“Spare me the mea culpa”
Tuesday, Sep 25, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kristen McQueary read House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Tribune op-ed and some of his other recent press releases and wrote a reply. Her conclusion…
Even now, Democratic House candidates accepting help from Madigan and his political operation — its voter databases, staff, advice and money — have to give up control of their campaigns. His staffers can follow candidates through a phone app to make sure they’re going door-to-door. One House Democratic candidate told me Madigan’s aides wanted to observe her through a live feed while she was door-knocking, just to make sure she was on message. They also are not supposed to talk to the press or engage with the public, aside from porch steps.
See? When those of us who write about campaigns obsessively report the amount of money Madigan gives candidates, we miss the full picture. They want to say they’re independent of him, but they wind up subservient to his control. No wonder he’s a shoo-in for speaker every term.
There certainly are stories about the Illinois Republican Party also being accused of aggressive control-freakery. But I haven’t heard nearly as many complaints from that side as I have during my 20 years of covering Madigan’s office.
So spare me the mea culpa, the “woke” moment, the grasping press releases. Democratic women running under Madigan’s political umbrella have become adept at looking the other way. Any other elected official and party leader would be long gone. Instead, Madigan continues to be re-elected as party chair and House speaker.
Actually valuing women, their policy contributions and their diversity, is not really the goal of the Madigan program. Putting up female candidates in the suburbs because they poll well and have increased Madigan’s voting majority — that is the Madigan program.
- Stark - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 11:56 am:
So you mean to tell me the goal of a legislative leader has actually been to increase the majority of their party in the legislature this whole time? Incredible insight, what a take down by the Trib. /s
- Ole' Nelson - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 11:58 am:
Hey Kristen, remind us what Rauner told the Republican caucus the first time he met with them. Something about not wanting any #@*&’ing problems.
Would this be one of those stories?
- Lost In Chicago - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 11:59 am:
Don’t hate the player. Hate the game. But in this case, you can hate the player too, I guess.
- Groucho - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
And?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:01 pm:
===So spare me the mea culpa===
… says the columnist who wishes a hurricane destroy Chicago, had a rewrite of her own column be posted as the criticism mounted, some very pointed criticism from NOLA itself… and then she blamed, you guessed it, the readers reading her words “wrong”
I know @StatehouseChick…
“Forgive me, no forgiveness for thee”
Just keep tweeting, the satire of your thoughts there make you worth reading.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
Ok, fair enough Madigan’s money and his obsessive desire for control force house democrats to be subservient to his control.
Meanwhile, Bruce Rauner spends tens of millions and has lost control of much of his formerly subservient republicans.
Kristen McQueary, making the case that MJM is simply better than Rauner.
Well done Hurricane.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
===Putting up female candidates in the suburbs because they poll well and have increased Madigan’s voting majority — that is the Madigan program.===
That’s pretty insulting to these women. Wonder how they feel? Maybe somebody should ask them.
Maybe also ask female Democratic legislators if they’ve become “adept at looking the other way?” I’m sure you’d get some colorful replies, although possibly nothing the Tribune could print.
- Lt Guv - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
She’s become a bitter, raving loon with a platform to share it. So instead MJM should do nothing. Brilliant.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:07 pm:
Katrina knows that Democratic women can’t think for themselves or understand and act in their own interests. Lucky for them she’s there to set them straight.
- MOON - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:08 pm:
Madigan’s record of election wins speaks for its self.
It makes no difference whether you are a male or female….if you are not elected your “policy contributions and their diversity” are of little significance.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:10 pm:
You don’t beat that kind of methodical political control with a faux-Swedish, corporate junkman with an obsession over unions who won’t take the state’s highest elected office and use it for good, huh?
Rauner made Madigan look sane, and gutted what was left of ILGOP.
- Michael Westen - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:12 pm:
Maybe McQueary could wish for another hurricane. So mature, that one.
- DeseDemDose - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:13 pm:
Sounds like Speaker Madigan must know more about computers,cell phones,and emails than everybody thought.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:18 pm:
What McQuery neglects to mention is that MiniVAN, the app she is likely referring to, is used by tens of thousands of Democratic volunteers across America. It eliminates the time needed to manually put together walk packets and has seamless data entry. In other words, it’s extremely efficient. There are other apps used for paid canvassing that are similar. For all the whining about running things like a business, this is what a lot of businesses are doing now McQuery. Maybe try getting a job outside of failing company KM, and you might learn.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:19 pm:
===Maybe somebody should ask them===
Have you ever tried getting one of MJM’s candidates to speak on the record about anything? Unpossible.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:20 pm:
Kinda weird Katrina only exercises her long standin’ dislike of Madigan and basically forgets the other 75% of the GA. WOnder who she will promote when GovJunk finishes the Exit Interview Tour.
- Pointoforder - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:22 pm:
Comments above are revealing… show people incapable of rationalizing the #MeToo movement and Madigan’s contributions to creating a toxic enviornment in Illinois politics. People on both sides of the aisle are to blame, but know this: If he runs the show, he should be held to account for letting abuse continue under his nose.
- lakeside - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
“So spare me the mea culpa, the “woke” moment, the grasping press releases.”
Physician, heal thyself.
- Anon - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
You can criticize the author, but you can’t argue the facts. They don’t call them mushrooms for nothing.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
So says the partisan hack from Tronc. She helped the Tribune become the advocacy tabloid it now is. JB didn’t even show up for their “debate” and future candidates won’t either.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:37 pm:
===You can criticize the author, but you can’t argue…===
I’m gonna stop you there.
Here’s the situation.
You have a columnist who wrote something so awful, that a whole city outside of Chicago read her work as an affront.
This columnist didn’t ask for forgiveness, no.
“If you read it wrong” was her mantra… as it was rewritten.
Now… this same columnist decides to use the phrase… “spare me the mea culpa”?
You can’t have righteous indignation when you have a history of mistakes you don’t own.
That’s my… issue.
She’s a caricature of her own image she sees herself as… think about those levels is silly.
“So spare me the mea culpa”
Ok. That’s the take. Ok.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
It’s well known MJM demands 2 votes (Speaker, Rules) for his help. Don’t want MJM’s money, help and strings? Don’t take it; get elected on your own … if you can.
Simple fact … most people need the political organization’s help to get elected.
- Henry Francis - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:42 pm:
So after the Guv issues his ridiculously disingenuous mea culpa, and immediately demonstrates through his actions how disingenuous his phony baloney mea culpa was, Ms. Statehouse decided to attack MJM?
- Streatorville - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:42 pm:
Rich, can you publish a link to McQueary’s column admonishing Rep. Long, whom she endorsed in 2016 as a member of the Tribune editorial board?
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:46 pm:
I was thrilled to read this.
This is what defeat reads like
A petulant feckless whine
I read this and see
The haughty made humble
The privileged in need
The perfidious called to account
Whine away statehouse chick
Whine away
Baleful herald of workers victory
Whine till your heart’s mended
In the safe confines of your gated community
It is the sweetest music to me
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:49 pm:
=== One House Democratic candidate told me Madigan’s aides wanted to observe her through a live feed while she was door-knocking, just to make sure she was on message. ===
Seems like don’t talk to the press - atleast McQueary - was really good advice. One candidate made the mistake of talking to her, and McQueary uses the information to throw shade on every Democratic woman on the ballot.
There is a reason - a very good reason - that particularly first time candidates are advised not to talk to reporters. They are not good at it.
- Dupage Bard - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 12:52 pm:
Hey Rich question- can you put emoji responses for folks to click after an article?
I really just want to click the laughing emoji after reading this.
The Trib endorsed Rauner over Ives after she clearly won the debate. Yet they went with him anyway.
Their bias in favor of one man since 2013 is laughable.
- Ummmmmm - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:17 pm:
Not a mention of Nick Sauer or Jerry Long.
- Langhorne - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:25 pm:
I saw the title, and thought, Great. Rip into the Rauner redemption reset tour. Then I saw “KMcQ”. Ha. Silly me.
At least madigan actually apologized.
- James Knell - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:26 pm:
Increasing his party’s voting majority is important to Speaker. ? ?
- doofusguy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:30 pm:
gibberish like this is why i (just) quit following @StatehouseChick on the twitter machine
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
The Madigan hysteria will probably live on beyond Rauner’s time in office.
- TominChicago - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 1:59 pm:
So did Rauner “value” Christine Rodogno and her policy contributions when he threw her and the Grand Bargain under the bus? Funny how Hurricane Kristen never complains about that stuff.
- Flat Bed Ford - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 2:20 pm:
Madigoons out in full force today busy shooting the messenger all while ignoring the message. If you think Madigan has changed or evolved you’re nuts. He is only saying this because he has to. #chumps
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
===Madigoons out in full force today busy shooting the messenger all while ignoring the message.===
“Madigoons…”
Oh boy. Bet that felt good.
“…shooting the messenger all while ignoring the message.”
Nope.
Really a head-scratcher that someone who flat out refused to give a mea culpa, but wanted forgiveness on her own terms isn’t keen on others “mea culpas”
I didn’t defend Madigan or anything here like that.
The ridiculous irony that is @StatehouseChick is too delicious to ignore while she’s being glib…
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 2:57 pm:
Madigan apologized…
Rauner blamed…
That’s the end of the game…nuff said?
- Earnest - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 3:10 pm:
The Madigan stuff I can believe, but where she loses total credibility with me is when she implies that the DPI has the technological ability to utilize a phone app. /s
- Anon7 - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 3:21 pm:
Katrina is ridiculous in her characterization of . . . well, everything. Really a wonder she hasn’t left for IPI.
- A guy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
The women in the Democratic caucus willing to speak up to the Speaker?
One. One brave person I don’t agree with often but still admire for her sincerity. One.
They don’t speak on the record. Most are even too frightened to speak “off the record”. It’s not fulfilling, but it pays the bills. To good to give up for many. It’s a sad state. They’re told going in what they must do, and they do it. Sounded better than it turned out to be.
The #metoo line started at His door. We’ve had our creeps too. We’ve shook ours off. They embarrassed us. It’s not a lot to gloat about, but our side hasn’t institutionalized the ugly practices. His has.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 3:46 pm:
===but our side hasn’t institutionalized the ugly practices. His has.===
BS. This isn’t about one party or any party. It’s about people behaving badly and as long as your party has people, you’ll have these problems too.
- Liandro - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
But I thought these candidates wanted to represent their constituents, and sought open dialogue with those same constituents?
Huh, so shocked it doesn’t work that way. Culture is a tough thing to change, though. Very tough.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
–The #metoo line started at His door. We’ve had our creeps too. We’ve shook ours off. They embarrassed us.–
You really don’t follow the news much, do you?
- A guy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
Actually I do Sling.
- A guy - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
==BS. This isn’t about one party or any party==
It is about how a “Party” deals with it’s creeps. Wish there weren’t any. There are. A party can protect them. And, as we see that has happened. Let’s agree that both should do better. I’m very critical of this within mine.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
–Actually I do Sling.–
If so, you wouldn’t make preposterous claims that you’ve purified the ranks of members of the groups you choose to associate with, because it’s simply not possible for you to have the knowledge to do so.
Life experience should have taught you that.
- Blago's Hare - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 4:24 pm:
How do you say mea culpa in Italian?
- Credit - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 5:01 pm:
== The #metoo line started at His door. ==
That’s not really true. The #metoo movement in Illinois was started by a group of women who don’t spend much time in Springfield or work closely with Madigan’s people. They have very powerful and compelling stories of harasmenr and abuse at the hands of elected officials, lobbyists and colleagues. To claim #metoo started at his doorstep diminishes the importance of these women coming forward.
- Steve - Tuesday, Sep 25, 18 @ 6:06 pm:
The #MeToo movement isn’t going to topple Mike Madigan in Illinois no matter how they try. This is Illinois. That stuff will only work against Republicans in Illinois. Mike Madigan may have more power in January than he has today. So get used it.
- Rabid - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 7:12 am:
Spare me your magical thinking, passed off as twenty years of knowledgable insight
- Rabid - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 8:29 am:
Another one of Diana’s dames, WW4C