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Stroger and Peraica swing hard

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Illinois

ABC7 starts out our Stroger-Peraica debate roundup:

‘Two-faced’ Tony Peraica took on ‘Blissfully Ignorant’ Todd Stroger in another round of mud-slinging in race for Cook County Board president. The two candidates took turns calling each other names during a debate at the Chicago Union League Club.

“Tom Roeser has a name for my opponent: ‘Two-faced Tony,’” said Ald. Todd Stroger, (D) Cook County Board presidential candidate, referring to a political weblog. Peraica (R) fired back with his own name for Stroger, who has never served in county government.

“Alderman Stroger, you are just ‘blissfully ignorant’ of the facts or just poorly informed,” said Commissioner Peraica.

The name-calling set a less than civil tone at the debate. Peraica called the Cook County democrats’ selection of Todd to follow in his father’s footsteps ‘a national embarrassment.’

Stroger’s missed votes in Springfield also came up.

Peraica tried to poke holes in Stroger’s claim he is a “Bill Clinton Democrat,” who is committed to anti-gun laws. Peraica said Stroger was one of only a handful of “present” votes in the Legislature on three popular anti-crime measures, including one to increase penalties for breaking gun laws on school grounds.

Overall, Stroger voted present or was absent for 628 votes during his time in Springfield, Peraica said. […]

Stroger said he was out of the chamber when those votes took place in 1993 and his seatmates in the Legislature voted for him. He said he knew his vote wasn’t crucial since all three measures had strong support.

The Tribune noted a curious link on Peraica’s government website.

They also traded barbs over Peraica’s official county Web site, which contained links leading to his private law practice.

Stroger called the presence of such a link “unethical.”

Peraica replied that he is “a citizen-politician.”

“Among other things listed on that Web site is a way to have me contacted in my other private businesses in case I am not available at the county offices,” said Peraica. “No business has come from that site.”

Nevertheless, Peraica agreed to remove the link by the end of the day Tuesday.

And the Daily Herald notes how the candidates repeated their main themes.

While the new topics were prompted mostly by questions asked by WBBM radioâ€™s Craig Dellimore, who moderated the debate, both candidates also made sure to pound their No. 1 themes.

â€œThe reason Todd Stroger was picked (by Democratic committeemen for the November ballot) was to continue patronage hiring,â€ said Peraica. â€œIn fact, he was picked to preserve and protect the status quo.â€

Stroger countered, â€œAll it takes is one person, with the stroke of a pen, to ban abortions at Cook County Hospital.â€

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 8:08 am

Comments

If Tony and Toddler keep this up,My 6yr old will get jealous.Because for two so called politicans trying to win the vote for county board president they both should respect and be professional to one another.come on guys my 6yr old plays games like that,and all its really doing is turning off voters and they will end up voting for nobody.So stick to the issues and stop the hatred.There is enough of that already.Dont ya think Tony????

Comment by Peraica Supporter Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 8:52 am
The link issue seems kinda flimsy.

What’s wrong with including a link that says, “If you are looking for the politician’s other business click here”?

The monetary value of this sort of convenience is negligible. The cost to the government is nothing.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 10:45 am
Peraica’s camp is claiming that Stroger justified voting present by saying another legislator actually did the voting for him.

Did Stroger say this?

If he did, isn’t this reminiscent of Congressman Tim Johnson rigging his voting machine with a paperclip, so he didn’t have to waste time actually being present for the people’s business?

And if Stroger and Tim Johnson did this, how many other members of the Illinois legislature have engaged in other time-saving techniques to avoid actually being present to vote?

And to what extent does the Springfield media know about ghost legislating? And to what extent is the Springfield media covering-up for their drinking buddies?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 10:49 am
This would be interesting. This almost makes me want to sit this one out. The fact that Todd’s in it only because he has the famous last name already turns me off.

Comment by Levois Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 11:15 am
I remember when Rostenkowski was voted out after decades of public service by a nobody named Fitzgerald. Rosty lost because he was mired in scandal, however the polls didn’t show him losing until the votes were counted.

So, there is always hope. Taking the Cook County Democratic Machine apart will be ugly, but it is a job that has to be done. It has bankrupted Cook county, one of the most important counties in the US. Chicago will have no future as long as this politburo of the industrial age is killed off. Stroger won’t do it, so he can’t get my vote.

As to the abortion issue. It is simply disgusting that the only thing Urkel has to say in his favor is that you might be unable to terminate your unwanted pregnancy if he loses. This “plus” in his favor is about the lowest comment ever muttered in politics.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 4:21 pm
he admitted seatmates voted for him. although this is a common practice, it is technically illegal and against the rules of the house.

Todd — WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?!?!

Comment by Mike Williams Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 6:04 pm
He’s thinking, “Wow, it will be wonderful when I win the Presidency and Tony is off the Board altogether because Gomolinski beat him too!”

I imagine he’s also humming and smiling.

Comment by The Picolo Player is a... Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 7:26 pm
He’s humming and smiling like Jim Carey on the Truman Show–humming and smiling because his handlers want him to–like he did at the debates– a program of an individual. This wax candidate thing is no longer arrogant it is downright freaky– who cares about the election and all the attendant chatter about corruption and change and so on–it is both weird and amazing what these little poly-sci majors can do with a name and a talking head. Truman Show Stroger is just an advanced prototype. In the future–the very near future–they will just fabricate candidates special order. All you’ll need to do is pick your favorite accessories, interiors and paint job. I’m thinking I want one myself–anyone have an idea what they’re going for–I want an old fashioned Irish one.

Comment by Think about it Wednesday, Oct 11, 06 @ 7:48 pm