Not giving up
Friday, Apr 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers about this today. You’ll have to subscribe to get all the deets, however. There’s quite a lot left out of this report…
A suburban state senator isn’t backing down from efforts to oust the beleaguered Illinois GOP chair, who supports gay marriage, at Saturday’s state central committee meeting in Tinley Park.
Dairy magnate Jim Oberweis, of Sugar Grove, told the Daily Herald Friday that he believes the state central committee will soon begin interviewing potential candidates to replace GOP Chair Pat Brady of St. Charles, though he did not indicate whether there were enough votes to force the chairman’s ouster in the coming weeks. […]
Oberweis reacted strongly on Friday against speculation that an agreement crafted by Brady supporters could be reached and that Brady might exit gracefully and be replaced by state Sen. Matt Murphy, of Palatine.
“It’s going to be determined by the state central committee and not by anybody who thinks suddenly they’ve got a great idea,” Oberweis said.
I talked to Oberweis yesterday and again today. He wants you to know, in no uncertain terms, that he’s not opposed to Republicans supporting gay marriage. He says he just adamantly believes that the state GOP chairman should adhere publicly to the party platform.
* I was also able to confirm yesterday that it was indeed Sen. Oberweis who recently commented on my blog…
Jim Oberweis - Thursday, Apr 4, 13 @ 10:17 pm:
I have tried to make this clear to every reporter I have spoken to: I believe it is OK for any Republican, including elected officials, to have some differences with the party platform. However, if you are the “CEO” of the state party, it is not OK to lobby against the state party platform. If the State Party Chairman feels so strongly in opposition to the party platform, then he/she should resign from the position as chairman since it will be very difficult for him/her to then lead a unified party. I’m not happy that Mark Kirk or Jason Barickman took a position that differs from our party but that does not mean that they are not good Republicans.
* Oberweis also told me that his political director was upset because I had deleted one of his comments here. I said I didn’t remember deleting the comment, but I delete a lot of them and that maybe it was just held up by my automatic moderation system. So, I went back and looked today and found it. It had, indeed, been held and I didn’t notice, probably because it was posted in the evening and I was out and about by then. Anyway, here it is…
Ben Marcum - Monday, Apr 8, 13 @ 8:44 pm: |Edit
Rich,
I must take issue with your characterization of Jim Oberweis backtracking or recalibrating his message on the Pat Brady issue. Nothing could be further from the truth. Since the story about Pat Brady lobbying legislators first broke, Jim’s message has been the same. From day one Senator Oberweis has stated in nearly every interview that this indeed, has NOTHING to do with gay marriage. Instead, it is and always has been an issue of corporate governance. You’ve been around long enough to know that most of these reporters have the story written before they even speak with him. I am fully aware of the narrative that Jim is some sort of ultra right wing bigot who hates illegal immigrants and gays. I’ve worked closely with the man for a decade and I assure you it is total myth. I fail to see a link of recalibration or retooling drawn from the Kane County Chronicle quote. Jim has always told reporters that if it had been another issue contrary to the Republican platform his response would have been the same. It could have been Pat Brady supporting Obamacare or Quinn’s tax increase. You later go on to say, “A month after saying it was all about gay marriage, Oberweis told Chicago Public Radio “It has nothing to do with gay marriage.” The Chicago Public Radio quote is COMPLETELY consistent with what he has said from the beginning. I’ve heard him give the interviews. It just is not the case!! With the current legislature being the most liberal in my lifetime, I don’t see how Jim is losing the argument when Madigan still can’t find the votes to pass it. It appears to me like Jim is winning the argument.
Respectfully,
Ben Marcum
Political Director
Friends of Jim Oberweis
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 1:53 pm:
I wish someone would mention super-minority status occasionally while talking about Pat Brady.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 1:59 pm:
Sure. It’s a management issue, not political. The principle of the thing.
Oberweis finally has a sandbox to play in, and he’s wants to play.
- Sacajawea - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:06 pm:
I think there’s been unfair characterization here of Sen. Oberweis and the Illinois GOP in general.
While Oberweis did bring up the issue about same sex marriage, this isn’t the only issue that is causing Pat Brady’s ouster as Chairman. Seriously, even you can agree that the performance of the Illinois Republican Party has been subpar since Brady took over in 2010.
The party has almost no staff, can’t raise money, has zero message, and can’t win races. Pat Brady even endorses in local races, something I’ve never heard of ANY R or D state chairman do.
Maybe these are the real issues and not his position on marriage.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:10 pm:
===Maybe these are the real issues and not his position on marriage===
No, at least not according to him. He’s had several chances to clarify his comments, but he’s doubled down on the fact that Pat Brady broke from the party platform on same sex marriage. That, and only that, is the reason Oberweis wants Brady out as Party Chairman.
- PublicServant - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:11 pm:
There’s still time for Bruce to consider Jim as a running mate…they haven’t eliminated Lt. Gov yet…
- No Peotone Airport - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:12 pm:
“Do as I dupe, not as I delusion.”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:21 pm:
===I wish someone would mention super-minority status occasionally while talking about Pat Brady.===
I think I have … alot.
===this isn’t the only issue that is causing Pat Brady’s ouster as Chairman. Seriously, even you can agree that the performance of the Illinois Republican Party has been subpar since Brady took over in 2010.===
Dopey Oberweis had from Election Night until his ONLY reason was SSM. He said it, and he hasn’t backed off. Oberweis is the Ultimate Litmus Tester and Blood Oather, and neither Jim Oberweis or, Jim Oberweis’ “Politcal Director” never address the Reagan Rule of 80%.
Oberweis had weeks and weeks to make it about anythng BUT the SSM, but he waits to shrink My Party. That is real, no matter how often they post, talk, scream, whine, or backstroke. Oberweis made this bed, and he can’t unring the bell.
===That, and only that, is the reason Oberweis wants Brady out as Party Chairman. ===
Yep. He said it, now he has to eat it. Oberweis put the STAIN on himself, no one else did.
All this and it interrupts my Masters golf watching!
You made the STAIN, Senator Oberweis, changing what or how, or even forgetting WHEN you said these things is not going to change because you say so
- MrJM - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:22 pm:
Dear Mr. Oberweis,
More please.
xoxo,
Democrats
- Ahoy! - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:27 pm:
This does not change my opinion that Oberweis is a bozo. Before Oberweis started this witch hunt on Brady, I would have supported his ouster after the election (along with Radogno and Cross). Oberweis’s coup of Brady is making the party look bad and forcing people who might have supported his ouster over performance to publicly back him.
In the end, Brady was probably doing the right thing for his party, even though it goes against the platform, the longer this issue hangs around, the worse off it is for Republicans. If I’m the Republican party, I find the votes to get this out of the way.
- Norseman - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:28 pm:
The milkman once again shows how to win friends and influence people. Senate GOP caucus meetings have to be a hoot.
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:38 pm:
Didn’t mean you OW. I mean one of these “official spokesmen.” If you look back to when CapFax first posted about the oust Brady movement, I’m sure we both made comments about the poor performance in elections. Hell, I think you can go back to November 2012 and see us both talking about it… The people with the microphones and soapboxes would sure be looking a tad bit better, from the PR view, if they downplayed SSM and talked about performance.
- Meanderthal - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
This guy Oberweis finally gets elected to something and this is what he does. Unbelievable.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:47 pm:
–The people with the microphones and soapboxes would sure be looking a tad bit better, from the PR view, if they downplayed SSM and talked about performance.–
But they never did.
Look, these guys are allegedly politicians, right?
When you say you want to bounce someone because their support for same-sex marriage is in opposition to the party platform, the headline is going to be “Oberweis seeks to Oust Brady over SSM.”
Oberweis can split hairs all he wants. Nobody cares a whit about adherence to party platforms or “CEO” stuff. He didn’t know that? I find that very hard to believe.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 2:55 pm:
Sorry, - Cincinnatus -, should read …
===I wish someone would mention super-minority status occasionally while talking about Pat Brady.===
I think I have … alot.
Oberweis can talk, and talk, and mis-direct all he wants, Jim Oberweis made it about SSM, especially when Jim Oberwesi had weeks and weeks to respond to poor performances.
But Jim Oberweis was too busy with a Coup of Christine Radogno… that failed.
Jim Oberweis was too busy saying his Springfield secretary didn’t have enough to do, all the while being a member of the Illinois Senate for about 13 minutes, and never seeing Staff or the Secretaries work through a Session, and even during End of Session….
Oberweis leaves alot of STAINS, the SSM one that is causing others to look at us at Litmus Testers and Blood Oathers is just another.
How about that Reagan Rule of 80%? Don’t worry, if you get the Good Republican Seal of Approval from Jim Oberweis, “Slytherin House” won’t primary you. “Right”?
- HaroldVK - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
Sure, and I’m heading to a bar tonight, but it has NOTHING to do with my desire to have a few beers.
- walkinfool - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 3:02 pm:
Matt Murphy is an exceptional political spokesman, and a winner in electioneering. He can speak to a Tea Party meeting, and then to a meeting of liberals and moderates — and sound reasonable to both. The GOP could do worse, (and have).
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 3:03 pm:
And - Cincinnatus -…Glad to see the “Ban” is over.
- Knome Sane - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 3:13 pm:
==“It’s going to be determined by the state central committee and not by anybody who thinks suddenly they’ve got a great idea,” Oberweis said.==
Because, God forbid, someone from the Illinois Republican Party would have a great idea.
- estubborn - Friday, Apr 12, 13 @ 3:19 pm:
===I am fully aware of the narrative that Jim is some sort of ultra right wing bigot who hates illegal immigrants and gays. ==
Is it wise for a “Political Director” who has known the man for 10 years (in the past decade JIMO has lost plenty of races), to remind people of such an offensive narrative?