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*** UPDATED x3 - Video *** Simon makes it official
Wednesday, Jul 31, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller * Our regular commenter OneMan is at Sheila Simon’s big campaign announcement today. He just sent me an e-mail with the subject line: “Well the mystery is answered.” Attached was a photo of Simon’s backdrop…  And this info…
* He followed up by saying there were only ten chairs set up at the event. I asked for a crowd pic. From the back of the room…  From the front of the room…  Discuss. *** UPDATE 1 *** From the Twitters…
Not going well. *** UPDATE 2 *** Also via OneMan, some not-so-stirring opening remarks… *** UPDATE 3 *** Simon’s announcement e-mail seems to address the “Accounting 101″ question…
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- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:08 am:
–I may be the only member of the public here.–
OneMan, did you at least get a coffee and muffin for that? I don’t see a spread.
- Rahm's Middle Finger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:10 am:
That yellow jacket and hawaiian shirt look is sooooooo last season.
- Downstater - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:10 am:
Sheila Simon isn’t Paul Simon, as stated yesterday.
She gets clobbered in general election and goes back to Carbondale to run Dad’s foundation.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:13 am:
–She gets clobbered in general election and goes back to Carbondale to run Dad’s foundation.–
What foundation is that?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:14 am:
Since its a “Drive-Around” now, and Sheila Simon is driving “alone” according to her Peeps, and “on her own dime” …
Is there ANY groundswell for her running for …anythng…let alone against Comptroller Topinka?
I posted this yesterday, when the, um, “change of transportation” was made public …
===Well, I hope Sheila has a “hands-free” phone, GPS and an IPass.
Lots of driving for one person.
So, from the flyaround I thought Sheila WOULD TRY to pull off, we now have a “Drive Around”, with Sheila, alone, on her own dime, going through drive-thrus, and pumping her own gas, I guess hoping people will be around to hear her?
Yikes!!
Rauner’s internet annoucement might be better in a visual then Sheila looking for parking in downtown Chicago, since she is footing her own travel expenses.
Not a good start.===
I would add that Sheila needs to also include a “first aid” kit, flares, maybe a HAM radio, and “Razzles” …can’t go on a SOLO road trip without “Razzles”, they are candy AND gum!
This type of embarrassing rollout falls under the …”Either DO or DON’T do” part of a campaign.
Not. Good.
- Spliff - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:15 am:
The people of Illinois have been an enabler of her ego….which is too bad. She is not her father and will never be her father.
- Empty Chair - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:20 am:
Oof.
@@MaryAnnAhernNBC 10:16am:
Comptroller candidate Sheila Simon is asked “have u ever taken Acctg 101?” Answer:no, defends her legal bkgd #IL2014
- Just Me - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:22 am:
so, what job is this campaign an interview for when she loses and is unemployed again?
- too obvious - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:23 am:
@@MaryAnnAhernNBC 10:16am:
Comptroller candidate Sheila Simon is asked “have u ever taken Acctg 101?” Answer:no, defends her legal bkgd #IL2014
Topinka was a journalism major so I don’t see the point.
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:27 am:
Nice smart lady, but she seems uncomfortable in these situations…
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:28 am:
OneMan — Not just a nickname, it’s also the attendance figure…
- J. Nolan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:30 am:
Here is what I dont get. How can anyone appear to be anything other than super political when the person who is holding the essentially non-partisan office you want is doing a darn good job. ESPECIALLY when what you claim to want to be, a “taxpayer watchdog”, is exactly what your opponent has been for the last two decades.
- Marty Funkhouser - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:33 am:
Accounting 101? Give me a break. Judy Baar Topinka’s background is as a journalist. Find me one that can do math. Remind me again why it’s expected that Sheila Simon should have a crowd of adoring supporters as she announces for friggin’ comptroller?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:34 am:
J. Nolan, get over it. No one gets a pass for a statewide office. You could make the argument that comptroller should be an appointed position, but it’s not.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:35 am:
@Marty Funkhouser, journalist? more like PR hack.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:35 am:
–Remind me again why it’s expected that Sheila Simon should have a crowd of adoring supporters as she announces for friggin’ comptroller?–
Politics 101?
- Raising Kane - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:38 am:
Marty, Topinka had more than a decade in the legislature where she did appropriations and learned the state budget. The problem with Simon is that she is very entitled. She couldn’t possibly learn things from the ground up…she wanted to start as a statewide office holder. As a result, she doesn’t have a base or a clue.
As for a crowd, dude that is by far the most pathetic crowd for a statewide kick-off I have ever seen. And that includes fringe candidates.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:38 am:
Yeah, if you’re going to run for something you should be able to show some minimum level of support going in, no matter what the office.
- OurMagician - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:41 am:
She’s making Duffy’s rollout look better.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:42 am:
===Remind me again why it’s expected that Sheila Simon should have a crowd of adoring supporters as she announces for friggin’ comptroller?===
Why have ANY annoucement if you can’t even get enough people as you have fingers?
Bruce Rauner didn’t do a fly-around, drive-around, walk-around because Rauner’s Crew knew they were not ready to have people show up and stage support for Bruce Rauner …
”Either DO or DON’T do”
Sheila Simon, be it the defintion of Ignorance, or Hubris … thinks having an announcement that is driven, no pun inteneded, by the idea of NO one being there, and taking to the road solo is … good … to show a large groundswell of supporters?
”Either DO or DON’T do”
Heck, even I got suckered into the fly-around, and thinking Sheila will have these events, and Press, and staging…
And now I get a SOLO driving LG, with her GPS and “Razzles” going to spots to announce, with no sense of the turnout, and having to answer questions about her former running mate?
Where is the … good … in this announcement?
”Either DO or DON’T do”
Sheila is making Rauner’s decision not to have a fly-around, drive-around, whater … look Genius!
- Doooode - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:46 am:
Next week I hear she’s embarking on an empty warehouse tour…
- David P. Graf - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:46 am:
I’m glad she’s running. This may be our best chance to stifle her political ambitions through a decisive defeat in the next election. Let her return to the well-deserved obscurity from which Quinn rescued her.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:48 am:
===dude that is by far the most pathetic crowd for a statewide kick-off I have ever seen===
Pretty sure Adam A. had a ton more people to watch him announce that he wasn’t running for anything.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:50 am:
Ten chairs and can’t fill them all? Not cool.
- Doode - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:53 am:
You think she listens to banjo music the whole trip? Accounting 101 on tape perhaps?
- Downstater - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:56 am:
Maybe, the empty chair symbolized President Obama’s presence in the room.
- bobby dylan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:59 am:
Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 10:28 am: OneMan — Not just a nickname, it’s also the attendance figure…
LMAO - thank you for that…
- Hedley Lamarr - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:00 am:
Uninspiring, but what have we come to expect from Sheila?
The Acct 101 question is relevant. JBT had spent a dozen years as State Treasurer before she ran for Comptroller.
Simon could at least have answered “I balance my checking account every month.”
- Hedley Lamarr - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:02 am:
Re: Update 3–”not just accounting.”
I think the question about Accounting 101 made the point that she doesn’t even bring accounting to the office.
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:03 am:
Such hateful comments! Don’t be a jerk and say something mean. Stifle yourself!!
- Marty Funkhouser - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:03 am:
How is she entitled? Especially compared to a guy like Rauner. Choosing Simon to be lite gov may have been the most sensible choice the governor ever made. I don’t know where you guys are getting the idea that she’s some egomaniacal political climber. That is totally the opposite of her personality. And counting people at one announcement stop is about as useful of a campaign barometer as how many yard signs a candidate has.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:04 am:
There were people standing in the back, not a whole lot and some of the chairs were taken by reporters..
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:05 am:
Also by public I meant someone who did not have a connection to her…. There were some former students in the back I think, not many
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:06 am:
The only upside here is that someone was smart enough to rent a little room to go with the crowd of OneMan.
Speaking of OneMan, I hope he sticks around for the driveoff so AA’s curiosity about SS’s wheels may be satisfied.
- Raising Kane - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:13 am:
@martyfunkhouser, maybe you should ask the folks of Carbondale about her entitlement….the institute bearing her fathers name sits right there and she got whipped by 10 points. Ouch! Most candidates who got beat that baddly would pick up their banjo and go home.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:15 am:
===That is totally the opposite of her personality. And counting people at one announcement stop is about as useful of a campaign barometer as how many yard signs a candidate has.===
Empty seats vote at the same clip as yard signs …however, I would like yard signs up more .. than empty seats at an announcement if I had to measure … groundswell.
Further …
===she’s some egomaniacal political climber.===
First she is going to run for AG, makes Sneed get all involved, and in less than 2 weeks, decides “Golly, Comptroller is a GREAT fit!”
How do you make that leap?
Easy. It’s about wanting to be about being elected to something, and making sure you are moving somewhere… as opposed to … nowhere …that is what makes you a “climber” when your options dry up and you move so rapidly to stay “relevent”, and an egomaniac when you have a rollout with very few, if any, supporters filling the room.
Other than that …
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:18 am:
- AA -,
Make sure you “credential” - OneMan - for the rollout, but - OneMan - must take pictures of me and - Bill - from behind, ala Capitol Fax.
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:18 am:
What’s with the nastiness here today?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:23 am:
- steve schnorf -,
I think I am coming at it from the “fly-around” from yesterday, to then it being a “drive-around” and the “on her own dime” and solo driving… coupled with the Sneed “this/close” to Lisa and posturing for the AG like she has had inside knowledge that didn’t pan out … then the idea of “Either DO or DON’T do” in the light of switching offices and the rollout itself.
That is my “take” to my posts.
With respect, - steve schnorf -.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:26 am:
Well I wasn’t intending disrespect… I just to be blunt, figured there would be more supporters including some folks making some noise when she spoke and cheering some lines…
Best of my recollection (it wasn’t that long ago) there was a smattering before and after. I really felt more like a press conference than a campaign kickoff IMHO..
- Anon. - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:26 am:
==What’s with the nastiness here today?==
Blood in the water?
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:40 am:
I don’t think it’s hateful to believe Simon is unsuited for high office, at this time. Besides the name, what does she bring to the position?
- soccermom - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:43 am:
Schnorf — I dunno. I think it’s kind of nasty to kick PQ in the face after he helped her up the ladder.
- Citizen Carl - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:49 am:
Even though he is going to get the floor wiped with him, I agree with OurMagician Duffy O’ Blackburn and a much better rollout.
Simon’s rollout looks like amateur hour.
- Deep South - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:50 am:
Yesterday’s news release promised an “exciting” announcement. Will that be tonight at the Carbondale stop?
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:51 am:
It will be interesting to see if there are more folks in Springfield and/or if they are calling people right now to get attendance up…
Also trying to figure out which dude I was, it shouldn’t be that hard
- Hey There - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:56 am:
I bet her primary opponent Duffy Blackburn (Will County Auditor)is enjoying this “rollout.” Sheila might want to personally call the Democratic chairmen of the counties for her next stops and BEG them to get bodies there; especially in her hometown of Carbondale which I think is her last stop.
- Rolo Tomassi II - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 11:59 am:
After reading all the back handed shots I will be working twice as hard for Sheila. She will defeat Duffy (if he runs), and take JBT into the 15th round. Play her cheap at your own risk.
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:02 pm:
Is she bicycling around, or an actual gas powered vehicle to each location.
Anyhow I doubt Judy Baar Topinka is not losing any sleep over this. This may be a much needed moment of comic relief for JBT given all the Springfield circus she is dealing with now.
- Raising Kane - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:06 pm:
Well, Rolo, you might want to begin your “twice as hard” efforts by rounding up some folks for her events, telling her to stop kicking PQ…the guy who rescued her from her embarrasing loss and maybe get a professional campaign team around her. That isn’t “playing her cheap” that is “playing it where it lays.”
- Hey There - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:10 pm:
To “Rolo”: Is that you, Sheila, or is it your husband?
Regardless, though, after today forget about calling the Gov’s people to attempt to get some people at your events–either today’s events or later ones.
- Citizen Carl - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:13 pm:
I am a die hard Dem but the Comptroller’s race is shaping up to be a lackluster campaign. Shelia just dug her own political grave.
No way she takes JBT to the 15th round. Is it too late for Dan Hynes to run?
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:24 pm:
@Marty Funkhouser, don’t jounalists have to abide by word per column counts?
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:32 pm:
Like it or not, Topinka has a long history and there were some problems. Like it or not.
- Rusty618 - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:34 pm:
Like I said yesterday, I don’t think she will get much support in her home territory. When the State Police Crime Lab in Carbondale closes next May, it will be the 4th state facility in Jackson County that Quinn will have closes in the last 2 years. She offered no support want so ever in keeping any of those facilities open.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 12:36 pm:
Nasty? Quasi-pols that use their fathers name to promote themselves, with little known ability, and having nothing to give but an inflated ego deserve a sound repudiation. There are millions of ‘nice’ citizens, but damn few able politicians. She should be picked up for loitering
- Obama's Puppy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:12 pm:
zzzzzzzz was somebody saying something? All Judy has to do is get the Brad Cole playbook.
- Stones - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:12 pm:
The primary is Shelia Simon’s race to lose which might just happen if this event is any indicate of the campaign she is going to run.
Duffy Blackburn is a good campaigner but he has to overcome a few factors in Shelia’s favor, the Simon legacy, previous statewide name recognition & the female gender. He will need to generate a few dollars which will be tough with a hot primary in the Governor’s race.
Not to diss Shelia but she didn’t do herself any favors with this flyaround stunt. It was a loser from the start.
- View from the Cheap Seats - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:23 pm:
The irony if Quinn wins re-elect and she loses to JBT, which is a sure bet.
- leonard - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:24 pm:
Very sad-nice lady but—–
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:27 pm:
Sheila Simon is Sheila Simon, and this announcement is what you should expect from her. It isn’t slick, the optics are horrible, and it isn’t textbook campaign stuff. She’s going to march to the sound of her own banjo. You don’t have to like it, or like her, but don’t expect bells and whistles either.
She’s folksy. So driving herself across the state is exactly what you should expect. Like her or not, she’s authentic. She isn’t trying to be someone she isn’t. For anyone expecting a glitzy production, I’d suggest you don’t know anything about her. You want cool packaging, but don’t you also want a quality product too? Who cares if it’s wrapped in old newspaper?
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:35 pm:
=== We need a comptroller that brings accountability to Illinois - not just accounting. ===
The consensus in recent days has been that JBT is handling the kerfuffle regarding legislators paychecks exceedingly well.
Can only imagine how Sheila Simon would have played it.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:41 pm:
Willy, he’s on the list.
This will be a rollout to remember. Currently torn between a “Float-In” and a “Drop-In” (via parachute)
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 1:44 pm:
- AA -,
One if by “air”, Two if by “Float” …
Actually, why not both? Parachute into some towns, float into some, I mean, I need to show versatiity…
- Bill F. - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:01 pm:
“I am a die hard Dem but the Comptroller’s race is shaping up to be a lackluster campaign. Shelia just dug her own political grave.”
Easy there, Nate Silver. It’s July. Of 2013.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:17 pm:
IMHO, any “nastiness” in reaction to her announcement stems from 4 sources.
Disappointment. No one is pretending the Lite Guv job is glamorous, but you can still make something of the position (see: Pat Quinn, veterans issues). With her family’s name and reputation, an issue such as ethics or even more general “government reform” was tailor-made to carve out her niche and achieve recognition for actual accomplishments.
Performance. After observing her performance as Lt. Governor, some she has not earned a “contract extension” in statewide office, much less a “promotion” to the role of Comptroller.
Karma. Simon not only abandoned ship when PQ looked most vulnerable, she threw him under the bus. Even Republicans I know were surprised at the level of disloyalty and selfishness displayed. Doubly so, since the Simon name is typically affiliated with qualities such as integrity, selfless service, etc.
Passion - or lack of. She was the LG. Then she left to pursue a run for AG. Not because of any deep-seated passion for the position, but because the job was supposedly opening up and she thought she had an inside track. When that fell through, she moved along to the only other possibility available, Comptroller.
There may also be a certain sense of schadenfreude in seeing all this after her “betrayal”; watching her miscalculate the AG race, this horrible roll-out and her desperate attempt to salvage something after abandoning the Governor’s ship.
She thought she was saving her own skin by leaving PQ “high and dry”. It now looks like she did him a huge favor by giving him the flexibility to choose a new running mate.
- Citizen Carl - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:25 pm:
47th ward I do not expect glitz but I do expect a certain level of planning. Her website is still a generic splash page, her messaging is muddled and roll out events are poorly attended.
That is a failure on a grassroots and communication front. And to Bill F’s point, this a a poor political decision for her. Historically, the Comptroller’s office is a poor position to launch a campaign for a bigger office and she choose do go up against the toughest Republican in the state.
This is her last political opportunity at this level and she is already shown she is not ready for the big leagues.
- Mason born - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:43 pm:
I wonder if she wasn’t helping PQ all along. If Quinn was truly worried about LM then perhaps having the option of “selecting” someone downstate actually liked (unlike PQ) may have been his last desperate play. That said if he would have dumped her then he looks callous. Her leaving for “better” things looks like he is the kind boss forced to replace her.
Now i freely admit she looks completely incompetent at this point.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
Citizen Carl - Those “sins” are even more inexcusable coming from a current statewide office holder.
Plus, she is an experienced candidate who has run for multiple offices at multiple levels. She also grew up surrounded by politics and has been attending events like this since childhood.
It’s not like she’s a novice just starting out in her first run.
- way off track - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:53 pm:
I agree with all the bashing re; almost everything (dumping quinn, bad rollout, etc.), but i don’t understand why she gets bashed for losing a political race in her hometown? We need people to run for these offices, and someone loses. What am i missing about her loss?
- Bill F. - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 2:58 pm:
“who has run for multiple offices at multiple levels”
That’s actually not true. There’s this thing called google. You should check it out.
- Local Official - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:04 pm:
The JBT Record - no bid contracts, campaign cash from employees, zero transparency on why connected firms get their bills paid first, zero (and I mean zero) effort to hold local governments accountable to taxpayers (how do you collect Dixon’s financial reports and not notice that a small town is missing 50 million freaken dollars?) JBT is just a go along to get along pol.
I think it’s a tough race (as most incumbent challenges are), but IMO anyone here who thinks Simon won’t make this a highly competitive race is just wrong. She watched people say the same absurd things about her dad when he ran against the machine and won for everything but president.
I highly doubt she’ll be deterred by a bunch insider blog commentators.
- Raising Kane - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:04 pm:
Bill F, did she not run for City Council, Mayor and Lt. Gov? At least that is what my google tells me and those look like “multiple offices at multiple levels.”
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:05 pm:
OW/AA,
Consider a hot air balloon … it fits both categories.
- girllawyer - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:13 pm:
Stone, when did being female become a political advantage? Interesting but the first I’ve heard of it!
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:25 pm:
Raising Kane - thanks. You beat me to it. Those are actually the 3 offices I had in mind.
If those aren’t “multiple offices at multiple levels”, I don’t know what is.
Maybe we’re using a different google than Bill F.
- Roamin' Numeral - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:32 pm:
Man, the Sheila-backers on this site don’t even use the same google as the rest of us.
Does anyone here know which google Duffy uses? Is it the same one as the rest of us, or does he have a different one too?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:35 pm:
My Google reports that Sheila didn’t actually run for LG. It says she was picked by the Governor after somebody named Scott Lee Cohen won the primary. So this is her first statewide political campaign.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:36 pm:
===when did being female become a political advantage===
1992.
- Roamin' Numeral - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:36 pm:
==My Google reports that Sheila didn’t actually run for LG. It says she was picked by the Governor after somebody named Scott Lee Cohen won the primary. So this is her first statewide political campaign.==
So … she and PQ did run together against Brady & Plummer, no?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:38 pm:
===So … she and PQ did run together against Brady & Plummer, no?”===
No. Simon and Plummer weren’t relevant since no one could vote for (or against) them individually. They were along for the ride. Big difference.
- Count on it - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:39 pm:
Local official, nice try on Dixon Treasurer but she was indicted in April of 2012, that means her financial reorts of jbt’s first year in office wouldn’t even have been due yet. Sounds like you have a problem with Dan Hynes. Maybe you should give him a ring.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:42 pm:
===What am i missing about her loss?===
It was completely preventable with even a half-baked campaign.
- Joe Biden - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:43 pm:
She’s still only a heartbeat away from being the governor!
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:46 pm:
@47th Ward, I respectfully disagree.
Her name was on the ballot, she participated in televised debates, she traveled the state, she did media interviews, she asked for votes and donations, and she was introduced at events as a candidate for office.
That constitutes running for office in my book - whether she was part of a team or not.
- Roamin' Numeral - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:46 pm:
@47th,
I’m aware that running for the Big Office is very different than running for LG. But if you are someone’s running mate, you are still running for office.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:49 pm:
Or at least the simulated experience of running for office.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:49 pm:
For crying out loud, let the citizens of Dixon take the rap for Ms. Crundwell.
It’s a town of 16,000 and she nicked them for $53 million over twenty years — $30 million in the last six before the federales caught up with her.
Seriously, smalll-town bookkeeper is also the country’s top quarter-horse breeder? Quarter-horses?! No alarms going off?!
- CIMRY90 - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:50 pm:
Local Official,
Not sure if you can lay any of the blame on JBT regarding the Dixon matter. The town officials had received financial reports from the auditors and were living in the community and had no idea of the missing $53 million.
- Stones - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:50 pm:
Girllawyer @ 3:13
Statistics show the majority of the voters are women these days. There are better political minds than me but I think women are becoming more and more of a political force in this country….and I think are more likely to support a female candidate than not all things being equal.
You can disagree but that’s my read on things….
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:53 pm:
Local Official, either stay in this universe or go away from here.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:56 pm:
fka,
I was responding to the bogus accusation that she has run for “multiple offices at multiple levels,” like she is some kind of Andy Martin candidate. She ran for local office twice and statewide once.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 3:57 pm:
===So this is her first statewide political campaign. ===
LOL
C’mon. She was on the ticket in 2010 and her dad ran statewide how many times? She should have much better chops than she does.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:00 pm:
I have kinda sat back and watch a little of this back and forth and what I have taken from this is that Sheila Simon has serious issues because after all the “who she is”, “how she is” … I have yet to read…
What she is as a candidate for Comptroller of the state of Illinois.
Simon has run locally, and lost. Simon was put on the ballot to run statwide with Quinn, and did a stellar job … compared to Jason Plummer…as a running mate. That is real. Simon was better than Jason Plummer as a #2 on the ballot. have we all forgotten the debate that Simon was going to wipe the floor with Plummer. Oh, she won, but I think you can even look at the comments here after the debate, Simon was not “impressive”.
Search. Read.
There needs to be some sort of reality check here when it come to rolling out a … “Drive-Around”.
There are expectations when you run statewide, be it governor or comptroller. There are tick list things you need to show as well.
A rollout like today shows a lack of organization, be it in people, in preparation, and even presentation.
No matter if the canidate is an introvert, extrovert, or any “vert”, campaigns are judged by how you run them. Sounds simple, right? Then what is there to say about today’s rollout that is possibly in dispute?
Also, it is beyond fair to call Simon out for this AG flirting. Those Sneed “sccops” came somewhere, and I have yet to see anything that has Sheila Simon back then refute those “Sneedlings”. It was about Sheila being on her own, running for the job she wanted…
Now, with limited seating at the statewide “table”, Simon takes on, arguably, the most popular Republican officeholder, who happens to be the incumbent, and has won …numerous times… statewide …
And today … Sheila Simon rolls out as she does. How can that not be seen as only a bad way to begin.
Argue “search engines” and personalities, heck, argue cars or planes … or add a train…
Simon is rolling out her campaign. We saw how the day began. Argue the merits of that first stop. Argue the merits of the impression left. If you have good points, make them, because I saw a scant few …
You can’t make your SECOND day as a candidate be about making up … for your first day. That … is why today is not working out for Sheila Simon.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:10 pm:
===She should have much better chops than she does===
I don’t disagree Rich. But I’ve known her for more than 25 years and this is how she wants to do it. I don’t think she had much input into the campaign decsions in 2010. She didn’t hire the consultants, she didn’t raise the money, she didn’t map the strategy. Ergo, it wasn’t her campaign. This one is all her’s, and she’s making the decisions, for good or bad.
The idea that she’s some kind of perennial candidate is nonsense.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:11 pm:
===The idea that she’s some kind of perennial candidate is nonsense. ===
I don’t think anybody meant to say that. Just that this ain’t her first rodeo and she should know better.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:15 pm:
===Just that this ain’t her first rodeo and she should know better.===
Yes.
My point is exactly that. What is it about a campaign that Sheila Simon is “new” to? The bar is high in expectation because a) she should knoe better, and b) Simon is running statewide, being a statewide official, adressing us all on her first day.
“Either DO or DON’T do”!
And Simon, in experience, be it “life” experience or “candidate” experience, Simon should know this.
It is/was what it is/was today … and it hasn’t been stellar.
- Count on it - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:25 pm:
About 20 people in Springfield…..it’s looking up!
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:26 pm:
===About 20 people in Springfield===
And how many of those just went to see how many people showed up? lol
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:27 pm:
@47th - Ah, in that case we completely agree. Any comparison of her to a candidate like that would be beyond ridiculous and unfair. Apologies for misunderstanding.
- Dirty Red - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:32 pm:
= And how many of those just went to see how many people showed up? lol =
Probably about as many that would have stumbled in from the downtown farmer’s market, which was going on right outside of Moxo today.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:35 pm:
As for the Dixon references, she did bring that up in her speech a reporter asked her more or less if she was calling out Dan Hynes too (also a reference to some other city in her speech)…
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:35 pm:
=== this ain’t her first rodeo and she should know better ===
And thanks Rich & Oswego, for helping clarify my point.
It was not that she is some sort of perennial candidate or someone to be taken lightly.
My point was quite the opposite. She had all the opportunities in the world and she’s run races at multiple levels in this state.
If she hasn’t figured it out by now, well, I don’t know what else to say.
And that disappoints me, because we need more good people in office in this state, and I think at her core she is a good person. That’s why it is so painful to watch this play out today.
It’s like a summary of her entire career arc thus far. A nice idea, but very disappointing and not nearly what it could or should have been.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:37 pm:
The rich irony here is that Simon dumped Quinn when the going got tough, but he now probably has a better chance of standing in the winner’s circle next November than she does.
So, yeah, there’s a lot of schadenfreude on the blog today. For very good reason. Dance with the one what brung ya.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:40 pm:
Ms. Santos and Mr. Kovarik, what say you?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:42 pm:
===Dance with the one what brung ya.===
Amen …A-Men.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 4:49 pm:
Judy Barr: degree in Journalism. Dan Hynes: degree in computers and economics, with a JD. Simon has has a BA, a JD, and is law professor.
So yeah, the Accountancy 101 question was stupid, juvenile gotcha journalism. Does anyone seriously think that the Comptroller is sitting there poring over spreachsheets, typing numbers into calculator while wearing a little green visor? They are executives of a state agency, they manage staff and resources and it doesn’t matter WHAT they took in college. Do you expect the president to have attended West Point just because he’s the Commander in Chief?
- bobby dylan - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:03 pm:
47th Ward - You are right that she didn’t have any say in who was hired four years ago. But she does today, this is her campaign and it doesn’t look good.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:22 pm:
===this is her campaign and it doesn’t look good.===
Agreed, and it looks especially bad to those of us who work on campaigns for a living. It’s amateurish and old fashioned. It looks worse to some here who are piling on because of what she did to Pat Quinn. She had that coming, and she’ll have to deal with it.
But unless the field changes, she’s certain to be slated and a lock to be nominated. After that, anything can happen so it’s a bit premature to write her off completely because of a lame announcement.
- Citizen Carl - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:27 pm:
Anonymous: I agree to a certain level that your education background is not a necessary credential for higher office but would we fell comfortable electing someone for Attonery General who was not an attonery?
So I think the accounting 101 question was fair game not gotcha journalism. I personally think if someone with a business or accounting background, rather than an attonery, ran for Comptroller would be a better fit and refreshing. Too bad for Illinois someone qualified for the Comptroller’s office is not running.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:29 pm:
-Dance with the one what brung ya-
And there’s the point, for y’all who have missed it so far.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:34 pm:
===it’s a bit premature to write her off completely because of a lame announcement. ===
Agreed. But that’s no reason we can’t have some snidely fun with this.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:35 pm:
===So I think the accounting 101 question was fair game not gotcha journalism. I personally think if someone with a business or accounting background, rather than an attonery, ran for Comptroller would be a better fit and refreshing. Too bad for Illinois someone qualified for the Comptroller’s office is not running.===
“One Thousand Percent agree!!!
Signed,
Chris Lauzen, CPA”
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:37 pm:
===But that’s no reason we can’t have some snidely fun with this.===
Yeah, I’m too sensitive on this one. Snidely fun is one of the things that keeps me glued to Cap Fax.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:41 pm:
Vote Simon.
“Because when the going gets tough, I get going.”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:41 pm:
- 47th Ward -,
You hit it on the head, too many here that have been too close to campaigns, and the critical eye is always watching, especially political moves like this.
You did Simon “a solid” in responding to all our posts, no surprise.
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 5:45 pm:
==Topinka was a journalism major so I don’t see the point.==
It’s just a cheap gotcha question from the media and reporter who thinks they are smarter and cuter than they are. Watch Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review to see how dumb a lot of the political reporters in Chicago actually are. They don’t basic things about the state constitution, committees, it’s terrible. Sheila Simon just should have avoided the question, but she answered honestly. I guess that counts for something.
==Here is what I dont get. How can anyone appear to be anything other than super political when the person who is holding the essentially non-partisan office you want is doing a darn good job. ESPECIALLY when what you claim to want to be, a “taxpayer watchdog”, is exactly what your opponent has been for the last two decades.==
My political views align more with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party, but I like JBT and have voted for her. I’m not really sure how Simon would be as a manager/chief executive of the comptroller’s office, but she seems just as nice as JBT. If issues arise that are substantive with differences, the voters will able to choose, that doesn’t hurt.
==The problem with Simon is that she is very entitled.==
So entitled she was a member of the Carbondale City Council and lost a race for mayor by a few hundred votes. If that’s not statewide political entitlement then I don’t know what is.
==Pretty sure Adam A. had a ton more people to watch him announce that he wasn’t running for anything.==
Yes, and I believe his announcement of the announcement asked men to wear jackets.
==I think the question about Accounting 101 made the point that she doesn’t even bring accounting to the office.==
Who cares, she can hire accountants.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 6:51 pm:
can almost hear the gears starting up in the Michael Sneed “I love Judy” machine. reason enough to support Sheila.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 6:56 pm:
- Amalia -,
Sneed was an enabler to Sheila as she was trying to be THE Nominee for AG, not just a Candidate.
Sneedless to say, Sheila Simon loves her some “Sneedlings” too.
- 1776 - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 7:18 pm:
TOAST. She won’t even get the chance to face JBT because she loses the primary. There are more D primary voters in Will County than about 50 downstate counties combined. Larry Walsh will play a huge role with Duffy. Sheila has nobody of any relevance helping her. It’s all about Cook and collars.
- soccermom - Wednesday, Jul 31, 13 @ 8:17 pm:
To be fair, it looks like her Carbondale announcement was a success.
- Amalia - Thursday, Aug 1, 13 @ 7:57 am:
@Oswego Willy, oh, yeah, right. Sneed is in JBT”s garage sale purse.
- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Aug 1, 13 @ 7:58 am:
==absurd things about her dad when he ran against the machine and won for everything but president==
Ummmm…except for 1972 when he got beat in the Guber primary.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 1, 13 @ 8:20 am:
- Amalia -,
Then Sneed must have popped out and typed up all the “Sheila Simon is this/close to running for AG”…
Yikes, search here for the Posts about the “Sneedlings”
“Me thinks you are denying …”