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Reader comments closed for the holiday weekend

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

I love three-day weekends. But who doesn’t? See you Tuesday.

The album this song comes from never got the attention it deserved because that “Unplugged” album was so popular, but I loved it…

I’ve got a new complaint

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GOP politics roundup

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The United Republican Fund and WIND radio hosted a Republican gubernatorial candidate forum today. Six candidates showed up and a straw poll of party activist attendees was conducted after the presentations…

Adam Andrzejewski - 116
Matt Murphy - 107
Dan Proft - 96
Kirk Dillard - 76
Bill Brady - 46
Bob Schillerstrom - 21

The biggest surprise, perhaps, is that Andrzejewski was so organized at that event. It’s also interesting that Sen. Brady, a conservative darling, scored lower than Sen. Dillard and Dan Proft.

* Speaking of Dillard, he announced a new campaign manager today. From a press release…

Republican candidate for governor Kirk Dillard today announced that Iroquois County native Tim Peters has accepted the post of Campaign Manager for Dillard’s gubernatorial campaign with Carol Stream native David Carlin accepting the post as Deputy Campaign Manager. […]

Peters brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to bear for the campaign including his service as Political Director to former U.S. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert. He has held senior posts with former U.S. Representative Robin Hayes (R-NC) and U.S. Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS). Peters also served as a Senior Director at McDonald’s Corporation doing Public Affairs work both domestically and internationally.

* Conservative Republican US Senate candidate Patrick Hughes recently talked to the Illinois Channel about his campaign. You can watch the full interview here, but I’ve edited it down to his essential line of attack on Mark Kirk….

* Speaking of Mark Kirk, the US Senate hopeful told Illinois Channel that the Veterans Administration is a “great example” of how “the government should be allowed to compete” in health-related issues, which might surprise some of Kirk’s critics on both sides of the aisle since Kirk is so publicly opposed to the “public option” on health insurance…

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Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I physically winced yesterday when I read this Twitter post by Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Here comes the race card: Comm. Sims Receives Racially Based Phone Threats

Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims, of course, was the one who reversed her vote on repealing the county’s sales tax hike the other day.

I winced because I figured Peraica was being stupid and would have to backtrack once Sims played the answering machine audio for the media. Soon enough, NBC5 had a partial transcript of the disgusting, racist and homophobic message…

“I wish you had an email address up on your site,” the tape begins, before lurching into a profanity laced tirade.

“I understand why you don’t because you don’t want to hear anything from your constituents. I’m very disappointed in your vote. You flip-flopped. Actually, you lied. And I hope you get **** AIDS and die. I pray to God you get AIDS and die. You **** liar. You’re a **** liar.”

The tape ends with racist remarks.

And here’s both messages left by the same clown with the profanity deleted…

If you’re on a mobile device and can’t see the video, click here for the shortened ABC7 version that I’ve posted on YouTube.

* Right on cue, after it became apparent that this probably wasn’t some politically correct stunt to garner sympathy, Peraica did, indeed, backtrack…

Please read my statement regarding the racist, cowardly threats made against Commissioner Sims: http://ow.ly/nYSZ

Oops.

* But then Cook County Board President Todd Stroger called the messages “assaultive and nakedly threatening” and the Cook County Sheriff’s department began an investigation…

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating harassing phone calls aimed at a Cook County commissioner. […]

The sheriff’s department stops short of describing these calls as threats. But investigators will attempt to trace the identity of the caller on these messages. They have not said what if any crime the caller could be charged with.

And Sims and others blamed Peraica and Commissioner Larry Suffredin for creating the atmosphere which prompted the call…

“Both of them called me a liar, called me a flip flop; in the same vein of the call,” Sims said. She acknowledged that none of the other commissioners used racist comments when they criticized her.

“I think they fueled the phone call. Anytime someone feels comfortable enough they can call you and call you a “N-word” … twice,” Sims said.

Pastor Walter Turner said, “It is because of what our commissioners have done on this board to flame the fires of racism to have allowed these people to say what they want to say.”

Peraica said it was “absolutely ridiculous” to suggest his criticism of Sims sparked the racist rant against her. He also repudiated the racist messages left for Sims. […]

Suffredin also condemned the messages. He said he has fought to support civil rights and said it was absurd to put him in this situation.

* Look, there’s no doubt that Stroger’s race has played a major role in both the media coverage of his tax hike and the public’s reaction. And there’s no doubt that the same thing happened to Sims when she changed her position.

I thought both of them did a pretty good job early yesterday morning (before the messages were discovered) defending against the criticism. Watch it…

The rest of the interview, however, wasn’t so hot. Stroger, for instance, gave himself an “A+” for handling the adminstration. Yeesh.

* Anyway, my point is that it never ceases to amaze me how the Chicago area has always been on such high racial alert, both black and white. Peraica’s immediate “political correctness” assumption, Sims’ blame-game, Stroger’s insistence that the repugnant call was a direct threat and the resulting county sheriff’s investigation, the media’s outright sensationalism and Eric Zorn’s belief that everything should’ve just been hushed up is all just way over the top.

The worst part is, there doesn’t seem to be anybody in the region who regularly takes the high road and urges that calm, honesty, empathy and reason prevail.

It’s discouraging.

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Question of the day

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As I told you yesterday, Gawker has uncovered e-mails from media outlets to then Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s press secretary pleading for interviews with the governor the day after his arrest. This one from the CBS Early Show is breathtaking…

There is far too much hearsay going around and in our opinion [Blagojevich’s] perspective is clearly being ignored. We want to provide the platform for the Governor to be able to set the record straight, something he has not been able to accomplish thus far and we hope he considers coming on the program to clear his own name.

Oy.

There were several pretty straightforward requests submitted to Blagojevich’s press office. Not everyone was so much of a suck-up. But, still…

The most pathetic request comes from Pat Curry, the news assignment editor for WGN, a local Chicago station. He wasn’t even asking for an interview with Blagojevich—he wanted Guerrero himself to come on, and delivered a masterwork of flattery and faux sympathy. “I wouldn’t expect you to be able to comment on a federal investigation, and could easily brush that off,” Curry wrote, signing off with, “Humbly, Pat Curry.”

Read it here.

And, of course, there was the “incredible offer” from Don & Roma’s producer.

So far, it doesn’t appear that any “news” stories have been written about this Gawker piece.

* The Question: It’s December, 2008. Rod Blagojevich has just been arrested. You’re a TV news producer. What would your e-mail to the Blagojevich press office say?

Snark heavily encouraged.

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Rod Blagojevich’s defiantly naive brother

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Sun-Times scores an exclusive interview with Rob Blagojevich, the former governor’s brother, and his wife. You have to scroll way down to get to the meat of things…

“I am frustrated with the [federal] government because I believe he is being held hostage by them,” Julie Blagojevich said of her husband. “I believe that they indicted Rob to get his brother to plead.”

But it won’t work. At least it hasn’t yet…

“I do not plan to plead guilty. I plan to go to trial. We’re co-defendants, and we are not guilty on those charges,” said Rob Blagojevich, who was paid $12,500 a month as fund-raising chairman. “I would not testify against my brother.”

Apparently, the Rob and his wife didn’t see this coming, even though they knew about the investigations…

“We knew about allegations, and we knew about investigations,” Julie Blagojevich said. “Rod assured us that he was not doing anything wrong. We understood that the allegations were really behind him, the investigation was really behind him.”

Wow. Talk about no due diligence. The probes were heating up with a fury by the time Rob signed on to the campaign. Then again, that’s his brother we’re talking about. He probably saw what he wanted to see.

Rob was brought in as Rod’s fundraising committee chairman because Rod needed somebody he could trust without question. Plus, nobody else wanted the job. At the time, pretty much everybody around the governor with half a brain knew that it was only a matter of time before the feds closed in.

The two men were not close at all during their adulthoods, so Rob and his wife saw this fundraising gig as an opportunity to rekindle the brotherhood. It’s sickening to me that Rod would put his brother in such a no-win position.

* Rob defends himself…

On tape, Rob Blagojevich presses Burris to donate to his brother. But, regarding the Senate seat, he’s heard essentially telling Burris: Get in line, that others also were seeking the appointment.

“How I conducted myself with Burris is how I conducted myself with everyone when no one was looking,” Rob Blagojevich told the Sun-Times.

Discuss.

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Campaign 2010 roundup

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Teamsters Joint Council 25 has endorsed Pat Quinn. That’s big. The Joint Council represents 22 Teamsters locals throughout Illinois. Quinn is an honorary member of Local 786. From a press release…

“As an advocate of Illinois labor, Gov. Quinn has the experience of fighting for working families and the support of the Teamsters to continue the fight into a full term,” said John T. Coli, President of Joint Council 25. “Joint Council 25 represents more than 100,000 men and women statewide who deserve the deference and protection our governor has shown he can deliver.”

Other than signing the capital bill, this is the reasoning behind the endorsement…

— [Quinn] Signed an amendment to the Labor Relations Act to expedite contracts for public employees;
— Signed a Teamster initiative requiring responsible bidding on school bus contracts; and
— Signed a recent bill establishing the state’s first Teamster specialty license plate.

* John Patterson notes in a Daily Herald blog post entitled: “Courting the AFSCME vote,” that Dan Hynes’ budget plan doesn’t ask AFSCME for pay reductions, even though the gubernatorial candidate proposes to roll back operating spending to 2005 levels.

* Sneed reports today that state Sens. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) and state Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) have endorsed former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman for US Senate.

* As I’ve already told you, Sneed also reported today that JB Pritzker is being recruited to run for state treasurer on the Democratic ticket…

Word is Pritzker is being considered a Dem boomlet now that Kip Kirkpatrick has dropped out of the race.

• Background: Pritzker, an heir to the Pritzker hotel fortune, was also an early supporter of Hillary Clinton and a major thrust behind the creation of the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

* And Congressman Mark Kirk’s lawyers have convinced Univision Radio to at least temporarily pull an ad by Illinois Immigrant Action slamming the Repbublican US Senate candidate’s immigration positions. You can read the entire letter by clicking here. Progress Illinois has an excerpt…

As reported by today’s Sun-Times, this advertisement falsely claims that Congressman Kirk advocated “condoms” as a solution to illegal immigration. … This is patently false. … There is no record of Kirk ever mentioning “condoms” or “birth control” in connection with immigration or Mexico. … [I]f your station airs this advertisement after gaining knowledge that it contains false and misleading statements, you are subjecting your station to potential liability. […]

We also note that Cong. Kirk is a fluent Spanish speaker who went to school in Mexico. As a Congressman, he worked to improve the lives of Latino constituents by sponsoring a family reunification program (Project Abuelita) and securing a grant to teach English to young Latina mothers to boost their ability to help their kids with schoolwork.

IIA’s response…

At Illinois Immigrant Action, we understand why Congressman Mark Kirk does not want his embarrassing record of ugly remarks scape-goating immigrants, his refusal to meet to discuss actual workable solutions to our broken immigration system, and his mean-spirited voting record on immigrant issues drawn to the attention of Latino voters. But we are shocked that the Congressman would interfere with our free enterprise system to try to block our ad buy on Univision Radio, to use legal intimidation to prevent Illinois Immigrant Action from exercising our right to corporate free speech, and to interfere in the free marketplace of ideas.

Our ads are accurate. We denounce Congressman Kirk’s efforts to suppress knowledge of his statements to the effect that family planning in Mexico means fewer Mexicans, that the American people support helping Mexican women have fewer babies, and that fewer Mexicans mean less illegal immigration, and that this is a long term solution.

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Obama’s Illinois job approval at 59 percent

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Barack Obama won Illinois last year with about 61 percent of the vote. After he was inaugurated, his approval rating here shot up into the stratosphere. Now, it’s down to about where his election totals were, according to a Chicago Tribune poll, which has him at 59 percent job approval and 33 percent disapproval.

A Rasmussen Report poll earlier this month had the president’s approval here at 56 percent and his disapproval at 42. So, he’s actually doing better in the Trib poll than in the Rasmussen poll.

From the Tribune…

Obama’s standing with home-state voters could create problems for Illinois Democrats, if it continues into next year’s general election. Democratic officials have frequently cited their connections to and affinity for the president to try to offset the political fallout from the arrest and removal from office of disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who faces federal corruption charges.

That’s quite an overstatement. The trend obviously isn’t favorable at the moment, but he was at an unsustainable high at the start of the year. The fall was entirely predictable.

* Everybody wants to believe, it seems, that 2010 will be like 1994. There are some eerie similarities, but keep in mind that Bill Clinton tried and failed to pass his national health care plan during the election year. People freaked out, pretty much like they are now, and didn’t have time to settle down. If Obama can get that off the table in the next few months by passing something there will be a long breathing space before November.

From the Tribune’s poll on Obama’s health plan…

About one-third think any health proposal will pay for abortions — even as lawmakers have stripped that measure from key bills wending their way through Congress. And one in five think the health plan will make “end-of-life” determinations for elderly patients, often referred to as “death panels” by opponents of Obama’s health-care reform proposals. This is not the case.

Graphic…

They ain’t exactly siding with the Republicans, either.

* Back to the job approval…

Among the potentially troubling signs for Democrats that surfaced in the survey was the fact that only about half of voters who describe themselves as independents approved of Obama’s job performance. Illinois has voted Democratic in recent elections, but independents remain a key swing block.

Additionally, 58 percent of independent voters believed that Obama’s handling of the economy had done little to help the job picture in a state that has seen unemployment rise from 6.7 percent since the presidential election to 10.5 percent in July. On health-care reform, 53 percent of independent voters disapproved of Obama’s actions. […]

The poll found Obama’s job approval remains strongest in his home base of Chicago at 85 percent, among Democrats at 91 percent, and among African-Americans at 94 percent. Voters outside the Chicago area lean slightly more toward dissatisfaction with his job performance, and he has the support of a narrow 52 percent majority of white voters.

The Tribune refuses to post crosstabs, so we’re supposed to just trust their analysis. It’s a maddening habit, but they’re the Tribune.

Thoughts?

Please, try to stay civil. National politics brings out the worst in people. Do your utmost to remain above the fray. As always, resist posting regurgitated national talking points. They’re boring and stupid, for the most part. And try to keep it focused on Illinois.

Thanks.

…Adding… Progress Illinois makes a couple of good points…

The Tribune did not release the survey’s cross tabs, so we can’t see the exact figure Pearson is referring to here. (Does “about half” mean slightly more than 50 percent? Slightly less?)

But it’s worth noting that, according to Illinois exit polls, 55 percent of self-described “Independents” supported Obama last November, compared to 43 percent for John McCain. Dropping a few percentage points is hardly definitive, let alone “potentially troubling.”

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This just in…

Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 9:53 am - Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed five new U of I trustees. All five are graduates of the school. From a press release…

The five appointments include: Karen A. Hasara, former Mayor of Springfield; Timothy N. Koritz, Staff Anesthesiologist, Rockford Memorial Hospital; Edward L. McMillan, Principal and CEO, McMillan LLC; Pamela B. Strobel, retired Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Exelon; and Carlos E. Tortolero, President, National Museum of Mexican Art. […]

These trustees join Christopher G. Kennedy, president of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., and Lawrence Oliver II, chief counsel in charge of internal investigations for Boeing Co., who were appointed to the Board by Governor Quinn on August 26.

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees consists of thirteen members, including the Governor. Nine are appointed by the Governor for terms of six years, and three student trustees (one from each campus) are elected by referenda on their campuses for one-year terms. One of these student trustees is designated by the Governor to have an official vote.

McMillan is a reappointment.

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