[Bumped up for visibility because it was posted so late yesterday.]
* As I wrote in the Sun-Times a couple of weeks ago, Alexi Giannoulias is a very possible US Senate candidate. I talked to him before I wrote the column and he did express an interest in the seat. The Politico says Giannoulias is talking to friends about a run against Roland Burris…
Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is holding conversations with leading Illinois Democrats in preparation for a possible candidacy, according to a Democratic operative familiar with his decision-making process.
“He’s been talking to a lot of Democrats in Illinois who believe that this seat is gone is if Burris is the nominee. If it’s Mark Kirk or a rich Republican, we’ve got to hold this seat. That’s enough to encourage him to take a very serious look,” said the operative.
From my Sun-Times column…
Giannoulias, who has set his sights on the governor’s office, would likely only run with the blessing of his mentor Barack Obama, however. Obama played a key role in the Senate’s capitulation to Burris this week by privately urging Democratic leaders to just get it over with and seat the guy. And you better believe there will be pressure on Obama from African-American politicos to endorse Burris, or at least stay out of the 2010 race.
Back to the Politico piece…
“He’s not looking for permission or smoke signals from the president,” the operative said. “But if the president felt strongly that he not run, that opinion would get heard.”
There will be pressure on Obama to keep Giannoulias out. Bank on it. Whether he’ll cave is another story. He never did convince Blagojevich to appoint one of his people, and the Caroline Kennedy meltdown wasn’t pretty.
Back to the Politico story…
Giannoulias would be able to partially self-finance campaign, a significant asset. Burris has to begin raising money from scratch, and it’s unclear how much money he can raise if he wants to run for election.
That’s true about Giannoulias. But, as I wrote in the CS-T…
Burris has become a national cause celebre, so he ought to be able to raise lots of early campaign money from African Americans throughout the country.
Stay tuned.
* Meanwhile…
A partner in a prominent, Washington-based political consulting firm is among those secretly recorded discussing ways Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich can cash in on President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat.
Frederick S. Yang, a top executive at Peter D. Hart Research Group Associates, is identified by prosecutors in the Blagojevich criminal complaint as “Advisor B,” Michael D. Ettinger, a lawyer representing the governor’s brother, said Thursday. Robert Blagojevich, who has not been charged with a crime, runs his brother’s campaign fund. […]
In a Nov. 7 recorded conversation characterized by prosecutors, Yang told Blagojevich he “should leverage the President-elect’s desire to have ‘Senate Candidate 1′ (Jarrett) appointed to the Senate seat in order to get a head position” with a union organization called Change to Win. […]
“Advisor B stated that he likes the … idea, but liked the Change to Win option better because, according to Advisor B, from the President-elect’s perspective, there would be fewer ‘fingerprints’ on the President-elect’s involvement with Change to Win,” the complaint says. Yang noted that Change to Win already has a revenue stream, meaning Blagojevich “won’t have stories in four years that they bought you off.”
The ellipsis in the last graf is about appointing AG Lisa Madigan to the Senate to buy peace in the General Assembly and enact the governor’s legislative agenda. That was an impossible fantasy as well. Speaker Madigan would’ve never cut that deal and Lisa Madigan wasn’t interested in the seat.
- Black Ivy - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:08 pm:
he may be putting out feelers for the position, but I’m just not feelin’ Giannoulias as U.S. Senator of Illinois.
Sigh, delusions of grandeur.
Slow down, fella, slow down!
- Speaking At Will - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:13 pm:
Alexi would be a viable candidate and a good senator. I have always been impressed with the guy, and there are not many Illinois Dem’s that I have much love for.
He has turned the State Tres. office around from the long nightmare that was J.B.T. and maybe he can step in and replace the laughing stock that is Roland Burris.
- fedup dem - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:22 pm:
Whether or not Giannoulias decides to run for the US Senate or not, I doubt that if a high-profiles challenger to Burris emerges (and I am certain that at least one such candidate will), Sen. Burris will find it extremely difficult to match them in therms of campaigning. Burris is in his 70s, hasn’t run a statewide campaign in seven years and hasn’t handled a successful one in nearly 20. With the stigma of being Blago’s choice, I don’t see how Burris can mount an effective statewide campaign at this stage of his career.
- Rob_N - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:24 pm:
Agree with Will, although I see him being better in an executive type position instead of legislative. He’s not only fixed up some programs at Treasury after JBT (some which Judy Baar was already trying to fix herself), but I really appreciate several of his new programs like those dealing with green issues.
Smart.
- Cassandra - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:27 pm:
I think he has a better chance at governor, although there is the Pat Quinn uncertainty factor not to mention Lisa. US Senator is a much easier job too..a lot of them do practically nothing. That’s harder, although not impossible, as governor. And of course you only have to run for election every 6 years and the powers of senatorial incumbency are great.
- Ghost - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:28 pm:
So we can have Giannoulias run for senate; LMad runs for Gov and Hynes….
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:29 pm:
AG, if that’s the deal. No deal yet.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:35 pm:
I think he would crush Roland. Tough general election but it will be for any democrat in any office in 2010.
- Been There - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:39 pm:
Is he old enough?
Just kidding. I know he is over the min age of 30. Actually some younger blood in the OLD mens club would be refreshing (sorry Dick, you are over 60 now). A younger person could give that place a different perspective. I think the average age is 63 and the youngest is in his mid 40’s. And Roland just pushed the average age up some more.
- Plot Thickening - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:50 pm:
I think Obama and Emmanual have gone back to their dens to lick their wounds from the pre-presidential appointment phiascos. I can just hear Rahm now telling the Prez, let’s just wait and get our way in the elections when they don’t have to cowtow to the likes of Blago. They got a pretty good thumping from the morons of their own party. Actually it is quite embarrassing.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 4:56 pm:
Quinn will stay as governor in 2010. Illinoians are not want more change after what we’ve been going through with Blagojevich.
With the governors race Quinn’s to lose, anyone with an itch to scratch will be looking at Burris.
Burris will be in a different place among Illinois Democrats 16 months from now than he currently is. Blagojevich will be history for Illinois Democrats, and they will cut Burris some slack.
So both seats are Quinn’s and Burris’ to lose by Spring 2010.
Any challengers should expect a costly battle unless they can drag many candidates into the primary and split the votes. Burris can get 30% statewide. They will have to beat that. I predict Quinn would be able to get even higher right now.
The battle is more likely to be in November 2010 for Quinn and Burris than in the Democratic primary.
If the GOP does this by the book, they have a good shot at both seats. Since 1998, they’ve shown an inability to do that.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 5:03 pm:
Man, what some people will do to get a pick-up game…
- GOP'er - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 5:14 pm:
Anyone who thinks Burris couldn’t hold the seat against whatever Republican nominee hasn’t checked in on the condition of the IL GOP lately.
Don’t forget, Burris was one of the biggest vote getters ever when he won for A.G. He’s from Southern Illinois. He knows the state. Lots of people are still around who are used to voting for him statewide.
Dem opportunists are obviously trying to gin up fear over Burris and encourge other Dems to cut him loose.
Well if there is one thing Burris has proved, it’s that the guy has a backbone and is pretty savy. Plenty of people have already been embarrassed underestimating him.
My money’s on Burris outmanuevering his foes once again.
Obviously much will depend on Obama. Assuming he’s still popular a year from now (likely), if he comes back and puts his arm around Burris and says “this is my guy” - game over. No other D or R need apply.
Would Obama really throw a black man under the bus just to help his basketball buddy Alexi again?
And if IL Republican officials want to keep up their love fest with Obama (likely), they shouldn’t expect to reap anything else from their duplicity.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 5:22 pm:
Stay out, Obama, please. No real upside — they’d both be solid supporters. Big downside — getting involved in Illinois politics.
- IrishPirate - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 5:49 pm:
If I’m wrong correct me but the primary is February 2010. Just over a year.
I expect Burris to run and lose. I could be wrong.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 6:02 pm:
Wide open Democratic primaries for U.S. Senator, Illinois Governor, Lt. Governor, and perhaps all the other constitutional offices except for Secretary of State?
Are the Illinois Democrats trying to emulate us Republicans?
- Irish wet back - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 6:09 pm:
My money, and my man hours will be with Burris over virtually anyone. Though my money is pennies, I do have a good pair of shoes that I will walk the soles off for Roland.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 8:03 pm:
====================
He’s from Southern Illinois. He knows the state. Lots of people are still around who are used to voting for him statewide.
=====================
lol. With no disrespect meant to either Gentleman, but some of the Burris folks are starting to sound an awful lot like some of the Edgar folks.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 8:14 pm:
Every time the tapes are referenced, I’m amazed anew that these guys did their scheming on the phone. Talking about not leaving “fingerprints” and not looking like they were “bought off.” It’s unbelievable.
- kidder - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 10:34 pm:
Apparently we are not allowed to raise issues about Alexi’s character on this board. But he is and always will be the mob’s banker. That will come out when he is running against somebody tougher than Chris Rodogno
- Speaking At Will - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 11:09 pm:
Kidder -
show me the proof Alexi is “The Mob’s Banker.”
Heard that tired tale before.
- Eliot Ness - Thursday, Jan 22, 09 @ 11:50 pm:
Speaking, does every neighborhood bank have major clients nicknamed “Jaws?”
Just sayin’…
When Alexi comes up with some new programs of his own, then we can evaluate his record. So far, other than doubling the number of flacks, hacks and “special assistants” in the office and the highly creative EBay unclaimed property sales (swiped from CMS at that) he hasn’t had one original idea, or program, of any consequence.
This goofy ILLPERS pension power grab may be the beginning of a long downslide for Boy Wonder Alexi. Another recycled idea, this one Filan’s. Alexi & Co. can’t even keep track of Bright Start and they think that the Lege will give him more sway over $70 billion of pension cash.
Don’t overestimate this guy-and never underestimate Burris. Whoda thunk 30 days ago that he would be a seated US Senator?