110 Comments - Ahoy - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:38 am: Great idea to put Hynes on the ticket. Classic Lincoln move but unfortunately we don’t have any modern day Lincolns. - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:44 am: Putting Hynes on the ticket would probably be the best move under the circumstances. The big hurdle I see, besides the Madigan thing, is both of them having to make nice and face questions that each just finished making the case that the other was incompetent and unfit for office. For Hynes, if Quinn is so incompetent as you claimed, why are you asking your primary supporters to support him now. I realize that pols do this sort of thing all the time, but this situation is more magnified. Far better alternative than keeping Cohen or going third party, and they could make a good case over Brady/Plummer. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:47 am: People, I’ve already deleted one idiotic comment about how MJM wanted SLC to win so he could tank Quinn. SLC tanks Democrats in general, not just Quinn. Seriously, read the freaking quotes above. Are you nuts? Next one to suggest that stupid conspiracy theory is banned for life. - Captain Flume - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:48 am: ” . . . being fed by the clown in the Lt. Governor spot.” Again, why does NO ONE talk about why he was elected to that spot? The media/pundit hysteria drives me nuts. It’s only face-saving for them. The opportunities to call out any candidate are always available to them, and were for some time. Those who profess their business to be politcial expertise have shown themselves to be less than reliable in their assessment of candidates, both in regarding candidate qualifications and candidate appeal to the voters. Bill Brady “shocked” the experts by garnering more votes than his opponents, Scott Cohen puzzled the experts for the same reason. The real clowns in my “silly” opinion are the ones going overboard to destroy Scott Cohen, not because of his alleged unsavoriness, but becasue they blew the chance to call him out in the first place when he was a primary candidate. Scrutiny too late is a cover up for the inattention that was paid early. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:48 am: Another possibility to try to get back the reform/competence mantle that Quinn has lost would be Hoffman. - Steve-O - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:49 am: So, Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes have been overseeing a state budget that is miles out of whack, with billions of dollars in deliquent bills owed to state contractors, school districts and social service agencies…yet Archpundit claims that Bill Brady doesn’t understand the budget? That’s hilarious. And I hope the democrats keep underestimating Jason Plummer as a “27 year old idealogue who had his family buy the seat”. That claim was made about him in the primary by his opponents, while he worked circles around them, fended off two other southern Illinois candidates who were siphoning off votes, and beat a senator from Chicago who drastically outspent him. People are tired of the status quo that has put us $12bil in debt and rife with corruption. And the pure definition of insanity would be electing a ticket of Quinn/Hynes. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:50 am: ===would be Hoffman.=== Yeah, Daley and Madigan would loooove that one. lol. Nice try, though. - George - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:51 am: Was Steve Brown speaking in his capacity as spokesman for Speaker Madigan or as spokesman for Chairman Madigan. One should have been more involved, the other not. - Niles Township - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:53 am: Would be a great move, but it is not going to happen so why bother thinking about it. If they get SLC off the ticket, the African American community is going to be beating down the door to have Art Turner or James Meeks appointed as Lite Guv. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:56 am: ===the African American community is going to be beating down the door to have Art Turner or James Meeks=== Maybe, but there are three African-Americans on the ticket now. Also, the black community was clearly split on Turner and Hendon would lead the charge against him. Meeks makes too much money to be lite guv. lol - Scooby - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:58 am: There has got to be a very special award we can give to his media guy. He managed to convince Cohen to spend a couple million of his own money and pay this guy commissions to advance this candidacy. Media consultants around the country, on both sides of the politcal spectrum, are beyond impressed right now. - anon - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 10:58 am: Toi hutchinson would be a great pick for lite guv too. - steve schnorf - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:00 am: Most of the above comments seem predicated on the assumption that Cohen will leave the ticket. That would seem to me to be the “big hurdle”, not what to do if. I can’t say this strongly enough: We get exactly what we deserve. Disinterested voters who cast ballots based on 30 and 60 second TV ads and mail pieces, rather than making even a minimal effort to know something about the candidates. Media so panting after the horse race they ignore investigating and reporting. Poll driven campaigning, far too often pushing the lowest common denominator approach to pit issue or group against one another. I welcome Cohen to Illinois election politics. He may raise the bar. - CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:02 am: Since it was a political question, think Brown was speaking in his role as volunteer spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Illinois. The final thought was just a bit anecdotal irony that had been expressed by many reporters. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:03 am: There are several people and organizations who should be blamed for the Scott Lee Cohen affair. I will list them in the order of least culpability. Quinn and Hynes. I realize they had their hands full but they are the guys who have to run with the winner so they should have been aware of this possibility and been prepared to stop it. The media. I am convinced they had the goods on this guy but chose to do nothing with it for two main reasons. First, they didn’t think he would win and second, he was spending his money like a drunken sailor on their media outlets. You don’t kill the golden goose before she lays her egg. Not a fine day for the 4th estate. Berrios. The Cook County Dem Chair did nothing to inform voters who the candidates were. He was only concerned about getting himself in as Assessor. Lyons used to mail “Know our Candidates” info to all dem households. The vast majority of Cohens votes poured out of Cook County. Total lack of leadership. Mike Madigan. He’s the boss and he let this fiasco occur. You can think of a million conspiracy theories because he is so smart but I believe this was just laziness or ineptitude. One thing is clear, if he goes into the general election with Quinn/Cohen and Alexi at the top during Blagos trial and the Scott Brown movement in full flower he could lose the whole ticket. MADIGAN needs to get Cohen off the ticket and get Hynes or Hoffman on. - Esteban - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:06 am: And with what will the Demcrats threaten Cohen to get him off the ballot? He owes “the party” nothing, so far as I can tell. - VanillaMan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:08 am: So if Cohen drops out and Quinn gets to hand pick the Lt. Governor spot, the GOP has to abide by the previous rules instead of doing the same? Hynes and Dillard didn’t run for Lt. Governor. The idea that the Party in Power gets to change the rules in order to alter this fact, but not allow the Party out of Power to do the same is the kind of Massachusetts Democratic power hijinks that soured voters on them. Geez, just how blindly biased is the media that they cannot even imagine the Democrats losing the November election because of the Party’s incompetence, and instead come up with this “idea” to bail them out? Any gubernatorial candidate who did not personally meet or have his staff research the lt. governor candidates, doesn’t deserve to be elected. If a gubernatorial candidate cannot even handle vetting a half dozen people who will partner with them on their most important campaign, why in the world should we expect these gubernatorial candidates to handle everyday governing? Quinn’s negligence regarding Cohen is his own screw-up. He didn’t partner with a lt. governor candidate as other previous gubernatorial candidate had done in earlier elections. He didn’t meet with them. He didn’t research them. He didn’t talk to them over the freaking phone? Once? Quinn doesn’t deserve to be bailed out of this mess. No gubernatorial candidate deserves this kind of mulligan. We don’t want a governor as incompetent as Quinn has been shown to be regarding Scott Lee Cohen. - ArchPundit - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:11 am: ===So if Cohen drops out and Quinn gets to hand pick the Lt. Governor spot, the GOP has to abide by the previous rules instead of doing the same? They can if they want. I hear Alan Keyes is available. - Brennan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:11 am: A bit much to say Jason Plummer and family “bought the election” when Scott Lee Cohen literally “bought the election”. Better to read that that paper that nobody reads anymore, the Tribune. The office is meaningless. It’s just another office to dump millions of dollars for party backscratching. - Angry Chicagoan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:12 am: I strongly like the unity ticket idea. I am disappointed, though, in Quinn and Madigan in particular not picking up on the risk of this debacle earlier. It fits a pattern in Illinois politics, the pattern of denial of the reality of the condition we’re in. I am also very disappointed in the MSM for sitting on it. Having the story break after the primary has merely intensified the electoral implications rather than diminishing them. - Confused - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:15 am: Beyond all the bluster, is there any basis for Quinn being able to select a replacement? What is the point of the election if so? I am confused. Sure, Cohen may be sleeze, but he is duly elected sleeze. No? - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:15 am: Rich Have Dan Hynes be on ticket for what? Lt. Gov? On a third ticket? SLC ain’t walking away. That’s all that’s left. Also, what is state law on losers getting on the ballot or running as 3rd party candidates? I thought it was prohibited. - cassandra - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:15 am: Even if, against all odds, Cohen stays on the ballot, I just don’t see how Quinn can lose in November. At the least, Cohen would probably cooperate by running a low-key campaign focused on those job fairs. I like Brady but given his reported positions on social issues (on creationism, abortion rights and so on) I can’t imagine that he could pick up more than a small fraction of the votes in Chicago and the collars. Are there enough social conservatives statewide to overcome that, even if they come out in large numbers. I doubt it. The big news this week is not Cohen. It’s that Pat Quinn has won the general. Hang on to our wallets. - HUH - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:17 am: Hynes would be a great choice but would he then start holding Sunday press conferences bashing the Governor? LOL As for Art Turner he would not help the ticket, he ran a terrible campaign! Art had the party chairmen’s support and did not win. I know quinn and hynes do not like each other but I think we will see that ticket and the Dems will spin it as we are in a crisis and we need our best team working on the budget. - Sam E. - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:17 am: I don’t think Hynes as an LG candidate works. The Repubican’s number one talking point would become: “Dont take my word for it, listen to what Pat Quinn’s own running mate said about his (fill in the blank…budget plan, early release program, etc.)” I know he lost decisively, but one of Jimmy Carter’s best campaign messages against Reagan in ‘80 was when he parroted George Bush’s “voodoo economics” line from the Reagan-Bush primary battle. I think Quinn would be best off with a downstater filling the LG spot. There are already three African-Americans on the ticket, so the Dems have achieve racial balance. - Pete Granata - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:18 am: Quinn -Hynes a very formidable team in a very difficult year. I used to think Jim Thompson was the only pol that walked under a star– add two more. - Tom Joad - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:18 am: The Republicans have different rules for their Central Committee. It is in the statutes! If Cohen gets off the ticket, putting another Chicagoan on the ticket doesn’t make sense. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:19 am: ===I thought it was prohibited. === Hynes didn’t run for lt. governor, he ran for governor. So, you’re wrong about that. I also think you’re wrong about the rest of your comment. - True Observer - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:21 am: “The perfect anecdote to an ideological Republican ticket is….the cliche…a Team of Rivals. Dan Hynes.” The rivals joined the team after it was elected and in office. Why would Hynes join a ticket with less than 50/50 chance instead of dominating the scene if Quinn loses. Hynes stature as of right now is on a par with Madigan. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:22 am: ===he was spending his money like a drunken sailor on their media outlets. === I seriously doubt the Sun-Times made much money off his ads. He was on TV and radio, not newspapers. - Responsa - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:23 am: I don’t think a lot of regulars here have come to grips yet with how the Democrats are saddled with an almost insurmountable non-competence mantle this year. (Or perhaps they just can’t admit it publicly.) First, the two Dem governor opponents spent weeks pointing it out on the airwaves. Second. people are starting to knows Alexi is in serious trouble, and why. Third, the papers are full of state services being cut. Fourth, the Stroger sales tax and the Daley parking meters have people angry and howling. Now, the SLC flub-up really is the poisoned icing on the cake–and out in the streets people are blaming the party, not Scott, for his getting that far. Replacing Cohen now is not going to make everything hunky dory for the ticket. This all happened on the Democrats’ watch and people know it. Forget the Republicans. Forget ideology. Which independents can be reliably expected to be voting for the Dem ticket this go round? - 1986 - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:24 am: same thing happened in 1986 and it did cost the party chair his job…the party is very weakright now much of it due to neglect from its leadership–if the dems are going to compete with the grassroots organization of Brady it does need to consider if the Speaker does have too much on his plate - McHenryMike - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:25 am: I agree with Rich. Cohen is a ticket killer. You have to cast only one vote for both the Gov and Lt Gov so they will be conjoined twins. People will gag at having to fill in the oval. Quinn also can’t go after Jason the Plummer for being wet behind the ears and a wingnut without opening up the Cohen catastrophe. - ArchPundit - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:26 am: ===A bit much to say Jason Plummer and family “bought the election” when Scott Lee Cohen literally “bought the election”. I have a hard time distinguishing the two in how the won–obviously I’m not slandering Plummer who appears to be a decent human being compared to Cohen, but do you really see a difference in how they won? - just sayin' - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:26 am: I thought making Hynes the replacement was the most obvious thing of all. Hardly some original out of the box thinking. Throughout our history, Presidential nominees have often picked VP running mates they couldn’t personally stand. Kennedy’s pick of LBJ as just one. - Captain Flume - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:30 am: I was just reading the 10th District Blog where one commentor opines: “Mike Madigan will have a conversation with Cohen and Cohen will be out by next week. He’ll get all $$ spent on this race returned to him and Cohen will say he no longer wants to expose his family (and lovers) to the glaring media and Art Turner will be put in as Lt. Governor candidate to turn out black voters in November. Done.” Not so far-fetched a speculation. If that does indeed happen, or something similar, the democracy we supposedly live really is a delusion. If you don’t believe that then I want what you’re smoking, not just want it but need it! Of course, the Illinois Democratic Party Chairman would never be that undemocratic. - ArchPundit - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:31 am: —I thought making Hynes the replacement was the most obvious thing of all. Hardly some original out of the box thinking. That was my initial thought to and I certainly don’t think it’s in any way earth shattering, but from what I can tell, it appears to be the farthest thing from the minds of some of the people who will be making the decision. - Niles Township - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:32 am: Hynes stature as of right now is on a par with Madigan. ———- What are you smoking? - Secret Square - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:35 am: I love Sneed’s tidbit about Blago’s book publisher wanting to use the unsold copies for fireplace logs… throw in leftover SLC posters and campaign flyers and that would keep everyone in Illinois warm for the rest of the winter - TJ - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:35 am: Quinn/Hynes would definitely be an interesting ticket idea….. but let’s face it, just about the only ticket could possibly be worse than Quinn/Cohen would be Quinn/Blago at this point in time. If Cohen drops out (which I really, really don’t see happening), just about any person that gets appointed would be a step up. Quinn/Hynes would probably be the best move for the Dems, and for that very reason I’m not expecting them to do it. Expect them instead to pick one of the other worthless Lt. Gov. candidates would didn’t even have the common sense to bring up Cohen’s criminal history during the campaign or to make a safe pick from either the General Assembly or some retired politician who managed to keep his or her nose clean as a whistle. - N'ville - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:36 am: So let me get this straight…the voters in the democrat primary were so stupid that they need the geniuses that have put the state in a $13 billion hole to bail them out? - Kenny - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:37 am: ok, where do we stand? Hynes - Hynes might not want to sign on Hoffman - Madigan might not sign off on this Turner - managed a poor showing despite support; won’t help with independents Raja? Hamos? Anyone else I’m missing? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:38 am: ===He’ll get all $$ spent on this race returned to him === Silly. Not gonna happen. The charges of “bribery” would be deafening. Try not to bring comments from other blogs here. - 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:39 am: ===Brown noted the irony of the media posing such a question after a year of news stories claiming Madigan’s influence needs to be diminished=== Clever answer, but woefully insufficient. (Sorry Steve). With props to Archpundit, Rich and others, this is simply speculation based on IF Cohen decides not to stick around. We can play this game of “who’s next” til the cows come home, but it doesn’t change the reality that one person is holding the entire Democratic ticket hostage. I guess we’re still waiting to hear the ransom demands. Until then, talking about replacements is a pointless and maddening conversation. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:39 am: The democratic party’s best move would to put Hynes on the ticket. It was make the democratic ticket for the nov. election strong. By Quinn and Hynes coming together it will show people just how important it is to win in November or else Illinois is going “Red”. I feel that people who are turned off by quinn will either vote Republican or simply not vote in november, however, if Hynes gets on the ticket people will fell more safe with the direction of Illinois. Mr. Madigan do what is right for Illinois, make SLC step down and get the right person on the ticket. Quinn/Hynes = Democrates win in November! - Lewis Grad - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:40 am: There is more than SLC being on the ballot, and even if he is taken off the ballot the fact he got there is still an attack on Quinn and the Democrats running the state, Brady or Dillard can still rehash the Hynes attacks (prison release program and his tenure as Chicago revenue director) plus the Thomson issue which plays better in the General than a Dem Primary to attack Quinn. - WOW - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:40 am: I will skip my usual swipe at MJM as an incompetent Party Chair (but awesome Speaker) comment. IF SLC leaves the ballot there are two reasonable intelligent choices to fill the spot. The first being Hynes as noted above. He would also bring a lot of the unions unhappy with Quinn back to the table (IFT, Laborers, IEA — I know not a union). The other as I would see it would be Miguel Del Valle. Loved in the city and well respected in Springfield. He brings to the ticket what no one else thought of — a Hispanic. I am also a downstater and would love to see a John Sullivan get the nod but I don’t think a Dem downstater will bring conservative downstate voters to the Dem ticket when Quinn is at the head. That is my 2 cents. - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:41 am: {Bill Brady, a State Senator who has served a long time,…..and certainly doesn’t fully understand the state budget.} Compared to whom; Archpundit or Quinn? This assessment seems myopic and pompous. Brady has actually had to estimate revenues, appropriate expenses, and vote for or against the state budget for years. Quinn’s only experience on the other hand was a stint as the state banker, and the last year when he has comfortably adopted the Blagojevich style gimickry permitted of him by the Democrat controlled legislature. The parties considerations for a replacement should be: 1. Most capable person of assuming the Governorship if need be, who would accept the job. 2. Second most capable person of assuming the Governorship if need be, who would accept the job. 3. Third most capable person of assuming the Governorship if need be, who would accept the job. Affirmative action and gender should not even factor in the decision. This would be a proxy nomination appointment not a representative democratic election process. We saw how well Alan Keyes worked under a similar scenario didn’t we? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:43 am: ===Brady has actually had to estimate revenues=== No, he hasn’t. Why would you say that? They have staff for that sort of thing. - zatoichi - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:45 am: So Cohen basically goes around the entire system. Took no money from anyone so he is not beholden to the usual power players. Worked hard within the rules using 30-60 second soundbites to develop name recognition with lots of money. Was ignored as a joke by the pros so no one did a decent vet that they paid attention to. Suddenly everyone is shocked that someone outside the accepted system comes out on top. The guy comes with a lot of baggage, almost all of it bad. Maybe Cohen can teach the pros something about going upstream and getting a real message across on issues people want to hear. As others have said you get what you voted for. Give the guy some credit for tenacity. He may be a joke, but politicians like to talk about the will of the people. Who among the rest of the candidates got a better response from the people? Quinn/Hynes? Nice ring to it. Wouldn’t be the first time two people who dislike each other worked together. - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:48 am: {Right now, the notion that Pat Quinn is incompetent is only being fed by the clown in the Lt. Governor spot.} This is patently false on its face. The notion that Pat Quinn is incompetent is being fed primarily by the actions/in-actions of Pat Quinn himself, and have little to do with the Lt. Gov candidate, who would not even take office until January 2011, and only if elected. This was true before the primary, and continues to be true after the primary as well. Pat Quinn has provided voters plenty upon which to assess his comptency. The only thing that SLC has given voters to concern themselves with is that; if re-elected, and then subsequently unable to continue to serve, the succession plan chain of command could actually make things worse. - Dummy - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:48 am: Maybe I’m a dummy, but how does being charged, but not found guilty of charges disqualify the votes of the people who voted for Cohen? In 8th grade I was taught the primary was a democratic way to select candidates for the general election in a two party system. I think we should change the curriculum to say an elitist group shall choose who is best to win in the general election. Skip the primary, since a person with money will fool the stupid electorate every time. We need to build a democracy based on smarter people choosing who we should elect. Yes, I’m being extremely sarcastic. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:49 am: ===This is patently false on its face.=== No, it’s not. C’mon. It fits perfectly. - Watching closely - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:50 am: If by some miracle they get Cohen to withdraw, while I like the Hynes concept from a unity perspective, I think Quinn needs a much bolder gesture to the outsider appetite of voters. Go get some leader with actual management credentials and bill him/her as the state’s future “chief operating officer.” Don’t laugh - someone of the Andy McKenna cut (not him, of course). Think IL version of Meg Whitman in CA. Bob Pozen from MA. Boring, substantive, qualified. Let Quinn go around touting the state’s moral imperatives and back him up with a bonified executive who can do something with the LG’s role that Quinn isn’t otherwise suited to do: run state government day-to-day. Jason Plummer would look like someone who should be interning for his own competitor. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:51 am: ===Maybe I’m a dummy, but how does being charged, but not found guilty of charges disqualify the votes of the people who voted for Cohen? === Yes, you’re being a dummy. And that was our latest edition of simple answers to simple questions. - Amalia - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:52 am: please, please do not consider Hamos if SLC is out. bad campaigner, lost to a lightweight. if she could not win with a North Shore constituency, imagine how the southwest, northwest sides and downstate will look at her. not good. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:52 am: In the time this was first posted elsewhere, Scott Lee Cohen has taken down the link to the list of his endorsements. Fortunately, I saved them Endorsements: Carrie Austin, Councilman – 34th Ward Howard B. Brookins, Jr., Councilman - 21st Ward JoAnn Thompson, Councilman - 16th Ward Roberto Maldonado, Councilman – 26th Ward Bernard L. Stone, Councilman - 50th Ward Scott Waguespack, Councilman - 32nd Ward Deborah Sims, Commissioner - 5th District Joan Patricia Murphy, Commissioner - 6th District Frank Zuccarelli, Supervisor - Thornton Township Chris Gonzales, Assessor - Thornton Township Deyon Dean, Mayor – Village of Riverdale Terry Wells, Mayor – Village of Phoenix Stephanie Kifowit, Councilman - Aurora Brain Wilson, Councilman - Calumet City Eddy Gonzales, Councilman - Calumet City Thaddeus Jones, Councilman - Calumet City Roger Munda, Councilman - Calumet City Nick Manousopoulos, Councilman - Calumet City Charles Levy, Clerk - Niles Township Charles Hernandez, Cicero Township Democratic Committeeman Don St. Germaine, Kankakee County Democratic Party Chairman Reverend Johnny L. Miller Reverend Marvin Hunter Personal PAC Illinois Illinois Committee for Honest Government Ilaz Kadriu, President of the American Albanian Organization Planned Parenthood Illinois If you’re looking for someone to blame, start there. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:53 am: That’s the first overt sign of real internal trouble, YDD. They’re getting pressure from freaked-out supporters. - ArchPundit - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:56 am: ===This is patently false on its face. The notion that Pat Quinn is incompetent is being fed primarily by the actions/in-actions of Pat Quinn himself, and have little to do with the Lt. Gov candidate, who would not even take office until January 2011, and only if elected. Maybe the writing wasn’t clear, but I was pointing out that the meme of Quinn’s incompetence is being strengthened by the debacle-not that this created the meme in the first place. - 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:56 am: I’d add Ald. Richard Mell to the list too YDD. His palm cards touted Cohen in the 33rd Ward. That’s an endorsement in my book. - Just Observing - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 11:57 am: Steve Schnorf @ 11:00 a.m. put it best — “we get what we deserve.” I see a lot of blame being directed to the media and elected official, but very little to the moronic electorate. Anyways, isn’t it a bit arrogant for the party leaders to essentially take the position that they need to protect the voters from Scott Lee Cohen by forcing him off the ticket? This was the will the voters — maybe the public loved the fact that his primary qualification was that he started RodMustResign.com. Who is the media or the party leadership to assume that they now know better than the voters. - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:00 pm: Rich, Let me clarify, he obviously didn’t estimate all of the revenues himself; c’mon get real. Brady did have to make an assessment between budget revenue estimates between the Governor’s office, partisan staffs, and the non-partisan budget forecasting operation. In the end he had to make a determination as to which; if any, were the most credible, as the basis upon which to vote approve or reject the budget. His voting record on the budget and appropriation bills would probably serve as a better gauge of his budget understanding; both prospectively and retrospectively, than a drive by comment that is unspported by evidence. Quinn on the other hand; not in the minority party, and as the chief executive and member of the majority party, has broad authority over the process, and veto power. I think we’ve seen plenty in one budget cycle to assess competence; both administrattively, and politically. - ArchPundit - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:00 pm: ==This assessment seems myopic and pompous. Brady has actually had to estimate revenues, appropriate expenses, and vote for or against the state budget for years. Show me where Bill Brady has presented a plan to deal with the state’s structural deficit. Quinn’ is inadequate, as I’ve said before, but it deals with real numbers. I have not seen anything by Brady that suggests he has any idea how to balance the budget. He makes lots of claims that he is going to look at all spending. He then says he can make $1 Billion in savings from managed care. Great. Now, about the other 90 percent? Where is it coming from? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:02 pm: ===His voting record on the budget and appropriation bills would probably serve as a better gauge of his budget understanding;=== Probably not. More likely it was partisan. Look at his budget votes under GRyan for better insight. - Amalia - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:05 pm: add to the endorsement list those listed on SLC’s facebook page as folks he admires. all those folks need to step up and tell him to drop out. one already did, Jan Schakowsky. - Anon - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:08 pm: The Dems will fold on this issue of Cohen stands his ground — just like they did with Burris. Although not exactly the same, this reminds me of when Stevenson ran for Gov with a Larouche supporter as his Lt. - You Go Boy - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:09 pm: Hynes as LT….JFK was not a fan of LBJ, but did what he thought would help win, i.e., keeping him out of sight and out of his hair. Plus as VP, he would send him on “dipomatic missions” i.e., non-threat for the re-election in 1964 (Oswald put an end to that strategy) - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:18 pm: If people want to continue to blame MJM, it should be for not putting up an amendment to the State constitution post-1986. The Lt. Gov. should be selected by the Gov. candidate either on their petition or post-primary; this has been an obvious need for years. Speculation on who Quinn would pick is a good example of why having the nominee pick a running mate is a good idea. It shows how the candidate makes decisions as opposed to just saying what he/she plans to do after being elected. (We’ll see how responsible and responsive our “leaders” are this year by whether or not there is an amendment on the ballot in the fall to remedy this.) - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:19 pm: ===This is patently false on its face.=== No, it’s not. C’mon. It fits perfectly.} {It’s not time to take a typical route out of this mess, it’s time to be bold and secure enough in his own leadership for Quinn to put together a top of the ticket that outshines the Republicans.} It only fits perfectly to fuel a speculative discussion about a replacement; where no vacancy exists, premised on the rediculous notion that Quinn himself has a vote; or a say in the process. We know he doesn’t have a vote, and given the way that the representative dictatorship of the party aparattus operates it is not to far fetched to assume that he might not have a say either if a vacancy occurred. As a matter of fact, Quinn might be the last guy they would allow that discretion or consult. It’s not just his competence that Hynes called into question and bring into focus, but it is his judgement as well. Quinn could have married himself to any of the candidates running, in the same way that McKenna did. Instead, he did not want any resulting division to cost himself votes. He’s proven himself to be far to great an aparatchik to be given much weight in filling a vacancy that if called upon would be his successor. There may be a time where a vacancy exists and an appointment for the nomination is necessary, but anyone who thinks they would leave that to Quinn is deluding themselves. - Louis Howe - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:20 pm: Let’s get real for a minute. Dan Hynes holds an independent statewide office of Comptroller, which actually does something and has a couple hundred employees. Why would he be willing to run co-joined with Pat Quinn for Lt. Governor and then spend the next 4 years twiddling his thumbs? Unless Hynes has a large campaign debt to pay off, it’s not going to even be entertained. Quinn needs a downstate running mate on the ticket with some record of business or government achievement. - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:22 pm: Not sure what I’m gonna do with this yet… http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Chicago-Mugshots-60266657.html?__source=Facebook - babs - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:26 pm: anon- where have you bee? Adlai did not run with a LaRouchie. He started a 3rd party so he would not have to do it. - Marcus Agrippa - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:27 pm: Was thinking about this in the shower this morning. What about putting Hynes on the ticket and indicate that Dan will be his lead budget person. Quinn doesn’t seem to be a numbers guy while numbers is what Hynes has focused on as comptroller. Let Dan be Quinn’s voice on how we are going to get out of the 13 billion hole and what we need to do to reach a balanced budget. This would help diffuse the competence issue. In regard to Art Turner as Lt. Gov (and I did vote for him) I think that opens Quinn up to an attack that there will be “a Madigan guy” in every branch of Illinois government. We need a separation between the executive and legislative branch. - Pat collins - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:29 pm: She’s quite cute. impact on the election Ok, so this is the state where suburban women were soooooo upset about Clarence Thomas that they kicked Al dixon out, right? (yes, I know it was really a combo of Hofeld’s money and a 3-way race, but that’s the common theme). So, Dixon had to go for that, but some 18 years later those women and their daughters can choke down SLC and his antics???? I think not. - True Observer - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:29 pm: She just hit paydirt. $1,000,000 from Playboy or Hustler. They’re probably outbidding each other. - Some Guy - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:31 pm: I too suggested the Hynes gambit yesterday, and I still like the idea; they would be a strong combo and Hynes would be motivated to keep working hard as Lt. Gov as part of a long term succession strategy. Lisa seems like she wants to sit out a term or two, staying put where she’s doing well and raising the kids, so that should all work out. What remains to be seen is how they are going to get away with removing Rosie Greer from Ray Milland and keep the body alive, in a legal sense. A third party is not an option. - Amalia - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:33 pm: oh the mugshot. and OH the name!!!! - Quinn T. Sential - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:33 pm: {Show me where Bill Brady has presented a plan to deal with the state’s structural deficit. Quinn’ is inadequate, as I’ve said before, but it deals with real numbers.} Both concepts are developed and presented in a vacuum of politics; as opposed to governing, and neither is demonstrative of their knowledge of the budget, but rather the partisan electorate to whom they are pandering. Both cuts and revenues will be necessary; no matter whom is elected. How much of each will be determined in some measure by who gets elected. Quinn’s use of “real numbers” to support his policy position however completely ignores the macro-economic impact his approach would have. Brady’s completely ignores the insufficient micro impact his approach would have on the structural deficit. Both have presented political plans during this election cycle, Quinn however had to deal with this in a position of leadership last year and his track record speaks for itself. Things have gotten worse instead of better under Quinn, and despite holding the highest elected office, he is powerless even within his own majority party to even make a difference. - True Observer - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:37 pm: The Dem ticket is shot. Even if he gets off the ticket this tory is not going away. The entire national media is going to zero in. Even - Marcus Agrippa - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:38 pm: I’m shocked that Ms. Enemam does not appear to have had a license to be a “massage therapist” license according to the Div. of Professional Regulation website. SLC should hire a publicist and write a book. That would be one way to get his $$$ back. - Third Generation Chicago Native - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:38 pm: anon at 12:08 ===The Dems will fold on this issue of Cohen stands his ground — just like they did with Burris.=== Give the Dems some credit, Cohen is a loose cannon on the front line. Burris did not have all the skeletens in his closet, and had a pretty good accomplished career. The Blago connection is what put a bad taste in everyones mouth. Cohen is a lighted match in a hayfield. - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:43 pm: “Quinn could have married himself to any of the candidates running, in the same way that McKenna did.” How’d that work out for McKenna? Or Murphy? Or Ron Gidwitz? That’s the non-traditional way of doing things. Gidwitz needed Birkett’s conservative cred and Birkett needed Gidwitz’s dough. Murhpy needed McKenna’s dough and McKenna needed Murphy’s …um…height? There are many ways to criticize many folks for this fiasco. Criticizing Pat Quinn for not running on a ticket with any of the Lt. Gov. candidates isn’t one of them. - Steve-O - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:44 pm: ==I have a hard time distinguishing the two in how the won–obviously I’m not slandering Plummer who appears to be a decent human being compared to Cohen, but do you really see a difference in how they won?== Arch, you obviously paid no attention to the race. Cohen outspent everyone (more than $2mil) and slipped through a crowded field. Plummer spent about $1.2mil (drastically less than the $5mil+ that McKenna/Murphy spent. In addition, Plummer had Don Tracy of Springfield and Brad Cole of Carbondale siphoning off 20% of the vote downstate. The money helped raise the name ID, but he relentlessly worked circles around the rest of the field. To say it was nothing more than a bought election is insulting and very misleading. If money could buy this nomination, then why didn’t McKenna or Murphy win? So, yeah, I think anyone with a clue can “really see the difference” in how Cohen and Plummer won. - JonShibleyFan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:54 pm: So, Steve-O, you’re saying voters were super-duper impressed with the the long record of success Jason Plummer has racked up (working for his dad’s business) in the five years since he graduated college? Don Tracy spent $500k, which is a heck of a lot less than $1.3 million. Brad Cole did very little. So, I’ll echo what Arch said. Jason Plummer may be a fine human and maybe even the most competent Lt. Gov candidate in the history of the state. But he still won the race with money. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 12:55 pm: I hope this isn’t the kiss of death but Durbin has come down firm that Cohen won’t be the Lt. nominee. I really wish he would zip it. - Been There - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:01 pm: ===I can’t imagine that he could pick up more than a small fraction of the votes in Chicago and the collars.=== Cassandra, I live in Chicago and I will be one of those small fractions of voters who will not vote for a ticket with SLC on it. And the last time I voted for a republican was Bill Scott (and see how that turned out). - Honest Abe - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:03 pm: Dick Mell had Cohen on his sample ballot. Need I say anything more about birds of a feather? - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:16 pm: Chicago Content needs to think about word choice: ==Amanda Enemam, the prostitute-slash-”massage therapist” at the center of Illinois’ Democratic ticket meltdown. Enemam accused Dem. Lt. Gov. nominee Scott Lee Cohen of holding a knife to her throat in 2005== Put a / or pick a different word! - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:22 pm: When it comes down to it, Dems will vote for Quinn over Brady, as will a lot of suburban R’s and I’s. The top of the ticket is who people will be voting on in November. SLC might keep a few people from voting for Quinn, but Quinn and Brady are so different in policy terms, that a lot of voters switching to Brady seems unlikely. If the Quinn were running against Dillard, the switching would be a lot more of an issue. At this point, the Dems need to shut up and quit saying things that will make them look bad if SLC stays on the ballot. - the Other Anonymous - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:29 pm: Rich, the link to the circuit court records goes to the contract dispute between Lawrence Cohen and Scott Cohen. Just FYI. As for the substance of your post: I wonder (with some other commenters) just how much say Quinn will really have in choosing the LG candidate. Ultimately, it won’t be Hynes for reasons having much more to do with the state central committee (and hence Madigan) than with the bad blood between Hynes and Quinn. - Donovan - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:32 pm: What is the problem? This guy once made a mistake but “he is a changed man”. I thought that the Democrat Party was the Party with “The Big Tent”? It isn’t like he was once a child molester. He wasn’t even found guilty of the charges made against him by his prostitute girlfriend or his ex-wife who feared him. He simply “once was lost but now is found”. It happens! Actually, I think that Cohen blends in rather well with most of the other members of the Illinois Democrat Party that have held elected office. Does he know Tony Rezko? Probably not (unless Tony pawned off his Rolex watch to Lee in order to raise some more cash for his defense attorney). Cohen’s only shortcoming is that Lee Cohen probably doesn’t have a long enough rap sheet yet to be considered for the Democrat Lt. Governor position, now that I think about it. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:33 pm: bottom line is that Quinn needs Hynes to win in November!!! It’s a strong ticket!!! - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:33 pm: Better ticket would be Quinn/Poshard. Poshard is from downstate and has a lot of respect. In addition, Illinois could use someone who can take the lead on education. If Poshard would agree, he’d be a very good fit. - Windy City Mama - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:54 pm: The primary is over. You can’t change the rules after the game is already played. Has this guy ever been convicted of anything ? I would think it would be unconstitutional to push this off the ticket. Democrats are stuck with him. - George - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 1:55 pm: Uh, oh, Rich. The crazies are on their way (see 1:32 pm). - George - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:01 pm: Trib story is up, and I noticed this line in particular: “Eneman herself was arrested for prostitution at the Eden Spa in April 2005 for performing a sex act on an undercover police officer in exchange for $150″ So… at what point exactly did the undercover officer arrest her? Did he wait until it was done? - Corduroy Bob - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:04 pm: George is right. I love when folks start to break out the label of “Democrat Party.” Whew — what a great dig that is. It’s hilariously hilarious and stuff. - Captain Flume - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:06 pm: Rich @ 11:38 a.m.: “Try not to bring comments from other blogs here.” Sorry, I thought this whole thread was based on another blog. Oops, my bad. - DM - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:33 pm: Based on these results: Cohen , Scott Dem 212,902 26% Turner , Arthur L. Dem 182,432 22% Hendon , Rickey Dem 113,273 14% It appears that Rickey Hendons hatred of Art Turner caused this problem. If not for Hendon being in the race, Turner gets those votes and end of story. But, how does Art Turner get to be on two ballots and keep his 9th district Rep. seat ? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:34 pm: DM, pay attention. That’s his son. - T.J. - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:55 pm: “So, I’ll echo what Arch said. Jason Plummer may be a fine human and maybe even the most competent Lt. Gov candidate in the history of the state. But he still won the race with money.” What statewide nominee for either party won without money? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 2:56 pm: ===What statewide nominee for either party won without money? === Bill Brady. - steve schnorf - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 3:14 pm: C’mon, folks, the elections gods have toyed with us and right now they are laughing their rear ends off at how it’s going. I can almost hear the planning. “All right, let’s give the Republicans the Dem candidate they would rather run against. Now, lets give the Ds the R candidate out of the top four that the Rs are most doubtful can win statewide in the Fall. And, let’s stir it a little more; how about people a little out of the ordinary for lt gov–let’s throw in some sex and violence for the Ds. How about zero experience, very young and bought the election with family money for the Rs. Wait, is family money better or worse than pawnshop money” “Let’s make the Rs run a liberal for the Senate, then we can make the Ds run the banker guy where Blago’s guy borrowed money. Is that bank still open or have the feds already closed it? Jeez, we better find out” “Shall we screw the Ds by not letting them have African-Americans for Senate or lt gov? But then we could give them a popular African-American woman to try to hold the county board president. Wiil the Indians go back to the Rs after the Ds weren’t willing to accept their guy for Comptroller. That way the Ds don’t get the Indian money in the Fall. Yeah, but I don’t think the Rs will get it either.” “Boy, isn’t it great that they never figure it out that if they paid any attention to elections we would never get away with this s__t? What would we do for fun then? Is that LaRouche guy still around? Alan Keyes did carry some counties didn’t he…..” - So Blue Democrat - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 3:23 pm: Steve S., No matter who wins, they need to bring you back as budget director. - steve schnorf - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 3:42 pm: So Blue, why are you so mad at me? That’s a terrible thing to say. Anyway, the problem isn’t the budget director. Vaught is quite competent. - some people call me "Maurice" - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 4:07 pm: Yeah we do need Hynes as Lt Gov. …then we can all get back to moving Illinois forward. Quinn takes 1 step forward, and 2 steps backwark. ouch. Hynes for Lt. Gov. - So Blue Democrat - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 4:08 pm: Steve S., I was just teasing you. I agee it is not the fault of the budget director. It is our elected officials that will not take hard choices. It will take both budget reductions and tax increases to resolve the budget mess. I am a very liberal Democrat, but I voted for Edgar the first time he ran for Governor. He had a more reasonable platform than Hartigan on the budget. He cut the budget as you well know, but he also took strong leadership on not eliminating the surcharge tax (or whatever it was called). I am mad because I wanted a Hynes vs. Dillion choice. I was going to evaluate which person in the upcoming months which of them that I would vote for in the November election. - Anon - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 5:06 pm: ==So… at what point exactly did the undercover officer arrest her? Did he wait until it was done? == Wouldn’t you? - Steve-O - Friday, Feb 5, 10 @ 5:47 pm: ===What statewide nominee for either party won without money? === Bill Brady. === Brady spent as much as Plummer did, in addition to having 20 times the name recognition. - Anonymous - Saturday, Feb 6, 10 @ 6:40 am: ” all the way with JFK and LBJ “, Reagan- Bush . It has been done before. Would have to have the ego’s kept in check. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.