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Question of the day

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* If a picture is worth a thousand words, what about a cartoon? Pat Byrnes is Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s husband and House Speaker Michael Madigan’s son-in-law. He’s also a cartoonist for the New Yorker, runs a very funny blog called “Captain Dad” and has a new book out.

Maybe I’m reading too much into this. Maybe a cigar is just a cigar. But I can’t help wondering if a recent Byrnes cartoon had something to do with this summer’s familial strife…

Heh.

* The Question: Has your opinion changed about AG Madigan for better or for worse since she decided not to run for governor? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

surveys & polls

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:22 pm

Comments

Worse. The way she threw the old man under the bus was ridiculous. It was also insulting to the intelligence of voters.

Plus, she hoovered up millions from those who thought she was making the race. No way does she raise that kind of cash if the expectations were she was staying put.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:27 pm
She is a human being and made a hard decision. We forget that sometimes.

Comment by Ray del Camino Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:29 pm
Pat Brynes is a really great dad. This cartoon may well come from his own experiences, but it sure is ironic!

Comment by Amalia Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:33 pm
she misled voters and donors to believe that she was seriously making a run. if her intention was never to run as long as her dad was speaker, then she knowingly misled. in other words, she lied. thats unacceptable.

Comment by anon Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:34 pm
Worse. She lied. She earlier was on the record saying her father’s job didn’t affect her ability to run for governor, and then later she said she never intended to run if her father stayed on.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:36 pm
I originally said no change. that being said Wordslinger has changed my mind. She definitely profited off the speculation.

Comment by Mason born Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:38 pm
No change. Like any smart administrator, she checked the lay of the land and changed course when she needed to.

Comment by ChiGal Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:40 pm
You all are assuming she was fundraising knowing she wasn’t going to run for Gov. Should we not consider the idea, she thought he was going to retire and then was told no he wasn’t after the fundraising had already started?

Comment by frustrated GOP Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:42 pm
Worse. Though this is not the first time her actions have been a great disappointment.

Comment by girllawyer Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:42 pm
===Should we not consider the idea, she thought he was going to retire===

Which would make her delusional.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:46 pm
A politician prevaricated - stop the presses!

I didn’t have the highest regard for LM before - no change now. She appears to be generally competent but no great shakes. I wonder if she would ever have had even the smallest shot at being the AG without MJM being her dad. Nothing new there, in Illinois. Family dynasties seem to be all the rage.

LM has been coy with the whole “what am I going to do when I grow up” public musings for some time now. You put money into her coffers at your own risk.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:51 pm
==Should we not consider the idea, she thought he was going to retire and then was told no he wasn’t after the fundraising had already started?==
I don’t buy that at all. It is her dad after all - you’d think she’d know him and would have talked to him ahead of time.

But I would buy a case that she once thought she could win fairly easily even with her dad staying on, and then things got a little tough. She was taking more heat than she anticipated on this issue. Despite polls showing she’d win anyway, she decided she couldn’t press on, and instead she dropped out and then lied about her reasoning.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:51 pm
Disappointing. She either misled people, or she was shockingly unaware of her father’s plan.

The latter is hard to imagine.

Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 12:54 pm
Very much on the fence all three ways, haven’t voted yet, but that Cartoon is just priceless in the Illinois Politcal context, wether it was suppose to or not, mocking or defending.

But seen throught these past month, on its own, powerful stuff.

Back to flip-flopping on this in my mind again ..

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:00 pm
I still have to wonder, if its so bad for her to be Governor while her dad is Speaker, why is it ok for her to be the Attorney General while her dad is Speaker?
I think the GOP is so convinced she’s an unbeatable giant that they keep sacrificing sub-par candidates against her, when if they’d actually put a good candidate up and provide that candidate some support, they might do better than they think.
Just my two cents…

Comment by BDuty6 Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:01 pm
I originally said no change. That being said, Wordslinger has changed my mind.

Same here.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:07 pm
Slightly worse. I didn’t care for the way she threw her Dad under the bus - whatever you think of him.

Granted, perhaps it is his time to retire and her’s to shine but he is her Dad and she certainly wouldn’t be the AG if he hadn’t been there for her. She owes him for that.

Comment by Stones Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:09 pm
She lied, misled, and continues to refuse to admit that her failure to prosecute Jon Burge when instructed to do so by Judge Biebel prior to the stature running is the main reason Burge got off with just four years for civil rights violations. Also she should be asked why the lead CPD Investigator on the Koschman case is now employed as an Investigator in her office?

Comment by Think Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:11 pm
Very much so.
My opinion of her was very high.
She seemed very bright and relatively independent.

However, her explanation for not running was weak and borderline dishonest. She didn’t know her father’s plans? That seems like a stretch. Moreover, the suggestion that the Gov. and Speaker being from the same family would be a conflict, while the AG and Speaker would not raises questions as to whether a conflict currently exists.

I now view her as weak and lacking independence. I would vote for a decent GOP alternative, while before this she easily had my vote against even a strong opponent.

Comment by Skeeter Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:23 pm
Full disclosure;

I am voting “worse” as - wordslinger- was the voice in my head countering all the points I could make for “Better” or “No change”.

On point, Lisa did fundraise at a level many thought she was running for governor. While I was 60% thinking she would not, that also means 40% of me bought into all the posturing and the fundraising and the talk, and now that does not leave he in the best light for me after my internal debate,

Further,

Madigans talk.

Not about every little detail, or Bill, or minute politcal thing. They may, but I don’t know.

I don know there is at least one article that discussed Lisa and MJM talking about state Senate and running for office, and that they seem to discuss, one on one, personal political moves, and the fact that the “Madigan Rules” exist to prevent harm to Lisa, especially to her personally.

Those factors make me think Lisa couldn’t have been 100% blind-sided by the Speaker stayting, or any of his personal moves. Not 100%

Worse is the vote, but there is time for rehabilitation for Lisa. I mean, Lisa is getting another “pass” again… right?

Yeah … “Worse” is the vote, and - wordslinger - frames the arguement quite well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:28 pm
Apologies …

“I ‘do’ know there is at least one…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:30 pm
I’m with girlawyer…her family is a walking conflict of interest and one of them needs a job in the another sector…if you don’t think their relationship affects State govenment and it’s ability to work for the people you’re not paying attention…

Comment by Loop Lady Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:30 pm
Worse. I think she intended to run but she remained coy for much too long. The whole thing just went on too long. Reminds me of Bill Daley.

Comment by Because I said so... Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:30 pm
No change. I even donated to her in last year or so, assuming like many others she’d be running for Governor. She didn’t. Meh. I have no regrets and don’t feel misled.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:32 pm
no change and see no reason to comment-on THIS poll.

Comment by downstate commissioner Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:32 pm
LM no different than Jim Edgar when he had a large
Fund raiser less than a year before he announced he
Wasn’t running again!

Comment by Same Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:35 pm
She should have run. Quinn is a disaster, not as bad as Rauner or Dillard or other R’s would be, but still a disaster.

Comment by Mongo Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:35 pm
I am sure the AG and Speaker have a close relationship, but what makes you think that he’d discuss his plans with her or anyone else? If he were to tell her that he was leaving, then she’d tell her campaign people. It would inevitably leak. That would put the democratic majority in jeopardy because people wouldn’t donate so freely to him.

Maybe I’m giving her too much credit, but my bet is that she assumed he would step down if she decided to run and his remaining in office jeopardized her campaign. I also don’t think her decision had anything to do with him. My guess is that her people advised her to add that line about him. Whether it was the real reason or a political move, it was stupid and a bit underhanded.

Comment by hum Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:36 pm
===but what makes you think that he’d discuss his plans with her or anyone else?===

I dunno, maybe because she’s his daughter and his staying on was supposedly the deal killer for a gubernatorial bid?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:39 pm
Like others here, I voted no change, read the comments and then changed my mind to worse.

Comment by Logic not emotion Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:40 pm
She did what was right. She put the wheels into motion to make a bid, maybe hoping that momentum would encourage him to step aside. When it didn’t work, she stepped aside seeing the obvious conflict (which is totally different than being AG).

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:44 pm
No change, so no supporting comment.

Comment by A guy... Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 1:54 pm
Worse. Whatever I thought of her politically notwithstanding, I thought she was straight up and honest. The non-announcement fiasco changed that.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 2:00 pm
She checked her options, threw out some statements, and decided to stay put. Her choice. She has no obligation to do anything just because other people think she should, who her father happens to be, or how bad the other players are. I would not be shocked if she decided to chuck the whole thing go make some serious money in private business and not have people interpreting every nuance of anything she says. She seems like a smart person and has a strong future in whatever she decides to do.

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 2:01 pm
I wasn’t going to vote for her anyway, so I voted no change.

Comment by AFSCME Steward Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 2:09 pm
Better

I appreciate her as a human being even more, as a politician slightly less. Also recall her reasons not to go to Washington, which was hers for the taking.

Give me a better human being every time.

Comment by walkinfool Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 2:43 pm
In classic CapFax fashion, many commenters are either worried about or having great pity for the influence peddlers who cut her a check or Mike Madigan, who, inexplicably to normal human beings with blood flowing through their veins, couldn’t get out of his daughter’s way after serving for four decades.

Comment by Marty Funkhouser Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:11 pm
===influence peddlers who cut her a check===

Oh, stop it. Plus, lots of my commenters are “influence peddlers.” They have a right to gripe.

===couldn’t get out of his daughter’s way===

Agreed, but the question ain’t about him, is it?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:29 pm
Better.
In my opinion Lisa is doing the right thing by supporting her party and the incumbent democratic governor. She may then run for governor in 2018 when Quinn will not be a candidate for governor.

Comment by Ruby Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:32 pm
No change. In the end, when she does decide to run for a higher office, what she did or didn’t do in her position as AG, as well as her stated goals for whichever position she’s running for, will be what voters base their votes on—not on her decision to not pursue the governor’s job this time.

Comment by Tommydanger Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:35 pm
AS the dad of a daughter (and hubby of a strong woman from a proud family), I will guarantee you that the cartoon comes from some event of his with a kid.

Unless he is suicidal…

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:40 pm
Good Question, and all in all, some Great Comments. I voted no change, but not easily. In some ways, I do respect her more for seeing the real upcoming potential Conflict she’d have with MJM, if elected, for what it is–unacceptable–and, thus, properly got out of the Race.

However, indeed, she was at least SOMEwhat misleading to backers, who dished MILlion$ into her coffers in a QUITE reasonable expectation she was getting in, and then was contradictory while whacking her own FAther, only to be told, “NO thanks,” and I read no report of her giving any back when surely she won’t need ALL that much in the hefty funds which she collected over the last year to win re-election as AG…!

Yet, in the end, she IS a Politician, and in some ways we see now, quite LIKE her own Father in some of her approaches, so, are we REALLY all that shocked…? So, like the ‘OOOOOl Bob Seger tune, she’s “Still the Same” for me…!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:47 pm
I think Lisa was evolving thru the process and at the late evening burst through the cocoon like a beautiful butterfly that flew into a bug light.

Comment by go to the light Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 3:54 pm
I voted “no change” since I am tired of her and her entire family. I no longer see them as effect politicans or state employees.
This might be a good lesson in staying out of the same work arena as your other family members.

Comment by Belle Friday, Sep 20, 13 @ 4:08 pm