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Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards

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Illinois

* The 2020 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Use of Social Media in Illinois Politics goes to Hannah Meisel and it wasn’t even close…

Hannah Meisel has used her platform on social media to make sure we don’t forget about the human toll of COVID-19 in Illinois. Even when she lost her job, she kept on posting reliable, understandable, invaluable information.

Her social media presence strikes the perfect balance between professional and personal. She is engaging, warm, and real.

This woman has the truly righteous stuff. Well done.

There are few invaluable Twitter accounts. Hannah’s is definitely one of them. She’s also just a great person and I’m proud to know her.

Runner-up goes to Kelly Bauer for all her hard work this year. Her Lightfoot/Pritzker press conference coverage alone is worth the follow.

* On to our final category…

* The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.Com Commenter of 2020

We haven’t done one of these in two years because Wordslinger passed away last year and we gave it to him in memoriam.

These are big shoes to fill, so take your time and compose thoughtful nominations, please. No drive-bys and snark will get you banned. Also, please keep your focus on what the nominees have done in 2020.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 10:40 am

Comments

Candy Dogood: Candy always seems to get to the heart of the issue or discussion. Candy’s responses to other commenters are to the point and factual. Candy doesn’t resort to petty bickering. I’m not a political insider, but to me Candy’s comments are insightful and meaningful to whatever topic is being discussed. I always pay a little extra attention to Candy’s comments.

Comment by Steve Polite Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 10:53 am
Candy Dogood is the only one that comes to mind. I don’t always agree with him/her, but pretty much all posts are well informed, thoughtful, and well written.

Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 10:54 am
MisterJayEm may not be the most frequent commenter, but I frequently scroll through lengthy comment threads to see if he has left one…and for good reason. He has the ability to very succinctly (in less than one sentence usually) get to the heart of the matter and not get lost in the weeds. He also is able to accomplish this with great humor.

Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:00 am
If someone was to write a story about Cap Fax commenters, Oswego Willy would have to be in it. I think he may have been mentioned in a story a while back. He is a legend of the comments section.

Every day I look for OW comments, to learn and also check out the battles that are mostly carried on with people of his own party. Those disputes have a life of their own.

People who want to get into politics should be told the harsh truth about past failures, like the Vote Yes campaign, so they can hopefully avoid those mistakes. OW is someone who tells that truth.

In honor of the late Wordslinger, I vote for OW, a mainstay of this blog.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:04 am
Second MrJM - Like him, I’ll use a scarcity of words in this nomination - pithy, succinct and to the point with sometimes biting humor.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:10 am
* The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.Com Commenter of 2020

This has been a challenging year. With a scheduled election within these months, we had a global pandemic also shaping so much of the campaign season, the governing, the politics, then there’s the human toll.

Commenting on these topics, we read those who can articulate best to ALL of these, and frankly, be honest to them all, and be true to who we all see them as, that’s the lens I see this award this year.

There are so many great commenters here, people we’ll never know, people with incredible knowledge to things, to the politics, governing, the niche of specialties. What has stood out for me is someone who brought so much of themself to this year’s commenting, but still was thoughtful, honest to facts, anecdotal not for fact but for context, and true to whom they’ve always been here, and I respect even more after this year ends.

I nominate -OneMan - for The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.Com Commenter of 2020.

What’s so incredibly special and important about his comments in our 2020, - OneMan - has been so true to his politics, and honest to the facts applying them. Not once did I read a mental gymnastics to talk politics to his political takes. In an different time, while our politics were (and still are) shades different, his honesty to his politics were unwavering in a political season wanting shading as its base.

To science, - OneMan - was honest to the pandemic, and adding to his comments to this, he added anecdotal importance to thought, not overshadowing or overpowering his factual points. The comments were complete, whole, well-rounded, and always thoughtful to these harrowing times, I made sure I read his thoughts.

To the governing, - OneMan - saw and was plain, no real frills, and that has been great. When it came to the governing during the pandemic, the real and truthful honesty to his thoughts communally stood out. -OneMan - wrote to the real once again, and I found myself rethinking my own thoughts as well.

I miss Wordslinger.

Unmatched.

My nomination of - OneMan - for The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.Com Commenter of 2020 is made in the tradition and the charge we all have now, living up and carrying on how he would’ve wanted us all to add to the discussion.

Many are worthy, far too many to start singling out, but the winner this year, I hope others see what I’ve seen in - OneMan -.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, thank you Rich, as always for this incredible place, and here’s to a better 2021

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:17 am
While I enjoy Willie and MrJM, I’d like to nominate Walker. His posts are brief, constructive and based on first-hand knowledge. He doesn’t engage in insults or long arguments. We need commenters more like him.

Comment by anon2 Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:20 am
Hannah is one of the hardest working journalists in Illinois but because it’s a broken industry she was out of work for part of this year and is still only an hourly contract employee making much less than her peers. Pay the woman!

Comment by No Free News Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:32 am
Congratulations to Hannah, so very deserving, and also to Kelly Bauer, Kelly’s twitter has been a staple to my very short list of must check out on twitter.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:34 am
MrJM always delivers with brief, on-point, and hilarious commentary. We need a lot more like him.

Comment by South of Sherman Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:49 am
My vote goes to RNUG. He is never demeaning, always knowledgeable and has down home common sense.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 11:54 am
I vote for Lucky Pierre, he’s willingness to criticize The Pritzker Administration is refreshing.

Comment by Don Harmon's Folly Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 12:08 pm
““I can live for two months on a good compliment.” — Mark Twain.

Thanks OW

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 12:27 pm
I’ll second the nomination of RNUG. He shares wisdom without rancor and continues to teach many about the most important fiscal issue the state faces.

Comment by SSL Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 12:30 pm
As an obsessive reader and (very) occasional commenter, I’ve grown fond of the regular commenter cadre here.

I admire Candy Dogood and MisterJayEm (whose Twitter account totally rocks) and NIU Grad and Perrid and RNUG and Amalia and Joe Bidenopolous and always read their comments with interest (plus those of others; I read all comments).

But this year I’d have to go with OW. His politics are by no means my politics, but his willingness to engage other commenters makes so much difference to me. When I comment, OW sometimes responds, as he does to so many others. That creates genuine dialogue - something which this blog is fully worthy of nurturing.

Comment by dbk Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 12:45 pm
I’ll go with people who can disagree with class, care, and knowledge. Our CapFax community is the better for them all. RNUG, Roman, Been There, A Guy all come immediately to mind, but this year let’s honor:
Amalia.

Amalia presents her views succinctly but always with respect for those who disagree, and uses both evidence and insights which teach us what we don’t regularly assume.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:11 pm
I vote MrJM.
Always on point. Never long-winded

Comment by Drake Mallard Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:15 pm
Mr JM … terse and straight to the heart of the issue.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:26 pm
My award for CapFax commenter goes to Oswego Willy for making astute observations about the state, especially the GOP.

Congrats to Hannah Meisel for winning the Social Media award. John Sahly (@JSahly) also could’ve been a solid choice, because he gives a good breakdown of the Illinois COVID number by IDPH region and statewide.

Comment by Justin Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:27 pm
I forgot and engaged in some stupid snark before, and was rightfully deleted. (I apologize). So please allow me to try again.

Wordslinger was the real deal. He set the benchmark here. And as Rich reminds us, in a year like 2020, we needed his thoughtful, concise insight. And if we don’t have him to rely on as an individual, then I nominate the Cap Fax community as a whole.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve read and discussed the daily COVID figures for IL and shared the personal stories behind the statistics. When the police murdered George Floyd and the fear, frustration and anger moved to the streets, we all talked here - respectfully. And as Election Day 2020 approached, we shared news from the campaign trail and lessons to be learned afterwards.

So I nominate our CapFax community. We survived 2020.

Comment by Scott Cross for President Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:30 pm
Really a hard call, but going with RNUG. Always brings a set of good ideas and facts to the table.
Very close second picks go to Amalia and OW. Generally agree with Amalia on the way she covers issues and enjoy OW’s sense of humor.

Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 1:38 pm
“Governors own” has become part of the mainstream political lexicon in Illinois. (See Mark Brown’s column.) That started here thanks to Oswego Willy. Based on that alone, Willy is commenter of the year.

Comment by Telly Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 2:00 pm
We will go with Mr/MS lucky pierre and all the others elements of Team Durkie..they got rid of Skilly,Whirls, and made it looks like a “win”. Same goes for Ives and Breen. Quite a load of messaging

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 2:05 pm
The more informative and thought provoking posts are usually coming from RNUG, walker, Mr.JM, Amalia and newcomer Candy Dogood. I would cast my voting preference in that order. Top flight stuff from all of you this year.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 2:39 pm
Oswego Willy is outstanding. While I don’t always agree with OW, I find the insight helpful navigating the politics of the day in Illinois. OW takes the time to be thoughtful and reflect on what is happening as well as what could/should be occurring. OW has become a solidly key part of this blog. OW even has a troll (although not a good one) which is a compliment of sorts and increases his/her stature.

Comment by Politics Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 2:56 pm
Wow, this is tougher than I would have thought, for the reasons many here have mentioned. But my top pick has to be OW for his experience-based remarks, prolific wit (”snark-lite”), and interesting meta-comments. In his own words, true “Restaurant Quality” stuff. Many have mentioned MrJayEm, Amalia, etc. but here’s a shout out to Jibba, whose sarcasm and straightforwardness are always appreciated around these parts.

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 3:00 pm
My vote has to go to RNUG - Always on point, not long-winded, but delivers the message for all to understand. Very insightful comments on a variety of issues. RNUG is my choice.

Comment by Cardinal Fan Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 3:05 pm
I nominate Oswego Willy, for showing just how far and wide Capitol Fax is read. I had no idea just how many people read the comments here until I started getting texts from all kinds of people asking “What did you do to Willy?”, “Did you run over Willy’s dog?”, and “Does your family have an ancient feud with Willy?”

Honestly though, Oswego Willy is a big part of why these comment sections are interesting and engaging. He can singlehandedly revive a quiet post, or draw in all kinds of diverse perspectives on a big issue. Lots of good commenters here, but we all know the red-lettered name of Oswego Willy stands out among the field like few others can.

Comment by Tom Demmer Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 3:35 pm
Wordslinger’s tribute to his father voting for Bob Dole and then Mr. Dole’s personal note to his widow have to be the two best posts ever. With that being said, i always look to see if RNUG has posted.

Comment by obiter dictum Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 3:40 pm
Representative Demmer,

Your kind, thoughtful words, I thank you.

You keep doing your thing, you keep going about your business. You’re going places.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, my best to you and yours.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 3:59 pm
Demmer may have just posted the comment of the year. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 4:10 pm
I nominate RNUG. He is always courteous to others, has very good insights, is factual, and never tries to bully or put down other commenters who have opposite viewports. He is able to express his comments succinctly and doesn’t feel the need to respond to every comment that differs from his own.

Comment by Lawman Tuesday, Dec 22, 20 @ 4:11 pm