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The “empire” expands just a bit

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I knew they were doing this in the print version, but I hadn’t noticed that they put it online until now. The Daily Southtown is running excerpts from your comments on a regular basis (I think every week). You can see the latest version - from the QOTD “Assume it’s the first 100 days of a Pat Quinn administration. What happens?” - here. Pretty cool. The “empire” will expand even more this week. I’ll have details soon.

Meanwhile, after going through the poll results that we’ve covered here before, my syndicated newspaper column ends thusly:

It seems easy to predict a Blagojevich victory because he’s ahead in every poll, this state leans heavily Democratic and Topinka has been successfully transformed by the governor’s media team from being a respected state elder into a George Ryan hack. But no credible poll shows Blagojevich with enough votes to win, despite all the positive TV ads he’s running. His favorability and job approval ratings are so bad that he hasn’t been able to close the deal.

On the other hand, Topinka’s numbers are even worse. Usually we assume that the vast majority of undecided voters will eventually break towards the challenger. In a “normal” year, Topinka would have a decent shot at closing the gap. But this isn’t a normal year. The undecideds don’t like her, either.

Lots of voters appear to be mulling whether to cast their ballot for the Green Party candidate. Normally, voters will change their mind at the end and go with an established party candidate. But, like I said, this isn’t a normal year. As a result, if Topinka doesn’t change the race’s dynamics right now then Rich Whitney (and Green Party treasurer candidate Dan Schlorff) might end up with a lot more votes than most people think.

Speaking of polls, the Hotline has a funny quip about the latest results:

Topinka is probably quoting Jon Lovitz-as-Michael Dukakis to herself at night: “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy.”

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 5:54 am

Comments

The reason I can’t get a grip on the Cook County race is I don’t know if the undecideds in the governor’s race will simply stay home. Other than IL-6, I don’t know that any races will galvanize Illinois voters (Democrats or Republicans) to come out to the polls.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 8:53 am
Now she knows how Glenn Poshard felt.

Comment by Jechislo Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:42 am
I’m famous…I’ve made the print edition of the Daily Southtown! Thanks, Rich!!

Comment by Niles Township Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:46 am
You stay classy, Daily Southtown!

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:49 am
I noticed that the Daily Southtown, which is part of the Sun-Times News Group was forced to carry the Sun-Times editorial endorsing Blago, but went their own way and endorsed Peraica.

How did that work? Did they have to put up a fight against their downtown parents to do their own endorsement on that race?

Comment by Establishment Republican Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 2:54 pm
Hey JUDY!
How important was it to reach out to the GOP base? Maybe you should have stayed out of the gay pride parade one year. Maybe you should have taken the no tax increase pledge. Maybe you should have been angry that the Governor hid the 5 million for fetal stem cell research. Maybe you should have acted like a Republican. But you and your “staff” had to make fun of the base call them names like “wingnuts” and “Kooks” > It was your for the taking!

Comment by RAI Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 4:55 pm
Hey, RAI. Enjoy Governor Blagojevich. He’s going to do a lot more for you. If you don’t take him out now, you’ll never get a conservative Governor in Illinois for the rest of your life. You’ll be seeing Madigan’s, Obama’s and Hynes’s til the end of time.

JBT’s positions on balanced budgets, low debt, gun-owners rights, and property tax relief not enough for you? You want the perfect conservative to be elected in this state? You better move.

You have three choices, Rod “Universal Health Care” Blagojevich, Rich “Income Tax Increase” Whitney, or Judy. Or you can stay home and enable Rod for another 4 years (or Pat “tax increase” Quinn for that matter). I’m conservative, but you guys who say it’s my way or the highway are ensuring Democrat control forever. Is that your agenda?

Comment by Truth Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:10 pm
Hey Truth — don’t forget a vote for JBT puts Birkett in a position of authority — that of should be reason enough to slap down the GOPs. Same goes for a Whitney. Plus that screwball is for conceealed carry too ( check the Civil Rights section of his web site.)

Comment by DuPage Dandy Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:23 pm
Hey Truth
Where does it say I am not voting for JBT? I just have to point out it is not the reasons Rich and the media are saying the negative ads etc… If she would have tried to be represeative of the GOP a little bit maybe she would not be standing there with no base! Politics is politics remember some 50% of “conservatives” voted for her maybe instead of pretending to win the primary she would have represented their views . Since they are the ones who put her where she is.

Comment by RAI Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:50 pm
Got it, RAI. I took your post to mean that you were not supportive of JBT because her views are not ultra-conservative. If you are a clear thinking conservative who will vote for JBT despite some disagreements on position, I applaud you. My message is for those who would send a message to JBT by allowing Blago to get re-elected. I’m tired of that approach.

Comment by Truth Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 8:02 pm
It is a difficult choice, and truly Judy wouldn’t make things much worse than they are now — I really don’t like how Rod is running things. But I’m envisioning Birkett with his hand on the throttle and that’s a picture that makes me uneasy. It think Judy made a big mistake with the moderate voters by choosing him as a running mate. I’ve talked to a lot of democrats who would like to vote republican but Birkett makes it impossible. This is a little discussed aspect of the election.

Comment by NoGiftsPlease Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 8:54 pm