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* This is not good news for Republicans hoping to hold onto retiring Congressman Jerry Weller’s seat…
“I have done very little fundraising,” [GOP candidate Tim Baldermann] said. “It makes me sick to my stomach. My campaign people gave me a list of people who gave money to (Weller). I told them, ‘If you think I’m going to call somebody who’s never heard of me and ask for $2,300, that’s insane.’ I fight with them every single day over it.
“They wanted my Christmas card list. I’m not doing that stuff. I refuse to do it. The Republican Party wanted me to run; the Republican Party should help fund my campaign.”
So, he’s only gonna raise money from people he knows, except he won’t even do that? Yeah, that’ll work out well.
Campaigning is not a pretty business, but there are things that just have to be done unless you’re wealthy. Cold calls, putting the arm on friends and family are all necessary if you want to compete in a game where contributions are capped and the competition is stiff.
Debbie Halvorson and the Democrats must’ve smiled broadly when they read that passage. [See update below.]
* And then there’s this…
[Baldermann] stands by a 2006 vote while he was school board president that set in motion a salary adjustment affecting his wife. Megan Baldermann is principal at Nelson Ridge School.
I guess he has no choice but to stand by the vote now, but, that ain’t good either.
* Meanwhile, at the risk of losing my Sun-Times column, what the heck is this?
The Sun-Times Editorial Board asked candidates some less-serious questions on its endorsement forms. In response to a question about the best pair of shoes they ever owned, Seals listed Merrell clogs so old his wife wants to throw them out, and Footlik said, “You’re really asking a guy with the last name ‘Footlik’ what his favorite shoes are? Come on . . .”
Um… Oh, never mind.
* More congressional stuff from Paul…
* Politics: Hastert to campaign for Aaron Schock
* Bean: ‘Economy again’ - Iraq war was ‘misread’ as lightning rod of 2006 election
* Congressional hopeful offers new name for King Day
* Catholic Schools To Be Honored by Lipinksi. This Reporter Is Not Happy
* Netroots hunt Lipinski
*** UPDATE *** A representative from Tim Baldermann’s campaign just called. I was assured that while Baldermann doesn’t love fundraising he is diligently making calls and doing what it takes.
Just thought I’d let you know.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:15 am
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I’m embarrassed for the Sun-Times.
Comment by jerry 101 Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:21 am
So this reporter has contempt for schools that often open in aras where public schools are lackluster, take in teh same kids and my goodness, these kids can learn!
I am grateful for my Catholic School education as the alternative would have been much, much tougher to accomplish anything.
Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:30 am
Good job, Tim. If you didn’t want to run, you should’ve just sat on the sidelines and let someone else be talked into it. I’m curious as to what his reaction would be if McCain-Feingold wouldn’t be in place…
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:33 am
Regarding Bean… Democrats misread Iraq but their words from a few months ago will come back to them in the General. (They should be asked of Morganthaler especially now).
Tony Blankley from last August. I’m guessing it will be McCain throwing this at Dems….
The leadership of the Democratic Party has, by their public words this spring, disgraced themselves for a generation. Republicans have the right — and the duty — to engrave in the public mind the springtime Democratic perfidy and cowardice in the face of the enemy.
[***]
The public must not be permitted to forget these cowardly public statements by the Democrats. It is the job of the Republicans this fall and winter to remorselessly and repeatedly remind the public of what the Democrats were saying this spring. In that disgrace lies the potential for well deserved Democratic Party defeat next November.
Bean and the Democrats will want to talk about something else but they shouldn’t bet the GOP is going to let them set the agenda.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:40 am
Is this an indication of the type of problem Republicans have in this state!
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:41 am
Bill, is there a point to your post besides reminding us that Republicans will call Democrats liars and cowards when Republican policies fail?
Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:48 am
Carl,
Point is Bean has it badly wrong if she thinks Iraq isn’t going to be an issue.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:50 am
So the paper that wants us to pay money to read Carol Marin and Neil Steinberg is now asking these questions
Can it be any clearer that the end is upon us.
Comment by IncrediblyDumberThanYouThink Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:53 am
I wonder if the endorsement forms were written with our without Michelle Stevens, Lloyd Sachs and Michael Gillis.
Comment by Kiyoshi Martinez Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 10:59 am
Fund raising isn’t about money - stupid!
Fund raising is about creating relationships within your district. It is about establishing ties within the communities you will represent. Fund raising is an excuse to meet with voters and ask for their personal commitments. When you ask a voter for their money to help run your campaign you are asking them for their help and support. Money is not the object of these meetings, but it is a necessary detail of every campaign.
When you ask for political contributions you are offering voters an opportunity to invest in the ideas you represent.
Baldermann fails to understand what he represents to the district and seems to be too self absorbed to recognize that as a congressional candidate - it is NOT about HIM. We would be holding this election regardless of his participation, and if NO ONE shows up on the ballot, the election would still be held!
Every candidate sincere in seeking our votes need to recognize their roles in our communities. Campaigns are about PEOPLE - gathering to argue and decide who represents them in Washington.
Mr. Baldermann, if you wish to be a canidate, get off your fat bottom, get out that door, open your ears and listen and open your mouth and start telling us what you represent. IF you think what you represent is important enough to invest in - then give voters the opportunity invest in your campaign!!
Your printed quotes about being sick to your stomach, make me sick to mine - GROW UP!
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 11:06 am
Speaking of raising money. Is Chris Kelly still the governors guy ?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 11:21 am
Regarding Baldermann - I’m starting to like him, even if I’ll probably vote for Deb because of our common South Suburban roots. Bill Proxmire won senatorial contests with a budget of less than $5,000. The movie “El Mariachi” was shot on a $7,000 budget and made millions at the box office. Maybe Baldermann’s on to something here.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 11:31 am
I suspect that Balderman is trying to spin poor 4th quarter fundraising numbers by telling people he just doesn’t like fundraising. Reports are due to hit in a couple of days, right?
Comment by jerry 101 Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 11:33 am
Well, if an independent, non-partisan, non-ideologue like former Gingrich mouthpiece and National Review columnist Tony Blankley says statements on Iraq will come back to bite Democrats, then it MUST be true.
Seriously, Baar, Iraq vs economy is NOT a zero sum game. Voters are caring more about pocketbook issues. But it isn’t as though agita about the economy prompts approval of the Iraq debacle.
That doesn’t even make sense.
On Baldermann — I doubt it is spin. He’s supposedly thought of as non-political and a “straight shooter.”
Comment by Jon Shibley Fan Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 11:56 am
…Iraq vs economy is NOT a zero sum game…
Check what Bean said though…she said the economy is going to trump Iraq as an issue.
I think that’s more wishful thinking on her part… if she’s proved right, well the GOP should fight like heck to change it per Blankley’s column to change it…
We got swept away in dream worlds here in the US. Check what Clinton’s ex top soldier is telling the rest of the world today. Foreign policy and National Security aren’t going to go away as top issues regardless how much Bean wants to talk about other things… the world isn’t going allow it… and nor should the GOP.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:07 pm
The real question is what moron vetted Baldermann in the first place. It’s one of the first questions you ask in a candidate recruitment effort - how much and from whom can you raise money. If he told them this back when he was recruited, well shame on them. They get what they deserve.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:07 pm
VM… by the way, that’s one of the best discussions on the role of fund raising in politics I’ve read…
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:09 pm
BB, you’re never gonna win that fight because even if you’re right, the public strongly believes that the war was a mistake.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:11 pm
Democrats should not shy away from discussions of military and strategic issues. On the contrary, we should be really aggressive on this and point to the failures of Republican policies. Contrary to the current spin, the Iraq war is still an enormous debacle no matter how much we lower the bar of what defines “success.” We’ve paid off (literally) our adversaries to make up for past mistakes and it’s working at the moment. But most analysts not tied to the Bush administration acknowledge that those same adversaries we’re paying still want us dead and are preparing for the next phase of the campaign. Until we demonstrate that we’re going to leave and soon, the Iraqis won’t get serious on political cooperation and solve their own problems.
Dems just need to learn a mantra - “the Iraq was has cost us trillions and made us less safe. The Iraq war has cost us trillions and made us less safe.” Momentary declines in violence does not a victory make.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:15 pm
I ran for office. The MOST DIFFICULT part was the letter to “friends and family.” I took a long time and a lot of though was put into writing it. Friends and family may want to help, but you have to ask. It also shows the party and other supporters that the people who know you best are behind you.
The results were very rewarding (not so much financially, more so in the show of support).
Yeah, it’s not easy, but if Balderman is not willing to do this, what kind of a Rep will he make when needs to advocate for his district?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:16 pm
Sorry, make that, “The Iraq War was a tragic mistake. It cost us thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and has made us less safe.” Actually Hillary is pretty good at this. Backing down in the face of Republican national security attacks just makes us look weak!
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:19 pm
BB, you’re never gonna win that fight because even if you’re right, the public strongly believes that the war was a mistake.
The war could have been a mistake. And Sanchez Bremer made mistakes a plenty (and somehow the Dems are embracing Sanchez and his ex PAO Col Morganthaler).
But now we’re in it, and taking a hard look at what to do next, and rexamining those mistakes can’t be avoided…. as much as I suspect Democrats wish given their reluctance to make it much of an issue.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:22 pm
Actually Hillary is pretty good at this.JCOS back in 1998 that helped turn me into a hawk.
HRC is no fool about the threats facing us… she just is running in a party captured my people not to inclined to look beyond our borders on much.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:27 pm
Sorry, omitted the link…it was Bill Clinton’s speech in 1998… I remember it well… it scared the heck out of me…
Why I voted for Gore Lieberman over Bush… Hillary Clinton is not naive on this stuff.
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:29 pm
The GOP is facing a lose-lose on Iraq.
If things go badly in Iraq, the invasion and occupation were Republican projects.
If things go well in Iraq (the media downplays the violence that exists) then voters will be voting on the economy, an area where Dems traditionally hold an advantage, especially during Republican recessions.
But the GOP can always try to get people agitated about immigration, homosexuals or some other hot button issue.
It’s going to be a brutal year for Republicans running for Congress.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:57 pm
I know about those asine questions because a friend of mine who is running for re-election passed them along to me. all I know is that if the Sun-Times has to cut staff it should start with the ENTIRE editorial board. They have certainly earned a quick trip to the unemployment line!
Comment by fedup dem Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 12:58 pm
Surprised they didn’t have the question “if you could be just one animal, what animal would you be?” actually, that probably would produce some interesting answers!
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 1:01 pm
And Carly you’ve neatly and sadly made the case here…
If things go badly in Iraq, the invasion and occupation were Republican projects.
If things go well in Iraq (the media downplays the violence that exists) then voters will be voting on the economy, an area where Dems traditionally hold an advantage, especially during Republican recessions.
Iraq is a political tactic.
McCain will say right or wrong, it’s now an American project, to be solved by an American People and Iraqi allies.
If progressives were smarter… Gay Activists for example, as African-Americans were in the the 1940s, they’d be asking for the opportunity to do their part as full Americans.
That progressives haven’t done that, will cost them dearly… eventually….
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 1:29 pm
VM,
the data could surprise me, but I would be quite surprised if most successful candidates (or most of the truly competitive opponents) for the GA or Congress (and especially Congress) raise most of the money spent on behalf of their campaign in district.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 1:56 pm
Have they published these shoewear answers (all of them)? I haven’t seen it besides the Footlik mention.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 2:18 pm
Fundraising makes Baldermann sick to his stomach? Yeah, right. He didn’t seem to have a problem raising close to $50,000 for his New Lenox mayoral campaign, mostly from Cook County Dems.
Comment by Balderdash Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 3:39 pm
Borrowing from today’s QOTD:
“A representative from Tim Baldermann’s campaign just called. I was assured that while Baldermann doesn’t love fundraising he is diligently making calls and doing what it takes.”
Translation:
This embarrassing story is what happens when we let the candidate speak without preparation or staffing. Now we’re spinning to assure anyone who might have thought about giving us money that he’s a legit candidate.
Comment by Jon Shibley Fan Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 3:54 pm
LOL
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 4:00 pm
I think Kenneth Arnold should leave the King Holiday alone. It’s going to be a loser for him!
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 4:40 pm
And Paul’s still around?
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 4:55 pm
I’m grateful for my deep roots in Will County and when I was considering running for Representative Weller’s seat I immediately reached out to my network. Over 12 intense days I talked with countless family, friends and colleagues at the local, state and Federal level. With each candid call, I was given names of other people to call. People were generous with their time, insights on the opportunities and challenges facing IL, and resources.
Fundraising calls are about much more than money - they are opportunities to gain insights into your constituents points of view, what has them fired up, and what they really need to make our communities stronger. Those phone calls create windows into the family kitchen, the business conference room, and the community activy center.
While the timing wasn’t right for me to run in this race, in the near future I’ll gladly pick up the phone and ask for help.
Comment by Marguerite "Meg" Murer Tuesday, Jan 22, 08 @ 5:59 pm
Wellll, according to the Federal Election Commission Baldermann has been very busy fundraising, just not getting alot from New Lenox folks. From 1/1/08 to 1/16/08 he had total receipts of 103,860, expenditures of 53,246, ending cash on hand 50,414.
Comment by Balderdash Tuesday, Jan 29, 08 @ 9:49 am
If you don’t know, liberal Democrat Cook County Commissioner Beavers is not only Tim Baldermann’s biggest donor, but if you look carefully — you will see that New City Bank has also been a donor to Tim Baldermann. (check out his D-2s from last year under transfers and under itemized)
Who is on the Board of Directors of New City Bank? Why political godfather Beavers. One also has to wonder if anyone from the Beavers organization is employed at the Chicago Ridge Police Department — the same department that “candidate” Baldermann is boss at.
Could it be possible that Beavers is pulling the strings of Tim Baldermann for a Halverson easy win?
Comment by MillerFanmania Friday, Feb 1, 08 @ 9:51 pm
Based on financial disclosures on Tim Baldermann’s D2s, we can see that liberal Democrat Cook County Commissioner Beavers is not only Tim Baldermann’s single largest supporter and donor, but if you look carefully — you will also see that New City Bank is also a supporter of Tim Baldermann.
Who would guide the support of this small bank, New City Bank, and order and approve the donations? Why, look on who is on the board of directors — why it’s Tim Baldermann’s political godfather Beavers.
For those who don’t know, liberal Chicago Democrat and Cook County Commissioner Beavers has been a true leader of the liberal movement in Illinois. Beavers has been on the front lines fighting for taxpayer funded abortions at Cook County hospital. Beavers believes than no man, woman or law abiding family should have the right to own, purchase or carry a firearm. Beavers is a strong advocate for tax payer funded reparations to African Americans, because of slavery during the colonial days centuries ago. He was recently on the front page of the Chicago Sun Times fighting to raise taxes – to do otherwise, in his words, “would be racism.” Tim Baldermann’s political godfather and biggest supporter in the last decade is nowhere near being a conservative and no where near being a Republican. Would someone like Beavers support a true conservative and true Republican?
This is the leader Tim Baldermann looks to for support, advice and political volunteers – but he doesn’t want the rest of the GOP to know. You cannot hide behind what is disclosed.
Could it be possible that Beavers is pulling the strings of Tim Baldermann for a Halverson easy win? This is a set up right under our Republican noses.
Comment by Analyze Saturday, Feb 2, 08 @ 11:56 am