition and therefore the perceived electability that she does. People who are thinking about November will vote for her, and people who are more concerned with internal Republican politics (moderate or “liberal” vs. conservative) will vote for Brady. Oberweis will get left in his own dust. - Sour Milk - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 2:31 pm: Leave it to a thread about the insanity of Oberweis to attract tin-foil-headed comments from PCJ about JACK ! Ryan. Please — JACK! was a freak who, like Oberweis, was self-absorbed and narcissistic. JACK! wouldn’t have done anything for anyone, because he just in it for himself. To compare JACK! to Peter Fitzgerald is disrespectful of Peter and his legacy. - Sour Milk - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 2:42 pm: And Mad Cou is right — how is Oberweis conservative ? He simply adopted a bunch of talking-points from FTN and then regurgitated them on the stump. In fact, it’s quite clear that Obeweis has no core belief system — remember his ‘02 Senate primary campaign, during which he was pro-choice and compared Catholics to the Taliban ? As Brady pointed out in the Thurs. debate, Oberweis has never worked in the trenches to advance conservative issues. He just struts around spewing invective and mau-mauing moderates and “insiders”, one of which he desperately wnats to be by getting elected to SOMETHING. Oberweis is so rudderless and pathetic, that he’ll say anything and adopt any position just to get attention and the support of people like FTN. A true conservative is someone who understands the issues, has a commitment to conservative principles, and works to achieve change. In this case, that’s Bill Brady. Oberweis is a “jimmy-come-lately” who talks the talk, but can’t walk the walk. He has truly earned the name “Milk Dud” - A.J. Pierzynski - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 4:13 pm: What’s the big deal? So obie wants to cheat, so what? all that matters is who wins at the end. and if you cheat and win, you’re heralded as world champions…and that’s what counts–even if some say there should be an asterisk next to your entry in the record books. - A Nannny Moose - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 5:22 pm: Well, if it comes down to fire-in-the-belly workers, the ONLY people I have seen working for a candidate are Brady’s. As a matter of a fact, today when I got out of church in Geneva, IL there was a Brady flyer under my windshield wiper. Brady may not win, but he has the only buzz going on in my church. - Central IL Stater - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 6:22 pm: Rich, About the piece. I don’t have a scanner and the other person I took the piece to didn’t know how work his scanner. If you want, email me your fax number and maybe I can fax it to you. My email is rotcwoman@yahoo.com. Thanks. - Central IL Stater - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 6:35 pm: A Nanny Moose: Thank you for those encouraging words. A LOT of people are out walking precincts (the reason I was tired and totally screwed up the post that SCS President responded), phone banking and doing rallies for Bill. In our neck of the woods people are asking for yard signs, literature and more info so interest is at high. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with the demand. Knowing that people are out working for a candidate is good to hear especially across the state. There are people coming up to me also saying they like Brady b/c he’s positive and not throwing mud like the other candidates. After the piece I received yesterday from Looserweis about “wasting my vote” if I vote for Bill Brady made me more determined to walk and write letters to the editor. IF ANYONE HAS RECEIVED THIS PIECE ALSO AND CAN SCAN IT AND SEND IT TO RICH THAT WOULD BE GREAT. Thanks all. On to Tuesday. I think a vacation is for Wednesday, lol. - ANON - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:02 pm: Not throwing mud?!?! He’s been attacking Oberweis for quite some time now. Just because he doesn’t have the backbone (err.. I mean money) to do a bunch of TV ads and sling mud there doesn’t mean he’s not a slingin’. If what you mean by “mud” is actually “truth” than Oberweis is definitely slinging. It’s about time candidates start slinging MORE TRUTH! - Bubs - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:46 pm: Oberweis wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him on the leg. Anytime he waivers, and feels a wave of decency coming over him, he has the Carpentersville Crazies on hand to wack him out again. - Give me a break - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:18 pm: What did you expect from a campaign manager with a chicken suit??? They need to spend some money quick to see that they are far behind. From: http://osborne.blogspot.com/2005_04_01_osborne_archive.html I got yer chicken suit right here! Want to see Wiegand in a chicken suit? (I know the Cross bloggers do) I’ve got your pic right here: When you google “Joe Wiegand” and “chicken suit” together, go to the first result and you’ll see an Illinois Leader piece that authenticates the picture. I so wish I had one of Joe’s lit pieces featuring the picture of him in the poultry regalia. You have to appreciate a guy who’s willing to embrace the chicken suit like that- politics aside. Actually, my interactions with Joe have been basically pleasant- but I recognized that working with him in a political context by and large wasn’t going to happen (not a whole lot of agreement there) so when I’ve been around him I tend to keep it light- I find most people are fairly pleasant when you strip away political stuff. posted by Rich @ Monday, April 25, 2005 0 comments - anon - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:38 pm: Folks !!!! the choice is crystal clear & it “ain’t ” OBY . If Obernuts gets elected Tuesday the GOP voters only have to blame themselves & get ready for another 4 years of “confinment” with Bladgo. Wake up everyone !! This guy is an absolute cerified with papers kook, his supporters aren’t far behind or can’t keep a rein on his antics…..straws for Gods sake !! Each of these organizations supporting these tactics or “either or” ultimatums should be taken to task & their political weight diminished. This self delusional grandure by OBY , EAGLE FORUM & NTN is making me & hopefully everyone sick. Imagine just for a moment this guy trying to run a state. The thought alone is un-bearable! Who in the hell does he think he is??? I just hope there’s enough voters out there to counter this guy !! These ad’s, the mis-leading statements, literature & all that goes with it. OBY GIVE IT UP MAN !!!! There was a post earlier about welcome to “Wacky-Town” well OBY is the self-appointed mayor. OBY-DONQUIXOTE or the “Man from La Looseo”. Go put a collander on your head tilt at some windmills & leave the election to serious people !!! PLEASE !!!!! - T.J. - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 8:44 pm: “I wouldn’t put too much stock in the arguments that Judy ever ‘supported’ Keyes. She was overruled by the boys club on that, and she never made any bones about it. Blame the Syverson faction for that craziness.” Amen! - Central IL Stater - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 9:33 pm: ANON - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 7:02 pm: Ya know, having a gazillion dollars isn’t prerequisite when you run for office. And just because he don’t have money doesn’t mean he don’t have backbone. To stand up in a ultra moderate to liberal state and say unabashedly that he’s strongly pro-life, pro-family and has kept the same stance for at least the 12 years in the legislature and probably before b/c I feel the man votes for his principles and what is right. Adlebrainweis votes what is best for his own self. As for Brady lashing out on Adlebrainweis, that’s crap. He had been very nice to his other republicans until he had to defend himself against the loonacy that has become the Oberweis campaign. You know all the insane things your candidate or your boy has done in the past few weeks. Bill has questioned the boy’s sanity due to his unprofessional behavior. And jabs. He hasn’t made TV Commercials slopping mud. NO, he’s made professional commercials stating what he will do as governor and how he will fight corruption. And he’s pretty darn cute in them too. I guess you’re too busy on the blogs trying to promote your candidate to have seen them. Tell Addlebrainweis to let you staffers out of your cage every once in a while to see the real world. Bill Brady is a class act and worthy of our vote. Bill has proven himself governor material. Oberweis has proven himself to be a certifiable nut! - Right Wing Republican - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 10:44 pm: Has anyone seen the weather forecast for Tuesday? It is an unmitigated disaster for Brady. If any of you believe in signs from God, this is definitely one of them. Zero to 3 inches of snow (if any) from Wisconsin to Peru, IL. 3-6 inches from Peru to Champaign, 6-12 inches from Champaign to Vandalia, and sleet and ice from Vandalia to Cairo. A BLIZZARD on Election Day in the heart of Brady territory. Also in an area where they usually very little snow and even less equipment to remove snow. Ask not for whom the bell tolls Bill - it tolls for thee. - Papa Legba - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 11:05 pm: Awww. Everybody shouldn’t be treating Obie as bad as they are. People such as Jim need to hear soothing tones and sounds. Its best not to upset their daily routines because they tend to become more agitated than usual. (think Cuckoo’s Nest, Rain Man) Since he will never have a serious chance to win any election, we don’t really want him to pack up his toys and storm home sniffling. Do we? He provides such a pleasant diversion with his crazy antics and his flat out nut job performances that if he went away, primary elections would be so very mundane. Please don’t chase away the whacked out goof, that will leave us with only one left - Blagojevich. - Sour Milk - Sunday, Mar 19, 06 @ 11:14 pm: T.J. — you’re exactly right ! Judy may have dropped the ball on some things, but she fought tooth-and-nail against that Keyes fiasco. But remember, it wasn’t just Dave Syverson — Steve Rauschenberger got a lot of the “credit” back then for helping make Keyes a reality. Now, of course, Rauschy is blaming Topinka. How pathetic. Rauschy is the one who sold out to Gidwitz, so he could control some money and make sure his brother got on a campaign payroll. It’s shocking that more newspapers and other informed people don’t see through the phoniness and hypocrisy. Look up “sell-out” in the dictionary, and chances are, you’ll see a picture of Rauschy. I can’t vote for Birkett fast enough. As for Brady — good for him. He’s been a true conservative advocate without pandering like his Senate colleagues Syverson and Rauschenberger, who promoted Keyes back in ‘04 only to suck up to so-called “conservative activists” for an ‘06 race. Talk about compromised — they’re almost as transparent as Oberweis. - T.J. - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 2:56 am: “Now, of course, Rauschy is blaming Topinka. How pathetic.” Did he honestly blame her for that? I had not heard that, but if so, it would be world-class chutzpah. - Rick - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 6:58 am: TJ, he has many times, notably before the Trib editorial board, and Joe Birkett called him on it right there. It made some headlines. Yes indeed, a pathetic loser. - No Peotone Airport - Monday, Mar 20, 06 @ 10:19 am: Memo to Mr. Oberweis RE: straws and God revisited “If God wanted you to be the nominee, it wouldn’t matter how many primary opponents you have.” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.