* As I wrote over the weekend, Dan Hynes’ Harold Washington ad is so difficult to rebut not just because Washington’s words are so powerful and prescient, but because there is a legitimate disagreement over whether Washington really meant what he said. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington weighs in against Quinn today…
A pre-election postscript: There’s one political old-timer whose wisdom, even in death, is as relevant today as 22 years ago. Back then, I was privileged to serve as a spokeswoman for Mayor Harold Washington. Forever eloquent, Washington knew exactly what he was saying in that long-ago interview about firing Gov. Quinn. He meant every unequivocal word of it, and then some.
Washington doesn’t need to be rescued by craven politicians who feign outrage at that brilliant Dan Hynes campaign ad. The cynical rush by the pols to protect Washington’s name is a fig leaf for protecting the benefits of incumbency.
Like Quinn, Dan Hynes is an imperfect candidate. But that ad was not racist. It was right.
Of course we won’t know for sure until Tuesday but I feel that the ad was very effective. Quinn can only respond by doing a full-frontal assault on Hyne’s association with the Burr Oak Cemetary scandal.
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:43 am:
It is a good ad. But Quinn and Hynes are digging so much up on each other that I believe voters are getting negative against both of them. Whomever wins needs to get less negative if they have any chance against the GOP.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:44 am:
The ad worked. People are still talking about it and will talk about it for years to come.
It was effective in seriously changing the dynamics of the race for governor and put Quinn permanently on the defensive.
Laura is absolutely right. I’ve talked with several Washington aids and they generally think the ad was fair, but sleazy. My guess is the black vote goes from 80-20 Quinn to 60-40 Quinn.
I don’t want to be conflicting with Ms. Washington but I don’t exactly share here assessment. The ad may have bought Mr. Hynes something temporary - but at a substantial price - which will be a bitterly divided party for the fall.
Not with the dependent class but the working stiffs.
Every employee wants a review.
This gave them a chance to see an employer evaluate an employee.
They can relate.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:48 am:
From what I have gathered blacks are taking issue with both Quinn and Hynes on their respective ads, and not really pleased with either.
If anything I have heard more whining from white liberals claiming to take issue with the HW ad. apparently Quinn’s argument about Tom Hynes worked on them. But truthfully the white liberal vote was Quinn’s all along anway. Thank God! I’m a moderate dem.
I think Quinn will get more black votes than Hynes, but I’m not so sure there will be a backlash over the HW ad as Quinn and his camp think. Unless someone does scientific exit polling I don’t know that we can read anything into tomorrow’s election results where black voters are concerned.
I agree with every word that Laura Washington wrote in her column.
It is very effective because it was true then and given Quinn’s performance in office over the past year it is obviously still true.If Quinn had any accomplishments during his year in office or at least looked like he had a clue the ad would not have been as effective. However, all the various flip flops, prevarications, screw ups, and just a total lack of professionalism reinforced the fact that he was and still is incompetent.
His appointments have been total failures, his budget a joke and he has not been able to work with the legislators. His rag tag team of holdovers and gadflys from his past have made things even worse than when he took over.
Let’
s release Quinn from his job tomorrow.
If Hynes wins, I think it has less to do with the HW ad and more with the desire for change from the electorate. If Quinn wins, it will be in part from large turnout from the African-American community. Stroger, Brown and Cheryle on the ballot help Quinn here.
We won’t really know until we see the breakdown of the returns from African-American wards, but there is one undeniable consequence of running that ad. Many African-American leaders, as demonstrated through the words of Jackson, Rush, Rauol, Burns, Meeks and Gutierrez (Latino) view that ad as an attempt to suppress the African-American vote because old ward leaders of the African-American neighborhoods don’t forget about what Tom Hynes was doing to drive them away from the Irish neighborhoods (by imposing disproportional tax rates) on Black neighborhoods when Tom Hynes was assessor.
Further, many historians and long time observers of the Chicago political scene view Tom Hynes decision to leave the Democratic Party and challenge Harold Washington as an attempt of the old 19th Ward-Irish Machine to stop an African-American man from becoming Mayor. And just for the love of the game, if you are good with google, you can find this quote about what Tom Hynes said about Harold Washington.
Mayoral candidate Thomas Hynes abandoned his low-key, issue-oriented game plan Tuesday to launch a personal attack on Mayor Harold Washington, describing the mayor’s record as “one of sleaze.” “Who does Mayor Harold Washington think he is?” Hynes demanded at a press conference Tuesday in his headquarters at 350 W. Kinzie St. “Harold Washington should be the last person in the city to question the integrity of anyone. His history and his record are one of sleaze.” “He has served time in jail for repeatedly evading the federal income tax laws. He has twice had his law license suspended for cheating his own clients. He has a record in his own community as a deadbeat for not paying his taxes and bills.” Referring to the federal Operation Incubator investigation of City Hall corruption, Hynes said that Washington “had surrounded himself in City Hall with a group of grafters and corrupters, many of whom are under indictment or face grand jury investigation.”
(Chicago Tribune, 3/11/1987)
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:55 am:
The WSJ has an article today about the races in Illinois and in it WSJ specifically cites quinn’s incompetence as his problem.
The ad sums up what even many of his own aides acknowledge—that Pat’s management skills are severely lacking. Also, whatever he thinks is the only thing that matters and he even believes his own self-image.
I think it was a mistake for Hynes to take the focus off prisons issue so early … The HW ad essentially shifted everyone away from the issue that had Quinn reeling. I didn’t see any sign of that slowing down. The media can’t chew gum and walk at the same time since there’s been so much in terms of cutbacks, nor can the public absorb that much news, so one issue had to be pushed aside …
The HW ad could have been dropped on the air maybe a few days later and Quinn wouldn’t have had time to huddle sympathetic folks around him and push back. This is all Monday morning quarterbacking, granted. I think Hynes had done what he needed to do to win … snd Quinn has certainly done what he needed to do to blow a massive lead and lose.
===I think it was a mistake for Hynes to take the focus off prisons issue so early … The HW ad essentially shifted everyone away from the issue that had Quinn reeling===
You’re not paying attention. The Washington ad was not the dominant spot in Hynes’ rotation. The prisoner release was, and is, the most dominant ad. It was Quinn who got sidetracked. And to this day has never effectively responded to the release ad.
The ad was effective in two ways. One, it highlighted Quinn’s incompetency to the average voter who doesn’t pay that much attention to Illinois government. Two, it provoked a thinly veiled race based attack from the Governor, which should dispel the myth of Quinn as a “do what’s right” type.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:22 pm:
The assessment of Quinn’s ability to administrate is certainly on the mark, but the conclusion “Now Quinn is ruining our state’s finances” does not quite ring true since the blame goes much farther back. For me, that blunts some of the message. It could have concluded with the early release debacle which was the hot item and more closely associated with how Quinn is running things.
In the long run, should Quinn win, this ad will make the Washington quote have less impact should the Republicans use it in the fall.
I think the ad was very relevant. It was not racist or dividing…it only pointed out Quinn’s incompetence. I think Dan Hynes will win and not because of or in spite of this ad. This ad was just another way (one of many) of showing that Quinn is not competent.
==Laura is absolutely right. I’ve talked with several Washington aids and they generally think the ad was fair, but sleazy==
Chicago Cynic, I assume you meant to say that Laura was right in her analysis, but in the “fair play department”, she did not say that the ad was ’sleezy’. She said it was right. The other “Washington aids” (sic) that you spoke with said that it was sleezy.
To the quiestion, Mr. Miller, the ad would have been more effective had Dan Hynes had a better answer to the Burr Oak oversight allegations. He was all over the map on his response vs what his own web site says re: his oversight of cemeteries.
I believe the Washington piece somes up the entire evaluation of Pat Quinn.If the African-American community really revers one of their icons then listen to what the MAN says……there is not a trace of racism in the piece.Simply a mayor depicting his biggest mistake! Laura Washington wrote an excellent piece on her own first-hand experience.Unlike the Rev.Meeks who would sell his soul to support Pat Quinn.
Kudos to Laura Washington and Carol Marin for depicting the real Pat Quinn…..remember,he was Blago’s Lt.Governor….enough said!
The HW Ad is powerful because it addresses, from a creditable political figure, the central issue Hynes campaign has challenged—Quinn’s competency. Quinn made a serious mistake when he tried to deflect Washington’s charges by playing the race card. Instead, Quinn should have countered with his subsequent achievements in the Treasurer’s office, the passage of the Capital Bill and dismissed the as message outdated.
… It worked because we are still talking about it..The ones that are poo pooing it are already supporting Quinn, the Only “race” issue here is that Quinn made it into one..
This ad was a game changer, win lose or draw Harold’s words are in the back of every voters mind now and probably until the end of the general(if he makes it that far).
Positive endorsements are used all the time by politicians, why not let the voters hear the negative. I find nothing “sleazy” about it, but instead a refreshing bit of honesty/reality. You can be sure if Mr. Quinn had anyone saying a negative thing about Dan Hynes - he would have used it. Dan Hynes will win tomorrow because he is the right man to lead our state.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:54 pm:
Voter USA, I agree because most of the comments from black people that i have seen or heard on the matter suggest that those who take issue with the HW ad only do so because he was used in it. In other words they wonder if there was some other way to make the point without using HW to make the point? The stuff about Tom Hynes doesn’t appear to have resonated greatly, and that fact may help to explain why Quinn felt it necessary to re-hash/re-visit burr oak in the run-up to tomorrow.
- south side democrat - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:58 pm:
@ Louis, I fully agree. Instead of playing the race card, it would have been nice to hear about his accomplishments through the years.
Out in my area, I have not heard many folks saying they were displeased with Hynes using the footage. They have said, all is fair in politics and even commended the Hynes campaign for digging up the footage.
As usual, there is the forest and then there are the trees. Normal people are not still percolating and stewing over slights and “inside politics” Chicago-centric party intrigue that happened in a totally different electoral milieu twenty years ago. Many of today’s voters were little kids then and many current voters were not even residents of Chicago or Illinois in the Harold Washington days.
But, anyone just watching the vintage video and taking the Washington interview quotes at face value recognizes this: A respected employer was not happy with aspects of his employee’s job performance and fired him for not doing his job. That same employee has now been sitting in the governor’s office for a year with little accomplishment to show for it, and is angling to be elected governor for 4 more years. Harold Washington’s comments tap right into what many Illinoisans already were thinking about Quinn’s performance and reinforce and validate those concerns.
Yes, I think the Washington ad was and is devastating to Quinn.
Pat Quinn had a solid political brand in Illinois as a populist maverick outsider reformer etc. He speaks truth to power, or so the saying went. Then in January of 2009, he is handed the keys to the Governor’s office and a ton of goodwill. Unfortunately, for people like me who wanted him to succeed, he decided instead to try to hold onto the job.
So he backs down on fumigation. Backs down on Roland Burris/special election. Backs down on U of I trustees. Backs down on income taxes. Backs down on ethics. Embraces the machine that fought against him every step of the way for more than 30 years. He threw his brand into the toilet.
He proved more concerned with politics than with governing. The result is plenty of material that suggests he is incompetent. Early release, stalled capital, unfunded MAP, social service providers languishing, government by “Commission.”
The old Pat Quinn could have responded to the Washington ad by saying:
“Mayor Washington and I disagreed. Some of his people were doing some questionable things and I wouldn’t play ball. I’m not afraid to speak truth to power, I stood my ground. That’s the kind of governor I’ll be for the people.”
Except, having previously tossed his brand in the trash, and needing the likes of Bobby Rush and Joe Berrios to keep him viable tomorrow, Quinn had no response.
To me, the Washington ad was the moment Dan Hynes decided to win. In 2004, he campaigned like he didn’t want to lose. This year, he ran the Washington ad because it brilliantly captures Pat Quinn’s style and raises the right kind of questions all voters should ask tomorrow.
If Quinn had stayed true to himself, this ad wouldn’t have made a dent. Instead, it is the game changer. I give the Hynes team a ton of credit for going for the gold.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
The old Pat Quinn could have responded to the Washington ad by saying:
“Mayor Washington and I disagreed. Some of his people were doing some questionable things and I wouldn’t play ball. I’m not afraid to speak truth to power, I stood my ground. That’s the kind of governor I’ll be for the people.”—47th Ward
Can’t recall of the top, but Quinn did say that, or words to that effect, last week and the week before.
Maybe it was in response to carol marin during last week’s debate? hmmm… I’ll have try to think of where/when he did come out and say that.
I recently heard an interview with veteran Chicago newscaster Walter Jacobsen who told of being publicly lambasted by Mayor Washington. After the event, WJ came up to HW and asked what that was all about. Per WJ, HW said, “ah, c’mon now Walter, you know I was kidding”. This was supposed to show that PQ was right to say that HW kidded around alot. More likely I believe it was HW’s way of softening the blow. I saw nothing “kidding” in Mayor Washington’s demeanor when he spoke those words. This is a devastating ad and should knock PQ out of the running. This is an irrefutable job evaluation and if anyone votes for PQ now in the democratic primary they ain’t been paying attention for the last year. The Berrios endorsement is just the latest in a long line of typical machine style politics that PW was supposed to be so much against. Good ad. It spells out PQ’s incompetence and inability to govern. “Nuff said.
Laura Washington was right on the mark! Hynes’ ad is about competence. Race is only being used by Quinn and his supporters as smoke and mirrors to deflect attention away from the real issue… whether Quinn can effectively manage Illinois. Harold Washington answered that question loud and clear!
I have heard it said that PQ was fired due to his refusal to play along with a questionable tax dodge that HW was involved in. Problem is, for PQ to attack HW and say he was the more ethical would negate any gains he has made in the AA community. It may be true but it won’t help him anyway.
That Quinn and Hynes would go to such great effort to prove each other Incompetent is perhaps the greatest service they have provided the citizens of Illinois!
yes - it is like a resume or job reference. if the guy isn’t a good a great manager or leader, the voters should know that. I’ve had my suspicions about Quinn being in over his head based on his performance re: the tax hike. But this just sealed it. hynes is getting my vote.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:11 pm:
A citizrn,
The IL Dem party has a basd habit of serving up slop on plate and telling its voters: here, that’s all there is, eat it.
I just wish they hadn’t slated so that it could’ve been open for more (qualified) people to run, and in that way give people more selection. but no, the party just had to cling to its old stodgy ways. As it stand i’m glad that quinn isn’t the only choice. but to your point, if the republicans mess up tomorrow, let’s all hope someone with paul vallas’ e-mail address or telephone number gives him a call and convinces him to come back and run as an independent.
The ad was very effective. However, if Hynes wins it will be difficult to say whether that ad put him over the top or if the prisoner release ones did. I suppose if there is a big drop off of support for Quinn in the African American community, one could argue that it was the Washington ad that did Quinn in.
The Hynes commercial featuring the late Mayor Harold Washington was quite relevant and reflects the overall leadership and decision making abilities of Pat Quinn. The same incompetencies exist today in Quinn’s prison release program, flip-flopping on issues and lack of a plan. In one short year, Pat Quinn has Illinois reeling.
Not so fast, “Rosie’s”, PQ… meet Dan Hynes, democratic candidate for Governor of Illinois. Then, later, both can meet the GOP winner of the election for Governor of Illinois. I predict!
This is the last time I chime in on this topic. If you are really going to have a conversation about if the HW ad is “racist” or not, I don’t think white people can chime in. It would be interesting to get African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans in a controlled focus group, let the Hynes and Quinn people throw out information about Quinn, Hynes and yes- even Tom Hynes and then hear the discussion. Here is another gem I found thanks to google scholar. Take it for what it’s worth.
Referring to Hynes as the “Mr. Nod” of the “Winkin,’ Blinkin’ and Nod” team that is opposing him, Washington said, “He gets on TV and says
trust me, I’ll take care of your business. You better believe he will.” Warming to the crowd, the mayor also characterized Hynes as “Mr. Erstwhile-Clean, or Mr. Former-Clean, or Mr.
You-Thought-It-Was-Clean or Mr. Someone-Thought-It-Was-Clean” and played a guessing game with his audience, asking how much they thought Hynes made from his part-time job, repeating figures until he got to $90,000. Washington said that if Hynes was getting “a full-time salary” from the law firm, he could not justify another full-time salary as county assessor. Hynes, brandishing a folder containing his many position papers issued during the campaign, said he has tried “to stay on the high road to stick to the issues and avoid personal attacks.” (Chicago Tribune, 3/11/1987)
Then there is this gem from a 1987 WLS 7-Chicago tv interview with Harold Washington. The interviewer is Andy Shaw of the Better Governmnet Association.
Harold Washington on attacks from Hynes and Vyrdolyak…”I am not surprised when you look at the basis for why they are running in the first place, they have abandoned their party, as you well known. They have given over to their own over-reeling ambitions. They have no philosophical base on which to go, there are no real issues on which they can launch and sustain an attack on our administration, and have since adopted the language of our reform
movement. And since both of their ambitions is to be the big guy on the block, I am not surprised that it his come to this. They have no
legitimate attack they can make upon me, there is nothing current, nothing solid, nothing of any substance they can attack. On the subject of ethics, they can’t attack, they can’t attack, I am the only one supporting ethics, they haven’t’ come out for limits on disclosure, they haven’t come out against nepotism, there is no record for them, if you are talking about solid management, Hynes has never been looked at. If you are talking about fairness and treatment of
constituencies, then there is no argument we have been demonstrably fair, when you are talking about city services or development of
neighborhoods or hiring people, or contacts or fiscal solvency, you can’t deny obvious things we have brought the city to fiscal solvency.
So there is simply no place or no way they can attack. Furthermore, one of the parties is responsible for leg dragging there has been. He
has been a blind oppositionst for three and a half years. They are just reduced to clawing and scratching. (WLS 7-Chicago, March 1987)
It was effective…for Republicans in the fall. Since that ad, the campaign has been in the gutter on both sides. They’re not just throwing mud, they’re bathing in it. The winning candidate will bring in a good deal of the other’s support, as always happens but I would guess a larger than normal percentage have been turned off for good for ever voting for the other candidate in November.
I have never seen the ad on TV, but I do not live in or near Chicago. I wonder how much respect outside of Chicago Mayor Washington had 1. when he was mayor, and 2. now. Then, by extension how much does his opinion matter, even posthumously, outside the Chicago area. It’s nice that Mr. Hynes can slam Mr. Quinn using a surrogate, but it does not smack of effective leadership. We have to remember that Mayor Washington’s remarks were not made originally to assess either Mr. Hynes or Mr. Quinn’s qualifications to be Governor in 2010.
As a human being we all have the capacity of empathy which has allowed us to reach out and eliminate injustices throughout our history. One of the most remarkable American traits is our ability to reform ourselves within our own political and social systems. We never needed to be invaded by an outside force to stop an injustice against any group of Americans. This constant claim that we are unable to understand one another due to skin color questions our basic humanity. This claim that we cannot be peers due to our racial heritage is more at home with 19th Century Jim Crow thought, than 21st Century enlightment.
So, I know racism and this advertisement is not racist.
Mayor Washington’s statements are thoughtful, intelligent and skillfully presented. The Hynes ad shows our late Mayor in a positive light. The editing of the ad clearly demonstrates a thoughtfulness and a respect for Mayor Washington. The ad is not disrespectful and does not mock the Mayor in any way. Washington’s words makes me wish for that kind of honest dialogue missing from today’s campaign.
The statements made by our late Mayor are not emotionally presented. His comments regarding Pat Quinn during his employment with the City, are presented with complete understanding of the consequences. Mayor Washington is clear here, just as he was often completely clear during his administration.
This ad makes Mayor Washington look and sound great. To claim the Hynes ad could be considered racist is absolutely ridiculous and insulting. These calls are vulgar attempts to prevent us from having a honest conversation and prevents us from allowing a great leader’s words to inform us about the work he did with Pat Quinn.
Stop judging people by how you categorize them, and start recognizing them as the complete human beings each of us are.
Mayor Washington’s comments are the most direct and honest source of first hand knowledge of Pat Quinn’s incompetancy. They only solidify that Dan Hynes should be Illinois’ next governor.
Laura Washington has it right – Dan Hynes ran an ad that depicts the type of person Pat Quinn is – the ad is not trying to turn the election into a race issue. The type of campaigning going on in this election may have some mud-slinging, however that is the most straight forward you can get – a review by someone as respected as our late Mayor Harold Washington – who oversaw Quinn as an employee! Who is going to be ‘watching over’ Quinn if he becomes governor…not a good fit to have someone you can’t trust. Quinn can try to paint a pretty picture but the real truth is told by the late Mayor HW.
I’d like to see how much input Quinn had when Blago was still in office…shouldn’t that alone be a testament to having a governor stand up for what is right – rather than sit back and not do anything…sort of like the past year has been?
So in answer to the question…not racist and yes, I don’t think you can get closer to the truth.
Quinn has said numerous times that Hynes doesn’t show his face on the HW ad (as if this is some kind of indictment). Does PQ show his face on the Burr Oak ad?
JUST NOTICED - nice catch…Hynes shows his face in the last 5 seconds of the HW ad (bottom where it says paid for by…etc) - funny thing is, Quinn does the same exact thing in the FIRST 5 seconds of his Burr Oak ad…so by the time he has your attention, his face is off the ad, never to appear again.
This ad was terrific and right on point. Any good employer would speak with a potential employee’s past employers to find out what type of person they are hiring. HW said it all. Quinn was not even compentent to handle a City post. How can he handle Illinois!?
Having covered City Hall in Chicago at the time, I support Laura’s contention. No question. Quinn’s response now implies Harold fired him in order to protect a corrupt system and persons Quinn allegedly was trying to expose.
The ad certainly focused the narrative that had already developed due to months of Quinn’s erratic performances and the attack ads on the early releases. Furthermore, Quinn’s response to the ad only seemed to give the narrative more prominence; what he should have saturated the airwaves and his public utterances with the past few days is Ford jobs and nothing but Ford jobs.
Hynes has run a remarkably focused final month. Obviously we will know more about just how effective this ad was when the votes are counted tomorrow, but it capped an impressive rush to the finish line.
(Beyond the question, Laura Washington tends to be on the mark regarding Chicago politics. The Quinn campaign cannot be happy about her column.)
The words of the late Mayor Harold Washington speak to the incompetencies of Pat Quinn. The fact that Quinn would bring up the race issue is ridiculous. Hynes simply replayed the words of one of the most respected men in Chicago political history. The words speak for themselves. Illinois cannot move forward with Pat Quinn!!
I am one of those undecided Dems who didn’t know who to vote for until recently and the Harold Washington ad helped me decide who to vote for, albeit in a very roundabout way.
I am under 30 and did not grow up in Chicago so I have no personal recollection of Harold Washington and only know of him from fond rememberances of him in newspaper accounts and books that mention him like “Boss” by Mike Royko or Obama’s autobiography.
So that Harold Washington fired Pat Quinn 20+ years ago means not a whole lot to my vote, even if it may have spoken to some incompetencies in Quinn’s background.
Honestly, when I first saw the Hynes Harold Washington ad I thought it was a pretty cynical ploy to try to get the black vote over to his side, and I thought that the point Quinn’s side raised about Hynes’ family actually having opposed Washington’s attempts at reform was a good point for his side and a reminder than Hynes is an imperfect candidate to latch onto the reformer mantle himself.
If that is where things stopped then I might be voting for Quinn tomorrow.
But the way Quinn has responded beyond that to go on the attack with the Burr Oak mess in such a way that is even more transparent in its plea for the black vote at the same time he’s dug up characters like Moonie Danny Davis and Bobby Rush and Senate Candidate 5 to be his surrogates for attacking Hynes and defending him, I just turn away from Quinn completely as I’m reminded what a tool he has become and how much of his independent cred he’s thrown away in the last 8 years in the pursuit of power.
while I did think the use of HW was a ploy to get the black vote on Hynes’ part at the same time I do think that the ad was not racist. I don’t think these two things are mutually exclusive.
Also, speaking of ads, it seems like Andy McKenna is now using the woman from Blago’s “What’s She Thinking?” Topinka attack ads to trash Kirk Dillard (where the narrator similarly asks “What’s Kirk Dillard thinking?”
Because that use of the Blagojevich “What’s she thinking?” lady that gave us a second Blago term would be enough to get me to cast a vote against McKenna if only I could vote in that primary.
- Reformer - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:36 am:
It’s powerful and we’ll learn how powerful Tuesday night. If Hynes wins, this will be the one campaign ad that is remembered from the 2010 primary.
- Stones - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:39 am:
Of course we won’t know for sure until Tuesday but I feel that the ad was very effective. Quinn can only respond by doing a full-frontal assault on Hyne’s association with the Burr Oak Cemetary scandal.
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:43 am:
It is a good ad. But Quinn and Hynes are digging so much up on each other that I believe voters are getting negative against both of them. Whomever wins needs to get less negative if they have any chance against the GOP.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:44 am:
The ad worked. People are still talking about it and will talk about it for years to come.
It was effective in seriously changing the dynamics of the race for governor and put Quinn permanently on the defensive.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:45 am:
Laura is absolutely right. I’ve talked with several Washington aids and they generally think the ad was fair, but sleazy. My guess is the black vote goes from 80-20 Quinn to 60-40 Quinn.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:46 am:
I don’t want to be conflicting with Ms. Washington but I don’t exactly share here assessment. The ad may have bought Mr. Hynes something temporary - but at a substantial price - which will be a bitterly divided party for the fall.
victor m. crown
- True Observer - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:47 am:
It worked.
Not with the dependent class but the working stiffs.
Every employee wants a review.
This gave them a chance to see an employer evaluate an employee.
They can relate.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:48 am:
From what I have gathered blacks are taking issue with both Quinn and Hynes on their respective ads, and not really pleased with either.
If anything I have heard more whining from white liberals claiming to take issue with the HW ad. apparently Quinn’s argument about Tom Hynes worked on them. But truthfully the white liberal vote was Quinn’s all along anway. Thank God! I’m a moderate dem.
I think Quinn will get more black votes than Hynes, but I’m not so sure there will be a backlash over the HW ad as Quinn and his camp think. Unless someone does scientific exit polling I don’t know that we can read anything into tomorrow’s election results where black voters are concerned.
I agree with every word that Laura Washington wrote in her column.
- Bill - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:50 am:
It is very effective because it was true then and given Quinn’s performance in office over the past year it is obviously still true.If Quinn had any accomplishments during his year in office or at least looked like he had a clue the ad would not have been as effective. However, all the various flip flops, prevarications, screw ups, and just a total lack of professionalism reinforced the fact that he was and still is incompetent.
His appointments have been total failures, his budget a joke and he has not been able to work with the legislators. His rag tag team of holdovers and gadflys from his past have made things even worse than when he took over.
Let’
s release Quinn from his job tomorrow.
- Big Policy Nerd - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:51 am:
If Hynes wins, I think it has less to do with the HW ad and more with the desire for change from the electorate. If Quinn wins, it will be in part from large turnout from the African-American community. Stroger, Brown and Cheryle on the ballot help Quinn here.
We won’t really know until we see the breakdown of the returns from African-American wards, but there is one undeniable consequence of running that ad. Many African-American leaders, as demonstrated through the words of Jackson, Rush, Rauol, Burns, Meeks and Gutierrez (Latino) view that ad as an attempt to suppress the African-American vote because old ward leaders of the African-American neighborhoods don’t forget about what Tom Hynes was doing to drive them away from the Irish neighborhoods (by imposing disproportional tax rates) on Black neighborhoods when Tom Hynes was assessor.
Further, many historians and long time observers of the Chicago political scene view Tom Hynes decision to leave the Democratic Party and challenge Harold Washington as an attempt of the old 19th Ward-Irish Machine to stop an African-American man from becoming Mayor. And just for the love of the game, if you are good with google, you can find this quote about what Tom Hynes said about Harold Washington.
Mayoral candidate Thomas Hynes abandoned his low-key, issue-oriented game plan Tuesday to launch a personal attack on Mayor Harold Washington, describing the mayor’s record as “one of sleaze.” “Who does Mayor Harold Washington think he is?” Hynes demanded at a press conference Tuesday in his headquarters at 350 W. Kinzie St. “Harold Washington should be the last person in the city to question the integrity of anyone. His history and his record are one of sleaze.” “He has served time in jail for repeatedly evading the federal income tax laws. He has twice had his law license suspended for cheating his own clients. He has a record in his own community as a deadbeat for not paying his taxes and bills.” Referring to the federal Operation Incubator investigation of City Hall corruption, Hynes said that Washington “had surrounded himself in City Hall with a group of grafters and corrupters, many of whom are under indictment or face grand jury investigation.”
(Chicago Tribune, 3/11/1987)
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:55 am:
The WSJ has an article today about the races in Illinois and in it WSJ specifically cites quinn’s incompetence as his problem.
- OswegoDem - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 11:56 am:
The ad sums up what even many of his own aides acknowledge—that Pat’s management skills are severely lacking. Also, whatever he thinks is the only thing that matters and he even believes his own self-image.
Hynes will carry the day.
- P. - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:00 pm:
I think it was a mistake for Hynes to take the focus off prisons issue so early … The HW ad essentially shifted everyone away from the issue that had Quinn reeling. I didn’t see any sign of that slowing down. The media can’t chew gum and walk at the same time since there’s been so much in terms of cutbacks, nor can the public absorb that much news, so one issue had to be pushed aside …
The HW ad could have been dropped on the air maybe a few days later and Quinn wouldn’t have had time to huddle sympathetic folks around him and push back. This is all Monday morning quarterbacking, granted. I think Hynes had done what he needed to do to win … snd Quinn has certainly done what he needed to do to blow a massive lead and lose.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:17 pm:
===I think it was a mistake for Hynes to take the focus off prisons issue so early … The HW ad essentially shifted everyone away from the issue that had Quinn reeling===
You’re not paying attention. The Washington ad was not the dominant spot in Hynes’ rotation. The prisoner release was, and is, the most dominant ad. It was Quinn who got sidetracked. And to this day has never effectively responded to the release ad.
- Pelon - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:19 pm:
The ad was effective in two ways. One, it highlighted Quinn’s incompetency to the average voter who doesn’t pay that much attention to Illinois government. Two, it provoked a thinly veiled race based attack from the Governor, which should dispel the myth of Quinn as a “do what’s right” type.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:22 pm:
The assessment of Quinn’s ability to administrate is certainly on the mark, but the conclusion “Now Quinn is ruining our state’s finances” does not quite ring true since the blame goes much farther back. For me, that blunts some of the message. It could have concluded with the early release debacle which was the hot item and more closely associated with how Quinn is running things.
In the long run, should Quinn win, this ad will make the Washington quote have less impact should the Republicans use it in the fall.
- leadbutt - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:28 pm:
I think the ad was very relevant. It was not racist or dividing…it only pointed out Quinn’s incompetence. I think Dan Hynes will win and not because of or in spite of this ad. This ad was just another way (one of many) of showing that Quinn is not competent.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:35 pm:
==Laura is absolutely right. I’ve talked with several Washington aids and they generally think the ad was fair, but sleazy==
Chicago Cynic, I assume you meant to say that Laura was right in her analysis, but in the “fair play department”, she did not say that the ad was ’sleezy’. She said it was right. The other “Washington aids” (sic) that you spoke with said that it was sleezy.
To the quiestion, Mr. Miller, the ad would have been more effective had Dan Hynes had a better answer to the Burr Oak oversight allegations. He was all over the map on his response vs what his own web site says re: his oversight of cemeteries.
- Leo 65 - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:40 pm:
I believe the Washington piece somes up the entire evaluation of Pat Quinn.If the African-American community really revers one of their icons then listen to what the MAN says……there is not a trace of racism in the piece.Simply a mayor depicting his biggest mistake! Laura Washington wrote an excellent piece on her own first-hand experience.Unlike the Rev.Meeks who would sell his soul to support Pat Quinn.
Kudos to Laura Washington and Carol Marin for depicting the real Pat Quinn…..remember,he was Blago’s Lt.Governor….enough said!
The ad was powerful in it’s candor.
- Louis Howe - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:42 pm:
The HW Ad is powerful because it addresses, from a creditable political figure, the central issue Hynes campaign has challenged—Quinn’s competency. Quinn made a serious mistake when he tried to deflect Washington’s charges by playing the race card. Instead, Quinn should have countered with his subsequent achievements in the Treasurer’s office, the passage of the Capital Bill and dismissed the as message outdated.
- VoterUSA - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
… It worked because we are still talking about it..The ones that are poo pooing it are already supporting Quinn, the Only “race” issue here is that Quinn made it into one..
- hmoore3 - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:48 pm:
This ad was a game changer, win lose or draw Harold’s words are in the back of every voters mind now and probably until the end of the general(if he makes it that far).
- Kluey - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:51 pm:
Positive endorsements are used all the time by politicians, why not let the voters hear the negative. I find nothing “sleazy” about it, but instead a refreshing bit of honesty/reality. You can be sure if Mr. Quinn had anyone saying a negative thing about Dan Hynes - he would have used it. Dan Hynes will win tomorrow because he is the right man to lead our state.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:54 pm:
Voter USA, I agree because most of the comments from black people that i have seen or heard on the matter suggest that those who take issue with the HW ad only do so because he was used in it. In other words they wonder if there was some other way to make the point without using HW to make the point? The stuff about Tom Hynes doesn’t appear to have resonated greatly, and that fact may help to explain why Quinn felt it necessary to re-hash/re-visit burr oak in the run-up to tomorrow.
- south side democrat - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 12:58 pm:
@ Louis, I fully agree. Instead of playing the race card, it would have been nice to hear about his accomplishments through the years.
Out in my area, I have not heard many folks saying they were displeased with Hynes using the footage. They have said, all is fair in politics and even commended the Hynes campaign for digging up the footage.
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:05 pm:
As usual, there is the forest and then there are the trees. Normal people are not still percolating and stewing over slights and “inside politics” Chicago-centric party intrigue that happened in a totally different electoral milieu twenty years ago. Many of today’s voters were little kids then and many current voters were not even residents of Chicago or Illinois in the Harold Washington days.
But, anyone just watching the vintage video and taking the Washington interview quotes at face value recognizes this: A respected employer was not happy with aspects of his employee’s job performance and fired him for not doing his job. That same employee has now been sitting in the governor’s office for a year with little accomplishment to show for it, and is angling to be elected governor for 4 more years. Harold Washington’s comments tap right into what many Illinoisans already were thinking about Quinn’s performance and reinforce and validate those concerns.
The ad worked.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:17 pm:
Yes, I think the Washington ad was and is devastating to Quinn.
Pat Quinn had a solid political brand in Illinois as a populist maverick outsider reformer etc. He speaks truth to power, or so the saying went. Then in January of 2009, he is handed the keys to the Governor’s office and a ton of goodwill. Unfortunately, for people like me who wanted him to succeed, he decided instead to try to hold onto the job.
So he backs down on fumigation. Backs down on Roland Burris/special election. Backs down on U of I trustees. Backs down on income taxes. Backs down on ethics. Embraces the machine that fought against him every step of the way for more than 30 years. He threw his brand into the toilet.
He proved more concerned with politics than with governing. The result is plenty of material that suggests he is incompetent. Early release, stalled capital, unfunded MAP, social service providers languishing, government by “Commission.”
The old Pat Quinn could have responded to the Washington ad by saying:
“Mayor Washington and I disagreed. Some of his people were doing some questionable things and I wouldn’t play ball. I’m not afraid to speak truth to power, I stood my ground. That’s the kind of governor I’ll be for the people.”
Except, having previously tossed his brand in the trash, and needing the likes of Bobby Rush and Joe Berrios to keep him viable tomorrow, Quinn had no response.
To me, the Washington ad was the moment Dan Hynes decided to win. In 2004, he campaigned like he didn’t want to lose. This year, he ran the Washington ad because it brilliantly captures Pat Quinn’s style and raises the right kind of questions all voters should ask tomorrow.
If Quinn had stayed true to himself, this ad wouldn’t have made a dent. Instead, it is the game changer. I give the Hynes team a ton of credit for going for the gold.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
The old Pat Quinn could have responded to the Washington ad by saying:
“Mayor Washington and I disagreed. Some of his people were doing some questionable things and I wouldn’t play ball. I’m not afraid to speak truth to power, I stood my ground. That’s the kind of governor I’ll be for the people.”—47th Ward
Can’t recall of the top, but Quinn did say that, or words to that effect, last week and the week before.
Maybe it was in response to carol marin during last week’s debate? hmmm… I’ll have try to think of where/when he did come out and say that.
- DuPage Dan - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:31 pm:
I recently heard an interview with veteran Chicago newscaster Walter Jacobsen who told of being publicly lambasted by Mayor Washington. After the event, WJ came up to HW and asked what that was all about. Per WJ, HW said, “ah, c’mon now Walter, you know I was kidding”. This was supposed to show that PQ was right to say that HW kidded around alot. More likely I believe it was HW’s way of softening the blow. I saw nothing “kidding” in Mayor Washington’s demeanor when he spoke those words. This is a devastating ad and should knock PQ out of the running. This is an irrefutable job evaluation and if anyone votes for PQ now in the democratic primary they ain’t been paying attention for the last year. The Berrios endorsement is just the latest in a long line of typical machine style politics that PW was supposed to be so much against. Good ad. It spells out PQ’s incompetence and inability to govern. “Nuff said.
- Vito&Nick - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:33 pm:
Laura Washington was right on the mark! Hynes’ ad is about competence. Race is only being used by Quinn and his supporters as smoke and mirrors to deflect attention away from the real issue… whether Quinn can effectively manage Illinois. Harold Washington answered that question loud and clear!
- DuPage Dan - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:34 pm:
WCW,
I have heard it said that PQ was fired due to his refusal to play along with a questionable tax dodge that HW was involved in. Problem is, for PQ to attack HW and say he was the more ethical would negate any gains he has made in the AA community. It may be true but it won’t help him anyway.
- A Citizen - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 1:47 pm:
That Quinn and Hynes would go to such great effort to prove each other Incompetent is perhaps the greatest service they have provided the citizens of Illinois!
- just a name - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:10 pm:
yes - it is like a resume or job reference. if the guy isn’t a good a great manager or leader, the voters should know that. I’ve had my suspicions about Quinn being in over his head based on his performance re: the tax hike. But this just sealed it. hynes is getting my vote.
- Will County Woman - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:11 pm:
A citizrn,
The IL Dem party has a basd habit of serving up slop on plate and telling its voters: here, that’s all there is, eat it.
I just wish they hadn’t slated so that it could’ve been open for more (qualified) people to run, and in that way give people more selection. but no, the party just had to cling to its old stodgy ways. As it stand i’m glad that quinn isn’t the only choice. but to your point, if the republicans mess up tomorrow, let’s all hope someone with paul vallas’ e-mail address or telephone number gives him a call and convinces him to come back and run as an independent.
- LouisXIV - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:28 pm:
The ad was very effective. However, if Hynes wins it will be difficult to say whether that ad put him over the top or if the prisoner release ones did. I suppose if there is a big drop off of support for Quinn in the African American community, one could argue that it was the Washington ad that did Quinn in.
- Rosie's - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
Pat Quinn…meet Dan Hynes!
The Hynes commercial featuring the late Mayor Harold Washington was quite relevant and reflects the overall leadership and decision making abilities of Pat Quinn. The same incompetencies exist today in Quinn’s prison release program, flip-flopping on issues and lack of a plan. In one short year, Pat Quinn has Illinois reeling.
Pat Quinn…meet Dan Hynes, Governor of Illinois.
- DuPage Dan - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:42 pm:
Not so fast, “Rosie’s”, PQ… meet Dan Hynes, democratic candidate for Governor of Illinois. Then, later, both can meet the GOP winner of the election for Governor of Illinois. I predict!
- Big Policy Nerd - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:44 pm:
This is the last time I chime in on this topic. If you are really going to have a conversation about if the HW ad is “racist” or not, I don’t think white people can chime in. It would be interesting to get African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans in a controlled focus group, let the Hynes and Quinn people throw out information about Quinn, Hynes and yes- even Tom Hynes and then hear the discussion. Here is another gem I found thanks to google scholar. Take it for what it’s worth.
Referring to Hynes as the “Mr. Nod” of the “Winkin,’ Blinkin’ and Nod” team that is opposing him, Washington said, “He gets on TV and says
trust me, I’ll take care of your business. You better believe he will.” Warming to the crowd, the mayor also characterized Hynes as “Mr. Erstwhile-Clean, or Mr. Former-Clean, or Mr.
You-Thought-It-Was-Clean or Mr. Someone-Thought-It-Was-Clean” and played a guessing game with his audience, asking how much they thought Hynes made from his part-time job, repeating figures until he got to $90,000. Washington said that if Hynes was getting “a full-time salary” from the law firm, he could not justify another full-time salary as county assessor. Hynes, brandishing a folder containing his many position papers issued during the campaign, said he has tried “to stay on the high road to stick to the issues and avoid personal attacks.” (Chicago Tribune, 3/11/1987)
Then there is this gem from a 1987 WLS 7-Chicago tv interview with Harold Washington. The interviewer is Andy Shaw of the Better Governmnet Association.
Harold Washington on attacks from Hynes and Vyrdolyak…”I am not surprised when you look at the basis for why they are running in the first place, they have abandoned their party, as you well known. They have given over to their own over-reeling ambitions. They have no philosophical base on which to go, there are no real issues on which they can launch and sustain an attack on our administration, and have since adopted the language of our reform
movement. And since both of their ambitions is to be the big guy on the block, I am not surprised that it his come to this. They have no
legitimate attack they can make upon me, there is nothing current, nothing solid, nothing of any substance they can attack. On the subject of ethics, they can’t attack, they can’t attack, I am the only one supporting ethics, they haven’t’ come out for limits on disclosure, they haven’t come out against nepotism, there is no record for them, if you are talking about solid management, Hynes has never been looked at. If you are talking about fairness and treatment of
constituencies, then there is no argument we have been demonstrably fair, when you are talking about city services or development of
neighborhoods or hiring people, or contacts or fiscal solvency, you can’t deny obvious things we have brought the city to fiscal solvency.
So there is simply no place or no way they can attack. Furthermore, one of the parties is responsible for leg dragging there has been. He
has been a blind oppositionst for three and a half years. They are just reduced to clawing and scratching. (WLS 7-Chicago, March 1987)
- Anon - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 2:51 pm:
It was effective…for Republicans in the fall. Since that ad, the campaign has been in the gutter on both sides. They’re not just throwing mud, they’re bathing in it. The winning candidate will bring in a good deal of the other’s support, as always happens but I would guess a larger than normal percentage have been turned off for good for ever voting for the other candidate in November.
- Captain Flume - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 3:07 pm:
I have never seen the ad on TV, but I do not live in or near Chicago. I wonder how much respect outside of Chicago Mayor Washington had 1. when he was mayor, and 2. now. Then, by extension how much does his opinion matter, even posthumously, outside the Chicago area. It’s nice that Mr. Hynes can slam Mr. Quinn using a surrogate, but it does not smack of effective leadership. We have to remember that Mayor Washington’s remarks were not made originally to assess either Mr. Hynes or Mr. Quinn’s qualifications to be Governor in 2010.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 3:20 pm:
As a human being we all have the capacity of empathy which has allowed us to reach out and eliminate injustices throughout our history. One of the most remarkable American traits is our ability to reform ourselves within our own political and social systems. We never needed to be invaded by an outside force to stop an injustice against any group of Americans. This constant claim that we are unable to understand one another due to skin color questions our basic humanity. This claim that we cannot be peers due to our racial heritage is more at home with 19th Century Jim Crow thought, than 21st Century enlightment.
So, I know racism and this advertisement is not racist.
Mayor Washington’s statements are thoughtful, intelligent and skillfully presented. The Hynes ad shows our late Mayor in a positive light. The editing of the ad clearly demonstrates a thoughtfulness and a respect for Mayor Washington. The ad is not disrespectful and does not mock the Mayor in any way. Washington’s words makes me wish for that kind of honest dialogue missing from today’s campaign.
The statements made by our late Mayor are not emotionally presented. His comments regarding Pat Quinn during his employment with the City, are presented with complete understanding of the consequences. Mayor Washington is clear here, just as he was often completely clear during his administration.
This ad makes Mayor Washington look and sound great. To claim the Hynes ad could be considered racist is absolutely ridiculous and insulting. These calls are vulgar attempts to prevent us from having a honest conversation and prevents us from allowing a great leader’s words to inform us about the work he did with Pat Quinn.
Stop judging people by how you categorize them, and start recognizing them as the complete human beings each of us are.
- Walking Mary - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 3:38 pm:
Mayor Washington’s comments are the most direct and honest source of first hand knowledge of Pat Quinn’s incompetancy. They only solidify that Dan Hynes should be Illinois’ next governor.
- Jackles - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 4:24 pm:
Laura Washington has it right – Dan Hynes ran an ad that depicts the type of person Pat Quinn is – the ad is not trying to turn the election into a race issue. The type of campaigning going on in this election may have some mud-slinging, however that is the most straight forward you can get – a review by someone as respected as our late Mayor Harold Washington – who oversaw Quinn as an employee! Who is going to be ‘watching over’ Quinn if he becomes governor…not a good fit to have someone you can’t trust. Quinn can try to paint a pretty picture but the real truth is told by the late Mayor HW.
I’d like to see how much input Quinn had when Blago was still in office…shouldn’t that alone be a testament to having a governor stand up for what is right – rather than sit back and not do anything…sort of like the past year has been?
So in answer to the question…not racist and yes, I don’t think you can get closer to the truth.
- Just Noticed - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 4:40 pm:
Quinn has said numerous times that Hynes doesn’t show his face on the HW ad (as if this is some kind of indictment). Does PQ show his face on the Burr Oak ad?
- Jackles - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 4:51 pm:
JUST NOTICED - nice catch…Hynes shows his face in the last 5 seconds of the HW ad (bottom where it says paid for by…etc) - funny thing is, Quinn does the same exact thing in the FIRST 5 seconds of his Burr Oak ad…so by the time he has your attention, his face is off the ad, never to appear again.
Link to Burr Oak ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNipe3lEwuM
- Moosh - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 5:19 pm:
This ad was terrific and right on point. Any good employer would speak with a potential employee’s past employers to find out what type of person they are hiring. HW said it all. Quinn was not even compentent to handle a City post. How can he handle Illinois!?
- Stormy - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 5:25 pm:
Having covered City Hall in Chicago at the time, I support Laura’s contention. No question. Quinn’s response now implies Harold fired him in order to protect a corrupt system and persons Quinn allegedly was trying to expose.
- Boone Logan Square - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 5:35 pm:
The ad certainly focused the narrative that had already developed due to months of Quinn’s erratic performances and the attack ads on the early releases. Furthermore, Quinn’s response to the ad only seemed to give the narrative more prominence; what he should have saturated the airwaves and his public utterances with the past few days is Ford jobs and nothing but Ford jobs.
Hynes has run a remarkably focused final month. Obviously we will know more about just how effective this ad was when the votes are counted tomorrow, but it capped an impressive rush to the finish line.
(Beyond the question, Laura Washington tends to be on the mark regarding Chicago politics. The Quinn campaign cannot be happy about her column.)
- Jaybird - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 7:28 pm:
The words of the late Mayor Harold Washington speak to the incompetencies of Pat Quinn. The fact that Quinn would bring up the race issue is ridiculous. Hynes simply replayed the words of one of the most respected men in Chicago political history. The words speak for themselves. Illinois cannot move forward with Pat Quinn!!
- Emily Booth - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 9:08 pm:
Brilliant move by Hynes.
It was nice to see and hear Mayor Harold Washington again. He could hold his own with anyone.
- Hisgirlfriday - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 9:30 pm:
I am one of those undecided Dems who didn’t know who to vote for until recently and the Harold Washington ad helped me decide who to vote for, albeit in a very roundabout way.
I am under 30 and did not grow up in Chicago so I have no personal recollection of Harold Washington and only know of him from fond rememberances of him in newspaper accounts and books that mention him like “Boss” by Mike Royko or Obama’s autobiography.
So that Harold Washington fired Pat Quinn 20+ years ago means not a whole lot to my vote, even if it may have spoken to some incompetencies in Quinn’s background.
Honestly, when I first saw the Hynes Harold Washington ad I thought it was a pretty cynical ploy to try to get the black vote over to his side, and I thought that the point Quinn’s side raised about Hynes’ family actually having opposed Washington’s attempts at reform was a good point for his side and a reminder than Hynes is an imperfect candidate to latch onto the reformer mantle himself.
If that is where things stopped then I might be voting for Quinn tomorrow.
But the way Quinn has responded beyond that to go on the attack with the Burr Oak mess in such a way that is even more transparent in its plea for the black vote at the same time he’s dug up characters like Moonie Danny Davis and Bobby Rush and Senate Candidate 5 to be his surrogates for attacking Hynes and defending him, I just turn away from Quinn completely as I’m reminded what a tool he has become and how much of his independent cred he’s thrown away in the last 8 years in the pursuit of power.
So now I’m voting for Hynes.
- Hisgirlfriday - Monday, Feb 1, 10 @ 9:51 pm:
Just to be clear…
while I did think the use of HW was a ploy to get the black vote on Hynes’ part at the same time I do think that the ad was not racist. I don’t think these two things are mutually exclusive.
Also, speaking of ads, it seems like Andy McKenna is now using the woman from Blago’s “What’s She Thinking?” Topinka attack ads to trash Kirk Dillard (where the narrator similarly asks “What’s Kirk Dillard thinking?”
Because that use of the Blagojevich “What’s she thinking?” lady that gave us a second Blago term would be enough to get me to cast a vote against McKenna if only I could vote in that primary.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 9:20 am:
The ad absolutely worked. It dominated the last days of the campaign and took on a life of its own.
Brilliant in its simplicity. And Harold’s words — the dude could put the wood to you.