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Question of the day

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Illinois

Who is your favorite Illinois Congress critter? Explain.

*** UPDATE *** Hmmm. Not much response so far. OK, how about you list your favorite and your least favorite? Explain both.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:29 am

Comments

Congressman Tim Johnson-R (15th CD). The guy is the most political and self preserving politician I’ve ever seen and twists in the wind with his views depending on sentiment. I’ve never seen the guy stop to talk, as you need to keep pace with his speed walking in the Urbana mall to talk with him if ypu’re not already out of breath. (He’s a physical fitness nut.) He also calls close to 100 constituents a day just to “say hi” (i.e. a sly way to perpetually campaign) as many folks I know have mentioned from time to time getting a voice mail from him for absolutely no reason. Interesting how the number of his “just calling to say hi” phone calls up in the Clinton, IL area spiked over the past 2 years as his opponent was from there (interesting coincidence?).

Comment by 105th Blues Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:57 am
Rich,

I realize this is OT, feel free to delete my post.

Could you please remove this lie from your sister site Illinoize? Sen. Obama did not attend a “madrassa”; it was a public school in a Muslim country. Quite the difference, as Larry and others explain.

Comment by NW burbs Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:44 am
I honestly like them all. Even the ones who were absolutely no good. Anyone willing to humiliate themselves in public, handle thousands of constituent complaint letters, and walk around begging for campaign money is an incredible person. They are freaks, and God bless them all, we depend on them.

Free entertainment. We can second-guess them on everything they do. Mock them, get angry over them, curse at them; they are invaluable. But mostly I laugh at them. I laugh at the ones I think are doing a great job, and laugh at the ones I can’t believe voters elect.

Also, I would wish Obama’s supporters would stop worrying. They see our Senator and support him by attacking those who question who the man is. Let them look. Madrassa, or whatever, Obama is who he is today. If someone wants to make hay out of his elementary school education - let them look like the fools they are. Stop underestimating voters.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:58 am
Given the motley lot we have representing Chicago and the rest of the state, isn’t that like picking the Most Valuable Player on a last place team? If forced to pick a House member I would go with Melissa Bean, because she hasn’t been there long enough to disappoint me.

Comment by fedup dem Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:17 am
I’ll go with keeping it up. I just posted something else before seeing it. VM and I are agreeing far too often though.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:22 am
My favorite–Rahm. He’s a jerk, but he’s our jerk.

My least favorite–Jerry Costello A.K.A. Unindicted co-conspirator

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:43 am
Who would I enjoy spending time at dinner with? Denny Hastert. Who would I least? Daniel Lipinski. Anyone willing to get into Congress the way he did would ruin any dinner.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:46 am
favorite - probably Jesse Jackson Jr.
I can’t stand Jerry Weller.

Though I like Vanilla Man’s sentiment in his 9:58 post. Its too easy to forget just how sucky the politicians life can be.

Comment by jerry Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:58 am
To paraphrase Popeye, “They yam what they yam”.

Comment by independent downstater Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:59 am
VN, absolutely right on the Lipinski end. Best time, come on - dinner with Rahm. Don’t you want to hear his end of some phone calls - I do. That would be the best one-sided conversation ever. And yes, he’s our ba%$#ard, Love him.

Comment by babs Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:01 am
My favorite is Rahm. He one tough jerk, he’s good at what he does and he wants you to know it.

My least favorite would have to be Danny K. Davis, the man who wears a crown of Sun Yung Moon. What a strange goofball. I think he’s delivered very little for his district and for Chicago, and he’s politically aloof.

Comment by Goodbye Napoleon Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:06 am
VanillaMan wrote, “Also, I would wish Obamaâ€™s supporters would stop worrying. They see our Senator and support him by attacking those who question who the man is. Let them look. Madrassa, or whatever, Obama is who he is today. If someone wants to make hay out of his elementary school education - let them look like the fools they are. Stop underestimating voters.”

I don’t underestimate voters.

I recognize the power of conservative misinformation campaigns — Insight Magazine is a well-read conservative periodical, and Fox News is a national network which has a strong influence over a significant number of Americans and a proven bias to its reportage.

I also wouldn’t call questioning said misinformation tactics and pointing them out as lies as being “an attack” — but I suppose that depends on one’s perspective VM.

Finally, I’m not supporting Sen. Obama for president — haven’t decided that one yet. But I do support honesty and reason; something sorely lacking when people lie (either out of ignorance or willfulness).

I apologize again for going OT.

–

As for the actual topic, I don’t have a favorite or even a least favorite Congressman. I dislike Rep. Roskam’s politics and I dislike Rep. Kirk’s doublespeak. But there are also aspects of Reps. Emanuel, Schakowski, etc. that I dislike.

Comment by NW burbs Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:33 am
You’re asking people their favorite and dispised IL congressman? I suspect most people don’t know who their congressman is.

Comment by Crimefighter Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:34 am
“Crimefighter” “most” people don’t post here. People who do seem to have at the very least a basic understanding.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:36 am
My strongest feelings lie at the localest level. I love my mayor, my alderman & one of my county board members–the other one drives me crazy because she thinks it’s OK to function there and as township supervisor too, & I don’t.

As for what politicians have to put up with, I agree about the downsides. One of the newspapers put out a call for more people to run in the local races so I’ve been thinking about the subject for a couple days. The shortage of good candidates must be due in part to the necessity for winners both to campaign and to govern. Seems to me that a person’s temperament &/or constitution would be cut out much more for one than the other.

Comment by yinn Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:49 am
Favorite: Rahm..he is tough and good at what he does.

Least Favorite: Shimkus..Unfortunately this George Bush wanna-be is my Congress Critter.

Comment by Southern Ilinois Democrat Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:58 am
I really like Tom Cross. I think he has matured into an excellent statesman with much future potential. Least favorite, Chris Lauzen.

Comment by I can't believe we did it again Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 12:06 pm
Jesse ‘Kid Staples’ Jackson/Dan ‘Where’s Western Springs? Lipinski ( My Congressman) tie for least favorite. Meritorious Appointments

My Favorite is Melissa Bean for way she handled her self during the campaign/ Rahm Emanual cracks me up.

Comment by Pat Hickey Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 12:39 pm
Least Favorite: Jan Schakowsky. Her husband goes to federal prison and she gets a free pass in the media. In contrast, Jerry Weller marries the daughter of a Guatemalan dictator and he should be expelled from Congress.

Comment by Fire Ron Guenther Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 1:09 pm
It’s such an easy question!

DICK DURBIN

Comment by Bigal Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 1:41 pm
Sorry,

Jan’s the best. Easily the most accessible member of the IL delegation, she’s both down to Earth and a fiery advocate for progressive causes. If all the members of IL delegation had listened to her in 02 we wouldn’t be in the mess in Iraq.

Comment by JanFan4Life Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:05 pm
Shimkus - for his ‘deer in the headlights’ look when the Foley fiasco broke and he didn’t think the sexually explicit text messages were that bad.

Comment by If it Walks Like a Duck... Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:34 pm
I like Luis Gutierrez. He fights passionately for his district and for doing right like making sure Gulf War veterans get their healthcare and stopping the bombing raids on Vieques. He’s also been busy ensuring that mass transit isn’t forgotten in the area.

I don’t like Dan Lipinski (my own congress critter ) because of the way he was originally “elected”.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 3:43 pm
Sid Yates, the best.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 4:51 pm
fav: Lahood/Kirk
least: Bean

Comment by Scoot Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 5:13 pm
The idiots are back, Exhibit B:

“I really like Tom Cross. I think he has matured into an excellent statesman with much future potential. Least favorite, Chris Lauzen.”

To the post: Most: Ray LaHood.

Least: Jerry Weller

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 5:43 pm
I’ve always liked Ray LaHood. Having seen a Haare campaign stop, I may have a new least favorite, but its too soon to tell

Comment by The Horse Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 6:01 pm
AA, one “idiot” does not “idiots” make.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 6:01 pm
Hastert is my idiot and my least favorite. Heck, he can’t even sing the National Anthem. Duh.

Favorite? I do kinda like Jan. She’s been a lead fighter for the nurses at Resurrection. Any of them willing to stand up for those overworked nurses I gotta give a high five to.

Comment by Tessa Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 7:34 pm
Favorite: Mark Kirk, he’s just like John Porter!

Least Favorite: Mark Kirk, he’s just like Don Rumsfeld!

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 7:37 pm
I was recalling last week’s idiot who blamed Jim Broadway’s goofy idea on Blago.

However, I didn’t exactly distinguish myself by the non-detailed answer…..

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:19 pm
LOL

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:32 pm
Jerry Costello is my favorite. I have been around and involved a long time and he is the best congressman since Ken Gray for this district. He is always in contact with residents of the district and has a fantastic staff. He pays attention to detail. My least favorite congressman is John Shimkus and the reason for that is he made a pledge to only serve a set amount of time and he broke that pledge.

Comment by Ned Mitchell Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:40 pm
How did the “critter” thing spread here? Alas.

Comment by T.J. Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 5:11 am
I like the phrase Congress critter. It removes the whole gender issue and specifies that while they may help humanity a small part of the times they are tenuously close to the line separating critters from humans.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 11:33 am