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*** UPDATED x1 *** Emanuel: Obama actually endorsing an end to stalemate

Monday, Mar 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* An interesting take on President Obama’s endorsement of Rep. Ken Dunkin’s Democratic primary opponent Juliana Stratton…

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff, said the president isn’t endorsing a candidate as much as he is endorsing an end to the state budget stalemate.

“Where we now are literally holding back poor kids who are accomplishing great things in education and not funding it correctly, so the fact that we now have kids leaving college because of their state government doesn’t have the right budget priorities, that’s what the endorsement is,” Emanuel said.

Your interpretation of this nearly unprecedented endorsement?

*** UPDATE *** Lynn Sweet…

A DNC source told me that part of the reason behind Obama’s making the spots for Stratton was “to set the record straight that the President has not endorsed Dunkin, he is endorsing the challenger.”

“And also we’ve heard some rumblings that Dunkin is trying to say that the ad isn’t real – it is. Also, the key issue is gun violence prevention. Stratton is in the right place and POTUS said previously he would help candidates who were in the right place on guns. She also has the support of many community leaders and the labor community, which helps,” the DNC source said.

* And Greg Hinz takes the Because… Madigan! route…

But the decision to intervene came directly from the White House, multiple sources tell me, and just about everyone in politics thinks Madigan had something to do with it. […]

But Madigan has done Obama a few favors through the years, moving up the 2008 presidential primary to help then-candidate Obama and more recently passing legislation to clear the way for Obama’s library to be built in a Chicago public park. […]

The DNC approached the Stratton campaign shortly thereafter and said Obama “might want to be helpful,” says one source who knows. Scripts were prepared and, late last week, the White House sent word to proceed.

You ally yourself with a Republican governor, then interrupt the preznit’s address, then run a radio ad saying the preznit endorses you and your effort at “bringing people together” when he doesn’t, you’re gonna upset the preznit.

It’s not rocket science.

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*** UPDATED x1 - Media “stunt” alleged *** Candidate forehead stapled in brawl

Monday, Mar 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WGN TV…

A candidate for the Illinois House says he was attacked by his opponent’s supporters.

Bob Zwolinski is running for Illinois’ 4th District, against incumbent Cynthia Soto.

He says Sunday night a man and a woman were stapling posters for Soto outside his campaign office Ashland and Chicago in East Ukrainian Village.

Zwolinski says he asked them to stop and that’s when the man punched him in the chest then the woman hit him in the head with a beer bottle and then shot a staple gun at him — leaving him with a staple in his forehead.

Chicago police say Zwolinski has filed a police report and the accused attackers are claiming they are the victims in this case.

* OK, brace yourself. From Zwolinski’s Twitter feed…

Politics is a contact sport. Apparently that's literally the case. pic.twitter.com/wIlFIP366W

— Robert Zwolinski (@BobZ_Chicago4th) March 7, 2016

Funny Facebook snark…

Candidate: “What do you think, should I get this checked out?”

Campaign guy: “No, do your TV interviews first.”

Candidate: “You sure?? I don’t know, this might be infected.”

Campaign guy: “Do you want tetanus or do you want to win?!?!?”

* Sun-Times…

Zwolinski alleges in a statement that the posters supported his Democratic primary opponent, incumbent State Rep. Cynthia Soto, who took office in 2001 for the district, which includes parts of Bucktown, Humboldt Park, Logan Square and Ukrainian Village.

When he asked the pair to remove the posters, an argument ensued and the 26-year-old man hit Zwolinski in the chest. The woman, thought to be in her 20s, then struck him in the head with a bottle and shot a staple gun at his forehead, causing a laceration, police said. […]

But the man and woman are also alleging they were victims in the attack, police said. The man told investigators Zwolinski ripped the posters down, grabbed him by the shirt, threw him to the ground and punched him several times. […]

As of Monday morning, no one has been taken into custody in connection with the incident and no charges have been issued. A representative from Soto’s office could not be immediately reached for comment.

*** UPDATE *** Hmm…

A law enforcement source also said that 911 callers described four people fighting, not one individual being attacked.

Speaking outside Zwolinksi’s office Monday, Frank Avila, an attorney representing the alleged attackers, called the episode a “false flag” and a “media stunt trying to draw attention to a flailing campaign.”

“[Zwolinski] saw people putting up signs along Ashland, and he started pushing them and grabbing them,” Avila said. “He initiated physical contact, and they defended themselves. …If he ended up getting the worst of it, that’s on him.”

Avila said his clients, two unpaid volunteers for Soto’s campaign, were stapling signs over a vacant property next to Zwolinski’s office — not on the office itself. On Monday, a large splatter of blood remained next to the vacant property, although some droplets showed near the office as well. […]

“Yes, there was a fight, yes, there was self defense,” Avila said. “[But] why did he call the media before he called 911? Why is he going out and confronting people? Why would they just fight him?”

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*** UPDATED x3 *** This just in… President Obama endorses Dunkin opponent Juliana Stratton

Monday, Mar 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Juliana Stratton, Democratic candidate for state representative in Illinois’ 5th District, announced Monday that President Barack Obama is endorsing her campaign to unseat state Rep. Ken Dunkin. The president has recorded a radio and television commercial in which he endorsed Stratton and asked Chicagoans to support her.

“I’m endorsing Juliana Stratton because she will stand up for our children, our seniors and our working families,” Obama said. “Juliana will fight to get guns off our streets. Throughout our neighborhoods, too many young people and families live in fear. These families can’t afford inaction. Juliana Stratton will bring a new voice to Springfield as State Representative. She is the strong and devoted leader our neighborhoods need.”

Stratton, a first-time candidate for office, is taking on 13-year incumbent Ken Dunkin, who has received nearly $1.5 million in campaign support from right-wing political committees and a group that was created to advance Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agenda. Stratton has made a cornerstone of her campaign cracking down on the gun violence that has ripped through the city, vowing to push for tougher penalties for shooters who target children.

“Receiving President Obama’s endorsement is an incredible honor, and I will work hard every day for our families and neighborhoods to earn his continued trust and support,” Stratton said. “Our neighborhoods are proud of how President Obama has taken on dangerous right-wing agendas and has stood up for working families. As state representative, I will fight against reckless agendas that threaten our families.”

Stratton has criticized Dunkin’s record of failure, including siding with the National Rifle Association in voting for a law that made it easier for criminals to get guns and for helping Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner slash affordable child care for thousands of children.

I’ll post the ads in a bit.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Here’s the TV ad…

* And here’s the radio ad…

*** UPDATE 2 *** Dunkin ally Maze Jackson just said on WVON radio that “the same person who gave us Rahm Emanuel” is now endorsing Dunkin’s opponent, and then asked rhetorically if that means Stratton is now backed by Rahm. Click here to listen. Jackson has also cut a radio ad for Dunkin, which is airing on his program. And Jackson endorsed Emanuel himself last year.

*** UPDATE 3 *** Lynn Sweet…

The Sun-Times has learned that the spots will run through the March 15 Illinois primary; there is about $300,000 behind the TV ad buy and about $100,000 for radio. The ads were produced by Adelstein and Associates, handling the media for the Stratton campaign.

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