Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2008

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 2:09 pm - I wonder how much these “video messages” are gonna cost. From a Blagojevich press release…

– Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today urged lawmakers to approve a long-term CTA, Metra and Pace funding plan this week when they return to Springfield for regular session in order to avoid drastic layoffs, service cuts and fare increases planned for January 20.

The Governor also called on transit riders to voice their concerns about a possible doomsday scenario to legislators in Springfield. Transit riders can stop outside the Clark and Lake ‘el’ station on the ground floor of the James R. Thompson Center today and tomorrow to fill out cards to lawmakers or record brief video messages expressing their concerns. Riders can also send their messages to lawmakers via the state website at www.illinois.gov.

If you go to the state site, you’ll see this message…

Join the Governor’s fight to protect mass transit service. Send a message to your legislators today about how a transit doomsday could impact you and why a solution needs to be passed now.

* 3:07 pm -Listen to the governor’s remarks below…

[audio:gov-1-7.mp3]

46 Comments

Job qualifications

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

Hmmm…

Job Description:

Office of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Position: Press Secretary
Department: Communications
Reports To: Director of Communications
Location: Chicago

Position Summary:
The Press Secretary plays an integral part in creating the administration’s message and disseminating it to the media. The successful candidate will have strong oral and written communication skills; strong record in media relations and crisis communications; and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Position Responsibilities:
* Build and maintain relationships with members of the press
* Act as a spokesperson, proactively pitching stories and developing/delivering reaction to reporters’ inquiries
* Collaborate with Governor’s press staff and agency press officers to generate ideas and develop media strategies
* Assist in organizing press conferences and other media-related events
* Draft and edit press releases and other materials for distribution
Job Requirements
Competencies/Qualifications:
* Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or relevant field
* Five or more years of experience in media relations and/or public relations
* Demonstrated record of success in pitching and placing stories in major media outlets
* Ability to work under tight deadlines
* Ability to implement long-term media strategies, as well as react to rapid-response needs from internal and external sources on a daily basis
* Desire to work in a team-based, cooperative environment
* Experience in government or political settings a plus

Perhaps you can think of more qualifications, job duties, etc. and post them in comments. Have fun.

*** UPDATE *** I posted this in comments, but I suppose I should also post it on the front page. Gerardo Cardenas is the one who is leaving - for a position with AARP.

58 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

Have you received any direct mail from candidates in the past couple of weeks? If so, tell us what you’ve seen.

24 Comments

In the gutter

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The rhetoric in the 14th Congressional district Republican primary is going way over the top. From a Jim Oberweis press release…

“When is career politician Chris Lauzen going to ‘man up’ and come clean with the voters of the 14th District regarding his recent announcement that he plans to return $100,000 in tainted campaign contributions he took, over a period of ten years, from a convicted felon and the firm he heads?

“Two weeks ago, Mr. Lauzen announced he was going to give back $100,000 in tainted campaign cash,” said Pascoe. “He claimed then that while he previously knew of the donor’s own criminal conviction, he was unaware of the ethical and legal concerns surrounding the donor’s company — and, in fact, remained unaware until he recently got an email from 15 businessmen who laid out the company’s ongoing troubles.

“Sadly, this statement does not square with the facts as publicly known. On December 27, 2007 — five days after Mr. Lauzen’s announcement was first reported in the Beacon News — the Beacon News revealed that, contrary to Mr. Lauzen’s assertions, he had been made aware of his donor’s company’s legal troubles almost TWO YEARS EARLIER than he had acknowledged.

“Mr. Lauzen’s announcement, as we pointed out before Christmas, raises more questions than it answers. This new information revealing that Mr. Lauzen was publicly upbraided almost two years ago for taking this tainted money raises the bar even further. Mr. Lauzen should release the email he claims he received from the 15 businessmen, and should come clean by revealing now exactly what he knew and when he knew about his donor’s troubled past - and what has changed between now and almost two years ago, when he first was made aware?

* To which Lauzen replied…

“Jim, you’ve left me no choice but to respond to your campaign’s negative attacks. From now on, I will not sit idly by and allow you to mislead the voters.

“The voters only need to look at Team Oberweis’ campaign rhetoric and public statements to realize full well that Jim is ignoring Denny Hastert’s desire to have his endorsed candidate run a positive campaign. In fact, it is rather difficult to find anything but scathing attacks on me that have nothing to do with the issues. […]

“Jim, to quote your political mercenary, it’s time for you to ‘man up’ and gain control of your campaign. Stop hiding behind your attack-dog consultants and let the voters figure out who is most ready and prepared to lead. If you are unable or unwilling to confront me yourself, say so and explain why.”

* So far, the back and forth has generated little to no earned media and the candidates aren’t taking this message to the voters via their paid media…

Some of Oberweis’ and Lauzen’s attacks on each other are the same, down to the capitalization in the press releases. An Oct. 30 press release from Oberweis called Lauzen part of “the Establishment Insiders.” A Dec. 13 Lauzen press release said Oberweis was trying to buy “Insider Establishment clout.”

Whether the “Establishment Insiders” or the “Insider Establishment” are attacks that will resonate with the voters is to be seen. Those messages are not being presented directly to the voters, but to the news media.

The four TV commercials that Oberweis has broadcast deal with immigration, finances, the Oberweis family dairy, and Midwestern values. None of them reference Lauzen or any other candidate.

Likewise, Lauzen plans commercials based on his platform, not attacks.

“The theme … [is] about integrity, service and a philosophy that there ought to be limits on government, a person that will not enrich himself and his family on his service,” Lauzen said.

* Lauzen has clearly developed more detailed issue positions than Oberweis, and Lauzen was recently endorsed by former US Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. The big question remains how much of his own money that Oberweis will spend and whether he can get away with these attacks without attracting the notice of too many voters.

* But Lauzen is famous for his ground game…

Early reports are that between 500 and 600 grassroots supporters of State Senator Chris Lauzen jammed into the Aurora Christian High School where they were energized to knock on doors and get Lauzen supporters to the polls February 5.

* Meanwhile, Democrats are taking notice…

Lets hope they beat the crap out of each other and that things get really really nasty.

This should be lots of fun to watch.

23 Comments

The disaster continues unabated

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My latest syndicated newspaper column takes a look at last week’s special session. After documenting how almost no state Senators showed up and just 70 House members made it to town, I looked at the immediate aftermath and the possibility that Gov. Blagojevich could call yet another special session…

One never knows what will go through the governor’s mind at a time like this. A couple of stray electrons in his brain could bump into each other and set off an uncontrollable chain reaction that his staff and top advisers are helpless to stop. So Statehouse types waited around for a signal about what Blagojevich might do next. Several had come to town prepared for the long haul, bringing enough clothes to get them through the weekend.

Thankfully, sanity finally prevailed. Or maybe it was presidential politics.

One of the reasons so many Democrats, particularly in the Senate, weren’t in town last week was because they were in Iowa campaigning for their former legislative colleague, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. If the governor had called another special session for Thursday - Iowa Caucus Day - and harangued lawmakers into showing up, he could have been accused of sabotaging Obama’s campaign.

So instead of calling yet another fruitless, futile and politically dangerous special session, the governor cut his losses and went home. Considering the miserable legislative turnout, he probably spent more on his flight back and forth to Springfield and his Chicago press conference than the General Assembly spent on per diems. In the end, last Wednesday was simply an expensive media opportunity for one of the biggest publicity hounds in Illinois history.

* Kurt Erickson saw signs of hope emerge from the special session…

The entire thing was a misstep, but it bears mentioning that something positive did emerge from the wasted day: The governor did not call any more special sessions.

Maybe he’s learning. That would be good.

I wouldn’t bet on that. Here’s something I wrote back in 2005…

The creators of the TV sitcom Seinfeld kept a sign above their desks that read, in part, “NO LESSONS LEARNED.” The idea was that the characters were not supposed to “grow” in the way characters do on most other TV shows — and in real life, for that matter.

Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld might want to make a pilgrimage to Illinois soon, because their brilliant idea has been playing out here for more than two years now.

The governor never learns. He never grows.

The sign also read: “NO HUGS.” Appropriate.

* This is a whopper of a lede…

State Rep. Jay Hoffman’s New Year’s resolution is an ambitious one, given the tenor of Illinois government these days: “I’m trying to not point fingers, and stop the blame game,” the Collinsville Democrat said Friday.

Hoffman is Gov. Blagojevich’s House floor leader. He’s been one of the prime motivators behind the ongoing legislative feud. If he’s telling the truth, he’s gonna have to walk back his behavior a very long way.

Hoffman is a good guy and well-liked, but this past year didn’t do much for his Statehouse reputation. He’d be better off as a go-between or a mediator instead of an enabler. He’s become an extension of the governor’s office on the House floor, and he’s lost his credibility.

* Quote of the week, from Finke…

Blagojevich last week denied he’s Public Official A, the person who keeps appearing in federal indictments and other court documents dealing with people allegedly involved in corruption in the administration. He also referred to the federal investigations as “tangential, collateral things that have no relevance to people …”

OK, but investigators keep saying there’s a Public Official A, and the guess here is that people want to know who that is. Perhaps Blagojevich can pull an O.J. Simpson and conduct his own search for the real culprit, the real Public Official A. Then we can all move on from “tangential, collateral things.”

* More stuff, compiled by Paul…

* Kruesi on CTA: Don’t blame me

* CTA Tattler: Blame Blago and here’s his final chance

* Editorial: The gas guzzling governor

* McQueary: Time for second string long overdue

* Martire: Let’s start over and see some legislative results in 2008

* Opinion: Gambling no solution to state’s problems

12 Comments

Sauerberg: I’m not crazy

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is a pretty funny lede…

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg says he’s got something unique to offer voters in today’s political climate: he’s “not crazy,” he’s “somebody normal.”

* Sauerberg bemoaned the fact that the media isn’t covering his candidacy and then added…

The newcomer and family physician from the Chicago suburbs slammed some current politicians for their “lack of competence.” About his own campaign, he said: “We offer competence, and we offer reasonable behavior and we’re just a solid campaign that is what politics should be about.”

* I’m not exactly sure who he was talking about. Perhaps his primary opponents. But as the Tribbies noted recently, there is some concern that Sauerberg may have some trouble next month, which could be why the state GOP endorsed him…

The vote to back Sauerberg by the Illinois Republican State Central Committee, made up of GOP leaders from each of the state’s congressional districts, was an unusual move. The organization has largely stayed away from involvement in primary contests.

But it underscores potential concerns that Sauerberg of Willowbrook, in his first political race, may face name recognition problems in seeking votes for the nomination and the chance to face two-term incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

Sauerberg… said in a statement that his endorsement showed his campaign was “resonating with voters all across Illinois.”

Well, that last statement is kinda “crazy,” if you ask me. I doubt anyone knows who he is at this point.

* It’s likely he’ll get some coverage as the primary approaches (he’s right that it’s been sparse to date) and the presidential race settles down a bit (if it does), but he can’t rely totally on earned media. And, frankly, if he wants to go up against somebody as relatively popular and entrenched as Durbin, he needs to show he can raise money and run decent TV ads before anyone can even begin to think that he has a snowball’s chance.

32 Comments

Obamarama - Health care savior or dud? Plus, latest polling data

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I wondered about this quote as well…

If you heard Barack Obama’s Iowa victory speech, you might conclude Illinois has universal health care.

“I’ll be a president who finally makes health care affordable and available to every single American, the same way I expanded health care in Illinois, by bringing Democrats and Republicans together to get the job done,” the Chicago Democrat said Thursday.

But Illinois doesn’t have universal health care.

He didn’t say he made health care “universal,” only that he “expanded” it in Illinois. Still, if you didn’t pay close attention you may have missed that distinction.

More from the piece…

“He has united Democrats and Republicans to expand health care to over 150,000 Illinois residents,” said campaign spokesman Ben LeBolt.

LeBolt said Obama helped expand Family Care that covers parents and their children by raising income levels so more would qualify. And he pointed to Obama being the chief sponsor of the Health Care Justice Act, which created a commission charged with making suggestions for how to improve and expand coverage.

* Here’s some more background on the bill from Politifact, which took a look at Obama’s claim that he had added more than 150,000 people to the health insurance rolls last September….

The statement is based on a 2003 law Obama sponsored when he was an Illinois state senator. His bill expanded income eligibility for KidCare and FamilyCare, the state health insurance programs for low-income families. Gov. Ron Blagojevich, a Democrat, signed the bill on July 1, 2003.

Obama’s bill worked by increasing the amount of money a family could earn and still qualify for health insurance. Before Obama’s bill, families had to make less than 185 percent of the federal poverty line; after Obama’s bill, they had to make less than 200 percent. In practice, this meant that before Obama’s bill, a family of three couldn’t make more than $28,236 to qualify. After Obama’s bill they could make up to $30,516 and still qualify.

After the new law passed, both programs saw sizable increases in enrollment. Children’s enrollment increased by 55,421 between 2003 and 2005, according to a study from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Adult enrollment increased by 100,458 between 2003 and 2006. That comes to a total of 155,879. So after Obama’s legislation passed, more than 150,000 people did get health insurance.

However…

The numbers for new enrollees don’t distinguish between those who would have qualified without Obama’s legislation, and those who needed his legislation to be able to join.

* Ironically, the state commission set up by an Obama bill to look at how to provide universal health care included this provision…

The proposal’s key feature is an individual mandate, under which the state would require all residents to obtain health coverage. It also would force employers to provide health coverage to their workers or pay into a state fund–an idea known as “pay or play.”

Candidate Obama has rejected Sen. Hillary Clinton’s proposal for individual mandates. Clinton has repeatedly slammed Obama for this omission.

* Meanwhile, the latest aggregate polling data from Pollster.com shows Obama with a large lead over Clinton in New Hampshire. Note the spike…

28 Comments

Morning shorts

Monday, Jan 7, 2008 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Critics call for reform of toll collection system; more here

“This system just perpetuates bad public policy,” said Terry Pastika, director of the Elmhurst-based Citizen Advocacy Center, a good-government group.

For one, the tollway could be sending violation notices to the wrong addresses, leaving some drivers to miss out on chances to pay up before fines skyrocket or their driver’s licenses are suspended.

In addition, tollway officials say their license plate image readers have trouble discerning differences among the myriad of plate varieties, affecting about 25 percent of all plates on the road. This may result in fines being leveled against law-abiding motorists.

* Suffredin supported with endorsements, slammed by opponents

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Secretary of State Jesse White bypassed the two African-American candidates Sunday and threw their support to Suffredin.
“Larry Suffredin is a serious lawyer who will transform the state’s attorney’s office,” said Jackson (D-Ill.).

Suffredin has painted public corruption as the No. 1 issue in the campaign and proposed creating a “public corruption strike force.” Jackson said corruption in county government is an especially acute problem.
As a county commissioner, Suffredin “knows where the bones are buried,” Jackson said.

* Delays plague studies of Illinois hospital safety

The Illinois Hospital Report Card Act was signed into law in 2003 and requires hospitals to report statistics such as infections, staffing levels and the ratio of patients to nurses.

At the time, it was to be the nation’s first move to document hospital-acquired infections, and health care advocates said it would allow people to choose hospitals based on how well they do.

But officials say the report card won’t be ready for public release until October.

* Schoenburg: Treasurer’s reorganization hits Springfield office

Eighteen employees of state Treasurer ALEXI GIANNOULIAS’ office in Springfield were sent notices at the end of 2007 that they are “subject to layoff” because of a consolidation.

However, SCOTT BURNHAM, spokesman for the office, indicated that most people would probably be able to stay on after reapplying.

* Discourage leaf burning, but don’t impose a state ban

* Stopping the flow of urban pollution

It’s a quest similar to those undertaken by neighboring communities after a six-year building boom that changed the landscape of the once mostly-rural suburbs southwest of Chicago. Since 2000, Will County’s population surged 33 percent, making it the fastest-growing county in Illinois and among the most rapidly expanding in the U.S.

Now that the building has slowed, many communities are taking a step back to identify areas straining under the weight of urbanization.

* Counties sue state over special election for Hastert successor

* Weis on hot seat today with Chicago city council

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