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* Sneed: U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky and others might be surprised to hear Gov. Blagojevich, who would pick Obama’s replacement, is eyeing Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.

* Ward: My dinner with a wiser and humbler Oberweis

I really wanted to know what he’d learned from the losses. Jim said, “You can’t do it by yourself. I’ve made mistakes and I’m trying to correct them. I need to have more confidence in my own beliefs and opinions and then make the right decisions.” He repeated the upcoming campaign would be only about the issues. In fact, Jim told me even if Foster continues to go negative, he won’t!

* March special election drained county budgets

* Private Funding Uneven in Public Schools

* Illinois Board of Trustees to vote on next year’s budget

* Bill pushes funding boost for ambulance services

* Illinoisans to Lose Wine Shipping Rights June 1

* Utility soon can’t use customer money for ads

* Botterman award honors activists

* Fioretti and Daley often part ways

* Editorial: Beaux-arts, not faux arts: Protect historic ’streetwall’

* Spielman: Chicago Police detectives — other than those assigned to the FBI’s violent crimes task force — will no longer respond to bank robberies in Chicago, under a policy change unveiled this week that rankled the police union.

* Editorial: Get the lead out

* The Watchdogs: After eight months, Michigan authorities now say their first inclination was right: Orlando Jones — godson of the late County Board President John Stroger and business partner of indicted political figure Tony Rezko — killed himself.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 9:14 am

Comments

Duckworth would be an excellent, although unorthodox, selection to replace Obama.

Comment by Mountain Man Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 9:26 am
yes, but. jan schakowsky (and several others) have worked really, really hard to get barack elected. i’ve not seen hide nor hair of duckworth. not that anyone can foresee what rod will do…

Comment by bored now Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 9:35 am
I wonder if HB 429 will stand up to a constitutional challenge for restriction of interstate commerce…?? Hum…no more bottles from small vintners out of state or abroad…

Comment by Siyotanka Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 9:44 am
schakowsky is not acceptable as the replacement.

why take her baggage…..Bob Creamer….the now
out of prison felon…and add that to the long
list of the IL problematic. and, yes, though it
is her husband, there are too many connections with work done through his groups. his approach to finances was horrible.

this would be just the same old plan in Illinois.

tammy duckworth is an excellent choice. there are also others. why not do something honorable and put Dawn Clark Netsch in the seat? what a great way to top off her career.

or Barbara Flynn Currie, toiling in Madigan land for so long. David Miller, Jeff Schoenberg, Julie Hamos, Tom Dart, Tim Evans.

there’s a very long list. there should also be a list of who not to appoint.

Comment by amy Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 9:59 am
Governor raises taxes on “the people” and there’s no mention of it here?

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/
stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/03
BE843AF64973CC862574510010F
9E2?OpenDocument

Taxing for levees, OK
Taxing for transit, nope

Comment by tubbfan Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:00 am
Siyotanka -

Please read HB 429. The bill clearly allows consumers to purchase up to 12 cases of wine per year (currently only 2 cases of wine may be purchased) directly from any winery (large or small - instate or out-of-state). And yes, I believe it will stand up to a constitutional challenge since it conforms with the U.S. Supreme Court Granholm v Heald decision by treating all wineries (instate and out-of-state) equally.

Bob Myers

Comment by Bob Myers Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:17 am
Bob Myers…

Thanks for the clarification. The article makes it sound as if no one can order and receive wine from other states, etc.

Comment by Siyotanka Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 10:53 am
Make it Fioretti for U.S. Senate. It gives Daley one less pesky independent to deal with locally.

Comment by phocion Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:14 am
Rich,

I would be stunned if Maj. Duckworth got the nod because I can’t believe she wants it.

While an appointment would be a relatively painless way to join the Senate, she would still have to run for reelection at some point in the future. And I don’t think that prospect would be very appealing to Maj. Duckworth.

She chose not to run again in the 6th District even though her loss in 2006 was very narrow. And the District is a much smaller area to campaign in than the entire state. And she had strong name recognition and support in the District. And she could have hitched her campaign wagon to a Obama (Illinois) or Clinton (female) Democratic presidential nominee. But she decided not to run again, anyway.

I know that her husband’s military commitment played a role in her decision, but I can’t believe Maj. Duckworth is overly interested in running for high office when she passed up an opportunity to run again for the 6th Dist this year.

But that is all just (well-grounded) speculation.

Oh yes, one more reason to doubt it will be Maj. Duckworth: Sneed is always wrong.

– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:21 am
“Fioretti and Daley often part ways”

that Chicago Journal headline is bogus

for every vote where Fioretti “differed from the Mayor” there are hundreds where he agreed

Comment by BannedForLife Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:43 am
===for every vote where Fioretti “differed from the Mayor” there are hundreds where he agreed===

Most of those are perfunctory votes, or agreed stuff. That’s not a huge deal and an unfair characterization.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 11:48 am
Duckworth doesn’t seem to have done anything for anyone but herself. She makes no sense.

Comment by diane Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 1:23 pm
diane, that was a pretty goofy drive-by comment. Try to avoid those sorts of posts. Thanks.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 1:24 pm
If Duckworth does not care for campaigning, a senate campaign once every six years in a relatively safe state (for a Democrat) like Illinois would be much more attractive than a more challenging run every two years in a Republican leaning district like the 6th CD. Plus, she’d be running for reelection as an incumbent vs. running as a challenger.

I’m not saying she’d be the best choice, but she should be on the short list….

Comment by Mountain Man Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 2:22 pm
As a Veteran, I’d have to say that Major Duckworth has done a quietly excellent job as a State official — something that fits her motivation and desire. I do not believe she has grandiose political dreams or the ego that goes with them. She probably knows that she was being used for her war experience and disability by the Democratic Party.

Comment by Truthful James Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 5:19 pm
of “do not appoints” (after Blago himself) with the sanctimonious, self-promoting, hypocritical whining weasel Jeff Schoenberg.

Comment by Start the List... Thursday, May 22, 08 @ 8:21 pm