* If this had happened to the Illinois Republicans, everybody would be laughing about how it was just another example of how the party can never get its act together. But it happened to the Democrats…

It was just before midnight Friday when Illinois House Speaker and State Democratic Party Chairman Mike Madigan cast the state delegation’s 196 votes to nominate a “son of Illinois,” President Barack Obama, for re-election.

That happened to be 19 votes short of the 215 votes allotted to Illinois by the Democratic Party.

What gives? Somebody still holding out for Hillary?

A Madigan spokesman explained that under Democratic National Committee rules each state must submit a signed tally sheet with the names of each of its electors.

Illinois did not receive its tally sheet until 5 p.m. Tuesday and had to return it by noon Wednesday. Hence, nineteen people never got around to signing.

Oops.

Partying too much, perhaps?

Amazingly enough, I received no press release from the Illinois Republican Party about how this was all some Madigan plot.

* Meanwhile, the Madigan family - minus Shirley - posed for a convention photo…

I know we already have one caption contest today, but we just can’t pass this one up.