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Question of the day: Golden Horseshoes, Round 4
Friday, Dec 9, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller * Kathleen at the Globe was the clear favorite for best bartender. Commenter “47th Ward” summed her up best…
* Runner-up is Adam at the No Name Bar. Here’s the nomination from commenter “dave”…
They are both excellent bartenders, but Kathleen is a marvel. We may have to change the name of this particular award or she’ll win it every year. * There weren’t as many nominations for best server, probably because people have much closer relationships with their bartenders. I’m awarding this year’s prize to Rhonda Merritt at Sportsman’s…
All true. * Runner-up…
Yep. * Now, on to today’s nominations…
Make extra sure to explain your nominations, folks. I can’t tell you enough how important that is. I don’t even pay attention to nominations which just include names. If you can’t take the time to defend your nomination, I won’t take the time to read it.
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- Way Way Down Here - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 8:03 am:
Good for Rhonda. I have a funny story about the first time she waited on me, but it would get me deleted.
- Decaturguy - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 8:11 am:
Nick Bellini: Cross’ downstate guy. Beat Flider with a 25 year old robot.
- southside Sammy - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 8:57 am:
Mark Bretz.
on the rise
- walkinfool - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:05 am:
Dems: Shaw Decremer, because he focuses on the district and the candidates more than on what the playbook would call for, and he’s ethical.
- Door Ham - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:05 am:
Dems: Tom Wogan. He’s little. He’s angry. Get used to it.
GOP: Washington Generals. No opinion.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:07 am:
===He’s little. He’s angry. Get used to it.===
You’re telling me. lol
- Franz - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:29 am:
Dems - Wogan, he is smart, short and bitter, but just bitter enough to be effective.
GOP - Bellini, he is smart, short and bitter, but just bitter enough to be effective.
- So. ILL - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:40 am:
Dems: I wish I could remember his name, but the bearded young man from Charlie Landers’ campaign last year was a hard worker.
GOP: Nick Bellini by a landslide. Reps. Brown, Cavaletto, Eddy, Mitchell, Reis, Rosenthal, and former Reps. Ron Wait and Ron Stephens all have him to thank for either winning or helping them keep their seats. He’s the guy that’s sent to the toughest campaign of the season, and he wins.
- Boutros Boutros Boutros Ghali - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 9:50 am:
Dems: Tom Wogan. He hates everything.
GOP: Mike Mahoney. Not many people think of someone as being lanky, excessively awkward, and a workhorse, but he’s all three– and for the Republicans, that’s not bad.
- Big Fish - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:31 am:
Dems: Mike Elliot, he is the silent assassin of gop hopes and dreams.
GOP: Have to agree with Mike Mahoney. Yes he’s tall, awkward and lacking even the most basic form of athletic ability, but he just may be a genius. He’s Cross’ go to guy. Ardel spreads the other guys to the four corners of the state. Mahoneys the guy he sends right into the middle of the biggest battles. Sure a third grader could beat him one on one in basketball, but a third degree ninja jedi knight kung-fu champion political guru couldn’t even sniff his jock when it comes to on the ground campaigning.
- Yeahhh - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:51 am:
This is my favorite Golden Horseshoe category because there are so many things to say about the brave men and women who give up their weeknights and weekends, hell their entire lives, to get people elected.
For the GOP: Hands down Nick Bellini. The GOP might have a shot at the majority if they had 10 guys like Bellini. Runner up would be the multi-talented Lori
For the dems: Mark Bretz is a door knocking machine. Tom Wogan is little and bitter, and totally awesome. The bearded fellow from Lander’s campaign, Chris Maley, is one of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet. And Shaw Decremer is an time greats and will continue to be even though he’s losing his trusted sidekick, Weir-Vaught. But the unsung hero who should be recognized this year is ERIC LANE. Talented, hard working, and the nicest guy on earth.
- Tommy - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 10:59 am:
No doubt Wogan is on the rise, but Shaw is still the best. No ego, great at picking candidates, and cracks the whip when necessary. Hard to find a nicer guy in this line of work.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:04 am:
Did we report that Rhonda used to fling a great sommersault from time to time
- ugh - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:10 am:
“No ego”….do you know Shaw?
- Curious - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:13 am:
Dems: Eric Lane. His name appearing only once here so far is a shame but might speak to the fact that he doesn’t have time for much besides work. He’s knowledgeable, relentless, eager to lend a hand and has the best attitude of anyone I know, let alone for someone under so much stress/huge workload. I don’t know how he does it but as Yeahhh said, he is definitely an unsung hero.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:17 am:
I do have to say that Decremer has a leg up because of how he dealt with being ambushed by Fox Chicago last year: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/investigative/madigoons-budget-jobs
- hey now hank - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:45 am:
Dems - Wogan. He gets his members bills through committees and hounds them outside the chamber when they try to dissapear.
GOP - Lori Medows. Smart, charming and effective.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 11:52 am:
Nobody knocks on a door like Travis Shea, but Wogan gets the award. He is a miserable person, but you can’t argue with his results
- George Bernard - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 12:05 pm:
It would be silly to underestimate Mike Mahoney. People have done that before and they ended up saying “I can’t believe I underestimated Mike Mahomey. Boy do I feel silly.”
On the den side Mike Madigan. At this point the machine is so well built that any drone can follow the script and win.
- Downstater Hater - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 12:15 pm:
Shaw–the guy is everywhere on the grid, handles chaos remarkably well, and his reaction to Fox Chicago’s joke of an exposé was priceless.
Caveletto lost. Twice. The 3rd time doesn’t count. This isn’t the pinewood derby.
- HB - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 12:42 pm:
Lieutenant Decremer deserves it! Works hard himself while making everyone else work. The guy just has a way with getting politicians to do what they’re supposed to do - like magic.
Eric Lane does deserve second. Eric is really, really smart and a hard worker. Some are willing to tell their assigned politicians how to vote on an issue with only a half understanding of the subject. Not Erik. He dives into the issue until he comes up with an understanding of all the ins and outs. Only then will he advise them what to do.
- JK - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:36 pm:
Kristen Bauer, she never loses elections.
- reformer - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:37 pm:
Shaw is second to none as a campaign manager, while Wogan is a top-notch oppo research guy. If Cross had his own Shaw, the GOP would be a lot closer to a majority.
- RP - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:39 pm:
Kristen Bauer, she is the straw that stirs the drink for the House Democrats. As a campaign manager she has never lost an election, not many can make that claim. All she does is win, win, win, no matter what. Everytime she steps into the D wing everybody’s hands should go up.
- MT - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
Kristin Bauer all the way! She is an extremely hard worker and always makes a huge impact!
- Mrs. Smith - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:47 pm:
Kristen Bauer is a hard dedicated worker who deserves to win this!
- no doubt - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:52 pm:
Tom Wogan for being hard working, loud and hilarious
I don’t know enough repubs to make a good vote
- Bronx Bombers - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 1:55 pm:
Shaw is the man on the Dem side. I remember when Hassert lost(against McAsey) and during his farewell speech on the House he credited Shaw for his departure.
On the Reb side: sound effect- crickets chirping
- Erstwhile hack - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:02 pm:
Dem - Shaw is the cat’s meow, but he won last year, so I’m throwing my support to Wogan. Short, angry/bitter, miserable person, hates everything - HA. To some extent true, but the man knows how to do his job. Burke had no business winning that ‘10 primary, and Wogan has a history of success.
GOP - Bellini. Smart and hardworking, always keeps the folks on the other side on their toes, and he’s been in it for the long haul.
- BigAl - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:04 pm:
Kristen Bauer, winner, winner, chicken dinner.
- Anon - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:15 pm:
Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but shouldn’t the campaign awards be given only after election years rather than every year?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:17 pm:
Probably a bad day to hold this particular contest since so many staffers are tied up with petition challenges.
I’ll close comments as usual, but people can still post here through the weekend. The comments just go into moderation, but I can see them all and will read them.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:18 pm:
===shouldn’t the campaign awards be given only after election years rather than every year? ===
There’s always an election going on. See above comment for evidence.
- Obamas Puppy - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:53 pm:
Repub staffer: Kevin Artl
- Obamas Puppy - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:54 pm:
Dem staffer: Shaw Decreamer
- RodneyB - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 2:59 pm:
Mike Mahoney is a one man swat team. If there is a tough race you can bet he’s right in the middle of it.
- BigJohnGOP2012 - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
My vote is for Mike Mahoney. He works hard and has a great attitude.
- touchdown - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:24 pm:
Lots of dem staffers voting for Bellini. No surprise there. He would be a goig candidate on the dem side as well.
- LilLebowski - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:31 pm:
Kristen Bauer hands down. Wogan likes to take credit for Burke’s race but Susana Mendoza was the real campaign manager. She was in there every day running the show.
Mike Mahoney is great. Rising star in the GOP.
- Ja'kamion Foxworth - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:31 pm:
Dems: Tom Wogan. Dude be working his tail off.
- 1776 - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:33 pm:
Will Cousineau on the Democrat side. Need a good general to keep the troops marching.
I assume we can’t nominate folks like Kasper, Morphew, Thompson , and Cullen who are also generals dispatched to various races!!!!
Until the Republican actually win a seat that they’re not supposed to, they’re not deserving of it.
- Ja'kamion Foxworth - Friday, Dec 9, 11 @ 3:37 pm:
Reps: Nick Bellini: Political Ninja….if you didn’t see him, he’s already got you beat.
- old school Dem - Saturday, Dec 10, 11 @ 10:22 am:
Mark Walsh. Was always given difficult races and never got enough credit. Down to earth, treated locals very well @ all times, a good guy all around.
(Sorry Rich-I gotta go back for this. Current crop may be good and aggressive, but they’ve been working under a very favorable map for years - something we were up against back in the day)
- Schaumburg Al - Saturday, Dec 10, 11 @ 7:17 pm:
I’ve worked with many Dem staffers in suburban legislative races, and there’s no doubt that Shaw Decremer should win this award. Last year Shaw, Heather Weir Vaught, and Mark Bretz pulled off a huge upset as a soccer mom with no political experience beat the “future” of the republican party in the 56th legislative district. This district leaned republican in 2010 and it was a tidal wave year for republicans. Shaw did an unbelievable job on that campaign and of course many others in the past. An honorable mention to Anne Schaeffer who is just simply awesome! Anyone who’s worked with Anne knows what a professional she is. Tom Wogan, seriously? If he were to beat Shaw it would show that this competition is not a serious vote. He’s a good staffer but not in the same league as Shaw.
- Anonymous - Sunday, Dec 11, 11 @ 9:01 am:
Shaw Decremer is the best Dem staffer by far. He is well organized and does not rattle easily. His bosses work him like a dog and he maintains his composure in spite of the pressure. He knows how to treat the people working with him on campaigns which also which sets him apart from the other staffers. Shaw is also a nice guy. He should lobby for a raise.
- From opposite side - Sunday, Dec 11, 11 @ 3:05 pm:
Had fun ribbing Shaw all of last week. Heck, he even introduced me to Kasper. Even though he’s from the opposite side he gets my vote.
- Me - Sunday, Dec 11, 11 @ 9:29 pm:
Decremer deserves a lifetime achievement award. Hard working, never flustered and involved in anything important going on.
- Honest Abe - Sunday, Dec 11, 11 @ 11:56 pm:
On the republican side I’d agree with Mike Mahoney. He’s the future of gop campaigns and that’s bad news for the Speaker and his majority.
- Illuminati - Monday, Dec 12, 11 @ 8:37 am:
Eric Lane- patient and wise.