Guv strays off script, but runs powerful TV ad *** Updated x3 ***
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller [Updated twice and bumped up.] The governor finally came out of seclusion today and I’m told the results weren’t pretty. At one point, he reportedly said the check to his daughter (he was apparently confused as to which daughter) was a christening gift, which runs counter to the party line that it was a birthday gift. He also said he told Lon Monk, his former chief of staff, to get Beverly Ascaridis a job. Hopefully, we’ll have video soon. In the meantime, check out the new TV ad from the Blagojevich campaign. It is not good for JBT at all. Ouch. A whole lot more people will see that TV ad than the coverage of the guv’s public stumble, unless JBT puts that in an ad. *** UPDATE *** AP: …Blagojevich also said he suggested to his chief of staff to see if he could find something that fit her qualifications. I can’t help but wonder if the story about the check has now changed because the fifteenhunnert was never deposited into a college fund. The daughter, by the way, was born in April. The check was supposedly handed over in August. *** UPDATE 2 *** ABC7: In a 15-minute exchange, an agitated governor said he couldn’t be expected to recreate a 40-year relationship, that the gift check issue is ridiculous and there’s nothing to it. […] The ABC7 video of the story is now up. *** UPDATE 3 *** CBS2: “The year of this birthday gift, or christening gift, or whatever it was, was the year our baby Annie was born,†Blagojevich said. “And it was probably the time when Annie was christened down in Springfield and my best friend and his family were at the christening. My guess is that the gift was in a card.â€
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Lots of “worsties” and one “best of”
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Gov. Blagojevich and his administration have “won” four of the Illinois Press Assocation’s ten “Freedom of Information Worsty” awards. From a press release: The Illinois Press Association today identified the worst offenders in the state when it comes to the Illinois Open Meetings Act and the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. […] For whatever reason, the worst of the worst didn’t make the cut: The governor’s refusal to release any info regarding subpoenas of his office and his agencies. All of the awards can be accessed here (.doc file) And speaking of awards, thanks much to the Illinois Times and a special thanks to anyone who voted for this blog. That was very nice of you. Also, congrats to the other winners.
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This just in… feds in the hizzouse *** Updated x1 ***
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller The Tribune fills us in. FBI investigators executed a search warrant around 9 a.m. today at the offices of the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources, an FBI spokeswoman said. *** UPDATE *** The Sun-Times has more. FBI agents descended on Cook County government offices this morning, serving subpoenas in an investigation that apparently centers on county hiring practice […]
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Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Come up with a TV ad for both Topinka and Blagojevich.
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SurveyUSA: 45-39-7 *** Updated x1 ***
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller SurveyUSA has a new poll out which has Governor Rod Blagojevich leading by just six points over Judy Baar Topinka. That’s 5 points closer than she was in the last SurveyUSA poll two months ago, which is movement just outside the margin of error (± 4.3%). Apparently, the doggie ad did the trick. In an election for Governor of Illinois today, 9/20/06, Democrat incumbent Rod Blagojevich edges Republican challenger Judy Baar Topinka, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for KSDK-TV St. Louis. 7 weeks to the 9/20/06 election, it’s Blagojevich 45%, Topinka 39%, Green Party candidate Rich Whitney 7%. Topinka leads by 12 points among men. *** UPDATE *** Check out the crosstabs and you’ll see something interesting. SurveyUSA has Blagojevich ahead of Topinka in Chicago and Cook County combined 54.6 to 30.5. The poll taken for the Sun-Times had Blagojevich ahead of Topinka statewide 56-26. In Chicago only, SurveyUSA has Blagojevich up 59-23. I’m not claiming fraud, but a closer look by the Sun-Times may be warranted. Hypothetically, a city-only poll would explain Tony Peraica’s miserable showing against Todd Stroger in the CS-T results. Peraica’s campaign has complained that the CS-T’s city/county results showed a 4-1 Dem to Repub ID, when it’s more like 3-1. According to Peraica’s campaign, it’s 4-1 Dem to Repub in the city.
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Good cop, bad cop
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Peter Roskam airs the first positive TV ad of the season in the 6th District race. But it’s only running on cable. The 45-year-old state senator’s first TV ad, which debuts Thursday on Comcast cable, features testimonials and teasing from his four children. Meanwhile the DC Repubs are running negative ads against Duckworth. “What is she thinking?” the narrator asks in cable TV spots Washington Republicans are running against Democrat Tammy Duckworth in the west suburban 6th Congressional District race. […]
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Come out, come out, wherever you are… *** Updated x1 ***
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC7: Stop hiding and answer questions. That’s the message Republican candidate for governor Judy Baar Topinka had for Governor Rod Blagojevich Wednesday after recent questions and controversies surfaced surrounding both the governor’s campaign and his administration. […] Yeah, as soon as the heat dies down he’ll pop up again. But with the Tribune and the Sun-Times rolling out negative stories like cookies out of the Keebler elves’ magic tree, it may be a while before it’s safe to appear anywhere. * CBS2:
*** UPDATE *** For whatever reason, my e-mail program tagged the guv’s press release as spam when it came in at 10:30. But it looks like the guv is coming out of hiding. He will reportedly take questions at the first event at 12:30. CHICAGO – Addressing dozens of community, not-for-profit, and business leaders at the Chicago Foundation for Women’s 21st Annual Luncheon and Symposium, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich will announce more than $20 million in grants to support prevention efforts and services for victims of domestic and sexual crimes throughout Illinois. The Governor will highlight a $1 million grant to the Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) that will help launch a comprehensive Anti-Violence Initiative to fight against human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, the sex trade, street harassment and other forms of gender based violence.
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Stufflebeam has new running mate
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller Randy White, a member of the Hancock County Board and a retired local minister, is running as a write-in for lieutenant governor with Randy Stufflebeam. Stufflebeam failed to gather enough signatures to make it onto the ballot with the Constitution Party, despite a late assist from Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign (the guv later ordered a halt to the petition drive). The Hancock County Journal-Pilot fills us in. “As a Christian, I had no other choice. Blagojevich and Topinka represent less than honest politics. They do not represent a pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-family platform.†[…]
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The kitchen sink
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller I was hoping to do a story on this topic tomorrow. Bernie beat me to it. State Rep. MIKE BOST, R-Murphysboro, thought it very odd when he recently got a postcard from the state with a nice note from Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH. The governor is not violating the law, but he is blatantly using taxpayer money for his re-election campaign. This and other examples like it are far worse than any previous governor has ever done. The General Assembly stopped itself from doing campaign-season mailers, they ought to step in next spring and prohibit the governor and other executives from doing the same thing.
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Morning shorts
Thursday, Sep 21, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller * “Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, would not say whether he favors a plan to block ComEd and Ameren from implementing a rate hike that will boost residential electric bills from 22 percent to 56 percent. Rather, a spokeswoman said the powerful Senate chief wants to let the Illinois Commerce Commission work on the issue. The ICC is charged with regulating utility companies.” * Quinn’s tea bag protest could harm mail delivery * Vacant seat on Cook County board turns into controversy * State prisons could face smoke ban * “With the Illinois gubernatorial race entering the final stretch, advertisements on behalf of both candidates have become increasingly combative” * Dan Seals and Phil Hare are given higher priority by Dems. * Zinga brings up Gov. Blagojevich in speech * Durbin talks up Illinois before Amtrak president * The mayoral race kicks into a higher gear: “Olympic-size surprise for South Side” * Michael Cooke returning as editor of Sun-Times * Illinois giving laptops to more than 1,750 students * “A Democratic candidate for a DuPage County Board seat in the east-central part of the county has an unusual backer in her race: the Republican who currently holds that office.”
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