|
Question of the day
Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Which prominent Illinoisan would you most like to have dinner with? Why? It doesn’t have to be a person you like. Perhaps you’d like to pick the brain of someone you don’t particularly care for. Also, what questions would you ask?
|
 |
|
|
- A Citizen - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:04 am:
Mike Madagin.
Q. - Mr. Speaker tell me everything you know about Illinois Politics.
- cermak_rd - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:19 am:
A Citizen,
Unfortunately, Madigan would probably just smile that Cheshire grin of his, lean back, and say nothing.
I guess I’d like to have lunch with Blagojevich. I’d like to ask him what he’s thinking, what his priorities are, if he thinks he can actually out-maneuvre the speaker, and if he thinks the Cubs can win it all. Plus, I’ve got some hair care issues he may be able to help with.
- Tom - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:19 am:
Blago?
“Mr. Governor, tell me everything about Illinois politics that you don’t know.”
That conversation would last for hours.
- pickles!! - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:27 am:
Da Coach Mike Ditka. I bet he’s got a lot of interesting things to say about politics, football, the restaurant biz, and golf.
- Siyotanka - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:27 am:
Either Dick Durbin or Sen. Larry Bomke
- Siyotanka - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:28 am:
To Mr. Durbin…??
Why are our Veteran’s having such difficulty in getting the proper Health Care from the VA…??
- Little Egypt - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:30 am:
Oprah Winfrey and ask her if I can have two tickets to her “My Favorites” show for my daughters-in-law. Yep, I’m shallow. Who wants to talk politics when you can hit up the top woman for a bag full of goodies worth thousands. Oh, and I’d ask for a couple of tickets to her Obama fundraiser in CA for me and the spouse.
- Up His Medications - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:31 am:
Governor Blagojevich
What to see if he’s as big a liar as he’s seems on television.
- smarty pants - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:31 am:
Jerry Clarke. He buys the beer.
- Patriot - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:49 am:
Blago:
Why are you stonewalling the passage of “Jessica’s Law” in Illinois. Why do you not care about protecting our children from sexual predators?
- anon2 - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:53 am:
mike mills, 17th st.
Q: you’re paying for this, right?
in fact, I will pose this question when I see him at the upcoming fair. alas, I will pay, and happily.
- Redbright - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:54 am:
John Stroger Senior - If for no other reason than to force his caregivers to produce evidence he is still among the living.
And if he is, he would wonderful stories to tell. He was (is?) an entertaining fellow.
- Justice - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 10:54 am:
Lisa Madigan. Would ask her why she appointed an Inspector General who kept their findings secret and any action taken secret. Also would like to see a record of the complaints filed, action taken, and resolution. Can that be made available to the public?
- Mark Cuban - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:01 am:
Ronald Edward Santo: I would ask him what its like being THE MAN. I would go on to inform him that he is to blame for the current budget impasse and exhort him to quit being a George Bush Republican.
- Independent - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:07 am:
Would this person be required to be completely honest and candid? If so it’s a tossup between Daley and Rod. Without this requirement I’d go with Rauschenberger as I’ve always admired him.
- Hazardman - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:08 am:
Studs Terkel, he could give insight into our current Illinois political issues, and life in general.
- Chuck Sweeny - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:15 am:
Gretchen Wilson.
Question? Where the hell is Pocohontas? The only town with that name I know of is in Arkansas.
- Bue - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:17 am:
Blago. Just to see if he orders something outrageous that is not on the menu and then lash out at the chefs if they can’t do it his way.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:21 am:
Only one name I can think of…Rich Miller!
- No nickname - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 11:47 am:
Who is Larry Bomke? Did he write that himself?
I’d go with George Dunne - before he passed away. I bet he had great stories!
- Ronald Krol - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:02 pm:
1st Ward Republican Committeeman Jonathan David Blessing
- Bill Baar - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:24 pm:
Is Fitzgerald an Illinoisan?
- ZC - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:37 pm:
An off-the-record dinner with Dick Mell would be entertaining. Probably half of it would be true, but all of it would be interesting and colorful. I’d ask him about his recollections of Harold Washington, about Vrdolyak, his thoughts on Daley today … and oh yes, his impressions of a certain hirsute governor.
- Little Egypt - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 12:51 pm:
ZC, you sent me scrambling for my Webster’s with your post, and it is most appropriate.
- Anon - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:36 pm:
Ted Brunsvold, the rainmaker lobbyis
I would like to know his thoughts on his future…
- amy - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:46 pm:
Fitzgerald. “What is your favorite move
in a scrum?”
- Harry Potter - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:48 pm:
Jeremiah Joyce or Tim Degnan. I would like to know if they truly do run the city like John Kass always writes.
Dick Mell would also be a great dinner companion, good call ZC.
- Fire Ron Guenther - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:55 pm:
Michael Sneed-”Are you aware Perry Como is dead?”
- 312 - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 1:59 pm:
Oscar D’Angelo. Of course the dinner would have to be on Taylor Street, preferably Rosebud.
Q: Tell me about the ‘good old days…’
Dead people would be a toss-up between Mike Royko and Daley the elder.
- A. Potter - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:11 pm:
Dawn Clark Netsch, to talk about whether the seemingly inevitable constitutional convention will be able to achieve school funding reform, what she thinks the end game is for Madigan and Blagojevich, and whether there’s any outcome possible that looks good for Illinoisans.
- Esteban - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:27 pm:
Former Senator John D’Arco…….would he
check to see if I wearing a wire?
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:38 pm:
Bill Murray or Bob Newhart.
Bill Murray because he would be an incredible resource regarding theatre, Chicago, movies, Saturday Night Live stories and golf.
Bob Newhart because he is one of the funniest stand-ups ever, and one of the greatest TV straight men ever. Besides, he would probably bring along Don Rickles.
Right now the politicians in this state don’t deserve to be fed. How could anyone eat around these idiot blowhards? They would just give you gas, then tax you on it.
- Wumpus - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 2:51 pm:
Terry Boers or Oprah. If it were Oprah, i’d sneak off into a corner and never leave.
- Larry - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:04 pm:
Duke’s Coach K.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:15 pm:
Bob, you’re banned. I’m sick of deleting your posts. Goodbye.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:25 pm:
Rich,
I don’t know what Bob wrote, but I appreciate the fact that you keep control of this website. There are a number of blogs I don’t bother with because you have to wade through too much nonsense to get to anything with substance.
- Highland Online - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 3:31 pm:
Senator Obama to see if he is the real deal. I want to believe.
Chuck Sweeney - Pocahontos is down here by Highland in the Metro East. We all call it Pokie around these parts.
- Josh Curren - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:00 pm:
I did not know that there were any prominent Illinoisan!
- Nisok - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:03 pm:
Sen. Don Harmon. I want see if he eats out of both sides of his mouth as well as he speaks.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:15 pm:
I have to say Dawn Clark Netsch. I would ask her for the inside stories from all her years in politics. I would also want to talk to her about her husband’s career. Obama is a close second.
If he counts, Hugh Hefner would be a fun one, but I won’t put in writing what I would ask him.
- Levois - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:29 pm:
I had lunch with him once. Him being Chris Gardner. Yup the one from Pursuit of Happyness.
- Values Matter - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:29 pm:
Former US Senator Adlai Stevenson. I’d ask him how Illinois would have been different had he won either in 1982 or 1986.
- Joliet Jake - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 4:53 pm:
Slim Jim Edgar. I would ask him his opinions on the current situation and how he feels the situation should best be resolved.
- Bill Baar - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 6:24 pm:
No one’s said Tony Rezko? Ed Vrdolyak?
- Disgusted - Friday, Jul 20, 07 @ 6:25 pm:
The governor. I’d take him to a nice restaurant, ply him with liquor and then get the truth out of him.
- Rockford Rant - Saturday, Jul 21, 07 @ 2:22 am:
Speaker Mike Madigan and former Dean of the House E.J. “Zeke” Giorgi and last but not least, Abraham Lincoln.
I would ask the Speaker to regale me with stories of his long and close association with the late great Zeke Giorgi and recollect high points of their many dinner conversations at Bauer’s. Sadly, the Speaker only had time to share a few memories during his eulogy at Zeke’s funeral. I would also ask the Speaker when Rockford will get its casino, that he allegedly “promised” Zeke years ago.
Regretfully, I took it for granted that Zeke would always be there to recount funny political situations and his tactical work on behalf of Rockford and the State with the Speaker, whom he affectionately referred to as “my leader.”
I would ask for his opinion on Rod Blagojevich and the current state of Illinois and Rockford politics. I would also ask for his impressions of our manufacturing job losses, outsourcing, unions, and the sale of the Lottery (e.g., “What Would Zeke Do?”)
Unbelievably, Zeke was not interviewed as part of Sangamon State’s political oral history project. They came to regret the omission and Illinois lost a valuable history lesson.
I would ask Lincoln how he kept the Union intact and dealt with personal challenges. Imagine what he could do with this year’s budget process and players! I’d also ask him his impression of Springfield and the overuse of his likeness there.
(…”You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”)
- Shelbyville - Saturday, Jul 21, 07 @ 7:48 pm:
Hillary