Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller * The setup…
* The Question: Assuming he does gather 25,000 valid signatures (a big “if”), who should be his running mate? Explain. Keep it clean, people. Let’s also confine these choices to Illinoisans who are still alive. But snark is heavily encouraged.
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- heet101 - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:31 am:
Art Turner.
- Belle - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:31 am:
Todd Stroger. It’s not like he has anything better to do.
- winston s - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:32 am:
Rob Sherman
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:33 am:
Explain, please. Use some imagination.
- Anon - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:36 am:
forest claypool. it’ll get him out of people’s hair in cook county and independent cred
- Joe from Joliet - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:36 am:
Patti Blagojevich.
Raising money is not hard work for her.
- Old Shepherd - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:38 am:
Too bad were confined to Illinois because Chumlee from Pawn Stars would be a great candidate.
- John Bambenek - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:39 am:
Rich, it isn’t a big if. With the money he has, he can pay for circulators and the right people to vet everything. He’ll get on the ballot.
- Me - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:40 am:
Sam Cahnman. No explaination necessary.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:45 am:
That woman who changed her name to Carol Mosley Braun
or
Rolland Burris (there is still one more slot on the tomb)
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:45 am:
I am unable to recommend a suitable running mate for Mr. Cohen because I do not associate with those kinds of people. And if I did, she probably wouldn’t use her real name, nor would I even ask for her name. Nor would I pay her by check or credit card.
- irish - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:46 am:
Fast Eddie Vrdolyak - no explanation needed
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:47 am:
Roland Burris. They could sing “Ebony and Ivory” and save the state.
And Senator Burris would have one more thing to add to the mauseleum.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:49 am:
OneMan beat me to the Burris bit. Insert Alan Keyes. Would work just as well.
- Hank - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:49 am:
Art Turer because he came in second!
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:55 am:
Amanda Eneman. I couldn’t resist.
- Gathersno - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:56 am:
Rod.
- ToddAF - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:57 am:
Jack Ryan, with Blair Hull joining them as an independent candidate for Secretary of State. They could run a trifecta ticket of disgraced Illinois pols whose brief glimpses of political stardom were done in by ugly divorces (and other allegations of sleaziness in Cohen’s case).
- KeepSmiling - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:58 am:
Jesse Jackson Jr. He may be willing to do something here for the position. Its bleeping golden.
- Bring Back Boone's - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 11:58 am:
Blair Hull. They both have some splainin to do with the female voters…
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:02 pm:
=== Rich, it isn’t a big if. With the money he has, he can pay for circulators and the right people to vet everything. He’ll get on the ballot. ===
First off.. the guy is rich but he isn’t Donald Trump. I am doubtful that Scott Lee Cohen has enough (or is willing to spend enough) of his money to self-finance an aggressive Gubernatorial campaign (he will still lose even if he is aggressive). Also, paying petition circulators is certainly helpful — but that alone does not gurantee ballot placement. Someone still has to manage the circulators, the signatures have to be good, and questions remain if circulators and signers in the primary can sign in the general. Then come the petition challenges. In short, getting on the ballot is not a slam dunk for SLC — even with money.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:03 pm:
Doc Walls or Mike Murray, no idea why
- right side - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:10 pm:
William Kelly. They could campaign in strip clubs around the state. And I honestly think he may really choose him.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:11 pm:
Quinn
He has experience at being a lite gov
- Vote Quimby! - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:26 pm:
The early-release parolee with the record most similar to Cohen’s. Campaign theme: “C’mon, We’re Rehabilitated!” SLC may want to run a background…oh wait, never mind I’m sure it’ll wash out. Campaign kickoff announcement: a six-city “drive-around” in Cook County sometime mid-June-ish. We’ll tweet ya…
- SLICK NICK - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:36 pm:
Mr. A. Kitty, as in “Hey Look”
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:40 pm:
Dorothy Tillman former Chicago Alderman in Bronzeville. She and her hats, mouth, and attitude will divert a lot of attention away from Cohen’s past issues. Besides she isn’t doing anything and loves to campaign and be in the spotlight.
- Steve - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:44 pm:
Cohen’s running mate should be Bernie Stone. Stone was one of the big time politicians who endorsed Cohen in the primary. If Stone can be a character witness at Alderman Fred Roti’s corruption trial, why not endorse and run with Cohen? Plus, Bernie has been a Vice-Mayor of Chicago: a position well suited for the rigors of the position of Lt. Governor. If Stone can hang with a made member of the Mob , why not the very impressive Cohen?
- Logical Thinker - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:46 pm:
Gerald Schweighart–if he shows his birth certificate–because SLC is going to need the downstate vote.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:53 pm:
Rich Miller
think of the free campaign coverage and political advice he could get by having Rich as his running mate…..
- MrJM - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 12:56 pm:
As the ultimate second banana, AM radio’s Garry Meier seems to be the obvious choice.
– MrJM
- Judgment Day Is On The Way - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:01 pm:
Deb Mell
Would provide a starting point to address any number of “issues”:
1. SLC’s “issues” with female voters
2. If we are going to have an election spectacle, let’s do it right.
3. Gets Deb Mell a bigger stage.
4. Has the potential to get all of us talking about something else other than the financial mess we’re in.
- South Side Mike - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:06 pm:
Betty Loren-Maltese - Think about it, two reform, errr, rehabilitated candidates, eager to make Illinois work (for them) again.
And she’ll be available, too, as her 3 month stint in the halfway house is scheduled to end in mid-may.
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:09 pm:
Why is it not surprising that the All Blagoof AM gives Scott Lee Cohen air time. How about Don Wade and Roma taken together that’s nearly enough brain matter for one candidate.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:15 pm:
Robert Kelly, better known as R. Kelly.
Cohen’s past would become a non-issue overnight.
Plus R. Kelly remains hugely popular on the Southside, has even deeper pockets than Cohen, and would probably through in a free campaign theme song.
I’ve got some suggested titles and lyrics, but they’d never make it past Rich.
- keepitsimple - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:17 pm:
John Cazale, no explanation necessary
- Willy - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:18 pm:
Ricky Hendon. To hell with the rest of em’!
- "Old Timer Dem" - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:19 pm:
Cohen should see if the two famed “LaRouchie” candidates of 1986 are available. Mark Fairchild and Janice Hart are about as mainstream as Cohen.
- Captain Flume - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:41 pm:
Robert Rita might be a good pick. Or maybe Cohen’s ex-girlfriend could be considered literally a “running mate.”
- TaxMeMore - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:41 pm:
Michael J. Madigan. Is there a more experienced potential Lt. Governor out there? That’s a ticket both Democrats and Republicans can support.
- ABCBoy - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:53 pm:
==
Ricky Hendon. To hell with the rest of em’!
==
That radio ad was epic. Easily the best of the primary season.
- ABCBoy - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 1:54 pm:
How about Steve Bartman of Chicago Cubs infamy? Call it “The Redemption Ticket”
- Pre - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 2:05 pm:
Andy Martin because he will need legal advice throughout the campaign. And if the two don’t like something, Andy will file a lawsuit or claim the other candidates are residents of a foreign country.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 2:26 pm:
Rich, sorry to ruffle your feathers, but my choice as SLC’s running mate would be Ozzie Guillen. Just imagine their press conferences! No reporter would ever get a word in edge-wise, and half of their transcript would be a bunch of bleeps and dashes.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 3:59 pm:
Definitely Cicero Betty. A blind man can see that those two crazy kids are meant for each other.
- OBERVING - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 4:16 pm:
Is Dakin Williams still alive?
- siriusly - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 4:20 pm:
Rex Grossman, he’s great at almost winning.
Bartman was a good one!
- The Last Whig - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 4:35 pm:
Blair Hull might be available…and he
could finance the campaign himself.
- LouisXIV - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 4:37 pm:
Is Sandra Bullock’s husband an Illinois resident?
- Bill - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 6:34 pm:
Personal to Scott Lee:
Never mind these guys.
I’ll take a shot at it.
What have we got to lose besides more of your money?
We wounldn’t be any worse than either major party candidate.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Apr 28, 10 @ 8:05 pm:
This was a tough question. I’m sure the best ones have been deleted. But here’s my suggestion:
Gary Skoien.
An alleged domestic abuser and an alleged victim of domestic abuse. They cancel each other out.
ABC Boy’s Steve Bartman was awesome.