39 Comments - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:14 pm: 7/2 he runs… 12/1 he doesn’t. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:17 pm: I wouldn’t bet against you, OW. - Anon312 - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:18 pm: He’s running. No doubt. Why tease an announcement if not to build suspense? - NIU Grad - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:19 pm: I can’t imagine the Dems want another open race on their hands, but then again that is the only one they would need to find a non-incumbent for. My thought if he’s saving the announcement for that kind of event, it’ll be to run. - Chicago CPA - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:20 pm: Did he change his mind? He announced that he wouldn’t run back in 2015. http://abc7chicago.com/news/jesse-white-says-he-will-not-seek-re-election/950036/ - Sic semper tyrannis - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:24 pm: Bet the farm, he’s running again. - winners and losers - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:27 pm: He is now 83. He would be 88 at the end of his next term. - Stumpy's bunker - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:28 pm: His “campaign” is bringing the Tumblers out on Daley Plaza once a year. Not a criticism….every elected official’s dream. He cuts the ribbons…gives the 30-second speeches. No buttons, bumper stickers, radio or TeeVee to buy. Even if, as “they” say, his whole operation runs out of the 43rd Ward in Chicago, who cares? It runs well. - Michael Westen - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:30 pm: He’s running. - How Ironic - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:32 pm: He’ll run again. As I predicted back in 2009 with a ‘question of the day’: https://capitolfax.com/2009/07/22/question-of-the-day-783/ - Karl Rove - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:33 pm: An opening for Josh Griffin? - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:34 pm: He just got broken in. Run Jesse Run - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:37 pm: He can rehire Candace Wanzo. Oh wait, she’s still on payroll - Mama - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:42 pm: I heard he has some kind of health issue. To run or not to run will depend on his health. 50/50 - We'll See - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:42 pm: I once heard a long serving Cook Co County Sheriff (now retired) say he’d like to retire but too many people relied on him for jobs. SOS may be feeling the same way. - Sideline Watcher - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:47 pm: Secretary White, I say this with extremely high regard. You are a fabulous public servant. One we can all be proud of. But its time. Go out on a high note. Protect your legacy. It’s time. You’ll be revered forever. Politics is a mean arena when you don’t know when to go. - TopHatMonocle - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 3:52 pm: Considering he already said he wasn’t running again last year, I assume this an announcement of something saying otherwise. He’s definitely running again. He’ll of course win easily and will retire soon after the election as long as the Dem gov candidate wins. - scott aster - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:19 pm: Jesse is a wonderful man and has done wonders for kids in Chicago over the many years that I have known him. He should retire and use his energy for the kids. Why not the SOS is run just ahead of the horse and buggy…..it should all be on the Internet period. - Fredo Corleone - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:30 pm: He does his job, doesn’t speak just to hear his own voice and helps kids. Let him do whatever he wants. - illini - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:40 pm: I would never make or take odds about Jesse. I understand that age ( hopefully not health ) may be a consideration, but personally I am hoping he will run. And if he does run - he wins again. And Illinois will be the better for it. - Been There=== - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:41 pm: ===He is now 83. He would be 88 at the end of his next term.=== I’m 59 and Jesse could kick my behind. And he stil is as sharp as a knife. That being said I think he runs but I would say 50/50 he serves out the term. - TominChicago - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:42 pm: He’s running because he gets votes and Madigan wants those votes. - Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:48 pm: As much as Jesse has been a real friend to many of us here, I’m kind of hoping he decides it’s time to retire. He’s certainly earned the right to enjoy his time, and he’d leave office with the respect and admiration of everyone (except maybe Sharon Sharp). - titan - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:49 pm: My bet would be he’s running. I’d give good odds on it. He appears to be in great shape, and it isn’t like he has to present at the office 37.5 hours each week, 50 weeks a year. - Downstate - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 4:53 pm: Ran into Jesse, out of state, last fall. Spent about 45 minutes with him. Wow! Sharp mind and in great shape. He appears to be about 20 years younger than his biological age. I think he’s running. Not from anything he said, but rather, he has too much energy to not be in the game. - Jay R. Powers, III - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 5:19 pm: Former Cubs player, former Chicago public school teacher (a thankless job…no, really, try it), former 101st Airborne in the Army, marched with Dr. M.L. King, former IL state rep., former Cook Co. Recorder of Deeds, and current Secretary of State who puts in countless hours…the Teflon King wins because he bleeds red, white and blue for this state. Don’t start me on employee corruption. You know it happens in business or government. Stealing a roll of tape is the same as stealing money. Stealing is stealing. So, who’s casting the first stone? Let the courts sort out the alleged Candace Wanzo issue (not guilty nor charged, yet, folks) and let’s get back to electing positive, ethical, passionate Illinoisians no matter what side of the aisle they are on. #MakeWorkingInPoliticsCOOLAgain - Tequila Mockingbird - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 5:21 pm: He will run and win then appoint a successor within 1 year. Successor has an advantage going into special election, dems keep the office without shedding much political blood or money. - Inspector Gadget - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 5:25 pm: Running to keep the seat away from Bruce and his friends from IPI. If a Dem beats Rauner he steps down and names his own replacement. If I am right that means Mendoza stays put and just watch how much $$$$ Bruce puts up to knock her out. - JoeMaddon - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 6:14 pm: He’s running. There’s a reason no Dems are lining up for the seat. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 6:30 pm: I think he runs. He’s good at this. Probably can’t go back to baseball. Batted .291 over seven years in the minors and never got a big league call up. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=white-001jes - DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 6:48 pm: He was on the plaza in front of JRTC today with his tumblers. I didn’t see him take a token somersault like he did even a couple of years ago. But he was actively coaching the young kids and looked to be in pretty good shape. I think he will run but wish he wouldn’t. Time to let someone else have that job. - Not It - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 7:11 pm: Madigan will ask him to run again, and when a Demoxrat wins the Governors race White will suddenly realize he is too old to serve, and will resign. Then during the lame duck Madigan/Cullerton will change the vacancy/appointment law that they passed to help Mendoza, and will hold the bill until after the new Governor is sworn in. That is the Illinois way of doing things. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 7:20 pm: –Madigan will ask him to run again, and when a Demoxrat wins the Governors race White will suddenly realize he is too old to serve, and will resign. Then during the lame duck Madigan/Cullerton will change the vacancy/appointment law that they passed to help Mendoza, and will hold the bill until after the new Governor is sworn in.– What’s the status of the 16-year every-action-is-to-make-Lisa-governor conspiracy? Haven’t heard much on that lately. - Mr B. - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 7:23 pm: I met him, liked him. Funny guy, totally cracked me up. I guess he beats Madigan in age, doesn’t he? - Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 7:24 pm: He’ll run. What would you rather do: announce something that’ll make everyone in the room stand up and cheer, or announce something that’ll make half the people in the room run out into the hallway to call their campaign managers? ==Then during the lame duck Madigan/Cullerton will change the vacancy/appointment law that they passed to help Mendoza, and will hold the bill until after the new Governor is sworn in.== Nah. GoverDem will appoint someone and Presidential-year turnout will protect them. - Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Aug 1, 17 @ 8:00 pm: Sorry. Since he didnt take my recommendation to make an optional two or three year sticker. Good riddance. - Sheesh Hecuka Cupajava - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 7:47 am: Honestly, I do not see the obsession around this guy. Botched Real ID and then turned around and issued everyone new license plates at a time in which we had no state budget. - Spliff - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 8:21 am: Please no - retired guy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 8:50 am: I think Tequilia Mockingbird has it right. He’ll run, win and then wait about a year for a smooth dem transition til’ the next election. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.