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Deanna Demuzio objects to late husband’s portrayal

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* If you go to the 10:30 mark of this video (watch out for lots of expletives, however), you’ll see John Oliver talk about the Democrats’ abuse of the redistricting process. And he uses a very funny clip from 2001 featuring the late Senate Majority Leader Vince Demuzio…

I thought it was hilarious. Demuzio was dutifully telling reporters that the Democrats would “draw a very fair map,” but he couldn’t possibly say that with a straight face, so he didn’t. The smirk and eyeroll were both classic Vince.

* His widow, however, didn’t see the humor…

The wife of deceased Illinois lawmaker Vince Demuzio said she “did not find the humor” in John Oliver’s comparison of Demuzio to a pool urinator on Sunday’s episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

“It’s one thing to talk about gerrymandering, but I did not find the humor in his portraying my husband, who is now deceased, in that manner,” Deanna Demuzio, the mayor of downstate Carlinville, told the Tribune. […]

Demuzio died of complications from colon cancer in 2004 at the age of 62. The former state Democratic Party chairman served in the Senate from 1975-2004.

Your thoughts?

* Related…

* Why you should stop blaming gerrymandering so much. Really: In fact, 83 percent of the districts that moved out of the “swing” category — again, R+5 to D+5 — did so without being redrawn. Only 14 districts moved from swing seats to solidly Republican — R+5 or greater — after redistricting, while 33 did so through the normal political evolution of the American voter.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:36 pm

Comments

Where exactly is the outrage coming from here? Does his status of being deceased (for over a decade now) make statements he made immune from criticism?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:52 pm
Saw it last night, and thought the exact same thing - classic Vince. And, Vince definitely embraced who he was - Deanna should too.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:53 pm
I thought it was awesome. If that was my dad or friend, I’d think it was awesome too. But I can’t begrudge Mrs. DeMuzio for being hurt, I guess. I hope with time she can have a laugh over it. It really was great and I don’t think personal at all.

Comment by Ace Laredo Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:53 pm
It was funny, and not disparaging of Demuzio.

Comment by AlfondoGonz Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:56 pm
At least the man was honest. Politicians now a days would lie thru their teeth. This in no way takes away from his legacy.

Comment by GInhouse Tommy Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:57 pm
I did not find it offensive, but I am not going to criticize someone (let alone a widow) for being offended.

I would like to add I think the 13:00-14:30 clip about Illinois’ 4th congressional district that ends with a NSFW joke is a thoughtful analysis.

Comment by Nuke the Whales Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:03 pm
The effect of gerrymandering - which can fluctuate over time (let’s see how many of those districts have become more competitive post-Trump’s election) - is debatable. The morality of politicians minimizing the power of citizen’s votes the greatest extent the can isn’t debatable.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:05 pm
If one does not want to be mocked and ridiculed in death one should not make a mockery of public service.

Patronage, political favoritism, political corruption, or whatever you want to call it was the bread and butter of Vince Demuzio’s political career and I’m not aware of any major efforts he made to change that.

At the very least, he could have supported taxes high enough to pay for the services he supported and he didn’t even do that.

While I’m sure it’s rough for a widow to see a comedian expose their departed husband to ridicule they deserved, it’s still ridicule he deserves.

Comment by Anon Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:11 pm
…look, a widow’s gonna do what a widow’s gonna do, so at the risk of sounding like a complete jerk, this isn’t the first time she’s been way too defensive about Vince.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:18 pm
Demuzio needs to chill out and get thicker skin. Vince was a politician who participated in gerrymandering and it’s fair to use what he says in mocking him.

Of course, the story might be making more out of it than what it deserves.

Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:42 pm
The Demuzio clip is completely fair game. On the record and in the man’s own words/ actions. Hats off to John Oliver for the deep dive, and continued in depth commentary on issues that get glossed over.

When was the last time “cracking and packing” were discussed in a news forum as background on gerrymandering?

Comment by Boone's is back Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 1:59 pm
Vince’s video was hilarious. Can you imagine the comments he would be making if he had the opportunity to serve with Rauner?

I think the comparison to a pool urinator was not funny. The anniversary of Vince’s passing is approaching (April 27th) and for those that say Deanna should embrace the video, obviously haven’t lost a loved and had to deal with the emotions that come on the anniversary of ones death.

Deanna can tell some great stories about Vince and she can have you laughing so hard that you are crying.

Comment by Sigh Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:17 pm
I wish Oliver would have stopped after the first one that captured the Vince Demuzio so many of us knew and loved. I also believe Deanna has every right to comment as she did. There’s no statute of limitations on grief.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:24 pm
A big tip of the hat to John Oliver: he never ceases to amaze me. John’s show is how I got my kids interested in social studies. Want to get your teenager interested in things like infrastructure, civil forfeiture, the ACA and the American Health Care Act, multilevel marketing, and of course Donald Trump? Have them watch Oliver’s pieces on those subjects.

Comment by Nick Name Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:28 pm
Are Richard J Daley’s misspoken words now off limits also?

Comment by a drop in Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:31 pm
I don’t tell widows what to think about how their late husbands are portrayed. I’m guessing she objected to the animation.

To the actual issue, you don’t hear Rauner talking about redistricting anymore. He must think he has a chance to draw the map on his own after the next two elections.

If not, maybe he should join forces with Obama for a redistricting Constitutional amendment that isn’t obviously and purposely flawed, rather than cynically using the issue to gather voter data, like he did with that and his term limits amendment.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:35 pm
Dead politicians don’t have immunity from ridicule.

Comment by Anon E. Moose Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:51 pm
I certainly understand why she feels as she does. This could have captured him without going that far. If it did, I think she would embrace it. It didn’t. Someone else’s grief is NOT fair game. It never is.

Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:19 pm
I’d like to know which reporters thought it was a good idea to call her and ask her about it.

Comment by tomhail Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:14 pm
===I’d like to know which reporters===

Just click the link.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 4:15 pm
As to Mrs. Demuzio’s objection, Sergeant Hulka would say “Lighten up, Francis.”

Comment by W Flag Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:08 pm
John Oliver is a bit over the top

Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 7:35 pm