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* Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias sat down for a long interview with Carol Marin last night as part of a day-long media tour. Have a look…
* The Giannoulias campaign has set up a website to counter allegations about his family’s bank and the Bright Start program called TruthAboutAlexi.com. The campaign also rebutted yesterday’s Kirk campaign’s attacks in a long press release. From that release…
KIRK SPIN: When Alexi Giannoulias left the bank, the ratio of brokered deposits to total assets at Broadway was 68 percent, according to FDIC records. The average for all federally insured banks nationwide was 4.5 percent.
THE TRUTH: There are numerous instruments that small and mid-sized banks use to fund their loans. Broadway managed the use of brokered deposits as it grew, and the problems it is currently facing have nothing to do with these deposits.
* Giannoulias’ media tour was far from flawless, however. You can listen to his Tribune editorial board meeting by clicking here. A condensed and edited transcript is here. From the transcript…
Tribune: How did [Michael Giorango, a convicted bookmaker and prostitution ring promoter] come to the bank?
Giannoulias: I wasn’t even around when he first came to the bank, so I don’t know.
Tribune: You haven’t been curious about how this guy wound up with your bank?
Giannoulias: Well, it’s tough to ask my father questions.
Tribune: Was your father the first contact?
Giannoulias: Do I know how a customer met my father? No. He could’ve walked in the door.
* Clout St…
In answering questions about Broadway’s loans to Giorango, Giannoulias said Giorango had a relationship at the bank before he worked there full-time after his graduation from law school. But in offering his latest explanation of his contact with Giorango, Giannoulias today at first contended he was unaware of Giorango’s criminal history.
That contradicted Giannoulias’ comments in 2006 to the Tribune, in which he acknowledged knowing Giorango had a criminal background. When reminded today of his past comments, the treasurer said he would have to check his past statements before saying any more because he doesn’t want to give inconsistent answers.
* From the Tribune’s dead trees story…
Giannoulias also expanded on his previous explanation for $69 million in dividend payouts that he has said were part of settling his father’s estate after his death in June 2006.
Giannoulias said $40 million was used to pay income taxes for him and his family, the bank’s sole shareholders. The remaining $29 million was paid out to the family as part of his father’s wishes to diversify their assets beyond the bank, he said.
Reiterating previous statements that only 9 percent of the non-performing loans now on Broadway’s books were initiated during his tenure, Giannoulias at first said the 9 percent was based on the number of loans, not their value. His campaign later clarified the figure represented the value of troubled loans.
The Tribune editorial board lays down its marker…
The story isn’t over. Voters will have plenty to consider as the bank’s fortunes play out in tandem with Giannoulias’ campaign. No doubt he’d rather focus on his record as state treasurer and his vision for the U.S. Senate. Like it or not, though, Giannoulias’ political future depends largely on his handling of the continuing fallout over Broadway Bank.
* The Sun-Times wasn’t impressed…
During his tenure at the bank, from 2002 to 2006, was Alexi Giannoulias a real player who helped shape the bank’s policies and practices, for better or worse?
Or was he a 26-year-old former jock fresh out of law school, still wet behind the ears as a banker despite his title of vice president, who deferred to his father and his brothers?
Either way, fairly or not, he doesn’t come out of this looking good.
* Mark Brown makes an important, but often overlooked point…
Giannoulias’ first campaign contribution was a $200,000 check from his father, Alexis, in November 2005. After his father’s death, the estate of Alexis Giannoulias loaned $800,000 to his son’s campaign for treasurer, while Alexi’s mother, Anna, loaned about $1.5 million more. Those loans are still carried as debts of his Citizens for Giannoulias campaign fund. All together, the family chipped in half of what Giannoulias spent in 2006.
At the time, the Broadway Bank was a high-flying Edgewater-based community bank making loans in such far-flung locations as New York, Florida and California. The aggressive growth strategy more than tripled the size of the bank between 2000 and 2005 and then doubled it again by 2008, taking it from a $200 million to $1.1 billion institution in just a decade.
* The Sun-Times looks at what happened to the treasurer’s family bank…
Broadway Bank isn’t really a bank the way a lot of people understand it. The Giannoulias family’s enterprise writes only a small amount of single-family mortgages or loans to small businesses.
Where it puts its money is real estate development and commercial property. The strategy paid off handsomely in the last decade, making Broadway among the most profitable banks in Chicago. Broadway was a gambler that doubled down on its bet and won. But then it doubled down again.
It increased the value of its assets from $213 million in 2000 to more than $1 billion in 2007. In 2008, it reported a financial loss and last year, with real estate values in full retreat, the loss widened to $75.3 million.
* Related…
* Outside group targets Kirk: In an interview in Springfield this week, Kirk referred to the VoteVets organization as “one of the Democratic shell groups.” “They don’t mention cap and trade because they know that’s not popular with Illinois voters,” he said.
* Giannoulias defends family bank after GOP attacks
* Giannoulias acknowledges family bank will probably fail: Will his candidacy for U.S. Senate survive the bank’s collapse? “Yes,” he said “When I talk to people, people are getting crushed out there. Their primary concern is: how can you help create jobs? How can you help turn this economy around? That’s what I’m going to focus my campaign on.”
* Giannoulias defends family’s bank, but leaves unanswered questions: Mr. Giannoulias personally visited Florida to see property involved in a Giorango loan. Asked if he was aware then of Mr. Giorango’s criminal past, Mr. Giannoulias replied, “I didn’t know the full extent of his legal problems.” Full extent? Mr. Giannoulias declined to say more, despite several efforts to get him to elaborate on exactly what he knew and when he knew it.
* Is Giannoulias turning corner on his family bank woes?: But, so far, I’m not sure Alexi has pulled it off.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 8:54 am
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He’d look a whole lot better if his family hadn’t taken so much money off the table.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:12 am
The details are just details, what is remembered by voters is the overall impression - which at this point isn’t good. A lot of folks can debate the critics, or debate Giannoulais’ response, but the longer this story continues to make news, the harder it will be for Giannoulais to spend time developing his candidacy.
He is too young. He looks too young. We have another guy running for Lt. Governor who is too young. We face tough times. This isn’t a time for newbies with family connections. It isn’t hard to imagine that voters are going to be more unappreciative than usual towards these young men during these tough times. Being portrayed as growing up spoon fed by well connected families isn’t what voters can connect with when they face foreclosures and credit card debt, layoffs and uncertainty.
Candidates are going to have to show off their scars, their wrinkles, and demonstrate how they fought through tough times. This is a year it is good to be a vet, a self-made businessperson, or a tough people’s champion.
Giannoulais’ family can’t buy his way out of this. Kirk’s Washington experience isn’t something money can buy.
Which leads me to these anti-Kirk vets. Kirk is a vet. Are these vets complaining about Kirk’s military experience like the Swift Boaters complained about Senator Kerry? I have seen their television ads, but it isn’t clear why I should care about a Vet’s group’s opinion on an energy bill that Kirk voted for, or why they are displeased with his support on a bill they also support. The ad shows they have the whine, but not the red meat. It just doesn’t work.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:14 am
Take Alexi G’s banking problems off the table. Why is Alexi someone the state of IL would want in the US Senate? What capacities and strengths has he shown? Why did Dems choose him over Hoffman?
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:17 am
Why did Dems choose him over Hoffman?
Yes, he was chosen, but a majority of Dems voted against him.
Comment by Niles Township Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:18 am
By saying the bank is likely to fail, didn’t he just breach his fiduciary duty to the bank? Just curious.
This ain’t going away. And as someone who worked hard for Hoffman, I can’t help but say, we told you so.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:23 am
- Yes, he was chosen, but a majority of Dems voted against him. -
This confuses me…
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:24 am
All in all, Alexi does not appear to have done too badly. But:
Alexi G: “It’s tough to ask my father questions.”
This is weak. What does this mean? Is he afraid of his father? Is Alexi a wooss [spelling?]? Why is it tough to ask daddy questions?
Are his father’s dealings things that Alexi’s better off not knowing as a guy holding/pursuing public office? Are voters left to speculate that his father’s up to no good?
Comment by Peggy SO-IL Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:27 am
**By saying the bank is likely to fail, didn’t he just breach his fiduciary duty to the bank? Just curious.**
What fiduciary duty? He doesn’t work for the bank.
Comment by dave Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:27 am
Here is one life long Democrat who plans to vote for the republican Senate Candidate. Uhhggg…..
Comment by Purge Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:29 am
Chuck Todd on MSNBC this morning showed Alexi on with Carol. Todd sort of shaking his head and saying things are gonna come down on Alexi when the bank fails, wonder if he can weather the storm, etc. chuck todd is an adult in the media, a serious person who will give a fair but real perspective and
he’s not buying this. the media tour was a way to tie down the boats for the real storm that is coming but the storm may
very well pull the boats from their mooring.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:30 am
*- Yes, he was chosen, but a majority of Dems voted against him. -
This confuses me…*
He won the primary, but not over 50% of the vote.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:33 am
This situation is why I cannot completely dislike or mistrust Mike Madigan.
I can now see why he didn’t want Alexi on the State ticket…it may not have been “but he’s not my guy”. Alexi’s opponent, Paul Mangieri had 13 kids, and I just couldn’t do that to his wife…
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:36 am
===This is weak. What does this mean?===
Idiot. His father is dead.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:39 am
why would alexi run for an open senate seat? are you kidding? (seriously, rich, this is an example of the “smartest commenters” in the state?)
open seats in congress simply don’t occur that often. and you have to go for them when they do. why would mark kirk run for senate (but only if lisa madigan didn’t)? for mark kirk, the answer is pretty transparent: because he thought it was an opportunity where he could win. one can only assume that alexi made a similar assessment.
for democrats, there has been this sudden shift towards looking at washington as a key opportunity. i can’t tell you how many democrats have expressed interest in “joining barack” in d.c. whereas there has been this really insular perspective here that only illinois matters, there has probably always been an element of the democratic electorate that was utterly embarrassed by chicago/illinois democrats but could look hopefully at washington for democrats to behave better. with obama in the white house, there seems to be greater possibility. alexi choose to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak. no surprise.
alexi performed really well yesterday. much better than how he dealt with it in 2006. i can’t imagine he enjoys this, but he looked relaxed, and gave no comfort to his enemies. looks like this little spat is going to be confined to the politicos, because it isn’t circulating down to the electorate. both strangers i asked about alexi yesterday didn’t even seem to know about all this. it was a good day for alexi, because he’s provided a sharp contrast with his opponents, being willing to answer the questions the public and the media have about his candidacy.
while attacking alexi is the only card that mark kirk wants to play, it won’t help him overcome his difficulties with the tea baggers or the social conservatives (how rude of me to want to talk about voters instead of the latest hubbub!). and that’s the rub. kirk’s strategy seems to be to steal democratic votes, ignoring the independents and conservatives (because, apparently, he can’t win those). unless kirk can develop a broader political strategy, the seat is alexi’s, no matter how many questions he faces about broadway bank or bright start…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:40 am
1. Talk about the mother of all flip flops. This guy makes john kerry and mitt romney look like models of consistency.
2. Whereas kirk has changed a position on an issue, this guy has changed positions on his WHOLE LIFE STORY. HIS ONLY LINE ON HIS RESUME. One day he was a banker rockstar biz man who knows how to create jobs. The next day he was just another employee there who had no role.
3. Props to the chicago media for finally holding a chicago democrat accountable. Wish you guys would do this more often. Don’t be strangers to being fair and balanced when it comes to democrats.
4. Carol was ok, phil ponce is clearly the hotter hand there right now when it comes to interviews.
5. Raise your hand if you can see this guy interviewing a general with an administration making the case that we should go to war, or a potential supreme court justice? Not me. He’d be a great member of the east bank club board. Senate is for adults.
Comment by shore Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:41 am
This will definetly cast a pall over the campaign; but given krik’s extreme right positions and insitance that he is anti-obama, anti-cap and trade, wants tobe associated with Palin etc etc this may not be enough to bring his numbers up. Kirk did massive damage to himself trying to pander to the extreme right side of the GOP, and he may have done himself in
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:45 am
Mr. Miller. My apologies. There was no indication his father is dead.
Comment by Peggy SO-IL Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:46 am
Before you post here again, take two seconds and do a Google search. If I have to intervene with you again, I’m just gonna ban you for life.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:49 am
=What fiduciary duty? He doesn’t work for the bank.=
He is the Illinois Treasurer. Carol sort of asked Alexi about this as Alexi answered that he took a call from Demitris the morning after Alexi said it’s likely the bank will not recover.
That’s a call you never want to take from your brother that is running a bank trying to save it.
I was hoping Carol would ask Alexi if President Obama asked Alexi not to run. All the whispers are out there with the Madigan and Dart recruitment effort.
Comment by Brennan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:54 am
bored now,
I understand why Alexi G or Oberwise or any rich guy would run for an elective office, especially and open seat——they want it. Easy. The question is why informed citizen / voters would want to support such men in their pursuit. Besides being rich enough to fund a race what did Alexi G or an Oberwise bring to the table?
A sense of entitlement doesn’t count as a good reason.
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 9:57 am
jaded, that’s even easier. you have a choice between someone who will go to washington, d.c. and work for the people of illinois or someone who’s been a beltway insider for more than a decade and has more loyalty to the republican party than to the people in his congressional district.
you have a choice between someone who will go to washington and work with president obama or someone who will continue to obstruct president obama in his agenda of hope and change for this great country.
you have a choice between a democrat who has demonstrated political independence from the democratic party of illinois — so much so that they ran someone against him — and someone who’s never voted against his party in congress without the leader’s permission.
you have a choice between someone who cares about the issues that effect illinois — jobs, the economy and restoring illinois to its place as an engine for economic growth — or someone who thought there were weapons of mass destruction in iraq.
the choice is clear. you can be proud to cast your vote for alexi or you can be ashamed of illinois and vote for kirk.
hope that helps…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:07 am
=and someone who’s never voted against his party in congress without the leader’s permission.=
Now you’re just making things up. It’s boring now. It will be boring later.
Comment by Brennan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:11 am
===Why did Dems choose him over Hoffman?===
he had establishment support - unions, the machine, everybody. And he had some name recognition, having won a treasurer race just 4 years ago. Plus he spent significantly more than Hoffman.
Comment by Robert Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:12 am
Mark Kirk says, “Kirk referred to the VoteVets organization as “one of the Democratic shell groups.””
By that same analogy, the Tribune is a Mark Kirk shell group.
Isn’t the same Mark Kirk that shoved an Iraq War vet down just because he was trying to ask a question? Or am I misremembering that incident?
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:14 am
I thought the most interesting exchanges in the Marin interview had to do with Alexi’s prominence shining a brighter light on the bank’s problems and making it potentially harder for his brothers to get acceptable new investors to save the bank. Alexi’s admitting that his brother had called him that very morning to ask “why did you say that, and how is that going to help the bank?” was stunning. I’ve thought for a while that the motives of any willing outside investor would be super scrutinized by the press as to what influence they might be trying to gain in the event Alexi is elected–and that that might be a huge deterrent to investors. Alexi’s political ambitions may well be screwing the rest of his family.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:16 am
I’ve talked to a couple of people who I consider to be pretty good Democrats and they have indicated that they will be voting for Kirk. If Broadway Bank goes under in April, Alexi should resign as the senate candidate and let someone who could possibly win (like Hoffman) become the Democratic nominee.
Comment by LouisXIV Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:19 am
bored now,
the choice is clear to me but not an easy one.
Kirk is a really impressive guy, and a moderate republican. He won’t be a reliable conservative vote but he’ll certainly vote against Obama’s agenda more than a Democrat would of course.
Alexi’s accomplishments to date are less impressive, and they only happened because his family is wealthy. But as a Democrat, he would be a reliable vote for Obama’s agenda.
So hold your nose and vote for the guy who supports Obama, or vote for an impressive candidate?
I’m holding my nose and voting Alexi.
Comment by Robert Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:19 am
“Isn’t the same Mark Kirk that shoved an Iraq War vet down just because he was trying to ask a question?”
Whoaaaa…are you saying that Kirk pushed a veteran? You might want to be a bit more careful with your accusations.
But I believe you are referring to when Kirk walked away from a Democratic operative with a video camera. Not sure Alexi would sit down with a GOP tracker either - veteran or not.
Comment by Joe McCarthy and the Red Scarecrows Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:22 am
Peggy So-IL says, “Alexi G: “It’s tough to ask my father questions.” This is weak. What does this mean?”
As Rich mentioned, his father passed away. It was relatively recent, which leads to….
Wordslinger says, “He’d look a whole lot better if his family hadn’t taken so much money off the table.”
As I understand it, his family withdrew the money from the family’s business at least in part to cover the estate taxes upon the father’s death.
They didn’t just take the money to go have parties or buy luxury items as so many of the conservatives seem to imply.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:22 am
If the Dems lose control of the Senate by one seat-President Obama will only have himself to blame- Hoffman was the better candidate and was the only one running entitled to call himself a reformer-Future Majority Leader McConnell won’t lift a finger to move the Obama agenda and it is a shame that this was brought about by the Democratic machine
Comment by Sue Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:26 am
brennan, feel free to cite a whipped vote where kirk voted against his leadership WITHOUT their permission. in fact, enlighten us! i’m eager to hear about it! (i ask about these things, and am more than happy that my fellow commenters make inquiries, too!)
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:28 am
Joe McCarthy (really?!??) says, “But I believe you are referring to when Kirk walked away from a Democratic operative with a video camera.”
You are correct. I misremembered, as did you apparently.
Kirk just completely ignored a fellow member of the military.
But you described him as a Democratic operative. He is an Iraq War veteran and was trying to ask Mark Kirk about that issue.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:29 am
I thought Alexi did a very good job with the Marin interview on the Bank, being all twinkle-eye cutie pie at times, and sober at others. But I doubt his responses will stand up for long, and I doubt this is going away at all.
Not so good on the small section on Bright Star, as he has no good answers on that.
Comment by Bubs Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:29 am
We’ve always witnessed rich families send their sons into government. It has a long history, longer in fact than the idea that government should be filled with men and women who don’t have wealthy families. We really don’t have the “common man” getting elected until the Age of Jackson. Until that time, a lot of our states required that voters own property. So, we have a long history of rich families sending their sons into governments.
It isn’t just an American phenomena, either. Immigrants to the US from other countries are proud of not only their freedoms and business successes, but having their sons go into governments. It isn’t surprising that the son of a successful Greek businessman would be set up to run for public office, like Giannoulais.
But like all rich sons, Giannoulais doesn’t have any calluses. He doesn’t have a record of personal success, until 2006. One can be forgiven if there is a belief that it is Illinoisans who are raising Giannoulais now that his father is gone. While it is true that Giannoulais had pleasantly surprised us during his first couple of years in public office, a lot of us knew that the bar was set low, as fitting an inexperienced young man. If you recall, Dan Hynes was another rich man’s son who grew up in Office. He had the fortune of gaining experience for 12 years, allowing us to see what kind of a job this rich kid did. Giannoulias only has three years, with one left in his first term.
So, it is understandable that some of our rich kids end up feeling entitled, because we spoiled them. In comparison to Rod Blagojevich, George Ryan looks passable, so it should be surprising that our entitled rich kids feel successful enough to want to fill shoes too large for their feet.
The Giannoulais family success is a great American one. Now, how that kind of story sells in Illinois in 2010 is another thing. With the Bank’s failure and mismanagement, we are witnessing another side of a typical American business story; rich kids staying rich after their father’s venture costs our community millions. Alexi gets to remain a multi-millionaire, while we pull out our checkbooks to save our community during this banking crisis. What can our rich little politician salvage out of the story his family wrote to convince struggling voters they should continue to finance his political dreams?
If Giannoulais went broke, we can relate because we’re broke too. But he will continue to sit in the lap of luxury pondering his fate as our bills and taxes skyrocket.
We just can’t afford to continue financing Alexi Giannoulias’ dreams of political glory. Someone has to be the grown up here, especially since he never had to learn how.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:29 am
bored now, please spare us.
Comment by RobRoy Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:31 am
The way things are shaping up, have we ever had such a weak field of candidates for statewide office in Illinois - both the R’s and the D’s? It’s made for fun reading, but it’s getting to be embarassing.
Comment by GA Watcher Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:34 am
Bored now,
You didn’t answer why someone should support Alexi beyond he is the Democrat on the ticket. If Hoffman, a srong, substantial candidate had been supported and chosen the DEMS would probably have the claimed seat this fall.
Alexi G. is a liteweight and would have lost to Kirk without this banking scandal. The scandal is just icing on the cake for Kirk, an anchor to a drowning Alexi.
This is not a piece touting Kirk [he is no prize]. It was meant to question Alexi’s qualifications and abilities.
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:35 am
===let someone who could possibly win (like Hoffman)====
Yeah, right. The guy couldn’t raise money, was horrible on the stump and in debates and lost to Giannoulias, yet he’s the One?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:39 am
…A few points on this whole “moderate” thing with Mark Kirk.
Robert says, “Kirk is a really impressive guy, and a moderate republican. He won’t be a reliable conservative vote but he’ll certainly vote against Obama’s agenda more than a Democrat would of course.”
- Robert, with incredibly few exceptions on the big stuff the Olympia Snowes and Susan Collinses (ie, “moderate” Republicans) have become incredibly reliable “conservative” votes in the past year.
Mitch McConnell has been cracking the “moderates” with a whip made of tea bags all session and they’ve been falling for it.
Given Mr. Kirk’s history of voting for the Bush agenda and then flip-flopping in the face of conservative primary opponents… what leads you to believe he’d actually be “moderate”?
He’s already, as a Senate candidate, making false claims about what Illinoisans support or don’t support. This after acknowledging that he made some of his “moderate” votes as a Congressman in order to “vote his district”.
So what do you get if a guy becomes Senator while claiming he votes his “district” (ie, state) but lies about what his “district” (state) supports because he’s kow-towing to an activist, extremist minority of a minority party?
“Moderate” ain’t the answer.
(continued…)
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:39 am
I think Alexis is doing and saying the right stuff, the problem is there is just too much he can’t control. He can’t change what his family made off the bank regardless of whether it was 100% above board, it looks bad. He can’t change the fact the economy will be bad and banks will continue to fail through election time keeping this in the news. He can’t control how this plays into the Blago trial and where Rezko falls into the conversation.
If he had a lot of experience and lots to talk about it would be different. But he is young, and all we really know is he worked for this bank, and he has quietly served as treasurer without without making a lot of noise, good or bad.
Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:40 am
—feel free to cite a whipped vote where kirk voted against his leadership WITHOUT their permission. in fact, enlighten us! i’m eager to hear about it!—-
There are several… How about Campaign Finance Reform where he not only voted for it but also signed a discharge petition to ensure the House could vote on it?
bored - do you really think Kirk survived five terms in the 10th district by always voting with the Republicans?
You can keep to your talking points but roll call votes and election results say different. You will be surprised on how many independents go for Kirk.
Comment by Pre Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:41 am
Alexi did what he had to do yesterday.
But he made a lot more excuses than he took responsibility.
The bottom line is that the facts in this case are going to have serious negative impact on his candidacy.
All the media picked up on the theme that this unravels Alexi’s qualifications and his resume.
And he left several questions unanswered.
He is railing on Wall Street fat cats while his family took tens of millions out of a struggling bank to “diversify” their investments. Yes most went to settling Dad’s estate, but about $30 mil was pulled out to protect the family fortune. Sounds a lot like something Alexi would crucify a CEO for doing.
And for the Alexi apologists and shills, this issue has nothing to do with Kirk, so enough with the “yeah, but Kirk did this or Kirk did that.” There have never been editorials, columns and hard news stories like this about Kirk, nor will there.
This is about Alexi’s electability, whether he’s running against Kirk or the Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man.
He had to take the hit. The question is how hard a hit would it be. It was a brutal body blow early in the fight. It weakens his campaign and his fundraising, seriously damages his image with voters (this is hardly burried news), and provides abundant quotes and headlines for his opponent to slam him with for the next eight months.
Comment by Adam Smith Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:44 am
==more loyalty to the republican party than to the people in his congressional district==
bored now
bored, obviously you have your story and you’re stckin’ to it. But credible? Not so much. As you are not a resident of the 10th district you have absolutely no business pontificating on how Kirk has served his constituents there. Being re-elected multiple times in the 10th is a rather powerful indicator that Kirk indeed has been serving his mixture of blue and red constituents quite well, and to their ongoing satisfaction.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:44 am
(continued…)
Another point on the “moderate” label Mark Kirk likes to wear as a mask.
Shore writes, “1. Talk about the mother of all flip flops. This guy makes john kerry and mitt romney look like models of consistency.
- You’re talking about Mark Kirk, right?
Shore adds, “2. Whereas kirk has changed a position on an issue […]”
- Really? You weren’t talking about Kirk as the mother of all flip-floppers?
“An” issue? You think Kirk only flipped on one issue?
He was for the Iraq War before he was against it.
He was for Pres Bush’s TARP bailout before he was against it.
He was for cap and trade (because it was no less than a national security issue he said) before suddenly becoming against it (apparently after talking to tea baggers he’s no longer concerned about national security).
He was against the Stimulus Bill before his district got more than $180million in funding.
He couldn’t even get his story straight about campaign tweets while on active duty of all things — first he said he did it, then he said his staff did it, then he said he shouldn’t do it, then he did it again.
Shore, that’s just rom the most recent past. He’s flipping on the big stuff and flopping on the little stuff.
Not even you can figure out from one day to the next if Moderate Mark or Conservative Kirk is going to show up, let alone how he’ll actually vote.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:51 am
Reformers always have trouble raising money. It is the nature of our political beast.
Reformers aren’t offering ‘play to play’ or ‘biz as usual’ to the insider/money players. $25 from mom and pop doesn’t by many $5000 commercials.
Blago was the only “reformer” who excelled at raising money. But he didn’t work out so good for average people.
This is why we need better more in depth coverage from the press and campaign finance reform to limit the massive advantage of money in elections. Our goal should be to elect people of substance, good character [not necessarily saints, just not weasels, hacks or crooks]and good ideas and the drive to serve the public over candidates who are merely wealthy or can gain access to big pools of money.
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:53 am
–As I understand it, his family withdrew the money from the family’s business at least in part to cover the estate taxes upon the father’s death.–
If you read above:
–Giannoulias said $40 million was used to pay income taxes for him and his family, the bank’s sole shareholders. The remaining $29 million was paid out to the family as part of his father’s wishes to diversify their assets beyond the bank, he said.–
So family members cashed out $29 million for themselves. It would look better if they hadn’t.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:54 am
Rob -
The video says the young man’s name is Josh Lansdale. He’s appeared in Democratic ads in the past, and the organization he was with was funded by the SEIU, MoveOn and other Dem-oriented groups
http://www.kmbc.com/politics/10042711/detail.html?rss=kc1&psp=news
Sure - he was a vet. But don’t pretend he didn’t have an agenda or wasn’t aligned with the Democrats. I seem to remember Alexi walking away from William Kelly awhile ago. Does that mean Alexi doesn’t support gadfly beer-drinking cable sports show hosts? Well, probably not. But you see my point.
Comment by Joe McCarthy and the Red Scarecrows Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:54 am
Patriot says, “He [Alexi] can’t control how this plays into the Blago trial and where Rezko falls into the conversation. “
Actually, Giannoulias does have some control over that if chooses to use it.
Giannoulias didn’t take campaign donations from Rezko.
Mark Kirk did.
Giannoulias didn’t vote for Pres. Bush’s TARP bailout.
Mark Kirk did.
Giannoulias didn’t take gobs of campaign cash from Wall Street.
Mark Kirk did.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:56 am
Pre: i’ll repeat my question again so maybe this time you can provide a factual answer to it: feel free to cite a whipped vote where kirk voted against his leadership WITHOUT their permission. i’ll even repeat the relevant section, so that you understand my emphasis: WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
there was no move on the part of the republican leadership to deny kirk his desire to vote for campaign finance reform — in fact, i can’t recall a single republican leader saying anything about it. kirk wasn’t whipped on this, in fact (iirc) he was utterly ignored.
alexi, otoh, faced a full scale assault on the part of the democratic leadership in this state.
responsa, i am fully committed to the truth (which is why i have this bizarre practice of actually trying to track down answers myself), and i have talked to more than a few 10th district residents who are absolutely horrified about kirk’s outrageous claim that there were weapons of mass destruction in iraq, or his defense of bush, cheney and rumsfeld, or his enthusiastic support for the immoral (and elective) invasion of iraq, or his campaigning (using federal resources) while doing his reserve time. personally, i don’t see one’s re-election to congress (something that happens ~97% of the time) as a powerful indication of anything other than the powerful resources brought to bare by an incumbent.
one thing is clear: mark kirk will work to obstruct president obama’s agenda and join the republican caucus in filibustering the president’s agenda. kirk’s obeisance to the gop’s conservative agenda isn’t in question. the only way he can win is by duplicating rod blagojevich in 2006 — tearing down his opponent. illinois doesn’t have to stand for that again…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:58 am
if the IL dems junk alexi g. they CANNOT pick another choice. they’re just gonna have to concede this Mark Kirk and wait until the next election to have someone run against him fair and sqaure. the il dems are a mess!
Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:58 am
Fair enough Wordslinger.
…But, why are conservatives suddenly all anti-small business and anti-free market?
This bank is a family business and the family did what their father’s dying wish was. (Alexi Giannoulias isn’t even working at the bank anymore.)
The business owners (ie, family still working at the bank) diversified their business holdings.
I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but it is how family-owned businesses operate in the free market.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:03 am
wordslinger is right. When Giannoulais bags millions while we get their bill, it doesn’t look right.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:03 am
When Broadway Bank fails.
Will taxpayers be on the hook (FDIC)?
Will Alexi and his family return some of the millions they cashed out in accordance with his fathers will?
Just asking…..
Comment by Purge Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:04 am
Rich- Please allow me to defend David Hoffman - who I think did a kick-ass job as a first time candidate. Hoffman was only in the race for five months and I read that he raised something like $2.5 million (including his own donation of course). For someone who had never run before, that’s good money…especially since he took no money from unions, PACS, or special interests.
As someone who followed the race pretty close, I think the rest of your analysis is also too harsh with regards to Hoffman. While he gave a poor performance with the ABC-7 debate when they all ganged up on him, his other debates were quite good. He was sharp and on message, in fact, with Carol Marin on WTTW at the last event when all 3 candidates were on together.
As for his stump speech, I saw him twice — once at the start and once at the end. The guy learns super fast. I’d say he was an A- at the end.
Comment by Chicago Liberal Dude Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:09 am
I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but it is how family-owned businesses operate in the free market.
It is hard to defend politically. It doesn’t matter what your party is. Yeah it is legal, but folks shouldn’t have to both pay for it, and elect the guy who benefitted from it.
I am a Democrat, and I’m sick of rich Democrats getting richer when the rest of us go broke. It ain’t natural. I liked it better when Democrats helped us, instead of bagging their share. We are broke, but these schmoes seem to think they are entitled to both wealth and political power.
If Giannoulais wants to be a Democrat, he ought to live like one of us.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:09 am
It is so funny to see the Alexi flacks using the oldest and weakest argument to try and deflect what they know is a brutal blow to the Giannoulias campaign.
Numerous valid, serious, troubling and relevant questions are discussed with Alexi, some are addressed, others aren’t, new questions arise. It all hurts him and there is no way to dodge the issue.
When you are backed into a corner like that, the oldest trick in the book is….
Accuse your opponent of something, anything to change the subject.
Of course, here, all the flacks have a tired old DNC talkiing points that either appeal to the nutroots lefties that aren’t in play or simply don’t have any relevance or in any way counter the serious questions about Alexi.
These were very damaging issues when Alexi was running against Hoffman, they are serious now, and would be serious if he were running against anyone with a pulse.
Sorry Kirk haters. Get ready for six years of bile-spewing.
Comment by Adam Smith Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:20 am
V-Man’s right on target.
Alexi is–was–the American Dream come true. A family of immigrants who worked hard and succeeded; a son dedicated to serving and helping the little guy; young and inexperienced, but obviously committed to his cause and very “touchy/feely” with the public to reinforce that message.
His family money would NOT have been “envied” even though people might have considered his life thus far “easy”. Instead it would have added that additional “glitter” required for rock star material on the campaign trail.
And his youth, including the fact that he’s single, was such a promise–so much potential to do even more and leave behind a true legacy, which Voters would feel they helped to build. (Think Jack Ryan–sort of, but more genuinely connected to the “common folk”.)
If he walks away from this with his money still in his pocket (whether the bank fails or not), the story can go bad very quickly. The gold suddenly turns to rust.
Sure, you can try to spin it into a hardship (similar to something what’s currently at issue with an aspiring Congressman in the NW burbs), but the connection to banking makes it almost impossible–unless you’re on the “right” side of banking as the aforementioned aspiring Congressman is.
Kirk has the background for a much better story. It just needs to be told.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:33 am
Alexi can’t run on his experience as a banker - his bank failed. He can’t run on his experience as a treasurer - bright start failed and the state’s finances are a disaster. He is a 35 year-old who failed at the only 2 jobs he had.
All Alexi can do is try to explain, deflect and pass blame. He can talk about supporting the president’s agenda - but we already have Roland Burris doing that and frankly we need more.
Meanwhile Kirk is out there with a small-business bill of rights, looking into waste and mis-use of federal funds by cook county, offering reasonable health-care reform measures, and serving in the Navy.
Not only is alexi a rise we can’t afford - Kirk has the experience we can’t afford to be without.
Comment by 10th Indy Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:01 pm
Accurate, but so cerebral, 10th.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:07 pm
Sorry, 12:07 was me.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:08 pm
=But, why are conservatives suddenly all anti-small business and anti-free market?
This bank is a family business and the family did what their father’s dying wish was.But, why are conservatives suddenly all anti-small business and anti-free market?=
Do you think Alexis had a dying wish to pay estate taxes?
This is the whole premise for the division of an estate. If Alexis does not have to pay the estate tax the capital likely remains in the bank with his shares distributed according to his will.
Alexis was not a “fat cat” “wall street tycoon”. He’s was a self made man that built a solid community bank from nothing. Republicans have argued for decades that the estate tax robs good people of their hard earned wealth, but the argument falls on deaf ear when Democrats accuse every successful American, even immigrants like Alexis, that they’re wealth must be redistributed for the general welfare.
It’s difficult to fault the Giannoulias family for diversifying the bank’s portfolio. It was a sound strategy. It was also a sound strategy for Demitris to use a portion of his father’s estate to invest in a new bank in the Bronx where he is now Chairman.
These were good banking decisions, but lets not pretend they were made solely because the Giannoulias family preferred it that way. They were abiding by the laws that govern this country. Laws that Republicans are trying to change so Americans can keep their own money and allocate it the way they see fit.
The individual is better at this game. The government is a horrible, sad, bitter loser at it.
Comment by Brennan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:22 pm
VM says, “It is hard to defend politically. It doesn’t matter what your party is. Yeah it is legal, but folks shouldn’t have to both pay for it, and elect the guy who benefitted from it.”
- Yes. It is hard to defend politically. Clearly.
But don’t you find it the least bit hypocritical for Kirk to essentially be lambasting a small business the same week he trots out some pointless “small business bill of rights” (this after having voted for TARP and a number of other big business friendly Bush policies which are now crushing small businesses).
- FDIC is a bank-funded insurance program. “We” don’t pay for it (at least not directly). The major dollar investors pay a service fee for it.
–
Meanwhile, 10th lays out why Kirk is a god. …Take a look at the scoreboard.
Independent polls have Giannoulias up. All Kirk can hope to do is continue to chip away at the edges because, like it or not, yes Illinoisans would in fact rather have someone who will support the president’s agenda.
And PS, his “reasonable” health care measures don’t actually do anything with regards to the annual double-digit, inflation-busting insurance rate increases that continue to crush businesses (large and small) and deflate earnings and wages.
Did you read Kirk’s proposed bill? It fits on a single page that’s how weak and pointless it is.
Comment by Rob N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:23 pm
See what I mean, 10th?
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:28 pm
adam Smith, you are so right: the contrasts between alexi and mark kirk are clear. alexi is willing to meet the press and answer their questions — all their questions. alexi will meet with, and talk to, the voters — and answer all their questions. mark kirk won’t (or, at least, hasn’t). here’s a hint: easter break is coming up. let’s see whether kirk is willing to entertain an open-ended questioning from the press; let’s see if kirk is willing to talk about his defense of bush and cheney, weapons of mass destruction, twitting while in uniform and the ethics investigation that should result from that, etc. i’d be impressed if kirk would go through the kind of day that alexi did yesterday, taking questions from all comers. (hey, and kirk is likely to be thrown softballs, given how enamoured the press is with him! he’s got nothing to be afraid of there!)
the fact that you don’t see the equivalency here — that BOTH alexi and kirk should answer the questions that illinois voters have — demonstrates your utter lack of objectivity. i get it. kirk’s behind and he’s afraid. like rod blagojevich, he thinks he has only one choice: attack his opponent, reducing the debate to the opponent’s weaknesses. hey, it worked for rod. it’s no surprise that kirk expects to have the same results that rod did.
it’s not like mark kirk can allow the voters of illinois to vote on what is important to illinois, is it? you may want illinois to send an ally of mitch mcconnell, george w. bush, dick cheney and donald rumsfeld to the senate, but i don’t. i don’t think too many illinois voters do. illinois needs to be supporting its favorite son in the white house, not obstructing the president and his agenda for change.
10th “indy,” your bias is showing. broadway bank hasn’t failed (yet). and bright start certainly hasn’t failed. i know, i know, you meant rhetorically. facts be damned! (republicans are, after all, anti-science.)
i don’t need mark kirk to look into cook county government, i have toni preckwinkle, thank you very much. (kirk’s supporters sure have that hypocrisy thing DOWN!) i don’t doubt, though, that kirk wants to run against stroger. that would certainly be in keeping with his rod blagojevich strategy. kirk’s experience of campaigning while he was in uniform demonstrated all the (lack of) respect he has for the men and women in our military. we not only would be better without mark kirk, there is simply no question that our civic life in america would be exponentially worse if we sent kirk to the senate…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:34 pm
Alexi got where he is because of a false narrative that called him “a young up and commer” [with money, of course]. The narrative was the same kind empty nonsense that Blago “the reformer” was. Look for substance.
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:37 pm
jaded, go to the Voters with that message alone then, and convince them.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:43 pm
I guess you’d have to start with “OK, Voters, what is up with your voting for “empty suits” instead of looking for “substance”?
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:46 pm
Rich,
While clearly there were first time candidate issues, he outraised Alexi in the fourth quarter, won every endorsement in the state, matured as a candidate in the home stretch, had all the momentum going into election day and came within 5 points of unseating a statewide office holder on his first time out.
If that’s your definition of a lousy candidate, I guess we just have different interpretations.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 12:53 pm
You guys keep saying Giannoulias is ahead in recent independent polling, but a simple Google search only shows him up by 4 points (within the margin of error) in his own internal poll. Meanwhile Rasmussen has Kirk up 46 - 40. Considering that Rasmussen has been one of the most accurate pollsters in recent years, I think you guys need to take another look at that argument. Of course there is the poll paid for by the Daily Kos…but SERIOUSLY?
Comment by A.B, Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:23 pm
not sure in what universe rasmussen counts as “one of the most accurate pollsters,” but the wall street journal (that bastion of liberalism) found:
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:33 pm
not sure why the image didn’t post, but it can be found here:
http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/
it shows rasmussen second to last in the 2008 cycle in the average percentage points that various pollsters were off the final election results in the numerous swing states. rassmussen was off an average of 2.5 percentage points; only yougov was worse…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:36 pm
@bored now
In Fordham University’s universe. Link to PDF
We still have an entire baseball season to watch before the election. Arguing about polls right now is silly.
Comment by Brennan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:41 pm
Real anon,
Getting better candidates and thereby better gov’t should be any sane person’s goal. It will be an uphill battle, but the only alternative is to accept the terrible situation we have now.
A better situation is possible. If we can limit the power of big money, limit the advantages of incumbency, get the press to do a better job and get voters to take their priviledge more seriously, better outcomes are possible:
Hoffman beats Alexi, Paul Vallas beats Blago, Glenn Poshard beats George Ryan, anyone beats Bush.
These elections were all close. These mistakes cause lots of pain.
Comment by jaded voter Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:49 pm
A.B, check the chart in the center of the page. Click on it for a better look.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:51 pm
Thank you for sharing your sources.
Comment by A.B, Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 1:59 pm
brennan, that was one datapoint in the national election. the comparison i pointed to was among several (22, i believe) datapoints. near as i can tell, rasmussen continuously overstates gop turnout in his models, so i’m never surprised when he finds a republican ahead contrary to the data coming out of other pollsters. i will admit to surprise that he hit the final (national) results dead on in 2008.
if mark kirk finds that he’s polling ahead of giannoulias, then we’d expect that he would release his internal polling data. the fact that he didn’t speaks volumes. of course, it could just be his pattern, because he’s not exactly the most transparent public official in the land. the word “hiding” comes to mind…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 2:08 pm
jaded, I was merely trying to point out that you don’t appeal to, or help, Voters by insulting them. Any efforts to inform them re: facts to help them make better choices after the insult, fall upon deaf ears–and they’re more likely to attack anything you have to say from that point forward.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 2:14 pm
Mark Kirk met with every newspaper editorial board during the primary and swept their endorsements - How did Alexi do?
Comment by 10th Indy Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 2:14 pm
Bored, I admire your absolute intrasigence.
For the fourth time, I think, you steadfastly refuse to accept that Alexi’s bank problems are, indeed problems, and that they are injurious to his candidacy.
Is Kirk prefect? Far from it. But that is totally irrelevant to the point I have repeatedly made. Ignoring Alexi’s big problem here and simply sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling “Mark Kirk is this and that,” is not going to win the day.
For the record, I have personally seen Kirk after two speeches recently, (Union League Club, Council on Foreign Relations) spend at least half an hour taking any and all questions from many reporters.
I’m sure Kirk would love to sit down with the ed boards, but it’s just that he doesn’t have to try and explain away an enourmous professional financial scandal that calls into question his fitness to hold office.
Your inane DNC talking points (and we have them memorized by now thanks) all cover legitimate policy differences. You didn’t like Bush policies. You don’t like this position or that position, or a changed position. Fine. Fair enough. We get it. That’s called politics. If we all agreed we wouldn’t have elections.
How about a direct questions…
As a result of the interviews yesterday and the resulting coverage and editorials, is Alexi in a better or worse positon with respect to his chances in November?
Comment by Adam Smith Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 2:19 pm
===
As a result of the interviews yesterday and the resulting coverage and editorials, is Alexi in a better or worse positon with respect to his chances in November?
===
LOGICALLY, it would SEEM his chances are worse now.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 2:34 pm
Alexi seems to be a dead man walking because whatever happens in April, the story does’nt end. Suppose the Bank does not raise the necessary capital, but the federal regulators decline to shut the bank down? Does’nt it now become problem for Obama? Imagine the national media attacks on Obama and “the Chicago way” if it appears the feds go easy on Broadway Bank for a Dem US Senate candidate and F.O.B. I feel for Alexi who must be feeling the constriction on his lungs that this vice grip has on him.
Dems look like they are abandoning him and trying to figure out how to pressure him out of his slot on the ballot. I dont see how he turns this around.
Comment by Cousin Ralph Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:09 pm
adam, i’m not sure who you’re reading, but you named me. so let’s clarify what i’ve actually said:
and, of course:
if you think that i think i’m ignoring the potential fallout of a failure of broadway bank or the prevelant misinformation related to bright start, then you clearly do not understand what i’ve said. fortunately, alexi is more aggressive about dealing with these kinds of political problems than he was four years ago.
i, too, was at the chicago council on global affairs. kirk left a lot of questions on the table, and that was in a remarkably safe environment. that he won’t talk to voters downstate is more curious to me (again, a relatively safe environment). i merely notice the strong contrast between alexi (open and welcoming) and kirk (scripted and guarded).
you want to continue kirk’s rod blagojevich strategy, and i understand. i can only laugh at your suggestion that i’m aware of the dnc’s talking points (i’m sure they have them, but they don’t send them to me). nope, the only campaign that sends me stuff is mark kirk’s campaign — again, unbeknownst to me i got added to their press release list. wouldn’t know how to get the dnc’s talking points, do you? i was unaware that the dnc had taken a special interest in the race; when i go to the dnc site, they’re talking about health care reform. got a url where the dnc is talking about this particular race?
Comment by bored now Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:14 pm
@bored now
Time Magazine wrote that Ras was the most accurate pollster in the 2004 general and the 2006 midterm.
Comment by Brennan Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:14 pm
I believe the election in November will hinge on who will support our President. President Obama who is from Illinois.
Alexi will support the President’s agenda. Kirk would obstruct the President’s agenda, he has proven that in the past.
It just takes one Senator to obstruct, just look what Jim Bunning did this week.
The people of Illinois don’t need a Senator, like Kirk, who will just say no to everything.
Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:24 pm
So I see here above that a novice writes some admittedly ill-informed questions about Alexi’s Dad on your blog…not knowing he passed away.. You promptly call her an “idiot”
Rich — You are such a class act…a real classy guy.
I’ve just lost a lot of respect for you and Capital Fax. Please tell me that was just one of your interns.
Comment by Way to Go Rich Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:38 pm
618 somehow i doubt that the democrats of the il 10th u.s. congressional district viewed mark kirk in the way you are trying to portray him. by all accounts they were pretty pleased with him, as they were instrumental to his get re-elected so many times.
the last election between him and seals was tough. seals ran a pretty nasty attack ad using an iraqi war vet who was blaming mark kirk for u.s. military casulaties and injuries as a result of the iraq war. and seals raised a lot of money in that race and had big dem guns behind him.
interestingly enough though seals did worse that time than he did in ‘06 when he ran against kirk for the first time.
Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 3:41 pm
WCW, Kirk is running state wide, not in a small congressional district. Seals was tough, but it is almost impossible to beat a long time incumbent. Seals almost pulled it off though.
If Kirk were to be elected he would do everything in his power to obstruct our President’s agenda. He has in the past.
Most of the voters in Illinois like the job President Obama is doing. I believe they will vote for Alexi who will support his agenda and not vote for Kirk who will just say no to everything.
Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 4:22 pm
When the democratic party decides to dump Alexi from the ballot I hope they will let folks nominate themselves to replace him.
If he isn’t replaced he will help Kirk win just by being on the ballot. But Alexi is to dim and self centered to care.
Comment by dump the shady banker Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 4:32 pm
If Alexi stays on the ballot, and if he loses, the good news will be that he won’t be an elected official anymore. I look forward to this twit having to find a real job and not being a public official.
Comment by some good news Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 5:07 pm
“The remaining $29 million was paid out to the family as part of his father’s wishes to diversify their assets beyond the bank, he said.”
In a normal business environment, I believe that would be called a “Dividend”.
Course probably can’t call it that, because if Broadway Bank fails and is taken over by the Feds, they can probably take legal action to “claw back” on any dividends paid out over the recent past.
This one has the potential to get really bad, because once Broadway Bank fails and is taken over and the asset selloff begins, that’s when we’ll start to get a really good accounting for the level of non-performing assets at Broadway, and then we can really tell what Alexi had his hands on.
Just not likely to end well for him.
Comment by Judgment Day Is On The Way Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 5:09 pm
Is bored now also Will County Woman, or is there a premium on caps?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 6:14 pm
I just used the google and answered my own question. Not one major newspaper endorsed Alexi Giannoulias in the Primary. Zip. Zero. None.
Comment by 10th Indy Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 7:04 pm
Sorry. I missed the point on that last post, 10th.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 7:23 pm
Some of the Alexi apologists above tried to claim that Kirk won’t meet/hasn’t met with newspapers and answer their questions. I noted that Kirk met with all the major newspapers during the recent primary and after discussing his qualifications, experience and answering all questions he recieved every endorsement.
I wondered how Alexi did and was sure an Alexi fan would post references to the newspapers that endorsed Alexi. Especially since he has been so committed about meeting with them and answering all their questions and all.
But when none of Alexi’s cheerleaders answered my question I decided to look it up and post it in case anyone else was curious. (Every major newspaper endorsed his opponent in the primary.)
Comment by 10th Indy Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 7:39 pm
Thank you, 10th. I missed the question that you had asked earlier.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 7:58 pm
IR posted the link to the new Giannoulias website a couple of hours ago.
Dead silence.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:43 pm
Will County Woman… when Will County is added into the 10th CD you can start making assumptions about Dem voters in the 10th. But til then you’re just making things up.
No, Democrats in the 10th were not and are not pleased with Mr. Kirk’s consistent flip-flopping on issue after issue nor with his record of supporting the Bush agenda (until Seals scared the living daylights out of him at which point he suddenly flipped… then the tea baggers scared the living daylights out of Kirk and he suddenly began flopping).
But he did manage to routinely convince enough Republicans and independents to be able to earn reelection. It has helped that he’s had a very compliant GOP-friendly media at his beck and call too.
–
10th Indy… when newspapers endorse jumping off bridges do you listen to that too?
The Trib has been inking some really bizarre editorials lately, including their most recent Sunday opinion page which advocated planting magic beans and violating the state’s Constitution to resolve the budget.
–
Judgment… Once again, Alexi Giannoulias hasn’t worked at Broadway Bank in four years.
So just what did he “have his hands on”?
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:53 pm
PS: Anon 10:43pm, Rich also posted that info much earlier.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 10:54 pm
Thanks, Rob! I missed it here this AM.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:02 pm
Rob, second look, we might not be talking about the same websites. This is the Kirk for Senate site on Alexi. I think the one Rich references is a Giannoulias site. Rich will probably cover it tomorrow.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 4, 10 @ 11:29 pm
-Will County Woman… when Will County is added into the 10th CD you can start making assumptions about Dem voters in the 10th. But til then you’re just making things up.-
She does that with Republicans, too.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 8:15 am
10th indy: if you could kindly point me to the transcript or video where kirk answered questions about tweeting while on reserve duty, the potential congressional ethics investigation that should result from his campaigning while in uniform, his assertions that there were weapons of mass destruction in iraq before we invaded, his steadfast support for bush, cheney and rumsfeld, his support for the bailout of wall street, his lack of support for helping regular americans after bailing out the big banks, his suggestions to china to ditch the dollar, the commitments he’s given to the senate republican leadership for all the money they will be dumping into illinois, his flip-flopping on cap and trade, etc, i would be ever so grateful. i’m aware of the softball interviews he’s given, i’m just completely unaware of kirk’s willingness to face or having faced a critical set of reporters and editorial boards such as alexi gave this week.
alexi has been tested. it would be good to see kirk tested, as well. there are a number of reporters who would love to sit down with mark kirk without the usual preconditions that his office demands…
Comment by bored now Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 8:15 am
Rob_N: Not one newspaper endorsement though. The Tribune can fumble the ball a hundred times and it doesn’t change the fact that even throughout the state Alexi Giannoulias wrapped up party and elected official endorsements swiftly, yet struggled when it came to independent reviews from journalists.
It’s a point you just concede and move on.
Comment by Brennan Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 9:04 am
bored now: What are those “preconditions”?
Comment by Brennan Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 9:06 am