* My syndicated newspaper column is incredibly difficult to write the Friday before an election, when it’s due. Most of the dailies publish it before election day, but several weeklies run it on Wednesday or Thursday. So, I have to come up with a “timeless” topic. I’ve been meaning to do this column for years, but never got around to it. Since I needed a topic that would still be valid no matter who won tomorrow, I pulled it off the back burner…
I will never forget the night Paul Lis was fired.
My parents were at my house, but I refused to budge from my barstool because I couldn’t miss this. Not for them. Not for anybody.
Lis was a bigtime political fixer back then. He has known just about everybody who was anybody in Illinois and Chicago politics. He’s been an informal adviser to many of the old top dogs, and at the time he was fired he was working for Gov. George Ryan, Senate President Pate Philip and House Republican Leader Lee Daniels. Ryan was trying to pass a bill to toughen an assault weapons law, but Philip and Daniels were having none of it.
Lis was siding with Ryan, but Philip, a legendary conservative who loved his guns, was furious at both the governor and Lis, whom Philip falsely blamed for hatching the idea. When Pate strolled into the tavern, I figured things were about to explode. And then Pate stomped right up to Lis and after a brief and heated conversation announced that Lis was fired.
“You can’t fire me!” Lis roared back, adding that, technically, he reported to Philip’s chief of staff and campaign manager.
Pate insisted that he could, indeed, fire Lis, and a series of unprintable expletives were exchanged. The entire bar was silent as everyone watched this extraordinary event unfold. A Senate President is not often yelled at in public, at least not in Springfield.
Lis has always been well known in political circles for his sharp tongue. He loves his cigars and in the old days would play with his false teeth while he talked. He doesn’t care a whit what you think of him. And he loves humbling the haughty.
But Lis is also one of the brightest guys around. The truly smart people understand this, and they listen to him even when they totally disagree.
Lis tried to warn George Ryan over and over about the sort of people the doomed governor surrounded himself with. Ryan listened on every other topic but this one, probably to his undying chagrin.
A born contrarian, Lis would usually argue the other side of issues with Ryan just to make sure that the positions Ryan eventually took were well thought out. He describes his role as “the skeptic in the room who had to be persuaded.” Lis would also regularly burst into Ryan’s office when he thought the governor was making a mistake.
“Strength,” Lis says, “Is the ability to advance your agenda.” And when you fail to get things done, you look weak, no matter the reason.
Gov. Pat Quinn is a prime example. Quinn operated with huge Democratic majorities in both legislative chambers. But too often Quinn and his people tried to push proposals “and then were forced to abandon them because they had not done their homework,” Lis complains. He’s right. Rod Blagojevich had the same problem with surrounding himself with enabling know-nothings. They let him do whatever he wanted, right up until his arrest and impeachment.
Quinn, Lis says, never had the opportunity to really grow. He went from one low-level government job to another and then was suddenly thrust into the governorship. And the “people who enabled him in his lesser positions, continued to enable him,” Lis grumbles.
He has the same fears about lack of growth regarding Quinn’s Republican opponent Bill Brady, who has always been basically a backbench legislator without any real governmental responsibilities. To say the least, Lis is not optimistic about the future.
I always figured Pate Philip would hire Lis back, but he didn’t and as a result he was never quite the same leader he’d been. If George Ryan had listened to Lis more, he might not be in prison today.
The point is, whoever our new governor is (I’m writing this before election day), he needs to hire at least one crazy, brilliant, experienced, fearless contrarian like Paul Lis and then listen. He doesn’t have to agree, but he must listen.
Paul says he’s too old for the task, and he’s now married to a wonderful woman. If you’re going to do that job, Lis says, you have to be single. A spouse might not understand that your boss fired you after you called him a freaking half-wit at the top of your lungs while your false teeth fell to the barroom floor.
- shore - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 3:47 am:
Having good people is important but having them isn’t enough it’s how you use and manage them that is equally important. Bush had colin powell, he still made foreign policy mistakes. 2 years ago Obama told america his cabinet would be like lincoln’s in that it would have competing leaders with competing agendas and ideas, I’m forgetting the name of the book he cited by kearns goodwin, but 2 years later all it’s done him is given him a major political defeat.
You also make the point that we’re going to find out who these leaders are as people now once they get in and govern which means for mark kirk either the effective wonk we think he is or the uneven pick a flavor of the day opportunist democrats claim he is.
- Obamarama - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 4:19 am:
I can’t speak to the prospective GOP brains available to Brady if he wins because I don’t swim in that pond.
If Quinn wins, he absolutely, positively cannot hire anyone who worked on his campaign. You will likely hear much more about this after Tuesday, but I have never been around nor heard of a campaign of this scale being so blatantly inept and proud of its ignorance.
Their targeting is awful. Their precinct priorities seem to have been formed by putting numbers on balls and running them through the lottery machine. Their staff is a combination of people without any talent or experience, and people with talent in non-electoral sectors.
The majority of my staff is from out of state and consistently ask me how the Democrats have managed a single year of power, let alone a decade of power, given the complete and utter ineptitude of the top of the ticket in this cycle.
2010 is starting to feel like a perfect storm. Not only is there a massive anti-Democratic tide, but our incumbent Governor is running a campaign with:
1) no message
2) an unorganized organization
3) a staff of lackeys and family members
4) a hubris with little regard for existing political structures
5) a GOTV universe that, I swear to God, is targeting almost exclusively first-time voters from 2008.
A candidate that can’t run a coherent or moderately successful campaign with a budget of $10M has no business running a state with a discretionary budget of $25+ billion. Quinn neither has the talent to campaign nor govern in prime time.
I want Hynes back.
- demgov - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 5:32 am:
One of the best pieces I’ve read in a long time, and right on the money. I miss seeing Paul Lis around–we need more characters like him.
- Quinn T. Sential - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 5:33 am:
{Paul says he’s too old for the task, and he’s now married to a wonderful woman. If you’re going to do that job, Lis says, you have to be single. A spouse might not understand that your boss fired you after you called him a freaking half-wit at the top of your lungs while your false teeth fell to the barroom floor.}
I don’t know the man at all, but from what you have described, it sounds as though he may be following his own advice (and yours).
It sounds as though he now has the voice of reason in his life who would talk him in off of the ledge before he took the fatal leap while trying to rescue one of our own Illinois government “leaders” from themselves.
Often times its the spouse that fulfills this role for all of us; both male and female. Rod had Pattti, and that didn’t seem to be much help for him though.
While I’ve never met either of you, somehow I suspect that even your own wife has stepped in from time to time to apply the brakes on a column or blog post that might be speeding too fast for conditions and be at risk of going out of control. Where would most of us be without them?
Give her an extra hug this morning before fastening your seat belt and sitting in front of the computer for the next 72 hours in order to inform, educate, and entertain the rest of us.
- Quinn T. Sential - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:05 am:
The Pollster who shall not be named has a great column today too:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703708404575586063725870380.html
- Doug Dobmeyer - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:10 am:
Give me a break - he was a washed up conservative fired by one of his own. Rich, you know as well as I do the staff in the end are just waiters at the banquet. The person people still pay attention to is the person at the head table.
I get what you are saying, but the three leaders you cited had some serious character flaws which point more to their downfall then some conservative hack.
No, what Illinois needs as a governor is someone out of the entirely too comfortable mold dthe voters have become used to. Someone who first is not a conservative that wants squirrel resorces for their clicque and understand that politics is not a “game” for their fun and games.
Being governor is a very serious task. This state is so fractured that it is difficult to see how it will be fixed except by continual negotiations and fair policie.
You know I’m working for Rich Whitney, so I will suggest that is the person we need.
Continue my friend to rake the muck, but remember Illinois is in serious, serious trouble.
Doug Dobmeyer
- waitress practicing politics... - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:21 am:
I think the point here is that our leaders need real viewpoints from those around them. Yes men or women will not help Illinois get out of its problems.
@Doug-your personal comments about those mentioned in Rich’s article are irrevelant. You missed the point.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:31 am:
I learned a ton from Paul Lis about politics and messaging over a short period of six months during a State Senate campaign I was running. His perspectives and ideas were refreshing.
Your column about him was 100% spot on.
My best to Paul and my eternal gratitude to him for making a difficult political gang tackling situation so much more easier to bear.
- Quinn T. Sential - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:42 am:
A Pollster who can be named (PPP-D) is looking a bit like the Grim Reaper this morning:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_IL_110513.pdf
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:46 am:
Capt Fax make Paul sounds like a 100 year old siting in the home. The guy is a 50 something who could and would help either side.
I am guessing both believe they already have the smartest guys in the room and will miss the chance. The others who will miss out are what’s left of the news media.
BTW congrats to ERV clone and pal Tony Peraica for getting some great last minute press
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:12 am:
I’d suggest either one of these guys would be wise to have a strong chief of staff who can make the trains run on time and knock heads when necessary.
Quinn’s proven not to be a strong manager, and Brady hasn’t inspired confidence that he even understands what the job entails. That audit will help, I’m sure.
- Soccermom - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:17 am:
The nice thing for Brady is, he wouldn’t have to do a thing while the “forensic audit” is being conducted. He could just sit and wait for it to be done — for years, maybe.
- Ghost of John Brown - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:29 am:
Sage advice.
- Louis Howe - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:57 am:
Paul Lis…I always found him interesting bar room conversation and saw him a few years ago when he stopped by Mary Ann’s cigar shop in Peoria. He always had an opinion and wasn’t shy about sharing it. Rich is right about great leaders having someone around that to give them a contrary opinion. Quinn is a prime example of the opposite. He surrounds himself with either old yes-men eager to have a job, or young attorneys, not experienced enough to know what they don’t know. In either case, they’re dangerous sycophants.
- BobbO - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:58 am:
While the Blagojevich people may have given him the advice he wanted to hear, even if it encouraged bad behaviour, you have to give them that the worst advisers parachuted themselves into the best lobbying jobs–a strategy I guarantee you Lis would admire!
- just sayin' - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:02 am:
Excellent column. I’m pretty sure it will fall on deaf ears though, especially with Brady. If Brady does win tomorrow, he and his people know they’ve only got 4 years to cash in before Lisa becomes governor. They’ll be raking it in with both hands and aren’t going to care about anything or anyone else. We’re about to get Blago II. The First Time Was Only a Warning.
- Spot On - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:10 am:
Rich — GREAT column. Your point applies not only to those in the public arena, but to leaders in every sector. Leaders need someone whom they can trust, whose loyalty is beyond question, and demonstrates that loyalty by challenging the leader — discreetly, thoughfully, effectively. How fitting that it appears in the wake of Ted Sorensen’s death — the man who played this very role for JFK.
Shore — “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Lincoln’s most striking quality is his intellect (see Michael Burlingame’s “Abraham Lincon: A Life“) after which (and because of which) comes his magnanimity, which Kearns Goodwin’s book beautifully illuminates.
Doug — You entirely missed the point. Paul Lis wasn’t the subject of the column; the column was about leaders having at his or her elbow someone with the authority and the courage to challenge the leader’s ideas for the good of the leader AND of the governed. Only inexperienced, insecure and/or incompetent “leaders” surround themselves with sycophants.
- Ghost - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:23 am:
whowever our next govenor is, I suggest you put Schnorf in at GOMB….
- One of the 35 - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:27 am:
Jim Edgar had Mike Lawrence and he was smart enough to retain him throughout.
- Downstate - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:37 am:
Rich, if the event you mentioned took place in 1988, I remember that bill. Pages in the House got to pass out annotated copies of the bill along with Ryan’s news release. Ryan would say one thing and the bill would say another, time and time again. He had been screwed by his staff, or was too stubborn to listen to them.
Rich, you’re right about aides. A governor needs someone around who will tell them the truth when they don’t want to hear it.
- cassandra - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 8:38 am:
I think it’s reasonable to wonder if Brady would be able to resist the enormous pressures towards corruption which any governor faces in this most corrupt of states. It’s hard to judge what wannabee guvs will do until they are actually faced with a choice. Is he any better than Blago or Ryan? We like to say now that they were outliers, even for Illinois, but were they really? I think not.
But we do know that Quinn has already sold himself to state employee unions. If he wins, they will have an oversized seat at the state financial planning table, and that will cost us a great deal of money, what with no-layoff clauses in place up to 2012 and maybe beyond and the expiring AFSCME contract. The latter will provide enormous opportunities for rewarding this big campaign contributor and vote-getter.
Nevertheless, I don’t see deep deep trouble. Illinois has something Lehman brothers didn’t have–millions and millions of citizen piggy banks it can raid by simply taking a vote among a couple hundred state pols who now have a short breather until the next campaign. Quinn has already announced his planned first raid on our piggy banks. If things are really as bad as some say, Brady may have to do the same, hopefully after making at least a few real cuts. But those piggy banks and us peasants are eternal and the pols know it. So do the moneypersons who are still willing to lend us money. So no, Illinois is not in deep deep trouble. It only a matter of how much us peasants are going to have to pay.
- C-dub - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:00 am:
In ‘75, I was in a poli sci class with Lis. One night after class, a group of us including Lis and Chuck Catania (Rep. Susan’s brother) went to some Rush Street dive for beverages. Lis declared his political hero to be Nixon hatchet man Chuck Colson. He and Catania proceeded to loudly debate Watergate, the Chicago Machine, dirty tricks and the need for guys like Colson.
As a young political junkie, I was fascinated. Lis was witty, deep, sort of spooky. Ryan’s and Blago’s hatchet men were just plain spooky.
And RIP Ted Sorensen, another guy close to The Man; more of a poet/warrior than hatchet man or - as Dobmeyer puts it - a waiter at the banquet.
- Anon - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:06 am:
Rich,
Posting a question here, since you don’t have comments “on” with the IMA poll info.
In every poll, the sample shows more female than male respondents, and almost always the males are more R-leaning. So the question: Is this a sampling flaw (which would likely understate R strength), or do women vote in higher proportions than men?
With telephone surveys, I can see why women answer the phone more than men…do women vote more frequently too?
If not, I imagine these IMA polls may understate R strength.
Your thoughts, please. And thanks.
- Wumpus - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:17 am:
Despite his civil tone on this forum (out of respect for Rich and not wanting to make Rich try to ban me), I can swear withthe best of them. Hire me.
- Tom - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:19 am:
What a great article Rich. I rarely compliment you, but my hat is off to you today for writing a fine article about a hell of a guy.
- Tom - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:20 am:
women traditionally out vote men. This cycle look for 3-4% more female voters than male.
- the Patriot - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:26 am:
Good article Rich. QOTD? Who should each pick for their go to guy?
For me it has to be Paul Vallas no matter who wins. He knows how to work a budget, he knows Chicago, and he is considered an insider by neither party. Both of these guys should have Vallas cell number handy as as soon as it is official get out of the party and to the table with Paul.
Your not going to fix this problem by using someone already in Springfield.
- dave - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:28 am:
women traditionally out vote men. This cycle look for 3-4% more female voters than male.
The IMA polls have, roughly, a 60/40 female/male split.
- dave - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:35 am:
And in contrast, the PPP poll posted earlier had a 53/47 female/male split.
The IMA sampling is baffling, and it only seems like it would be making a fairly significant difference in several of the house races, as well as several of the polled Senate races.
- The truth - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:37 am:
Very good article Rich…
- Amalia - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:40 am:
if you are a good manager, in politics or in other enterprises, you know that you cannot surround yourself only with people who say yes to you. on the other hand, if someone goes totally against your wishes, out with them, and I don’t find that objectionable. Nice column on a person who seems to be good.
I consider Sheila Simon to be a sort of staff pick for Quinn and that’s a good one. the Brady side must have props for some of his staff, and comments on that would be interesting. and also nice for the staff. the worker bees who never get the glory and always get the blame deserve props at least in this forum.
- Way South of the Border - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 9:57 am:
Years ago in a friendly profile of Bill Brady in one of the major papers the reporter asked why his desk was so clean. He bragged in response that he never keeps papers around, that this is what staff is for. I remember thinking, at the time, that this is a man in love with his own self and his own opinions. Might not matter who stands at his side.
- Been There - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:05 am:
Great article Rich. Paul is always someone I love to talk and argue with at the bar. Actually, not sure if I have ever seen him anywhere except the bar. I guess we all need an office.
I have had major disagreements with him but looking at him as “the skeptic in the room who had to be persuaded.” makes sense.
- Been There - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:07 am:
===I consider Sheila Simon to be a sort of staff pick for Quinn and that’s a good one.===
Amelia, screw having a staff pick. He should of went with Art Turner and had the Chicago base already running with him instead of chasing it this late in the game.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:08 am:
I am that guy.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:29 am:
Rich, I think you’re right, each Gov needs people who will speak up to them (it’s rarely without fear), but the speakers also have to know what in the hell they are talking about. They don’t have to always be right, and they won’t be, but it shouldn’t be their first rodeo. At the same time you grow and groom some kids lower down the staff totem pole, and they can carry on the role in the future.
State government is complex, as are the politics that go with it. Most govs will never be a heck of a lot better than the people they hire around them.
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:31 am:
been there u are so right and might cost quinn the election. I hope not.
- RobRoy - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:34 am:
QTS said “A Pollster who can be named (PPP-D) is looking a bit like the Grim Reaper this morning”. Just maybe the Reaper is happy?
- Bill - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:42 am:
===I suggest you put Schnorf in at GOMB….===
Yeah, right, and find some other Ryan people to put back in other key offices as well. That worked so well the first time.
You can bet that once back on the inside ol’ Steve would drastically change his outlook on the Illinois fiscal and tax situation.
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:48 am:
Women traditionally outvote men and the IMA polls are weighted to correct the over sampling of women.
- Bill - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:59 am:
Man, this is not looking good!
- Cynic Al - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 11:09 am:
I think that’s the best article you’ve ever written.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 11:12 am:
Bill, you hurt me. And, I’m quite certain neither candidate sees me at GOMB, where I also do not see myself. Outside looking in is easier.
BTW, are you really unhappy about GHR’s term as Governor? On what basis?
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 11:18 am:
I worked with Paul Lis on a statewide campaign about twenty years ago, moved out of state and am back now. Lost complete track of him can anyone tell me what he’s doing professionally now?
Thanks.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 11:23 am:
QTS, scroll down. That poll was posted here late last night.
- Joe from Joliet - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 11:43 am:
Steve,
GHR was a Republican. That’s all Bill needs to know. Bill seems to be a little crabby today with the knowledge that Felon Blagwhateverthespellingovich will not be elected to anything tomorrow
- Bill - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 12:00 pm:
Nah, just kiddin’, Steve. Although that $5 billion hole you left us was kind of a pain. By the way, excellent report from you guys. I hope someone reads it.
- Jim - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 12:06 pm:
I think Daley had some people like this around him in the 90s but since 2000 he has had a bunch of yes men and that is when he started to become the horrible mayor he is now.
- 312 - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 12:10 pm:
A hell of a column, about a hell of a guy. I’ve admired Lis for years - personally and professionally. He’s one of the few people you can have a serious disagreement with, then go hit a bar and laugh over a beer. Well Done.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 12:30 pm:
Most of us would love to see a $5B deficit today, huh?
- BigTwich - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 12:57 pm:
===what Illinois needs as a governor is someone out of the entirely too comfortable mold dthe voters have become used to.===
We are going to get that. I do not know who is going to win but, we are going to get that.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 3:19 pm:
C-dub, Lis just called. For what it’s worth, he said he has no recollection at all of saying that.
- Former State Employee 2 - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 4:03 pm:
In the days before cell phones, I would have to “track down” Mr. Lis for one of my former bosses, I remember exactly where my first try would always be
(a good executive assistant won’t say where either) He was always a pleasure to chat with on the phone.
Good one Mr. Schnorf
- David Ormsby - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 4:36 pm:
Nice piece, Rich.
- soccermom - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 5:50 pm:
Schnorf, I’m a big fan. But the current deficit builds on that foundation of $5 billion.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 6:05 pm:
Only “built on” by what they did next. We cut ‘03 back to below ‘01, they then added for 6 straight years.
- Soccermom - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 7:56 pm:
Schnorf, I would seriously love to argue with you about this. But not in this venue. More heat than light, dontcha know…
- Norseman - Monday, Nov 1, 10 @ 10:41 pm:
My money is on Schnorf winning this debate.