Governor to prez candidates: Let’s hear your position on FutureGen
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Kevin’s done a good job of handling the blog posts and the comment moderation today while I was a guest of the Paul Simon Public Pollicy Institute at Southern Illinois University. Here’s something else you might want to discuss. It seems like a good idea, but I doubt Gov. Blagojevich has the credibility to make it stick…
Discuss.
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Shimkus to face tough opposition
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * On one of my first days as an intern on Capitol Hill I sat in the House gallery to watch the debate over raising the minimum wage. During some of the downtime a representative came up from the floor to talk to the citizens, and explain what exactly was taking place. He fielded questions from the audience, passed around his voting card, and was very helpful. What was most admirable about the gesture was that it was simply out of kindness, and not to gain anyone’s vote. That representative was John Shimkus. In the upcoming election gestures like these may not be what stick out in voters’ minds. Shimkus will be facing off against Joe McKenamin of Springfield or Daniel Davis of Chatham, both of whom are vying for the Democratic nomination. McMenamin and Davis squared off this week in an hour long debate at the University of Illinois at Springfield sponsored by the campus college Democrats. Both have as contrasting styles as their respective ages, with Davis at 26 and McMenamin at 55.
No matter who wins the race to go up against Shimkus, both will go after his discarded, self-imposed congressional term limit of a twelve years. Voters don’t take kindly to broken campaign promises. Pledges like “Read my lips, no new taxes” come to mind. * President Bush has also taken a liking to Representative Shimkus:
With an abysmal approval rating of around 20%, this connection to the President is not likely to go over well in 08′. At the debate McMenamin took a shot at this when he said:
* The mostly civil debate turned a bit heated at one point though when the two candidates went after each other. Davis, a Harrisburg native, brought up the fact that he lives in the 19th and has for most of his life, while McMenamin doesn’t. Davis recently moved from Springfield to Chatham to be within the boundaries. The law requires a member of Congress to live in the state, but not necessarily in the district. McMenamin asked for a rebuttal on that one, and responded:
The 19th, which is one of three congressional districts that includes part of Springfield, leans Republican and extends to Pope and Massac counties at the southern edge of the state. However, Senator Durbin previously held the seat before Shimkus. No matter who wins the nomination either candidate will press Congressman Shimkus on both his allegiance to President Bush and his broken campaign promise.
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More RezkObama
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * For the third time in more than a year, Senator Obama’s presidential campaign announced this week that it was shedding more donations tied to Tony Rezko. The announcement came amidst the Florida primary and didn’t receive much press. Some watchdog groups like the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform have praised the Senator for his decision, but many more are left scratching their heads:
In the latest total, Obama has promised to give to charity more than $150,000 he collected through Rezko. His campaign said the latest installment of $72,650 was raised for his 2004 U.S. Senate race at a dinner at Rezko’s 8,500-square-foot Wilmette mansion. Obama’s campaign still has not offered a clear explanation of how it determines Rezko-linked donations or why he has dealt with them piecemeal, apparently in reaction to bad publicity. The public records don’t make clear every Rezko connection. The records show that since 1995, $74,500 came from Rezko, his relatives or contributors listed on official disclosure forms as employees of one of his businesses. Rezko has not raised money for Obama’s presidential campaign. Furthermore, different media outlets have reported ranging figures:
It’s understandable that it is difficult to determine all the donations that have some connection to Rezko in one way or another. For instance, if Rezko holds a fundraiser at his house, do you give away all the donations that were raised there, or just the ones that were given by friends of Rezko? A donor may attend the event that has never even met Rezko, but was brought by a friend of a friend. On top of that, you risk offending donors over the giveaway:
* What’s more troubling than the giveaway though are the hazy explanations. In a Chicago Tribune column today Eric Zorn highlights some of these statements:
Now contrast these claims with some of the headlines that were circulating around the time of the land deal with Rezko: * 7-18-2004 - Blagojevich adviser tied to appointee; Doctor, fundraiser co-owned condos * and the most blatant: 5/26/2005 - Tony Rezko; Top fundraiser, adviser and close friend of Blagojevich faces scrutiny as controversies dog the administration in which he has played a crucial behind-the-scenes role Now, either it would be an understatement to say that the Senator is being disingenuous about all he knew of Rezko at the time, or he is being honest about how much he knew, and it truly was a “boneheaded mistake.” The latter is a lot harder to swallow. Which ever it is, it still undermines his campaign theme of better judgment. Watch for Hillary to spring this on him again in tonight’s debate, but this time with a sharper edge.
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * ‘Clout Cafe’ makes money thanks to taxpayers * Our choices for Senate seats, water district * Biggert gets rare primary challenge for Congress * Serious Eats: More Ice Cream in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District? * Madison County to offer seniors free public transportation * Criticisms fly in Boone debate * “Professor” Dan Seals Criticized by Real Professors for His Northwestern Professorship Claim * Traveling memorial captures Illinois’ loss * On trail in Illinois, Bill Clinton ignores Obama * Giuliani, Edwards departures lead to regret among Illinois early voters
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Question of the Day
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning Caption Contest!
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s Capitol Fax
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller Let’s try to keep this as Illinois-centric as possible. John Edwards is out of the presidential race. How does this impact Barack Obama? Rudy Giuliani has dropped out and will endorse John McCain. Who do you think is now the frontrunner in Illinois next Tuesday. Explain.
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Guv won’t dump on Rezko, but attacks reporters
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * In the preceding post, I mentioned how legit reformers are way too often unfairly treated by reporters. Gov. Blagojevich, however, is not a reformer. He’s a claimed reformer who has mucked things up almost beyond repair. But, since he still desperately clings to that reporter mantle, he apparently feels that he can blame the media for his troubles…
OK, on the same day that Rezko is denied bail that’s all the governor can muster? Blagojevich’s campaign fund has racked up more than $2 million in legal fees, mostly because of Blagojevich’s relationship with Rezko and his alleged co-conspirators. But regrets? Not even a few. * And I love this line…
Tony Rezko was a member of the governor’s inner political circle. This was no run of the mill contributor that the governor barely knew who screwed up. Rezko was one of the governor’s top guys. He has no excuse, and it’s completely fair of the media to look into those ties and be skeptical of the govenor’s pronouncements, which get goofier by the day. The same goes for Obama, a Rezko friend. * More Rezko stuff…
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Suffredin attacks, is savaged
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Cook County State’s Attorney primary has become a mudfest - at least in the media…
* But that Suffredin client list also included one other problem…
Barbara was apparently a silent partner in the Kankakee project, and Suffredin claims to have worked with someone else, and left when that person was dismissed by the company. Anybody who knows Suffredin understands that this and other stories about him present a caricature of Suffredin that simply doesn’t match up with reality. But that’s the way it goes with the Illinois media. Someone claims to be a reformer and then he or shie is picked apart with stuff like the above and a non-reformer usually ends up winning. It happened to Glenn Poshard in 1998, and it happened to Paul Vallas in 2002, and countless other times. It’s ridiculous, but them’s the breaks. Suffredin doesn’t help himself by attempting to inflate little items like the Allen thing. Cynics and partisans are gonna have a field day with that Suffredin story. But using it as “proof” of something evil or nefarious about Suffredin is like that old story of the blind men describing an elephant by each touching a different part of his body. …Adding… Way down near the end of the Sun-Times story it’s revealed that Barbara got involved with the Kankakee landfill business in 2006 - a year after Suffredin was hired as its lobbyist.
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Congressional updates
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tempers are flaring a bit in the Republican primary to challenge incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean. Kirk Morris whacked Steve Greenberg in a debate the other day. Greenberg is generally perceived to be the frontrunner…
And on and on it goes. * More congressional stuff, compiled by Kevin…
This is a 2008 congressional primary open thread.
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Morning shorts
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * Real estate groups rally against Chicago transfer tax hike * ICC will hold hearings on Ameren rate hike request * Congressmen react angrily to VA findings * Illinois offers help for veterans with brain injuries * WTVP optimistic about financial future * Council to honor Mayor Sawyer on Friday * Chicago City Council panel backs earlier curfew
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