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Sparks fly at debate

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* If you missed last night’s ABC7 Democratic US Senate debate you can click here or watch below…

Hoffman lit into Giannoulias as soon as the debate started, saying, “The insider candidate Alexi Giannoulias has held two jobs for short periods of time, one as a banker for his family’s bank where he made high-risk loans to mobsters and (convicted influence peddler) Tony Rezko, and as the state treasurer where he failed to protect the people’s money.”

Giannoulias fought back, however…

“David Hoffman is in third place. He’s based his whole campaign on attacking me. I understand that. It’s politics,” Giannoulias, the front-runner in the Feb. 2 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate said, staring straight ahead and never looking at Hoffman. “He talks about corruption and Blagojevich and Daley, but what he doesn’t talk about is jobs.”

Four of the five candidates refused to answer a question about their weaknesses, according to the CS-T.

More…

Hoffman laughed off a question of whether a scathing report he issued just weeks before he left his Inspector General post blasting Mayor Daley’s controversial deal to sell off the city’s parking meters was designed to launch his political career.

Issuing a report blasting a powerful elected official is not a conventional way to launch a political campaign, Hoffman said.

But Meister used the question to tee off on Meister again, saying, “I don’t understand where he says he blew the whistle on anything. It was the Sun-Times that blew the whistle three months before his report ever came out. He didn’t stop it. He didn’t do anything.”

Tribune…

“There have been rumbles that David Hoffman had always set himself up for a political campaign,” Giannoulias said. “Just a few months ago, he wanted to run for the attorney general’s office. Lisa Madigan decided to stay put, so he shifted to the United States Senate. He talks about corruption and Blagojevich and (Mayor Richard) Daley. But what he doesn’t talk about is jobs.”

“I’ve always wondered about that,” said candidate Robert Marshall, a Burr Ridge radiologist, to Hoffman. “If you want to clean up corruption, you ought to stay in Illinois.”

Chicago attorney Jacob Meister regularly went after Hoffman. He contended Hoffman sought to use Daley machine-like tactics to try exclude him from the debate and sought to talk over his head when the former inspector general said he was the only candidate that prevents Republicans from using a corruption issue against them.

And…

Seeking a middle-ground was Cheryle Jackson, former president of the Chicago Urban League and a former Blagojevich spokeswoman, who said people are more interested in jobs than political fights. Still, she indicated that in working for Blagojevich, she was no different from the “millions of Illinoisans” who voted for him and had been duped.

* Meanwhile, in other campaign news, both the Sun-Times and the Tribune strongly endorsed Toni Preckwinkle for county board president.

…ADDING… Sen. Bill Brady lit into Republican gubernatorial opponents Andy McKenna and Jim Ryan in a recent press release…

…Last month Mr. McKenna refused to rule out the possibility of a tax increase. Yet, days before he launched his latest television commercial, he signed a pledge to not raise taxes, the same pledge I have consistently supported.

We don’t need more doubletalk. Which is it, Mr. McKenna? And why won’t you explain your switch in positions to the voters of Illinois?

Jim Ryan, another of my opponents, also doesn’t like to talk about his close connection with Stuart Levine, who contributed nearly $800,000 to Mr. Ryan’s previous campaign and who has now pleaded guilty in the Blagojevich corruption scandal.

The citizens of Illinois deserve candidates who are honest with them, who show up at candidate forums and are willing to answer the tough questions voters have. They need to know where the candidates stand. Silence is not an answer.

Ryan told me this week that Brady’s attacks were amusing because Brady asked for Ryan’s endorsement before Ryan got into the race. Apparently, Stu Levine didn’t mean much to Brady back then.

* Other campaign stories…

* Opponents attack Olson’s finances in DuPage GOP race: Both state senators attacked Olson for accepting campaign donations from food vendor Aramark while voting in 2007 and 2008 on a $1 million contract to provide meals at the county jail for a year. The contract eventually went to Minnesota-based A’viands Food & Services Management.

* Marin: Election? What Election?

* Oops: Cook County Democrats forget Jimmy Carter in new ad

* Candidates skipping debates as primary looms

* Flier claims plot to oust Stroger

* With election looming, Stroger vows to cut costs of county government

* Why Claypool Isn’t Running For Board President

* The GOP alternative: Keats

* GOP candidates cite background in Board of Review race

* Cheryle Jackson Senate race: Candidate hopes appeal to pocketbook issues will overcome fundraising struggles, links to Gov. Rod Blagojevich

* Senate, governor candidates to debate at SIUC

* GOP gubernatorial hopefuls to debate again tonight

* GOP gubernatorial candidate Andrzejeweski visits region

* Penny Pullen explains endorsement of McKenna

* Hynes pushes FOIA angle on prisoner-release criticism

* Experience makes Kelly best treasurer choice for Democrats

* Topinka is best comptroller choice for Republicans

* Krislov in Democratic race for comptroller

* 8th District hopefuls split on abortion ban

* House District 59 candidates voice opinions on Medicare

* Michels, Lauzen, Hatcher report donations

* Candidates split on Kane County pay issues

* GOP candidates square off at Huntley forum

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:01 am

Comments

Kass had a thing about the Republican debate which I thought was outstanding. Thom Sarafin, absolutely nailed it and did a very good job he should be brought back in the general.

Bob Schillerstrom continues to sound like a guy who was just the airlines lost his luggage.

Kathy Brock did the people a great disservice. A Senate debate is not a womans fashion event where you can just walk in and do it, you need to have people running it who know what they are doing and a lot of times she cut off discussion or on things like the first question didn’t make the future Kirk-Kill actually answer the question. They also didn’t talk about health care or terrorism or the war. It was more of a jv tabloid debate for the people competing to get blown out by Mark Kirk next fall.

Comment by shore Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:14 am
Hoffman’s job was to raise more questions about Alexi and he did that effectively.

That said, the format of this debate, which I’ve read was dictated by the League of Women Voters and ABC7, was the biggest problem. It absolutely did a disservice to the voters.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:24 am
Poor Brady. He can light into McKenna with a press release on his supposed wobbly no-tax pledge all he wants, but McKenna is on TV all the time saying he’s the only one that can balance the budget without raising taxes.

Press release versus endlessly repeating TV spots. Which wins?

From my viewing, no GOPer is even close to McKenna in TV spending.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:27 am
Since this seems to be the campaign thread, we are wondering what what the following means….”We also urge Quinn to surround himself with tougher, more seasoned advisers who can help him take on powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. Good intentions will get you only so far in Springfield.”
What outcome does the media seek after “stands up”
Doesn’t make more sense to surround yourself with people who will work cooperative with a leader who employs common sense to solve problems.
We think IL just spent about 7 years with people trying to stand up to Madigan…Blagoof and the former Senate president…..not sure that their goals were the media….Just asking.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:28 am
I watched the debate and thought it was a win for Giannoulias. At the very least, it was a toss-up between him and Hoffman. Considering Hoffman was pumping up this debate like he was going to clobber Giannoulias, I think it’s more of a loss for Hoffman.

If you do the Rich Miller test and watch it with the sound off, I have to say that Giannoulias looks the most “Senatorial.”

I thought Jackson was a mess. #1 indicator that she has no clue as to what’s going on - she says to vote on “February 4th” in her opening statement. Ummm…

Comment by Let the Big Dog Eat... Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:41 am
Glad to see that the Trib and Sun-Times both backed Preckwinkle. Hopefully she can make hay with this and start distancing herself from the field.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:47 am
Giannoulias cries about Hoffman “attacking” him, then turns around and does the same thing to Hoffman. Hoffman seems to have much more credibility though.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:50 am
When Dr. Bob, the anti-mudslinger, tells you that you’re irrelevant you’ve got problems. — Robert Marshall said to Hoffman, “If you want to clean up corruption, you ought to stay in Illinois.”

Cheryle may have stayed out of the fray, but doesn’t she have an email problem with Blago and her husband’s job?

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:51 am
I’m surprised that Rush’s endorsement of Stroger got its own post yesterday, but Preckwinkle’s endorsement today by both major dailies was buried in a post about the Senate debate. Becoming a Stroger fan, Rich?

Comment by Menken Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:04 am
If the Cook County mailer was trying to tout with any integrity that “throughout history Democrats have led us to prosperity” it is highly likely that omitting Jimmy Carter from the list was NOT an “oops”, an oversight, or a misprint at all. More an erase of his four years as an attempted re-write of history that they got caught on. For Americans from both parties who lived through his flawed administration “Prosperity” is not exactly the the first word or descriptor that comes to mind alongside Carter’s– and linking current candidates’ names to his may not be terribly beneficial as most politicos have known for some time.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:05 am
Shore,
== Bob Schillerstrom continues to sound like a guy who was just the airlines lost his luggage. ==
What article or video is driving your comment?

Comment by KeepSmiling Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:07 am
Hoffman’s got a point–trying to launch a career from inside Chicago by attacking Daley? That’s not the usual way to succeed politically in Chicago.

Also, I found it a tad ironic that Giannoulias harps on “jobs,” since he doesn’t seem to have held too many himself. Let’s see, he worked for his family’s bank–and managed to lose a lot of money during that job. And then he worked as the state treasurer, where (he claims) he saved tax payer money. Or more realistically, he lost $185 million in the Bright Start program, which was formerly a highly regarded college savings program. So his strong point is that he knows how to manage the economy? hmmm…

Comment by suburbanite Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:17 am
Hoffman won the debate by landing punches. People are going to wake up sometime soon and say, “whoa– we were going to elect this guy?” whew.

Alexi the unelectable.

Comment by More Questions About Alexi Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:23 am
Classic - third place, bwaaaaahaaaaaaha.

Hoffman will be lucky to get third. What a horrible campaign he has run. I understand as an underdog you have to attack the front runner, but you also have to establish your own brand. Hoffman seemingly has spent exacly no time talking about what he is going to do or stand for, and all his time attacking (and trying to remind people that he got a high score on his SAT).

Regardless, buh bye.

Comment by sucka free Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 12:27 pm
===
A Senate debate is not a womans fashion event where you can just walk in and do it,…
===

Shore, are you referring to the kind of “fashion events” they hold in bars?

As far as I know, the “REAL fashion” events take a little more effort than just “walking in and doing it”.

Just sayin’, shore.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 12:47 pm
Hoffman wins by hitting at Giannoulais. Jackson wins by not screwing up badly. Giannoulais loses slightly, but not enough to bump him out of first.

But this thing will be close.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 1:10 pm
I’m told that Hoffman was a jerk to the organizers and threatened to back out because he did not want Meister and Marshall on the dias. He wanted to make it easier to gang up on Giannoulias. I thought the winner was Meister, actually. He had ideas, he didn’t sling a lot of mud, and he was engaged in the debate. Can he win? Probably not.

Comment by Joe Dokes Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 2:30 pm
I find Hoffman’s opening statement very telling.

First he says he has “16 years of non-political public service” Last time I checked being a press and legislative aide to a Senator is considered political. Where is the integrity in making a misleading statement like that?

Second he says people are sick of a system stacked in favor of the powerful and we need to change this system. I’m sorry but last time I checked Hoffman falls into the powerful group whose career has been greased by family wealth and connections. Other than a short stint as IG, he has supported “the establishment” at every turn. This guy is a big fake.

Comment by Objective Dem Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 5:51 pm
That debate was hilarious. Did anyone else catch Alexi’s terrible Obama impressions? Hoffman was certainly the most articulate and his points about Alexi were perfectly valid. Cheryl memorized a single answer and threw it out at every question, keywords “in the trenches.” Meanwhile, if Hoffman is wrong for going after Alex’s abysmal record, what is Meister for the incoherent nonsense he was spewing about Hoffman?He was going to send homeless people to the studio? What does that even mean? Also, why is the doctor guy running as a democrat?

Comment by Northside Nelly Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 5:53 pm
This debate was not put together very well. There should have only been 3 debaters as Meister and Marshall are way out of contention. The real value of the three candidates could not be addressed adequately. Hoffman clearly is the most accomplished and experienced of the candidates. He brings forth the “White Knight” that Illinois needs. Jackson and Giannoulais lack this experience and brings a lot of baggage along that smacks of what Illinois has been dealing with far too long. Isn’t it time to finally elect a Senator that is clean and has a sparkling work history than continuing to play by dirty politics or bad judgement calls? How can Giannoulais stand there and state he is proud of losing money for a college fund by a bad investment only because he was able to get 1/2 of it back? I have a child in college and if I lost half of what I had expected to receive to pay their way through college I would be pretty upset! How can we trust someone live Jackson who says one thing when she is working as the spokesperson for Blago and then tries to distance herself later. She believed in him at onetime. Then you have Hoffman who has none of this baggage! It’s a clear choice.

Comment by In The Know Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 6:02 pm
I strongly recommmend that everyone read Carol Marin’s column. She hit the nail directly on the head. I only wish Rich had the courage to say the same thing. I guess that might affect Rich’s bottom line and is therefore off limits.

Comment by Laborguy Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:18 pm