Topinka interview posted
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller The Southern Illinoisan has posted its Q&A from a recent interview with Judy Baar Topinka. It ends this way: SI: If Illinois residents asked collectively, ‘why should I vote for Judy Barr Topinka?’ How would you respond? She really needs some better lines.
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Um, Stu?
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Alleged Republican attorney general candidate Stu Umholtz has filed his campaign finance report for the first six months of 2006. Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $3,517.71 I’m kinda speechless. State Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) raised a third more than that during the same time period. I really think it’s time to put Stu’s photo on a milk carton. Can any PhotoShop pros out there lend a hand?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - “Push poll” claim in House race (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Smith; Targets News Feed (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller As I write this in the early morning hours, my weekly newspaper column is not yet posted, but you can find it here soon. Rod Blagojevich and Judy Baar Topinka don’t agree on much, but their campaigns concurred last week that Gov. Blagojevich is leading in the polls. Rasmussen, you’ll recall, has the race at 45-34, about right in the middle of where both candidates’ polls show. Meanwhile, SurveyUSA’s latest monthly tracker has the governor’s job approval about the same as last month. 44 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove. QUESTION: Can Topinka still pull this out? Can the governor keep her numbers down enough even when she starts running her own TV ads? Or will only some seriously high-level indictments stop him now? UPDATE: Hardcore national Democratic blogger Kos throws in his two cents: Blago’s administration is corrupt, he’s got a terrible relationship with the Democratic legislature, and people don’t like him. There is one semi-popular Republican in the state, Judy Baar Topinka, yet she’ll have a hard time overcoming her state’s heavy Blue leanings. Voters seem willing to keep her as state treasurer. As governor? Skepticism abounds
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Can’t anyone over there tell the truth?
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Let’s see... First, they said they had a totally blind hiring system. Then, when we found out they didn’t, they blamed George Ryan. Then they said they fixed it. Then when that turned out not to be true, they said they fixed everything by the end of 2003. Turns out, that wasn’t true, either. Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office was approving candidates by name for state jobs as late as autumn 2004, nearly 18 months after aides said a “blind” hiring system was created, documents show. And then there’s this. Nearly all the forms were sent to Lon Monk, Blagojevich’s chief of staff who now runs his re-election campaign, whose initials appear on most forms. Most were created by Joe Cini, the man in Blagojevich’s office in charge of hiring for the few thousand jobs the governor does control.
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React
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller The governor’s move to skim $5 million from the budget and use it for stem cell research didn’t exactly go over well with the editorial writers at the Belleville News-Democrat. Is Rod Blagojevich running for re- election as governor of Illinois, or as dictator? His heavy- handedness last week makes us think dictator. That’s gotta be the harshest editorial lede I’ve ever seen about this governor. Doug Finke at the SJ-R was much more mild. It’s not whether you think Blagojevich did the right thing in providing money for stem cell research. The issue is credibility: saying there is no money in the budget for stem cell research and then padding a state agency budget so there will be money for it. Bernie Schoenburg let Rep. Gary Hannig, the House Dems’ budgeteer, do the talking. “You hate to have that kind of distrust exist between the executive branch and the legislative branch,” Hannig said. “Do we have to call a lawyer every time we talk to each other and put everything on a piece of paper? You would hope that when you talk to people that they would … either agree or disagree with you, but that they would at least be honest.” And John Patterson spares little. In his first term in office, Blagojevich has been branded a liar — which the governor chalked up to a simple misunderstanding — compared to a used car salesman and been forced to put financial promises in writing, all by his fellow Democrats.
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Heartbreaker
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Usually when we see stories about the state’s huge Medicaid payment backlog, they’re written like this one. The state’s problem reimbursing hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes is causing concern in the medical community. But Jim Muir gives us a different kind of Medicaid story. The decision by Illinois lawmakers to forgo paying billions of dollars in Medicaid payments has turned into a harsh reality for a Marion couple, who this week were denied medical care for their daughter because of those unpaid bills. Go read the whole thing. Shame on this state.
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Morning shorts
Monday, Jul 24, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller · McQueary on Topinka: It’s substance that is missing. Fire in the belly. Organization. Message. · Analysis: Illinois has worst fiscal health in nation · Leasing highways is gaining traction around nation · “In this city that once winked at Prohibition, members of the city council are cracking down on behaviors they deem unhealthy, dangerous or just plain annoying. They’ve taken aim at everything from noisy street musicians to captive elephants to fatty foods like fried chicken and french fries.” · Aldermen give us a chance to pity Wal-Mart · Women’s Health Initiative Grants Get Nearly $400K · Residents continue mopping up · Yet another horse put down at Arlington Park · Call to limit cases amuses public defenders · Candidates zooming in on veterans · Fair’s demolition derby not just for men
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