87 Comments - Steve - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 10:53 am: The Jack Ryan story is kind of interesting. If Robert Creamer can teach young, Obama volunteers after doing 5 months in jail : why can’t Jack Ryan hang with the few Republicans that live in Chicago? It’s not like Jack Ryan was convicted of anything. - Captain America - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 10:57 am: I was recently in a bar/restaurant, Stanleys in Lincoln Park and noted a very clever poster posted in the bathroom - prommoting this event at Cubby Bear. There was a herd of elephants with high rises in the back ground with the phrase: “It’s hard to be right in Chicago.” I thooght it was ingenious marketing! - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:01 am: –What happens in the oval stays in the oval.– That’s an odd statement from someone who worked in the White House for Bubba. At least someone in the GOP is trying to recruit Chicago Republicans, rather than just whine about Chicago Democrats. Short aside: I live in Cook County. I pulled a GOP ballot in last year’s primary. I have yet to receive a piece of mail from any GOP candidate or organization — national, state or local. That’s not trying very hard. - Bill - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:04 am: Yes, even Carol is perceptive enough to know Proft can’t win. In fact, everyone knows Proft, probably even Proft himself. - South Sider - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:05 am: Jack Ryan was found guilty in the court of public opinion of being creepy. - pmels - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:08 am: wordslinger, why don’t you contact your city party or the YRs, instead of waiting to be invited? You aren’t trying very hard either, seems to me. - northernwatersports - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:19 am: Can’t seem to get the Murphy piece via the link. What’s the argument? - The Doc - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:27 am: ===”Over a million people have voted for me over and over and over again. That means they trust me,” said Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown, Cook Co. Board President Candidate.=== Right. She’s an incumbent in a low-profile position in Cook County with a “D” next to her name. That’s not trust, that’s sheep mentality. Figuratively, she’s in for a very rough ride. Accepting cash gifts from subordinates, under any circumstances, is reprehensible. Literally, she’ll continue to be chauffered around town by her bodyguard, who’s on the county payroll as an “analyst”. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:35 am: –wordslinger, why don’t you contact your city party or the YRs, instead of waiting to be invited? You aren’t trying very hard either, seems to me.– Like Groucho, I would never join an organization that would have someone like me as a member. My point was, if you’re trying to build a state, county or local political organization, you should at least canvass or contact those that have pulled a primary ballot. That seems very basic. - Thomas Westgard - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:49 am: I burst out laughing at the mention of Jack Ryan, and then the comparison to Bob Creamer is priceless (and right on target)! Politics and the Comedy Channel merge once again. - Jackson - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:52 am: Yes Captain America, putting up a flyer in the bathroom is quite ingenious. After that, I got some land in Arizona I think you’d be interested in. - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:56 am: Let’s get it on! The Proft campaign is starting out exactly as I had hoped…and it’s only June! - fed up - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:08 pm: Jack Ryan hell Mel Reynolds is a 100times more creepy and he has been welcomed back with open arms by the Dems. I guess being a child molester is ok huh south sider. Funny he’s a south sider too.. - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:11 pm: “…he has been welcomed back with open arms by the Dems…” Really? When? By whom? And no, the Clinton pardon doesn’t count. - Ghost - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:17 pm: I actually thought Jack Ryan was a good strong GOP canidate. I think he has the background and charisma to make a good run at moderates and independents. The dirty laundry from his personal life always looked like it got a lot more traction then it deserved. - Third Generation Chicago Native - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:24 pm: Jack Ryan back? Shouldn’t the GOP discourage him for this, after all they had to import Alan Keyes, known nut, to finish the Senate race for him. Ryan’s reason for leaving and Keyes should be enough to sour that GOP event. Dorothy Brown didn’t win mayor now she is going for CC Pres., ……sigh….ok, whatever… what will she run for next after that loss? - fed up - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:24 pm: Yes Clinton does count and then the Jackson Family you might have heard of them Dem Congressman,Co chair Obama campaign, Dem Alderman, Dem committeeman, Dem presidential canidate, Senate canidate#5 on the Blago tapes, put him on the payroll, and he ran for re election to his old seat in 2004 as a Dem after Clinton pardoned him. Got smoked by the same Dem who now employees him. - Legaleagle - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:28 pm: What?! Obama and Lisa Madigan discussed politics and a campaign in the White House - a public office building? Legislators I know can’t do that - they have to physically exit a state bulding even to have a campaign conversation. And Jack Ryan returns?! More shock. I mean, heaven forbid, the man wanted to have sex with his wife, and was crucified for it. And Legislators who write a college recommendation for a constituent they know end up on the tribune “clout list”!Will these horrible political scandals never cease? Shouldn’t we be paying more attention to the real corruption - such as certain political leaders using their public positions to get legal business for their law firms, etc.? Just asking. - party of one - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:35 pm: legaleagle…”wanted to have sex with his wife and was crucified for it”? Hello??? Didn’t he want her to engage in sex in a club with others watching? South Sider is right—Creepy!! - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:42 pm: 1) getting a tax evasion sentence commuted by a president at the end of his term is NOT anything close to the party welcoming that person with open arms. If it is, I guess Republicans welcome national security risk Scooter Libby with open arms. 2)Reynolds was hired by the Rev. Jackson, not Cong. Jackson (who beat Reynolds, you may recall) 3) if you can find a credible link from Reynolds to Obama, feel free to add it. what you’ve provided fails rather miserably. - dupage dan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:53 pm: party of one, weird yes, creepy? Jack Ryan left the contest because he didn’t want to be a distraction to the party. He had nothing to do with the choice of Keyes - the party was not forced to choose Keyes either. The issues are not related. I don’t know alot about Ryan’s politics but he had a nasty divorce which was brought out into the public (by whom? - some wonder) to scandalize him (it worked). I’m sure you ain’t got anything in your closet/mind that would be embarassing. - Carl Nyberg - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:54 pm: Sometimes comedians and columnists (and bloggers) ridicule people because it’s easy and the ridiculed have lots of people that want to laugh at them. That said, “Annoy the Liberal Media, Proft/Martin in 2010″. I interviewed Jack Ryan for a radio show and I found him quite appealing on a personal level. If the guy wants to participate in politics as an activist that’s cool. If he wants to run again he’s got to rehabilitate his image. But Marion Berry came back from snorting cocaine off a prostitute, so voters do forgive transgressions under the right circumstances. - Jacked - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 12:58 pm: == he’s ba-ack! == Shouldn’t you have just said: BACK! We’d all know immediately who you meant. LOL - Legaleagle - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:06 pm: Party of One: Yes, that’s what Ryan apparently did ask her to do. And when she said “no, I’d rather not”, he said, “ok”, and that was the end of it. Compared to other GOP sex scandals (past and yet to be revealed), that one is not even on the charts. Ryan should never have left the ticket. How different the history of the country might have been! - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:09 pm: Brown is in. No statement form Commisioner Beavers, yet? How is Todd going to fight two black women running against him. I suppose he could portray toni as ” University of Chicago uppity, and unable to relate to black cook county” but Dorothy???? What can he say about her? he came out in defense of her last year when she took some media hits over having a county paid security detail. this isn’t good because the more black candidates (e.g., Davis) the more the black vote gets split. Todd can forget about getting votes from white cook county. So, hispanics are the “it” group that can make or break him, or anyone else for that matter. I guess he could promise patronage jobs in exchange for hispanic support and/or work out some other deal. - fed up - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:12 pm: I didnt link Reynolds to Obama I linked him to the jackson family. Which is as big a name in Dem politics as Daley or madigan. 2 John all you have to do is read my post where I mention Jr smoked Reynolds in his comeback attempt. Dont be so defenseive Rich wanted to tweak the GOP about Ryan but the Dems have a lot more actual criminals/ sex fiends hanging around. Mostly because more get elected. i would guess that most GOP would welcome scooter back. Much like the Clintons still like a thieving criminal named Sandy Berger. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:15 pm: Illinois GOP were so stupid Jack Ryan asked his WIFE to try something a little different. So what—that was hardly a crime. she said no, and they didn’t do it. I recall Jim Edgar being furious that JacK Ryan had withheld some of his past indisrections from the party prior to agreeing to run for the U.S. Senate. Jim Edgar is from the 1950s; it was no of is business or the GOP’s business or the Tribune’s and whatever tv station demanded to have his sealed divorce records unsealed. Republicans and their moral high card play is so tired and stupid. They need to get off of that because it never worked and STILL isn’t working for them. - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:17 pm: Jack Ryan had to drop out because he bungled the politics of his divorce. How you run a political campaign is one of the ways the electorate judges you as a candidate. (Just ask Hillary.) He failed the test. I think he can return in a very safe Republican district. In time his aborted Senate run would then be overshadowed by his newer activities. - Bubs - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:17 pm: From what I heard at the time, the Jack Ryan Story in 2004 was bit more complicated than is portrayed by his supporters. It was far more than a morality play on family values. I was told at the time by a first-hand witness that in a meeting with then State Chairman Judy Baar Topinka at State HQ in Chicago, Jack was asked if there was anything in his past that could embarass himself or the GOP in the campaign. He affirmatively denied that there was anything. Apparently, Jack thought that his wife’s affidavit about the sex club stuff was dead and buried forever in a sealed court file, so he withheld from mentioning that little item. The the Tribune went to work on unsealing the court file, and found the affidavit. A media explosion resulted. I was told that Topinka in particular was furious, believing she had been lied to by Ryan. More importantly, party leadership can never allow potential candidates to believe that they can fudge on that crucial question, ever, so Ryan paid the price, as the Illinois GOP would not stand by him. To those who say it was all Topinka “stabbing” Ryan, I can recall a summer day in 2004, driving in my car at the corner of Cumberland Ave. and Irving Park Road when WBBM reported that the entire Republican Congressional delegation, including Speaker Hastert, had jointly called on Jack Ryan to withdraw as the Senate candidate. Hearing that, I knew JACK! was finished. - Conservative Veteran - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:22 pm: Jack Ryan lives in Rep. Kirk’s district. If Kirk doesn’t run for re-election, Ryan might run for Congress. - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:24 pm: Whatever. On topic, I see no reason why the young GOP wouldn’t embrace Jack! His proclivities were never illegal, his profile is otherwise good on paper, and most importantly, he’s got bank. - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:27 pm: Dorothy Brown Danny Davis Tom Dart Jim Houlihan Terry O’Brien Toni Preckwinkle Todd Stroger Larry Suffredin This is beginning to look like the 5th CD primary. I think the edge goes to Tom Dart because of the general press he’s gotten for his good deeds. (I think that is how Quigley won. The campaign itself was a wash/waste. People voted for the candidate they knew had been doing good deeds for a long time.) - fed up - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:28 pm: jackshelbyfan, January 21, 2009 BY MICHAEL SNEED Scoopsville: Sneed is told former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds, who served time in a federal prison for sexual misconduct with an underage campaign worker and tax evasion, was spotted in a celeb section near the inaugural stage getting his picture taken with actress Halle Berry! Thats an interesting blurb Mel Reynolds in DC at the inauguration next to the stage in the vip section yeah he is on bad terms with the dems they must be embarresed of him. - Third Generation Chicago Native - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:29 pm: When I think of Jack Ryan, I think of Alan Keyes. No fault of Jack Ryan, but that’s who replaced him, therefore myself and others associate Ryan with Keyes because of this. Also when many think of Ryan, it’s messy divorce, sex issue related. I don’t think Brown will get as many votes as Preckwinkle, and Preckwinkle has a much better chance against Todd than Brown. Brown will be a spoiler anyhow. Go Sox! - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:33 pm: @Redbright yes, and dart is in easier position, through his current office, to attract a lot of press. he can attack stroger, while highlighting his sheriff work, and the media will cover whatever he says. this wouldn’t be the case for houlihan, suffredin, and o’brien. - Skeeter - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:35 pm: Hey, that’s “The Honorable” Dorothy Brown. Refer to her by her proper title. She’s very particular! Hey Captain America, that is a great ad and very appropriate. Personally, every time I think of young Republicans I have to make a run to the washroom. Great marketing. - fed up - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 1:42 pm: Im surprised no Hispanic has jumped in Miguel del valle can run without giving up his spot as city clerk, louis Guitierrez has shown interest in local politics instead of being a congressman, the more the merrier this could turn into a free for all. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:00 pm: yes, I was thinking Berrios more than anyone else would run. but, i think its still a little risky for hispanics overall because those that you name are still not household names or have problems (e.g., Luis G.) the more the merrier is right because whomever wins the primary will win the general election because the republicans have no serious contenders. this is a wide open race. - Bubs - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:02 pm: JonShibleyFan- So character, as in lying to the face of the State Chariman on a key question, with catastrophic results, doesn’t matter? It’s all about glitz and money? - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:05 pm: –But Marion Berry came back from snorting cocaine off a prostitute– Carl, Marion was caught on hidden camera smoking crack with a former girlfriend who was in trouble and set him up for a sting by the FBI. I’m not sure who you’re thinking of, but I’m guessing heavy-metal rocker, Wall Street broker or Ivy League legacy…. Carl, I’m - scoot - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:06 pm: Well Jack is a multi-millionaire, well educated, and I would hope all the negatives are out about him. He may have to wait another election cycle or two..to mount a comeback though. - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:09 pm: Liz Gorman might have a shot at the County presidency. She’s presents herself well and is making a name fighting Stroger’s taxes. I’m a Dem but it will take an Independent or Republican to clean up the County. IMO no Democrat, regardless of good intentions, will be able to cut all the ties to patronage waste. - Truthful James - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:09 pm: The facts of the Jack Ryan matter are this. In a child custody wrangle, part of the divorce proceedings, Jeri Ryan made a statement which she thought was to be sealed to protect the kids. The statement was as above, that Jack, in New York City suggested we go to a sex club. In child custody cases things get mean. The files were sealed, until David Axelrod and the tribune went to sue to get them unsealed and, surprise, got the statement back in public domain. Jeri was asked if she made the statement in court. She said yes. However, it is important to realize that she never repeated the statement outside of court - -to the public, either in the Tribune or elsewhere. Did Jack suggest they go to a sex club? Nobody knows. Did he go separately to any sex club any time? No information. If Jeri had repeated it in public it would have 10 affected the kids and 2) possibly have been a slander. She kept mum. Meanwhile the Thompson/Edgar/Topinka/Kjellander cabal told Jack that he would not get funding. These idjuts saw a threat to their wing of the party by a conservative, and the orderly succession to George Ryan would be in trouble. They did not want another Peter Fitzgerald. Keyes was a sure loser, so they approved him. He didn’t demand much funding because he was not running for Senator from Illinois. He was running for national reputations and future considerations — which included cash contributions from conservative fools and the mailing list. He refused to engage on any Illinois issues. I’ll say this for him, he is a heckuva good public sermonizer. He would turn any issue into a sermon. The Republicans underestimated the Obama potential. Jack Ryan has been maligned enough without any tangible proofs. - party of one - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:17 pm: Legaleagle….just to refresh your memory. This was in the Trib story June 22, 2004. Please pay particular intention to the last line. Apparently it did not end at “no I would rather not”. Among the hundreds of pages of documents released was a legal filing dated June 9, 2000, in which Jeri Ryan said she knew her marriage was over by the spring of 1998. She went on to contend that her then-husband–whom she repeatedly refers to as “respondent” in the filing–surprised her with trips to the cities but didn’t tell her he planned to bring her to sex clubs while there. “They were long weekends, supposed `romantic’ getaways,” Jeri Ryan said in the filing. “The clubs in New York and Paris were explicit sex clubs. Respondent had done research. Respondent took me to two clubs in New York during the day. One club I refused to go in. It had mattresses in cubicles. The other club he insisted I go to.” - Anon - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:20 pm: Jack maid some missteps with some people in 2004, yes. “Scandal” aside, however, he has done a ton of good things throughout his life and bravo to him for getting back out there if he chooses instead of just cowering in the shadows. And scandal is put in quotes, because compared to what some politicians have done, some of which is still in the closet guarded tightly by friends, what Jack did is nothing. - Lakefront Liberal - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:21 pm: At this point I hope that a dozen people get into the Cook County Board Prez race — that way a progressive reformer candidate with a well run campaign might be able to sneak in though the crowd. I think the comparrison to the 5th CD race is apt — but it is easy in hindsight to think that Quigley had it sewn up from the beginning. Early on I had numerous people telling me that Fritchey had a lock on it, other told me that no one could beat O’Connor, and others said that Feigenholtz, as the only serious woman, would win easily. Yet Quigley won it, and has brought his independent streak with him. I think that the CCBP race could be just as unpredicitable and, hopefully, will have an equally positive result. - VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:24 pm: What a mentality! Ryan is OK because he isn’t as bad as other guys still playing politics? Yuk! Jack Ryan wants to be elected to something and that has been the situation for years. He has the looks, the cash, and the presentation skills to run for office, and he also has executive experience to probably do a good job. Big deal! There are millions of Illinoisans. We don’t need this guy in office. Find someone else. - party of one - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:37 pm: Oh, yes legal, I forgot the best part. Perhaps you should consider this the next time you say when she said ‘I would rather not’ he said ‘ok’: Respondent wanted me to have sex with him there with another couple watching. I refused,” Jeri Ryan continued. “Respondent asked me to perform a sexual activity upon him and he specifically asked other people to watch. I was very upset. “We left the club and respondent apologized, said that I was right and he would never insist that I go to a club again. He promised it was out of his system.” But later, Jeri Ryan said, Jack Ryan took her to Paris where he again took her to a sex club without first telling her where they were going. “I told him I thought it was out of his system. I told him he had promised me we would never go. People were having sex everywhere. I cried. I was physically ill. Respondent became very upset with me and said it was not a `turn-on’ for me to cry. I could not get over the incident and my loss of any attraction to him as a result. Respondent knew this was a serious problem. I told him I did not know if we could work it out.” - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:45 pm: Lakefront - I didn’t say Quigley had it sewn up from the beginning. I said the primary campaign was a waste. I think voters tuned out — because of the multiple candidates slinging a lot of accusations — and went with the one candidate they knew from his County work. If the list of candidates for CC pres stays long, we will be facing another accusation-slinging mess. If one, but only one, Hispanic candidate joins the group that could make a big difference. I’m still convinced that is how Anita Alvarez won. Which is not to say is not qualified. I’m just saying when you are the ONLY person from a big voting block (and she had two Onlys), it makes a difference. Terry O’Brien has counted on that in his MWRD races - dupage dan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:45 pm: My narrow point was that JR shouldn’t be tarred and feathered for the peccadillo with his wife. His politics are another thing. I am not particularly a supporter of his - just thought he got a raw deal. Oh well. VM is right - there are plenty of good people who can represent the state either in Springfield or in Washington. Anyone who wants to run should. Let the hammer (or Roeser) fall where it may - Reagan - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:45 pm: Jack is a decent guy who got caught up in the Obama spin media love fest, at first they had to get rid of Blair Hull and got some records that he had verbally abused and pushed around his wife Brenda Sexton, after they torpedoed Blair Hull Brenda got the Job of director of the Illinois Film Office, not bad for a woman whos main credentials for that post was that she wrote movie reviews for some web page. Axelrod and Blago rewarded her with that post. I think they also felt threatened by jack Ryan because he was wealthy,good looking, articulate and had taught school in the inner city (Hales Franciscan) So they decided to try the same formula they used on Blair Hull with Jack Ryan, Because of the corrupt dysfunctional republican party that also did not like Ryan and the fact that Jack’s ex wife was the beautiful 7 of 9 from the star trek TV show it made for a perfect storm media frenzy. Jack is a decent guy and the people in the media who look back on the Senate primary with honesty realize what was done to him was wrong, Jack was an outsider so he had to go and all of Axelrods media buddies should be ashamed of what they did in that race. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:49 pm: Look, jeri Ryan has/had some serious issues. She started crying? Ok jeri…whatever. Things could have been worse, she could have been married to Blair Hull. Jack Ryan did not force jeri to anything that she did not want to do. was his insistence in participating in such activities a bit much? yes. a bit insensitive, particulary after she made it clear that she was not interested? yes. as a voter and female, I STILL would have voted for Jack Ryan provided he made the case as to why he would have the better senator. - party of one - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:50 pm: The moral of this story is: Don’t take your wife to sex clubs and ask her to perform sex acts in public on you. It seems simple enough, really. - Libertyville - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:54 pm: Will County Woman, you have pretty low standards. Why on earth would you vote for a man who had such little respect for a woman he supposedly loved? If he treated her that way, imagine how he would have treated his constituents. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:55 pm: on second thought, jeri ryan is a liar. I don’t believe that she cried, but just said that she did for the sake of the divorce/custody court proceedings. she and her attorney used tears to get sympathy. - Truthful James - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:56 pm: dupage dan Once again. Jeri did not ever repeat in public what she said in camera. Child custody cases are a bitter, bitter things. Notice that no dates are given. No cross examination was done. party of one quotes only from the transcript which Mrs Ryan thought was to be sealed. Sorry, that does not convince me that the actions ever took place that she describes. Unfortunately, buying ink by the barrel does not mean printing the truth. The Tribune has the defense of indicating that this came from the sealed record. They were also aware that for Jack to fight the press he would have to call Jeri out and affect the relationship with his kids, which had been settled. I am reminded of Paul Newman’s role in “Absence of Malice.” - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:56 pm: –Jack was an outsider so he had to go and all of Axelrods media buddies should be ashamed of what they did in that race.– Reagan (is that your name? If not, t’s an awfully presumptuous handle): If you think there needs to be a diabolical conspiracy for the media to pursue a story involving sex clubs, a beautiful blond actress, and a handsome, young GOP millionaire running for Senate, you haven’t been paying attention for quite some time. - Libertyville - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 2:57 pm: WCW, As you may recall from that period, he never once denied that her statements were accurate. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:08 pm: @libertyville, wow this must explain why I was not accepted to wheaton college, i guess. not that I actually tried to get in because THOSE type of people scare me anyway. not everything is black or white all of the time. in this instance I see shades of gray. confines of a marriage, consenting adults and something fairly common (whether society wants to admit it or not). no, my standards are not low at all. just being fair and reasonable, that’s all; I can understand why you would have difficulty with such concepts. - Libertyville - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:14 pm: WCW, please enlighten me since I obviously have trouble grasping concepts. What would disqualify someone from getting your vote? Are there any private acts that you think are significant enough that they overshadow their policy positions? I don’t know for sure where I draw the line but public sex seems to me to be over the line. That is a concept I get. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:34 pm: libertyville, why are you acting like they were going to be out in the open in grant park or central park or on the champs- elysees? they were going to be in an enclosed venue, and shielded from the general public’s eyes, only to be seen by like-minded others. - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:43 pm: Jack Ryan’s problem had nothing to do with what he did or did not do with his wife. He simply was not up to the task of running for the US Senate. His personal situation should have been a non-issue and his actions made it the focus of the public discussion. But it was all Jack’s doing. Those who blame the winner because the winner came to the race with his A game aren’t living in the real world. The Obama team was just doing their job. They were all grown-ups involved in a political campaign — not kindergarten kids living in a world where we all play nice regardless. - T.J. - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:44 pm: Jack Ryan and Jim Edgar both need to go away. VanillaMan ‘12. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:51 pm: @ redbright, jack ryan was saying some interesting things before he was derailed. Of particular was his effort to court black voters by suggesting that the democratic party took them for granted. early on he pretty much had the media eating out of his hands…he was attractive, young, wealthy, and had taught in an inner city school. he initially looked like he had some promise. - Truthful James - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 3:53 pm: To all WARNING TJ is NOT Truthful James - Libertyville - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:04 pm: WCW….I get that and I recognize couples particapte in things of their choosing. Still, participating in orgies still isnt something one would put in their ads (well, maybe some would) One of my big problems with Jack! is that it is quite a difference from the conservative image he built in the primary. I am so sick of these hypocrites. And for whatever reasons the GOP seems to have more than they know what to do with these days. So, I say good riddance to Jack! - CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:26 pm: Wow Can it get any better? ” was recently in a bar/restaurant, Stanleys in Lincoln Park and noted a very clever poster posted in the bathroom ….” How about Ensign and Sanford too Talk about the trifecta Have a GREEEEEEEAT Confab - Niles Township - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:28 pm: Now, if Jeri Ryan had been scheduled to be at the event, I might have actually shown up. Jack Ryan, eh. - Redbright - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:45 pm: WCW - Campaigns are about more than issues. One critical aspect is how the campaign itself is run. Jack Ryan flunked that test. - Heartless Libertarian - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:49 pm: Hey, a Republican male, trying to get jiggy with his wife…. wait… are we sure he is really a Republican? Seriously, what is wrong with him being there. May I remind everyone that in the US Senate there sits a man that was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and a man that killed a mistress. So why is a private citizen criticized when he did something far less immoral than the other wackos in the senate? Oh, those other people are democrats… oh yeah… they must be good people. Oh yeah, billionaires supposedly fighting for the working man… yeah, good people. - Skeeter - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 4:51 pm: Watch out, Heartless. They are all out to get you. Damn liberal media refusing to ignore a story about an actress and sex clubs. How biased! - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 5:04 pm: heatless, it was the Illinois GOP that did Jack Ryan in. yes, the opposition got dirt on him. but, the GOP blinked too fast and made more out of it than voters would have. they should have just let him run; it would have been better for them than their plan b, which as we all know was a colossal failure. - Truthful James - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 5:08 pm: Libertyville et al Don’t you get it. It did not happen. Jack kept quiet for the benefit of the kids. - Will County Woman - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 5:26 pm: are you sure? i could’ve sworn that Jack ryan did admit to going to the clubs, but that he and his wife did not participate. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 5:51 pm: OK, I’ll stay away from the stuff that’s been re-hashed over a mlti-million times and just ask a few intriguing questions. Is Jack Ryan going to announce that he’s running? If so, for which office? What if he decides to run for Gov? Proft v. Ryan would be interesting–an understatement, I’m sure–for a variety of reasons. E.g., what could/couldn’t Proft say IF he signed a non-disclosure K when he worked for the Campaign? Will they go at it mano-a-mano, or will Proft step aside and “endorse” Ryan? The latter would be very interesting. If Ryan decides to run for Senate (or even Gov or Kirk’s seat), will the Voters he had before jump on board? The allegations were one thing; the release of the papers and some of it’s contents were another. Also, who leaked the papers? MuCulloch had once made a statement about that, but it wasn’t out there for too long. Who had access to them before they were redacted and who had access to them after they were, but prior to release? Therefore, who still might have them? Bottom line: who’ll be willing to take the risk and why? Interesting. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 6:05 pm: Or, is there no risk this time around? - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 6:34 pm: ==================== Look, jeri Ryan has/had some serious issues. She started crying? Ok jeri…whatever. ——————– Wow. Sensitive. Next we’re going to hear a “Sheesh” after the “whatever…” Must be the “PR person” that was used for Jack’s Bio online. You know, the one where it clearly states that Jeri had an extramarital affair with Brandon for everyone who can read to see. And everyone seems to be getting along so nicely. Sheesh…whatEVER! - T.J. - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 7:16 pm: “TJ is NOT Truthful James” Uh, that’s right. I’ve been T.J. here at least three years, never TJ or Truthful James or anything else. - GOP guy - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 9:07 pm: The Topinka cabal wanted Jack Ryan gone because he wasn’t their guy. It’s as simple as that. McKennas was supposed to have won that primary. Jack was a rich guy who didn’t need the old crowd. Even if he lost to Obama, he could have remained a big name on the scene and possibly been a contender for Gov in 2008. Jack was more popular than Topinka and that just wouldn’t do. The idea of Topinka being outraged over “lying” is absurd. She’s the most dishonest person out there for one thing. Besides, if the story is Jack said nothing in the file would “embarrass the party” it’s hard to see how that’s a lie. The IL GOP is beyond embarrassment. Lastly, who cares what the guy did with his own wife at the time? The IL GOP backs lots of candidates who don’t like girls at all. Maybe that’s what they really hated about Jack. - GOP guy - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 9:10 pm: I meant Gov in 2006 of course. - In the Land of Silos and Cows ... - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 10:16 pm: It comes down to this … Jack! wanted to hide behind his child. Jack is creepy, but to say, the documents need to be sealed because Jack! was protecting his child is as crazy as bringing you wife to a SECOND sex club. Jack! was protecting Jack!, and the issue is Jack! was using the child card to protect himself from seeming creepy … how did that turn out? - Rob_N - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:19 pm: Here we go again with the convenient amnesia that always seems to befall conservatives who defend (or at least excuse) Jack! … Will County Woman, Bubs, Truthy James and everyone else who continues to whine about the Trib going to court to get the divorce papers unsealed… here are the facts: - During the divorce, neither Jeri Ryan nor Jack Ryan pushed to have the documents sealed. Under state law divorce papers are public records though exceptions are occasionally made. - Well after the divorce was finalized but just ahead of his Senate run Jack Ryan went back to court to request that the documents be sealed. His now-ex-wife agreed. As Truthful James indicates, they ostensibly were taking this action for the children though the timing seems suspect (if it was for the kids why not do it during or just after the divorce proceedings? why wait so long … until just before announcing a Senate candidacy?) - During the GOP primary for Senate, a member of Gen. John Borling’s campaign staff went to the press with what he claimed was a pre-sealed copy of the Ryan divorce papers which he claimed held explosive and damaging information. - To each of their credits, Borling fired that guy and though the news outlets reported on the scene the guy made about the documents they did not report on the content since that particular set of documents was not obtained legally. - But, the Trib did soon go to court to get the once-public documents made public again. The judge agreed, the Trib reported on the content, Jack dropped out, and the rest is Keyesian history. ….Bottom line: it’s hardly the Trib’s fault that a primary opponent’s campaign staff went after Jack Ryan with those divorce papers. And yes, the Obama campaign did encourage the media to look into the matter further but it was the Borling campaign (against the General’s wishes) that first made the accusations public. As we can see in the recent example of the Lake County GOP’s FEC filing against Sen. Michael Bond that these types of “work the refs” moves are commonplace in campaigns, whether Jack Ryan fans (or Mark Kirk fans) like it or not. – ….And GOP guy, you need to remove your tinfoil hat. - Rob_N - Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 11:33 pm: Heartless Libertarian says, “Seriously, what is wrong with him being there. May I remind everyone that in the US Senate there sits a man that was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and a man that killed a mistress. So why is a private citizen criticized when he did something far less immoral than the other wackos in the senate?” …I believe what you just did in your comment is also known as “criticizing” — ie, it’s not like any of their opponents ever let them forget those things. And it was the Republicans that criticized their candidate Jack Ryan (he was no longer “private citizen” Jack Ryan but instead “Senate candidate” Jack Ryan). He lost fairly significant support from GOP voters and it led to him dropping out. Democrats didn’t support him to begin with, but after the lurid details came out they mostly shrugged it off. >Polling from that time indicated that 27% of Republican voters thought worse of Ryan after the sex club info came to light, whereas only 13% of Dems thought worse of him. - Anonymous - Saturday, Jun 27, 09 @ 12:14 am: When McCulloch released the fax he had received, comments had been made regarding a wrong docket number. Was that a fact or another red herring? - GOP guy - Saturday, Jun 27, 09 @ 12:19 pm: Jack Ryan told me once that it was someone from his 2002 exploratory campaign for Sec. of State who had seen the file (and yes, he did tell me who, but I won’t say here for now). Jack had asked him to review, to get an opinion about whether there would be a problem if he ran. The guy was also a lawyer. But because that operative from 2002 had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, he couldn’t be the one to go public in 2004, despite the fact he had a personal ax to grind against Jack by then, over money I think. So that operative passed along the info to McCulloch, and he was the guy who went public in the 2004 race for Senate. This is all being done don’t forget within the war room of the IL GOP, where Topinka is then Chairman. If you recall, McCulloch said there were things in the file that it eventually turned out weren’t even in there. The actual file wasn’t damaging enough to destroy Jack. They had to make some stuff up. Recall for example Topinka going around saying Jack had forced his wife to have sex against her will, i.e. rape. It just wasn’t true. There was no such allegation even. It’s not clear whether McCulloch even saw the file, or whether he just went on what the other operative told him orally. Or maybe both knew the big stuff was being fabricated. Who knows. We do know McCulloch was later convicted in DuPage on an unrelated election law fraud charge. This is all what I’ve heard from sources I consider credible. Bottom line, it’s a travesty what Jack’s own party did to him, or at least what a few of the old faces did (Topinka, Edgar, etc.). Talk about your circular firing squads! - Anonymous - Sunday, Jun 28, 09 @ 2:51 pm: ============== To each of their credits, Borling fired that guy and though the news outlets reported on the scene the guy made about the documents they did not report on the content since that particular set of documents was not obtained legally. ================ Yes. You’d think that if the Ds had faxed it to McCulloch, they simply would have, well…faxed it without worrying about “appearances”. Everyone always seems to conveniently forget that all of this didn’t start with the Tribune. It began with the fax. - Anonymous - Monday, Jun 29, 09 @ 5:34 pm: =============== If you recall, McCulloch said there were things in the file that it eventually turned out weren’t even in there. The actual file wasn’t damaging enough to destroy Jack. They had to make some stuff up. Recall for example Topinka going around saying Jack had forced his wife to have sex against her will, i.e. rape. It just wasn’t true. There was no such allegation even. ================ Except there were “six paragraphs (or was it pages?) that the Judge didn’t release because Jack Ryan’s attorney talked him out of it, plus the stuff that had already been redacted. Tough spin. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.