37 Comments - The Picolo Player is a... - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:23 am: Hey Rich… Seen www.truthabouttony.com? I know its off topic, but check it out. - Phocion - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:26 am: The poor little rich boy deserves to be scrutinized. He’s going to have to learn that using family money to buy Obama doesn’t give you a free pass in life - and definitely not in public life. I’d like to hear Obama explain this, too. - Skarfeld - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:27 am: MJM is simply worried about Lisa facing future competition. That’s well known in S’field and amongst the anointed. - Leroy - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:32 am: So Alexi has to kowtow to the man, huh? Again…a candidate haunted by ‘allegations’…If he is crooked, the Feds would be all over him. HE IS RUNNING A BANK. Bigger fish than MJM are watching Alexi. If he is doing illegal things, why aren’t the Feds swooping down on him? MJM is trying to assert his power over party candidates. Let’s see if Alexi has to bite. - Ray Coleman - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:43 am: Speaker Madigan is setting a double standard. He is co-chair of Blagojevich’s campaign. What does he have to say publicly about the guy his daughter has to stay away from because of serious allegations being investigated by the Feds? Blago’s mess is happening now. The Alexi deal is from the families bank. Alexi has answered these questions time and time again. What is really up with Madigan? - fedup dem - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 8:54 am: Mike Madigan’s antics continue to demonstrate his unfitness to serve as leader of the state Democratic Party. The problem was that Madigan tried to ram a woefully inept candidate for State Treasurer in the Primary, one who did so poorly that a still wet-behind-the-ears hopeful like Giannoulias could win the primary. If Democratic Party leaders in this state had any political courage they would have dumped Madigan years ago. - Pat Hickey - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:14 am: ‘Get your hat, Kid, you’re going Downtown!’ - Cassandra - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:21 am: I hope Christine Radogno benefits from this. She really is a good candidate and would perform very well as Treasurer. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have Alexi’s money….. ill-gotten or not. I suppose that Madigan could believe that Alexi, young, rich, and cute, could be a real threat to Lisa in 2010 (always assuming, and I keep saying this, that Blago decides to spare us his third term). It’s also possible that he is concerned that Alexi’s bank’s alleged loans to the mob will add to the woes of the Dem party in 2010, especially if the state’s financial pictures worsens and Blago and/or close associates are indicted… thus bringing about another Republican decade or so in the governorship. Even a blue state might have second thoughts about the Dems if contemplating a mob-linked Treasurer plus various indicted state officials. - bored now - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:37 am: while they’re at it, i’d like the same details about madigan. way i hear it, every corner in chicago has some tie to gangsters (al capone slept here, capone ate here, etc). has madigan ever accepted money from mobsters? enacted any legislation that benefitted mobsters? has he ever met with mobsters? does he have any mobsters in his district/ward/caucus/party? has he ever elected someone with ties to mobsters? this could be fun… - blue dog - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:37 am: Madigan has his shorts in a bunch because HIS handpicked primary candidate was smoked by Alexi. Also the fact that Obama has exploded on the scene and is a powerful supporter of Alexi makes MJM furious because he isn’t the ” kingmaker” like he once was. The Dems of Illinois need to dump MJM and look for a leader who connects to the people! - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:44 am: I trust Madigan more than Giannoulais. Madigan has been in office a long time. He has been elected many times. He has survived this long. He is interested in the future, not getting past November. He takes a long view, not sound bites for the evening news. I had hoped the Democratic Party in Illinois saw the opportunity to get into office in 2002 as a long-term hitch. They would grow Blagojevich in office and give him the professionals he would need to do a great job. I believed this because I saw Democrats like White, Quinn and Madigan, and knew their track records. I had hope. But Blagojevich isn’t one of these guys. Neither is his staff. Neither is Giannoulais. These guys wrecked the Democrat’s chance to demonstrate adult governance. Blagojevich never grew up. His staff was discovered to be a bunch of arrogant jerks, and incompetent ones at that! The hope that the shepherds would guide the new flock of office holders in the right directions didn’t happen. For whatever reason, Blagojevich wasn’t listening to the adults, and his attitude trickled down to his staff. No respect for anyone. If you want me; buy my time. Madigan is right, and Blagojevich, Giannoulais and Obama are wrong. Government is a long term commitment and requires adults with long range vision. Blagojevich, Giannoulais and Obama see their duties in Illinois as step stones to greater personal glory, and are not focused on anything requiring more than a one term payoff. What we have seen since 2002, is that the Democrat we elected to office wasn’t prepared, wasn’t interested in his job, and wasn’t interested in anyone but himself. What we have discovered is that this kind of person as a governor is not the kind of governor to have. Fortunately, his term is up and we have a chance to fix it. Blagojevich should not be rewarded with another term. We have to show him that we hold governors accountable. It probably makes MJM, White, Hynes and Quinn sick to see how their moment to shine in office was ruined so badly by shyster amateurs like Blagojevich and Giannoulais. - John Galt - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:56 am: What exactly does MJM hope to accomplish? MJM: Alexi, do you have mob ties? Alexi: No. If MJM suspects (or better yet, has evidence of wrongdoing) he should go to the proper legal controlling authorities. Anything else is playing politics. Who appointed MJM guardian of Illinois ethics? - Roomie - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 9:58 am: This is shameful. As party leader, Madigan should support the ticket. I dont care what he does as speaker of the house. We all know these allegations are b.s and based upon sour grapes because Alexi beat Madigans guy. Madigan is making a mistake and only hurting Lisa’s chances in 2010. I dont know that she has that great of shot anyway… - Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 10:01 am: Rich, maybe you can use your anonymous tip function to make a list of Illinois pols that are as closely tied to organized crime as Giannoulias. Is Madigan going to stop supporting Daley because of his ties to the Duffs? I respect Madigan, but his outrage seems selective. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 10:43 am: Hypocrisy and selective application of standards - neither are very becoming. - Juice - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 10:48 am: Madigan is clearly freaking out about how Alexi will impact his daughters chances of running in 2010, however, I think that he is taking his eye off of the ball. When Lisa decides to run, her greatest negative will be that she refused to investigate her father while she was AG. The Speaker made many people unhappy when he was pushing Lisa into the AG’s office. I wouldnt want to be around when the dimes get dropped on his campaign practices, which may be currently under federal investigation. She better figure this one out, because the republicans will taste blood in the water when she decides to run for the big office. They will tatoo her with her father’s unethical behavior. - Fed Up Dem II - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 10:54 am: Fed Up Dem I is right. Madigan has proven himself adroit at local legislative races, but a disaster in picking statewide candidates. He’s politically tone deaf outside of the micro-level. Essentially, what we have in Madigan is a candidate for Sore Loser of the Year. - Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 11:27 am: How amusing to see so many Democrats dodge the issue: what is the relationship between the Giannoulias family and the three “mobsters”? One of those criminals had a tie-in to Abramoff/De Lay, and the Democrats were not shy about hanging that on DeLay and Company…why should Giannoulias get a pass on a demonstrably closer relationship? Also intriguing is the Madigan comment that “mob” ties were political “death” to anyone in his experience, which would necessarily be Chicago area politics. One could name dozens of successful Chicago politicians who had a history with organized crime; some were Democratic seat-mates of Madigan’s. It’s in a dozen books. Start with “Captive City” by Ovid Demaris, end with the book reviewed last week by the Chicago Sunday Tribune Book section, which described current Chicago bigwigs whose families had Outfit ties. That’s why Chicago’s politicians fall silent about, and seek to bury, Chicago’s organized crime history. - Fouts - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 11:48 am: Alexi to Madigan: “You want answers?” Madigan to Alexi: “I want the truth” Alexi to Madigan: “You can’t handle the truth.” Madigan to Alexi: “Did you order a Code Red?” - (618) Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 12:14 pm: Madigan is not hurting anyone but himself with his kooky comments. I have not talked to one Democrat who can figure out where this guy is coming from. He has attacked almost every Democrat who has ever came down the pike at one time or another. - Pat Hickey - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 12:44 pm: Don’t kid yourself. Mike Madigan is up long before the birds get a peep in. - jim - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 1:37 pm: I would be willing to bet that Radogno’s husband’s law firm has defended someone with alleged mob ties. Does that mean she is tied to the mob? This is ridiculous. Madigan is an embarrasment to Democrats and to democracy and should step down. If he is such a great leader why is the state’s budget such a mess? Because the favors he gives out to keep control are too costly. I think he fears a “non-pawn” in the Treasurers office. - Garp - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 1:46 pm: Madigan is a boss and Alexi needs to be respectful or he will suffer cosequences. Having said that, for the boss to throw a dem under the bus of mob ties is quite surprising. If Madigan is so concerned about mob ties, he might want to start looking at some of his state reps that regulary get his support. A veritable who’s who of Chi town wise guys. - Little Egypt - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 1:50 pm: VanillaMan - AMEN, AMEN, AMEN and AMEN!!! You have said it better than anyone I have read to date. Keep going for the jugular. - Pat Hickey - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 1:53 pm: VanillaMan! Did he not though. VM wrote a primer for efective politics. - Fed Up Dem II - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 2:04 pm: Vanilla Man is right except for counting Mike Madigan among the “grown ups with vision.” No one ever accused Mike Madigan of having vision, just an effective pursuit of self-interest. - values matter - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 2:06 pm: Vanilla Man makes some excellent points about the lack of maturity in our governor and others who go for the quick media moment instead of long-term governing as Mike Madigan has done. - Angie - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 2:14 pm: So Obama the charismatic political rock star helped promote someone wet-behind the ears? But take a look at Obama’s ties to the United Church of Christ and some of the issues surrounding some of the entities that they are involved with. UCC members sit on the board of Advocate Healthcare, a hospital system that has been blaming the union corporate campaign for the criticism over treatment of the uninsured (truth is that their woes go well beyond the unions, as Advocate was one of only 10 systems in the entire nation to be called out on the carpet in Washington to do some explaining to Senator Chuck Grassley about the way they handle billing, collections, and charity care issues). So Obama has close ties, through the same church, to a hospital system that is under massive scrutiny by the Senate Finance Committee and the IRS, and now on top of it, he’s backing a fellow whose family bank has allegedly loaned money to alleged mobsters? No wonder Illinois can never elect pols who are on the straight and narrow! The whole political pool that some of them are drawn from seems tainted and corrupt. This whole state needs an overhaul. Big time. - DOWNSTATE - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 2:21 pm: Madigan is sweating.he has this guy on one side and blago on the other and he can’t figure out how to do that much damage control if both screw up at the same time.Nothing like watching a guy twirl in the wind. - MIDSTATE - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 3:41 pm: When will Madigan ask the Gov. this same question? “I want some answers,” Madigan said. “The allegations are there.” - Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 4:21 pm: The fact is, he is not after Blago because he is a sitting gov and Madigan will need him if he is reelected. Alexi on the other hand is expendable. He is not currently an office holder, is running for an office that has little effect on Madigan, he appears to have mob connections, and finally he beat Madigan’s candidate, preventing any downstate dem from being on the state-wide ballot. In the grand scheme of things, what Madigan does here actually means very little…. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 4:49 pm: Always nice to see the Blago sock puppets dis the Speaker. - cermak_rd - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 4:51 pm: Angie, So all those who attend the same Church as others who may do wrong are tainted? Seems a stretch. But if you want to hate religious folks I won’t interfere. - (618) Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 5:44 pm: Always nice to see Arthur say somthing totally meaningless. - Huckleberry - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 6:00 pm: VanillaMan - The only significant difference beteween Madigan and the others is his talent in preserving his political power. He has repeatedly actes in a manner consistent with that, and only that. His “vision” is is the preservation of his power, and that’s it. - roman girl - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 7:54 pm: I don’t like the word mob I prefer the old country term Cosa Nostra. Alexi could remain enigmatic about the subject and the voters will “fuggetabouttit” or it could lead to voters become more fascinated with him. No new Soprano episodes for awhile,right? - Sage Observer - Wednesday, Sep 27, 06 @ 10:00 pm: Here’s a QOTD based on my fascination with intraparty GOTV: Which statewide Democratic candidate will draw the most votes in the 13th Ward? How much worse will Giannoulias do than Dart? The results from 2002 will surprise you. Hynes 14239 White 13661 Lisa 12370 Blago 12067 Dart 11419 Topinka 4749 Jim Ryan 4280 Birkett 4054 Cohn 2586 Ramsdell 1590 Bonus rounds, for the real insights into 2007: How much will Lisa increase her 303 vote margin over the Governor? Will Topinka get more at the top of the ticket than she did as treasurer? Dart finished last among Ds in 13 — how will Alexi’s total differ from Dart’s 11419? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.