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Preckwinkle expresses “regret” over Reagan comment

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* Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle backed away from her comment that the late President Ronald Reagan deserves a “special place in hell” for his involvement in “making drug use political”…

“I regret my earlier comment regarding former President Ronald Reagan. I have been outspoken on the failure of the War on Drugs to end illegal drug use or sales in this country. However, this is too complicated to lay all of it out on President Reagan’s doorstep and inflammatory language only distracts from the larger issue.”

* Mark Brown talked to her…

The conversation I hoped to have with Preckwinkle was about how even a politician who is normally quite circumspect in her public utterances can get in trouble in the blink of an eye these days where everything is recorded and ready for dissemination on YouTube.

But except for allowing that “usually I’m more careful about my language,” Preckwinkle wasn’t about to oblige me by going off-script, having already done so once in the day, with unpleasant results.

Instead, she took each of my questions and spun them back into some version of her scripted talking points, emphasizing that her “inflammatory language” about Reagan had only served to distract from her larger point — that we can’t continue to treat drug use more as a criminal justice issue than a public health problem.

While Preckwinkle may have an image as a rather bland policy wonk in the style of the teacher she once was, the truth is that she has a sharp tongue on occasion and can be particularly outspoken and blunt about the issues on which she is most passionate — the nation’s long-running war on drugs being right at the top of that list.

* And Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady issued a press release blaming Speaker Madigan…

We all knew that the Chicago Democrat Machine was capable of being the most ruthless and negative campaign operation in the country. President Obama and his political advisors were all trained in Chicago, but remarks made Tuesday by Cook County Board President Democrat Toni Preckwinkle reached a new low.

Preckwinkle, who used to be Obama’s Alderman in the Chicago City Council, remarked at a conference at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that President Ronald Reagan deserves “a special place in hell.” While she is now trying to backtrack her comments because she didn’t realize there was a reporter in the room, it says a lot that right after she made her comment, the audience gasped, and she asked, “What? You didn’t like that?”

Just like most people, I was shocked when I heard this news, and disappointed that it was said by the elected leader of the largest county in the state that President Reagan was born and raised in. But the more I think I about it, I’m not really surprised she said it.

Comments like this symbolize what Illinois Republicans are up against this fall. The Democrats in Illinois, led by Illinois House Speaker/Illinois Democratic Party Chairman/Father of the Illinois Attorney General Michael J. Madigan, will stop at nothing - including trashing Ronald Reagan - on their quest to divide this country to win the upcoming November elections.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:02 am

Comments

===Comments like this symbolize what Illinois Republicans are up against this fall. The Democrats in Illinois, led by Illinois House Speaker/Illinois Democratic Party Chairman/Father of the Illinois Attorney General Michael J. Madigan, will stop at nothing - including trashing Ronald Reagan - on their quest to divide this country to win the upcoming November elections.===

Usually, if someone posted something like that here, someone would tell the poster to check their Tinfoil Hat ….

I humbly ask again, take the computer away from Pat Brady, do not let him “Blast Fax” anything, and will an adult look over everything, then have another adult make sure half of this stuff never makes it out.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:08 am
The War on Drugs is an evil collection of policies.

For too long our public discourse has treated the assumptions underpinning the policies as unquestionable.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:15 am
You do lose credibility if you act like everything is a Madigan conspiracy. I think Pat has an unhealthy obsession going with Mike Madigan. He may need therapy.

Comment by Raising Kane Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:17 am
Wait, she used to be the Alderman that represented Obama’s district??? THEY’RE PRACTICALLY SIBLINGS! Sheesh, talk about bending over backwards to try to make a connection.

Comment by What planet is he from? Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:18 am
If Pat Brady or Joe Walsh said something similar about President Obama there would be outrage. There would be ‘Hell to pay’.

She’s right on the policy, but she owns that that statement now. The question I have is if the Cook County Dem machine condones or rejects her.

Comment by Allen Skillicorn Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:20 am
I’m not a prankster. But I bet if Pat Brady’s morning paper went missing for a week, we’d see a press release about how the Democrats in Illinois, led by Illinois House Speaker/Illinois Democratic Party Chairman/Father of the Illinois Attorney General Michael J. Madigan have been picking on him.

Not that I’m advocating anyone do it. Nope. Not me.

Comment by Colossus Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:21 am
Tinfoil hat is right. Pat Brady’s must use many, many rolls. The guy’s obsession with Madigan has really gotten disturbing.

When Pat Brady’s ineptitude results in lost seats at all levels for the IL GOP come Novemeber, I’m sure Brady will blame Madigan for that too.

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:21 am
Me thinks this fall’s election will be more about dividing this country in to the 15 percent who believe that abortion should be illegal even in the cases of rape and incest and all the rest of us.

Reagan, BTW, was among the 15 percent that thought abortion should be illegal even in the cases of rape and incest, and only legal when necessary to save the life of the mother.

Time softens our view of people, like a misty Hollywood camera, smoothing out all the rough edges. But an objective historical portrait of Reagan reveals many jagged edges.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:22 am
Wow Gags must really be on a power trip today. Wonder if he is busy helping PizzaBobby and the other GOPie congressional trolls write their refund check for the Akin donations. Will they use the Griffin Laundromat moolah or is that all escrowed for the G?
Can’t wait for the next shoe to drop on the IL-Akin Express
Wow will Tampa be fun or what?
Fire,Aim, Ready
BTW Rush gave the CFS a special plug yesterday

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:23 am
===BTW Rush gave the CFS a special plug yesterday ===

OK, what the heck are you talking about?

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:28 am
@CFS -

Hey, at least I know who Gags is now!

Any hint as to the identity of Billboard?

YDD

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:28 am
Billboards is Cross…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:29 am
I understand what he’s saying, I just don’t understand what actually happened. Rush Limbaugh mentioned the circular firing squad yesterday. Not sure if he meant himself, the commenter, or the state GOP.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:33 am
There’s no such place as Hell and if there was, Reagan’s ’special place’ ought to be pretty crowded with all the idiots who have fought to keep the war on drugs going.

I’m not a Reagan fan, I just don’t think it is all his fault.

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:36 am
The war on drugs is a separate issue, the county board president thinks extremely high of herself and does not have the temperament or ability to play nice with others. I don’t want to cross a boundary here, but she has to be much more careful than most and more than she realizes or she’s going to kill any political future she thinks she has at any higher level.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:36 am
i think TP meant exactly what she said, she just forgot for a moment she wasnt talking to those who strongly agree with her. it probably gets a good reaction for her in some circles.

line….gasp….ooops….backtracking now.

nixon greatly expanded the number of opiate treatment slots, not for the health and well being of the individual, but bec he believed an addict on methadone (tho trading one addiction for another) wouldnt be out committing robberies to support the habit. he considered it cost effective.

Comment by langhorne Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:38 am
IMO, Preckwinkle was never viewed as part of the boys club in Co. government. Her ascension to board President was greatly facilitated by the ineptitude of Todd Stroger, and the lack of anyone willing to take on the powers that be when the elder Stroger was “recuperating” from his stroke.

Her no nonsense approach since assuming the office has been viewed favorably by the voters, while leaving many county workers wondering the why in her decision making processes.

Where has Mr. Brady been this week in light of Rep. Akin’s outrageous comments? Both pols deserve their personal firestorm for saying in public what they should not have. Plenty of egg on face to go around to our “leaders”.

Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:39 am
“Preckwinkle, who used to be Obama’s Alderman in the Chicago City Council”

Why does anyone think this has any relevance? If Obama openly supported her election, say that.

But Brady’s choice of words is like saying: “Blago, who used to be Pat Brady’s governor…”–totally meaningless.

Comment by Chris Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:48 am
Her problem is that she clearly has a temper issue in addition to making faces, having spent her entire life in a deeply blue area of the world, and every smartass conservative is going to stick a camera in her face and start covering her stuff from now on waiting to find a piece of flesh to feed to the conservative media machine.

She’s establishing a negative narrative that will be hard to undo. Ask Bill Brady about those.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:51 am
Does LBJ (the president, not the basketball player) get blame for the failed war on poverty?

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 10:55 am
As others have noted, the problem here isn’t her position on drugs. It’s more her temperament and her utter cluelessness that people would be offended by her statement.

She should take a page from Obama’s speeches about civility in our discourse. Unfortunately, she is just following the lead of what he does.

And yes, Pat Brady and most Republicans as well.

Comment by CU Voter Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:00 am
So, according to Brady, Preckwinkle made her dumb, inflammatory remark at a wonky bipartisan public policy conference in order to divide Americans to win in November? And Obama and Madigan were in on it?

It’s all becoming clear now.

By the way, was Obama with Madigan in the grassy knoll in Dealey Plaza?

Does this guy make any sense at all?

Someone should advise him that when you throw the spaghetti against the wall every day hoping something sticks, you start to look crazy.

And if he has a competent p.r. operation, he should be doing an analysis as to how much traction his press release machine is getting, i.e. placements and mentions.

If it aint working, you might want to fix it.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:08 am
Funny that Brady tries to tie Preckwinkle to Obama, because once upon a time she was one of the Republican’s favorite Obama detractors. Back in 2007-2008 when Obama’s presidential campaign was first taking hold, Preckwinkle was the go-to person for national reporters who needed a critical quote about Barack from his “Chicago base” in their profile pieces. Here’s one of many:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza

Comment by Tom Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:21 am
I totally forgot to post something last night when this story first came out. As an objective observer, I see no difference between her comments and those of Congressman Akin. Wishing the fiery damnation and eternity of Hell is not much better or worse (depending on your perspective) of saying something totally stupid about sexual assault against the fairer gender.

I really wish Chairman Pat Brady would shut up. Hey, Pat, do me a favor - stay in Tampa. I bet the Rays need a good PR person who is willing to pull of ridiculous stunts for press pops.

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:23 am
I appreciate her expression of regret and hope this was an anomaly.

I’m saddened by the attempts of some of the regular commenters on this blog trying to justify her outrageous comment with a distribe about Reagan’s policy. I’m not defending his policies or care if they’re criticized, but we should not tolerate this taking the form of a personal attack.

It’s way past time for both sides of the political spectrum to stop the incivility.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:29 am
===As an objective observer, I see no difference between her comments and those of Congressman Akin.===

Except Akin was defending his party’s platform position and Preckwinkle was speaking for herself. While I wish the Democratic Party would include a platform plank on ending the war on drugs, so far it hasn’t. I think there’s a big difference and I love it when people claim “both sides do it so it’s OK.” There is no equivalence.

I also think her apology was refreshing. She didn’t say she was sorry if anyone was offended. She stood by her larger point and apologized for the way she made it. Then she repeated her point in a very consistent and logical manner. Good for her.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:31 am
Where I come from (southern IL below Springfield), “special place in hell” is a figure of speech. Comparing it to Akin’s completely out-of-bounds and out-of-mind comments about legitimate rape is shameful.

I also dont think this one phrase can be used to psychoanalyze her. Enough.

Comment by state worker Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 11:51 am
“… led by Illinois House Speaker/Illinois Democratic Party Chairman/Father of the Illinois Attorney General Michael J. Madigan, will stop at nothing …”

The Republicans always fail to mention the true Consigliere to our modern Medici party. The modern incarnation of Niccolo Machiavelli: David Axelrod.

Comment by Cook County Commoner Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 12:17 pm
Cheryl44 -

The “Just say no” campaign crossed the rubicon from drugs being about public health to being a criminal matter.

Comment by Anyone Remember? Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 12:18 pm
I take it Reagan will not be appearing alongside Ben Franklin in her campaign ads in a couple years?

Comment by Frank Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 12:28 pm
Why has anyone considered the possibility that the “special place in hell” that Ms. Preckwinkle was wishing for Pres. Reagan was nether world VIP box-seats with cold beer, shrimp cocktail and a fruit plate?

It would explain her “What? You didn’t like that?” response. Toni was probably thinking, “Why do these people want President Reagan to stand in Hades’ notoriously long lines like a common criminal?”

Seems like the obvious explanation to me.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 12:40 pm
AR, I know that. I’m just saying it’s not *all* his fault.

And I’m sorry, Team Sleep, wishing a pretend ill on someone who is already dead is much less damaging than telling women who’ve been raped they weren’t really raped, or that they just have to go ahead an carry that fetus to term.

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:00 pm
Thanks Willy.

I thought Cross went by ‘Spackler.’

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:06 pm
@Cook County Commoner -

He left out “White Sox Fan”.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:07 pm
YDD,

He is a Cinderella story, out of no where, former Kendall County prosecuter, about to become Illinois House Speaker …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:11 pm
I guess Tom Cross got a “Major Award” according to CFS …

===“And the winner of the Permanent Minority Leader title is ‘Billboards’ Cross” Henceforth the position will be refered to Office of the Cross

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Friday, Jul 15, 11 @ 9:38 am===

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:19 pm
Leave it to Pat Brady to go extreme and to tie in Madigan despite the lack of connection. Meanwhile it’s crickets from Pat Brady on the really crazy and disgusting statements of Republican Akin.

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:59 pm
@Willy -

I have a feeling Tom Cross started mailing it in somewhere around 2005, and is simply hanging around waiting for a chance to run for AG.

His members would be better served by someone who shows more enthusiasm for the job, but I’m not sure who that would be.

As much as folks speculate about MJM’s retirement, Cross’ departure is a day to look forward to.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:09 pm
My first written comment upon reading about Toni’s unfortunate words: “I bet Brady will somehow blame Madigan for this too”.

I meant it as a joke.

Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:29 pm
===I have a feeling Tom Cross started mailing it in somewhere around 2005, and is simply hanging around waiting for a chance to run for AG.===

Concur, but Jim Durkin may want 1st crack at that when Lisa decides its time for her to “move on” and the Durkins and the Madigans have known each other for a long time. Would be a good Primary.

Further -

===His members would be better served by someone who shows more enthusiasm for the job, but I’m not sure who that would be.===

I hope (fingers ‘Crossed’) that after the Golf Debacle, and then the Brady loss which led to this map, the HGOP Caucus would look elswhere after this cycle if it is as bad as others think it will be for the HGOP. Maybe a new Mushroom will see the Light of Day and get the Caucus back on track. Again, time will tell.

Finally -

===…Cross’ departure is a day to look forward to.===

As a Caucus, as Republicans … a new House Regime would be welcomed. Are those Members willing to embrace it?

Two new GA Leaders would help the GOP. This November will shine a very bright light on that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:30 pm
To the post, (to get this back on track),

Why did Pat Brady take all the focus off of Preckwinkle, and put a spotlight on himself, trying to tie Preckwinkle’s remark to a MJM conspiracy?

If the “goal” is to make Madigan the evil of all evils, at what point do you stretch your credibility (I know we are talking about P. Brady but work with me!) by playing the “N” Degrees of Kevin Bacon to Madigan? You do this until everyone is nausiated? Pat Brady has to believe inflicting a severe wound to Preckwinkle would be enough, why try to attach a silly connection to a man, not even in attendance whe Preckwinkle said it, to continue your ‘Rip Madigan’ agenda?

If MJM was there, then you MIGHT have something. Add to that, if MJM made comment on it there, immediately, you might have more.

There just isn’t anything that looks “smart” coming out of the ILGOP, and specifically, Pat Brady.

When will the ILGOP SSC say … enough, Pat …Enough.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:44 pm
@Willy -

I’m sure Tom Cross’ members will work just as hard for him as he has for them when he runs statewide.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:52 pm
@Willy -

Not to put to fine a point on it, but I believe the Speaker supported Terry O’Brien for County Board President.

As Steve Brown pointed out recently, Madigan is neither omniscient nor omnipotent.

He just looks that way when standing next to Billboard and Gags.

Circle-of-life complete!

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:56 pm
YDD -

They will work hard alright … ignoring the phone messages, or responding, “Rep. ‘X’ is golfing right now, would you like to leave a message?”

In the next 76 Days, sadly, Pat Brady will go too far on this and the whole aparatus id going to get dinged in the media with an “Enough ILGOP!” piece wich will leave a scorched Earth upon everyone, ironically, linking them the the state party chair … just what Pat Brady had hoped to do to the Dems …

Which will lead to a press release explaining THAT is also part of the Madigan conspiracy … as the H & SDems add seat after seat after seat on Election Night.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:09 pm
YDD -

You closed that Circle of Life really well!

Let’s hope this insanity ends soon… or at least some of us do.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:26 pm
is it August that is called the silly season in politics? or is there something besides the West Nile Virus and that bug hitting deer that is infecting all sorts of pols across the nation? I’ve got a fever…White Sox fever (YoukSlam)…..but Toni Toni Toni is part of pols gone wild in August 2012.

Comment by amalia Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 4:09 pm