Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Question of the day

Posted in:

Illinois

What can you say about Edwin Eisendrath’s new cable TV ad? “Breathtakingly horrible,” was how one friend described it last night.

He doesn’t look into the camera (note to producer: invest in a teleprompter), the script is sub-par to say the least, he doesn’t read well, and it made my friends and I laugh until we cried last night.

This ad makes Edwin Eisendrath the Ed Wood of Illinois politics.

I usually don’t put my own opinion on Questions of the Day, but I just had to get that off my chest.

Anyway, you can see the ad on his homepage.

I’ll buy dinner for the funniest commenter.

UPDATE: Illinoize blogger Abraham Lincoln has a new post up about Oberweis’ first TV ad and a tagline contest. And the winner of that contest will have dinner with myself and the winner of this contest. Keep them coming!

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:27 am

Comments

His whole campaign has been pathetic farce from start to finish. The guy is just a rank amateur. No wonder his rich relatives didn’t pony up much money. Yet I have a feeling we’ll see him again. I’m betting he’ll become a perennial laughing stock candidate ala Harold Stassen.

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:43 am
Rich-

You forgot to mention the arm waving — I was waiting for him to bust out four steak knives and ask “Now how much would you pay?”

I’m also wondering why they chose a Wisconsin ski lodge for their shoot location.

P.S. Ed,if your such a friend of the Democratic Party, stop repeating the lie that Illinois is losing jobs to Indiana and Iowa. Indiana, Iowa and Illinois are losing jobs to China, Singapore and Indonesia, and that’s not the Governor’s fault. That’s the fault of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (which should be called the Multi-national Chamber of Commerce), which has been dictating U.S. trade policy for the last 25 years.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:45 am
I’m no political professional, but how about actually saying “Illinois.” Does he think us hicks downstate pronounce it differently (ala Mizzouree and Mizzouruh)? “A Democrat you can trust”…. and Slick Willie is the best you can get? Why was is shot in such a spacious living room? Where’s the shuttered factories? I still like the guy, but I think this proves he’s no match for the GRod machine.

Comment by Paul Simon Museum Guy Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:49 am
In baseball, a batting average of .200 is called the Mendoza line, after Ray Mendoza, a feeble hitting shortstop who repeatedly failed to reach that pathetic standard. Eisendrath got 27% when he ran against Sid Yates. If he fails to break 30% again, I think that offically becomes the “Eisendrath line.”

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:53 am
I’ve never seen a candidate do a negative attack on himself. Wow, the hack knows TV and this aint’t good TV. I can tell you this: It is clear he is running his own campaign. No self respecting manager (or the office intern) would allow this to air. And why is he only buying cable? At least put the money on broadcast so someone can see it. You better get control Fako.

Comment by Political Hack Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:55 am
It reminds me of the old Japanese horror films dubbed in English- his mouth was still moving but there was no sound. I was too busy watching his mouth move to listen to what he said.

Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:13 am
I don’t understand why Edwin insisted on getting a restraining order (”No closer than 20 feet”) on the cameraman before shooting began.

Comment by Sir Topham Hatt Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:34 am
Yellow dog - that argument is worn out. IL is the fastest growing export state with over 80,000 export related jobs being produced since 2000. why do you think that is? Free trade, that is why.

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:37 am
I really didn’t need to see something like that commercial so early in the morning.

Comment by Randall Sherman Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:42 am
That offset look in his eyes make me expect to hear him say, “I see dead people”.

Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:02 am
YYD other governors went to these other countries to get jobs in Illinois.Why do you think we have the factories we have.Not this one he is to busy taking care of his friends.You dyed-in-the-wool Democrats don’t like this guy because he is showing you the truth that Blago isn’t the much loved liitle God you people want him to be.All politicans make bad ads the good ones after public input change them.Give him a chance and see what he does.

Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:06 am
Production value B
Talent B-
Location C-

Give Edwin EisenFirstDrath a break

Comment by Not that bad Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:10 am
His opening line is hilarious. “I LOVE ILLINOIS” I was expecting him to follow with ‘I love mom’s homemade apple pie and long walks in park. And, BTW - I prefer boxers over briefs.

Comment by Marta Elena Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:13 am
Downstate, you are so wrong. Bad commercial or not, I am voting for Eisendrath. Rich set the tone and upped the ante with a dinner. Lighten up.

Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:14 am
I liked it.

I’ll wait while you all stop laughing.

It wasn’t the high production, freakishly refined spot we see from everybody else. It was real.

Even though it was scripted, it just sounded and looked like the guy was talking to somebody and the camera caught it.

I like it.

(that may have just earned me Rich’s dinner)

Comment by YoungRighty Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:17 am
Seriously. Rich, it is not that bad.

Ed Wood. Please give Wood the respect he deserves.

It is very similar in style to a Walter E. Smithe commerical

(http://www.smithe.com/commercials.htm)

Certainly not great, but not that bad.

Comment by Not that bad 2 Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:18 am
My first reaction was: what a dork. Next I thought of when I snap my fingers to get my cat to look right at me when something else has his attention. And lastly, that guarantees the Judy vs. Rod showdown in November that most of us thought was inevitable.

Comment by Wildcat Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:19 am
OUCH!

I’m gonna try and put my funny hat on to cash in on that dinner later, but ouch.

I do love the “Welcome, regular middle-class voter to my opulent Gold Coast condo…” vibe.

Comment by SenorAnon. Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:22 am
What a bunch of cads. If Rich told you that urine tasted like Mountain Dew, would you drink it?

Comment by Not that bad 3 Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:23 am
Whats going on here? You liked Brady’s JCPenney male model approach to TV ads, and you don’t like this? Just how fake do you think people have to look and act to win votes?

You are seriously overlooking just how jaded voters are to slick TV ads. This ad is not bad at all. What you are calling amateurish is really just different from the canned crap you are used to seeing from canned politicians.

I am no Eisendrath fan, but he comes off as a genuinely nice guy deserving my attention in this ad.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:27 am
Lighten up Not that Bad and VanillaMan. I appreciate Rich putting some humor in his blog on occasion. It gives some relief to everyone sticking their tongues out at each other all week. Geeesh.

Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:31 am
Eisendrath: “It’s just wrong…”
*Consult thesaurus immediately*

Comment by Lovie's Leather Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:40 am
Really, it’s not that bad. It’s not good of course, but not so bad that it merits late night entertainment.

He’s clearly not a real candidate by any measure. This ad is about what I expect from him.

Comment by Goodbye Napoleon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:44 am
Urine tastes like Mountain Dew! SWEEEEEET!

Comment by SenorAnon. Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 9:54 am
Give the guy a break. I have seen far worse political ads. He (and the production staff) will not be winning any awards for professionalism, but he seemed OK at best. The ad did little to make his message very appealling.

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:11 am
Unfortunately, the ad looks like it’s for a small town mayor’s race. At some point, EE needs to make us feel that he’s the right guy to be Governor of a major state. He hasn’t convinced voters of that and, I’m afraid, he never will.

Comment by Mandy Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:12 am
Not first rate. Not horrible either.

I would reserve the “breathtakingly bad” designation for comercials like Jim Oberweis in a helicopter, or the ad with Vallas and Poshard than ran downstate in ‘02.

Those were “breathtakingly bad” this ones just forgettable.

Comment by Publius Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:18 am
It is really sad that many of you only see value in spending a lot of money for a big flashy ad. I’ll take Eisendrath’s substance over Blagojevich’s flash any day.

While Blagojevich may have money, he does not have a basic grasp of mathematics or economics. DEFICIT means “the amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required or expected amount; a shortage.” (dictionary.com)

Perhaps Blagojevich should take some of his ad money and use it to restore the $2B in pension funds he stole from our state workers and teachers.

Comment by City Chick Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:18 am
The ad opening would scare a 3 year-old, with Edwin popping on the screen to shout “I looove this state.” Aaaaaaaaah!

That’s not a Wisconsin lodge he’s in; it’s a plush restaurant. What’s Edwin, the maitre’d at Indigo Grill? I half-expected him to say excuse me to the camera while he showed someone to their table (maybe a fat-cat lobbyist?)

The picture album looks like a collection from his high school yearbook (could he look any goofier in those glasses?). Gee, I though Mayor Daley was the one who cleaned up the CHA. Edwin was there, oh, about 5 minutes.

And finally, welcome to my plush apartment. Would like to play some pool while my daughter plays the piano?

Really disjointed, an odd mix of topics in even odder locations. DOes nothing to help his image. Where’s an Obie Apocalypse Now commercial when you need it?

Comment by Springfield Diner Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:25 am
How about a really polished ad with a guy with perfectly coiffed hair that talks about mastering pay to play, breaking promises, ineffective leadership, and leading the state into financial ruin? Would you folks like that one better? This mentality is why we get the crappy leaders that we do.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:27 am
Either I’m crazy or they should have stuck with the ankle shots.

Comment by Lloyd Braun Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 11:08 am
I think the whole Eisendrath not looking into the camera thing was by design.

It appears that the ad is supposed to depict him laying out his vision to a group of voters assembled before him, without realizing the camera is there recording his probing eye contact with Mr. and Mrs. Irwin and Irene Illinois and all their friends and families.

The Eisendrath campaign just forgot the voters. I guess they didnâ€™t want to splurge for free sandwiches or something like that to go extras to come to the taping.

Comment by Establishment Republican Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 11:14 am
“Iâ€™ll take Eisendrathâ€™s substance over Blagojevichâ€™s flash any day.”

But if you were an unbiased observer - you would be forced to conclude that Blagojevich’s ad, with stats, news stories and a laundry list of accomplishments was the one with substance, while Eisendrath’s photo-tour was the one with fluff.

Now to be fair, this is by necessity. Eisendrath needs a bio ad because no one knows who he is.

So, city chick, your argument holds no water.

Comment by SenorAnon. Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 11:18 am
Meh.

Comment by Navin Johnson Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 11:37 am
Someone wake Royko from the grave: Edwin E. is Condo Man!

Comment by Slats Grobnik Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:02 pm
I liked the ad. Eisendrath came off as a nice guy who truly wants to make IL a better place. What is wrong with that?

Comment by Ann Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:21 pm
On a semi-related note, Forrest Claypool is up with his first TV ad:

http://www.forrestclaypool.com/tv.html

Comment by U of I College Dems Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:22 pm
OK, I’ll have to break with the pack, here.
I saw it this morning on television, and it struck both my wife and I as being good. There was some style put into the camera movements, and it looked like Edwin was being interviewed about what is important to him (good to know he “loves this state” by the way). Maybe we’re just tired of the cheap graphics-filled fare that keeps getting served up this time of year.

Comment by Rockhound Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:23 pm
“As you can see, I always look to the left for support.”

Okay. What time is dinner?

Comment by Dissenter Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:25 pm
Now you see why Aristocrats have such a bad name.

Comment by LaMont Cranston Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:26 pm
You may be right about the style of the ad, Rockhound. But you should know by now the people posting here love the graphics filled ads! It makes us feel good to see the candidates rip each others hearts out! Memo to producer: screw style and make something for us!

Comment by Poppy Sox Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:34 pm
1992 called and wants its pictures back…couldn’t he get some more updated photos? He reminded me of a 12 year old trying out for the school play doing a lot of overacting… At least it gave me a good laugh

Comment by demstaffer Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:36 pm
I’d like to see the ad on television too — where’s it playing? Eisendrath should crack open the family fortune and buy some real TV time. Blagojevich is dropping the big bucks to fit minute-long spots in prime time! Must be nice to have all that tainted money.

Comment by Screw the polls Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:44 pm
My old daddy used to say one trick is all you need if it is a good one. Maybe EdWIN is coming off as not so slick and polished. I think we should let the voters decide this race while you experts are sizing up the commercials. By the way, are any of you critics experts in this type of media production? Obviously you all don’t speak for the rest of us else 54% of the public would appreciate RGod’s efforts to loot the state and bankrupt us. The last time I looked his numbers were in the tank for an incumbent who claims to have done so much. I personally think a change away from a slick Hollywood commercial that promises everything is the only thing EdWIN can do and should be doing. He needs to point out the differences between the two and he comes across as honest and sincere. Lastly, if you all have such a lock on what makes a good commercial, maybe you should get in the biz and let us critique your work.

Comment by Paul Powell Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 12:48 pm
Well, no dinner for you, Paul.

Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:04 pm
Without volume you would think Eisendrath is promoting the lodge and that Wild Bill was his most famous guest.

Comment by scoot Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:36 pm
It is clear the Esquared wants to look like family governor by letting his kids steal his specks and run the commercial. They might have written the script too.
And as a student production it gets high marks.
But given that it is meant to be a big league effort we must conclude that this is just People Exhibit #1 that Esquared is a GRod plant.
What time is dinner?

Comment by Reddbyrd Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:44 pm
As a side note, Jim Oberweis’ ad is out:

Oberweis Commercials Debut Today

Aurora, IL –Jim Oberweis, Illinois’ real reform candidate for governor, introduced the first of a series of television commercials to inform voters of his vision to restore integrity and fiscal responsibility to government. “This first television commercial is to give voters an overview of who I am and what I stand for,” says Oberweis, the only candidate who’s not a politician tied to insider government. “I want to focus on the positive, the qualities and qualifications the will make me an effective governor and leader.”

This 30-second television commercial, running across all of Illinois, debuted in Good Morning America Friday, February 17th as part of a multimedia campaign. It highlights Oberweis’ qualifications as strong fiscal manager based on his success building two national companies. He also touches on his ability to retain and create jobs for Illinois families. Oberweis grew one of his businesses from 50 to 1000 employees, so he knows firsthand the need to reduce fees and taxes to make Illinois business friendly again. And the commercial concludes with his strong commitment to family values and education. “I believe strongly in the need for meaningful education reform, continues Oberweis. “Our children are entitled to a quality education and government not paralyzed by debt.”

The commercial was produced by an Illinois-based marketing communications firm called Omni Communications Group. “I believe that Illinois government and its leaders should use local companies, not send our dollars and jobs to other states,” says Oberweis. The commercial can be seen in all of Illinois’ major media markets and on some cable stations. To view it at your convenience, go to www.oberweisforIllinois.com. It signals the beginning of the Oberweis campaign’s efforts to show Illinois voters that they have a choice and a voice in Jim Oberweis. His positive message of reform as the way to restore Illinois back to prosperity and integrity is found throughout the commercial. “The content is really resonating with people and shows a clear contrast between me and the other contender for governor. We want Illinois to know there’s an answer to the cycle of corruption draining our state. It’s called integrity, responsibility and leadership. Look for them in upcoming advertising,” concludes Oberweis.

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:51 pm
Folks - that is no lodge. It’s almost certainly his home.

And from an average voter standpoint - it isn’t so bad - but it’s playing on Chicago Cable. Not exactly wide release.

Comment by SenorAnon. Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:54 pm
The real joke is that he calls himself a “reform alderman” in the spot–the guy was a total Daley stooge–he even chaired the committee that sold the city out with the Commonwealth Edison contract/deal under Daley’s orders.

Comment by LaMont Cranston Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 1:59 pm
So the commercial isn’t great…we’ve established that. He’s a smidge easier on the eyes than Gidwitz though. (Shallow? Me?) I can’t watch Gid’z commercials without thinking he looks like David Gest (one-time, face-sucking spouse of Liza Minnelli) Blechhhh…

Comment by Reese's Pieces Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 2:02 pm
I liked it! Corny but sincere. Eisendrath probably spent $1.98 to make it. His sister’s son who is taking a course in photography for a college elective probably shot it. And, Peter Francis Geracci or whatever that bankrutcy attorney’s name is on the infomercial channels probably acted as his consultant.

Blagojevich would have spent $2 million on it, he would have paid the $2 million of taxpayer’s money to one of his largest Hollywood campaign contributors, and he would have had to use a stunt double to stand in for him in the closeups where he was supposed to exude sincerety and integrity for the cameras.

Corny, yes! Funny, of course. Shows a man of sincere character and one with a desire to make the Democratic Party something Democrats can be proud of, you bet!

Comment by Beowulf Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 2:36 pm
Eisendrath has the look and the words of a man who is honest-how long has it been since Illinois has had a Governor with those credentials? Think 1865??

Comment by Sincerity 101 Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 3:32 pm
I agree with Beowulf. Eisendrath’s ad was sincere, and I found him more likeable after having watched it.

Careful, Rich, on this one you’re sounding like one of those insider, know-it-all hot-shots that you constantly rail against.

Comment by Phocion Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 3:33 pm
Just watched the ChopperJim Spot. Is it me or do those children look a little scared to be around the guy. Think he asked for their “papers” before rolling the tape?
So far the GOP (as in MOPe) media does not leave us with the impression that they are trying to win the election. And when we toss in the Esquared epic….. My my it looks like GRod has hit another homerun!

Comment by Reddbyrd Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 3:38 pm
I wonder what Simon Cowell would say? Something like, “You’re one of those packages you get at Christmastime where you say: ‘Can I give it back?’”

Comment by Anon Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 3:51 pm
The ad is really great when you dub Blues Brothers lines over it:

I want to buy your women… the little girl… your daughters. Sell them to me. Sell me your children

Throw that right at the beginning, EE would get votes on Blues Brothers fans alone.

Might be more votes than the normal dialog garners…

Comment by Nice Suit Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:04 pm
Aw man, Nice Suit…..I don’t care who you are, now that’s funny!

Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:24 pm
I think all of you ad bashers are trying to get a free dinner. Is Rich really that great of a dinner companion?

Comment by Nancy Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:39 pm
Yes, Nancy, I am. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:49 pm
I don’t have speakers on my computer at work, but I’m pretty good at lip-reading. Let me know if I’m close …

(camera rolls)
Hi, Mom and Dad, check it out, I’m filming my very first political ad! Oh, are we rolling? What should I do? Just keep talking? OK …
(gestures with hands)
During election time, some politicians move a little to the right, some a little to the left …
(looking sincere)
And then they do the Hokey Pokey, and turn themselves around, that’s what politics is all about.
(homeroom picture)
Oh, here’s me in fifth grade. Even back then, everyone knew I’d be governor some day.
(shaking hands)
I met lots of nice people at Corn Fest last year.
(with Clinton)
And Bill Clinton let me touch his shoulder. I squeezed.
(back to shot at the Sybaris)
I haven’t washed my hand once since that day … not even once.
(zoom in)
Yeah, with that much experience some people call me a political insider …
(shot with family)
but mostly they just call me Dad.

Voice-over: Paid for by people who really think this guy’s swell.

Comment by ap Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:55 pm
Rich never did say where he was taking you to dinner. Rumor has it Rich is tighter than Papa Bear Hallas was. Someone had asked him and Rich said “you can have it your way” or was it “you deserve a break today”?

Comment by Beowulf Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:56 pm
Vicious rumor, Beowulf. It’ll be my choosing, either in Spfld or Chicago, depending on the winner. But it’ll be a nice spot. I’m thinking Maldener’s down here and Gene’s up there.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 4:59 pm
SenorAnon - I hope that you aren’t really relying on TV ads to become an informed voter. If so, this state and country are doomed.

Ads do play a role - but should not be the only source of information for voters.

Eisendrath’s ad may have been light on content. If you’re measuring content, however, I’d argue that Blagojevich’s ad was equally light. After all, Blagojevich also:

- thumbed his nose at Springfield and opted to hang out in Chicago - but paid $700K to get his Springfield driveway re-done
- had the state pay $130K to have him followed around with a camera. (I wonder if some of the taxpayer funded clips ended up in the ad… Kind of like the All Kids brochure & State Website - him everywhere)
- managed to be investigated by a grand jury in under four years
- accepted campaign contributions from companies who “happened” to get state contracts
- increased business taxes and fees, making companies in Illinois less competitive
- took a pension holiday on the backs of future generations

Now those are some accomplishments.

Comment by City Chick Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 5:00 pm
The forced over emphasized speech reminds me of Sally Struthers…. “Do-you-want- to- make- more- money?” only its’ Do you want to elect me Governor? I was in the AV club in High School and I introduced Monica Lewinsky to Bill Clinton. For just pennies a day, you can help rid Illinois of Wyma and Schofield.

Comment by hungry Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 5:20 pm
ap — that was hilarious. The hokey-pokey. Blahhh!!

Anon 8:37 — I don’t know what the title “Fastest Growing Export State” gets you, but I know this state lost 160,000 manufacturing jobs under George Ryan. One export-related job created for every two manufacturing jobs lost doesn’t sound like a fair trade to me, especially when that “export-related job” is driving a UPS truck (I’ll take the uniform though).

DOWNSTATE - Again, Illinois lost 160,000 manufacturing jobs under George Ryan, not Rod Blagojevich. And Jim Edgar created a total of 300 manufacturing jobs from 1995-1999, or six jobs a month — and that was while the economy was booming. So don’t tell me how great the Republicans are at creating jobs. It’s one of the biggest lies ever.

(Don’t believe me? Go visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. See manufacturing jobs, non-seasonally adjusted)

The biggest lie is that the private sector creates jobs. Wrong. The private sector creates profit. Jobs are an accident, a bi-product, a waste product of the profit-making process. Believe me, if business owners like me could figure out how to make more money without creating another job, we would — we do.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 5:31 pm
Ditto to ‘AP’. Thanks for the chuckle!

Comment by Marta Elena Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 5:48 pm
Too bad he wasn’t hocking a weekend stay at Sybaris otherwise the fireplace would have been a good idea.
I am sure that was his house and he failed to realize that it wouldn’t appear regular-guyish to most of us. Unfortunately that seems to be one of the troubles with his campaign - a failure to really reach beyond his Lakefront liberal base. You can visit Southern Illinois, sure. And Sesser of all places. But if he really wanted to win, he should have pulled a Hillary Clinton and waged an honest to goodness listening tour. He should have used it as an opportunity to have an open and honest dialogue with people across the state, and used their stories - of disappointment with Blago - and his ideas to improve in those areas as the foundation for his campaign. And he should have started way, way earlier!! I think it’s valiant that he had the courage/hubris to challenge Rod, focusing voters on what needs to be improved from a progressive standpoint benefits all of us. He should use the little time he has left to raise important concerns - the raiding of the fees, the mounting debt, Rod’s showmanship on important issues without any follow up, flashy programs that have no enrollment and don’t work. the best kind of politicans I think are those that do not want a higher office, they are focused on the business at hand, Ed could have made that claim and drawn stark contrast to Rod.

Comment by Anon Scalia Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:03 pm
You have three choices for what to watch on an endless TV loop for 72 hours. (note: death, eye removal and the gnawing off of limbs are not options)

A) Gidwitz ads
B) Eisendrath ad
C) men’s figure skating

Comment by Rich O. Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:07 pm
Yellow dog How did you miss this?
From the Belleville News Democrat
“A recently released nonpartisan jobs report found that the median household income in Illinois dropped from $52,515 in 1999 to $46,132 in 2004.”
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/editorial/13669143.htm
And you missed this as well. Beacon News
A report presented by the bipartisan human-rights group Heartland Alliance showed the state’s job outlook is grim.The Heartland Alliance report pegged Illinois as the worst state in the union when it comes to job growth and the worst in the Midwest in earnings. The state is rapidly losing high-paying jobs â€” particularly hard hit is the manufacturing industry, which saw 222,500 jobs eliminated between 2000 and 2005 â€” that are being replaced by jobs that pay less with fewer benefits.
There are no easy solutions here. But it’s clear: If Illinois and the Fox Valley are to remain competitive, more attention needs to be paid to the entrepreneur â€” and the worker.

02/03/06
Look at the numbers and weep like the rest of Illinois you Democrats are in control not one new idea just the same old close corp loopholes crap soon there won’t be any more corps to close them on they will all have moved

Comment by Reagan Democrat Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 7:40 pm
==A) Gidwitz ads
==B) Eisendrath ad
==C) menâ€™s figure skating

C, it’s the most manly choice.

Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:39 pm
…the camera pulls back to reveal…it’s being taped at Stu Levine’s mansion.

Comment by Reagan Republican Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 8:42 pm
Shoot- Rich- this is almost too easy. Dr. Phil (or any psychologist) will tell you that when a persons eyes go to the left, they are simply lying! He is just trying to act like our current Governor as it pertains to facts, truth, and better government!

Comment by roy slade Friday, Feb 17, 06 @ 10:16 pm
Uniquely Bad Campaign Commercial

Rich points out the horrendous production problems with the Eisendrath ad quite well. But there is another quality about it that I couldn’t quite place which transcended bad production into a classic of bad campaign advertisements. It just struck me…

Trackback by ArchPundit Saturday, Feb 18, 06 @ 2:12 am
Yeah, it sucked. The frames were also too fast. I felt like he was telling me an inside joke when he talked. Only I didn’t know the punch line.

Comment by GOPJay Saturday, Feb 18, 06 @ 8:43 am
“I love this state! Welcome to my spinning room.”

Comment by in the patch Saturday, Feb 18, 06 @ 9:57 am
Rich points out the horrendous production problems with the Eisendrath ad quite well.

But there is another quality about it that I couldn’t quite place which transcended bad production into a classic of bad campaign advertisements. It just struck me what it was, but I had to go back to January 14, 1972 when Christopher Knight hit that awkward point in his character’s life when his voice changed–yes, the Brady Bunch sings the “Time to Change” song with Peter Brady croaking out his lyrics in a heartwarming episode about growing up and adjusting to life’s challenges.

Can’t you just see Edwin there with his lines “I love this state” and “It’s just wrong that…”

It’s Peter Brady with his voice changing. Lyrics Available here

And who the hell runs as Edwin and not Ed?

Comment by ArchPundit Saturday, Feb 18, 06 @ 3:13 pm
I’m torn between ArchPundit’s and LaMont Cranston’s. Since I know Larry and haven’t seen him in a while, the scales are tipping in his favor.

Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, Feb 18, 06 @ 3:24 pm
How about “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”

Comment by Ex-Newfie Sunday, Feb 19, 06 @ 11:12 am
I have to say, the person who said he expected Edwin to say, “I see dead people” with that look in his eyes made me laugh like crazy. So true.

Comment by Minion Monday, Feb 20, 06 @ 7:19 pm
I was sickened when I saw this commercial. I have the lovely distinction of having actually worked with EE. He’s a snake. A horrifically dishonest person hated by most who worked for him. He has ruined lives and reputations and hurt countless people. He makes rod look like little red riding hood and would do a great deal of damage to Illinois if elected.

Comment by Prof Friday, Mar 3, 06 @ 4:46 pm