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Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve been thinking lately that Barack Obama’s popularity in this state is just one reason that Illinois Republicans should be worried next Tuesday.

I’ve also been wondering whether the John McCain campaign’s attacks on Obama - be it the recent stuff about “socialism” or “communism” or the claim that he “pals around with terrorists,” or whatever - may be hurting the Republicans as well. Over 70 percent of Illinoisans voted for Obama in the US Senate race, after all, and most still have a very high opinion of him. And, yes, I know Obama was running against an out-of-state Martian. But voting for someone, regardless of his/her opponent, is a serious act of support.

* The Question: Do you think my latest thinking is accurate? Explain why or why not, please.

And, remember, DC talking points will be deleted. Use your brain, not someone else’s.

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Campaign roundup: Why we are what we are; Roskam and Obama; PJ-S strikes again; Early voting

Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Nate Silver has a “big picture” analysis of Illinois that seems just about right…

If the suburban Chicago vote is split roughly evenly between the two parties, then two things are guaranteed to happen. One, it will be a hotbed for Congressional races, as it is again this year.

But two, it allows the Chicago city vote to swamp the downstate, rural vote. The city proper has no more people than downstate — actually, slightly fewer — but when it goes for the Democrat by 50 or 60 points, and downstate goes for the Republican by 15 or 25 points, that gives the Democrat an insurmountable advantage.

He also has our vital stats in a nifty graph, which you can find at this link.

* Now, onto some congressional races. The Sun-Times offers up an explanation for why Republican Congresscritter Peter Roskam has created a pro-Obama website…

Freshman Rep. Peter Roskam — who supports Republican John McCain over Obama — has launched ObamaVotersForRoskam.com. […]

Roskam’s spokesman said the Web site was appropriate because 30 percent of Roskam supporters are voting for Obama.

* There’s more to it than that…

Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, is putting out an urgent appeal for last-minute contributions, noting Mr. Obama’s 14-point lead in his west suburban district.

* Roll-Call…

Republicans still worry privately that the freshman star could be collateral damage to an Obama wave.

* The Obama campaign responds…

“While we’re pleased that Barack Obama continues to attract support from across party lines … he believes Congressman Roskam would continue President Bush’s failed policies and is supporting Jill Morgenthaler for Congress,” said Obama spokesman Justin DeJong. […]

The Obama quote says, “First of all, I am a member of the mutual admiration society with Senator Roskam. He is always terrific.” […]

After praising Roskam - typical form for Senate floor debate - Obama said, “Having said that, have I said that he’s wrong? I love him, but he’s wrong.”

The Tribune has a Roskam story today, but reports nothing new.

* Meanwhile, the Peoria Journal Star allowed Aaron Schock to completely get away with saying that his back-dating of a notary stamp was a “clerical mistake” when his own father testified that it was a deliberate act. Today, the newspaper goes after Colleen Callahan on this…

Half of the six people touted by Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Callahan’s campaign Monday as “Republican voters” who support her told the Journal Star they classify themselves more as independents.

Such a scandal.

* Wondering where to go to beat the early voting lines today? Here is a list of the least busy early voting wards in Chicago…

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 22, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, and 32

And the Cook County suburbs…

Barrington, Norridge, Elmwood Park, Cicero, Stickney, Alsip, Blue Island and Lemont

Not much of a suprise, especially in the city. White wards with big Latino populations and strong Latino wards have historically experienced much lower (or quickly fallling) turnout.

* On the other hand, there are a whole lot of Latinos in Kane County, which experienced its 40,000th early voter yesterday…

That is more than 10,000 ahead of the number of voters Kane County Clerk John Cunningham estimated would vote early — and at the time Rogers cast his ballot, there still was a day and a half of early voting left.

Late Wednesday, Cunningham and Deputy County Clerk Jay Bennett estimated the numbers could go as high as 47,000 voters by the end of today, the last day to vote early in Illinois. […]

The surprising number means about 19 percent of Kane County’s 214,000 registered voters already have voted.

Background…

A new report by the [\Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights] says Illinois now has more than three-quarters of a million foreign-born citizens and that most live in Chicago’s suburbs. Hoyt says nearly one of every eight registered voters in Kane County is now Latino. […]

Sonia Sánchez, 18, is leading a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote canvass in her hometown, Aurora. That’s the largest city in Illinois’s 14th Congressional District, where Oberweis is running. And it’s grown more Latino over the years. The ICIRR is coordinating this canvass and others like it in battleground Congressional districts surrounding Chicago.[emphasis added]

* African-American early voting has been huge…

Fired up about Barack Obama and fearing long lines on Election Day, black voters are turning out in droves in the south suburbs to cast their ballots early this year.

As of Wednesday, well over 8,000 votes had been cast in both Matteson and South Holland - more than in places such as Oak Park, Schaumburg, Oak Lawn and Evanston.

Out of the 44 early voting sites in suburban Cook County, only Wheeling and Orland Park had seen more traffic.

* Related…

* Bean has cash advantage over Greenberg

* Greenberg makes final charge to unseat Bean

* Greenpeace trying to get 8th District’s attention

* 10th District rematch a familiar affair

* Kirk, Seals square off in debate

* 11th Congressional race stays heated to the end

* GOP rookie Ozinga, Democratic veteran Halvorson in attack mode over 11th District seat

* Manzullo faces two challengers

* Green issues a focus in 6th District

* Obama flood may drown Illinois Republicans

* Bernard Schoenburg: Would-be Congressman Schock spreads cash around

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Morning shorts

Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - Posted by Kevin Fanning

* NEW: Thomson needs costly work before replacing Pontiac

The prison that will replace the soon-to-close Pontiac Correctional Center isn’t yet ready for inmates, according to a review of state purchasing orders.

Documents show that in the past 10 days, the Illinois Department of Corrections hired at least three companies to upgrade or repair the Thomson Correctional Center, which is set to replace Pontiac when the agency closes the 137-year-old facility Dec. 31.

In addition, the agency has hired a company to make upgrades to Lawrence Correctional Center in Sumner, which is being switched to a maximum-security facility as part of the closing of Pontiac.

In all, the last-minute construction work related to closing Pontiac and opening Thomson will cost taxpayers at least $424,000 — or more than 10 percent of what prison officials initially said would be saved by closing Pontiac.

* NEW: Cabdrivers threaten to strike over fares

Furious that Chicago taxicab fares are going down — not up — cabdrivers on Thursday gave Mayor Daley a two-week ultimatum: Support a 16 percent fare increase that takes effect Jan. 1 or risk a strike that could “paralyze” the city.

* Madigan Faces Pressure Again to Examine Alleged Torture Victim Cases

Attorney Flint Taylor has spent the last 20 years representing some of the alleged victims. Taylor says Attorney General Madigan and other government officials haven’t adequately handled the cases of about two dozen men.

TAYLOR: We call on Lisa Madigan to agree to prompt hearings for all torture victims who remain in prison as a result of confessions allegedly tortured from them by Burge and his men.

In an email statement, Madigan says she is reviewing cases individually to determine the most appropriate next step.

* Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan sues distributor of Simplicity-brand bassinets

* In Chicago, Trump hits headwinds

So far, Mr. Trump has lined up buyers for a bit less than $600 million of condo units and condo-hotel units in a residential market that has virtually seized up. Yet he owes lenders as much as $1 billion when the loans are due, according to public records and several people familiar with the project. He has closed around $200 million in sales so far, with roughly $380 million still in contract. The retail portion of the giant building is for sale, at a time of rising vacancies for retail space in Chicago and one of the worst eras for retailers in years.

* MillerCoors signs 15-year lease for headquarters

* Durbin vs. Sauerberg is drawing little interest

“It’s a heck of a sleeper,” said political scientist Brian Gaines of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois. He said he was involved in a recent Illinois poll in which respondents weren’t even asked about the Senate race because “it wasn’t interesting enough.”

* Governor seeks to ease Pontiac’s pain

Pontiac mayor says governor’s task force nothing more than “political fluff”

* Blagojevich hopes task force can soften the blow of prison closure

* The Hidden costs of Collective bargaining

* Garbage collection cuts could be deep

Mayor Daley wants to shrink the size of 80 more garbage collection crews — to one laborer on a truck instead of two. But he might not stop there.

The Streets and Sanitation Department is conducting a field test this week with a $200,000 truck that requires no laborers. It has a mechanical arm that picks up carts and dumps the trash in the side of the truck.

“If the guy has to get out of his truck, move cans into position, then pick ‘em up, time-wise it could be very ineffective,” O’Connor said.

He added, “It’s not new technology. It’s just whether our geography is amenable to this type of pick-up. Part of the thing in the city is having sanitation workers be able to pull the cart out of its enclave and get it to where it can be put into the truck. I’m not sure this articulated arm gets into all of those places.”

* Cell phone fines can now be settled out of court

Chicago motorists caught yakking on cell phones while driving — and committing no other violation — will soon be able to hang onto their driver’s licenses and avoid the Traffic Court headache.

On Wednesday, a City Council committee traded the sledge hammer for a felt hammer, in hopes of increasing fines and reducing driver aggravation.

* Daley doesn’t want to lose schools chief to Obama

* Daley not keen on Duncan going to D.C.

* O’Hare blames delays on N.Y.

* Help Save the World by donating to World Music Company

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Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

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