[Gov. Pat Quinn] brushed aside a question about whether his campaign efforts are too undisciplined. “I have nothing bad to say about anybody,” Quinn said. […]
Quinn, who faces Republican state Sen. Bill Brady, Green Party candidate Rich Whitney and independent candidate Scott Lee Cohen on the Nov. 2 ballot, said he wants to ensure his message gets throughout Illinois, saying voters are interested in jobs.
“That’s what I want to focus on,” said Quinn, adding he has “a lot of message work to do, especially on ads.”
If the election for Congress was today, would you vote for a Democrat or a Republican?
46% Democrat
40% Republican
14% Undecided
Even though the Democrats are ahead, that’s a bit misleading. It isn’t good news. The pollster explains…
In Illinois Democrats lead the generic Congressional ballot by a 46-40 margin. That may not be terribly reassuring though given how much the party runs up the score in a small number of districts. Six of Illinois’ districts voted for President Obama at a 70% rate or higher in 2008.
…the 6 point generic ballot lead for Democrats in Illinois exceeds the 2 point lead we found for Alexi Giannoulias. That may give you a better idea of the shape Democrats would be in that race if they’d chosen a nominee with less baggage.
What that means is a whole bunch of targeted Democrats are in trouble.
* Speaking of targeted Democratic congresscritters, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson did have a replacement in mind when she ousted her campaign manager. She’s bringing in Julie Merz…
“The Halvorson camp is talking with Julie Merz about taking over as campaign manager, Vanderbilt said. Merz’s resume includes being campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.), both of whom are members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate to conservative Democrats committed to fiscal responsibility and government accountability. She also worked on former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley’s (D-N.J.) presidential campaign in 2000.”
They’re more than just talking about it. I’m told it’s a done deal.
Illinois voters say they would be negatively influenced if a candidate was endorsed by Barack Obama. And if his support isn’t an asset in his home state it’s hard to imagine where it is.
40% of voters in the state say they’d be less likely to support an Obama endorsed candidate to only 26% who say it would be an asset. The reality at this point is that Obama turns Republican voters off to a much greater extent than he excites Democrats. That’s reflected in the fact that 83% of Republicans say an Obama endorsement would be a negative with them while only 49% of Democrats say it would be a positive. Independents also respond negatively by a 38/19 margin.
The numbers on an Obama endorsement are perhaps more relevant with undecided voters. Among those who have not yet made up their minds in the Senate race 21% say an Obama endorsement would resonate positively with them while 33% say it would be a turnoff.
The full results are here. According to PPP, 24 percent of Illinois voters would be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Sarah Palin, while 52 percent would be less likely.
In Illinois Durbin is the favorite politician of 41% of voters in the state, followed by Pat Quinn at 10%, and Roland Burris at 6%. Like Pennsylvania the lack of Republicans in major offices in Illinois leaves 42% of voters saying no opinion. Durbin’s tops among Democrats, 60-11 over Quinn, independents, 40-8 over Quinn, and Republicans, 17-12 over Quinn.
*** UPDATE *** I just have no words to describe how I feel about this press release…
Rod’s Appeal: Blagojevich To Appear At Chicago Comic Con!
Former Illinois Governor To Sign Autographs, Pose For Pictures, Meet Fans At Pop Culture Festival Saturday!
The verdict is in! Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will appear at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con on Saturday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. Blagojevich will sign autographs, pose for pictures and meet fans at the pop culture convention.
The photo session will begin at 10:30 a.m., with autographs to follow at 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
“I’m looking forward to meeting loyal supporters and other fans on Saturday,” said Blagojevich, whose many recent television appearances included a stint on “Celebrity Apprentice.”
“Wizard World Chicago Comic Con is all about pop culture, and Rod Blagojevich is as relevant to today’s news as it gets,” said Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment. “We think the court of public opinion will show him to be a popular figure at the show.”
Keep in mind, that some of these counts don’t match up with what others are reporting. For instance, NBC reported that a majority of jurors voted against convicting Blagojevich on the alleged Children’s Hospital shakedown. But WTTW’s count shows that a majority was in favor of convicting on one act and split down the middle on the two others…
[”Guilty” is red, “Not Guilty” is blue.]
And the Sun-Times reported that the jury voted 9-3 to acquit Robert Blagojevich. WTTW’s totals don’t reflect that at all…
The father-son team of Sam Adam Jr. and Sam Adam Sr. will not represent Rod Blagojevich in a retrial, a defense attorney with knowledge of the situation told the Chicago News Cooperative.
According to the attorney, the duo has known for some time they would not stay on for another round. Speaking to reporters following Tuesday’s verdict, the lawyers refused to commit to continuing to represent Blagojevich. Although they were maligned by outside observers throughout the case, Adam Sr. and Adam Jr. will leave the former governor’s side having done better than many expected.
Blagojevich’s other main attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, has not indicated whether or not he will stay on for a retrial. Messages left with Adam Jr. and Sorosky seeking comment were not returned. A receptionist at Adam Jr.’s law office said that both attorney’s were out of town and could not be reached.
* 10:30 am - More really bad campaign news for Gov. Pat Quinn. His media firm, AKPD, has just exited the campaign [it was fired]. And check out this harsh goodbye statement…
“We and the Quinn campaign agreed that our divergent approaches to disciplined, professional communications are incompatible. We wish Pat well.”
Oh, man, what a shot that was. When was the last time you saw a national media firm issue a statement like that? Yikes.
AKPD produced the last two ads of the primary which most believe helped keep Quinn in office. Here’s my favorite of the two. It really was an excellent spot…
* 10:52 am - The Quinn campaign has reportedly hired Joe Slade White as a replacement.
* Quinn apparently fired AKPD after hiring White.
* One of White’s more recent ad campaigns was that 2008 ad blitz by T. Boone Pickens…
I’m getting mixed reviews on White. He’s a “big concept” guy who clicks with Quinn, but he’s not a top tier consultant who can also be hired more cheaply than others.
* The Republicans did their best yesterday to look like a governing party and not a collection of angry outsiders. State Sen. Bill Brady even walked away from reporters when he was asked whether he thought Pat Quinn was corrupt…
Unsuccessful candidate for governor Dan Proft took a shot at Kirk’s Democratic opponent for the U.S. Senate, Alexi Giannoulias, saying, “Getting a lecture from Ali Giannoulias on honesty in government is like getting a lecture from Drew Peterson on domestic violence.”
Oof. That was a bit more than just tossing red meat at the base. But, Proft is Proft. Last year, the Republicans barely allowed anybody to speak. This year, they probably let too many take the podium.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The Giannoulias campaign wants you to see this statement from Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky…
“Did Mark Kirk think Dan Proft was being clever and funny? If not, he should immediately repudiate Dan Proft’s offensive and misogynistic rhetoric that makes a joke of violence against women. Every one of the Illinois Republicans that shared the stage with Proft should do the same.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Proft responds…
“Of course Jan Schakowsky rallied to the defense of Alexi Giannoulias. One Chicago Democrat crime family trying to protect another. What else is new? Rep. Schakowsky bailed out a bank (Shore Bank) that aided and abetted her convicted felon husband’s illegal check kiting schemes and Mr. Giannoulias’ bank (Broadway) was seized by federal regulators because he couldn’t figure out how to make loaning money to mobsters a self-sustaining business. Those two deserve each other and Illinois doesn’t deserve either one of them.”
Cedra Crenshaw, who fought a Democratic attempt to kick her off the ballot in November, is now blasting “the Chicago machine,” which initiated the petition challenge. Crenshaw is running in a traditionally Democratic district, but has become a cause celebre among Republicans nationally.
“What rational business would want to expand or locate in a state with $130 billion of debt?”
As I noted to subscribers this morning, Crenshaw was making her comments at about the same time that Boeing announced an expansion into the Metro East. The Republicans probably ought to avoid looking like they’re running down their state while they criticize the party in power.
* But for the first time in years hope was in the air at the Illinois State Fair...
“We’re going to have a great new governor in Bill Brady, but he is not going to have success if Mike Madigan remains the Speaker,” said Rep. Tom Cross, the House Minority Leader. “We need 12 seats to retake the House.”
Cross said he had 20 seats in play and with the crowd’s help he could retake the house.
“People are as angry as I’ve ever seen them,” Cross said. Kirk agreed.
Voters are quite angry, but I’d like to see what “in play” means before agreeing with Cross that’s he’s that far in the hunt.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk stressed the importance of winning not only a six-year term this fall but also the special election on the same Nov. 2 ballot for the remaining two months of the Senate seat held by Blagojevich-appointed Democratic Sen. Roland Burris.
Kirk, a five-term North Shore congressman said the special election “could mean all the difference for the economic future of the United States.” Kirk contended Democrats in a post-election, lame-duck congressional session will try to approve a massive spending bill that would “shock” the stock market and the economy.
* Tom Cross said something yesterday about the Blagojevich verdict that’s on many minds right now…
“I think maybe in their minds they can say, I’ll send my own guilty verdict so to speak and my own message by voting for Republicans in the fall,” said Illinois House Republican leader Tom Cross. “I don’t know that we need to say that. It’s not like Rod Blagojevich is going to be hiding in the back room over the next two months.”
I don’t know if he’s right, but I do know that this “voter verdict” should be one of the Democrats’ biggest fears. It’s certainly one of the Republican’s greatest hopes. But they can’t actually come out and say it. But they can’t stay away from the topic, either.
My intern Barton Lorimor asked state party chairman Pat Brady yesterday about his statement the other day on WBEZ that he wouldn’t make political hay out of the verdict. Brady said he had changed his mind and blamed it on the Democrats. Watch…
Chairman Brady also talked about Blagojevich to the AP…
A federal jury’s failure to reach a verdict on most of the charges and the government’s intention to retry him means Blagojevich will be in the news for months to come.
“That was probably the worst day for the Democrats since this race started,” said Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady. “It’s going to keep this issue alive.” […]
Democrats argue they deserve credit for removing Blagojevich from office after he was arrested. Republicans scoffed at that, saying Democrats knew years earlier that Blagojevich was behaving unethically, if not criminally.
“Those guys sat on their hands until the U.S. attorney’s office came and yanked the guy out of his house,” said Pat Brady, who is not related to GOP nominee Bill Brady.
Illinois Republicans say they don’t intend to spend the next 10 weeks hitting voters over the head with reminders of Rod Blagojevich.
But they have no intention of letting them forget, either.
That was the mixed message emerging Thursday as GOP organizers from across Illinois, gathering in Springfield for their annual “Republican Day,” pondered how to get the most out of the political gift that dropped into their lap this week — without appearing to relish the state’s ongoing trauma.
“They ran arm in arm with Rod Blagojevich for his re-election. Just as there’s accountability in the courtroom, there ought to be accountability at the polling booth,” said U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria. Schock represents parts of Springfield in Congress.
While he talked mostly about the need to create jobs, Bill Brady stopped short of pledging not to use Blagojevich in campaign advertising.
“I have no idea what our experts are going to run,” Bill Brady told reporters at the morning event. “Make no mistake, this election is about winning. … But we’re going to do it honestly. And we’re going to give them something to believe in.”
“This is going to keep the issue on the front burner. People will be asking Pat Quinn, ‘where were you when all this was going on,” said Pat Brady, the Illinois Republican chairman. “The Democrats haven’t had any accomplishments other than making us one of the worst financially-run states in the country.”
The administration attributes the shortfall to the County Board’s decision to cut the sales tax rate by a half percentage point against the wishes of Board President Todd Stroger, who earlier had pushed through a 1 percentage point increase. The county also expects lower federal funding, which had spiked because of economic stimulus efforts. […]
But Finance Committee Chairman John Daley, D-Chicago, said he believes the shortfall could be even more and supports the 10 percent cuts.
Once an aide to former governor James R. Thompson, Gates had been tapped by Daley for McPier with a mandate to get the authority’s finances in order. Gates said Daley also spoke with him about the RTA job.
“Six-sixty was right there,” Dixon said, pointing to the site of a vanished building. “Seven-fourteen was right there. But it’s been so long I can’t remember them all.”
But Julie Dworkin, policy director for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said the new program does nothing to address the lack of affordable housing that prevents many homeless people from finding permanent shelter. If 125 people are moved to the top of the housing waiting list, that will simply mean 125 other people will have to wait longer, she said.
The review focuses on new Englewood District Cmdr. Anthony Carothers.
He’s the brother of Ald. Isaac “Ike” Carothers (29th), who was sentenced June 24 to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to corruption charges. Isaac Carothers, a former deputy Streets and Sanitation commissioner, chaired the City Council’s Police and Fire Committee and was one of Mayor Daley’s staunchest supporters.
Anthony Carothers was promoted from lieutenant to commander on July 16.
A plan by three struggling suburban school districts to create a revenue-generating wind farm has picked up some velocity this summer.
Empowered by recent legislation, Keeneyville School District 20, Carpentersville’s Community Unit School District 300 and Prospect Heights School District 23 have joined together to build a 13-turbine wind farm that would sell energy to defray their own electrical bills.
The unique project would be in rural Stark County, about 140 miles southwest of Chicago.
In a pugnacious, triumphal interview on NBC’s Today, Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted on charges of lying to the FBI but escaped conviction on 23 corruption charges, vowed never to cop a plea in his upcoming retrial, saying he was guilty only of “political horse trading.” Blagojevich compared himself to the Biblical King David, and suggested U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald should charge himself with hypocrisy for making deals with convicted felons in exchange for testimony. […]
Asked if he would accept a plea deal, given that jurors voted 11-1 to convict him of trying to sell Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, Blagojevich said, “I’m absolutely determined to continue to seek full vindication. I have done absolutely nothing wrong. This is a persecution by a prosecutor who for six years has targeted me. He has spent tens of millions of dollars trying to get me.” […]
“Why are they wasting taxpayer money?” the ex-governor asked. “Chicago is now the crime capital of the world. Children are being gunned down. Police officers are being shot in front of their homes where they were playing. They’re spending millions of dollars to prosecute me when they should instead be using that money to address the real crime problems in places like Chicago.”
You did a good job on Celebrity Apprentice,” Vieira teased Blagojevich at the end of the interview. “Will we see you in another reality show? Are you going to be with Snooki?”
* With all the weird, busy craziness happening right now, I just finally noticed this story from yesterday…
Nine jurors voted in favor of acquittal on the four counts involving Robert Blagojevich and three voted to convict, Grover said.
“I’m further resolved to hear it was a 9 to 3 result in my favor,” Robert Blagojevich said today. “I’m an innocent man. I’ve done nothing wrong. The majority of the jury thought that was the case.”
Prosecutors told jurors that Robert was a victim of circumstance but they also said he knew his brother was trying to reap a personal profit from appointing a successor to Barack Obama in the Senate. And they say Robert is responsible because he was the only friend left that was willing to help the former governor implement his schemes. But [juror John Grover] said most of the jurors didn’t buy that argument.
JULIE BLAGOJEVICH: I just burst out crying and that man lifted my spirits with what he said. He did. He did.
ROBERT BLAGOJEVICH: She broke down with happiness and joy because we were listening to news accounts how the jury lined up on certain counts and it wasn’t really clear how it related to me.
But Grover told the Sun-Times that 9 of the jurors wanted to acquit the older Blagojevich. Robert says that validates their legal strategy for the second go around.
ROBERT: That’s not in any way a welcoming prospect, but what are we going to do? I’ve got no choice. I’m not going to plea to something that I didn’t do. And so I’m stuck and, you know, my family and I will figure it out.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett said, “If I were (U.S. Attorney) Patrick Fitzgerald, I would play hardball and consider charging Patti Blagojevich.
“Clearly they (the defense) used her and the children as a vehicle to get sympathy,” he added. “Their PR tour was designed and planned to put him in the best light possible. He’s now a convicted felon. So, it won’t work the second time around.”
There was disappointment from Republican Judy Baar Topinka who lost the 2006 general election to Rod Blagojevich. She called the former governor a “bad man” and cannot believe the jury deliberated so long to find him guilty on just one count. […]
When asked if Republicans will get a boost since the Blagojevich problems hasn’t gone away, she said, “They were only too happy to recount George Ryan to us, he was convicted of 18 counts. He was penny ante compared to this guy.” [Emphasis added.]
* The Question: Who was the worse criminal, George or Rod? Explain.
We’re not talking about governing abilities here. And we’re not necessarily talking about the number of convictions, since Blagojevich’s ordeal is far from over. I’m simply asking your opinion on who you think was the worse criminal.
Part of Mr. Cohen’s strategy is to appeal to African-Americans, who generally vote overwhelmingly for Democrats.
“If he starts making inroads among blacks…that’s just a nightmare” for Gov. Quinn, said Kent Redfield, a political scientist at the University of Illinois, Springfield. […]
Paul Green, director of the Roosevelt University School of Policy Studies in Chicago, said Mr. Cohen was “an unguided political missile.” But with both major party candidates “running such weak campaigns, if he spends the money he could make a splash,” Mr. Green said.
During a recent campaign stop in Chicago, Mr. Cohen bought breakfast for 30 African-American ministers and told them Democrats had taken their support for granted. Mr. Cohen supports proposals to bring more Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlets and manufacturing jobs to black neighborhoods. “Give me a chance,” he told the ministers.
Pastor Andre Smith of First Bethel Church said he was impressed. “I believe everybody should get a second chance,” he said.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s numbers with African-Americans are flat-out horrible. Yes, African-Americans always break late, but these numbers are pretty unprecedented. The Public Policy Polling survey had Quinn at just 41 percent among blacks, with 44 percent undecided. The Rasmussen poll’s crosstabs were even weirder…
In the August edition of [the Illinois Chambers’] campaign-related newsletter, The Political Upside, the headline of an item about a recent Rasmussen poll was that the “crosstabs,” specific details about certain groups, “chew into Brady’s 13 point lead over Quinn.”
In the Rasmussen poll, the crosstabs illustrated a surprising amount of black support — 30 percent — for Brady, the newsletter states.
“Illinois Chamber sources believe that this particular demographic’s 30 percent level of support for an Illinois Republican is extraordinarily high and that in reality Brady’s lead hovers around the 5-6 percent range,” the newsletter said. The poll, which surveyed 750 likely voters Aug. 9, had Brady at 48 percent, Gov. Pat Quinn at 35 percent, with the rest for another candidate or undecided.
Rasmussen had Quinn getting 44 percent among blacks - very similar to the PPP poll. 8 percent were with “some other candidate” and 18 percent were undecided.
Despite the Chamber’s analysis, I don’t think this race is as close as they believe. Scott Lee Cohen is a big reason for that, as is, to a lesser extent, Rich Whitney. We’ll see.
By the way, Alexi Giannoulias’ numbers among African-American voters follow the more traditional lines. According to PPP, he’s getting 69 percent, with 22 percent undecided and 9 for Republican Mark Kirk.
Halvorson (D-Crete) decided this week to replace Travis Worl, who had worked on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, in favor of someone else, spokesman Ryan Vanderbilt said. Halvorson has not yet hired a new campaign manager.
“Travis is no longer with our campaign,” Vanderbilt said. “He did a good job getting everything up and running to put us in a position to win going into November. But now, as we look forward to the election and Labor Day, a decision was made to bring in someone new.”
Halvorson, who is nearing the end of her first term in Congress, is facing Republican Adam Kinzinger in the Nov. 2 election.
Worl did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Worl made news earlier this summer after questioning in an e-mail whether Kinzinger had exaggerated his role as a temporary U.S. Air Force Special Operations pilot. A member of the Wisconsin National Guard, Kinzinger has flown more than 100 special operations missions and Halvorson’s campaign focused on his use of “is” versus “was” on a Web site to describe his special forces status.
They fired the guy with no replacement in mind just before Labor Day? Man, there’s trouble in that camp.
Of particular concern, several jurors said Wednesday, was the lone holdout on numerous counts that would have convicted Blagojevich of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. John Grover, 52, a juror from Joliet, said he grew so frustrated after three days of deliberating on the same charge that he yelled at the woman who refused to join the other 11 in agreeing to convict.
“I gave her a piece of my mind,” Grover said. “If it wasn’t for that one lady, we’d have had him convicted on probably 80 percent of (the indictment).”
Grover considered going to the judge to tell him that the female juror was deliberating in bad faith, but he felt that would do no good. […]
Stephen Wlodek, of Bartlett, said it bothered him that after the verdict, the former governor and his defense team claimed the prosecution failed to make its case.
“In a way, they didn’t prove it to one person,” he said. “I just felt a little slighted by that. It gave the impression to the residents of the state that this jury was deadlocked right down the middle when we weren’t.”
Mr. Grover probably should’ve gone to the judge. Even if it didn’t work, at least the higher-ups would’ve been notified that there was a serious problem.
Sources tell CBS 2 News that the holdout juror is Jo Ann Chiakulas, a retired state employee. She used to work for the Illinois Department of Public Health, had been a director of teen counseling for the Chicago Urban League and once handed out campaign literature for a relative who ran for public office.
Coincidentally, the Chicago Urban League was once headed by Cheryle Jackson, a former Blagojevich press secretary, although it appears Chiakulas left the Urban League several years before Jackson became the league’s president. […]
The holdout juror seemed to stand firm no matter how hard her fellow jurors argued.
“It just surprised, shocked all of us I think that someone would have such a different opinion than ourselves,” said Parker.
* And, if true, this revelation from Fox Chicago is not a good thing…
FOX Chicago News reported that it is likely to be juror Jo Ann Chiakulas of Willowbrook, after a second-hand acquaintance said that she has been saying since early july that she would find Blagojevich not guilty. [Emphasis added.]
Yikes.
* Meanwhile, some jurors are apparently complaining about media contacts…
The Clerk of court has just sent out this release, on behalf of U.S. District Judge James Zagel.
“It has come to the Court’s attention that certain jurors in the Blagojevich trial are calling and complaining about numerous phone calls from the media asking for interviews and visiting their homes. The United States Marshal has advised the jurors to call 911 to report the incidents.
Please keep in mind that some of these jurors simply do not wish to talk, and if they have not agreed to talk with you, we ask that you respect their privacy.”
The cops can’t do much about reporters doing their jobs.
On one hand, the criminal justice system randomly picked them to serve. They didn’t ask for the spotlight, and they deserve to resume their private lives once they complete their service.
On the other hand, the 12 jurors in Blagojevich’s case deliberated one of Illinois’ most historic cases, which began with the pre-dawn arrest of a sitting governor pulled from his bed sheets by FBI agents. Of 24 criminal counts the federal government splashed on Blagojevich’s rap sheet, jurors returned just one guilty verdict - on quite possibly the meekest charge of the batch.
In some respects, aren’t jurors obligated in a broader, historical context to lend transparency to the proceedings? To answer basic questions? To set the record straight?
Everyone - the public, prosecutors, defense attorneys, the judge, the defendants - wants to understand the factors that played into their decision, particularly when U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is vowing to retry the case.
As a news gathering organization, we are compelled to ferret out the best sources for every story we cover, every day, year in and year out. We expect our reporters to act responsibly and respectfully in pursuit of the truth, and never advocate harassing or stalking anyone.
The story, post verdict, is quite simply the jury: What was said, what presented problems, who were the holdouts?
The residents of this state funded this expensive and drawn out drama, and they have every right to learn what it was like to deliberate the fate of our former top elected state official for the past 14 days.
We don’t ask these questions to improve our health. The media doesn’t exist simply to annoy jurors on high-profile cases.
It is our duty to ask the questions that the public cannot, simply because they have jobs and kids and obligations and perhaps cannot devote their lives to asking what they want to know.
That’s our job, and we take it seriously.
So we find it incredulous that the U.S. marshal feels that possibly tying up emergency phone lines is an appropriate response to media inquires.
* Roundup…
* Mitchell: Blame feds — not jurors — for deadlock
I love this race. Those horses are huge and they race extremely close together. It’s scary fun when they’re all bunched up and the drivers are maneuvering for position. Marcus Miller, my driver, was an excellent guy and he really tried to win. I suppose that hot dog before the race kept me from the lead. Or, maybe it was the burgers for the last 20 years. Whatever. I had a blast.
It’s too bad we’re not legally allowed to bet on this race. Maybe we can figure something out for next year, though. Any ideas?
Democrats spent their day at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday rehashing the talking points they’ll be using in the fall election campaigns in the wake of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s unresolved federal corruption charges.
It’s going to feature heavy doses of “We did our job to get rid of Blagojevich and try to stop it from happening again,” along with smatterings of legislative accomplishments like curbs on predatory lending, utility rate relief and public pension reforms.
But House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who is also chairman of the state Democratic Party, bluntly outlined to Democratic party leaders at the Crowne Plaza Hotel the challenges ahead.
“We all know that there’s a huge scandal hanging over our heads called the former governor,” Madigan said. “We all know that. It’s right and proper for us to ask how shall we go forward, because the opposition will not let us forget the former governor.”
Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said Blagojevich’s tenure as governor was so rocky, voters won’t necessarily link his behavior to all Democrats.
“Madigan wouldn’t even talk to him for years,” said Cullerton.
“I’m just really glad he’s not the governor anymore,” Cullerton added.
It was part of an emerging Democratic strategy: Portray Blagojevich as a freelancer who lied to his fellow Democrats even as he lied to the FBI. Remind voters at every turn that it was a Democratic-led Legislature that impeached him. Make the case that he is more akin to imprisoned fellow ex-Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, than he is with today’s Democrats.
“The Republican Party doesn’t have anything to talk about,” Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn said as he arrived at one of the related Springfield party events Wednesday, referencing Ryan. “George Ryan is in jail, Rod Blagojevich is awaiting sentencing, and I’m here to clean it up.”
But Quinn was Blagojevich’s lieutenant governor, replacing him in January 2009, so he may be especially vulnerable to the continuing fallout from the case as he seeks a full term in November.
Asked about his one-time public statements vouching for Blagojevich’s integrity, Quinn harkened to the one criminal count on which Blagojevich was convicted: “Rod Blagojevich lied to me, he lied to the FBI, he lied to the people of Illinois.”
Democrats said they hope to soften the effect of the Blagojevich scandal by talking about pocketbook issues.
They promised to bring more jobs to Illinois and criticized Republicans for wanting to lower the minimum wage, opposing a federal aid package for schools and fighting an extension of unemployment benefits. They mentioned legislative accomplishments like approving a statewide public works program and curtailing government pension costs.
There was little mention of the jobs Illinois has lost under Democratic leadership, the state’s massive budget crisis or the income tax increase Quinn wants to pass if he wins the election.
That was the other huge elephant in the room. Because of the big Blagojevich news, they could more easily gloss over that one.
There were some awkward moments Wednesday such as when Cullerton was railing against Republican candidate for governor State Sen. Bill Brady, for, among other things, paying no federal or state income taxes this year and voting against the capital bill after voting for the projects it funded.
“Bill got a little confused,” Cullerton said. “He voted for the projects. He just didn’t vote for the funding. He says he’s against taxes. He’s against taxes. He didn’t pay any last year.”
A few feet from Cullerton, Giannoulias, who also paid no taxes last year, looked at the ground. By the time Quinn got up to complain about Brady paying no taxes, Giannoulias had left the stage with Sen. Dick Durbin for a state fly-around to convince voters Giannoulias’ economic plan beats Kirk’s.
Oops.
*** UPDATE *** I almost forgot the other elephant at the fair. Former Senate President Emil Jones showed up. Gov. Quinn lavished praised on him from the podium. Turns out, Jones is hinting at a mayoral bid…
Chicago - Former State Senate President Emil Jones is telling political insiders he may run for mayor next year, even if Mayor Daley is in the race, FOX Chicago News has learned.
Political Editor Mike Flannery asked Jones about the report at Democrats Day at the Illinois State Fair.
“I wasn’t thinking about it, it comes up,” Jones said. “I enjoy what I’m doing now. …[People] have come to me several times you know but again, I enjoy what I’m doing presently.”
When asked how he responds to those who ask him to run, Jones said, “It sounds good, but my wife won’t let me do that, I don’t think.”
Yeah. Listen to your wife. She’s right.
* The Governor’s Day media roundup shows it was all about Blagojevich…
* Dems Talk Verdict, Election at Ill. State Fair Governor’s Day
Is the Boeing Co. coming to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport?
If so, will the defense and aerospace giant use the struggling airport as a facility to customize its much-ballyhooed, but long-delayed 787 Dreamliner passenger plane?
Or will Boeing use MidAmerica to retrofit its 767 twin jet airliners into fuel tankers as part of an effort to win a $35 billion Air Force contract?
* Landowners chime in on plans for water pipeline from Decatur to Taylorville for energy center
He was elected to sit on the Cook County board that hears tax appeals, but Larry Rogers Jr. put on his lawyer hat this week and is now representing a family suing the county in a high-profile wrongful death case.
While several officials are calling this a conflict of interest, Rogers isn’t violating any ethics ordinances.
Ald. Ginger Rugai (19th) said Wednesday she would not seek re-election, becoming the fourth of the City Council’s 17 women to retire from politics in a difficult year for incumbents.
Rugai insisted that her decision to retire had nothing to do with the anti-incumbent tidal wave sweeping the nation or the local political backlash that followed the 75-year, $1.15 billion lease that privatized Chicago parking meters.
Citing interest already expressed by investors from China, Japan and the Middle East, Mayor Daley today appointed a heavyweight panel of business and labor leaders to try to attract the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to provide express service to O’Hare.
The mayor’s mandate to Lester Crown and others is that no city money be used to build the separate tracks along the Kennedy Expressway that would be needed to duplicate the sort of high-speed rail service that’s already wildly popular in Japan.
“It has to be almost a separate private system,” the mayor told a City Hall news conference.
That means the 17-member panel will do its best to attract private investors — first to build the system, then possibly to run it for the next 25 years.
The candidate, John Gates, would need a super majority of 12 votes from the 16-member RTA board to become chairman. He would replace Jim Reilly, who recently stepped down as RTA chairman to become the trustee in charge of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, or McPier. Gates until recently chaired a reorganization of McPier.
Gross sales for fiscal 2010, ended July 31, increased 5%, to $119 million, boosted in particular by the March-through-July period, when sales jumped 11%.
Alderman Christopher S. Halley was ordered held on $75,000 bail during a brief morning bond hearing in which prosecutors said he tried to flee the area Tuesday instead of turning himself in to police as promised.
Halley, 27, is charged with theft by deception and deceptive practices. It’s his second arrest in recent months. In March, he was accused of writing a bad $1,500 check to a friend in fall 2009.
Rockford is not alone. The Illinois State Board of Education expects more schools than ever will face sanctions this year for consistently failing under the No Child Left Behind Act. In the Belvidere district, 30 students are transferring from a failing school to a better-performing one this year.
Official results from standardized tests taken this year won’t be released until the fall. And while missing the federal targets doesn’t necessarily mean that test scores are down from last year, it does means that schools aren’t making large enough academic gains to keep up with rising achievement standards.
The village is in danger of being shut down because three of the six trustees did not show up Tuesday night to vote on a resolution to proceed with a bankruptcy case first approved a year ago.
A four vote majority was needed to pass the resolution that would allow bankruptcy attorney Donald Sampson to proceed with the court filing. But only Mayor Cynthia Stovall-Hollingsworth, who is also a trustee, and trustees James Jones and Dorris Davis were in attendance. The meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum.
