“A battle unlike anything else”
Monday, Feb 3, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, was elected to the Senate’s top job on Jan. 19. The election was preceded by two months of constant intrigue, horse-trading, betrayal and plenty of angry finger-pointing.
Along the way, egos were bruised, friendships and alliances were torn, and careers were damaged.
Harmon’s predecessor, John Cullerton, was the Senate president for 11 years before he abruptly announced his retirement in November. Michael Madigan became the Illinois House Speaker in 1983 and, except for two years after the 1994 national Republican landslide, he’s ruled his chamber ever since. He’s served with five different Senate presidents and is the longest-serving legislative leader in American history.
Madigan has chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 22 years after he took command from his former protege and chief of staff, Gary LaPaille. Madigan has been the Democratic committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward since 1969. He is, by many measures, the most successful politician in state history.
Madigan takes care of his House members similarly to how he would treat a family member, maybe better. Everything they need, from jobs to sports tickets to getting their relatives out of trouble, is done for them. He routinely raises more than $30 million every campaign cycle to keep his members in office and defeat Republican incumbents.
He has, in other words, made himself irreplaceable to his members.
But after watching the Senate Democrats slug it out among themselves, I started wondering what replacing Speaker Madigan might look like.
Go read the rest before commenting, please. Thanks.
- Rabid - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 7:05 am:
Madigan forget more than the next one will know
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 8:18 am:
Excellent view into Madigan. Didn’t realize just how important he is to his members and thought he’d be easier to replace. He seems like McConnell of the US Senate, someone who many people loathe but who understands raw power and knows how to use it.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 8:44 am:
To the post,
Probably 6 years ago, thinking “Mike Madigan“ would conjure up the invoking of Michael Corleone, as someone seemingly unbeatable, one step ahead, the head of a “family”, and a person who didn’t need to beat everyone, only his enemies.
Now, Madigan at his zenith of power, surviving and destroying Bruce Rauner, having his most seats in the House, his party never having its most success statewide, in both chambers, even congressional seats… but the cracks of mistakes, and truly not understanding his “day” and his ways are now obsolete, Madigan is now that person, probably confused by the world around him, “when did all this change”?
I write that as an observation having witnessed Madigan being chased on camera by a reporter, having a lawyer answer questions to process, reading emails about Himself, and helping one of their own… things unfathomable a decade ago.
Madigan isn’t Michael anymore, Madigan is more Paulie Cicero, who “will be” (if it does happen, I don’t know) taken down by those around him, because the simple times are now lost to the complexity of technology and brazen disregard.
You don’t feel bad for Paulie, nope. You realize Paulie trusted, was betrayed, but mostly betrayed by a time that has past. Paulie thought loyalty and his own era rules would save him. That’s the biggest mistake of them all.
The Raunerites left don’t realize how good this terrible time is for them. At their weakest ever, Madigan leaving the stage will show them far more lacking than they realize.
These Raunerites have so little to sell, Madigan’s large shadow will leave Democrats scrambling, but the sunshine after that shadow leaves, it will expose Raunerites as the party nothing, Don Quixotes whose mirrors show a very harsh reality they’ve denied about themselves.
Madigan is “bigger” than the vacuum he will leave in one party, Madigan will change both parties, with one seeing new beginnings, the other realizing it’s windmills were never real at all. Illinois will change, it will never be the same.
- Whatever - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 8:47 am:
That Steve Buscemi movie about the transition after Stalin comes to mind. (Not sure the title would allow this to be posted.)
- Wow - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 9:02 am:
Unlike President Cullerton, I don’t believe Mr Speaker will hang around and watch the replacement show.. he will quietly walk out of room 300 one day, and never look back.
- Bourbon Street - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 9:08 am:
==what replacing Speaker Madigan might look like==
Ever see “Gladiator” with Russell Crowe? Picture the battle scenes in the Roman Colosseum and then multiply by 10.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 9:47 am:
The most successful politician in Illinois history is like Paulie Cicero but the problem with Illinois government is Raunerites?
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 9:49 am:
Madigan strikes me as the ultimate pragmatist. His goal is to get and keep power. I cannot name a burning issue that channels his power. He has facilitated major changes such as gay marriage. But I cannot name an issue where he has led. Others may be able to do so.
Madigan has practiced the policy of the big tent. When he leaves the Democrats may adopt the purity politics that has so harmed the Republicans.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 10:43 am:
“Après nous, le déluge”
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 10:44 am:
If I had to describe MJM with one word, it would be pragmatic. He rarely leads but he has no problem pushing in what seems to be the tide of history at the time or for what he believes is best for Illinois.
While you never know what will happen, I can’t see him going cold turkey on politics. I can see him anointing a successor, but I’m not going to go out on a limb naming one. I’m going to guess any fisticuffs will be mostly kept in the back room.
My guess is he pushes through the remap and the graduated income tax, then steps down as Speaker but retains Democrat party control for a couple of years just to make sure the transition goes as he wishes.
- Huh? - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 10:47 am:
“Après nous, le déluge”
Something about building an ark and counting animals 2 by 2.
- bogey Golfer - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:02 am:
Agree with those you say WHEN Madigan leaves he will not be in the background to guide his predecessor. He will take his power and secrecy to his grave.
- Pragmatist - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:04 am:
“Madigan has practiced the policy of the big tent. When he leaves the Democrats may adopt the purity politics that has so harmed the Republicans.”
This is a poignant statement, but I’d argue that it’s already happening within the confines of the Democratic tent we have. A purity test exists and it’s loudest from the Bernie-ites. Most of us live in the center and compromise from there. Those on the fringes of both parties really don’t understand that further seek to indoctrinate weak minds into their hateful ideologies. It’s a symptom of the times and it’s something I really hope we can get away from.
- Levois J - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:23 am:
We probably should never know his secrets, but his time in power should be studied. Whoever tries to wield his power Madigan’s way probably won’t be very successful. However how he’s able to take care of his caucus should be studied and even replicated.
- ZC - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:26 am:
For me the question is will any successor be able to keep the Democratic Party of IL infrastructure alive and formidable, once Madigan leaves.
It’s quite rare these days, to have a state party structure as strong as DPI - if there was a state party Superbowl, maybe we’d play Nevada - but the question is, will the Minions outlast Madigan.
- low level - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:29 am:
IMHO, the next Speaker should be a woman. Someone who can raise a decent amount of money. Someone who can unite all factions of the Dem caucus.
Ann Williams fits all those very well.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:59 am:
Not that Madigan is known for sharing power, but I think it’s helpful to look at the example of Nancy Pelosi on the national level. One of the complaints against her being Speaker again was that she didn’t let other people do fundraising, etc. But as she pointed out, back in the 90s when she was looking to move into leadership, the old boys club didn’t let her do that either. She just did it herself. She worked hard and developed her own sources and networks (helped by her past as a Democratic fundraiser).
Up and coming House Democrats who want to be the Speaker need to work on raising their own money, developing people to help with petitions, knocking, etc. Are some of the institutional sources going to be a little less generous because they’re allied with Madigan? Yes. But if you want the top job, you can’t wait around. And acting to position yourself as a successor is a lot different than acting to position yourself as a usurper. You’ve got to start building the networks and doing the work so that you can demonstrate to your colleagues that you are ready to step in on day one. Will it be the same? No. You can’t replace the experience of Madigan, but you can put in someone who is competent and dedicated.
- Loop Lady - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 11:59 am:
It is very difficult to imagine the Legislature without him…
Love him or despise him, he keeps the caucus from consuming themselves, and knows where the bodies are buried, for lack of another another way to state it…
- frustrated GOP - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 1:05 pm:
There was a quote from the TV show Dallas “Real Power isn’t something given to you, its something you take.” Perhaps the Speaker is waiting for the right representative to show that they can do that. None of this is going to be pretty. Rich great column. Any political person in the State is waiting for and dreading the day this comes because it will change everything we know in State politics and that is a scary thing.
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 1:17 pm:
==We probably should never know his secrets, but his time in power should be studied. Whoever tries to wield his power Madigan’s way probably won’t be very successful. ==
This. 50 years. In the annals of IL politics what made him so unique and untouchable? Have to believe its a combination of fear and respect. But when and where and how those two intersected so forcefully would be very interesting to explore and better understand.
- FHAnalyst - Monday, Feb 3, 20 @ 6:24 pm:
No pundit pays attention to MJM’s work ethic, his habits/routines. He spends the time reviewing all matters, including each bill and its legislative and organizational sponsor, as well as the proponents/opponents. Very little escapes his attention, which enables him to provide the necessary guidance/positions on issues. Those connected to the Legislature and Legislative politics are keenly aware that his “power” is the information that he has carefully absorbed and weighed in the development of winning strategies.