The 30-second TV spot refers to Dold as a “Tea Party loyalist” and quotes a Sept. 16 column in the Houston Chronicle. Although the print version of the Chronicle used the phrase, the version available online doesn’t.
Dold, who paints himself as a moderate and has distanced himself from the conservative Tea Party, attacked the ad during a joint 10th District candidate interview last week at the Daily Herald’s headquarters in Arlington Heights.
“The Houston Chronicle actually corrected that, and I’m calling on my opponent to actually take down that ad because I’m not a Tea Party loyalist,” said Dold, of Kenilworth. […]
In an email Monday, Schneider campaign spokeswoman Staci McCabe stood by the commercial.
She provided a copy of the printed version of the Chronicle column to show the “Tea Party loyalist” phrase was used. She had no comment about the phrase’s later removal from the digital version of the column.
Joe Walsh is not the only Illinois Republican in trouble. Four tea party loyalists were targeted by Democrats who control the legislature. Robert Dold, a freshman from the Chicago area, was placed in a Democratic district represented by liberal Rep. Jan Schakowsky. He moved to the neighboring district where most of his current constituents live. His race with management consultant Brad Schneider is highly competitive. The fate of the Illinois Five could depend on the margin of President Barack Obama’s victory in his home state.
Fair or no?
…Adding… From the DCCC…
Congressman Robert Dold really wants to cover up his record supporting the Tea Party Majority in the House of Representatives. Too bad.
In Washington, Congressman Bob Dold went along with extreme cuts to the Great Lakes, slashes to education or Pell Grants, and even restricting a woman’s right to emergency contraception. Now, Congressman Dold seems to have a problem when anyone holds him accountable for putting the Tea Party ahead of Illinois.
“Where was Congressman Robert Dold’s outrage when the Tea Party Majority in Congress pushed cuts to the Great Lakes or restricting a woman’s right to emergency contraception? He was too busy voting alongside them,” said Haley Morris of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Congressman Dold caved to extreme Tea Party cuts that gutted everything from environmental protections to Pell Grants and now he wishes no one knew about it. Apparently the only way to get a reaction from Congressman Dold is to hold him accountable for putting the Tea Party first.”
Background
Congressman Dold Voted to Cut $250 Million from Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. In February 2011, Dold voted to pass the House continuing resolution (H.R.1) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, that cut funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by $250 million – from $475 million to $225 million. In March 2011, Crain’s Chicago Business wrote that Dold had previously promised to protect the Great Lakes but then voted for the Republican’s continuing resolution that included a $250 million reduction in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Dold responded saying, “We have to tighten our belt,” even though “some of the things we cut will be things I disagree with.” [HR 1, Vote #147, 2/19/11; WHTC, 3/02/11; Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/28/11]
Congressman Dold Voted to Cut Pell Grant Funding. Dold voted for two House Republicans budgets that cut critical education programs. “The Department of Education would be cut by more than $115 billion over a decade. Approximately 9.6 million students would see their Pell Grants fall by more than $1000 in 2014, and, over the next decade, over one million students would lose support altogether.” [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; H Con Res 112, Vote #151; OMB, 3/21/12]
Congressman Dold Voted to Allow Hospitals to Refuse to Provide Emergency Care. On October 13, 2011, Dold voted for a “bill to ban effectively abortion coverage in state health-insurance exchanges. The bill also would allow hospitals to refuse to provide emergency abortion care, even when a woman’s life is in danger, and gives states the ability to undermine coverage of many health related services, such as contraception.” [HR 358, Vote #789, 10/13/11; NARAL’s Congressional Record on Choice, 2011]
Illinois freshman Rep. Bob Dold holds the distinction of representing the most Democratic congressional district currently in Republican hands. Add to that the fact that Illinois is President Obama’s home state and he’s going to win biiiiiiiiiiig there. One Tea Party freshman from Illinois, Joe Walsh, is already toast. But Dold, one of the most independent of the GOP freshmen, has run a solid campaign and remains in a competitive contest with Democratic businessman Brad Schneider. Romney’s performance could well determine Dold’s future.
Tea Party, Medicare, Planned Parenthood and drilling for oil in Lake Michigan. That’s a lot of red meat on the North Shore.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:14 am:
Not really fair. Basically, a Texas newspaper reporter, probably in a hurry to meet a deadline, decided to label Dold a Tea Party loyalist because he has an R next to his name. It is not really based on reality. Now Schneider’s camp feels they have cart blanche to capitalize on the reporter’s laziness.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:14 am:
It’s fair. The paper did call him that in print. I don’t know why the Houston paper changed their digital version, but his votes line up with the Tea Party enough on things like the Ryan budget to voucherize Medicare that it’s not an unfair charge at all for them to make.
It still cracks me up how Dold manages to portray himself as a Kirk-like moderate when all he does by his seat in Congress is empower the Tea Party and the Chicago media lets him get away with it.
For instance, Dold has an ad out with a bunch of articles claiming he is a moderate in the Mark Kirk-mold and the last line of the ad claims he is “independent.” Then the very next thing you hear is “Paid for by the National Republican Campaign Committee” Just ridiculous.
Fair. When you vote in lock-step with the Tea Party Republicans, how can you claim you aren’t a Tea Party loyalist? Did Dold vote for the Ryan budget? Did he vote to repeal Obamacare? How many Tea Party votes does it take to convince 10th District voters that Dold is not a moderate, bipartisan Representative.
Not at all. I’m not a fan, but Dold has gone all in on the moderate thing for a guy who once worked for dan burton. This column was written by the Houston Chronicle’s dc bureau chief, a questionable source for this kind of an ad. There’s enough out there to cleanly nail him on what schneider wants to say which is that a guy who votes with boehner 90 percent of the time is out of step with a district that voted for obama 62 percent in 08 without getting blowback on an ad like this.
Best spot of the season, lol. Yeah, lying is no big deal for most politicians, so I suppose when you take that out it could be. Dold isn’t anything remotely close to a Tea Party loyalist. They don’t accept him as one, he doesn’t label himself as such, and he doesn’t vote as such.
Word, saying someone or some group is a “great voice” isn’t remotely the same as agreeing with them or aligning with them. I’ve used that same phrase to describe former Sen. Feingold, but not because I agreed with him on anything. It’s because I think he brought legitimate arguments to the table, regardless of whether I agreed with them.
Schneider only calls Dold “Tea Party” because the campaign thinks they can sell that lie, and they think they can use it as a degradation. Hit him on votes, hit him on issues, but he’ll get no respect from anyone who respects honesty and real debate. Being somewhat cynical, though, I don’t think that really matters much in Illinois–so the ad might work, who knows?
===Schneider only calls Dold “Tea Party” because the campaign thinks they can sell that lie, and they think they can use it as a degradation.===
Liandro, John Boehner lost control of his caucus to the Tea Party on issue after issue. Tea Party is now synonymous with Republican. Those are the facts, and the roll calls over the last two years confirm it.
Tea Party is also synonymous with extreme views on budgets, spending and social issues. I’m sorry you don’t like that it’s become a degradation, but it is not a lie.
Mark Kirk was John Porter in the District and Don Rumsfeld in DC. He got away with it for a decade. Dold isn’t as clever as Kirk and he isn’t going to get a pass like Kirk received. Today’s Tea Party dominated GOP is anathema to 10th District voters.
Unfair. As a Republican Township Chairman I’ve attended my fair share of Tea Party meetings and events. All I get is complaints from them about Dold’s voting record and positions. He votes 82 percent with his party, one of the lowest of all Congressmen, which angers party regulars, according to the Washington Post. The Washington Post rates him one of the most independent in DC. Has he taken votes to keep government running with temporary funding that put him between a rock and a hard place, like keeping government running vs voting against those bills because they cut back or defund certain measures. Common Sense calls for keeping it running. Democrat exaggerations aside, the Chronicle corrected the article in their online version. That hasn’t stopped the Democrats from using the incorrect version. A sign of desperation?
Completely Unfair. This is exactly the sort of attacks that the Tribune called “laughable in their endorsement of Dold and the Herald called “blatantly misrepresenting Dold’s position” in their endorsement of Dold.
The Chronicle revoked the statement and even have a new article that calls Dold one of the most independent members of Congress. Schneider’s campaign is a joke–and they should be ashamed.
47th, I know those are all tested talking points put out by the DNC and others, and perhaps they sound convincing enough to the average voter, but they simply aren’t true.
I know most tea party leaders in northern Illinois and on into the suburbs, and each of them could go down a laundry list of things the Speaker and the Repubs got through that they didn’t approve of. Did Tea Party ideals influence the agenda? Without a doubt. Do they control it, or the Speaker? That’s laughable.
It’s also laughable that Tea=Repubs. Whether you are judging by voting patterns (just look at the mess in MI, where the party chose one, Tea picked others, and socon’s picked Akin…) or policy, it’s just not supported by the facts or the votes.
Not sure why you think Tea is so extreme on social issues…I’ve been to many different groups, and social issues are never primary, or even secondary at most (gun rights being a notable exception). If that’s what you believe, I’m not sure you shouldn’t be commenting on the Tea Party.
As for budgets…both the federal and state budgets are debt-ridden debacles, and have been for years. I blame both parties. Based on that, I would argue that our current method of not paying the bills is your ‘extreme’ budget.
I tell you what, you show me the “reasonable” budget bill the Senate Democrats passed last year, and I’ll try to stir up some support for it. Ah, but now I’ve gone all snarky…since we both know they haven’t passed a budget in years. How is that not extreme? Heck, they couldn’t garner votes for Obama’s budget! How extreme is it when your own party flatly rejects your budget?
Contextual ads drive me batty. Yes, the TEA Party is a great voice - for their agenda. Bob Dold is as moderate of a GOP Congressman as they come. Word, I would argue that percentage is fairly low given that the 18% differential could very well be on some huge issues.
- Scott_from_deerfield - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:21 pm:
Ok this is not fair at all. i mean are we to say every GOP member is a tea party member? no, Congressman Dold put forth a plan to save planned parenthood, he put forth a plan to restrict pensions to governors like Blago, and mot importantly, he put forth a BOLD transportation bill, to try and create REAL jobs in the 10th. All this nonsense Schneider is spewing is borderline bush league. Just read what the Daily Herald published, and who they endorsed. In their words… ‘ITS A CLEAR CHOICE’ and it is.
The thing that eternally fascinates me about this blog when the subject of the 10th district is featured is this:
Do some people just automatically spin left for the sake of spinning no matter what the topic? Or is there really such a misunderstanding of the 10th district electorate and of the candidates’ positions among many outsiders that those commenters genuinely think they are in the know?
- formerpolitico - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:33 pm:
I recall that in his 2010 Primary, Dold ran as the tea party darling with Ruth O’Connell’s help, and two planeloads of tea partiers flew into the District to harass and harangue and walk aganist his main primary opponent. So now, when it suits him, he’s a moderate?
We live in a partisan world. The Tea Party wields a lot of clout in the US House. Voting for another Republican will empower the Tea Party.
Dold may not be of the Tea Party, but voting for Boehner for Speaker means you empower the Tea Party.
So, yes, it’s fair. Just like calling Schneider a Nancy Pelosi supporter or calling Carol Sente a Mike Madigan supporter. That’s how partisan caucuses work. Every legislator empowers their leader.
If we had a nonpartisan legislature, then it would be unfair to call Dold a Tea Party loyalist. But we don’t, so it is fair.
At a quick glance, Yea-continuing aprops bills+raise debt ceiling, Nay-D.C. school vouchers, Nay-developing American oil shale, Nay-red tape reduction act (if this is the one I’m thinking of), Nay-No More Solyndraj’s Act
Depending on which group, they’d also have concerns with: Nay-repeal indefinite detention, Yea-increased Defense aprops, etc. Many Tea Partys would argue DOD spending needs to be challenged/analyzed, too.
He also voted moderate on the abortion votes that I glanced at, but that’s not really a primary Tea issues.
You might argue that all the above votes merely make him “reasonable”, but I think that’s exactly his point, no?
@wordslinger: “Who knew that “Tea Party” was such a nasty phrase among some Republicans? When did that happen?”
You need to start paying better attention then. Something about a little civil war within the GOP? C’mon man!
And that 82% figure? Susan Garrett’s percentage of votes with her party was actually higher, and her claims of independence were never really questioned around here.
There are plenty of Republicans who comment on this site who can be asked some serious questions about the Tea Party, pro and con.
Thank you Rich for posting the corrected article. Proves the Daily Herald “blatant misrepresentation” description of the Schneider campaign.
Just A Guy - that is very fair and I hate when members of my party use that moniker to describe President Obama.
Liandro - in my neck of the woods (central and southern Illinois), the TEA Party is VERY concerned about social issues to the point where they almost sat out the 2010 Senate election because Mark Kirk is pro-choice and supports gay rights. It caused the Kirk campaign a great deal of grief and, had candidates such as Bobby Schilling, Sam McCann and Dwight Kay not pulled off victories, could have very well resulted in an Alexi victory.
Robert Dold is not a Tea Partier. Labeling Robert Dold as a Tea Partier would be like Brad Schneider labeling himself as a successful small businessman: it’s just not true.
I’d be a lot more interested in seeing the context behind the “has a great voice out there” recording- for example seeing whether it even referred to the 10th CD.
That would seem like a much more pertinent point then what some guy in Houston thinks about Bob Dold. I tend to frown upon using columns in research for that very reason- who gives a crap what John Kass thinks about anything, etc.
“Who knew that “Tea Party” was such a nasty phrase among some Republicans? When did that happen?”
This seems to be what Conservatives are always complaining about, i.e., Rs believe that they’ll always have the base’s support no matter what (but I’m guessing there is a limit even for the party faithful).
“Or is there really such a misunderstanding of the 10th district electorate and of the candidates’ positions among many outsiders that those commenters genuinely think they are in the know?”
My guess is that the “outsiders’” exposure to Kirk’s now well-known campaign strategies and tactics, while running in the 10th and then for statewide office, have created alot of problems for the GOP overall. They were “sold” a campaign package that supposedly could work for anyone, but the reality is that their “secret weapon” approach was SPIN anything and everything to keep everyone guessing to raise funds from anyone and everyone. Basically winning based on complete ambiguity.
And that probably doesn’t sit well with the “outsiders” though the voters’ in the 10th may accept it for whatever reasons they have–and they’re not always good ones. The question is whether enough people outside the 10th will accept that approach enough times to become “desensitized” and to desensitize others to that level of glaringly obvious ambiguity, or whether they’ll see it as a form of “deceit.” (Another thing that Kirk’s team is great at, but this time, might not have the luxury of pulling off enough times to actually lower voters’ standards before they say “enough”).
I’m guessing that the exact opposite will take place. People will be turned off by such methods and the “system” will hopefully correct itself, encouraging candidates to once again clearly declare party affiliations, more closely align with their party’s platform and clearly state their positions on issues to ALL audiences.
After all, the party of accountability can’t hold someone responsible if that person is constantly spinning–even to win. And Republicans, especially, will soon realize that.
Sorry, I guess I could have summarized my last post as follows (which was basically the same message I was trying to send “Chicago” in reply to that poster’s comment on the “Mom” thread):
“Trust me and my flag…no matter what I do or say” probably ain’t gonna cut it anymore with Voters.
Thank you for your kind fundraising letter that finally mentions the word “Jobs” and for “singling” me out as “one of his most loyal supporters.”
While I have great respect for those who signed the letter, I also have some ideas as to where Mr. Kirk can look for that additional $100,000 you’re asking me to help cough up.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:12 am:
“The Tea Party has a great voice out there.”
So, yes, fair.
Best spot of the season.
Tea Party, Medicare, Planned Parenthood and drilling for oil in Lake Michigan. That’s a lot of red meat on the North Shore.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:14 am:
Not really fair. Basically, a Texas newspaper reporter, probably in a hurry to meet a deadline, decided to label Dold a Tea Party loyalist because he has an R next to his name. It is not really based on reality. Now Schneider’s camp feels they have cart blanche to capitalize on the reporter’s laziness.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:14 am:
It’s fair. The paper did call him that in print. I don’t know why the Houston paper changed their digital version, but his votes line up with the Tea Party enough on things like the Ryan budget to voucherize Medicare that it’s not an unfair charge at all for them to make.
It still cracks me up how Dold manages to portray himself as a Kirk-like moderate when all he does by his seat in Congress is empower the Tea Party and the Chicago media lets him get away with it.
For instance, Dold has an ad out with a bunch of articles claiming he is a moderate in the Mark Kirk-mold and the last line of the ad claims he is “independent.” Then the very next thing you hear is “Paid for by the National Republican Campaign Committee” Just ridiculous.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:15 am:
Fair. When you vote in lock-step with the Tea Party Republicans, how can you claim you aren’t a Tea Party loyalist? Did Dold vote for the Ryan budget? Did he vote to repeal Obamacare? How many Tea Party votes does it take to convince 10th District voters that Dold is not a moderate, bipartisan Representative.
- Shore - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:22 am:
Not at all. I’m not a fan, but Dold has gone all in on the moderate thing for a guy who once worked for dan burton. This column was written by the Houston Chronicle’s dc bureau chief, a questionable source for this kind of an ad. There’s enough out there to cleanly nail him on what schneider wants to say which is that a guy who votes with boehner 90 percent of the time is out of step with a district that voted for obama 62 percent in 08 without getting blowback on an ad like this.
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:23 am:
Best spot of the season, lol. Yeah, lying is no big deal for most politicians, so I suppose when you take that out it could be. Dold isn’t anything remotely close to a Tea Party loyalist. They don’t accept him as one, he doesn’t label himself as such, and he doesn’t vote as such.
Word, saying someone or some group is a “great voice” isn’t remotely the same as agreeing with them or aligning with them. I’ve used that same phrase to describe former Sen. Feingold, but not because I agreed with him on anything. It’s because I think he brought legitimate arguments to the table, regardless of whether I agreed with them.
Schneider only calls Dold “Tea Party” because the campaign thinks they can sell that lie, and they think they can use it as a degradation. Hit him on votes, hit him on issues, but he’ll get no respect from anyone who respects honesty and real debate. Being somewhat cynical, though, I don’t think that really matters much in Illinois–so the ad might work, who knows?
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:26 am:
I should have said, “will get no respect from anyone who respects honestly and real debate *with that ad*.” Sorry, that was a bit incoherent phrasing.
- Beef_Eater - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:28 am:
Dold is about as Tea as Schneider is Occupy.
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:33 am:
Heh, Beef_Eater makes the point much more succinctly than I did. Point Beef.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:34 am:
===Schneider only calls Dold “Tea Party” because the campaign thinks they can sell that lie, and they think they can use it as a degradation.===
Liandro, John Boehner lost control of his caucus to the Tea Party on issue after issue. Tea Party is now synonymous with Republican. Those are the facts, and the roll calls over the last two years confirm it.
Tea Party is also synonymous with extreme views on budgets, spending and social issues. I’m sorry you don’t like that it’s become a degradation, but it is not a lie.
Mark Kirk was John Porter in the District and Don Rumsfeld in DC. He got away with it for a decade. Dold isn’t as clever as Kirk and he isn’t going to get a pass like Kirk received. Today’s Tea Party dominated GOP is anathema to 10th District voters.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:34 am:
===Dold is about as Tea as Schneider is Occupy. ===
Agreed. But Schneider is being attacked by the Republicans as an anti-Israel leftist. So, goose, gander, etc. maybe.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:43 am:
Unfair. As a Republican Township Chairman I’ve attended my fair share of Tea Party meetings and events. All I get is complaints from them about Dold’s voting record and positions. He votes 82 percent with his party, one of the lowest of all Congressmen, which angers party regulars, according to the Washington Post. The Washington Post rates him one of the most independent in DC. Has he taken votes to keep government running with temporary funding that put him between a rock and a hard place, like keeping government running vs voting against those bills because they cut back or defund certain measures. Common Sense calls for keeping it running. Democrat exaggerations aside, the Chronicle corrected the article in their online version. That hasn’t stopped the Democrats from using the incorrect version. A sign of desperation?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:48 am:
–He votes 82 percent with his party–
Then he’s a strong supporter of the House GOP agenda (whatever that is). Run on that in Deerfield.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:49 am:
Completely Unfair. This is exactly the sort of attacks that the Tribune called “laughable in their endorsement of Dold and the Herald called “blatantly misrepresenting Dold’s position” in their endorsement of Dold.
The Chronicle revoked the statement and even have a new article that calls Dold one of the most independent members of Congress. Schneider’s campaign is a joke–and they should be ashamed.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:55 am:
Who knew that “Tea Party” was such a nasty phrase among some Republicans? When did that happen?
I’m guessing there won’t be such objections come Nov. 7 and they all start jockeying for committee assignments.
The Tea Party put the House GOP in the majority. They run the show. You dance with the one that brung you.
- Shore - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:59 am:
–He votes 82 percent with his party–
“Then he’s a strong supporter of the House GOP agenda (whatever that is). Run on that in Deerfield.”
Porter and kirk did that for 32 years, and schneider thought they were so bad he voted for them!
To answer the question, it’s a clean hit except for the 2 words, they could have easily found something less debatable.
- orlkon - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:08 pm:
Politics is politics, but what is the saying about “birds of a feather…”?
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:11 pm:
47th, I know those are all tested talking points put out by the DNC and others, and perhaps they sound convincing enough to the average voter, but they simply aren’t true.
I know most tea party leaders in northern Illinois and on into the suburbs, and each of them could go down a laundry list of things the Speaker and the Repubs got through that they didn’t approve of. Did Tea Party ideals influence the agenda? Without a doubt. Do they control it, or the Speaker? That’s laughable.
It’s also laughable that Tea=Repubs. Whether you are judging by voting patterns (just look at the mess in MI, where the party chose one, Tea picked others, and socon’s picked Akin…) or policy, it’s just not supported by the facts or the votes.
Not sure why you think Tea is so extreme on social issues…I’ve been to many different groups, and social issues are never primary, or even secondary at most (gun rights being a notable exception). If that’s what you believe, I’m not sure you shouldn’t be commenting on the Tea Party.
As for budgets…both the federal and state budgets are debt-ridden debacles, and have been for years. I blame both parties. Based on that, I would argue that our current method of not paying the bills is your ‘extreme’ budget.
I tell you what, you show me the “reasonable” budget bill the Senate Democrats passed last year, and I’ll try to stir up some support for it. Ah, but now I’ve gone all snarky…since we both know they haven’t passed a budget in years. How is that not extreme? Heck, they couldn’t garner votes for Obama’s budget! How extreme is it when your own party flatly rejects your budget?
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:19 pm:
Contextual ads drive me batty. Yes, the TEA Party is a great voice - for their agenda. Bob Dold is as moderate of a GOP Congressman as they come. Word, I would argue that percentage is fairly low given that the 18% differential could very well be on some huge issues.
- Scott_from_deerfield - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:21 pm:
Ok this is not fair at all. i mean are we to say every GOP member is a tea party member? no, Congressman Dold put forth a plan to save planned parenthood, he put forth a plan to restrict pensions to governors like Blago, and mot importantly, he put forth a BOLD transportation bill, to try and create REAL jobs in the 10th. All this nonsense Schneider is spewing is borderline bush league. Just read what the Daily Herald published, and who they endorsed. In their words… ‘ITS A CLEAR CHOICE’ and it is.
Scott- Lifelong Independent voter
- Responsa - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:23 pm:
The thing that eternally fascinates me about this blog when the subject of the 10th district is featured is this:
Do some people just automatically spin left for the sake of spinning no matter what the topic? Or is there really such a misunderstanding of the 10th district electorate and of the candidates’ positions among many outsiders that those commenters genuinely think they are in the know?
- formerpolitico - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:33 pm:
I recall that in his 2010 Primary, Dold ran as the tea party darling with Ruth O’Connell’s help, and two planeloads of tea partiers flew into the District to harass and harangue and walk aganist his main primary opponent. So now, when it suits him, he’s a moderate?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:33 pm:
===and each of them could go down a laundry list of things the Speaker and the Repubs got through that they didn’t approve of.===
Name three. Then tell us which ones Dold voted for.
- Dan Johnson - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:54 pm:
We live in a partisan world. The Tea Party wields a lot of clout in the US House. Voting for another Republican will empower the Tea Party.
Dold may not be of the Tea Party, but voting for Boehner for Speaker means you empower the Tea Party.
So, yes, it’s fair. Just like calling Schneider a Nancy Pelosi supporter or calling Carol Sente a Mike Madigan supporter. That’s how partisan caucuses work. Every legislator empowers their leader.
If we had a nonpartisan legislature, then it would be unfair to call Dold a Tea Party loyalist. But we don’t, so it is fair.
- Just a Guy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 12:54 pm:
How often do Republicans and right leaning groups call Obama a Socialist?
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:05 pm:
At a quick glance, Yea-continuing aprops bills+raise debt ceiling, Nay-D.C. school vouchers, Nay-developing American oil shale, Nay-red tape reduction act (if this is the one I’m thinking of), Nay-No More Solyndraj’s Act
Depending on which group, they’d also have concerns with: Nay-repeal indefinite detention, Yea-increased Defense aprops, etc. Many Tea Partys would argue DOD spending needs to be challenged/analyzed, too.
He also voted moderate on the abortion votes that I glanced at, but that’s not really a primary Tea issues.
You might argue that all the above votes merely make him “reasonable”, but I think that’s exactly his point, no?
- Liandro - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:10 pm:
Quick note: I focused that response on Dold vs. Tea, not Tea vs. Speaker, since that got to the point of the O.P. quicker.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:22 pm:
@wordslinger: “Who knew that “Tea Party” was such a nasty phrase among some Republicans? When did that happen?”
You need to start paying better attention then. Something about a little civil war within the GOP? C’mon man!
And that 82% figure? Susan Garrett’s percentage of votes with her party was actually higher, and her claims of independence were never really questioned around here.
There are plenty of Republicans who comment on this site who can be asked some serious questions about the Tea Party, pro and con.
Thank you Rich for posting the corrected article. Proves the Daily Herald “blatant misrepresentation” description of the Schneider campaign.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:24 pm:
Just A Guy - that is very fair and I hate when members of my party use that moniker to describe President Obama.
Liandro - in my neck of the woods (central and southern Illinois), the TEA Party is VERY concerned about social issues to the point where they almost sat out the 2010 Senate election because Mark Kirk is pro-choice and supports gay rights. It caused the Kirk campaign a great deal of grief and, had candidates such as Bobby Schilling, Sam McCann and Dwight Kay not pulled off victories, could have very well resulted in an Alexi victory.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:26 pm:
Louis, there was a civil war in the GOP, but it’s over. The extremists won.
- dave - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:27 pm:
**Susan Garrett’s percentage of votes with her party was actually higher, and her claims of independence were never really questioned around here.**
When was the last time we talked about Susan Garrett around here?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:31 pm:
@wordslinger: “Louis, there was a civil war in the GOP, but it’s over. The extremists won.”
Really? I invite you to attend a few GOP meetings with me some time.
- Morgan - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 1:34 pm:
Robert Dold is not a Tea Partier. Labeling Robert Dold as a Tea Partier would be like Brad Schneider labeling himself as a successful small businessman: it’s just not true.
- Will Caskey - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 2:19 pm:
I’d be a lot more interested in seeing the context behind the “has a great voice out there” recording- for example seeing whether it even referred to the 10th CD.
That would seem like a much more pertinent point then what some guy in Houston thinks about Bob Dold. I tend to frown upon using columns in research for that very reason- who gives a crap what John Kass thinks about anything, etc.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 3:01 pm:
Dold is no Tea Partier. The ad is a lie made by desperate people unable to give reasons for supporting their candidate.
- Will Caskey - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 3:44 pm:
VanillaMan-
But, there are like, several reasons right there in the ad, in the form of votes. There’s even elaboration in written form from the DCCC.
Like or dislike the ad, but it’s not JUST name-calling.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:22 pm:
“Who knew that “Tea Party” was such a nasty phrase among some Republicans? When did that happen?”
This seems to be what Conservatives are always complaining about, i.e., Rs believe that they’ll always have the base’s support no matter what (but I’m guessing there is a limit even for the party faithful).
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:25 pm:
“Or is there really such a misunderstanding of the 10th district electorate and of the candidates’ positions among many outsiders that those commenters genuinely think they are in the know?”
My guess is that the “outsiders’” exposure to Kirk’s now well-known campaign strategies and tactics, while running in the 10th and then for statewide office, have created alot of problems for the GOP overall. They were “sold” a campaign package that supposedly could work for anyone, but the reality is that their “secret weapon” approach was SPIN anything and everything to keep everyone guessing to raise funds from anyone and everyone. Basically winning based on complete ambiguity.
And that probably doesn’t sit well with the “outsiders” though the voters’ in the 10th may accept it for whatever reasons they have–and they’re not always good ones. The question is whether enough people outside the 10th will accept that approach enough times to become “desensitized” and to desensitize others to that level of glaringly obvious ambiguity, or whether they’ll see it as a form of “deceit.” (Another thing that Kirk’s team is great at, but this time, might not have the luxury of pulling off enough times to actually lower voters’ standards before they say “enough”).
I’m guessing that the exact opposite will take place. People will be turned off by such methods and the “system” will hopefully correct itself, encouraging candidates to once again clearly declare party affiliations, more closely align with their party’s platform and clearly state their positions on issues to ALL audiences.
After all, the party of accountability can’t hold someone responsible if that person is constantly spinning–even to win. And Republicans, especially, will soon realize that.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:30 pm:
Sorry, I guess I could have summarized my last post as follows (which was basically the same message I was trying to send “Chicago” in reply to that poster’s comment on the “Mom” thread):
“Trust me and my flag…no matter what I do or say” probably ain’t gonna cut it anymore with Voters.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 12 @ 11:37 pm:
Oh, and…
Dear Team Kirk:
Thank you for your kind fundraising letter that finally mentions the word “Jobs” and for “singling” me out as “one of his most loyal supporters.”
While I have great respect for those who signed the letter, I also have some ideas as to where Mr. Kirk can look for that additional $100,000 you’re asking me to help cough up.
Sincerely,
Anonymous