Question of the day
Monday, Dec 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Here are last year’s Golden Horseshoe winners, with runners up in parentheses…
* Best political bar in Springfield: The Globe
* Best political restaurant in Springfield: Saputo’s
* Best Springfield hotel: Statehouse Inn
* Best campaign staffer - state legislative: Shaw Decremer (Heather Weir Vaught)
* Best campaign staffer - constitutional office or congressional: Eric Elk (Mary Morrissey)
* Best campaign spokesperson: Aaron Chambers (Patty Schuh)
* Best government spokesperson: Steve Brown (Ashley Cross)
* Best Senate secretary/admin assistant: Nancy Beaty (Robin Gragg)
* Best House secretary/admin assistant: : Beth Hamilton (Kristin Milligin)
* Best Illinois state Representative: Bill Black and Greg Harris (tie)
* Best Illinois state Senator: Don Harmon (Gary Dahl)
* Best Statehouse contract lobbyist: Dave Sullivan (Mike Kasper)
* Best in-house lobbyist: Eileen Mitchell (Pat Devaney)
* Best “do-gooder” lobbyist: Jonathan Goldman (Dick Lockhart)
* Best Statehouse “insider”: Mike McClain (Bill Luking)
* Best Illinois state agency director: Julie Hamos (Gary Hannig)
* Best Illinois congresscritter: Dick Durbin (Peter Roskam)
* Best Illinois statewide elected official: Dan Hynes (Bill Holland)
* Best state legislative staffer - non-political: Jessica Handy (John Hollman)
* Best CapitolFax.com commenter: Wordslinger (Steve Schnorf)
* The Question: Are there any new categories you’d like to see? Make sure to explain your answer. These awards are based more on intensity than frequency.
- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:05 am:
Have you given thought to some suitably named set of awards for “worst” in one or more of your categories (maybe laying off the secretaries, which would be cruel)?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:08 am:
Not gonna do the worst. We bash people every day here. Plus, ’tis the season, etc.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:13 am:
Best Twitter Account - Elected
Best Twiiter Account - lobbyist/media
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:14 am:
Funniest CapFax commenter.
Measured in volume of liquids expectorated on the collective monitors of CapFax blog viewers.
- 10th Indy - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:17 am:
Best non-elected political operative
- 47th Ward - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:23 am:
How about best place for lunch near the capitol?Call it the anti-Rathskellar award or the Golden Horseshoe for Best Horseshoe or something.
- k3_Spfld_Chi - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:25 am:
Best political bartender???
The one who knows the know and is in the know
- titan - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:26 am:
How about “best (or most helpful) state agency staff”?
- Bob and Weave - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:35 am:
What about “most significant legislative victory”? and/or “Most unexpected legislative victory” The idea being to acknowledge most important legislation passed and/or who was able to get the most unexpected piece of legislation passed?
- siriusly - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:37 am:
I like the twitter one.
Best fund-raiser / political event of the year.
Best (least annoying) “grass roots” lobby / action day at the capitol?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:38 am:
Best “Quote” - the “go-to” person to get the best quote to a subject, person, etc..
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:42 am:
Best Sneak Joint
- soccermom - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:43 am:
Best newcomer? And in this year of unprecedented exodus from the GA, classiest resignation?
- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:43 am:
Best spokespeople (non-govt/campaign).
Best Statehouse reporter.
And a second for the best Twitter and for the most significant legislative victory.
- HiFi - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:53 am:
Best party/event by an interest group, lobbying group or caucus
- Aldyth - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 11:55 am:
Should Wordslinger be moved to a Hall of Fame catagory, so one of the other remarkable wits who posts here regularly gets a shot?
- Anonymous - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:03 pm:
best congressional legislative/dc staffer and best congressional district/in-state staffer. Adding these would give parity with the state house awards.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:09 pm:
===Best “Quote” - the “go-to” person to get the best quote to a subject, person, etc..===
Best “Quote” - A Non-Spokesperson, governmental or political …
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:12 pm:
I agree with Siriusly and Anonymous 1143. Best political event. Best nongovernment/noncampaign spokesperson.
- Bob and Weave - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:25 pm:
One more…what about the “unseen hand” award the person who most impacts things without being seen (although I guess that means we wouldn’t know about it)…headache now…although, I guess you would also probably have to put Speaker Madigan in a HOF category for this award.
- Boone Logan Square - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:29 pm:
I’d like to see an award for the best reason not to seek re-election.
- Cal Skinner - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:32 pm:
Has the Statehouse Inn made its rooms more soundproof since the 1970’s?
I stayed there once and had the worst night’s sleep even in Springfield.
I was pounding on the wall with my shoe to try to stop the snoring next door.
That didn’t help.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:40 pm:
What about dividing “best legislators” into their four caucuses? Anybody have a problem with that?
- Boone's is Back - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:42 pm:
I’d like to see a “Best Quote of the Year.” I could see some pretty good ones there.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:43 pm:
===What about dividing “best legislators” into their four caucuses? Anybody have a problem with that?===
All about it … Each caucus is unique and each caucus has their best. Smart choice
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 12:57 pm:
How about each caucus gets a winner as long as they do something other than whine and vote no all year?
- anon - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Not sure how Bill Holland qualifies as an elected official. Appointed by the legislature.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 2:11 pm:
It’s an appointment, but it’s run like an election, and he’s a constitutional officer, so that’s why he was included. Plus, commenters love him.
- Cincinnatus - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 2:30 pm:
Rich,
How can you use “Best” in a sentence with anything to do with the legislature?
;-{)>
- walkinfool - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 3:34 pm:
Best statehouse reporter,
and Best across the aisle.
- Spring - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 4:29 pm:
Best/worst pension scammer?
Best/worst plant in election?
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 4:33 pm:
walkinfool beat be to the best Statehouse reporter idea, so..
“Snarkiest” Post or Commenter?
Not that you would want to encourage that kind of behavior…
- Cincinnatus - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 4:51 pm:
Best post deleted by Rich - no Commenter voting.
- whodunit - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 10:17 pm:
I like the idea of naming a “best staffer” for each caucus. Let’s face it, they’re the ones who deserve credit.
I also recommending adding a best legislative witness category. It would be a standoff between Anita Bedell and Todd Vandermyde.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Dec 5, 11 @ 10:19 pm:
===Let’s face it, they’re the ones who deserve credit.===
I agree.