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Feigenholtz misses ethics vote * UPDATED x1 *

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State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), a candidate for a vacant North Side congressional seat, was the only one of 118 Illinois House members who skipped [yesterday’s] vote to create a new ethics committee. […]

State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), one of her rivals in the March 3 special primary in the 5th Congressional District, voted for the measure and made it a point to note Feigenholtz’s absence.

The excuse…

Feigenholtz instead spent the day in Chicago trying to “raise awareness of the threat” to funding for certain programs in the federal economic stimulus legislation being debated in Washington, campaign spokesman Kevin Franck said.

But…

Feigenholtz also spent part of the day attending a fundraiser for her congressional campaign.

That ain’t good.

* Mike Quigley’s campaign responded this morning via press release…

Instead of carrying out her legislative duties Thursday and vote for the reform legislation, the Chicago Tribune reported that Feigenholtz chose to attend a campaign fundraiser to help finance her Congressional race.

“As this incident shows, the contrast in this race could not be more stark,” said Tom Bowen, campaign manager for the Quigley for Congress campaign.

“Mike Quigley has fought Todd Stroger and politics as usual for 10 years on the county board. Sara Feigenholtz, on the other hand, cannot even be bothered to put her campaign on hold for a single day to cast a vote for reform.”

“Sara Feigenholtz’s campaign claims that she was busy ‘raising awareness’ about issues on Thursday. The only thing she was raising was cash,” Bowen added, “and voters are well aware that we need to end ‘politics as usual’ in Illinois. The way to do that is by electing a real reformer like Mike Quigley.”

It’s not like this was a close vote. The measure passed 117-0, after all.

The problem is more of perception. Feigenholtz held a fundraiser yesterday during the first ethics vote of the year, and was the only legislator of either party who missed that vote. Like I said above: Oops.

Watch for Quigley to try to turn this into a theme.

* Related…

* Petition challenges shrink field in race for Emanuel’s seat

* Interviews with Four Candidates Running for the 5th Congressional District

*** UPDATE *** Rep. Fritchey was endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO today.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:32 am

Comments

I said to my wife last night:

“Okay. You’re running for Rahm Emanuel’s old seat in the House. Every move you make will be scrutinized. So don’t you think you’d show up for a vote to create an ETHICS committee! And if you absolutely could not be there, don’t you think you’d call a fellow legislator and beg them to sit this one out?”

Oops is absolutely right.

Comment by Concerned Observer Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:35 am
When will someone call Quigley on his own checkered record of “reform”? His campaign shouldn’t get away with papering over Quigley’s backroom deals to prop up Todd Stroger:
https://capitolfax.com/2009/01/28/5th-cd-roundup-3/#comment-8323688

Comment by Quigley's squiggly Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:39 am
Isn’t she the one who missed, or almost missed an impeachment vote? Rich, please correct me if I’m wrong and delete this post.

Comment by Fed Up State Employee Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:50 am
I usually don’t follow coverage on congressional races, but since I live in this district, I’ve been paying a lot more attention to this race. Thanks for covering it so thoroughly, Rich. I was really torn between Fritchey and Feigenholtz, but the more I read, the more I’m leaning towards Fritchey.

Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:54 am
Bonehead move. “Raising awareness” is another phrase that means nothing.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:54 am
Oy.

Considering the political atmosphere here, this is really inexcusable, even if it’s only on a symbolic level.

Comment by The Doc Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:54 am
maybe she did not want to be scrootened.

sara, this is bad, really bad.

Comment by Amy Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:55 am
Feigenholtz shouldn’t have missed this vote, but if the 5th CD race hinges on this one vote, I’ll be shocked.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 9:59 am
Yesterday, Feigenholtz demonstrated her commitment to ethics. Let all the others vote for reform - she has money to collect! What better demonstration do you need?

Actions speak louder than words. Her actions spoke clearly, didn’t they?

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:07 am
that may have been a mistake missing that vote, but it wasn’t even close. But for quigley to try and use this against her is pathetic when everyone knows that he was in with stroger hook, line and sinker in 06. He can do all he can to run and hide from his past with stroger, but the fact is that quigley tried to save his hide after forrest lost and he cut a deal with the toddler.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:13 am
oh, come on!!!
It’s not like her vote would’ve made the difference. Of course she would have been there if it was a close vote.
And yes, I get the perception, but geez.
Isn’t it more important to be ethical when it really counts? When people are watching and when people are not watching??
Sara has more ethics than all 20 of these candidates (how many are there??) put together.
That’s why she worked 24/7 on the human services approps. committee. Don’t you think she could have brought more $$ in working on bigger issues like gaming, insurance, etc. ??

And I think Sara was there for the impeachment vote. She had to return home for medical emergency, so back off on that point.

And no, I don’t work for her campaign.
I’ve had the privelege to work on behalf of many of these struggling human service providers & I’ve seen Sara literally working all night, trying to do all she could to help them.
She’s by far the best & most ethical candidate running in this race - because she has had opportunity to sell out, and she did not.
And because she doesn’t give ethics lip service - she lives it each & every day.

Comment by dupage progressive Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:13 am
No offense, Vanillaman, but Republicans tried to make an issue of Obama’s missed votes during the campaign, and the attacks missed their mark.

Unless someone can drudge up evidence that Feigenholtz has herself been unethical - and no one has - i doubt voters will care.

That’s a little different that Quigley claiming publicly that he opposed Todd Stroger and then having to confess that he had backroom meetings with the County Board President.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:15 am
…oh, come on!!!
It’s not like her vote would’ve made the difference…

There you have it. Feigenholtz doesn’t make any difference.

Comment by Now I Got It Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:18 am
wait, 117-0, as in she was the only one who did not vote for the ethics bill? sounds like a commercial to me.

mind numbingly stupid of her. she stands alone in her stupidity.

Comment by Amy Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:18 am
YDD, as usual you miss the point.

That vote opened the floodgates for me. More evidence coming. Lots more.

Comment by Tom B. Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:23 am
Tom b must be tom bowen? So can you explain to everyone why quigley endorsed stroger and worked hand in hand with him and now your candidate is running as if that never happened? Do you think voters are so stupid that they’ll never put two and two together?

And on YDD and DuPage Progressive comments, they’re absolutely right. feigenholtz’s record on reform is lengthy and undisputed.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:27 am
Ok Rich, why did you delete my comment? I’ll put it another way: Too busy planning her next political move to show up.

There, is that more palatable?

Comment by Anonymous45 Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:29 am
Yep, Tom B. is Tom Bowen. Here’s the deal, Mr/Ms Real. I’ll answer any question on this blog, as long as you say who you are and Rich verifies.

Not on your timescale of course, got a few more reporters to talk to right now.

Comment by Tom B. Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:31 am
So tom, you’re not willing to fess up about stroger? What are you guys afraid of?

Btw, this is a blog, which means we get to use nicknames and have some fun. and i don’t work for any of the campaigns, but I’m not stupid enough to fall for you and quigley trying to rewrite history.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:43 am
Jack Franks is sponsoring a bill that requires all agency heads to be in Springfield each day that the GA is in session. No one is trying to force legislators to do the same because they supposedly should know where they ought to be on “work days.” SF’s absence strikes me as ironic in that context.

On the other hand (and let me adjust the antennae on my hat here), did she know that the ethics vote would be taken that day? Was she informed otherwise? Was this a behind-the-scenes machination to help Fritchey’s campaign?

Comment by Captain Flume Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:47 am
Yesterday, I went bold on Fritchey because he mishandled his “anti-privatization” line. Daley pushed back on him, and Fritchey looked creepy over it. I let him know.

Today, Feigenholtz mishandled her stand on ethics by collecting campaign money instead of voting for reform. She was the only one to do this. The fact that she missed the vote is bad enough - she missed the vote to collect cash.

Yesterday, she showed her priorities, didn’t she? Number one is Sara. Number two is Sara’s campaign. Number three is Sara’s face. Number four is Sara.

And so is number five.

That is not what we want in a representative, especially one seemingly disinterested in her current public office.

Her actions are speaking louder than her words, and her actions are unappealing and selfish.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:47 am
Personally, I view the current House Rules as unethical. they stifle debate and allow the majority to really dominate. (Remember the old saw about “the tyranny of a democracy”? Sometimes it applies to sheep-like House members, Elaine Nekritz excepted.)

If Sara was off campaigning,I would have as well in her situation. She campaigns positively (most of the time), Fritchey and Quigley just lash out at her.

Comment by Capitol View Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:53 am
… what you wish for, YDD.

“Unless someone can drudge up evidence that Feigenholtz has herself been unethical - and no one has - i doubt voters will care.”

Comment by Careful... Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:56 am
VM - really? is that the best you can do? Sara missed a vote that went down 117-0 and forming a committee on reform and that negates her entire record on all she’s done for health care and seniors and children? Not close.

And don’t try to make it look like you’re not biased. Nice try, but you’re in the tank for fritchey.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:58 am
If ya’ll wanna attack Feigenholtz with unsubstantiated accusations of plastic surgery, go right ahead.

Apparently, you learned nothing from the Obama-Clinton campaign, and how voters feel about trivial personal attacks.

But please, go right ahead. Just don’t be surprised when it blows up in your face.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 10:59 am
As a county commissioner Quigley needs to work with Stroger on some stuff. And he takes a stand to oppose Stroger on some stuff.

Does Quigley pick his battles? Yeah, if he didn’t he’d be Tony Peraica. (And even Peraica played nice sufficiently to get his water park rebuilt.)

Quigley failing to stand-up to Stroger on every possible item or making a couple deals along the way hardly proves Quigley is tainted.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:00 am
And frankly, Vanillaman, a vote on forming a joint committee is not a vote for “reform.”

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:01 am
Typical. Sara blows off her job for a campaign event and her apologists are on here trying to throw mud at the other candidates . To compare her in any way to Obama is nauseating. As far as Quigley’s “back door” meetings,that’s part of his job as a commissioner, to confer with the President regarding any number of issues. Did he really go in through the back door or is that just some more of your slanderous campaign mudslinging.
Why don’t you talk about what Sara stands for? Oh that’s right, never mind.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:02 am
People, enough with the personal attacks. I was distracted for a while and just looked at comments and deleted several. No more. Thanks.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:03 am
Carl, that has nothing to do with picking battles– quigley cut a political deal with stroger, period. And now quigley wants to act like it never happened. He can’t run as the reform/anti-todd and not acknowledge the fact that he was a partner with stroger during his campaign and at the outset of his administration.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:05 am
And Carl, I agree with you completely. Only Quigley isn’t saying that he works with Todd Stroger sometimes and opposes him other times. He’s saying this:

“Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley…has been battling the Stroger machine for nearly a decade”

While the newspapers are saying this:

“Quigley was crucial to the vote” to support Todd Stroger, protect patronage and slash public services. The “swing vote came from Mike Quigley,” echoed the Daily Herald. (Chicago Tribune 2/24/07, Daily Herald 2/23/07)

“Todd Stroger used the kind of closed-door dealmaking that would make his father proud to win approval of his $3 billion budget for 2007,” the Tribune wrote. “After hours of private meetings and horse-trading, the board voted 13-4 in the early hours of Friday to approve Stroger’s amended spending plan. It would close a dozen health clinics and reduce other services.” (Chicago Tribune, 2/24/07)

“The 2007 budget that was approved by the Cook County Board in the wee hours last Friday was a clear political victory for President Todd Stroger,” the Chicago Sun-Times agreed. “In his first big test as county leader, he won a showdown with a bloc of commissioners who pushed a rival spending plan.” (Chicago Sun-Times, 2/26/07)

Thanks to Todd Stroger and Mike Quigley, a dozen health clinics were closed and “some 1,700 county workers lost their jobs, most of them front-line workers like nurses, prosecutors, janitors and court clerks. The cuts were brutal and demoralizing.” But “fat and patronage escaped the ax” and “county clout survived.” (Chicago Sun-Times, 4/6/07)

“The budget plan that prevailed leaves too many politically connected middle managers safe while doctors and nurses are getting pink slips,” the Tribune said. Despite “larding his staff with high-paid friends and family members … Stroger managed to peel away five of the 12 original co-sponsors of a rival plan that would have cut deeper into his bureaucracy.” (Chicago Tribune, 2/25/07)

“Only a handful of patronage workers lost their jobs. Todd Stroger went all out to protect them [even as he cut] hundreds of doctors and nurses from the county hospital system, 43 prosecutors in the state’s attorneys office and almost 100 sheriff’s police and court deputies. Stroger and his county board allies” including Mike Quigley “cut heavily from the ranks of front-line workers, but protected the political appointees. … [T]he board stood by its traditional priority of protecting the loyal Democratic Party members whose jobs are based on their political work, not merit.” (Daily Southtown, 3/1/07)

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:07 am
So… Sara spent the day trying to protect billions of dollars for Medicare and Head Start, and Fritchey spent the day slinging mud. Now Quigley is using it to throw mud…

If this went down becaUse of one vote I think it would be an issue.

I think that says all you need to know these candidates…

Comment by Windy City-zen Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:10 am
==Sara spent the day trying to protect billions of dollars for Medicare==
Maybe she could have a word or two with her most ardent campaign contributors, the drug companies, about what they bill the gov’t for their products. If she can fit that in between fund raisers, that is.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:15 am
YDD, actually, what we learned from the Democratic Presidential Primary is that trivial personal attacks on women are tolerated by most.

we also learned that in personal attacks on Palin in the general.
some of us spent lots of time trying to stop that whether we were in favor of the woman running for the office. or at the very least we just focused on the issues to steer the discussion away from the stupid.

everyone should stop talking about sara’s personal appearance, and for that matter what anyone else looks like or does to look however, and keep focusing on her lack of appearance, the ethics of others, what the heck they would actually do with the office, etc. you know, issues…..

whether or not one lives in the CD with all the hoopla, this is an election for one person whose voice will be one of 435. who are they, for what do they stand, what is their experience and how ethical and responsible are they. that’s the focus.

thanks for the moderating, Rich.

Comment by Amy Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:17 am
some of the womens comments on this blog make me really happy I am not a member of NOW…just because a candidate/politician is a woman doesn’t mean she can’t be critisized..she’s a big girl in the public eye and is fair game for those who choose to weigh in on her actions/inactions…get over it ladies…

Comment by Anonymous45 Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:20 am
wow bill. if you only you had been this hard on blago these past years…

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:26 am
Amy - What I learned was quite the opposite. Trivial personal attacks do little to boost the attacker’s standing, but they tend to energize the target’s base.

But your right, moderation is well-needed.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:27 am
Republicans are trying to cut billions of dollars from the stimulus bill - the very money that can help working people in Illinois. Sara spent her day working to help people in the 5th district. Her vote on this bill would have been inconsequential. Her priorities were in the right place.

Comment by FlackerBacker Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:30 am
Bill -

Feigenholtz voted WITH Jack Franks and AGAINST the drug companies to create a senior drug discount program that would force drug companies to cut their profits, so i think its pretty evident what she’ll do in Congress.

Perhaps she’ll join Fritchey in supporting pension cuts that will move public employees from defined benefit to defined contribution plans as a way to trim government costs.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:32 am
anon45, it was actually miller who said to keep the personal attacks off the blog. making false accusations against a woman candidate that have to do with “cosmetics” and “face” work is pathetic and has nothing to do with issues.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:38 am
Keeping it unreal,
There you go again. Can you ever comment on your own candidate without breaking bad on the other candidates, commentors, and mentioning Todd, Rod, and anyone else you think can conjure up a vote or two. What I said or didn’t say about Rod doesn’t matter here. I never gave him 5K like Sara did.
==Sara spent her day working to help people in the 5th district.==
How did she do that exactly? Photo ops and media events? I don’t suppose it ever came up that she was running for Congress.
Maybe Barack called for some advice.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:40 am
Sorry bill, not my “own” candidate. It’s funny how you seem to attack sara with such ease, but if when someone else goes on the offensive it’s a dirty trick. And fritchey gave rod lots of dough too, don’t forget!

Sara did the right thing. people don’t care about a vote on a government reform committee as much as they do about federal funding that can help make their lives easier.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:46 am
Dogface,
==Perhaps she’ll join Fritchey in supporting pension cuts that will move public employees from defined benefit to defined contribution plans as a way to trim government costs.==
Naw, that would take courage and putting principles and personal beliefs ahead of political expediency.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:50 am
keeping it real, she put out a press release. She got zero press coverage about that release.

This was an empty, meaningless stunt combined with a fundraiser.

Y’all sound more and more like RRB every day here. His favorite tactics were: go for the stunty press pops and viciously attack anyone who pointed out the inherent meaninglessness of it all. Not to mention use the press pops to cover for a fundraiser.

She made a mistake. Not a huge one, but she made a mistake.

Accept it and move on. You’re really looking like idiots here.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 11:50 am
==Y’all sound more and more like RRB every day here.==

hmmm. mere coincidence?

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:02 pm
So it’s meaningless talk about issues that will impact people, but it’s ok to wage a political attack on her because she missed a vote that had zero chance of failing — and a bill that only forms a committee? Don’t agree with you on that one.

Comment by keeping it real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:07 pm
keeping it real: I said nothing about how she looks…how many of you DOES Sara have on the payroll anyway?…I agree with Rich…stop the bait and switch tactics…they make you and your candidate look like amateurs…

Comment by Anonymous45 Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:09 pm
lol,
I gotta admit, you are relentless. Couldn’t she have issued the press release “…about issues that will impact people…” on a day when she wasn’t supposed to be representing the people who elected her. Is that what we can expect in Congress?
Oh Sorry, I can’t be there today, Speaker Pelosi, I have to go somewhere and talk about issues that will impact people. Maybe next time.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:14 pm
Keeping it real, the stimulus bill isn’t even in the US House, it’s in the Senate. She’s not running for US Senate. And I’m pretty sure that both of our US Senators already agree with her anyway. So, yes, it was meaningless.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:15 pm
Bill -

The politically expedient thing for Feigenholtz to do would have been to SUPPORT moving from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution/401-k type plans. After all, its a politically popular idea, especially with voters in her district, who are less likely to have a defined benefit pension and more likely to have a 401-K, if they have a pension at all.

But I guess Feigenholtz, unlike Fritchey, must’ve agreed with the IFT, when it said among other things:

– Retaining a defined benefit (DB) plan is likely to cost state and local governments less over the short term. The long term cost savings of switching to a defined contribution (DC) plan are uncertain at best.

– DB plans enhance the ability of state and local governments to attract qualified employees and retain them throughout their careers. Switching to a DC plan would limit this ability, possibly producing or exacerbating labor shortages in key service areas by increasing employee turnover rates. Higher turnover rates result in increased training costs and lower levels of productivity that can, in turn, result in the need for a larger total workforce.

– DB plans help state and local governments manage their labor force by providing flexible incentives that encourage employees to work longer or retire earlier, depending on the circumstances. Switching to a DC plan would limit this flexibility and make these incentives more expensive for the employer.

– By pooling risk over a relatively large number of participants, DB plans lower the overall risk due to investment losses and participants outliving retirement benefits. Switching to a DC plan would require each individual to bear the investment and longevity risks alone, consequently requiring higher contributions than if the risks were pooled.

– DB plans earn higher investment returns and pay lower investment management fees, on average, than DC plans. Switching to a DC plan is likely to result in lower investment earnings used to fund retirement benefits and increase management costs, to the detriment of plan participants.

– DB plans provide secure retirement benefits based on a person’s salary and period of service. Switching to a DC plan is likely to result in lower and less secure retirement benefits for many long term governmental employees, including firefighters, police officers and teachers, who constitute over half of state and local government workers. State and local employees who are without Social Security coverage would be put at even greater risk.

– DB plans help sustain state and local economies by providing adequate and steady retirement benefits for a significant portion of the workforce. Switching to a DC plan may slow state and local economies, since a large number of retirees would likely receive lower retirement benefits.

– DB plans provide benefits that help ensure an adequate standard of living throughout retirement. Switching to a DC plan likely would result in pressure on state and local governments to augment DC plan benefits and require increased financial assistance for retirees.

Perhaps Fritchey was right and the IFT was wrong.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:17 pm
So Fritchey gave Rod money in 2001 when Democrats were eager to take back the mansion and nobody knew what a disaster he would turn into.

Sara gave Rod $5,000 in 2006 when we knew he was a trainwreck and under countless investigations, oh, and after she hooked somebody up with a job, landing her on the clout list.

A bit of a difference? I think so.

Comment by Keep this real Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:37 pm
Anonymous 45 at 11:20, well, i’ve never been a member of NOW but I do feel the need to defend women when they are attacked on physical appearance issues or “she’s a witch” issues, you know, the things that are not related to the real issues, even when I disagree with a woman on the real issues.

like how I disagree with Sara on her lack of appearance for an important vote. criticize away! criticize everyone on issues of substance. this blog serves the issues well.

as one of the few on this blog who uses a nickname that indicates that I am a woman, i think you are giving a blanket
generalization to women who post here. i’m sure there will be many women who give public support to other candiddates
in this race based on the issues.

Comment by Amy Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:44 pm
While we are on that subject I have always suspected that Vanilla Man is a woman.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:47 pm
>

Rich, you couldn’t have put it better. The commenters to this thread ought to be ashamed of themselves.

I know Sara, Quigley, and Fritchey personally, to varying degrees, for a long time. All three have been good stewards of their positions and good representatives of their districts. It is a shame that we can only elect one of the three to Congress, and a bigger shame that they and their supporters - who probably agree 98% on the issues - are at each other’s throats.

To those of you who have implied that Sara is “selfish” or “stupid”, or that Quigley’s in bed with Stroger, or that Fritchey is just a mudslinger: you either don’t know these fine public officials, or you yourself are nothing but a stupid, selfish mudslinger.

I would be honored if any of these three become my next representative in Congress, warts and all.

Comment by Mr. Know-it-All Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:54 pm
I don’t live in the 5th District, but, man, it’s fun watching the Democrats claw at each other. This is going to be a fun campaign to follow.

Comment by Fan of the Game Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 1:11 pm
What it comes down to for me is the perception thing. It was a big mistake for Sara not to take part in this vote because of the campaign ads she basically handed her chief opponents.

Does missing one vote tarnish her record? Nah. But which flyer do you think will get more records:

“Rep. Feigenholtz supports puppies and children”
or
“Rep. Feigenholtz is the only member of the Illinois House who doesn’t think the politics of Rod Blagojevich need to change”

Because I know which *I* think will grab more votes. Doesn’t mean it’s right. Does mean it’ll happen.

Comment by Concerned Observer Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 1:34 pm
Exactly, Concerned Observer. Whether Feigenholtz’s vote was needed to pass the bill is inconsequential. Whether she was doing something more productive for her constituents at the time is inconsequential. The fact is her absence will make great ad copy for her opponents, and that is what people will remember.

Most of the folks who read/post on the CapitolFax Blog are pretty astute when it comes to politics (and I am a state politics neophyte). But the “common” voter really knows little about their cnadidates. A quick cutline like you posted above can ruin her chances with many voters who have no real background on the candidates.

Comment by Fan of the Game Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 2:01 pm
- Bill - Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 12:47 pm:

While we are on that subject I have always suspected that Vanilla Man is a woman.

Considering your batting score regarding Blagojevich and other predictions - that doesn’t surprise me.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 2:13 pm
Congratulations Rep. Fritchey on being chosen as organized labor’s endorsed candidate for 5th CD. Congratulations to the Illinois AFL-CIO for picking the best candidate. That many working women and men can’t be wrong.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 2:32 pm
Look John -
How many times do Bill and I agree on something? He can’t even agree I am a man! We’ve been lobbing verbal bombs and zingers at one another for years. Fortunately, he throws like a girl.

But we both agree you are the guy. My decision is based on the work you have done, and the public statements you have made. You rocked the boat when it needed to be rocked, and few were interested in even trying. You got things done, and have been a part of many good things. That is why I support you for the Democratic primary nomination.

As for Bill, god only knows what is going on under that dome of his. But, it seems that for once, (or twice), he is making the right call, and I’m not one to ever fight him when he figures something out correctly, as this happens so very rarely!

The stars seem not only to be aligned for you, endorsements coming from the right people also count. Even Feigenholtz has been doing her best to stumble over issues that contradict her messages.

Stay honest and you’ll go far. Don’t be like Bill.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:00 pm
=== Congratulations to the Illinois AFL-CIO for picking the best candidate. That many working women and men can’t be wrong. ===

Let’s see: AFL-CIO only endorsed Rod Blagojevich four times for Governor, right?

Sorry Bill, I love the AFL-CIO too, but I couldn’t resist!

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:18 pm
That’s right. ..and he won four times.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:25 pm
lol

It’s good to see that Bill has a new pet.

Fritchey better hope that the Bill curse has been contained to RRB, however.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:35 pm
Bill curse???
I haven’t lost one in a loooong time. What they do once they get in is their own fault.

Comment by Bill Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:38 pm
Vanilla Man at 4 p.m. “Fortunately, he throws like a girl.”

oh, you mean you like bill cause he throws it well.

Comment by Amy Friday, Feb 6, 09 @ 4:54 pm