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Eddie, Geo and Ginnie

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Illinois

* Arrangements have been made for the late Rep. Eddie Washington…

A public viewing for State Rep. Eddie Washington, 56, who died of a heart attack Saturday, will take place in Waukegan Tuesday.

The viewing will be held at 1 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church at 800 S. Genesee St. The burial will take place in Washington’s hometown of East St. Louis, Ill.

* And this just blows my mind, but good for state Sen. Terry Link, who is also the Lake County Democratic Party chairman…

Link will convene a panel composed of himself and two others who will select someone to finish Washington’s term and fill his spot on the November ballot. Link said it is too early to think about who will replace Washington, but said he hopes to find a single person to both complete the term and run for election.

“I have already received several phone calls from people asking to be considered,” Link said today. “I have been coarse with them, explaining it is far too soon to be having these discussions.”

What kind of freaking moron would be contacting the county chairman before Rep. Washington’s body is even cold, let alone in the ground? I’d love to run that list here and subject those craven jerks to the public ridicule that they so richly deserve.

* I’ve been wondering how Sen. Bond would deal with this issue…

More than two years after her death, former Republican state Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis’ name and image are being used by the re-election campaign of her Democratic successor - and it isn’t sitting well with Lake County’s GOP leader.

A recent campaign mailer for state Sen. Michael Bond features a photograph of Bond, his wife and Geo-Karis taken before her death. Additionally, Bond’s float in Lake Villa’s Memorial Day parade bore a large picture of Bond and Geo-Karis with a message about the late politician.

Bond’s opponent in the Nov. 2 election for the 31st District seat is Republican Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa, the longtime chairwoman of the Lake County Board. Schmidt declined to comment about Bond’s campaign, but Lake County Republican Party Chairman Bob Cook was disturbed by the use of Geo-Karis’ name and photos.

“I’m appalled that someone would resort to using someone who passed away for political gains,” Cook said. “I think it’s in poor taste.”

Bond called Cook’s comments “ridiculous” and said the complaints are purely political.

The Lake County GOP worked against Geo during her last primary race, which she lost. So, they really don’t have much credibility here. And even though endorsements from beyond the grave are not unheard of (Paul Simon’s post-mortem endorsement of Barack Obama in 2004 springs to mind), there is certainly a question of taste here. Thoughts?

* And sympathies to all of Ginnie Frederick’s family and many, many friends…

The first woman elected to the Lake Forest City Council and an Illinois state representative for 16 years, Virginia “Ginnie” Fiester Frederick of Lake Forest died May 30. She was 93.

Frederick left local government for state politics. Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as a Republican in 1978, she served until 1994 when she chose to not run for re-election. […]

There will be a memorial service for Frederick at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 11 at Grace United Methodist Church, 244 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society, 361 E. Westminster, Lake Forest, IL 60045 or to The University of Iowa Foundation.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 12:48 pm

Comments

Oh come on, if Republicans couldn’t resurrect Ronald Reagan every 10 minutes, where would they be?

Comment by just sayin' Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:02 pm
===features a photograph of Bond, his wife and Geo-Karis taken before her death.===

I don’t know, was the timing of the picture worth noting?
I keep thinking of the Seinfeld episode where George takes of picture next to the casket to get the bereavement rate on a flight.

Comment by Been There Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:05 pm
Re replacing Rep. Washington: In the words of the esteemed Daffy Duck, that’s dethpicable.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:05 pm
And even though endorsements from beyond the grave are not unheard of (Paul Simon’s post-mortem endorsement of Barack Obama in 2004 springs to mind), there is certainly a question of taste here. Thoughts?

Taste is something to spin politically. As long as consultants think their clients have a shot at winning votes, death can be a parade float in Illinois’ politically nepotistic Election Day Parade.

Illinois is a state where Zombies vote. A few of the candidates will embrace Zombies for endorsements, as a result.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:19 pm
–What kind of freaking moron would be contacting the county chairman before Rep. Washington’s body is even cold, let alone in the ground?–

Politics is a cold business. It happens all the time with a death.

Eddie Burke has talked about watching the precinct captains plotting his father’s replacement at his wake. The Daley crew sure looked to secure power after the old man’s death, locking Wilson Frost out of the mayor’s office, even though, by statute, he should have been the acting mayor.

If you read Arthur Schleisinger’s diaries, after RFK was murdered, the Camelot true believers turned immediately to plotting to seize the Chicago convention for Teddy. Richard D was in on it, as were Ted Sorenson, Schleisinger, Jackie and Teddy himself. Didn’t turn out that way, but they were trying.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:30 pm
It is completely appropriate for Senator Bond to use a pic of Geo. She endorsed him over his GOP competitor, right? The GOP didn’t endorse/support her in her last run for office…

Comment by Anonymouse Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 1:55 pm
Saw a picture of Bond with that giant float-size picture of him & Geo and I must admit, it seemed odd. I’m a democrat, so this is not politically motivated. Just seems quite insensitive & over the top. He’s not the only one who, to quote Jen Aniston, might be “missing the sensitivity chip,” but it doesn’t make it any better. Combine this with going overboard with drafting death resolutions, and it just makes you think there is a whole new generation of pols who are more concerned with opportunistic types of stunts and photo ops, instead of sticking their nose to the grindstone & helping people in a genuine way. It’s sad.

Comment by anon Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 2:29 pm
I suppose since Michael Bond can’t win on his own merits or justify is absence in the 31st District, he’ll ride the name recognition coat tails of the late Senator Geo-Karis for political gain. No matter what party affiliation, this is disgusting and disturbing. Bond is capitalizing on a late Senator’s name recognition for political advancement. It’s been more than 2 years since her death - he should have laid the endorsement to rest when the Senator passed away.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 3:44 pm
I spent over 15 years in Senator Geo-Karis’ office as a tenant, as a friend (for even longer) and running or co-chairing some of her many campaigns for office. I chaired the last campaign and would speak to Geo easily 3-4 times a day, including those many calls she would make to me (and others) after midnight. “Did I wake you?” before laughing are words I still miss today.

With that, I can honestly state that I have not spoken with Geo in over two years. Can Senator Bond?

Sorry, the use of that float in such a manner (to promote Bond’s current candidacy) is in poor taste. That’s my opinion on that subject. Geo was a great admirer of Suzi Schmidt, Bond’s opponent. If I channel her tonight through a seance, I’ll let you know about who she endorses this year. Let me call Whoopie Goldberg first to set it up.

To set the record straight on two other issues that several called me about today on this subject:

The current Chairman of the Lake County GOP (Bob Cook) was a strong Geo-Karis supporter during that last campaign and bucked those within the then Lake GOP power hierarchy who sandbagged her.

Also, as I was heavily involved in Geo’s funeral arrangements (and a pallbearer), Michael Bond was asked by me to step in as a pallbearer at the gravesite when one of the original pallbearers couldn’t handle it. He graciously did so. So he did not appear with the other pallbearers on the photos that ran in the Daily Herald outside from where the services were held, but he did act in that capacity at the gravesite.

I’m sorry to hear about Rep. Washington. He meant well and fought hard for his constituents and his heart was in the right place. I met him many times through Geo up in Lake County and he always came across as a genuine person.

I’m also sorry to hear about Rep. Frederick, who was a classy intelligent person from another era when good politics didn’t mean ripping off the head of your opponent. She was my state rep. and well respected even after many years of retirement.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 4:42 pm
When I was a kid, Geo was my goombah in the Senate.
She would give me staff reports, or just scheduling information, blah, blah Big old grey-hair smile.

What I liked the most, she scared the hell out of Pate and Doc Davidson. They didn’t scare easily, but when they saw Geo coming, they plotzed.

I covered her a lot, but I just remember her ringing words, circa 1987: “I don’t trust those New York bankers.” That’s a wise woman.

The next time they’re carving names in an Illinois building, how about Geo? Check out her life record. She’s a great Illinoisan

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 5:36 pm
If you wonder who was calling Link, then you don’t know Waukegan very well. The Democrats were divided and didn’t support Washington, and always tried to run another guy who was, for lack of a better term, kind a lightweight goon. These Dem opponents were cut-throat and made his life miserable. He had to put up with a lot that most other elected officials did not have to deal with.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 10:38 pm
I had a chance to work with Rep. Washington for a while and always appreciated his personal warmth. He was fun to be around and my sympathies go out to his close friends and family.

Comment by Quizzical Monday, Jun 7, 10 @ 11:04 pm
Geo-Karis was a proud veteran. I don’t see anything wrong with remembering her in the Memorial Day parade.

If Suzi Schmidt had been endorsed by Geo-Karis, we’d never hear the end of it.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jun 8, 10 @ 6:54 am