83 Comments - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:30 pm: Ok, I admit it … I “Liked” the Chicken. Now I feel better. - Roadiepig - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:32 pm: To me it means that the richest of the rich people in Illinois are big fans of what Rauner can do for them. The rest of us should be worried of just what that will be. - too obvious - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:34 pm: “Considering that Quinn and LMadigan haven’t amped up their online presence and don’t seem to buying ads pushing people to their Facebook pages.” You nailed it Rich. Kinda sad actually watching a rich guy on facebook paying big bucks to be “liked.” I really never had an opinion about Rauner until he started spamming my facebook feed all the time. - J - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:34 pm: There’s an old adage, which is appropriate here: Yard signs don’t vote, people do. The same is true of Facebook likes. - Dee Lay - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:37 pm: Brookfield Zoo has 148,000 Likes; therefore, Bruce has 7.4% of the zoo’s reach. Don’t promote your posts with cash? Then because of Facebook’s edgerank algorithm your message is only reaching ~1,750 of the 11,000 Likes. Rich - Does that help any? - Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:40 pm: Social media either is or is not important. To those who think it is important, especially as a tool in targeting and mobilizing others as the Obama campaign did, then he’s clearly doing something better than Quinn, Madigan or others in that regard. To those who think it is unimportant, then… yawn… excuse me, Mr. Rauner. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:41 pm: “…’Like’ Bruce Rauner on the ‘Payton Prep Parents’ Clouters’ Facebook Page, and be sure to give you ‘Chicago’ address” “You can ‘Like’ Bruce on the ‘Friends of Rauner Against Union Destruction’ or The ‘FRAUD” Facebook page” @TheRaunerChicken - My Hedge Fund Manager raised loads of cash and didn’t need a Rubber Chicken dinner to do it! #RubberChickenAddsAreBetter @TheRaunerChicken - My Hedge Fund Manager understands money is the Mother’s Milk of politcs. #ActuallyCampaigningAndUnderstandingNotVery Important @TheRaunerChicken - My Hedge Fund Manager raised enough money that if he chooses to shut down the state, Illinois would be fine for 13 minutes! #LocktheDoorsTurnOffTheLights @TheRaunerChicken - If My Hedge Fund Manager raised about $30 Million, he could bankrupt the Pension Funds then buy them for pennies on the dollar with campaign funds. #YouCanTakeTheHedgeFundManagerOutOf … - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:42 pm: Hmm. Just checked and I have ten times the number of Twitter followers that Rauner has. https://twitter.com/BruceRauner https://twitter.com/capitolfax - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:45 pm: Rauner certainly isn’t asphyxiating the poultry when it comes to fundraising. But I still think he’s administering corporal punishment to the chimpanzee if he thinks he’ll ever be governor. - Chavez-respecting Obamist - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:46 pm: Is he running for Prom King? Because that’s what ‘likes’ will get you. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:47 pm: ===Hmm. Just checked and I have ten times the number of Twitter followers that Rauner has.=== @FakeJasonPluumer - @Capitolfax, yeah, you got more than Rauner, but you have fewer than me ’cause Dad got all the Bank and Lumber friends on my ‘tweeter’ tweet follower-ing #CallMeBrucePlease - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:54 pm: ===…especially as a tool…=== BINGO!!!! Remember, the ILGOP made millions of calls and had NO way to get those contacted to the polls. Social Media is a tool, when used correctly to mobilize and to be effective in the voting of your supporters, then you are cooking with gas … If you are going to have @TheRaunerChicken spout off about Indiana or Wisconsin and have no way to have those “likes” on facebook to be effective, then what are we talking about then? Spot on, well said, - Formerly Known As -. - JoeVerdeal - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:55 pm: I don’t know anything about Bruce Rauner….and so I must ask….Why does everyone here seem to dislike him? What is so bad about this guy? - John Bambenek - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:57 pm: Rich- You may have ten times more twitter followers than Bruce, but I have 6.5 times more followers than you (twitter.com/bambenek). http://img.pandawhale.com/46691-sliding-deal-with-it-gif-RONj.gif Signed, John Bambenek The Office of the NotSenator for the 52nd District Pointless Social Media Statistics Division - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 12:59 pm: @CloutingPaytonParents - Hey @BruceRauner, we “like” your Facebook page, but please take our name off your list, you understand. #RememberSunshineHurtsMoreThanYourEyes - Abe the Babe - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:04 pm: Two things: 1. Facebook does not have a “dislike” button. and… 2. Everyone knows that the amount of “likes” on Facebook translates exactly into the number of votes one will receive in an election 18 months away. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:06 pm: –The Office of the NotSenator for the 52nd District Pointless Social Media Statistics Division– JB, very funny. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:08 pm: @CloutingPaytonParents - Actually @BruceRauner, we are going to make our Twitter ‘Private’, just call Arne to get access to our Tweets. #TheInsidersOutsiderInsiderBruceRauner - Down the Middle - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:14 pm: Mr. Rauner may have an impressive (and pricey) social media program. But big bucks cannot buy the truth. The problems that Crain’s Chicago Business and others have reported will be fodder for some rather devastating campaign ads down the line, and Mr. Rauner’s snippy response to some reporters (”we’re not talking about that…”) will fuel increased problems. - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:16 pm: I think 10,000 of Rauner’s likes are reporters or campaign staffers who are just keeping tabs on him. - Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:18 pm: A “like” for Rauner is just a bunch of rich old guys who asked their grandkids to sign them up for “the Facebook” and then click “the like” button for them. They’ll never log in to the facebook again and will spend the rest of their summer at “the club” to play 9 holes, talk about how Obama is making them poor, have a double shot of Talisker, and then pretend to get into serious discussions over prime rib about how Rauner might actually pull this one off. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:20 pm: @FakeBruceRauner - When you “buy” the first 10,000 followers in bulk, you get your choice of a Duffel Bag or a Rubber Chicken. You know the rest. #BuyingFollowersCanBeStrategicLikeHypocricy - warhed - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:24 pm: Joe… they dislike him and are afraid of him..he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests that have run this state into the ground… - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:26 pm: just a reminder, there are 12 million poeple in Illinois. So his like ratio seems about right. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:28 pm: - warhed -, I can speak for myself, and I didn’t say anything. To your “point” as your “speculation”, the ILGOP tried that strategy and got veto-proofed out of the General Assembly and lost congressional seats. If Rauner, and his “Chicken” want to try that as a strategy, thinking that is why people like me are “disappointed” then plan on hearing a concession speech from Bruce Rauner. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:45 pm: ===he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests=== Yes, that’s why. Yep. - John A Logan - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:45 pm: Bruce Rauner. #sovieteramisslelaunch - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:46 pm: There’s an old adage, which is appropriate here: =Yard signs don’t vote, people do. The same is true of Facebook likes.= Yeah, but generally, the only negative or positive measurements signs provide are “alot” or “few” out there compared to an opponent. I wonder how many campaigns and elected officials’ offices actually have “real” communications plans as those found in the business world. Or, how many just hire “insiders” who “show promise” (or don’t) and wind up priding themselves later on their expertise in the field of damage control. (In some cases, it almost seems tantamount to the “communication specialist’s” version of Munchausen by Proxy.) Has anybody seen any studies on the efficacy in social media within the political context? I wonder how many of those who took the initial dive in a BIG way might regret it now. For example, spatters of blogs are now reporting instances where the pols delete constituents’ posts, block users, and/or delete the pol’s posts (though I’d imagine many are instead being safely tucked away as ammo for future runs). Also, people notice (and sometimes comment) when the number and “tone” of a pol’s posts change. And, shutting down a medium would most likely be perceived as negative (and very embarassing). Aside from true information dissemination, I suppose social media can maybe help identify issues during a campaign, but then again, groups can also easily architect “false” positive or negative readings. Within the context of elected officials, however, use of social media seems much riskier–especially if the person begins to “fall from grace” with constituents. And, damage control seems much more difficult because the medium can’t effectively be used to “influence” from the pol’s position. Therefore, the negative bombardment just continues, and IMHO, it sticks–unless the pol escalates it to the press, which again, seems difficult. Maybe there are “Voter Gods” after all, thanks to the efforts of the inept who believed it was advantageous “if used the right way” yet had no clue. - too obvious - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:46 pm: “they dislike him and are afraid of him..he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests that have run this state into the ground.” What color is the sky in your world? - Knome Sane - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:51 pm: @warhed =..he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests that have run this state into the ground…= You fail to realize that Bruce Rauner the “reformer” is still the same Bruce Rauner “the insider” who can call up the head of the Chicago Public School system to clout his daughter into Payton prep. The one thing voters in this state hate more than pompous rich guys buying their way into the top office are self-serving rich guys who use clout to benefit themselves and their children. It seems only you and Bruce Rauner are the only two people who fail to grasp that. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:51 pm: ===he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests=== That’s why Mr. Outsider has been dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on Democratic candidate committees over the years. Nothing says “fight the power” like being a sugar daddy for Daley and Emanuel. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:54 pm: ===he is going to take down the quinn/madigan/union/democratic interests=== Is that BEFORE or after donating thousands to demcrats, or was that BEFORE or after calling Arne Duncan (allegedy) to clout his Daughter into Payton Prep, or was it BEFORE or after denying EVERYTHING, and looking like the Ultimate “Insider-Hypocrite” who is on the Outside looking in, probably from Wisconsin or Indiana… Well, too bad none of these issues will be discussed because of all the “Likes” on “the Facebook” and all the money being raised…Nobody is going to bring ANY of that up. - Review - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:55 pm: It means exactly what was said earlier, he’s doing something a lot better than his potential opponents are at this time without the benefit of years of elections and millions of dollars spent. - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:56 pm: @JoeVerdeal - CapFax posters don’t want nobody that nobody sent generally. So just about everyone gets skewered here. But if Rauner gets it worse its probably because he’s done things to repulse just about everybody except his close rich friends. The man is not a loyal partisan. His career as a pension find managing profiteer who campaigns as a pension slashing opponent of special interests makes him a hypocrite. His handling of the revelations of his hypocrisy around his clouting his daughter into walter payton showed him to be lacking in honesty and ethical integrity. Thus the only thing he has to recommend himself as a politician is his money which isn’t enough when he doesn’t have a trump or bloomberg personality that can convince people why they should vote for money. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 1:59 pm: Warhead How? I have been waiting and waiting and nothing! How will he energize any voters? He has to speak soon, I’m with him on his objective if it’s getting the Democrats out of the Governors mansion, but why him? By avoiding questions he has already alienated a lot of voters. First impressions are everything in politics. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:00 pm: ===…he’s doing something a lot better than his potential opponents are…=== Then the ILGOP is the… “Greatest Phone Bank Assembled on Planet Earth!” How did that turn out? “Never mistake activity for achievement.” - John Wooden - Head Scratch - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:03 pm: I don’t remember liking anybody … In last 6 months, but I got “thanked” by Mr. Rauner. I deleted and reported as spam. - LincolnLounger - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:07 pm: For heaven’s sake, I “liked” his FB page so I could keep an eye on the high priced talent’s talking points. I don’t know where it’s going, but the Rauner folks really shouldn’t be counting on my vote in the primary. - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:08 pm: =just a reminder, there are 12 million poeple in Illinois. So his like ratio seems about right. = I don’t think that’s a valid measurement in a medium where many are becoming even more fearful of expressing their political views and being identified closely with those they do or do not support, at the time or in the future when a pol’s situation might go south on a particular issue, or overall. As that trend increases (and gosh can only imagine why with today’s headlines), using social media as a valid measurement of anything is going to become more difficult–except for maybe, how good (or bad) someone’s communications team really is. And that has nothing to do with likes or number of posts–which, of course, while it’s the easiest thing to measure, seems to mean very little. Taking a cue from Demoralized, I don’t believe that methodologies related to use, and measurement of, in small business translate into the political realm. And I’m beginning to see some “corrections” being reported even in the business world (comparable to “facts” behind the general statements that x number of cold calls result in x number of sales). - Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:11 pm: I always thought the Wooden quote was “Never mistake action for progress” - also one of my faves. As for the phone program? How dare you blaspheme the GREATEST PHONE BANK OPERATION EVER, good sir. Can you not see how many votes it got out? Not just in Illinois, but nationwide? We have the White House, the… wait, sorry, wrong script. - Chavez-respecting Obamist - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:14 pm: ~he’s doing something a lot better than his potential opponents~ Really? What is he doing? - Juvenal - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:22 pm: Rauner’s problem isnt fundraising or facebook likes. He is by his own admission a social moderate, and in the GOP primary in a non-presidential year, that makes you a liberal. Moderates do okay in the IL GOP when they can use their clout to clear the field of any serious opposition. But Rauner isn’t getting a pass. In a two-way race, you can spend money tearing your conservative opponent down, but that strategy doesnt work in a multi-candidate race. I am not saying Rauner can’t win, but if he wants to claim frontrunner status, he needs to explain why he is a better candidate than Rutherford and how he plans tp beat him in the primary. Because pro-choice, pro-marriage equality, pro-gun control, pro-Rahm wasnt a platform for the ticket, last time I checked - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:25 pm: =And I’m beginning to see some “corrections” being reported even in the business world (comparable to “facts” behind the general statements that x number of cold calls result in x number of sales).= Sorry. That obviously should have been x and Y. (Ghost’s in the keyboard today.) - Publius - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:28 pm: Some months ago he had a small reception at Saputos, we chatted for awhile and i thought he was an interesting guy who might have a future in public life. Afterward i wrote him a note at his Winnetka home wishing him well. I have never heard a word from him….no note…no mailings…no email blasts …no nothing. Here is a little hint…people who take the time to write letters do vote….and they don’t vote for phonies on “listening tours” who really have no interest in real people. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:29 pm: ===He is by his own admission a social moderate, and in the GOP primary in a non-presidential year, that makes you a liberal.=== lol, He is a Democratic Donor of thousands of Dollars, and using that unfluence and “clout” to assist his Daughter, who lived in Wilmette but “magically” became a Chicagoan, and after becoming a Chicagoan, gets clouted into Payton Prep, through Democratic channels, these same Democrats Rauner is railing on… Yikes, if being a “Moderate” was Rauner’s oonly problem, Rauner and His Crew would be happy! - In 630 - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:31 pm: There really needs to be a handy bad rich-guy candidate scale/reference guide so we can evaluate them in the context of their peers across elections. - MrJM - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:32 pm: That many likes is terrific news if Rauner is running for Miss Congeniality. – MrJM - YEAHLisa - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:34 pm: joe and warhed- Most of these people who post can’t do math (a perquisite in order to consistently vote Democrat in Illinois)and despise Rauner because he is successful (damn those wealthy people)and actually talks about the real issues that ail this state (the finances and the poor economy). - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:38 pm: ===Most of these people who post can’t do math=== Yes, we’re all idiots here. Feel more comfortable and sure of yourself now? Putz. - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:48 pm: Did my x and y “phrase” perhaps inspire, YEAHLisa? I love playing the role of the “muse”…sometimes. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 2:51 pm: - YEAHLisa -, Rauner is a successful Hypocrite, that is for sure. ===and actually talks about the real issues that ail this state=== If you call having solutions that have the probability of being Unconstitutional, and shutting down the state as …a solution … then you are “Spot On” And since we are talking about Democrats and Bruce Rauner, Arne Duncan and the Clouting of Rauner’s Daughter into Payton Prep…and Mayor Daley and Rahm … and the other Democratic Donations … sounds like you are pointing at the wrong Democrat(?) - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 3:23 pm: @Publius - Maybe you hit on another downside of a pol having so many houses and should have sent your personal correspondence to his Chicago clout condo address. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 3:37 pm: @FakeBruceRauner - “hisgirlfriday”, the Chicago Condo is for “Clouting Only”. All correspondence is out of the Willmette “Summer Home” which is not my real residence #4HousesEqualHotelInMonopoly - Knome Sane - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 3:41 pm: Oswego, I am sure you could come up with a couple, two, tree (as Mayor Daley might say) math equations. Care to give it a try? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 3:43 pm: - Knome Sane -, I was told there would be “no math”. I am sure @FakeBruceRauner might be good at math, being a Hedge Fund Manager and all … Hmm. - Knome Sane - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 3:47 pm: OW: Don’t worry….if you flunk the math portion of the test, I will give Arne Duncan a call and we’ll get you in through the back door (wink, wink). - Samurai - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:03 pm: Bruce is having fun and passing time; the rich really are different than the rest of us.”Likes” don’t vote as stated above. When Crane’s goes after one of it’s own, not good. In the end it will be a two horse race between Dillard and Rutherford. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:15 pm: Yea lisa Do you think Rauner can run in the GOP primary and not answer questions the “Voters” he needs, want answers too? Do you think the media would allow him not to give his views on social issues? If you or more importantly he does; he is wasting his time and money. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:19 pm: Samuri Dillard commercial for Obama will come back even more in this primary and kill him. He is Broke and without the grassroots to supplement the field operations because of the above he is toast. Bill Brady is the luckiest man in Illinois. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:21 pm: AA can do math quite well, thanks. Kiss my abacus. Ahem, to the post, I also am one of the 11,000 liker-lurkers. Between Rauner’s own stuff and the wingnut comments, it’s occasionally a funny read. PS: word’s animal comment a ways up must be a finalist for comment of the year. - Adam Smith - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:25 pm: At the end of the day Bruce has to find a receptive audience. As of now that looks highly unlikely. The outsider/crusading reformer schtick has potential to appeal to independents, but not when you are firmly establishing yourself as a bombastic, self-important blowhard with no personal appeal, charisma, charm or warmth. Partisan Dems will hate him obviously, and much of the GOP base will find him almost impossible to swallow (much harder than Mark Kirk, whose military service and Republican loyalty compared to Rauner served him well). So where does he go? Who is the Rauner voter? He only seems to represent the oligarchs who want to overthrow the common politicians who stopped taking their marching orders from the corporate board rooms. - Cheswick - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:33 pm: I heard him on the radio, talking about how wonderful he and his money are, while besmirching unions, among other things. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 4:52 pm: ===AA can do math quite well, thanks.=== Well, one of us needs to be able to balance the books from our con$ulting for Bruce Rauner. I keep waiting for the intinery for our meeting, did it go to “Spam”, - AA -? - Downstate GOP Faithless - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 5:12 pm: If anyone doesn’t see a fight brewing between Rauner & Rutherford over FB Likes, you’re missing a remarkably important story! Seriously, story of the cycle! - CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 5:14 pm: No one really takes the time to hate CousinBrucey, but he is a buffoon and some wonder if a Blagoofian-style, whack job, zealot can win the GOP primary In the meantime he is just a GOPie Pinata until Gags Brady is replaced - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 5:26 pm: @FakeRuterfordDan - @FakeBruceRauner doesn’t scare me. Maybe Pongee, but not me! #WhichCameFirstTheChickenOrThePongee? - Samurai - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 5:48 pm: Votecounter==Dillard commercial for Obama will come back even more in this primary and kill him. == The Obama ad is and was a gift for Dillard’s opponents and the rightious base. The base will never forget; but will they forgive? That question I live to those such as Oswego and Word. The money for Dillard will come and he will have a ground game. As to “liking” Bruce. Why not. Everyone wants rich friends. Even cyber rich friends. - Samurai - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 5:59 pm: Sorry, mean: “That question I leave … to Oswego and Word.” - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 6:23 pm: - Samurai -, When Rich asks us to give Dillard advice, I will, but I will say this, its possible for Dillard. As for Rauner, a candidate who is afraid of “sunshine” and uses deception and clout and insider dealings is not going to be an effective candidate when asked simple questions, “Describe your constant donations to Democrats”, “Are you willing to explain the questions about your Daughter, and the condo, and the ‘clouting’ for admission?” You can’t introduce yourself and rail on whom you have done business with, and say you are an outsider ….and refuse to be seen in the “sunshine”. Money is best used to reinforce a narrative you hope to create, good or bad. There is no narrative to those questions for Bruce Rauner, that will satify enough voters, is there? Time … and money … will tell. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 7:03 pm: Samurai Everyone thought last time dillard was the one. Why? because we listened to him. He was popular everywhere he said, he would win everywhere Adam A beat him in the metro east Brady kicked his butt in Central Illinois he won 3 counties outright. I know its votes that matter but Dillard couldn’t live up to his hype. The video did hurt him last time and to the base it is even worse with all of the scandals and targeting the very people he is going to need to get behind him instead of Brady in the primary. As for money; Where does he get it? Gidwitz and Jack aren’t giving him a dime he couldn’t raise anything last time when the limits hit. He is toast. I haven’t checked to see if he is up for his senate seat next time. Stick a fork in him - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 7:38 pm: - votecouner -, 2014 ain’t 2010, and the variables in the candidates, the issues, and the “moving parts” of where the ILGOP is, and finally, the ability to build a “ground game” be it for Bruce Rauner or any of the candidates will play a large role in dictating a winner in a very crowded and nasty primary. Each have challenges, but those challenges are “2014 Challenges”, not “2010 Challenges” and while positives and negatives stay very often with candidates, its the variables in each race that dictate the intensity of those positives and negatives. The 2010 GOP Guv. Primary is over. Take stock, learn, and prepare for a far different race in the 2014 GOP Guv. Primary. To think the 2010 models are going to hold up with this set of different candidates and the challenges they face for themselves and against each other is a mistake a losing campaign is going to make, bet on it. Rauner has his onw bed to deal with, let alone deal with Rutherford, Dillard, and even Brady. Let them all run, and the losing campaigns better back the winner, or we in the ILGOP are all going to be losing in November. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 7:48 pm: –The Obama ad is and was a gift for Dillard’s opponents and the rightious base. The base will never forget; but will they forgive? That question I live to those such as Oswego and Word.– Dillard didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart. Obama at the time was very popular across the board among Illinois voters. Dillard thought it was a good move for his governor’s run. He wasn’t alone. Rep. Roskam set up an “obamavotersforroskam.com” website. Try finding that anywhere now, lol. They didn’t see the Hater Train coming. Roskam got off the track in time, but Dillard got whacked by “the base.” And he’s been self-flagellating in hopes of forgiveness ever since. But the folks who loudly, constantly and self-consciously claim the mantle of the “GOP base” these days don’t strike me as a very forgiving crew. Which is strange, because they are also, they’ll tell you, more devout Christians than the average bear, and forgiveness is kind of the whole point of the exercise, if I remember my Sunday school days correctly. The alleged “base” also can’t deliver in a statewide election. They never have; and if they couldn’t do it for Brady, against Quinn, with Blago hanging around his neck, with Dems in total control, in the worst economy since the Depression, in a historic GOP year, they never will. The truth is, as is clear to those of us of a certain age who’ve been to a couple of rodeos, a picnic and the state fair, the Culture Warriors who claim to be the GOP base in Illinois are a fraud — a loud, intolerant rump with no interest in governing or the citizenry in general. They’re not the Main Street, Midwest Republicans some of us grew up with, building schools and universities, improving infrastructure, promoting business and exports, looking out for the working stiff, and advancing opportunity for all citizens. Nowadays, the so-called base is busy peeking in bedroom windows, passing judgement on how consenting adults get down, chasing their tails in pursuit of the ever-elusive welfare and Food Stamp tycoons, shielding cancer and MS patients from Reefer Madness, and conducting ritual Auto-da-Fes of party apostates. In reality, the true GOP base is composed of Independents who used to be Republicans but are embarrassed to admit it today. They’re the ones who win you elections. Some old-school Republicans — the ones who win statewide elections — get it. The self-proclaimed leaders of the base could care less about elections, governing, the citizenry or anything beyond using government as an instrument to serve their personal antipathy to “those people.” - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:00 pm: Great work - wordslinger -, You made the case as to the realities…warts and all. An HONEST look as to what the ILGOP is, in a snapshot of today, with a look back at where we were yesterday, is the only way MY Party can look forward and face the true challlenges My Party has, not the imagined hurdles put up to divide the ILGOP and lose sight of the goals of winning and governing, from top… to bottom. Outstanding. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:00 pm: thanks but I am looking at and talking about 14! Maybe some one else will come in but I am looking at the announced and exploratory candidates. I just used 10 as an example for Dillard BECAUSE he was the guy! It was his to lose and he did. I am using my judgement and knowledge of the GOP grassroots. Since you call us slytherin and I think we are the Gryffindor we will disagree. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:06 pm: “must”, “always”, “never”, “only” Purity…I think Pure Bloods were in Slytherin, not in Gryffindor, no matter how much a Slytherin Republican THINKS they are Gryffindor… “must”, “always”, “never”, “only” reminds me of only ONE house…Slythernin. - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:20 pm: Word Who wins the primary? Thats the question. I’m not here to politic or change your vote. If you think the GOP base is intolerant I would go back and read your comments. How stupid you think people who believe in life or marriage are is irrelevant. I myself have been through some rodeos with the very people your bad mouthing, if you knew them or traveled outside of chicago you would know that these people do give and have given their lives to issues they truly believe in, not for money but out of conviction. There are people I have worked with every primary for 20 years not for money but for their cause mostly life but marriage, school choice and yes the 2A! Unlike Democrats they don’t get paid they work for people they trust and candidate who will not lie to them. What Rubes! Look at the numbers without Chicago they would win every election. Now that the Black reps and Senators are listening if just 1 to 3 % from Cook move… - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:29 pm: willy You are the only one using those terms we were supposedly talking primary politics all I said was I think I know the grassroots better because of your posts. Don’t go all nutty on me, You can be Grffindor if you want too! I don’t care - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 8:54 pm: =I myself have been through some rodeos with the very people your bad mouthing,…these people do give and have given their lives to issues they truly believe in, not for money but out of conviction.= votecounter, conviction and civic duty just don’t mean much to some, unless it matches their needs exactly and/or can be bought or exploited in some other way. They either just don’t get it and/or see it as an opportunity to corrupt and/or collect. It’s alot like that Trump trial where the little old lady explained that she didn’t understand how to do business with Trump because there were never people like him in business before. I think whose side you choose just based on that premise alone, says alot about one’s character. Not necessarily good or bad…but it says alot. - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 9:01 pm: And surprisingly enough, many who are now defending their fellow GOPers don’t even agree with them on some major issues. It takes “special” people to actually effect something like that. I just don’t think that in this instances, those who caused it are going to be able to claim credit for it as if it were deliberate or planned. It is what it is. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 9:14 pm: ===You are the only one using those terms=== You referenced it, I responded …just syaing. ===we were supposedly talking primary politics all I said was I think I know the grassroots better because of your posts.=== If you can …today … predict in March 2014… mind you, today …then you better catch a flight to Vegas and start playing the NFL Fall Schedule. Ten months is ten YEARS in politics. I gave my response as a true understanding that no matter what, 2010 is not going to be 2014, and that is the only thing I do know about March 2014. ===Don’t go all nutty on me, You can be Grffindor if you want too! I don’t care=== I responded to this … ===Since you call us slytherin and I think we are the Gryffindor we will disagree. === How am I nutty? - votecounter - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 9:31 pm: It was a joke. Just by using the terms as if they are real, you seemed to get angry. I know the names because I have kids; Only my middle child could give a definition like that for the houses, but she is very bright! - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 21, 13 @ 9:40 pm: It’s all good - votecounter -, but to go down the “who is going to win and WHY” road ten months out leaves me with the only things I do know which I stated above. Not angry at all, and you should be very proud of your middle child and all your children, as I am sure you are. Your reference to the “houses” threw me in your tone, so … As each candidate makes their announcements, those “moving parts” will begin to dictate how this is going to play out, that is the only thing, today, I know. - Samurai - Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 8:32 am: Thanks Word and Oswego-and others. Always a lesson in advanced Polsci @capfax. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.