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* The Daily Herald tried to bait Congressman Peter Roskam into commenting on the State Republican Party melee. “What message does the handling of this situation send to the rest of the nation regarding the Illinois GOP?” he was asked. Roskam wouldn’t bite…

“Illinois has a higher than average unemployment rate. It’s got a majority in the General Assembly that has squandered the confidence of the public. It is on the verge of a debt crisis and has completely underperformed based on bad leadership in Springfield. That’s what we should be talking about morning, noon and night every single day because that has the big impact on the daily lives of most Illinoisans. So I think to the extent that all these other things become distractions, the fact is Mike Madigan, John Cullerton and Pat Quinn have driven the state into the ground, from a financial point of view and Republicans are poised to have good alternatives and I think that’s front and center where most people want to be focused.”

More Republicans ought to follow Roskam’s lead. These endless fights over an essentially powerless and meaningless party chairmanship, particularly when a hot-button issue like gay marriage is tossed into the mix, are nothing but counterproductive.

Too many Republicans believe that their real enemies are within their own party. Keep it up and y’all will be fighting over absolutely nothing.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 9:56 am

Comments

There are a million ways to duck an issue, but I don’t think it does Roskam much good here. Gay marriage is a fight within the national GOP as well.

And please, no lectures from the GOP House majority on priorities and getting things done.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:03 am
I like the response by Roskam, but Roskam needs to be careful not just blow some of this off completely. The negatives of what could be taken if the Brady removal becomes about SSM will b e felt, and it will stain the Party … over a useless job of Chair of the ILGOP.

“B” for the response, and staying above all the garbage, but to gloss over it completely and not recognize what is going on in Illinois and nationally is what keeps this from being an “A” answer.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:17 am
While I disagree with my Congressman on many social issues, he consistently nails it on the economic issues and the political perspective we ought to have in this state.

Comment by Diogenes in DuPage Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:17 am
Roskam’s answer has a good amount of ‘spin’ in it, but I don’t think it’s fair to say he “ducked” the question. The question was: ““What message does the handling of this situation send to the rest of the nation regarding the Illinois GOP?” His answer, essentially, was “It says that they don’t have their priorities in order.” I think that’s a perfectly reasonable answer. And it’s one that I 100% agree with.

Comment by grand old partisan Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:18 am
Roskam’s a witch, burn him!

Good job staying on message, Roskam. I am honored to have been Gerrymandered out of your district

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:22 am
Not that smooth. Sounds like political pap to avoid the question entirely.

Better to redirect the question by starting with “We do have some differences, but better to focus on what we all agree on as Republicans…”

Ain’t hindsight great?

Comment by walkinfool Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:24 am
It’s a good soundbite and a good message. However, he may want to tell the Republicans that not participating in voting was not the way to show that you have alternative ideas. And he also may want to tell other people in the Republican party that stomping your feet and saying it’s the Democrats mess to fix isn’t really an alternative idea either. The message is good. The execution by Republicans stinks.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:37 am
Once again Cong. Roskam demonstrates why he is a leader in DC and the larger party. Thanks for bringing the conversation back to where it belongs (ie, the failed policies and corrupt practices of Madigan and his cronies in Springfield)

Comment by Eastsider Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:43 am
Wordslinger is on the money as usual. The Daily Herald was not trying to “bait” roskam. I can’t think of a main stream media outlet that over the last several years has given a Republican better coverage than they’ve given him.

Comment by shore Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 10:48 am
Roskam is a model for every GOPer confronted with a “journalist” seeking a “gotcha” or a “let’s you and him fight” story.

This needs to be said over and over by every GOPer in Illinois; pension mess, poor people not served because Illinois won’t pay its bills, high unemployment, people/business fleeing like rats from a sinking ship, etc.

Until the ILGOP has the cojones to stand up to the Dem Party and fight them with their own rules, they will be a minority party.

Anyone who thinks SSM is the most pressing issue in Illinois is either a Democrat or a LIV. Those who believe SSM is the most important issue are voting Dem anyway. The GOP can’t change lockstep Dem voters, but they can change opinion with the LIVers by hammering over and over what the Dems don’t want to talk about.

SSM is just a Dem diversion—they have won the Culture War and they know it, so they will always divert attention to Culture War stuff—SSM, gun control, etc.

Any GOPer who falls for a reporter asking him/her to comment on “the chaos in the GOP” needs to do exactly what Roskam did—give it to the Dems, good and hard.

Comment by qcexaminer Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 1:33 pm
===give it to the Dems, good and hard.===

QC, I completely disagree with your strategy. The voters want to know what the GOP will do differently than the Dems. All options on the table come with considerable sacrifice.

Lead us with ideas rather than the typical negative GOP rhetoric.

Comment by Endangered Moderate Species Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 3:21 pm
Speaking of the Daily Herald and Roskam … err … coverage issues.

Watch the ad …

https://capitolfax.com/wp-mobile.php?p=2588&more=1

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 6:29 pm
In Cook County, Republicans regularly battle over the feckless chairmanship. Go figure.

Comment by reformer Monday, Mar 25, 13 @ 7:07 pm