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* DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett is apparently using the Barack Obama campaign to build his network in advance of a possible 2010 gubernatorial bid. Obama was in Las Vegas on Monday, and Birkett was featured in a GOP conference call..
Birkett, a former Republican candidate for governor in Illinois, raised doubts about Obama’s judgment based on a 2005 real estate deal with the wife of Tony Rezko, a Chicago-based political fundraiser and real estate developer who was convicted earlier this month of sixteen federal counts of bribery, fraud and money laundering.
Birkett said it was “more than bone-headed” for Obama to purchase a house in Chicago the same day Rezko’s wife purchased an adjoining lot, and that Americans should question “whether or not [Obama] has the kind of judgment to be the president of the United States.” […]
“Obviously, one of the things I do not do is speculate about criminal activity,” said Birkett. “However, I can tell you this, that oftentimes we have seen during the course of the last several years in Illinois where public officials are having things done for them privately that do in fact turn out to be related to some deal, some quid pro quo.”
Birkett quickly added that he was “not aware of any quid pro quo and certainly would not accuse Sen. Obama of that.”
Some of that is just obvious crud, but I’m more interested with how Birkett is using Obama to bolster his own party cred.
* Republican US Sen. Gordon Smith has a far different approach to Obama, which may be adopted here by some of the more vulnerable incumbent Republicans…
Partial transcript…
“Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment? Barack Obama! He joined with Gordon and broke through a 20-year deadlock to pass new laws which increase gas mileage for automobiles.”
Four years ago, Republican Illinois state Rep. Beth Coulson had Obama all over her literature, and you can expect quite a bit of that again.
I don’t know whether I have a point here, but it is interesting to see how Obama is impacting GOP races. Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:12 am
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Joe Birkett is so yesterday’s news. With some of the stuff that has gone off in his office he should not be talking about others.
Comment by decaturvoter Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:19 am
The key will be whether or not Coulson can secure Dillard’s endorsment. That will, then, complete the cycle.
Comment by Easy Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:24 am
Republicans running scared as has been indicated in other op/eds.
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:34 am
Can’t tell you how great it is to have the BrickHead Joe back in action.
Speaking of troubling associates, perhaps he can fill us in on old pal Stu Levine. Stu as you may recall was a creation of his old law school chum & and law partner, Jumping Jimmy Ryan, and L.A. Daniels.
Stu was a sainted heavy donor to GOP faithful until the evil Rod B. was created. Stu was then led to the dark side by TR, Chris and crew —- right.
Anyway Brick when you get a chance tell us a little about Stu and the good old days. Bet that was way more exciting any sidelot purchase story. At least all the stuff suppressed at TR’s trial was verrrrry exciting.
Welcome back.
Comment by DuPage Dandy Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:41 am
Birkett’s comment about the Rezko deal is positively Nixonian.
He says, he won’t speculate about criminal activity, introduces criminal quid pro quo, then says he’s not accusing Obama of criminal quid pro quo.
Nixon was a lot better at it. Geez, is Birkett on the GOP A Team?
The Gordon Smith spot is very interesting. I’d look for Susan Collins in Maine to be a likely GOP incumbent to tout her good works with Obama before the election. The latest Rasmussen has him up 22 points in the Old Line State.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:42 am
Everybody’s getting a piece of the messiah.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:44 am
I’m going to try and be non-partisan on this (note - try).
I’m curious as to whether the use of Obama is a negative by Republicans and what has happened in the MSM in the last couple weeks with Obama are related.
The MSM has been more critical of Obama lately. We’ve seen this before with Howard Dean for example - when a pol is considered an interesting underdog, they get fawning praise, but once they become the candidate to beat, the MSM coverage changes drastically. Are Republicans picking up on that negative coverage or are they paralleling it? Would they have done that anyway? I really don’t have a good answer, just thinking about it.
That being said, although I like Joe, I wish he would let someone else go for it. DuPage is no longer the king-making county that it once was for the Republicans. Joe ran an uninspiring campaign last time around, and I don’t see that changing this time around.
Comment by trafficmatt Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:48 am
TrafficMatt-
Can you name last Lt. Gov candidate who ran an inspiring campaign?
Comment by ChiCountryGuy Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:53 am
Birkett is looking to rally GOP primary voters to him now. bragging about being Obama’s friend does not endear one to the GOP primary voter. Beth Coulson’s lit. had Obama on it in the General election to distance herself from a GOP senate candidate that was running poorly in her district. To say Birkett is “so yesterday” expresses a gross underestimation of his strength. The 2010 primary may shape up to be a two-man race between Birkett and Sen Brady. Birkett would not be dividing the GOP primary rich vote of DuPage County. Rather, he would garner the lion’s share. DuPage County GOP has a greater sense of unity now than it has for a long time. Many became resentful of what they perceived to be a few years of disrespect from the Party leadership and others. Eventhough Birkett ran as Judy Baar’s running mate, many conservatives who supported Oberweis blame Brady for staying in the race and dividing the vote among conservatives, allowing JBT to win the nomination with less than a majority of the vote. Birkett ran strong in 1998 against Lisa Madigan. No small feat in a disasterous GOP election cycle.
Birkett may have also learned some valuable lessons in his previous state-wide runs. One of which is to work hard to get the Central and Southern Illinois vote. If he runs strong in DuPage County and remains competitive in the key counties that make up the Metro-East, as well as Sangamon, and a few others like Jefferson, Williamson, Effingham counties, he wins comfortably.
Comment by Black Robe Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:56 am
Birkett is only doing damage to himself. The real estate deal has been vetted very thoroughly with nothing comoing of it. In fact, his comments draw the counter of what kind of Judgment does this States Attorney have if he is suggesting criminal conduct without proof or evidence? Given his current office that makes his judgment look beyound shady. The only traction Birkett gets from the comments are going to be with the conservative republicans already supporting him and McCain; it adds nothing for him or McCain for a future election. In fact, its makes him look bad and more likely will drive indepdendents and moderates who may have been possible supporters away. Its a good field example of how to damage yourself and gain nothing.
If Obama become the president Birkett will be in even worse shape if he tires a Gov bid.
The Folks jumping on Obama’s theme of bipartisan action to get things done are making the smart bet. It helps them appeal to indepedents and moderates as action oriented, and helps to distance themselves from the appearance of partisan bickering. Good strategy.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:57 am
===Can you name last Lt. Gov candidate who ran an inspiring campaign?===
Not to speak for another commenter, but I think the point was that his aborted gubernatorial bid was uninspiring.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:58 am
ChiCountryGuy
LMAO
Let’s just say that there is uninspiring and then there’s Joe. He didn’t exactly run an inspiring campaign against Lisa Madigan either. Lisa has been a really good AG (this from a Republican), but at the time in the 2002 race, she had pretty thin experience and Joe couldn’t capitalize on it.
Comment by trafficmatt Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:58 am
Rich,
Feel free to speak for me any time.
Comment by trafficmatt Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:59 am
Question. Has Birkett dumped the $26,000 given to his campaign by Levine? I’ve looked through his D-2s and haven’t found any signs of it.
Comment by Juice Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 10:59 am
I try not to do that too often, trafficmatt, but didn’t know if you would be back today.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:01 am
Nothing against Birkett personally, but I don’t see him as a credible candidate for Governor. He couldn’t beat Lisa Madigan in the AG race, and I can’t sen him beating any of the leading Democratic candidates to succeed Blago.
In general,Republicans are beating a dead horse with respect to the Obama-Rezco real estate deal. Obama had no involvement in Rezco’s criminal conspiracies.
I predict that the desparate, slanderous win-at-all costs tactics that I expect certain Republican groups to unleash agaisnt Obama will backfire. Obama will prove to be the ultimate Teflon candidate. What will the Republicans do when they realize their swift-boat tactics won’t work against Obama?
I’ll be surprised If Senator Smith will survive Obama’s lopsided victory in Oregon because a leopard can’t really change it’s spots. It’s interesting that a Republcan is trying to use Obama to inoculate himself from the plague of Democratic victory in November.
Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:19 am
How does 2010 Democrat Governor nominee Lisa Madigan score points by reminding voters of Levine when ALL the Blago corruption occurred under her nose as the top law enforcement officer of the State? How does she make hay about Levine when her father served as Blago’s co-chair for election in 2004 at a time when she and her father knew, should have known, or should have prosecuted\conducted empeachment hearings, on Blago’s corrupt practices during his first term? What did she do to stop Public Official A is a bigger question than what Witness for the Prosecution A contributed to Birkett’s campaign some years previous. Illinois Democrats sooner or later will have to come to grips with the fact that Rezko is a Democrat and his illegal conduct and corruption was only made possible by his Democrat enablers who held positions of public trust. The vast majority of Republicans in this State do not believe Obama was naive about his associations with Rezko or how politics is conducted in Illinois.
I know this post is about GOP candidates associating themselves with Obama, or publically criticizing Obama, but we should not evaluate the different strategies in a vaccuum.
Comment by Black Robe Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:33 am
C’Mon people!
This isn’t new stuff. Every presidential candidate nominated by a major party impacts other elections. So it’s Obama this time, whatever.
Senator Smith is playing the Obama card correctly by positioning himself in Oregon voter’s mind as a guy who works well with others.
Birkett is also playing the Obama card correctly by positioning himself as a “law and order” candidate interested in an office currently being held by Rod Blagojevich. He is banking on voter’s need for some gubernatorial clean up after Rod’s siege in office ends.
His Rezko comments are fine. It is too soon to say whether he is on to something. If you adore Obama, you’ll pretend there is nothing there. If you don’t adore any politician, you’ll recognize the Obama/Rezko deal as typical crappy Chicago politics from a guy who portraits himself as above crappy Chicago politics.
Every politician nominated effects other campaigns. What you’ll get from Obama is nothing different from what you’ll get from Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, Gore and Kerry, you know, those other “winners”.
Who is more cooly arrogant by the way, Kerry or Obama?
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 11:52 am
Some of you might find an article in today’s politico.com interesting - “Obama’s 14 state strategy.”
Obama is not just devoting resources to his Presidential campaign - he’s actively planning and organizing to win down-ballot races in red states and purple states - to enhance his governing coalition after he wins.
Despite the electoral failures of Carter,Mondale Dukakis,Gore, and Kerry, polls suggest that Bush-Cheney are the biggest losers of all time. Bush-Cheney are an albatross around McCain’s neck -they will drag him down to defeat. McCain seems to running a dismal campaign akin to Bob Dole’s doomed efforts in 1996.
Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 12:38 pm
Too snarky, off topic, or ?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:28 pm
==Bush-Cheney are the biggest losers of all time==
They won in 2000 and 2004. The GOP expanded it’s hold on Congress in 2002. Biggest losers of all time? Perhaps in your virtual world, but not in the real one.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:33 pm
VM didn’t the GoP just lose a number of special elections over republican seats to Dem’s as a result of Bush-Cheney? In the real world Bush-Cheney may be credit with a spate of red to blue changeups with more comming. Heck even the republican presedential nominee is afraid to be identified with these two.
In the real world, not a single republican is running for election by identifying themselves with Bush-cheney or their policies. But then again in the real world we are in 2008.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:42 pm
Vanilla, Its been all down hill for Bush/Cheney since 2004, though hasn’t it? i think it gives the GOP precious little comfort to talk about how Bush/Cheney were able to expand the GOP majority in Congress in 2002. When all is said and done, the GOP will have less Congressional seats, less Senate seats, less Governorships and less state house/senate seats after President Bush and Vice President Cheney leave office than before.
Comment by paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 2:48 pm
As I’ve mentioned before, history will ultimately judge Dubya’s Presidnency as the worst in modern American history. Karl Rove’s dreams of creating a permanent Republican majority have gone up in the smoke of neoconservative and radical right wing ideology, not to metion incredbile incompetence: a $3 trillion dollar war; torture; widespread violation of American civil liberties; stupendoud deficits; Katrina response failures;incredible corruption and scandal.
And if you belive John McCain’s dark vision for our future, we’re in the beginning of an interminable World War 3.”
Yes sir,Van Man, Bush-Cheney have done “one heck of a con job.”
Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:12 pm
I’m gonna try this again and try to get it by the censors.
word, I knew Richard Nixon and Joe Birkett is no Richard Nixon. To borrow a phrase, “what was he thinking?” Contrary to what the ObamaAid drinkers out there may think, the election hasn’t been held yet and Rezko is a legitimate issue, but Joe Birkett ain’t the guy to raise it.
Trying to sling mud, fair or unfair, on Obama, IMHO will no nothing for a pretty long shot of future chances for Birkett in 2010. AA always did enjoy seeing George Wendt at funders, though.
AA doesn’t have an opinion on the Coulson lit question-may be effective in her district.
Juice, welcome back.
Question-has Blago dumped the $20k Levine donated to his campaign that was laundered through Vrdolyak? I’ve looked through his D-2s and haven’t found any sign of it.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 6:38 pm
please someione tell him NO not again. McKenna needs to be a chairman
Comment by annon Wednesday, Jun 25, 08 @ 9:43 pm
==When all is said and done, the GOP will have less Congressional seats, less Senate seats, less Governorships and less state house/senate seats after President Bush and Vice President Cheney leave office than before. ==
And how is this any different from Bill Clinton’s 8 years? The comment was that our current president and vice president are the biggest, baddest, worst president and vice president in history. That comment must come from someone utterly ignorant of American history. It is a nonsense statement, provably untrue by any standards, and hysterically partisan without much fact to back it up.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jun 26, 08 @ 9:12 am