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A closer look at McCain’s new “Machine” ad * UPDATED x3 *

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*** UPDATE 3 *** Our very own Kevin Fanning caught up with Treasurer Giannoulias, an Obama protege, and asked him about the McCain ad flap…

“One of the things that keep people out of politics is sleaze and mud-slinging. I experienced this when I ran, with people trying to make my family look dirty. I’m biased because I’m a friend of Barack Obama, but I thought the ad was ridiculous. It never mentioned what Daley did for Obama, I’m pretty sure it just said something like Bill Daley, brother of Mayor Daley. I actually spoke to Bill Daley this morning, and he told me that John McCain actually helped him become Commerce Secretary. The ad also mentioned something about Barack being responsible for Governor Blagojevich’s failure to lead. Everyone in Illinois knows that is ludicrous. “

*** UPDATE 2 *** Mayor Daley jumps in…

In response to a recent ad from the McCain For President campaign, Mayor Richard Daley said Tuesday that “people are desperate.” […]

At an unrelated event on Tuesday, Daley said, “If people throw mud, it comes back in their face.”

The mayor suggested that perhaps there should be more talk of the Keating Five investigation in the early ’90s — which included Sen. John McCain. It was, in Daley’s words, “… the biggest example of greed … as so many lost their homes.”

*** UPDATE 1 *** Bill Daley takes another whack at McCain via CNN…

Daley accused McCain of hypocrisy for attacking Obama on lobbyists: “When I was at [telecom company] SBC, I had to hire [McCain campaign manager] Rick Davis to see John McCain,” he said. “He wouldn’t see anyone unless you hired one of his lobbyist friends. Telecom was his and Rick Davis was his telecom lobbyist. That was in ‘02, ‘03, ‘04.”

***************************

* Bill Daley has been drawn into the Obama-McCain presidential contest, and it appears that McCain goofed in his TV ad, whether deliberately or not. I posted the ad yesterday, but here it is again…

“His economic adviser, William Daley. Lobbyist.”

There is a lobbyist named William Daley, but that would be Bill Daley’s son, William Daley Jr...

Daley’s son, William Daley Jr., is a former lobbyist for Fannie Mae. Daley Jr. is now with Morgan Stanley, and he is registered with Cook County and the State of Illinois as a lobbyist for the firm.

Oops.

* Michael Sneed got into the act…

“The whole thing is an outright lie,” said Daley, who is furious with a new anti-Barack Obama ad released by the John McCain campaign that focuses on Chicago’s shady politics and its political machine. […]

Quoth Daley: McCain “cuts an ad making it look like I’m a thief and a gangster like Rezko” — that would be Tony Rezko, the former campaign fund-raiser for Obama and Gov. Blagojevich who was convicted on federal charges in June.

Added Daley: “The ad claims I’m a lobbyist. I’ve never been a lobbyist! My son, Bill, was a lobbyist five years ago. I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Daley told Sneed.

Well, actually, as Lynn Sweet pointed out above, the son is still a registered lobster for Morgan Stanley.

* Anyway, back to Sneed…

“A year and a half ago, he [McCain] called me the greatest U.S. commerce secretary ever, at a conference being held at Deer Valley,” Daley said. “I certainly thought he was being extreme, but he even voted for my confirmation as U.S. commerce secretary when he was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee!” […]

“This past March, I even went over to visit McCain at his Hilton Hotel fund-raiser — and walked away with an autographed picture!” […]

Daley, who is identified as Obama’s economic adviser, is furious with being associated with Rezko, described in the ad as a convicted felon — and Obama’s patron and money man. Furthermore, he’s included in a list that describes Blagojevich as having a legacy of federal and state investigations.

* The Chicago Tribune editorial board weighs in on the ad itself…

But the suggestion that Obama is a politician in the classic Chicago mold is way off base. He wasn’t a machine candidate in his bid for the Illinois Senate in 1996, and he won the 2004 nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in a heavily contested primary without Daley’s support. Though he now enjoys the support of establishment Democrats, Obama is a man governed by his conscience, not by his associations.

Obama wasn’t “born of the corrupt Chicago political machine,” and that makes his rise all the more remarkable. But the McCain camp is betting voters know less about Obama than they think they know about Chicago, which can usually be summed up in three words: Dead people vote.

Chicago, regrettably, deserves that rap. Obama does not.

* The Tribune story provides some context…

The Chicago Machine concept is one that Republicans in Illinois had long urged the McCain campaign to tell the nation, noting the dysfunction of Democratic-controlled Illinois government. Yet it also is a premise that McCain draws overly broadly in the ad and one that risks confusing voters unfamiliar with the day-to-day players in Chicago politics.

The Obama campaign had anticipated the Chicago Machine card would be played in the campaign and the candidate, himself, noted earlier this year that he felt he had done well in rising politically “without being entangled in some of the traditional problems of Chicago politics.” […]

Obama has worked to distance himself from Blagojevich and notably invited three potential challengers to the governor’s possible 2010 re-election bid to speak at the recent Democratic National Convention. But Obama also has said little about the Blagojevich-led Democratic debacle in Springfield that has largely kept state government in a stalemate.

* Lynn Sweet takes a look, too…

Obama was not spawned by a Chicago “machine” ward organization. His Hyde Park-Kenwood community is one of the few “independent” outposts in the city. In his early political career, as a state senator, Obama steered clear of local entanglements. He ran and lost a U.S. House race without Mayor Daley’s backing.

The remnants of the Daley machine — a confederation of political families — the best known named Madigan, Lipinski and Hynes — did not back Obama in his U.S. Senate Democratic primary bid, though he did have as his top consultant David Axelrod, Mayor Daley’s key adviser.

As a U.S. senator, Obama rarely used his popularity to force change in the local culture of corruption.

* The Washington Post analyzes…

This John McCain ad is mostly accurate and largely pointless.

The one serious distortion is in claiming that Barack Obama was “born” of the Chicago machine. Obama was actually an independent outsider who challenged the party establishment, both in running for the Illinois Senate and in unsuccessfully opposing U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush. Obama did use hardball tactics on occasion but was not embraced by the party apparatus until later in his career.

Three of the four names included here do no damage to the senator from Illinois and serve mainly to reinforce the impression that Obama swims with sharks. Bill Daley may be a lobbyist and the brother of Mayor Richard Daley, but he is a former commerce secretary with a solid reputation. State Sen. Emil Jones gave Obama a boost early in his career, in part by assigning him to shepherd ethics legislation through the legislature. Obama has no connection to allegations that Jones has helped some of his own family members on the state payroll. And while Blagojevich is Obama’s governor — indeed, he is the governor of Oprah Winfrey and Mike Ditka and every other Illinois resident — he and Obama are not close politically.

Rezko is the exception, a major albatross for Obama. He was a key fundraiser for Obama and sold him a patch of land adjacent to Obama’s home — a deal that the Democratic nominee has called a “boneheaded mistake.” But the Chicago businessman, who was convicted of corruption charges in June, was not under investigation at the time of these dealings.

While the ad is a stretch, McCain is trying to tie Obama to the specter of ethically challenged big-city machine politics, undoubtedly hoping the word “Chicago” will turn off suburban and rural voters.

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 10:43 am

Comments

Blagojevich is a embarassment to the entire Democratic party, both state and national, his name will always be associated with corruption, arrogance and ignorance.
- Old Democrat

Comment by My thoughts Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 10:55 am
Thoughts?

I can’t decide between nicknames.

John “the Prevaricating POW” McCain?
John “the Perfidious POW” McCain?
“John the Perfidious”?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 10:55 am
Obama is trying to tie McCain to an unpopular President Bush and all the problems that go along with him (and Cheney), and McCain is trying to tie Obama to one of the most notorious political machines in the country and all the indictments and problems that go along with it. Sounds like more of the same (and none of the promised change)from both candidates to me.

Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:05 am
Rich, did Blago take Obama,s children to the Hanna Montana concert?

Comment by Silverback Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:07 am
Wow, the Trib editorial board just keeps looking more and more goofy as time goes on… They even say he now enjoys the support of establishment democrats… oy… so what is the new line??? Barack Obama wasn’t always corrupt? Geez…

Chicago deserves the rap, Obama does not… And how in the world has Obama ever differentiated himself from Chicago? Oh, he went to Washington. Well we all know Washington doesn’t deserve the rap….

Comment by Heartless Libertarian Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:09 am
A fairer knock on Daly, which could hurt Obama’s chances with his own base, would be that Daly was Bill Clinton’s point man for getting NAFTA passed. Or couse, it would be a difficult message for McCain to get out himself, given his own party’s embracing of the concept of so-called “free trade.”

But, it couldn’t hurt to point this out for the purpose of illustrating the duplicity of many Democrats against their union backers and their penchant for self-dealing against the interests of their “base.”

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:13 am
Between the Tribune editorial and the Sun-Times pieces, I’m overdosing on the sugar they are pouring down my throat. Why is the local press in total denial? Remnants of a political machine? Why is most of the local press in denial over whether a political machine still exists in Chicago or not? Why is it unfair to make such an association? Those federal convictions of political operatives of the Daley machine are now figments of our imaginations?

Let’s think about this for a moment.

Why is it fair for Obama to tie McCain to Bush on every issue known to mankind (he does it on every single one of his stump speeches and on numerous ads) but it is unfair for McCain to tie Obama to the Daley Machine, Rezko, Jones or Blagojevich? Why the double standard? Either such behavior is unfair across the board or it is not.

Even Joe Biden now found the Obama ad “terrible” which claimed that McCain is computer illiterate and a doddering old man. And the Palin character assassinations were OK?

I know this is the time of year where everyone gets blinded by mudslinging, but Obama should have expected it and acted much earlier to show his independence from the Democrats in this state to the nation. That he truly an agent of “change” and not just an orator.

My late father when I was growing up in the city said it best when a few of my friends began associating with less than desirable types. “You hang around with fools and people will think you are an fool.” (He used a stronger word than “fool.”)

Hang around and be mentored by Chicago Machine Democratic Politicians, and people will think you are a Chicago Machine Democratic Politician. Obama is still hanging with them and endorsing them.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:25 am
Once Obama first succeeded in breaking through the outsider barrier, he quickly immersed himself in the Machine. He suckled and nursed from the powerful to get connections, and the Machine quickly recognized his talents. If Obama really were independent, and not a product of Chicago, he would have evidence of at one point bucking the Machine after he became a part of it. He has no proof, because he’s never said no to It.

The man even endorsed Todd Stroger. At the minimum, he could have remained silent. As we’ve seen with EJ’s coronation of his son as successor and the ethics veto, he can certainly disappear when he wants to.

Obama the presidential candidate is a Machine creation, like it or not, just as McCain and Joe Biden are part of the Washington establishment they now rail against. The question is whether voters care about either background history enough to alter their votes because of it.

Comment by South Side Mike Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:28 am
Sounds like the dems are protesting too much. Great ad by the Mccain camp. Outside of Chicago the Daley name is mud. Voter fraud, mob ties. thug unions and basically nothing positive. Again great move McCain. I suspect this is only the beginning.

Comment by Maggie Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:29 am
1) Maggie, do you have data to support your assertions about Daley?
2) Does it surprise anyone that the McCain campaign would craft an ad rife with lies and innuendo? And an ad about nothing when the economy is so dire right now (a writer for Politico referred to it as the “Hey, look over here!” strategy)

And Louis, I see you picked up on Steve Schmidt’s “boo hoo, the press are bad” meme. [clap] [clap] [clap] Bravo.

Comment by JonShibleyFan Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:41 am
From a purely political standpoint, it’s a great ad. Was it fair? Fair enough, I think, in the zero sum-game that is the pursuit of being the most powerful man in the world.

Obama is no babe in the woods. He’s running negative ads, too. And he did come out of Chicago politics. You can’t have it both ways: you can’t criss-cross the country claiming you’re a tough guy because you came out of Chicago politics, then cry foul when people tie you to Chicago politics.

Bill Daley’s not a lobbyist? Okay. How about ultimate insider? Is that better?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:45 am
Emil Jones (alone) would make a better ad for McCain, but then he’d open himself up to the racial imagery issues. We saw those flare up in the Franklin Raines ad. Perhaps the campaign felt the need to make sure most of the would-be scoundrels were white.

Not being from Illinois, I can report that the Daley name outside Chicago is, indeed, pretty bad, especially among gun owners. So I understand why the McCain campaign wanted that name in there.

But he should get a refund for the picture.

Comment by Greg Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:56 am
I wouldn’t call it an outright lie but I’ve yet to see any political ad that is 100% accurate and truthful. I’m surprise it took McCain this long to connect the dots and would expect more over the top ads like this to come. There’s no such thing as fair play in campaigning and we will see equal distortion from both sides.

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:13 pm
What is Bush’s biggest policy decision? What will be his legacy?

What members of Congress are more associated with the Iraq War than John the Perfidious and Holy Joe?

What major Bush policy will McCain overturn?

Republicans embraced every major policy of Bush at the time the policy was enacted. Of these Republicans who loved everything Bush did, what major policy difference do they have with McCain?

Linking Bush to McCain is perfectly reasonable from a policy point of view.

As for corruption, I find the Republican attacks on Obama flabbergasting. These Republicans have been loyal like religious zealots to Bush, who has run the most corrupt, lawless administration in U.S. history. And they want others to believe that Obama is going to bring corruption to DC. Whatever.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:29 pm
The ad is correct.

Bill Daley wants to consider running for governor in 2010, and doesn’t like the negative attention.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:35 pm
The ad is dumb becasue it is off target.

The issue is not that Obama “associates” with the Machine, it is that he has never stood up to it, or the widespread corruption that fuels it.

He promises “change in Washington.” But such change will require standing up to entrenched and powerful interests (and not just the NRA). Obama never stood up to entrenced interests here, but instead rolled over to get ahead throug Emil Jones and Rev. Wright.

Despite our civic pride in a reputation for tough politics, Washington is several levels tougher. I fear his bold talk is just that, and no more.

Comment by Bubs Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:47 pm
…cuts an ad making it look like I’m a thief and a gangster like Rezko…

Bill D does Obama a lot of favors with that…

Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:58 pm
He is Mayor Daley’s brother. An administration that is as corrupt as the Blago administration. Lie down with dogs and you get up with fleas. America will soon see an Obama that is eaten up with mange and fleas. He’s the democrat nominee and they’ll have to live with that decision.

Comment by Maggie Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:11 pm
Bill Daley told Sneed he’s NEVER been a lobbyist. That’s hard to believe.

What did he do at places like Mayer Brown all those years?

And Daley was on the board of Fannie Mae (and his son was a lobbyist for them. good grief). Come on, are we really supposed to believe that Daley (Sr.) wasn’t just doing in-house lobbying?

Comment by GOP'er Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:14 pm
===Bill Daley told Sneed he’s NEVER been a lobbyist. That’s hard to believe.===

True dat. He lobbied the General Assembly on behalf of SBC’s goofy bill several years ago.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:15 pm
The Washington Post analyzes…

“The one serious distortion is in claiming that Barack Obama was “born” of the Chicago machine. Obama was actually an independent outsider who challenged the party establishment,…in unsuccessfully opposing U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.”

What times we live in when former revolutionary Black Panthers are called party establishment and former heads of the Harvard Law Review are outsiders.

Welcome my son, to the machine-the Chicago machine that is.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:33 pm
What I find interesting about the McCain ad is how his campaign is clearly attempting to make this election a contest between big city and small town values. Need further evidence? Look at his choice of running mates. She brings up her small town values every chance she gets. Look at the backdrop on the stage at the Republican convention. There was not one picture of a big urban city in any of the videos/pictures shown.

The McCain Campaign is gambling that people who live in the suburbs will identify more with the small town view than with the big city perspective. That may have worked a decade ago, I don’t think it does anymore. Ask most people who live in the Chicago area where they are from and they say Chicago, not Arlington Heights or Downers Grove or Olympia Fields. More and more suburbanites identify with their larger metro region, not with a small part of it.

Comment by Springfield Alum Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:52 pm
===More and more suburbanites identify with their larger metro region, not with a small part of it. ===

I’m not so sure of that. Many suburbs try mightily to inject a “small town feel” into their downtowns.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 1:57 pm
As far as registering as a lobbyist, most ethical organizations register anyone who may possibly call a staff person or rep/sen or might step foot in the Capitol just in case, which can be several people that never end up doing traditional lobbying.

Comment by Bonsaso Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 2:17 pm
I would tend to agree that the Chicago machine connection to Obama is appropriate, mainly because of Rezco. In Chicago politics, there is no 6 degrees of separation to Uncle Toney, he attaches them all at the hip.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 2:47 pm
This is also interesting for IL - McCain just launched the Coalition to Protect Coal Jobs. Illinois is a HUGE coal state and Biden said yesterday that the Obama/Biden campaign oppose any use of coal in the U.S. - even clean coal - that means a lot of jobs would be lost in Illinois if Biden is in the Whitehouse.

Comment by Coal Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 2:52 pm
Wow. Reading the updates, that ad must have really stung.

Yesterday, I was a little surprised by the Bill Daley inclusion, but I don’t think it’s terrible. The Daleys run Chicago — you get the good and the bad.

I’m surprised by the reaction. I’m not sure who they’re hoping to garner sympathy from.

And given the sub-prime bailout, if Axelrod doesn’t have a red-meat Keating Five ad in the can, Obama should ask for his millions back (just going to have to throw those four Dem senators under the bus).

USA Today has a pretty decent article on both campaigns’ negative ad truthiness. McCain comes out worse, but no virgins here.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-22-ads_N.htm

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 3:11 pm
Wordslinger is correct and even Biden says that the Obama campaign has gone too far with their adds: Today, Joe Biden said that the Obama ad criticizing John McCain for not using a computer was “terrible.” His remarks aired during Katie Couric’s interview on “The CBS Evening News.”

Comment by anon Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 3:30 pm
“- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 12:35 pm:

The ad is correct.”

Oh, well, if you say it, than it must be so.

Comment by JonShibleyFan Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 4:11 pm
AA also recalls that Bill Daley has done something that sure seemed like lobbying since he joined JP Morgan. I was surprised to learn through this kerfluffle that he isn’t registered out of an abundance of caution. Not saying he did anything hinky, mind you.

As far as the ad, AA thinks the brothers Daley may have been best served by saying nothing in response, though I did get a chuckle out of hearing Rezko be described as a “gangster.”

That Biden coal thing has to be a mistake-I can’t believe they would write off coal 100%.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 4:29 pm
AA, Joe Biden will say anything anytime if he thinks it’s what the person wants to here. He said it, but he probably didn’t mean it. A link’s below, judge for yourself.

As a young reporter in Iowa during the runup to the 1988 caucuses, I spent a lot of time with all them, including Biden.

Twenty years ago, Biden was the kind of guy that in the first 10 minutes, you think, wow, this guy is going places. Twenty minutes later, you think, wow, this guy is an egomaniac blowhard. Twenty minutes later, you hope he loses big.

Obama should have taken Bayh. Put Indy in play, and help in MI and Ohiol.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/biden-says-no-t.html

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 5:03 pm
Turnabout is fair play. I expect a major attack ad on McCain for his significant role, albeit not criminal, in the savings and loan scandal. I think the Keating S&L ad will resonate with an electorate deeply concerned with the current financial system meltdown/bailout.

Obama probably has the cleanest personal record of any serious Presidential candidate in memory. Rezco is the only skeleton in Obama’s closet, and there is absolutely no evidence that Obama was implicated in any of Rezco’s multitude of felonious behaviors or Governor Pinnochio’s nefarious activities.

McCain’s strategists were foolish to slander Bill Daley. I don’t think the alleged guilt by general association will be an effective persuasive tool, but it may fool some ignorant swing/independent voters in important states.

Comment by Captain America Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 5:47 pm
== I don’t think the alleged guilt by general association will be an effective persuasive tool, but it may fool some ignorant swing/independent voters in important states.==

Capt. America, you contradict yourself. 85% of the electorate has made up it’s mind and won’t be budged. Adds by both campaigns now are directed specifically at the folks you describe.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 5:52 pm
Louis G. Astaves BRAVO!! I have been preaching the same message to everyone who asks me why I don’t support Obama. He is not an agent of change because if he were then he would’ve stood for it locally. Has anyone mentioned this:

When running for U.S. Senate, The Democratic Machine backed Dan Hynes (including Stroger and the Daleys).

Then when Todd Stroger ran in place of his father, Obama stepped in to endorse Todd Stroger. Let’s remind everyone that Stroger is the same one that fired many of the workers employed at the County hospitals instead of cutting back on the nepotism and political favors behind closed doors. Has anyone asked Obama if this is something he approves of?

How about when Richard M. Daley was Cook County State’s Attorney and didn’t act upon the Jon Burge situation. Hundreds of black people were tortured by Cmmdr. Jon Burge and Daley as State’s Attorney did nothing about it. Jon Burge is currently living on a nice pension in Florida while the victims are still suffering mentally and physically. This however was not enough to stop Obama from supporting Mayor Daley for re-election.

The machine did not support Obama in the beggining, but when Obama moved to the top Obama supported the machine. That’s not traditional Chicago Politics because usually politicians say “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours later” not “I’ll trip you now and if I fall you pick me up”. Obama basically said, “Screw Chicago I’m going national.

His endorsements do not represent change which is why I am less than enthusiastic about his over rated message.

Comment by JakeCP Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 6:23 pm
This issue reminds me of when then Lt. Gov. Paul Simon obtained Mayor Daley’s endorsement for Governor. People thought it was awful and he must not be a true reformer. So they voted for Dan Walker, the true “reformer”

I figure if Paul Simon can work with Richard J. Daley in 1972, it doesn’t bother me that Barack is working with Richard M. Daley now.

And if you believe McCain is a true reformer, read Bill Daley’s comments about having to hire McCain’s campaign manager to gain access to McCain.

Comment by Objective Dem Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 6:46 pm
You should put up a second youtube link to the SNL sketch this past saturday where McCain endorses sleazier and ever sleazier negative ads at the urging of a campaign operative, who rationalizes each horrific misstatement with ever more tenuous explanations.

Comment by Gregor Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 8:39 pm
Bill Daley really seems to have a thin skin. No doubt he’s a bit crabby these days, given that he was on the board of Fannie Mae not that long ago, and therefore HAS to bear some direct blame for the current disaster there.

And then his son is/was a lobbyist for Fannie Mae. First of all, it’s hard to imagine Sr. wasn’t himself doing something that looked a lot like lobbying while a board member. That’s why a Fannie Mae taps a guy like that.

But does anyone believe there wasn’t some “lobbying” involved with Jr. getting the “official” lobbying gig from Fannie? Obviously I don’t know, but it would be a good question. Maybe it’s all just a big coincidence.

Also, don’t forget, Bill takes a lot of credit for the passage of NAFTA. No lobbying there either I guess.

Does Bill Daley think we were all born yesterday?

Comment by GOP'er Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 9:12 pm
thanks for that link, word. Win or lose, I suspect that one of the most second-guessed issues the day after the election for Obama will be the Biden pick. I couldn’t figure out the pick and Amtrak Joe has done nothing to help the ticket in a month on board.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 10:36 pm
The thing I found funny about the ad was McCain was afraid to attack Daley directly. He attacked his brother instead.

Comment by the ole precinct captain Tuesday, Sep 23, 08 @ 11:04 pm
Rich, I disagree with your view that Obama was first elected to the Illinois Senate without machine help (and by machine I instead use a much broader definition of Chicago Democrats who play dirty and may or may not be directly tied to the Mayor). Surely someone has told you the story of how Obama was first “elected” to his Senate seat by “beating” the incumbent, who it just so happens wasn’t on very good terms with the Senate Democratic leadership.

Comment by It's Just Me Wednesday, Sep 24, 08 @ 9:18 pm
“It’s Just Me” you can disagree all you want, but you aren’t entitled to your own facts.

I covered that race. I covered his petition challenge. I covered the reactions of the Senate Democrats.

What you are suggesting without really saying it is utter nonsense.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 24, 08 @ 10:52 pm