Question of the day
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’ve already told subscribers some of what I think about the post-Saturday spin. Now, it’s your turn. * Question: Why do you think Jim Oberweis lost the 14th CD special election? * Here are some background stories, compiled by Kevin…
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Capital bill thoughts
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning [Note from Rich: This is another Kevin piece, so try to help with constructive criticism.] * Since the Governor enlisted the help of SIU President Glenn Poshard and former Speaker Dennis Hastert to drum up support for a Capital Bill, many are clamoring about a possible light at the end of the tunnel:
While I would like to jump on the bandwagon, history usually leads to cynicism when dealing with a capital bill- especially when said proposal is funded on the back of a lottery lease plan that already failed once. * Still green from student life in Champaign, I can attest to how badly the school needs infrastructure repairs. My classes were predominantly in the sweat box called Lincoln Hall, and I can remember numerous times that I’ve seen a courageous TA head up to the fourth floor with a broom to fend off the newest pigeon or bat that lost its way. Additionally, I’m shocked by the work environment of the state’s highest officials. Moving from the Statehouse to Stratton makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the Battle of Britain. Who knows, with another water pipe bursting this might ring even truer? When driving back home to the suburbs, I’m swerving from lane to lane so that I don’t hit a kiddie-pool sized pothole. Something needs to be done about the roads, bridges, and schools of this state. At this point, I really don’t care what that something is, as long as that something addresses the dire concerns of the state. * With Illinois’ own son potentially at the top of the ticket in November there may be some room for legislators to do something bold. Senator Meeks has already sponsored a bill similar to last year’s SB 750 tax swap. This is no ordinary year. What do you think the chances are that a Capital Bill will come to fruition this session? And if it does, what do you think it may look like?
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Oy
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Former Gov. Jim Thompson has been saying over and over that there was no way that the Cubs will ever play at Sox Park during the renovations of Wrigley Field. Sox fans and Cub fans would hate it too much, Thompson has said, adding that Cub fans are really Wrigley fans anyway, so people wouldn’t travel to the South Side to watch their alleged team. Apparently, Cub management never got the memo, or Thompson didn’t. Either way, now we have this goofy story…
Everyone from Sam Zell down to Cub management is a bunch of goofballs. Thompson appears to be the only one who knows what he’s doing. So, they should either listen to him and keep their mouths shut, or abandon all hope that their goofy little deal will become law. The cards are already stacked against them. As Dan puts it…
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Reform and Renewal, Part 1,347,699
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Daily Herald took a close look at the governor’s latest campaign finance report, which covered the last six months of 2007…
Most of that money, in turn, went to pay his legal bills.
* A companion editorial quotes the governor’s campaign spokesperson…
And then follows up with…
* Meanwhile…
Not noted in the article is the ironic note that Peters oversaw the outreach to the African-American community and black churches during the 2006 campaign. In other words, take whatever she says with a grain of salt on matters like this. She was also reportedly involved with the effort a week ago to figure out whom to blame for the Pilgrim Baptist Church mess. I believe the Sun-Times when it lays out how it figured out the story. They got the pardon list, they looked at it, they noticed Latiker’s name (which is fairly well known among anyone who follows this stuff), they ran the story. Simple. * More reform and renewal…
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With God on our plates
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * I really wish the General Assembly would stop fooling around with the God issue…
It seems like every time the General Assembly broaches the God topic, they muck it up. Last year, they voted to require a moment of silence in school under the School Prayer Act. They even overrode the governor’s veto to get it done. This year, the House has already voted to overturn the law they just passed, and now a bit of political gameshmanship has emerged in the Senate over who will control the bill in that chamber. This isn’t an argument about kicking God out of school, as this article claimed the other day…
Oh, please. If you believe in God, then you have to agree that God can’t be kicked out of anywhere by mere mortals. This is, among other things, an argument about which politicians are on God’s “side,” whichever side that may be. And, as Rep. Mike Boland put it, this is also about crass mass marketing schemes, albeit for a good cause…
No matter which way you look at it, this is just unseemly. But, perhaps you disagree. Thoughts?
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Morning shorts
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning * Attorney General has new campaign website * Aldermen: Why Were Police Cadets Turned Away? * Daley urges mortgage protection
* Report : State set to resume land grab for airport
* States balk at higher-ed mandate * Airport plan will play out like a comedy of errors
* Our Opinion: Smoke Free Illinois Act under attack * The future of futuregen * GAO Adds the 2010 Census to “High-Risk” List * Retailers sold on the Loop * Chicago falls to 3rd in U.S. convention industry
* If at first you don’t secede, at least you’ll get attention * PeoriaPunditRadio: Pro and con on the Con-Con * Rep. Rush undergoes successful tumor surgery on salivary gland * Bobby Rush recovering at home after surgery to remove cancerous tumor
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: Today’s Capitol Fax
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Oberweis vs. Foster special election *** Big night for Foster *** Oberweis concedes ***
Saturday, Mar 8, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * Now comes the big question: Will Oberweis be pushed out of the general election race? Republicans are furious that he could’ve lost Denny Hastert’s seat so convincingly. “He’s just not likeable,” was a phrase I’ve heard more than once tonight. Oberweis, for his part, said tonight: “We’ll have another run at it in nine months.” But pressure will likely be applied. I doubt that pressure will work, however. He’s a stubborn, if unsuccessful, politician. * Foster won DuPage, Kendall, Kane, DeKalb and Whiteside counties, plus the city of Aurora (by a big margin). It was not just a numbers blowout, it was pretty much a win across the board. Yes, Aurora and Kane County provided big margins, but those wins in other GOP counties (DuPage? Kendall?) were very important. Huge, even. And even though it was an odd, Saturday special election, this was a serious stomping. * Results from the Sun-Times… * 10:12 pm - From Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post…
Under the bus, Obie goes. * 9:29 pm - Oberweis is interviewed by the media…
What he needs most is a personality change. * 9:27 pm - Efforts by some Republicans to push the “story” of Foster’s not so friendly divorce in the past few days didn’t work, and they probably won’t work in the fall, either…
* 9:20 pm - From Foster’s victory speech…
*** 9:02 pm *** Oberweis concedes…
* 9:01 pm - Oberweis is about to speak, according to the Beacon-News blog. * 9:00 pm - From a press release…
* 8:50 pm - As you can see by that little red check mark above, the AP has declared Foster the winner. * 8:46 pm - I’m getting word from inside that Oberweis’ campaign is at least privately acknowledging defeat. * 8:42 pm - Dave Parro at the Beacon News posted this a few minutes ago at their blog…
I think he’s right. I just don’t see how Oberweis wins. * 8:39 pm -Our buddy OneMan has been pushing for Oberweis. Here’s a pic from tonight… * 8:34 pm - All the votes have been counted in Lee County, and Oberweis won there with about a 400 vote margin. * 8:32 pm - I don’t see how Oberweis wins this. With all votes counted in DeKalb County, he lost to Foster by 1,300 votes. * 8:30 pm - Wow. Oberweis is losing Kendall County with 84 percent of the votes counted. * 8:24 pm - With 86 percent of the vote counted in DuPage, Foster is ahead of Oberweis by 50 votes. * 8:22 pm - The Kane/Aurora lead for Foster is over 3,500 votes. * 8:20 pm - Oberweis is up in DuPage by 23 votes now with 69 percent of the vote counted. I’m pretty sure they were expecting a larger margin than that. As one Repub source said a few mintues ago about the Republicans: “They are beginning to freak.” Still, there are a lot of votes to be counted yet. * 8:14 pm - The DuPage County results are about 25 percent counted, and Oberweis is only leading by 37 votes (2 points).
* 7:57 pm - In Kane County, Oberweis has a super-slim lead with about a third of the vote counted. * 7:47 pm - Turnout was better in parts of the district than some expected…
* 5:12 pm - Campaign day activities…
* 3:36 pm - From a friend…
* 3:30 pm - There have been a lot of polling place changes for today, and the Beacon-News reports that GOTV efforts are out in full swing…
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