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Question of the day

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* Your all-time favorite political story?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:39 pm

Comments

Hard to beat the Chicago Tribune “Dewey Beats Truman” story.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:45 pm
From Canada: Two conservative parties had joined in a “unite the right” movement, and were fielding their first candidate for Prime Minister, a guy named Stockwell Day. He was an evangelical Christian but tried to play this down during the campaign, as Canada is a relatively progressive place. But during an interview he slipped up, and said that dinosaurs had been on earth at the same time as humans.

Before his campaign could take it back, a pol in the Liberal Party said “Someone needs to inform Mr. Day that “The Flinstones” was not a documentary.” Later, people would show up at Day rallies whistling the Flinstones theme.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:48 pm
The Rod tapes…

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:49 pm
My Grandfather won a local Mayor’s race by only one vote back in 1960. There were people all over town who decided not to vote because “their vote doesn’t make a difference”. I’ve told the story many times to illustrate that every vote does count!

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:50 pm
Not in the press?

Carolyn Krause offering her chapstick to Ken Dunkin, after his lengthy meeting with Blago — (with a line that I just cannot edit enough for this blog.)

Comment by walker Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:50 pm
In August 1977 we moved to a house on the NW side of Chgo. Our precinct captain lived on the same block. He came to introduce himself shortly thereafter and found out my parents weren’t citizens. He asked if they wanted to be. They said sure. He came by a few days later with the paperwork and went over it with them. They asked about me and my sister becoming citizens (we weren’t voting age). He said he couldn’t do that right then. A few months later they went to get sworn in. No interview. The first time my mother went to vote, she wasn’t sure what to do. The precinct captain was there to help her out. My parents have been loyal democrats ever since.

BTW, our side street and alley was always plowed in the winter. We always had new garbage cans when needed and the precinct captain always had candy for us kids on Christmas.

Well-oiled machine.

Comment by Nonplussed Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:51 pm
oops. I thought you meant personal story.

Comment by Nonplussed Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:51 pm
Clinton’s lobby for up and comer Barack Obama to speak at 2004 convention. Which sets the chain of events for him to prevent Hilary from winning in 2008. lol.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:53 pm
I think yours counts, @Nonplussed. That’s a great story, personal or not. All of these are good ones so far.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:54 pm
Also would include the rumor that Obama was picked to speak to counter the Ditka risk, doubt if it is true, but it is a hell of a story.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:55 pm
Nonplussed: That’s a good story.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:55 pm
Nonplussed - that’s a great story! I wasn’t sure if Rich meant a personal story or if he meant one that received media coverage, but I prefer the personal stories myself.

Comment by ??? Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:55 pm
===oops. I thought you meant personal story. ===

Either way.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:56 pm
I assumed the question was for personal stories too.

For me, it was something relatively simple. At 18 months, my kids came with me to the Committeman’s office extremely early on election day so that we could get our final instructions for the day.

The kids walked right into the office, plopped down on the couch and waited calmly as if they had been doing it forever.

I had the definite sense of “this is how it all starts.”

Comment by Gooner Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:59 pm
Back during the summer of 76, my buddies and I crashed a keg party in the parking lot of the “Old Towne Apartments” on the N/W side of Springfield. As we hung out none other than Dan Walker strolls by. Turns out that the keg party was for one of his daughters that had just turned 19. Was anybody else from this blog there?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:02 pm
I have been watching the Ken Burns Roosevelts series. I have to admit the best political story ever has to go to TR for continuing a political speech for over an hour having a bullet lodged in your chest after an assassination attempt. That’s a Bull Moose!

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Anon - and that happened nearby - in Milwaukee!

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:06 pm
My dad told me about how the National Dems organized a huge rally in Ohio planned out for months to give a big show of support for Kennedy with campaign workers from multiple surrounding states. It was on the front page of every paper in the Country that Ohio might go to Kennedy. And then all the Democratic operatives pulled out the next day and sprinkled back into the various other tight races. The Republicans then committed a ton of resources into Ohio and Nixon won handily there, but lost Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania by close margins.

Comment by Biker Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:14 pm
In the rural Wisconsin county I grew up in, there was a GOP primary for Register of Deeds.
(the Dems never even bothered running candidates) The incumbent easily defeated her assistant who had challenged her, but it became known that the assistant had to go through the incumbent’s garbage can every day because the incumbent wasn’t competent enough to know not to throw away anything important.
Goes to show that the rural places can elect total goofs, with full party support behind them, just as easily as the big cities, even though they wont admit it.

Comment by train111 Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:14 pm
anything, Alan Dixon; Police Magistrate to US Senate, as Jeff Dixon said (if I’m not mistaken)”he fought a good fight”

Comment by railrat Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:21 pm
former Sen. John Knuppel going out to the 3rd floor Rotunda railing on midnight of the supposedly last night of session and yelling “Langhorne Bond.”

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:22 pm
Probably Norm Coleman’s 2002 win on the heels of his debate with an arrogant, condescending Fritz Mondale.

Comment by T.J. Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:23 pm
Mine is not a story, but it is one of my favorites and involves a politician

Many moons in the past, Saturday Night Live has “Paul Simon” as their guest host. However they had the singer and the politician both; the schtick being that the other was confused and they were the correct Paul Simon. I had previously though, bow tie aside, that politician Simon was a bit dry; but he was hilarious in the show and he went up several notches in my book.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:24 pm
I was at the DuQuoin State Fair in 2004 helping to produce a local radio program. Gary Forby was set to be interviewed by the show host at 7:05 pm. About 7 pm he was no where to be found. About that time I saw a golf cart cruising through the crowd heading for the pop up tent we were sitting under. Gary Forby was in the passenger seat and the late congressman Ken Gray was driving. Sen. Forby got out and put the head phones on just as we came back from a commercial break. I stepped away and introduced myself to Congressman Gray. As we talked I noticed that the golf cart he was driving (it was maroon with a white top) had the Seal of The President of the United State on the front of it. I asked Ken Gray where he came up with such an item. He told me that it was Lyndon Johnson’s golf cart, and that President Johnson had given it to Congressman Gray upon leaving office. Pretty cool moment.

Comment by John A Logan Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:25 pm
walker: “Carolyn Krause offering her chapstick to Ken Dunkin, after his lengthy meeting with Blago — (with a line that I just cannot edit enough for this blog.)”

You can’t leave us hangin…

Comment by Ulster Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:26 pm
About a year ago, I arrived in New Orleans a bit early for a conference and decided to head to a watering hole–The Old Absinthe House. While there, an older southern gentleman that was nearby struck up a conversation with me. He told me that he was a lawyer by trade, and that at one time was an elected official. My curiosity got the best of me, so I googled him while heading to the restroom. It turns out that it was Bill Baxley, former Attorney General and Lt. Governor of Alabama. He was best known for his prosecution of the KKK members involved in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Burmingham. During the trial, the KKK had sent him a threatening letter, to which he issued a response on official AG state letterhead: “My response to your letter of February 19, 1976, is—kiss my ass.”

Comment by unspun Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:28 pm
I’d be more interested in hearing Rich’s favorite, although he prolly couldn’t pick just one.
A southside plumber posing as a campaign volunteer for a republican state representative candidate, earning trust and becoming a person of “authority” in the campaign. Leaking everything to the incumbent…. and having the republican campaign HQ phones turned off the day before the election.

Comment by Redux Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:30 pm
My mother used to work a joint district office for a fairly well-known State Senator/Rep. combo in the 1980’s. As a teenager I would come by in the summer and cover the phones, etc. when people went to lunch. The State Rep. was pleasant to me but fairly sedate in their habits. The State Senator would show up, and if no one else was around, would crank the local FM classic rock station in their office. I’m not at liberty so say publicly who it was, but many here would be surprised.

As far as non-personal stories, I still love the audio of George Ryan at an event introducing Mike Ditka, as “The Coach, The Hall of Famer, Dick Butka!” A local sports radio station in Chicago has the audio and plays it often. Cracks me up.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:32 pm
===more interested in hearing Rich’s favorite, although he prolly couldn’t pick just one===

My favorites are all unprintable.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:32 pm
On 11/10/87, I was at the restaurant on top of the Hancock Building with three fellow City Colleges students. Harold Washington was supposed to present us with academic achievement scholarships worth something like $500 each.

We waited for Mayor Washington to show up but were told he couldn’t make it. I was disappointed. I voted for him twice.

To my pleasant surprise, he did show up and presented us with the awards. I was very happy and told him how glad I was that he made it. He must have thought that I was insincere because he said “command performance” under his breath.

Perhaps he was just not feeling well or was in a bad mood. I meant what I said. He died 15 days later.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:36 pm
The late night where Eugene Sawyer became Mayor of Chicago. His grace. Dick Mell standing on his desk. Anna Langford quietly stating her position. David Orr not being able to keep up with what he was voting on. Pat O’Connor repeatedly calling for the vote. Ed Burke, calmly telling O’Connnor everyone should have an opportunity to speak. Dorothy Tillman…being herself. Bernie Stone…being himself. A handful who became statesmen when least expected. It was a political chess game playing out before our very eyes. And it changed everything.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:38 pm
Or another great one out of Louisiana, when KKK Grand Dragon David Duke ran as a Republican for governor against recently indicted Democrat Edwin Edwards. The bumper sticker: “Vote for the crook. It’s important.”

Comment by Ray del Camino Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:38 pm
Miller: My favorites are all unprintable.

That would go for every fascinating LBJ story I’ve been told. Other than one. He campaigned for Senate, primarily on a helicopter around Texas, with a Kidney Stone for over a week. He sure wasn’t Drury.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:40 pm
I grew up in a state with a notorious Republican governor. My father couldn’t stand him or his positions but, nevertheless, he was a registered Republican. When I asked him why, he said, “The primary — I can vote against him twice!”

That governor later spoke at our small town’s community club when my dad was serving as its president. He and the governor talked for some time and the governor eventually asked him to serve on a rail road sub-commission. Dad told him, “Just so you know — I’ve never voted for you in my life and I don’t intend to.” The governor said that was okay, he just needed someone smart who would tell him the truth. So he appointed my father to the sub-commission.

Dad voted against him four more times.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:44 pm
OK, here’s one that I often tell…

I was in a certain legislator’s office on the 6th floor of the Statehouse. It was late afternoon. Cocktail hour. There were maybe a dozen of us in there having an adult beverage. Almost everyone was smoking cigarettes or cigars. The air was thick.

Knock on the door. It’s the legislator’s assistant. Someone’s here to see him.

Usually, when we were all in his office, this legislator would meet lobbyists in a separate ante room. But this lobbyist was with the Illinois Lung Association and had come there to convince him to vote for the Clean Indoor Air Act.

We all cracked up. “Send her in!” he commanded. We roared with laughter. Those who hadn’t lit up now scrambled to do so.

The look on that poor woman’s face when she opened the door is something I’ll never forget.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:48 pm
Here’s one I told last night.

Back in the day, Democratic Reps. Sam Panayotivich, Al Ronan and others hatched a scheme. They would take advantage of all the new “Reagan Democrats,” switch to the GOP and wrest control of the House from MJM.

Sam was the test case. He switched and ran for reelection as a Republican. Madigan recruited Clem Balanoff - an old family name in the 10th Ward - to run as the Democrat. Clem was way too liberal to ever pull a switch like Sam-Pan, so he was Madigan’s guy.

Clem had everything he wanted in that campaign. Madigan spent a record amount of money. It was a fight not only for the House, but for the soul of the Democratic Party.

Clem would come up with an idea, call MJM’s ward office and an OK would always be forthcoming.

So once he had this brilliant idea. There were tons of Chinese restaurants in his district. Why not pay to have fortune cookies made up with “I see Clem Balanoff in your future” (or whatever the messages were) inside, then give them to the restaurants for free. Advertising often works best when it’s least expected, after all.

Clem won. I doubt it was the cookies. But it shows you how all-in MJM can go when something important is on the line.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:55 pm
I was sitting in the gallery of the house , when Thompson was Governor. Peg Breslin was chairing a vote on judge appointments. They were stuck on yes votes and Peg would not finish the vote, she kept saying, are there any other votes? Madigan came out from his office and whispered something into a legislator’s ear. The guy changed his vote from no to yes, giving the issue the needed 60 votes. Peg immediately ended the vote.

Comment by Trstmay Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:05 pm
59 yes votes

Comment by Trstmay Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:06 pm
I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you and erase the memories of all the commenters here. 47 and Soccermom have some doozies though.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:10 pm
I got to introduce my father to one of his all time heros. Unfortunately, it was Ronald Reagan.

I was covering a speech of then-governor Reagan as a kid from the on-campus NPR station and Dad was visiting that day, so he tagged along. The head of the college Republicans was a friend, so he let Dad in to the press section and everyone in the section got to shake Mr. Reagan’s hand on our way out.

Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:13 pm
Back in 2004, an old college friend scored me some tix to a RI County Dem event one night when I was visiting my parents. I took my dad. All the Democratic US Senate candidates were there.

Dad listened to all of them speak. He was blown away by Obama. Mesmerized. It was like those old Klipsch ads were the guy is sitting in his chair and his whole body is being blown back by the “wind” from the speakers.

After the speech, Obama walked over to me to ask what the heck I was doing there. I introduced him to my dad. “Never change,” Dad said as he shook Barack’s hand. “Never change.”

Dad voted for Obama in ‘04, did the Obamallac thing in ‘08… and voted for Ron Paul in 2012.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:17 pm
As someone who worked for the House GOP during the years of “The Anti-Christ,” the story of Mike Tristano’s evil and illegal activities coming back to bite him in the @#$% and resulting in his serving some jail time always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Comment by ??? Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:24 pm
**Back in 2004, an old college friend scored me some tix to a RI County Dem event one night when I was visiting my parents. I took my dad. All the Democratic US Senate candidates were there.

Dad listened to all of them speak. He was blown away by Obama. Mesmerized. It was like those old Klipsch ads were the guy is sitting in his chair and his whole body is being blown back by the “wind: from the speakers.

After the speech, Obama walked over to me to ask what the heck I was doing there. I introduced him to my dad. “Never change,” Dad said as he shook Barack’s hand. “Never change.”

Dad voted for Obama in ‘04, did the Obamallac thing in ‘08… and voted for Ron Paul in 2012. ***

Great story Rich but I think you had one minor detail incorrect, the Klipich ad was for Maxell Cassette Tape, not Klipich speakers. I loved that ad though!

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:26 pm
Ah, Tristano.

Remember my headline in the 90s when Daniels re-hired him?

THE ANTI-CHRIST RETURNS

Heh.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:27 pm
Your vote may not always be secret…
A current suburban Mayor was running for re-election. The Mayor & city manager did not get along. The manager voted for the opponent…how do we know?…his was the only vote cast in his precinct in the Mayoral race (the rest of the precinct was unincorporated). Needles to say, the Manager was soon out of a job!

Comment by Suburbs Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:29 pm
I once ran into Gov. Quinn in the stairwell of the Stratton building. He had been waiting for the elevator after talking to the budget staff following his budget address. The elevator was full, and his detail decided to take the stairs. I happened to have a camera on me, and passed it to someone that was with him, asking at the same time for a picture with the Gov. He was very gracious, and stood next to me on the stairwell.

He is very nice in person.

Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:32 pm
Was summoned to the parents’ house one night when I was about a sophomore in college. Dad the politico said “there’s someone here you need to meet.”

Got there to find Dad, a future Congresscritter, and this big tall dude sitting on our living room floor marking up a highway map. The big guy brought a big dog who was plopped across Mom’s lap.

And that’s how I met Jim Thompson.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:32 pm
???, as a fellow Tristano survivor, (CMS era) I could tell some good stories but I don’t think I can clean them up enough for the blog.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:38 pm
During the Salmonella Outbreak in the mid 80’s Gov Thompson told his security detail to get the Director of Public Health on the phone from his Lincoln while traveling. The Directors secretary told Security he was not available and it turns out was on vacation in Mexico I believe. Security advised her the Governor wanted him to call ASAP. After several hours the Director called the car from a pay phone in Mexico. Security answers and tells the Gov the Director is on the phone. Big Jim tells security to tell him to hold on. Big Jim is reading the paper and there is silence in the car for approx 5-10 minutes while he reads the paper. Gov Thompson finally says to the security guy holding the phone to tell the Director he is fired. The Security guy follows orders and tells the Director he’s fired. Classic.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:55 pm
Sorry Rich. Didn’t mean for Gov Thompson story to be anon

Comment by proudstatetrooper Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:56 pm
As the Mayor of a downstate community, I presided over a city council meeting wherein we were debating the possible condemnation of a certain old hotel. During the debate, the City Manager walked over and whispered in my ear, ” The hotel is on fire!” True story.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:56 pm
One of the best QOTD in a long time…

Cant tell either of my stories yet. Too soon.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:57 pm
Years ago, a friend of mine went to vote in the primary. She asked for the Democrat ballot, switching from Republican.

Her mother-in-law, who was a long-time election judge in that rural precinct, refused to give it to her. My friend was told that (husband’s surname)’s do not vote Democrat! My friend said, “you cannot deny me the right to vote the way I want.”

Her mother-in-law reluctantly gave her a Dem primary ballot.

Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:00 pm
I was taking a public finance class taught by kustra. He brought in a long shot unknown candidate for pres. Lectured us on zero based budgeting for 90 min. Then shook hands and told us he was going to be our pres. It was jimmy carter

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:05 pm
i don’t know that it is my *favorite* story, but it is one i can tell:

reagan picks bush. i had been an intern for reagan during the primaries and was invited to help out at the detroit convention. for at least a day, the rumors were that reagan was going to pick gerald ford to be his running mate, and henry kissinger was leading the ford camp in negotiations.

the reagan people hated kissinger. hated. he was the incarnate of evil. but those negotiations fell through. i will never forget when we were all called to this trailer where we had been running the reagan delegates. the nominee came in and everybody got real quiet. i have something to tell you, he said, in that voice that you know you’re not going to like what you’re about to hear. i’m going to pick bush, he told us.

the place basically erupted. if you thought they hated kissinger, they really hated bush. voodoo economics and all the other stuff. one person threw something against the trailer door, denting it. it was almost riotous.

you have a day, reagan finally said. one day. then everyone gets on the bus. we were real quiet. reagan walked out of the trailer, and then somebody else got up. by a day, we were told, he means one night. whatever you do inside this trailer is not to be mentioned outside of it.

senior staff left, and almost immediately, boxes of liquor were delivered. i don’t know that i remember everything but when i left that trailer, i looked real hard at the dent in the door. that pretty much said it all. some people talked about betrayal and how bush had said all kinds of crap that would be used against us. didn’t matter, we were to rally round the ticket and keep our mouths shut. no one said we couldn’t dent doors, pound hands, etc…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:15 pm
From birth I was taught that RepublicanSOB was one word because Dad hated the generations of the Small/McBroom Machine and it’s crooked “buy a Cadillac from McBroom’s every few years it you were a white collar city, township, county or state employee while blue collar folks bought a Nash Rambler from McBroom’s”. In 1960 almost everything went Democratic in Kankakee. Dad was a Democratic Committeeman and at 17 I sat in the living room several times and watched the money counted out by job seekers. My first real lesson in Kankakee politics.

Comment by Kankakee Kid Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:20 pm
Our old buddy Dave always told a great story about driving with Obama to deliver his petitions to Springfield. I don’t remember all the details but Dave was having a hard time staying awake. And he he was driving. Who knows what history would be like if Obama didn’t wake him up.

Comment by Been There Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:30 pm
It was first year the Senate Democrats had the majority and Emil Jones was Senate President. On the last night of session Vince Demuzio was in the chair (and in his element!) and it was payback time. The Republicans were furious and walked out without voting on several bills. Ricky Hendon yelled to them on their way out “Have a nice summer!”.

Comment by Way South of I-80 Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 6:20 pm
The first election I canvassed was Goldwater Johnson. I was in high school and five of us had just formed the Young Democratic Club in a strong Republican Community. We didn’t have walk sheets, just maps and had promised to knock on every door. Some were rude; some polite; some expressed pity for us, but none took our lit.
Finally just as we were heading home freezing and demoralized, we saw a woman in her yard and raced over. “Well, I guess corruption is better than destruction.” she said and took our lit…We were thrilled.

Comment by DuPage Grandma Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 6:32 pm
proudstatetrooper, here is the other end of that story.

I was working late and the only one in the office when I mistakenly picked up a ringing telephone. It was a reporter asking to speak to our PIO. I told him that everyone was gone. He said he had to urgently speak to him and wanted me to give him the PIO’s home phone - we didn’t have cell phones for all in those days. I had a policy of not giving out anyone’s home number without their permission. After advising the reporter of that fact, he told me he had to talk to him about our Director being fired. Thinking he was making it up to get the PIO’s number, I told him that was a nice line but I wouldn’t give him the home number. I did promise to call the PIO and give him the reporter’s callback number. I then got back to my work and turned on the radio. I was shocked when I heard a news report that the Director’s firing was true.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 6:37 pm
I was also privileged to spend some time the senator, presidential candidate and genuine war hero, George McGovern.

McGovern volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and as a B-24 pilot flew 35 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe. He was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

McGovern was in his last year of life, but he was still sharp as a tack and very, very gracious. Not much of a story, but I try not to pass up an opportunity to remind McGovern’s detractors that he was more of a man than they could ever hope to be.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 6:57 pm
*spend some time with

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 6:58 pm
I have several, but my most personal one is my last day as State Rep when I passed out on the senate floor during Sen. Christine Rodogno speech at 12AM. I remember waking up and seeing Rev Meeks mouth move but nothing coming out and saying to myself..”I have never seen that before.” I later found out that Rodogno said that..”she was off her game” but wished me well when I was wheeled out. President John Cullerton later joked with me and said that it gave him more time to get some votes. Glad to be here to tell the story…

Comment by David E. Miller Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:02 pm
It’s not suitable for the Internet yet, but dawn if I don’t have a great one. Track me down when I’m in Chicago sometime and I’ll share it with you.

Comment by GV Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:24 pm
Norseman, we must be about the same “vintage.”

Maybe even worked together.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:45 pm
Carol Ronen introduced me to Rod Blagojevich at a picnic in 2002. I told him a voter I’d registered said he wasn’t going to vote for Blago because he was a “Croatan.” “Oh, yeah?” Rod said. “Tell him he’s a cretin!”

Comment by AlphaBettor Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:47 pm
On the Saturday afternoon before the general election, long years ago, that the office manager for incumbent State Representative Penny Pullen dismissed volunteers who wanted campaign literature to distribute. The nameless manager insisted that all of the precincts had been adequately covered and no more help was required.

Pullen and her challenger Rosemary Mulligan spent the next few months in court during a lengthy recount proceeding. Pullen prevailed after spending thousands of dollars in legal fees, but it was her last term in the General Assembly as Mulligan won the rematch two years later.

Comment by Under Further Review Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:53 pm
Some radio reporter was reporting on that politician that got into trouble at the Minneapolis airport. The politician said it was all a misunderstanding, he just had a wide stance. The reporter was attempting to not laugh while closing the report with “it remains to be seen how this is going to play with the voters back in Idaho.”

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:54 pm
live election coverage(from bush gore)when jeb and george saw the florida results got up left made a phone call and the rest is history

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 8:03 pm
ghost I loved that skit on snl. Anyway my favorite political stories are about me and my oldest. When he was 2 I took him to see Hilary Clinton at the Old state Capitol. It was supposed to be a family event but not so much, they just gave the kids a bag of candy at the entrance. He lost interest in the speeches real quick and by the time Hillary got up there he was yelling more candy at the top of his lungs. I was afraid the secret service would kick us out so I just left without hearing her speech. Another incident was when we went to see the President announce his candidacy at the Old State Capitol. He was po’d at me because it was so cold and I told him hey this is history we’re witnessing and he informed me we are going to be history because we’re going to freeze to death. Love you Boo, go out and rock the vote for Quinn. Tippacanoe and Quinn too

Comment by Tree Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 9:04 pm
AA, Could be. I worked with a lot of good people back then. Those were the good old days. Legislators were civil and staffs socialized with each other. (Although, the salmonella time was rough. Three directors in about 3 weeks. Legislative hearings with Lang and Homer ripping is up.) There were a lot of quality folks in the agencies as well.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 9:11 pm
“ripping us up”

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 9:14 pm
Late 80’s summoned to a weekend “war room” meeting at the Capitol. I just wanted to go to my son’s soccer game (they were playing Notre Dame in South Bend) that weekend. I ended up in a brainstorming meeting where we had shots of Jack and later went to a local bar. I remember being shocked (yes, I was naïve) that an elected official would have booze in a state office building. I still consider that a wasted weekend.

Comment by Soccertease Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 9:15 pm
Wow–that’s almost just too loaded of a question. But I can’t help but remember Ronald Reagan’s famous line about, “Mr. Gorbachev: tear down this Wall!’ NOR will I ever forget a finger-wagging Slick Willy Clinton insisting how: “I did NOT have sexual relations with that Woman!” And, just watching Nixon one last time whip out the Peace Sign to the Nation, President Ford and Betty looking on, as he headed to AirForce One for one, final Departure from the White House in abject, utter disgrace. Wow–those were some pretty amazing moments politically as I reflect back here in the Wee Hours of the Morn’…!

Comment by Just the Way It Is One Wednesday, Oct 8, 14 @ 12:24 am