* A high-level Republican responds to a post here yesterday…

I think your post on the Tribune mirrors the larger debate going on nationally for Republicans and that is that we tend to exist in a media cocoon. Nationally, too much emphasis/belief on Fox news and conservative commenters.

In Illinois, perhaps too much emphasis on the Trib. We, GoPers, do a rally cheer every time we get a positive editorial, not realizing we are probably the only ones focused on it.

Plus it gives us affirmation to our messaging, “fire Madigan,” etc and we think that since it exists in the mainstream media, it must be “catching on”. Brady says Fire Madigan, Trib writes Fire Madigan, therefore the message has cracked through to the mainstream media. Not quite, not even close.

Thoughts?

*** UPDATE *** * Kristen McQueary of the Tribune editorial board tweets…

@capitolfax Uncle! Uncle! We’ve focused all on fiscal/pensions, like many edit brds. We’re not birthers. We’re social mods. FOXNews? C’mon.

All due respect, but that completely misses the point, which is that the GOP/Tribune relationship is a closed circle which doesn’t resonate much at all outside that circle. It also misses the point made above that the Republicans spend an inordinate amount of time and energy with the Tribune and get little if anything for it.

And the focus hasn’t solely been on “fiscal/pension” issues. It’s been on personalities. For the Tribune it’s constantly: Fire Madigan + ??? = Prosperity!!! They’ve never really explained how 71 loose House Democratic cannons will somehow make this state great again.

They’re overly simplistic, myopic and downright partisan, as their refusal to endorse Rep. Elaine Nekritz clearly showed. Here was a candidate with everything the Tribune wants in a legislator, except for the “D” behind her name. I don’t think you would be out of line if you posited that the “D” did her in with them.

…Adding… As pointed out yesterday, there’s also a tiring “Message from God” quality to far too many of the Tribune’s editorials about state government. They’re 100 percent right all the time and anyone who differs even slightly is a heretic. That’s very “Foxish.”