* I watched part of the new Godfather epic (arranged in chronological order with previously unseen scenes) on the teevee the other day with a friend of mine who now works for Gov. Rauner. And since Abe Vigoda passed away today, I thought I’d share this story.

Remember that scene when the young Vito Corleone is stalking the mobster Don Fanucci during the big carnival just before he kills the old man? Here’s a photo of Fanucci to refresh your memory…

I had a sudden revelation.

“Hey, I get it now. Don Fanucci is Madigan to you guys!”

He flatly denied it, but if you listen to the governor talk about Madigan’s alleged corruption, and you read the Dan Proft/Brendan Reilly exchange, and then listen to him throw me under the bus by falsely claiming I once worked for MJM, and any random Chicago Tribune editorial, and we may be onto something here.

* From Wikipedia…

Fanucci is a Black Hand extortionist in Little Italy. Fanucci demands protection money from neighborhood businesses. Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) witnesses Fanucci threatening to disfigure a young girl when her father refuses to pay him, and almost intervenes but is stopped by his friend, Genco Abbandando, who tells him who Fanucci really is. Vito also loses his job when Fanucci demands that Genco’s father provide employment for his nephew, Sandiago.

In the novel and in the chronological film version re-edited for TV (The Godfather Saga), Vito witnesses an attack on Fanucci by two youths of the neighborhood who are tired of Fanucci’s oppression over the neighborhood. Although Fanucci screams for help, nobody comes to his rescue and the attack ends only when the youths have robbed him, cut his throat, and run away. Vito knows from his own experiences that a real Don would probably be escorted by bodyguards, and that anybody who dared attack him would be dealt with severely and publicly. Vito begins to suspect that Fanucci’s power comes from the threat of force rather than force itself.

They’re the good guys, with a dark side.

OK, we already know they think of themselves this way. And we know that they despise Madigan. But check out the Tribune today…

Madigan’s chronic refusal to compromise — his devotion to politics rather than governance — has led to tragic service cuts for the state’s most vulnerable citizens. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois announced it would cut 750 positions and slash programs because the state owes it $6 million.

If they could just get rid of this guy like Corleone did to Fanucci, then all would be right in the world.

Except life isn’t a movie.

       

68 Comments - Jose - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:44 pm: No disrespect, but the victim card is becoming worn out. - The Captain - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:44 pm: RIP Tessio. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:46 pm: ===but the victim card=== Not playing the victim. Didn’t whine about it. Just used it as an example. - snark intended - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Except like him or love him, Madigan is probably a little more Michael Corleone than Fanucci. Didn’t end well for the Turk. If you aim for the king, don’t miss. Lesson to be learned by this amateur hour group. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Abe Vigoda finally died? My goodness. Never has one man been rumored to have died so many times. He made Generalisimo Francisco Franco look like a piker. RIP Fish. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:50 pm: Oh, and no way Jose. Rich wasn’t playing the victim card. Rauner declared war on the most knowledgeable journalist in Springfield. Not smart. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:52 pm: –Madigan’s chronic refusal to compromise — his devotion to politics rather than governance — has led to tragic service cuts for the state’s most vulnerable citizens. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois announced it would cut 750 positions and slash programs because the state owes it $6 million.– The chronic dissembling by this crew…. Look how ashamed they are of their support for the hostage strategy. They have to pretend the other guy is doing it. No preconditions for budget negotiations. No more hostages. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:54 pm: “Can’t do it, Sally” Pack a lunch, order take out for dinner, the chronological version with new scenes is that good. Take it in parts if you have to, but check it out. I won’t drop any spoilers… It ignores the nasty rumor of a Godfather III, so no need for me to ignore it anymore. To the Post, The rhetoric and “30 years of Madigan rule” blather, and the continuation of blaming the Office of the Speaker for duties of the Office of the Governor play into Madigan ruling over Rauner, when in fact they’re equal with very different roles. Rauner wants to defeat Madigan, the old Don. Vito wanted Don Fanucci gone. Both want a new order, a new way. It’s a great premise. - @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:54 pm: I admit I haven’t seen the films in years — which ruthless thug is the one who refused to pay Catholic Charities? – MrJM - Wow - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:55 pm: Rauner sees 13th ward precinct captain ghosts in every corner. - Annoni' - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:57 pm: But let us ask the QOTD —- there is no LSSI money because ________________ vetoed the approp bill and then big footed a vote to respite A. The SuperStar B. Team Bungle C. BVR D. All of the above - Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:57 pm: They do realize that if Madigan was suddenly out of the picture — for whatever reason — they *still* don’t have the votes. The Madigan meme — as long as it has been going on — is getting especially overplayed now. What, they think the Ds are just gonna roll over and vote for Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda? Like all that’s standing behind a victory is a single man? It’s not like Madigan is *governor*, after all. - Big Joe - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 1:59 pm: It’s a smart move. Tessio was always smarter. RIP. Abe - Shoe Searer - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:01 pm: ==I admit I haven’t seen the films in years — which ruthless thug is the one who refused to pay Catholic Charities?== Where is Honeybear with her basketball analogies today? There was one she didn’t reference. Airball. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:03 pm: ===If they could just get rid of this guy like Corleone did to Fanucci, then all would be right in the world.=== They wouldn’t know what to do. If Madigan resigned and went home or lost his seat, Rauner would be in the exact same place he is right now (if he is lucky). Best not go too hard against Madigan. Your reward won’t be what you think it will. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:03 pm: You gotta remember that Madigan, I mean err, Fanucci got a lot of buffers. Yeah that’s right, you might say that Fanucci got a lot of buffers. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:05 pm: The wiki entry is correct. The book clearly describes Vito’s realization that Fanucci is a phony, not the Black Hand pezzonovante he appears to be. It’s hard to see, though, how the Rauner crew could make the reach for an analogy with Madigan. Where do they get the idea that Madigan is not capable of playing real hardball, for keeps? Ask Gary LaPaille. Ask Neil Hartigan. Ask Rod Blagojevich. - Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:06 pm: The Tribune. What a joke. - AC - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:09 pm: MrJMs comment is the only one this thread needs. - Abe the Babe - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:13 pm: these superstars dont know what they dont know - Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:14 pm: The Tribune and all the other editorial boards forget that it was under Madigan that these social programs got funded. First they blame Madigan when government programs grow. Then they blame Madigan when government programs are blugeoned. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:15 pm: My admin just looked at me funny when I said Abe Vigoda was actually dead. Not sure he knows who Abe Vigoda was. AbeVigoda.com has updated his status, but it’s pretty slow. http://www.abevigoda.com/ - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:15 pm: I watched almost all seven hours of the Godfather Epic over the weekend. Nicely done. I thought the added scenes of Michael’s obsession with Fabrizio to be a distraction, and a diminishment of Michael’s character, so am glad those scenes didn’t make it into the original print. As for Don Fanucci, Rich’s observation is interesting. In the original, young Vito figures out Fanucci is a fraud when he agrees to accept less extortion money. Knowing then that he’d face no consequences, Vito killed Fanucci and rid the neighborhood of its biggest enemy. So if there is a parallel to Illinois politics, I’d submit that Rod Blagojevich was Don Fanucci and Madigan was young Vito Corleone. To me, that is a better analogy. - GraduatedCollegeStudent - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:17 pm: ===They wouldn’t know what to do. If Madigan resigned and went home or lost his seat, Rauner would be in the exact same place he is right now (if he is lucky). Best not go too hard against Madigan. Your reward won’t be what you think it will. === “Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just… do things” - Flannery Fan - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:17 pm: I must be reading this thread wrong because it sounds like this thread is about making up a movie analogy, pinning it on the Rauner crew, and then criticizing how the analogy that the Rauner crew didn’t make up does not accurately describe the situation, Madigan, etc. But I’m no film critic. - Wensicia - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:17 pm: The Tribune’s blind, obsequious Rauner Derangement Syndrome would be amusing if not for their ugly refusal to credit Rauner with any of the consequences of his “my way or the highway” Turnaround Agenda demands. ==his[Madigan’s] devotion to politics rather than governance== Hmm, governance…whose job description includes that term? - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:18 pm: –You gotta remember that Madigan, I mean err, Fanucci got a lot of buffers. Yeah that’s right, you might say that Fanucci got a lot of buffers.– Actually, the whole point of the thread is that Fanucci did not have buffers. He had no one. And how dare you besmirk the great Willy Cicci by claiming his remarks on Michael were describing Fanucci? Friendly advice, you’re really in the wrong place to get sloppy with your “Godfather” or “Goodfellas.” - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:20 pm: Rauner (Sollozzo) holds meeting w/ Madigan (Don Vito) at the Genco Olive Oil warehouse to discuss his turnaround agenda. Bruce “The Turk” doesn’t get the deal he wants so tries to take out the Don (and not with a state-wide media ad buy) and it doesn’t work. But he still has the backing of the Zells (Tattaglias) and Uihleins (Barzinis). - twinkle twinkle - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:21 pm: H Centers for Independent Living and social service agencies will be at the Capitol tomorrow. We aren’t coming to whine. We are coming to say end this budget impasse now. You are ripping apart valuable programs that serve this States most vulnerable populations. No whining just in your face facts. Put your egos aside and work together Governor Rauner and Speaker Madigan! This has to end no! Put on your big boy pants and pull up hard because people are suffering due to your lack of inaction and leadership. It is dispicable what is going on in our State. No whining just mad as double hockey sticks. Oh by the way I have devoted over 30 years of my life helping people with disabilities and I go home at the end of the day knowing I made a difference in someone’s life each and every day and it is wonderful feeling. Pass the budget and I bet you will get that warm wonderful feeling as well. Thanks for listening! - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:22 pm: - 47th Ward -, I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but what a discussion could be had with the new stuff. To the Post, The Tribune, with the premise that the Speaker is to “blame” for the veto of the budget and completely ignoring that Rauner’s blueprint needed revenue and Rauner has no budget to stave off what has happened just reinforces the paper’s editorial uselessness. Maybe Ms. McQueary and her colleagues on the Edit Board really don’t know how the Constitution here in Illinois works. I mean, if McQueary, for years and years covering the “State. House”, no way would she willfully ignore what she should have learned, right? - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:23 pm: Anonymous, that was good. Really good. - Abe the Babe - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:24 pm: @ Flannery fan Lighten up. Why dont you explain why the analogy doesnt work or go troll somewhere else. - Bulbous1 - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:24 pm: Let’s just hope there isn’t a “Sonny” character around the corner just itching to “go to the mattresses”. We can’t do business if we’re at war. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:25 pm: ===So if there is a parallel to Illinois politics, I’d submit that Rod Blagojevich was Don Fanucci and Madigan was young Vito Corleone. To me, that is a better analogy. === Perhaps, but it’s been my impression that the governor sees Madigan as a paper tiger, that his members will eventually see that he has nothing to offer. He’s essentially said this very thing many times. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:27 pm: ===Lighten up=== lol It’s a movie post. Just having a little fun. - Mr. Coppola - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:30 pm: “the governor sees Madigan as a paper tiger” For education purposes only: Burt Natarus = Paper Tiger Mike Madigan = Real Tiger The less they talk, the stronger they are… The analogy I see is Crassus versus Julius Caesar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Triumvirate Spoiler alert: Caesar comes out on top. Organization and skill beats money in the power game. - twinkle twinkle - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:30 pm: Centers for Independent Living and social service agencies will be at the Capitol tomorrow. We aren’t coming to whine. We are coming to say end this budget impasse now. You are ripping apart valuable programs that serve this States most vulnerable populations. No whining just in your face facts. Put your egos aside and work together Governor Rauner and Speaker Madigan! This has to end now! Put on your big boy pants and pull up hard because people are suffering due to your lack of inaction and leadership. It is dispicable what is going on in our State. No whining just mad as double hockey sticks. Oh by the way I have devoted over 30 years of my life helping people with disabilities and I go home at the end of the day knowing I made a difference in someone’s life each and every day and it is wonderful feeling. Pass the budget and I bet you will get that warm wonderful feeling as well. Thanks for listening! - Hey, That's Mine - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:31 pm: Menard Guy, if you really think innocent people never lose their property, please inform yourself by reading this WaPo series. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/collection/stop-and-seize-2/ - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:33 pm: ===It’s a movie post. Just having a little fun.=== So if it were Caddyshack, obviously Rauner would be Smails and Madigan would be Al Chervic. But would Cullerton be Danny or Ty Webb??? Lou Lang as Porterhouse???? James Meeks as Bishop Pickering???? Sandack as Spalding???? - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:35 pm: ===the governor sees Madigan as a paper tiger,=== Interesting. That explains some things. The history of modern Illinois politics is littered with the bodies of those who didn’t earn Madigan’s favor. Perhaps one day we’ll be adding Rauner’s political life to the list. “I never thought you were a bad Speaker. I thought Rauner was a bad Governor, rest in peace.” - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:37 pm: I really can’t stand “The Godfather” series - I much prefer “Goodfellas” or even “Donny Brasco” - but maybe the better line to paraphrase the Wikipedia entry is: Fanucci (Madigan) demands protection money (large campaign contributions) from neighborhood businesses (any large corporate entity or union). - twinkle twinkle - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:38 pm: PS I apologize if I didn’t follow your format with my post. Just felt the need to vent as I am very frustrated! - Boss Tweed - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:41 pm: “If Madigan resigned and went home or lost his seat, Rauner would be in the exact same place he is right now (if he is lucky).” Yup. You’re not going to find very many Dems who want to slap around unions, trial lawyers, and the Democratic Caucuses. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:46 pm: Rich, who would labor or AFSCME be? I really have not seen the movies and need to start watching. I should have watched them months ago when OW was constantly calling Rauner “Sonny”. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:47 pm: Honeybear - for the love of all that is holy, just watch your use of the word “cannoli”. That rhyme was an accident. I swear. - D.P.Gumby - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:48 pm: I’m inclined to think of Brucie as Tommy (Joe Pesci) in Goodfellas….he thinks he’s going to be a made man, but, because of what he’s done, he gets it in the end. - DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:49 pm: So Kenny Dunkin is Tessio? Remember tell Michael it was just business, I always liked him. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:51 pm: Wait what do you mean? I know that they give somebody a cannoli and it’s poison but I don’t know much more. I know not to “eat the cannoli”. What do you mean? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:51 pm: Rauner, as a Governor/Don is indeed “Sonny Corleone” Rauner, as a victim, refusing to see himself as a co-equal is indeed Sollozzo. Crazy, I know, that if Rauner woukd already see himself as the Don, he’s Sonny, lol - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:53 pm: - Honeybear - Google “Take the Gun, Leave the Cannoli” on YouTube. Easier that way… OW - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:54 pm: ===Kenny Dunkin is Tessio=== More like Carlo Rizzi. - Buzzie - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:55 pm: Effective leadership is a combination of perception and reality; you win the WARS (reality) and the collateral benefit is the positive perception of being a winner. Rauner’s mistake is he believes he is a leader because he won the election, but the fact is he has won no wars. Advantage Madigan. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 2:59 pm: Tessio was alway smarter. That leaves Dunkin out just on principle. Carlo Rizzi is spot on, however. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:05 pm: I just googled it but still don’t get it. Don’t bother guys. I’ll work on it. Maybe I’ll understand after watching the movies. Thanks for trying. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:07 pm: Is AFSCME the driver who gets whacked for the cannoli? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:07 pm: - Honeybear - I found the link right off… You indeed may need to see it in its full context. The line is … all time - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:10 pm: Cannoli is always cannoli… It’s simple existence and mundane need to not to forget the cannoli “after” has multiple meanings… - Original Rambler - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:14 pm: Still can’t figure out why Rauner leaves so many of Madigan’s lieutenants in the State. I mean, it’s not that hard to identify them. Look what Michael did to Tessio. - LBJ - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:16 pm: Madigan Emilio “The Wolf” Barzini . Like they said in the movie, “It was Barzini all along.” - Cook County Commoner - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:20 pm: If Madiganucci goes down, there would be another boss with a pinky ring to kiss serving the same constituency. The only way he sleeps with the fishes is when the folks who are forced to pay protection to his gang stand up and go to the polls and vote him and his good fellows out. - Anonymouth - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:31 pm: === Perhaps, but it’s been my impression that the governor sees Madigan as a paper tiger, that his members will eventually see that he has nothing to offer. He’s essentially said this very thing many times. === Wow. Don’t really understand why he would believe that. The fact that he does means that this “impasse” could go on much longer. - From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:31 pm: I couldn’t really follow this post. Even if Madigan went down, the Dems would still control the House and Senate. - Bill White - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:39 pm: snark on/ I’m sure Barbara Flynn Currie and Lou Lang would jump at the chance to embrace Bruce Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda is only they were released from the Speaker’s shackles. snark off/ - Abe the Babe - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:50 pm: They dont know what they dont know. Madigan going down would make things worse not better for them. They are banking on beating madigan into submission using public pressure because madigans approval ratings are so bad (a failed strategy anyways). But if Lang, BFC, or Nekritz replaced him, the public would not know who the heck they were. Hard to make a villain out of a complete unknown. - Ffc - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 3:53 pm: Bruce is Fredo, he’s trying to learn the casino business, the republican house & senate are Connie (just cashing in), Rahm is Mo Greene (know it all at the business) Edgar is hyman Roth (this is the business we have chosen) - walker - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 4:10 pm: On many issues, Madigan would be closer to Rauner than most of his Democratic caucus members. - Red Ranger - Tuesday, Jan 26, 16 @ 4:41 pm: Paper Tiger huh, interesting. Not only do an overwhelming majority of the Democrat members of the legislature owe their current position to Madigan, but also their “side” jobs too. Plus how many legislators have kids, nephews, friends, spouses with jobs because of Madigan. Im sure they will risk all of that to run to the new Republican Governor. Try not to get run over by the stampede. - Southside Markie - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:28 am: The Godfather, while a great work of fiction, is still fiction. The comparison to it is beneath this blog. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.