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“Madigan puppet” mailer called “shameful” and “homophobic”

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Illinois

An attack ad released this week depicting Cook County commissioner candidate Kevin Morrison as a puppet prompted the Democratic challenger to dub his opponent “a homophobe” Thursday — an allegation Republicans called “despicable.”

The ad shows Morrison with a “limp wrist,” Morrison said, a “bigoted caricature of gay people.”

But zoom out on the ad, and you’ll see Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan pulling the strings on Morrison. Commissioner Tim Schneider, R-Bartlett, and the Illinois GOP, which Schneider leads, are calling Morrison a Madigan puppet. […]

“The whole image paints the entire picture clearly,” [Travis Sterling, the executive director of the Illinois GOP, which mailed out the flier] said in a statement. “This is nothing but a desperate attempt from Kevin Morrison to try and hide the fact that he takes his orders from Tony Preckwinkle and Mike Madigan.”

* The mailer in question…

* There was some pile-on today…

The Equality Illinois PAC is deeply disturbed that the Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party would exploit a shameful anti-LGBTQ stereotype and homophobic imagery against openly gay candidate Kevin B. Morrison for Cook County Commissioner. The irony of this mailer arriving on National Coming Out Day makes it all the more offensive and tasteless. We call on incumbent Tim Schneider to denounce the mailer and affirm his support for LGBTQ Illinoisans.

* LGBTQ Victory Fund…

“Let me be clear: Tim Schneider and his team knew exactly what they were doing when they altered a photo of Kevin Morrison to show him with a limp wrist and on his tiptoes,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “Schneider is taking a page from the playbook of his pal in the White House – engaging in the divisive and destructive politics that Donald Trump thrives on. For too long, openly LGBTQ candidates were defeated by opponents who appealed to homophobia in a desperate effort to win votes, but I am confident this attack ad will backfire on Schneider. He has misread and misjudged his constituents, which is unsurprising given how rarely he interacts with or listens to them. Cook County voters are demanding leaders who unite their constituents, respect differences, and put forward positive solutions for the region. Kevin is running to do just that, and we are thrilled he is on his way to becoming the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the commission.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:31 pm

Comments

This is absolutely a valid criticism. A simple search for images of marionettes finds none with this limp-wrist, tippy-toes stuff. They had to make that image from scratch and they made choices and people made choices to USE that image. These people spend lots of money. They know what they’re doing. It’s intentional.

Comment by Albany Park Patriot Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:35 pm
Looks like Travis and Tim botched another one. No surprise. Let’s get a comment from DeadbeatJoe’s spouse — the new state rep. Bet that would be a doozey

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:37 pm
Phony outrage.

Comment by Bored Chairman Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:41 pm
This is pretty standard for the GOP, right?

After all, this is the party that almost nominated Ives over the incumbent.

Comment by TaylorvilleTornado Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:46 pm
This is a lame attempt to get free media and brand the GOP candidate as anti-gay, which unfortunately is a earned stereotype of Republicans.

https://goo.gl/images/SxPVnw

Comment by Not It Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:46 pm
==This is absolutely a valid criticism. ==

I’m not defending the ad, but if you do an image search for “human puppet” instead of “marionette” you’ll see plenty of images where the string is tied at the wrist and the hand is shown as limp to indicate that the person is not in control.

Comment by Occasional Commenter Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:48 pm
What Albany Park said.

Did these clowns think they were being subtle with the mincing marionette? Pathetic.

Is Schneider racing Proft to the bottom?

FWIW, Radical Candor IL yesterday on twitter did an epic takedown on Proft’s “Save Your Home Now” spot and one of it’s “regular guy” “stars.”

These guys are the IL GOP?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:49 pm
Anyone who has not experienced anti-LGBTQ discrimination against them should not be commenting on what constitutes discrimination against an LGBTQ individual.

Comment by Nishi Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:51 pm
Having skin that is too thin should not be held in such high regard.

I can’t imagine living a life where every little thing like this is taken personally.

Politics, as a discipline, and especially in IL, has really been degraded by these types and those that listen to them.

Comment by cdog Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:52 pm
cdog, your homophobe is showing.

Also, this is politics, man. One side makes a charge, the other side tries to whip up a backlash. Sound familiar at all to you?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:56 pm
Oh please..

Comment by TheGoodLieutenant Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 12:57 pm
Not it - the GOP is the party that wanted a ban on gay marriage and supports gay conversion therpy, but you say it’s “unfortunate” that they are labeled as anti-gay?

Comment by Ike Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:01 pm
A sign of the apex of silly season.

Comment by Saluki Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:08 pm
–Having skin that is too thin should not be held in such high regard.–

Clearly, you prefer thick head.

–I can’t imagine living a life where every little thing like this is taken personally.–

I can’t imagine after a lifetime of consuming advertising not understanding that creative pieces don’t just come together by accident. Someone actually creates them, to communicate pre-determined messages.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:10 pm
Ike, I also said it was “earned.”

The party earned this label due to their unfortunate LGBTQ policy positions.

Comment by Not It Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:17 pm
I get the need to whip, but geez, this is so base.

And, ftr, I am far from homophobic. You don’t know me, Miller, and who is in my circles. Someday, maybe a beer toast of disagreement from the dock.

I’m completely cool with personal freedoms, just not cool with this whole epoch of taking everything so dang personally. It’s ridiculous and is weakening an entire generation of Americans and humans in general.

Comment by cdog Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:18 pm
Straight folks don’t get to decide what is and what isn’t offensive to gay people.

Comment by Politix Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:18 pm
What does this say about Charlie McCarthy?

Comment by Groucho Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:23 pm
Yo Travis: Its TONI Preckwinkle, not TONY Preckwinkle.

To the post: thats all the GOP has? They have no accomplishments they want to run on, its Bad Mike Madigan on everything from Congressional to County Board races?

#weak

Comment by low level Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:29 pm
It will be symbolic of the blue wave if it engulfs the GOP chairman. His tenure as chairman might be in doubt once Rauner is out.

Comment by anon2 Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:52 pm
Fair to attack. Fair to defend.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 1:52 pm
See ILGOP used the exact same image for Tony DelGiorno, was that homophobic

https://capitolfax.com/2016/09/30/seius-big-error-and-madigans-reign-of-terror/

Completely unfair to call ILGOP homophobic, but it’s silly season & both sides blow up the meaningless so whatever

Comment by Fax Machine Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:11 pm
==A simple search for images of marionettes finds none with this limp-wrist, tippy-toes stuff.==

The very first Google image for “marionette” shows a limp-wristed puppet standing on one leg.

Comment by City Zen Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:13 pm
The worsr part of this is that Kevin Morrison’s campaign was dishonest at first, they only zoomed up on the picture of him without showing the whole mailer that showed he was a marionette and that it was the exact same mailer that ILGOP had used fornother candidates.

Tim Schneider has every right to be mad here.

Comment by Fax Machine Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:16 pm
Puppets are by definition inanimate, meaning not real and not having a sexual orientation.

When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:17 pm
Rich, with all due respect, ypur comment to cdog is in unwarranted, in poor tast, and unworthy of your talent. You should apologize.

Comment by Anon Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:29 pm
To ad insult to injury, the Executive Director of the State GOP couldn’t even spell Toni Preckwinkle’s first name right in his statement.

Doesn’t really show a mastery of the political landscape.

Comment by Boone's is Back Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:30 pm
–Puppets are by definition inanimate, meaning not real and not having a sexual orientation.–

LOL, keep up the good work.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:36 pm
The GOP couldn’t spell Toni’s name because they couldn’t even field a candidate to run against her. She’s unopposed for re-election even as she’s running for mayor.

Comment by anon2 Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:38 pm
==meaning not real and not having a sexual orientation.==

You really are thick

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:54 pm
“Yikes”, says everyone but Jeanne Ives.

Comment by A State Employee Guy Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 2:57 pm
Fear mongering on the part of Morrison’s camp. In what world does it help Schneider to vilify a group of potential voters? Certainly not in suburban Cook County. Schneider is a shrewd pol ( have to be to the GOP in Cook) and this ad is just a part of the Statewide campaign to stain all Dem candidate with the MJM taint.

Comment by Texas Red Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:01 pm
Could have sworn I saw Pinnocio going into Sidetracks in Boystown last week

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:03 pm
=== Straight folks don’t get to decide what is and what isn’t offensive to gay people. ===

Agreed. But straight folks can offer a valid opinion whether or not their was ill-intent by the offender.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:03 pm
To the Post,

4-62… the GOP GA stain on SSM.

The Raunerite GOP, Proft, Ives… they learned nothing from that stain.

This mailing is a continuation of Slytherin thinking.

That’s it.

The rest is arguing the nuance… this is 4-62 still finding a home in Rauner’s party.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:07 pm
Perhaps those that think the image of a puppet is a “dog whistle” to homophobes are the thick ones.

I think this homophobia includes almost the entire marionette community

https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/marionette?sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=marionette

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:21 pm
“Completely unfair to call ILGOP homophobic”

Of course — if they were homophobic, nearly half of them would have cast ballots for Jeanne Ives in the primary despite her notorious television ad, rite?

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:28 pm
LP made a joke! S/he’s human!

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 3:35 pm
Should have clarified, it is totally dishonest and snakelike to call this ILGOP mailer homophobic, but if you want to call the GOP,its policies, and its voters on the whole homophobic, that’s a position reasonable people can debate.

Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 4:01 pm
I thought the GOP was trying to be more inclusive, but in the past few weeks they have managed to alienate women at the national level, Hispanics with Rauner’s illegal alien comments, and now gays with this really dumb mailer.

Comment by A Jack Friday, Oct 12, 18 @ 4:26 pm