47 Comments - Publius - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 5:42 am: A representative is to represent the people of their district, not just the political party they align with. The speaker, I believe unfoundedly, has become the center of the GOP campaign this season. They refuse to discuss issues and explain how the governor’s plan to cut wages of construction workers, state employees and retirees is going to make everyday Illinoisans lives better. To the post, Let’s take the speaker off the table and discuss the governor’s agenda and why it is bad for us. It is sad that your post is not about the issues. - blue dog dem - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 6:03 am: Pub. The plight of Illinois is the issue. MJM has his fingerprints all over this mess. He becomes a campaign issue whether you like or not. Maybe changes in leadership will help. - Rabid - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 6:17 am: Because no one has been elected yet, you can’t vote for the speaker now. We’re you better off before with Madigan or you better off now with Rauner - Publius - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 6:29 am: Vendors were paid before Rauner - Publius - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 6:33 am: Jimenez went negative on TV that poll must be right or worse for her. Guess she can’t win on issues so she has to try and tie DelGiorno to madigan while she is so connected to Rauner Deflect and accuse - Publius - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 6:55 am: Just saw Jimenez “positive” commercial. Curious about the tag line at the end “Let’s replace the status quo with what works”. Isn’t she the status quo ? the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues. She is the current representative right? - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:26 am: Doing the “back of the envelope” math… And pretending for the “moment” it’s remotely true… Being down 5 and at 38%, that puts Jimenez at 43%, so… Sara - 43 Tony - 38 Undecided - 19%?… Tony down 5, while chasing 19 points? Yeah, ok, but no help from MJM, and how will Labor turnout be controlled? Can Tony identify and actually “get” enough of a surge to get to 50% + 1? Still think Jimenez should win, and will probably pull it the race out, far closer than she may want, but it’s within the realm of DelGiorno’s “possible”. Is it the right move to more than distance himself from Madigan, monetarily and a Speakership vote? Big gamble, given the resources that are yet to be unleashed, but Jimenez is below 50% too… so… it could come down to owning and voting your pluses… and that might be where DelGiorno may fail in the end? - Mal - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:46 am: In the same candidate forum Avery Bourne indicated she will vote for Trump. Jiminez said she will decide Nov 8 because because she was scared to say Trump. - Big Muddy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:46 am: Do I believe him? No, I do not. If elected he will have three choices on his very first day. One, vote for Madigan-his party’s guy. Two, vote for Durkin-the other party’s guy. Or three, obtain. He will be voting for his party’s guy and no one will even notice his campaign lie… - MOON - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:52 am: Desperate people say and do desperate things. - Magic carpet ride - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:54 am: We have doubts on who are what Tony will vote..but we know exactly how Sara will vote on every vote. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 7:57 am: ===we know exactly how Sara will vote on every vote.=== Raunerite and not her district… when it “matters” “Vote Accordingly” - Mal - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:03 am: The bigger problem right now is not Madigan. Rauner is by far the biggest problem in that branch of government. - hot chocolate - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:08 am: He’s finished. Watch the money and staff start rolling out if he doesn’t recant. Madigan does not tolerate public defection. - Magic carpet ride - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:20 am: Labor showed they can fight back in March-Dunkin and Senator Sam. I just hope labor has the “juice” to succeed again..this is a big labor battle. - Logan Square Hipster - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:21 am: Remember when Will Guzzardi said he wasn’t sure if he would vote for Madigan for Speaker? LOL. No way DelGiorno doesn’t vote for Madigan if elected. - The Muse - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:22 am: 19% undecideds would be a very bad thing for someone who is a known incumbent since most research shows about 2/3 of undecideds tend to break against the incumbent. However, seeing as this Rep. Jimenez’s first election, and she’s not the one with a cash flow problem, I think she wins it. - A guy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:22 am: === I have no intention to… at this point in time,” The second half of that appeals greatly to the most cynical voters out there. This cycle, that’s “all of them”. - AC - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:23 am: I was there, his response seemed genuine and believable with the caveat that it would need to be someone who didn’t support the Governor’s middle class damaging agenda. - amalia - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:34 am: is this a joke? no, I don’t believe him. however, I do talk to people in lots of legislative districts, including Dems and Madigan is a hot topic. and not a popular one. - Team Sleep - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:37 am: That may be in the realm of possibility. To date Speaker Madigan and his committees have given little-to-nothing to Tony D’s efforts. He reminds me of a nicer, more competent Mike Smiddy. But what happens if he actually gets elected and then has to endure the month or so in between election day and the Speaker commitment? There is a lot of arm twisting that will go on between now and then. Mal - who cares who Avery Bourne and Sara Jimenez vote for for president? What does it matter? How does a private action impact you? Is it any of your business? - Fusion - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:39 am: **Places tinfoil hat firmly on head.** MJM said this to Tony DelGiorno: “Hey Tony. It’s Mike. I got an idea for that candidate forum thingy that no one cares about. Tell them you have no intention to vote for me for Speaker. They’ll love it! They’ll eat it up with a spoon! OK, kid, take care. Once you’re elected, Mapes will tell you where to sit. Later.” - Mal - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:48 am: Team Sleep who cares who Avery Bourne and Sara Jimenez vote for for president? What does it matter? How does a private action impact you? Is it any of your business? I could care less who they vote for but they offered to share it to the general public. Who you vote for tells a lot about someones character. To me both reps are bought and paid for with no backbone. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 8:52 am: That’s more independence than Jack Franks ever showed. - Northsider - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:03 am: “If you want an answer to the question ‘will I vote for Speaker Madigan?’ I have no intention to at this point in time,” DelGiorno said. Nice out he gave himself there, isn’t it? - Deft Wing - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:04 am: –”I have no intention of voting for Madigan as Speaker … at THIS (exact) time.” – Those words, or words to that effect, have been spoken by many House Dems. My guess is all in contested races are saying this quietly at voters’ door-steps now. With the exceptions of Currie, Lang, Feigenholtz, Booth, Turner, Riley and maybe three or four others, remaining House Dems quietly engage in sophistry with their constitutents on this touchy topic. In fact, occasionally a few have mistakenly said it out loud (see the not-so-deft Anna Moeller, for example). Madigan is the least popular/liked politician in Illinois, by a long-shot. Expect more of the anti-Madigan media hits long after Nov. 8. After all, it’s just politics and the 2018 election is the real fight (we are experiencing the undercard battle presently). - A guy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:06 am: ===That’s more independence than Jack Franks ever showed.=== Um, No. It isn’t. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:07 am: ‘Nember that ridiculous letter about working together and AFSCME, and Rauner… and Bourne and Jimenez voted against AFSCME, large numbers of constituents they represent and just voted as Rauner required them? That letter… “Nice out they gave themselves there, isn’t it?” … Perspectives - Deft Wing - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:16 am: To the subject of the post, speaking of relevant perspectives, a vote for any House Dem is, effectively, a vote for Mike Madigan as Speaker. #Fact - Team Sleep - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:18 am: Mal - it is a private decision and is none of our business. Mike Mathis’s entire efforts are bought and paid for by MJM and the DPI and his staffers are Madigan folks. As noted yesterday by me and others all of these races are proxy wars. - Jack Kemp - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:21 am: Let’s bring out the laugh meter and see how high it goes on this one. And give Jim Leach an Academy Award. DelGiorino has told both Leach, and fellow WMAY host Greg Bishop, that he “admires Speaker Madigan’s leadership in standing up for the middle class,” and that “nobody should run against Speaker Madigan,” respectively. Last night Leach apparently forgot. This morning Bishop apparently forgot. On second thought, I imagine the laugh meter wouldn’t go all that high because this is a bad joke. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:21 am: Both the “Raunerites” and the Democrats can put up names for Speaker. If you’re a Dem, you don’t want to vote for Madigan, voting for a Raunerite controlled House… What Dem is going to vote for Rauner controlling the chamber? And since we’re all talking about “fact”… Look at the roll calls for SSM and Conceal-Carry and then look at the failed overrides of Rauner vetoes… and ask yourself… which Caucus, when it matters to members voting their districts or their beliefs… which Csucus has more autonomy? “Fire Madigan” isn’t a political philosophy, it’s a rally cry. - Deft Wing - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:32 am: Again, to the post, despite the “Republican’s” arguments for continuing with the mess Madigan’s made over 40 plus years: A vote for ANY House Dem is effectively a vote for Mike Madigan as Speaker, who is the least liked politician & who just happens to be the longest “serving” politician/Speaker in Illinois (where most of the citizens want to exit because of the political mess). #Facts - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:39 am: Until Bruce Rauner gets 60 Raunerites in the House, Madigan isn’t going anywhere. Also, why NOT address the autonomy - Deft Wing -? What the fear there? All those Madigan - Speaker votes, and yet, look at those two roll calls… Then look at the Raunerites… … voting against state universities … voting against Labor … voting against Social Services… while some Raunerite members are “Champions, award winners” for social service groups… still vote against those services. … voting against K-12 funding, as Rauner required… Rauner signs it. LOL! They voted against funding K-12 schools… ’cause they were told to do so. You keep ignoring “facts”… while your rally cry is literally hurting people. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:40 am: - Deft Wing - Making it about me, that’s not an argument. - Mal - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:41 am: Team Sleep - Mal - it is a private decision and is none of our business. Mike Mathis’s entire efforts are bought and paid for by MJM and the DPI and his staffers are Madigan folks. As noted yesterday by me and others all of these races are proxy wars. Its a private decision that they chose to make public. You keep bringing up Madigan, but Rauner is the one pumping millions into elections to buy candidates. Mathis might have some help from Madigan, but Bourne and Jiminez are fully controlled by Rauner. If it comes down to voting their district or Rauner they will always choose Rauner, but hey according to you Madigan is the bigger issue. Oh ok - lake county democrat - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:52 am: In Congress, LBJ used to let Dems go off the reservation all the time, unless he needed them. If Madigan feels a meaningless abstention helps to hide the puppet strings, Madigan will permit it. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 9:59 am: Isn’t being a leader about making sure you get 60 when you need it? So being a leader, getting 60, makes someone the “Controlling Influence of all!!!” It’s like the idea of governing… now… is “accidentally” being rolled into “because Madigan”… because the actual work to get passable roll calls isn’t the job of any chamber leaders? Heck, if another branch continues to control voting switches, and has no desire to get 60, and is willing to veto anything unless an agenda is passed, how is THAT “better” than what others want stopped? The ridiculousness knows no bounds? - Publius - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 10:20 am: There is only one way you will know if he is telling you the truth vote for him. At. His worst he would be better than a Rauner puppet - Tombstone Pizza - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 10:27 am: “I have no intentions at this point in time”. What about the point in time right before and right after you said that? - Handle Bar Mustache - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 10:46 am: Good move by Tony D. He should keep his word. More rank-and-file Dems should distance themselves from Madigan. - Madigan's Lapdog - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 10:52 am: Ummm Mr. DelGiorno, you and I need to have a chat. You see, there are just some realities you cannot escape. As Bobby once wrote, “..it may be the devil or it may be the lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody”. - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 11:28 am: This point in time is all well and good. How about a point in time in January where he has no party opposition and is giving you the death stare? That’s the only point in time that matters. - S-Town - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 11:42 am: People should be less worried about the Speaker Tony says he doesn’t intend to support, and more focused on the union constituents who he said he WILL support. And binding arbitration is a good way to make the governor actually offer a realistic proposal - which he has yet to do. And that is what Sara won’t take the tough stand for, her friends and neighbors whose paycheck are on the line. Wake up people. - Team Sleep - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 12:48 pm: My most recent comment never posted so I will try to paraphrase as best as I can. I believe Speaker Madigan is much worse. Mathis is a wholly owned subsidiary of MJM and DPI. There is not doubt about that. His ads and mailers are all paid for by DPI, and his staffers are paid for by DPI. Mathis does not just have “some help” - everything is coming from Madigan and there are no questions about that point. As noted many times before this is a proxy war to the Nth degree. - Whatever - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 2:43 pm: I don’t believe him. Anyway, the better “undecided” answer would be, “It depends on who else is running for Speaker.” - NorthsideNoMore - Friday, Oct 14, 16 @ 4:01 pm: LOL I am visualizing him in his first meeting with the Speaker ,,,It will be a Darth Vader like moment ,,,jJoin me and we can rule together !” Will he have Lukes power to resist ? Stay tuned till January when its time to push the green button, Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.