33 Comments - AC - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:14 am: If Madigan retired, who would folks have for a bad guy to use in campaign commercials with an ominous voiceover? - Crazy Horse - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:14 am: I think I’ll skip my taxes this year as well. When the IRS comes knocking I’ll just blame Madigan. I’m sure they’ll understand. /s - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:21 am: “C-” “Why?” It repeats that McCann is this “puppet” of Madigan, opening and closing with trying to tie McCann with Madigan instead of focusing in on the tax issues or other real Oppo research that could be more damaging and less polarizing, even in a GOP Primary. It might inflame GOP Union voters in that district, reminding them McCann is NOT with Rauner, and that might be the best thing for those voters. It’s a “C-” - Earnest - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:31 am: Though it has some impact, I’ve always thought that the (sometimes fairly) demonization of Mike Madigan was about building negatives with the Madigan name to innoculate against having Lisa Madigan as an opponent for the office of Governor. - Georg Sande - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:35 am: That’s gonna leave a mark! - 360 Degree Turnaround - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:36 am: Does anyone think Madigan even knows McCann? - arsenal - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:42 am: This will be a really good case study in money. ‘Cause there’s just no truth to the idea that McCann is a Madigoon. But can enough money make enough voters believe that? We’ll know soon enough. - The Dude Abides - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:43 am: I’ll give it a D. I know a lot of voters are tuned out but most are smart enough to know that a GOP Senator from Central Illinois isn’t going to be among Madigan’s favorite. It’s the kind of dirty, negative Ad that people are turned off by, actually. - Norseman - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:47 am: Proft forgot to put the notice at the end of the ad that you can get your Fire Madigan 2.0 stuff from Willy. - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:47 am: Nothing brings a bigger belly-laugh than Dan Proft accusing someone of being “sleazy” and “reckless.” There are two different audiences for this spot, and I think it works better for one than the other. For the primary voter audience, it’s a cookie-cutter Armageddon negative spot. You’ve seen the same style and heard the same ominous voice-over-guy a million times before. Just another trip to the well, not particularly inspired or memorable. It preaches to the choir; I have doubts that it moves the needle among the undecided. I think it’s a much more effective spot for the second intended audience, which is GOP GA members. The message is, if you buck the governor on even one vote, if you cast a meaningless vote for a measure that doesn’t even become law, this is what you can expect. That message comes through loud and clear. - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:50 am: I doubt anybody is worried about building Lisa Madigan’s negatives in that District - Come on man! - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:50 am: Spaghetti thrown at the wall to see what sticks. - Austin Blvd - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:52 am: Produced by the “We Think Voters are Dumb PAC” - Rufus - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:54 am: Well, it’s a negative ad. D+ or C- , what is McCann’s response to the accusations? - Earnest - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 9:58 am: >I think it’s a much more effective spot for the second intended audience, which is GOP GA members. The message is, if you buck the governor on even one vote, if you cast a meaningless vote for a measure that doesn’t even become law, this is what you can expect. Totally agree. I would hope the increased attention gives Senator McCan a bigger platform from which to try to Lead Republicans away from Raunerism. Do you want to be his puppet of make the state better and represent the people of your district? - Century Club - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 10:04 am: C Spent more time on Madigan than the charge about raising your taxes while he’s not paying his - which seems like an issue you can really sink someone on. Agree with Word on the fact the Armageddon tone just tells you to tune it out as an attack ad and the gratuitous Madigan references just reinforce that. - Expletivedeleted - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 10:15 am: I would be willing to defer to more experienced watchers of the political scene but here’s my takeaway after seeing this-and hearing it on the radio this morning: Mis-timed. An adequate hack-job of a generic attack ad for a general election. The voter who doesn’t know who Proft is, hasn’t heard the tax charge before, etc might be swayed. Your average primary voter who tends be a bit more aware… not so much. In fact, personally, I found the “sleazy” bit more than a little reprehensible. - Anon - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 10:25 am: Typical scorched earth Proft. B, as it might resonate with extremely frustrated, taxpayers, but doubtful. - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 10:36 am: As a counterpoint, Sam McCann has started running a good, mostly positive, ad about actually representing the citizens of his district. Saw it last night right after one of the attack ads. Sam came across as much more believable … - downstate commissoner - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 10:39 am: Doesn’t say who the opponent is. If I could vote in this particular race, the ads against McCann would lead me to vote for him. Bryce Benton is coming across as a total @$$****, without him saying a word. - Independent retired lawyer, journalist - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 11:04 am: The ad is sleazy, a D. Condescending, it smacks of desperation, of using Madigan cuz there’s nothing good to say about McCann’s opponent. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 11:29 am: Guess RNUG and I were watching the same channel last night. The McCann ad “Sam has your back” was a positive, graceful counterpoint to this nasty piece. - Neophyte - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 11:31 am: I am encouraging Dems to take a Republican ballot this primary and vote for Republicans in the primary against the Rauner shills Benton and Bourne - Stumpy's bunker - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 12:46 pm: Rauner’s problem: Can tons of weaponized money displace the sense of logic of the majority of an entire senate district’s GOPers? Call me a hopeless idealist (and most do not), but I’m trusting that won’t happen. - Stumpy's bunker - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 1:01 pm: The Republicans of the 50th Senate district have just been mislead and insulted by agenda-driven wealthy outsiders representing an out-of-touch, vindictive Bruce Rauner. - cdog - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 1:10 pm: Typical “dark money” ad. There was not a contingent of citizens who pooled their money to produce this. This is a great example of the Citizens United overturn argument. A normal citizens voice cannot be heard over SUCH LOUD NOISE as this ad is. Wordslinger has of course slung the big take away–YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED GOP. (You have been exceptionally precise in your arguments in recent days, Mr. Word.) I would love to see some MEDIA WRITERS analyzing the question–”Who is worse? McCann or Dunkin” (For what it’s worth…. hands down Dunkin. Dunkin is being manipulated by $500,000/Rauner and who knows what else. McCann listened to his constituents.) - Finally Out (and now very glad to be) - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 1:10 pm: Neophyte…for the first time in my life I will be doing just that. - Blue Dog - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 1:18 pm: D- When I first heard of the Ad from an angry friend, I thought it was more impactful. Now after it being on for 48hrs, all I hear people talking about is how sleazy Benton must be for willing to associate with such an ad.I think it’s a backfire. Count me in as watching TV the same time as RNUG. I saw the McCann response, and thought it was perfect. I’d be interested to see if Steve Brown has a quote on whether or not Sam McCann is “Madigan’s favorite State Senator”. - My New Handle - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 1:33 pm: If you are a Dem pulling a Repub ballot in the primary, where does that leave you if you are supporter of one of the presidential candidates at the top of the ticket? Clinton and Sanders may be very close in the race come mid-March. - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 2:02 pm: == If you are a Dem pulling a Repub ballot in the primary, where does that leave you if you are supporter of one of the presidential candidates at the top of the ticket? == Guess you will have to decide if national or local politics are more important to you. - wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 2:09 pm: –”Who is worse? McCann or Dunkin”– McCann cast a meaningless vote for a bill that failed. Dunkin is the key to the governor’s strategy. It doesn’t work without Dunkin. - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 3:08 pm: == McCann cast a meaningless vote for a bill that failed. == Meaningless - maybe. Or depending on how things shake up, the first small step in returning to individual legislators being independent Representing a goodly portion of his district - definitely. - btowntruth - Thursday, Feb 11, 16 @ 5:36 pm: D for the ad. Because all that has been in the media for years is how Madigan just adores Sam McCann (snark). But,like others have said,they sent a message to any GOP representative or senator who wants to oppose Gov.Corleone. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.