* The Tribune heds this story about Jim Oberweis: “After 5 election defeats, Oberweis ‘currently has no plans to run for office.’” But read the piece and you’ll see it’s far from clear what the perennial loser’s plans really are…
Oberweis didn’t talk Election Night or Wednesday, but a statement issued Tuesday night could be interpreted as a goodbye to the electorate.
“As a private citizen, I will continue to speak out and advocate for an end to the business-as-usual, special-interest-driven system that plagues our political process in Illinois and Washington,” he said, adding that “standing for political office has been difficult at times for my family and me.”
Campaign manager David From said Oberweis “currently has no plans to run for office” but said he could remain active in the community in other ways such as volunteering or charitable giving.
And check out the story’s kicker…
Former campaign manager Bill Kenyon said perhaps a reason Oberweis has been unsuccessful at campaigns is his tendency to ignore his political advisers. Kenyon also said Oberweis lacks the network of friends that often become the foundation for successful political campaigns.
Friendless. Oof.
The man has spent more than $9 million to lose one race after another. He has destroyed whatever reputation he started with, harmed his dairy company’s brand, and damaged his own party along the way.
Other than that, he’s been a fantastic success.
* Bill Foster explains his win over Oberweis…
“This district is pretty independent,” Foster said. “For years, they were voting for Dennis Hastert because they personally liked him. Then it was time for Dennis to step back. Being represented by a man who is a scientist and a businessman was something they were comfortable with.”
* Paul Green has a warning for the GOP…
“You’re having more and more people voting for the person, not the party, and the Republican Party just hasn’t caught on, thinking they could get the numbers they got 20, 25 years ago,” Green said.
* Mark Kirk is certainly one of those who has “caught on.” His reelection is explained by the NRCC…
The win was “evidence that the Mark Kirk-brand transcends national politics,” said Ken Spain, press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee. An independent record and commitment to the interests of his district contributed to Kirk’s “impressive” victory, he added.
“He was able to successfully distance himself from President Bush in this area,” Allan said.
* And Congressman-elect Aaron Schock sets the bar pretty high for himself…
After he’s seated in the U.S. House in January, Schock said he hopes to get assignments on the agriculture and transportation committees. Those are the same committees on which LaHood served as a freshman legislator in 1994.
Transportation is not an easy “get” in the House. LaHood was already a major DC figure when he got that job, having served as the chief of staff to the former minority leader. If Schock does secure an appointment, his congressional future will be bright.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:35 am:
Some of my Democrat friends refuse to get Oberweis ice cream because of Jim’s politics. I always tell them if you want to keep the Illinois GOP in disarray, enjoy lots of Oberweis ice cream.
- Levois - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:38 am:
I’ll still buy those glass jugs of milk that the Oberweis company makes.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:41 am:
The GOP should implement a rule that anyone who gets beat in two consecutive elections will no longer be allowed to run (or be backed by the GOP). This is not only a problem in the Statewide races, but local as well. They should also have a rule that anyone with RYAN in their name cannot run for another 10 years!!!
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:41 am:
“It” is a substance that all potential elected officials desire, but not all can have. Obama has “it”. Kirk apparently has “it.” Even Foster, who rolled the eyes of many a Democratic operative when he presented himself as a candidate, shows signs of having “it”.
Oberweis does not have “it”. “It” cannot be bought or sold, “it” must be instilled at birth or obtained through hard work on a straight and narrow path to those who it naturally does not come.
- Truth - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:44 am:
It would be fun to know what Oberweis has spent per vote in his elections. Probably not a very good investment for a shrewd businessman.
- Anon sequitor - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:48 am:
I’ll keep buying Oberweis milk, even though I detest the man and his politics. At least he makes one product well.
This campaign however has given me a new appreciation for “Milk Duds” candy. Every time I see it now, I think of him, in a negative sense.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:51 am:
Truth -
Every wealthy vanity candidate must be measured against the Blair Hull Standard. In the 2004 Senate primary he spent approximately $29 million of his fortune for 134,453 votes, or about $216 per vote.
- ValleyGal - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 9:53 am:
==“For years, they were voting for Dennis Hastert because they personally liked him. ==
Yup, for some reason he was wildly popular, particularly in the rural areas. He knew when to have a picnic, where to shake hands, place satellite offices and show up for senior citizen events.
- shore - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 10:04 am:
I’ve always thought the two key committees that freshmen would give their teeth for were ways and means and appropriations, while they usually end up in places like government reform and financial services. I don’t recall transportation and agriculture as being top tier committees.
- Capitol View - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 10:07 am:
I hope that Aaron Schick enjoys his two term cup of coffee in Washington.
The next election will determine who does the remapping, prior to the 2012 elections. The lowest seniority minority party member usually gets left out, if one party controls the map as the Democrats are expected to do and one congressional seat has to be eliminated.
But perhaps Manzullo may retire in 2010, making Schock less vulnerable to being redistricted into thin air…
- Collar Oberver - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 10:22 am:
==personally liking Dennis Hastert ==
not to mention the fact that he was the third most powerful person in the country - and they loved that power!!
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 10:25 am:
As America developed, it settled into uninhabited lands to form communities from differing nationalities, religions and lands. How did they communicate with one another? In Europe, where this didn’t often take place due to natural and cultural barriers, in America we had to create a way to communicate with strangers enough to build societies. It seems so natural for us today to speak in marketing and consumer language, but this is how America has spoken for over a century. We have related to one another as producers and as customers. We have developed “small talk” with strangers. We have developed a way to create friendships with those who differ from us.
Politics is how we build a government. Naturally successful politics speaks in the same manner. Political parties were brands in the market of governments. Politicians allowed themselves to be branded and be loyal to a specific party. Party leaders dictated how their party’s brand developed and how on specific issues their party stood on addressing those issues.
Like stores, political parties start off with one or two specialties. Then they start adding more under their roofs until they begin resembling department stores with hundreds of issues being presented and sold. Like large department stores, it is more difficult for party leaders to control all facets of this kind of party. As a result, often a political party loses it’s branding.
With each election, voters look to see how each party’s branding will change. In complicated times, we see conflicting branding within the same party. This can occur under controlled environments, such as party committee meetings and during conventions, or it can occur ad hoc during external stresses such as war, and fiscal disaster. We are going through one of those times now.
What the GOP needs to do is what GM, Chrysler, Sears, KMart and Enron have failed to do - focus on their brand. While the Democratic party currently can afford to let external factors flow in their favors, the GOP needs to refocus or stay out of power until they do.
Just as GM, Ford and Chrysler chased profits to a point where they no longer focused on transportation needs and just became truck companies which today are no longer wanted by Americans, both parties have chased profits to a point where they no longer are focused on what they originally stood for and the GOP currently is offering what a majority of voters currently do not want on a federal level, and most state levels.
Both parties need to refocus and rebrand, but mostly the GOP. They need to consider offering a “voter guarantee”. They should consider what makes their brand special and put it in writing. They need to start demanding that their elected prima donnas sign on or be cut off. Then they need to start selling it and using it to remind voters why they exist.
Voters want ethical governments. They want to pay less taxes. They want value from their governments. They want leaders who take responsibilities for their actions. They want leaders not to view their jobs as permanent careers, but as public service.
Put this in writing. Guarantee it. Sell that guarantee. Then start doing it, so that voters will know that each GOP candidate is actually committed to it. Fire the flunkies, impeach the criminals, self-clean, and be transparent to the public while doing this. Prove to voters that the GOP brand stands for something.
If they do not do this, we will continue to watch guys like Kirk make ad-hoc self focused branding. We will continue to see family connections become more important to voters than party. We will continue to see a struggling Illinois GOP offering nothing more than “hail mary” candidates without loyalty to one another.
Time to offer a “GOP Guarantee”!
- Niles Township - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 10:56 am:
Mark Kirk should start thinking about the governor’s mansion sooner rather than later. We could use him.
- doubtful - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:05 am:
Schock might be poised to meet his committee goals, though, since the national Republicans find their compass without a needle at the moment. I was trying to think of who the future leaders of the GOP will be and very few names came to mind. To remain a viable party, they’re going to have to turn to some new, fresh faces in Washington.
Not that I particularly care if they remain a viable party.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:09 am:
VMan, this is one of your most curiously baffling posts in a while, piling non sequitur upon non sequitur.
Still, I’m struck by your first supposition:
–As America developed, it settled into uninhabited lands to form communities from differing nationalities, religions and lands.–
Where and when, and finally, what are you talking about?
- 60657 - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:31 am:
I think Schock has a good shot at T&I if he wants it. We just had a national election which turned, at least in part, on youth — both in terms of the winning candidate himself, and in the demographic which supported him. A lot of eyes will be on Schock in Washington, given his charisma, youth, and impressive campaign skills. I think the GOP will give him every opportunity to succeed.
On the other hand, I hope he crashes and burns. =)
- Phil Collins - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:38 am:
I agree that Rep. Kirk should run for governor. Our current governor was in congress for three terms. Kirk won his fifth term, this week. Kirk usually votes for lower tax rates and lower spending, and we need a governor who will do that, to ensure that businesses want to come to Illinois.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:50 am:
Not that I particularly care if they remain a viable party.
A dictator prefers no opposition. A person of ideas who believes they are good should always welcome opposing viewpoints, and a chance to win in the marketplace of ideas.
- Greg - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:52 am:
I’m actually finding myself in agreement with Paul Green… Somewhere very warm there is a snowball that is not melting…
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 11:53 am:
Ahhh…Aaron Schock. The new Bill Sali.
Creating national embarrassment for Peoria since November 5, 2008.
- Rob_N - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 1:51 pm:
Somehow I’m thinking Obie started out listening to his campaign managers (”Hey, I know! Let’s put you in a helicopter flying over Soldier Field lying and complaining about brown people!”)….
And after that didn’t work out he decided to go rogue.
I would have to think, though, that if didn’t want to run all those nasty ads that he himself has to approve that then he wouldn’t be running nasty ads.
- Chad - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 3:09 pm:
Let’s see. The NRCC doesn’t like him, Boehner doesn’t like him, the State Republican Party doesn’t like him, the local county parties don’t like him, the fund-raisers don’t like him, his staff doesn’t like him, the voters don’t like him, and he dosn’t seem to like any of the above. Maybe, just maybe, Obier will blow away and stop killing our chances in that district.
- Stuck with Sen. CPA - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 4:41 pm:
Clearly, Foster doesn’t know Hastert or any of his friends. It’s always Denny. Never Dennis.
- archpundit - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 5:32 pm:
There’s another aspect to Schock’s effort. Certainly he may not succeed, but both are largely not very partisan committees and would provide him very good spots to stay moderate looking and build up favors on both sides the aisle.
- NoMilkForMe - Thursday, Nov 6, 08 @ 7:33 pm:
My disdain for Oberweis turned to contempt and rancor the day, in 2006, that his whack job press secretary sent me a vulgar, threatening, highly offensive e-mail, from his gubernatorial campaign e-mail address, press@oberweisforillinois.com. I wouldn’t vote for Oberweis for Kane County Rodent Control Commission.