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* Old-line Illinois Republicans wear the jacket, but the White House was apparently part of the cabal. Peter Fizgerald on the appointment of New Yorker Patrick Fitzgerald as US Attorney in Chicago: “Karl Rove called back and said we will not appoint anyone from out of state. Weâ€™ll let you pick anyone you want, as long as that person is from Chicago.”

* Daily Herald: Oberweis said itâ€™ll take some time, but Republicans can take back their party. He said having local committeemen work hard in precincts by going door to door and welcoming fresh faces would be a good start. â€œWe have many (committeemen) who have been around a very long time and who try to keep out new ideas, new volunteers and new candidates who will challenge the system,â€ Oberweis said.

* Minimum wage hike ‘first order of business’ for Blagojevich

* Illinois behind on paying for cleanup of gasoline-leak sites

* Duckworth says future run for office a possibility

* ComEd rivals in no rush to compete in Illinois

* At 80, is Chief Illiniwek ready to retire?

* Rahm Seeks Caucus Chair Post

* Friday Beer Blogging: Dem Sweep Edition

* Too Bushed to Bash Both

* RTA has big plans — if the money’s there

* Editorial: Big ideas, little money

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 2:55 am

Comments

Way to go Fitzie!

It looks like there is a Cook County Property increase on the way…good job voters!

Comment by Wumpus Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 8:39 am
Oberweis, it’s over, they don’t want you, because you’re crazy. By acting the spoiled-milk child and not supporting your party nominee, you and Roeser and the Seyverson types all doomed the election from the start. You are all about destruction, not creation. You are not conservatives, you are bomb-throwing reactionaries. The mainstream republicans are better off without your “help” and they will remember your treachery when they eventually get back in, and you will be shut out forever. Take your money and your quaint philosophies somewhere else, Illinois doesn’t need you or your kind.

Comment by Pink elephant Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 9:23 am
Oberweis sings the praises of going door-to-door?

Home much door knocking did Oberweis do for the ticket this year after the primary?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 10:39 am
I keep hearing rumors about Peter Fitzgerald having been threatened by the ILGOP machine with a machine-sponsored primary opponent in 04, and that this is the primary reason that he dropped out. Is that correct or just fabrication?

If it is correct, does it have anything to do with the story linked above?

Comment by Curious Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 10:50 am
Pink Elephant:

If JBT even tried to win conservative Republicans’ votes, she didn’t do a very good job of it (she never asked for my vote). This election was hers to lose and (gasp) she lost it.

I think this sends a pretty clear message to the “tax the poor we don’t abort” wing of the Republican party that their time is long since past.

Comment by Curious Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 10:57 am
I personally don’t want Crazy Obie coming to my door, and I’m pretty sure my Hispanic neighbors don’t either. Yikes.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 10:57 am
Oberweis did support Topinka in the general. I heard him on more than one occasion urge people to vote for her.

One thing is for sure, the mention of his name sure riles you folks up.

Comment by Burbs Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 11:40 am
Carl
Oberweis ran and was elected as the committeeman in his town of Sugar Grove and he worked his and the next precinct knocked on EVERY DOOR. Pink WE ARE THE MAIN STREAM GOP!!!! From day 1 after the primary Judy was done! she had to lie about what she believed in the primary and not once did she try to mend fences with 50% of the primary voters. Wing Nuts, Kooks?
What was she thinking???

Comment by RAI Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 11:47 am
It riles them up because they can mince it any way they want but they support/condone corruption.

They fear Oberweis because they know he is the one man who will clear the stables.

Comment by True Observer Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:00 pm
The minimum wage increase will be Blago’s first effort and, as per usual, the easiest. A 2006 Gallup poll showed that even half of all small business owners are in favor of a minimum wage increase. Many are already paying above minimum wage.

Another no-brainer for our Blago. Any chance he’ll ever get to the hard stuff? Pension reform.
Utility rates. School funding. Reducing the number of overpaid state employees on the public teat. Universal guaranteed access to reasonably priced health care. Reform of sentencing laws and reduction in prison population especially first time drug offenders.

Unlikely. Unlikely.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:08 pm
Dear Gawd-a-mighty, I actually agree with part of what Cassandra says. Yes, the minimum wage should be easy. It was on a lot of ballots this election and I think they all passed. Some of them even did the obvious and indexed it to the rate of inflation (which forestalls fights in the future and makes sure the purchasing power remains around the same).

Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:11 pm
Oberwies…Mr. Straws, Mr. No Backbone on immigration. he talks a big game until the fire gets going, then he backs off. I liked him early on, but then he kept talking and talking and talking.
He needs to be put out to pasture w/Roesser and that whole Cabal.

Comment by Wumpus Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:17 pm
My issues with Oberweis stem from his being just another rich guy who thinks his money entitles him to cut to the front of the line and run for the highest offices in the state without bothering to pay his dues and get some actual experience. That, and his tendencies to place his own good above that of the common good, his changing of positions after each failed run for political expediency rather than standing for something from the beginning and sticking to it, his tendency to act less than statesmanlike when the situation calls for it, and his inability and apparent disinterest in working for reform from within rather than loudly proclaiming that reform only equals electing him.

Personally I do not condone corruption. I’m actually very much against it. It is really good for business right now though as a Chicago attorney, I have to admit.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:38 pm
For those of us who do criminal defense work, I should add. Fitz has business booming.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 12:40 pm
Cassandra - what is it with you and state workers?
Do you actually know any? I do and the ones I know are just as hardworking as anyone else. Plus they have to put up with a boss who hates them and calls them all kinds of names but expects them to take care of his state programs and business with a smile on their faces. How would you like to work under those conditions, plus never knowing if you are ever going to get ahead again or get fired on a moment’s notice? They get enough disrespect from the governor and his staff - they don’t need your insults too.

Comment by Really Disgusted Friday, Nov 10, 06 @ 5:16 pm
Pension reform? How about the state living up to their part of the deal? I say combine the legislative and judge pension systems with the state employees retirement system and see if they get more serious about taking care of business on that front.

And cassandra should stop worrying about the public teats — I’m on one and its been dry for some time. Those little pigs have got to be numerous and energetic enough to do the business of the State of Illinois, and everyone will suffer if they starve to death.

Comment by NoGiftsPlease Saturday, Nov 11, 06 @ 1:59 pm
RD–

I am not a fan of Blago’s but I can’t say I have heard him disrespecting state workers. Certainly I haven’t heard him calling them all kinds of names. Maybe in private, but publicly, no.

As to working for a boss whom one dislikes and “never knowing if you are going to get ahead or get fired on a moment’s notice” Most of the country works at will, never knowing when they could fired or if they will get ahead. Only government employees get jobs for life and actually believe that the world owes them a boss they love. And that should change.

Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Nov 11, 06 @ 6:45 pm