Mistakes happen
Wednesday, Jan 27, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oops…
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board is doing candidate endorsement interviews ahead of the March 15 primary elections. Reporters often attend to look for news. On Tuesday, the Democrats running for the nomination to try to succeed U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates were scheduled to appear.
Businessman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Villa Park Village President Deb Bullwinkel took their seats at the table, but state Sen. Michael Noland of Elgin didn’t attend. His campaign said it thought the gathering was later in the day.
“A campaign staffer misplaced the time of the meeting on the senator’s calendar and that staffer takes full responsibility for his mistake,” Noland campaign manager Nick Daggers said in a statement.
- JC - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 10:54 am:
Raja is hoping they also misplaced the date of the election
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 10:57 am:
Is this staffer doubling as finance director?
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 10:58 am:
Well, I don’t need that endorsement anyways.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:04 am:
Don’t blame the staffer. Geeze. that shows a lack of professionalism, even if it was his fault. Tell people there was a scheduling conflict.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:04 am:
Noland’s campaign manager has the name of a D.C. Comics villain. What a great name for a political staffer.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:08 am:
Been there, done that, tough break.
- DuPage Bard - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:09 am:
LOL eh? it’s just the Trib, only running in the suburbs……probably don’t need them anyway LOL ugh!
- All the king's men - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:11 am:
Someone please give Senator Noland and his staff a crash course in the use of Google calendar
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:19 am:
King’s - they can also hit up Justin Timberlake and figure out how to get NSYNC.
Drops mic.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:20 am:
Wait a second, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board meeting is not just an appointment on a politicians calendar. It’s a debate, and there are hours of prep time scheduled to prepare for it. Consultants are involved, policy staff work hours to prep the candidate, it’s a major, major event in any campaign.
Something isn’t right with this. There is no way this can be blamed on a staffer’s mistake, and if it really is the case, then it’s the campaign manager’s fault most of all.
Is it possible they wanted to skip it and needed an excuse?
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:20 am:
Unbelievable. That’s a huge confidence builder.
- The Donald - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:36 am:
Who does he think he is, Trump? Blow off the media and make himself the story.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:37 am:
Bad mistake. Don’t throw the poor staffer under the bus publicly. That is bad form.
- phocion - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 11:45 am:
Reflection of how his Congressional office would be run.
- Not it - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:01 pm:
Agreed, don’t blame the staffer. Staffers get paid next to nothing and their entire job is making you look good.
- The Historian - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:01 pm:
I’m 100% with 47th. In terms of smarts, I can’t see that match-up as even close to competitive.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:01 pm:
“It was at 10 AM? Yeah. Yeah, that does make more sense…”
– MrJM
- Betsy - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:25 pm:
#NolandWorksHarder (at trying not to get the largest newspaper’s endorsement)
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
What 360 Degree Turnaround said - everything pales to “the buck doesn’t stop here, it stops with a campaign aide.”
- NorthCenter - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
What would Nolands motive for not going be? I agree, it seems fishy but do they think that not showing up would save them the embarrassment of some crazy gaffe Noland might make? Or when Raja get’s the endorsement now they can say it’s only because Noland didn’t show up?
- Mike No-show-land - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:12 pm:
If you send Mike Noland to DC, will he even make the flight?
- Betsy - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:24 pm:
This reminds me of the 2002 gubernatorial debate on Chicago public TV when the debate started and Paul Vallas wasn’t there. They showed Blago, Burris and an empty chair. At least Vallas eventually showed up. He was just running late.
- IL08 Voter - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
What a gaffe, you can’t make this stuff up. Deb & Raja debated on the issues and Noland is nowhere to be found. His donors must be having a field day
- No Way - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
U GOT TO BE KIDDIN ME?!?! State Senator for years forgets about Tribune endorsement?!
- A Parent - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:47 pm:
Speaking from experience…this isn’t the first endorsement meeting Noland has missed and blamed on someone else.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 1:59 pm:
You think this was an accident…or does Noland know the Tribune will make him bad?
- What A Joke - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 2:48 pm:
enough said. There are some doubts in IL08 but I think we know who the real leader is in the pack. #NoGoNoland
- Robert the Bruce - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
===There is no way this can be blamed on a staffer’s mistake===
I agree with 47th. And most candidates can control their temper enough to avoid following up one unforced error (noshowing) with another one (blaming a low level staffer publicly rather than going with “I take full responsibility for the scheduling error.”)
- Mike Deserves to Lose - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 6:41 pm:
Reminds me of a time that he showed up 40 minutes late to talk to veterans in Elgin. Another event scheduled months in advance. The excuse: “I had to throw the first pitch at my daughter’s softball game.” The guy is a veteran himself. Oof.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 27, 16 @ 9:12 pm:
Senator Noland is a pretty conscientious guy in my experience. A staffer could’ve plugged it in for February instead of January or something like that. I know some candidates who would have thrown a staffer under a real bus for that type of simple, but huge error. Campaign staff are overworked, running on low sleep and usually eating a crap diet. Totally plausible. No pro pol casually blows off the Trib.
- Enough Said - Thursday, Jan 28, 16 @ 6:42 pm:
=No pro pol casually blows off the Trib=
No pro pol blows off the Trib…enough said