Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Quinn vs. Brady is deja vu all over again

Posted in:

Illinois

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column is a warning to Democrats to start facing reality…

Lots of people are having trouble getting their heads around the fact that Republican state Sen. Bill Brady may well be our next governor. This is, after all, a Democratic state.

But it’s way past time to consider Brady a very real, even likely probability. Gov. Pat Quinn’s poll numbers, along with the economy and the state budget, are in the dumper. Scott Lee Cohen likely will target African-American voters and badly damage Quinn’s chances. The Green Party’s candidate won’t help, either. And almost $2 million spent on negative TV ads attacking Brady on abortion, health care and the minimum wage haven’t yet worked.

I’ve told you this before, but I think it’s even clearer now. This campaign looks more and more every day like the 1980 presidential campaign between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. We have the decent, honest person who can’t seem to run a government up against a conservative guy whom all the liberals love to hate.

Carter, remember, relished the opportunity to run against Reagan because he thought Reagan would be the easiest Republican to beat. Carter and friends vastly underestimated Reagan, believing him to be a telegenic empty suit with an actor’s smile and dangerously out of step positions.

Sound familiar?

And Reagan had to clear a hurdle that Brady doesn’t have to worry about. The nuclear button. Once voters decided that Reagan wasn’t crazy enough to blow up the world, they were more willing to give him a shot at the top office. Whatever Brady does as governor, he probably can’t end civilization as we know it.

But it’s not just current polls, spoiler candidates, a failed paid media strategy and an eery American history parallel that point us in Brady’s direction. The Republicans are surprisingly united behind Brady’s candidacy. That’s something few would have believed the morning after the primary, when the state woke up to discover that Brady led his fellow state Sen. Kirk Dillard - the “regular” Republicans’ candidate - by a tiny handful of votes.

The Republicans have been in disarray since George Ryan’s downfall. Jim Thompson gave a less than rousing speech at the Governor’s Day festivities during the 2002 state fair for fellow Republican Jim Ryan, then ended up co-chairing Democratic victor Rod Blagojevich’s transition team. Longtime Republican moneybags Bill Cellini moved in Blagojevich’s direction almost before the last Republican had filed out of the fairgrounds that year. Four years ago, the party’s right wing ridiculed Judy Baar Topinka’s candidacy, and the party never really unified behind her.

The GOP is fully engaged this time, however. The regulars are almost all on board. The right is pleased as punch that they have one of their own on the ticket. And the moderate Republicans are so happy that their party has a real shot at winning that they’ve hardly spoken a discouraging word.

Their party is hungry for victory, but most did their best at the state fair last week to not show how ravenously starved they really are. Their criticisms were pointed, but mostly measured.

Meanwhile, it occurred to me as I watched Quinn’s speech at the Illinois State Fair’s Governor’s Day event that the guy wouldn’t recognize a campaign theme if it was bleeding to death on his front lawn.

Voters need simplicity. When they think about a candidate for major office, one word or short phrase needs to come to their minds. “Hope,” “Change,” “It’s the economy, stupid,” “What’s she thinking?” etc.

But Quinn is just all over the place, not only with his attacks on Brady, but in his defense of his own governance. One minute, he’s whacking Brady for not paying his taxes, the next he’s talking about the new jobs at Ford, the next he’s whacking Brady on some social issue or for missing a vote, the next, he’s holding a news conference to sign some obscure bill.

The scattershot approach may be satisfying to some partisans, who want their governor to provide as many reasons as possible to support him and deliver as many hits as possible on the other side, but if you can’t tie it up with a unifying ribbon, then this stuff will just go over everybody else’s head. It’s just background noise, and that’s no way to deliver an effective message.

Quinn just hired a new media consultant, so we’ll see if anything changes. If Quinn wants to win, it had better.

* And a campaign roundup…

* Zorn: Trouble for Quinn: Brady’s talkin’ sense

* Candidates for governor campaign at area parades

* PJ Star: Brady’s slogans won’t balance state budget

* Lt. gov rivals make their pitches

* Sheila Simon says state budget deficit demands complex approach

* Rutherford, Topinka want to merge state treasurer and comptroller’s office

* Sun-Times: Time to reform how Illinois picks judges

* 56th District candidates say pension reform top priority

* Rauschenberger calls out Noland for campaign ads

* Fritchey wants surplus TIF funds to go to city’s schools

* DuPage Co. chairman candidates weigh in on water costs

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:00 am

Comments

Right now, Brady should just stay out of Quinn’s way. Quinn’s the best thing the Brady campaign has going right now and he costs nothing.

Brady can keep on raising and marshaling money for the fall, while sticking to mushy policy broad strokes — no sharp edges or details.

To win, Quinn’s going to need Brady to go off the game plan — and a lot more money, too.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:12 am
whatever the outcome pat brady deserves some credit. the state party has had less success thus far in the 21st century than rex grossman and to be able to get to this point shows either dumb luck, skill or both.

Comment by shore Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:15 am
Rich, your analogy is spot on. Brady, like Reagan, is tapping into the predominant sentiments of a majority of the electorate. Quinn seems obsessed with shifting the debate to his pet left-of-center issues.

An angry/frustrated electorate wants a candidate to focus on what they care about, not to be lectured to by a candidate for whom they have almost zero respect. If Brady and his team stay on message, he’ll be hard to beat.

As you say, whoda thunk it?

Comment by Adam Smith Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:23 am
All Brady has done so far is get out of his own way. Quinn repeatedly demonstrates a level of incompetence no campaign slogan can rose-color. The heat is on governing during this period of crisis. Any governor is going to look bad. That said, Quinn had one long honeymoon that he threw away sitting on his hands. We really don’t know this guy even after all this time.

Quinn didn’t act as we expected Pat Quinn as governor to expect. We expected a doer who would make tough choices we can defend, a-la-Christie.

Instead we got a 269 pound IHOP waffle with sugar-free syrup that is giving us gas and the runs.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:31 am
Brady should look to put together/leak a few strong names pre-election as pat of his transition team or future governemnt. If he came out and named say Dillard and Schnorf, for example, (or entered into conversations with them)he may pick up a few moderates/independents as well.

The Lincoln and later Obama team of rivals strategy looks to work well.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:34 am
Anonymous 10:34 is I

Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:34 am
At this point the smartest thing that Brady can do is build a safe stump speech and stay completely positive about his campaign. Quinn has sunk his own ship and if Brady can just set himself up to be competent, ethical and deserving of some confidence, he will run away with this race.

Comment by A.B. Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:36 am
- shore - Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:15 am:

“the state party has had less success thus far in the 21st century than rex grossman…”

That is really a low blow, wordslinger. Can anything really be that bad?

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:36 am
Capt Fax:
on track with the “deja vu” theme
Brady is clearly on track to repeat the GOP “bait & switch”. Lie about tax hikes and then pow, zoom….Even St. Jim Edgar pulled the B&S during his canonization.
Opps did we let that slip too early?

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:37 am
Excellent analysis; with two minor observations which may be worth noting.

(1) Much credit goes to Kirk Dillard, who refused to play Al Gore in the primary saga, looking for dimpled chads, and pursuing a Quixotic path by tilting at windmills all the way to the Supreme Court. This paved the way for the unification process through leadership by example; something not all others were on board with. This says a great deal about the charachter of Kirk Dillard, at a time when these traits are sorely missing in both politics and government. Dillard personified the axiom that there is no “I” in team. I was a Dillard supporter and am proud to have been so.

(2) Not everyone jumped aboard the unity train; most notably Dillard’s protege Jim Edgar. While Edgar will not have to work with the next Governor in the same way that Dillard will, there is no doubt in my mind he will look to the next Governor for something at some point, and at that time Brady may simply look beyond him over his shoulder and reach past him to shake Dillard’s hand.

This may be the opportunity that many have been looking for for some time; and that is to succeed not only without the active support of Edgar, but instead in spite of not having it, and perhaps not even bothering to have to or want to ask for it.

A Brady victory under current circumstances may be just what the Republican party needs to finally push Edgar off the stage and let him know his 15 minutes of fame are long past over.

The next time there is some crisis of opportunity that Republicans and pundits alike have long felt only someone like Edgar could capitalize on, I hope the party functionaries will ignore Edgar and move on to look for a better future leader like Dillard instead.

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:40 am
Labor Day is in 2 weeks, which is the official kick-off to the election. It’s at that point that opinions, if not already hardened, will become solidified. Quinn has a very, very narrow window of opportunity to make hay if (HUGE IF) he gets a coherent message overnight.

I don’t see that happening.

What I think will be fascinating is to see the carryover and “waterfall” effect this race will have on the others. If Brady’s lead becomes large enough that the party regulars throw in the towel, what happens to the AG/Kirk race as well as the ones in the individual districts. I could see it going both ways.

Comment by Logical Thinker Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:42 am
–The Lincoln and later Obama team of rivals strategy looks to work well.–

I cant’ tell if that’s a gag or not. I guess it could be in any number of interpretations.

Brady should take the rest of the day off. Quinn’s working overtime for him, and he’s been compared to Reagan, Lincoln and Obama all before 11 a.m. Good day for golf.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:42 am
… than Cade McKnown? Kyle Orton? And soon, in good time, Jay Cutler?

Comment by ZC Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:43 am
“Lieutenant governor candidate Sheila Simon says state budget deficit demands complex approach.”

Basic political rule - if you want to enact something it is “comprehensive”, if you want to kill something it is “complex.” Voters don’t vote for complex. The Carter - Reagan analogy works - Carter’s solutions always sounded complex - Reagan made everything sound as if the solution was very simple.

Comment by Argonaut Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:45 am
Rich, I get your point on one level.

But Bill Brady is no Ronald Reagan. And as a big fan of Reagan, the mere mention of those two in the same sentence makes my skin crawl.

And I don’t think Quinn is Carter either. Quinn’s not that level of ineptitude.

Reagan beating Carter I get. But Brady beating Quinn I don’t. Reagan had a proven record as gov of California and a long list of other accomplishments before he sought the White House.
Meanwhile, Brady can match Quinn’s record of failure any day of the week. A lot of what’s going on this year can be chalked up to pure dumb luck. Even completely undeserving Republicans are benefiting from a rising GOP tide nationally.

Comment by just sayin' Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:48 am
Does anyone has any predictions on Illinois state legislative races? Are the Democrats supposed hold their seats at the state level.

Comment by Luke Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:50 am
You guys don’t know your Bear quarterbacks. As bad as Rex was, he’s not close to the top of the Bad Bear Quarterbacks list.

And it’s way unfair to lump Kyle Orton in with Cade McNown (who is in the team portrait of Bad Bear Quarterbacks.

It’s a rich tradition. As a charter member of the NFL, the Bears are renowned for great running backs and linebackers and terrible quarterbacks. Sometimes three or four in the same season.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:50 am
wordslinger,

If the ILGOP are the Bears, are the Democrats the Cubs?

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:54 am
Argonaut,
Well said.
“Complex” sounds expensive. As voters are having to cut their own expenses, they are demanding that government do the same.

Comment by Downstater Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:59 am
Word, not intended as a gag or to compare Brady to Lincoln more a reference to garnering votes by drawing those undecided’s to your camp by associating with people they like more then you

Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:00 am
I was also wondering how this willl impact the legislative races. We seems to have some new people running this cycle. Will being a non incumbent Dem help these candidates or will it be a Rep sweep?

Comment by Who cares Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:01 am
Rich,

I almost think you are pushing this scenario upon the blog, cuz that will make this race more of a slam dunk for Brady…in my experience, no political race ever completely mirrors a previous one…the candidates, circumstances, electorate are always different…in a few weeks we can pass judgement as to whether or not Quinn’s political housecleaning effort was worth the effort…any prognostiations before Labor Day are just summer free time lolly gagging…

Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:02 am
It is a perfect analogy. Both Quinn and Carter got into drastic situations created by problems beyond their contol. Both needed to be dynamic leaders and think out of the box to turn it around and both just dug deeper holes.

I think Quinn is a decent guy and I hope he doesn’t get tangled in the Blago mess, but he lack any leadership skills.

==We expected a doer==

Really, we expected a guy who sat on his hands for 6 years behind Blago to be a real go getter? Pat is a decent guy, but he is no doer. He has a campaign and an government crumbling around him.

Pat has no chance. His predecessor has eliminated anyone who had a glue on how to run a government. His own party won’t endorse him. Mike Madigan is giving Pat Quinn less support than he did Blago in 2006.

Comment by the Patriot Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:11 am
The difference between 1980 USA and 2010 Illinois is that in 1980, the USA was still a shining example of what America represented: freedom and opportunity. Everyone so beat down the USA for the bad stuff from the 1970s (Watergate, Vietnam, oil crisis, stagflation, dealing with the Soviets, etc) , it took Reagan to come back and say “The USA is not the bad guy the critics are making it out to be”.

2010 Illinois *is* the bad guy critics are making it out to be.

Comment by Leroy Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:12 am
C, I don’t know if the GOP wants to be the Bears this year. Given past piety and current expectations, they probably see themselves as the Saints.

Right now, the Dems have every statewide office and the GA. I don’t see them as the Cubs.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:12 am
Not long ago I saw a Bears orange and blue Cade McNown Christmas ornament at a booth in an antique mall. It gave me a momentary chuckle. But Then I realized what a perfect metaphor that item is for what has been ailing America: what stupid stuff people spend hard earned money on, how blindly partisan they can be where their “team” is concerned, and how pervasive is the cult of celebrity (and in Cade’s case I do use the term loosely).

Comment by Responsa Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:28 am
Quinn made a bad misjudgment on the Illinois GOP. Moderates will support a Conservative. It is the Conservatives who will abandon a Moderate and burn the campaign down unless they get their way.

Comment by Bubs Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:30 am
If Brady governs like Reagan we’ll end up with even bigger deficits. Reagan was not the dragon slayer of big government as the myth implies.

Reagan gave us the message that the American, profligate way of life would not be compromised –we could go on and enjoy the dream fueled by mass consumption of energy and resources. Our mess in Illinois stems partly from that philosophy. Brady will be undoing part of the Reagan message and deciding which shining lights on the hill will be darkened. The real mess awaits us. It will be mourning in Illinois.

Comment by Vole Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:39 am
Hmmmmmm all very interesting.

Comment by irisheyesrsmilin' Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:46 am
I agree with Vole.

Let’s remember that Ryan left IL with a 5 billion dollar deficit…not exactly a fiscal conservative. Blago’s poor attention span, proclivity to give away money we didn’t have for his cockamaime programs, and the national recession have us where we are now.

I know Pat has issues, but we don’t need a return to a Governor who can’t say no, or a financial doofus.

IL government is recovering from a total lack of attention by RB. We don’t need a wholesale change in IL right now.
Brady has offered nothing in a concrete plan to pull the state up by the bootstraps except cutting all expenses by 10%. This will never happen and won’t solve the issue.

Unfortunately, Ms. Simon is correct IMO that a complex budget solution is required. The electorate has been governed by sound bites and platitudes for so long, anything that demands an attention span longer than 30 seconds is a no go.

We’re screwed, and especially so if Brady wins…

Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:51 am
Not sure if I am being censored or have been banned; but either way bad news should not go under-reported.

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:53 am
Luke, there is likely to be minimal changes in the makeup of the General Assembly, regardless of how much Gov. Quinn snatches defeat out of the jaws of victory. This being the last legislative election prior to redistricting, many would-be challengers passed on running against incumbents this time around, knowing that in 2012 they can challenge them in newly-drawn districts where the advantages of incumbency will be reduced.

Comment by fedup dem Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:56 am
It looks bad for Quinn, but—he has made a career of doing better in various political fights than one would think he should, given the appearance he gives of being disorganized, unstrategic, and sometimes just plain clueless. That history, plus his peristence and doggedness, is the only reason I would give him much of a chance right now.

Comment by jake Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 11:59 am
==That is really a low blow, wordslinger. Can anything really be that bad?==

The PQ administration?

Comment by Pat Robertson Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 12:13 pm
===Carter’s solutions always sounded complex - Reagan made everything sound as if the solution was very simple.===

Reagan once said, “I say there are simple answers to many of our problems–simple but hard. It’s the complicated answer that’s easy because it avoids facing the hard moral issues.”

Comment by Fan of the Game Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 12:15 pm
Let’s try these links again:

August 23, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Darlene Porteus, 847-835-5200
mailto:dporteus@truthinaccounting.org

TRUTH IN ACCOUNTING ISSUES ILLINOIS’
“FINANCIAL STATE OF THE STATE”
Study Confirms State’s Financial Situation is ‘Obscene”

Chicago – Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting released Illinois’ “Financial State of the State”, which answers the question, “Is the state bankrupt?”The Institute’s reports the state has only $20 billion of assets to cover $140.6 billion in bills —- a $120.6 billion shortfall.Each Illinois taxpayer’s share is $29,200.

This precarious financial position falls under one definition of bankruptcy —- A debtor that does not have the financial means to pay their bills as they come due.The Institute’s detailed study of Illinois’ June 30, 2009 audited financial report and retirement systems’ actuarial reports found the state does not have the $120.6 billion needed to pay for its liabilities as they come due.“The state has incurred billions of dollars of liabilities and does not have the means to meet these liabilities,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder & CEO of the Institute.

http://www.truthinaccounting.org/blog/blog.asp?ArticleSource=1119
http://www.truthinaccounting.org/uploads/files/50%20State/IL/IL%202009%20FSOS.pdf

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 12:25 pm
Quinn T.: Yep, some scary numbers there.

I think we are about to discover the meaning of non essential. It won’t be pretty.

Comment by Vole Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 12:36 pm
Perhaps my idea of Quinn and Brady being evenly matched is starting to show its flaws. They both have their flaws, but somehow people are talking about Brady being able to win. I was saying that we won’t know who might win this thing until election day.

Right now Brady appears to be running a much better campaign!

Comment by Levois Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 12:48 pm
Quinn is so inept that I don’t think he needs much help in losing this election. However, I have to suspect that Mike Madigan is secretly very satisfied at the direction this is going. His caucus does not seem to be in any real danger, and he would love to force Brady into facing reality and backing a tax increase. As you so often point out, it is the Governor who always takes the blame in the public’s mind. Based on these assumptions, a Brady win may in the long run be Illinois’ salvation after all.

Comment by Skirmisher Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 1:05 pm
funny, i was thinking about the 1980 comparison this weekend. but i also think the 2000 “impression” of florida might be appropriate, as well. all those voters who mistakenly vote(d) for XYZ and the anger it engendered…

Comment by bored now Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 1:09 pm
Skirmisher: Coming from where Brady is with the right flank of the GOP, there is no way he will sign a tax increase. His base will seal the stone. There is no way Illinois will rise from the dead with Bill Brady as governor.

Comment by Vole Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 2:19 pm
–Not everyone jumped aboard the unity train; most notably Dillard’s protege Jim Edgar.–

I imagine they’re both having a laugh on that one.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 2:50 pm
“The Republicans have been in disarray since George Ryan’s downfall.” Well, you could also say the Democrats have been in disarray since the election of Blagojevich and taking control of the house and senate in 2002. This race is going to come down to the record of the democrats since 2002. They have had complete control of all branches of government and their record is horrible. What are the accomplishments? Look at the Illinois economy, unemployment, unbalanced budgets, the deficit, not to mention the democrat cartoon-character that was governor for two terms. All the republicans need to do is attack the demcrats on their failed policies and inability to govern for the last eight years.

Comment by Holdingontomywallet Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 2:59 pm
==If Brady governs like Reagan we’ll end up with even bigger deficits==

Correct me if I am wrong, Reagan vowed not to raise taxes in his first run at CA Guv. Once in office he told the people things were worse than he thought and he has to raise taxes but would cut them before the end of his first term. He did it, balanced the budget, and pulled them out. The rest is history.

Brady may need this trick. Especially since no one really knows how bad Blago was cooking the books. I doubt Alexi and Hynes have any idea what is really going on and if they do, they didn’t say much about it.

Comment by the Patriot Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 2:59 pm
Once the black community comes together behind Quinn after after Labor Day things will change. Organized labor is with him also and that should help. He will pull it out despite himself. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it Over and out

Comment by harlon sanders Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 4:30 pm
As I read through the comments it appears that many of the post suggest that the
Governors race is a forgone conclusion. With ten weeks to go most of you seem to think you know who the winner will be of this contest.

Ten weeks is lifetime in any election cycle. This year will be no different.

If Brady were to win, which no one could possible know at this point, what could be some of the possibilities if the general assembly would go along with his far right agenda.

From Brady’s past record lets look at what that could be.

Abortion could be a crime.

Women wouldn’t have to be paid as much as men for doing the same work and Brady could apply that to the non-union state work force immediately. Maybe that is how he is going to balance the budget.

Cut the entire state budget by 10% including state pensions, except for Brady’s pension of course. Brady has a record of voting not to cut his own pay.

Have hundreds of mass pet gas chambers all across the state. Just think how many people can be put to work building these mass chambers of death for loving animals who want to do nothing more than to please their owners.

Make it a law that insurance companies don’t have to pay for mammograms.

Give back that awful money that the federal government has sent to our state for economic recovery.

Cut state income taxes to the level that Brady pays which would be none at all.

In the next ten weeks as the voters learn more about Brady they will have plenty of reasons not to vote for him for governor.

Comment by (618) Democrat Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 5:13 pm
There have been very few candidates since the Viet Nam War era who voters have rushed to the polls to support because they were truly motivated to vote for those people. Unfortunately, most major elections since the late 1960s were situations where voters were against a candidate or a party in power that had betrayed the public’s trust. That was the case when Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford; Jim Thompson defeated Mike Howlett; Reagan beat Carter; Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush; George W. Bush won over Gore; and Blago beat Jim Ryan. We’ll see a repeat of this when Bill Brady defeats Pat Quinn this fall. Unless Governor Brady governs in a way that truly gets the State out of its current budget mess, we’ll probably see voters give him the heave-ho in 2014.

Comment by GA Watcher Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 5:19 pm
I like the people he sent to clean up the agency I work for! I agree with 618 Democrat–women need to realize that voting for Brady will undermine our rights and they need to get out and vote! I am also hoping the not just Black people down on their luck will realize that a vote for Brady will make their lives even harder thab it already is!

Comment by State Employee Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 9:25 pm
I think there may be quite a few Democratic state employees who won’t be voting for Quinn or Brady. I think Brady stands a good chance of winning.

Comment by Emily Booth Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 10:11 pm
618 Dem. Good luck with all of that not much of it is true or possible.

Comment by 619 Tuesday, Aug 24, 10 @ 5:33 am
Republicans are united (I fall under that GOP classification) simply because the Illinois Democrat Party has not given voters a decent candidate choice to vote for. If the Democrat Party in Illinois had come up with a Glen Poshard or someone like him, there are enough moderate Republicans out there to vote across party lines and keep Illinois blue. Quinn is an honest man (at least, I have no reason to believe that he isn’t)but all of us are looking for something beyond honest. We have been forced to deal with “a bar set so low” that when it comes to a required skill-set or qualifications required to serve as governor of Illinois that it made Bill Brady looked like “the shining beacon”.

Maybe I am missing something (I realize that I am not as politically astute as many of you out there ) but “why did the Illinois Democrat Party”( & especially it’s leadership, aka. Mike Madigan) base their decision to support and back Pat Quinn simply on the issue of Quinn being the incumbent?” They had to know that Quinn was inept after his many years in political office? What kind of message do you think that Illinois voters got when it came to “what is more important to the Illinois Democrat Party–1) “Maintaining control of state government or 2) helping to make sure they put forth the best qualified candidate for Illinois voters?Even Harold Washington spoke from his heart on Quinn being a good guy but “the wrong guy”. I place a large part of the blame on the Illinois Democrat Party’s leadership (aka. Mike Madigan) for failing to put forth their best candidate, whoever it may have been that they might have chosen to fill that role. When Illinois votes Brady into office on November 2nd, the Democrats might do well to reflect on whether it is about time for Mike Madigan to finally “dance off of the stage” and let a fresh face take over to captain the Illinois Democrat Party.

Comment by Cool Hand Luke Tuesday, Aug 24, 10 @ 8:21 am
As adverse as I am to Brady winning (partly because he has offered no realistic solution to the budget mess–and no, an indiscriminate 10% slashing across the board is not a realistic solution), we’d all better get ready to have Jason Plummer as LG. That’s Jason Plummer, the 27-year-old whose sole real career accomplishment is getting a nice title in his dad’s business; the same Jason Plummer who last fall said he thought he still owned the ISP businesses he supposedly started but that Dad had already sold out from under him; the same Jason Plummer who has refused to release any tax returns and who simultaneously has pledged to refuse a state salary if elected, because he’ll have another income stream on which he can draw. Even Democrats had better say a daily prayer that Brady doesn’t die in office or get indicted. Plummer isn’t anywhere close to being ready to serve at that level.

Comment by Steve Downstate Tuesday, Aug 24, 10 @ 9:23 am