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Oddities and ends

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Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says he knew ahead of time that his Corrections Department planned to begin releasing some prisoners after just a few days behind bars.

But Quinn wouldn’t explain Wednesday why he halted the practice after The Associated Press reported the release of hundreds of inmates - including some convicted of violent crimes.

The Chicago Democrat also refused to say whether he knew the release program would include violent criminals.

* Sen. Rickey Hendon says Speaker Madigan and other top Dems are deliberately undercutting Gov. Pat Quinn…

“They want to screw Pat Quinn so he can’t win,” state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat running for lieutenant governor, told the Daily Herald editorial board Tuesday.

Hendon claims this is why House Speaker Michael Madigan, chairman of the Democratic Party, didn’t try harder to pass an income tax that Senate Democrats had approved to help Quinn balance the budget.

“Mike Madigan could pass a ham sandwich in the House if he wanted to,” Hendon said.

Asked specifically if he thought Democratic powers were conspiring against Quinn, Hendon was resolute.

“Yes, they set Pat Quinn up to fail. There is no question about it,” Hendon said.

Quinn set himself up to fail, but they just let him fall.

* Charles Thomas of ABC7 light-heartedly blogs about Mark Kirk’s Democratic “stalker”…

For months, wanna-be Senator Kirk has faced one of the toughest political operatives in the country. Her name is Kathleen Strand. She’s the senior vice president of a political consulting outfit called The Dover Group which has been hired by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to give Kirk as much grief as possible during his “lead pipe cinch” primary campaign.

Strand is a Chicago native who since 2003 has worked various democratic campaigns in 12 states. She solidified her rep as Hillary Clinton’s communications director during Clinton’s improbable comeback victory in the 2008 New Hampshire Primary. Now, Strand watches and records Kirk’s every political move and word. Whenever she thinks the moderate northshore congressman has changed his position on an issue (usually moving to the right to placate the more conservative statewide republican base), Strand speaks, writes, telephones and e-mails “flip-flop” alerts to the political universe. Her latest “outreach” is a web page called “Two Faced Kirk” (http://www.dscc.org/twofaced/) complete with a YouTube video.

I met Strand, a University of Missouri journalism graduate, last summer outside a DuPage County republican event that featured the congressman around the time he announced his Senate candidacy. Initially, I mistook the slim blond standing in the parking lot for some kind of Mark Kirk groupie. Big mistake. She was banned from doing her thing inside the building by hotel security but it didn’t stop her from holding court outside on Kirk’s now-infamous change of heart on cap and trade legislation.

* I can think of something else that would be “awesome.” My life without goofs like Rod Blagojevich’s attorney…

Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam said following a hearing in the case that it would be “an awesome experience in any career” to question Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing but did answer questions from federal investigators.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 2:37 pm

Comments

Quinn can’t refuse to answer those questions. He’s in the NFL now — which means Not For Long if he refuses to be accountable.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 2:42 pm
Maybe having the Cook County Democratic Party endorse Pat Quinn was part of a grand strategy by MJM to undercut Quinn.

But if Quinn isn’t up to the job of dealing with nefarious, counterintuitive ploys by Michael Madigan, he probably shouldn’t be governor for four years.

I’ve heard the complaint from the Quinn camp that Madigan has a whole bunch of experience at thwarting governors and generally making their political lives difficult.

OK.

But I fail to see how MJM outmaneuvering Quinn makes the case Quinn should be re-elected. MJM doing political jujitsu on Quinn might make me feel sympathy for Quinn, but it doesn’t persuade me to re-elect Quinn as governor.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 2:50 pm
Thankfully we have Rickey to keep this primary season interesting.

Comment by WOW Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 2:52 pm
While we recognize that big business pretends to support open markets and competition - we also have to recognize that government is also controlled by leaders who believe that the rules they write should always favor them.

That is why we have the Internet and the Media, uh, I mean…just the Internet…

At least until Durbin shuts down anyone writing about government that isn’t taking a salary as a journalist that he identifies as a certifiable journalist.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 3:00 pm
Speaking of Meister, he was just mentioned in a very odd story about State Seantor Heather Stean’s husband Leo Smith:

State Senator’s Husband Crashes Opponent’s Party
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/politics/leo-smith-jim-madigan-fundraiser

At first I couldn’t imagine why Meister was at this relatively small event, then I remembered that Meister is gay as is Madigan (Steans opponent) and it made more sense that he would be there. It is interesting that we have several candidates running this election who are gay but where that seems not to be part of their campaign.

Comment by Lakefront Liberal Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 3:09 pm
It’s not often true, but Rickey Hendon’s right. That isn’t an argument to help Quinn, but it’s true that Madigan has clearly decided to sacrifice the Governor’s office in order to save his majority, and if the whole state of illinois gets the shaft in the process, well that’s just your fault for living here. What’s the point of having a majority if you’re not going to use it when it matters? I’d respect the speaker more if he was for something I hated instead of just being for nothing in order to save his own skin.

And having a tracker just makes me appreciate the Dems more. There’s a very thin line she can’t cross but everything up to that is just good politics. Remember how Blagojevich got a great commercial out of Topinka talking about veterans? She put her foot in her mouth and a tracker was there to tape it. Given how much Kirk says different pandering things to different groups this makes a lot of sense.

Comment by Screwball Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 3:33 pm
Rickey Hendon, while right about the power of Mike Madigan, could be the Dems version of the LaRouchies who won in the primaries. If the GOP makes an issue out of some of his more, er, “out there” statements and remind voters that Lt. Guvs do become Guvs, I could see it having an impact.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 3:50 pm
Capt Fax left this part of the Hollywood item out”…Madigan has offered no endorsement in this governor’s race.

Told of Hendon’s comments, a Madigan spokesman had this reaction:

“That kind of delusional commentary from Mr. Hendon only demonstrates why Art Turner would be a great person to be the lieutenant governor,” said spokesman Steve Brown….”

A quick check of What Madigan has been “for” reveals $1 billion in electric rate relief and not giving away lucrative gaming positions at top of the list. Then there was trying to stop predatory lending before the banking scum killed us all….the list is very long Ms/Mr Screwball, thanks for asking

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 3:57 pm
I wonder if an apparatchik like Ms. Strand has any self awareness of the damage that she and her masters are doing to politics in the United States? Who wants to run for office if running for office means being followed around by the likes of her, ideologues who care not for a functioning democracy but for narrow political interests? Did America benefit from the macaca incident? Hillary Clinton’s mistake about landing in Sarajevo? Perhaps she should read a bit more Tom Paine and less Saul Alinsky.

Comment by walter sobchak Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 4:35 pm
Oh CFS in the list of what he’s “for”, one of the things you list is for what he’s against. Hilarious.

Comment by Screwball Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 4:50 pm
Walter
you must being kidding, right Candidates have been shadowed for decades. It is the only way to try and fact check the nonsense they spew out
This is especially true now that the media is downsizing their reporting on public policy news to make room for more Tiger and other celebrity mope news.
Kathleen has been doing a great job of keeping track of CommandoKirk. Remember the plea for help to CaribouBarbie the downstate swing that drew zero media? These are all part of the Commando scheme and need attention

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 4:51 pm
More importantly, would Lou Lang and Jack Franks favor their religion over the speaker and vote against the ham sandwich?

Comment by Ned Racnad Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:02 pm
Walter,

Yes, America did benefit from the Macaca incident because we were spared from a goofball like George Allen. And yes, we’re better off with Barack Obama than Hillary Clinton. So I’m not really sure of your point.

Politics ain’t beanbag.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:03 pm
CFS quoting Steve Brown…now that’s funny!

Comment by Bill Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:09 pm
Walter,

What has been damaging our politics is politicians who say one thing to one audience, and the opposite to another. Chameleons like Mark Kirk need to be held accountable so voters can make an informed choice. More info is a good thing, and since the traditional media has abdicated its responsibility here, others need to step in. Anything that makes politicians more accountable is a positive in my book.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:10 pm
With the nefarious collection goofballs that we continually elect to public office I’m beginning to think that politics IS beanbag.

Comment by Bill Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:11 pm
Great, what did the macaca incident tell us about George Allen’s politics or ability as a Senator? What did Hillary’s goof tell us about her potential as a President. Perhaps the commenters above liked the ends, but my point about the means stands. As far as needing the Ms. Stranges of this world to make up for the media, we never needed a media for ‘gotcha’ politics but for reporting of facts and delivery of context. Insiders who read this site care and vote, most people don’t. Most are sickened by this sort of perverse system that substitutes faux outrage at macacas for any analysis of minor subjects like what might a ‘centrist’ candidate with a radical background like Barack Obama do when in power?

Comment by walter sobchak Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 5:43 pm
Kathleen Strand reminds of the nut who “shadowed” then Senate candidate Obama in 2004. Why would anybody do something like this with their time??

Comment by scoot Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 7:16 pm
I was thinking the same thing, scoot. And OMGosh, the Ds commenting on blogs back then were outraged. Many of the Rs weren’t happy either, including me.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 7:19 pm
Scoot, that kid tracking Obama in 04 was an anomaly. He was so over the top rude that he became the issue. The overwhelming majority of trackers are as polite (or more so) than most members of the media. And if you let the media into an event, it makes it difficult to prevent trackers. As long as they behave and don’t obstruct anything or anyone, they have as much right as anyone else to attend a public campaign event.

Seriously, this is a standard campaign tactic. Pretty widely accepted stuff, by and from both sides, and has been for almost every major election since the 90s.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 7:33 pm
47th, the article reads:

“She was banned from doing her thing inside the building by hotel security….” It sounds as if it was a DuPage County Republican event.

I wasn’t there, but why would someone be banned from a DuPage County Republican event for “doing her thing”?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 7:54 pm
By security?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 7:56 pm
Well, I’m disappointed that it turns out Quinn knew about the front-loaded good time for convicts and allowed it. I really expected that to be some mistake made by a DOC underling trying to gin up early release numbers. It is a small consolation that Quinn is admitting to it, something his predecessor wouldn’t have done, and that it had been mentioned in an editorial board meeting some time earlier, but still, its a black eye for Pat and makes him seem like he has less common sense than I credited him for. Either he’s slipping, or I had higher confidence in his leadership than maybe I should. Will be watching the “explanations” to come with great interest.

Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 8:18 pm
Quinn shouldn’t worry too much about MJM undercutting him, he should worry about Rickey Henden as a running mate. Now that’s a deep cut in the belly.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 9:04 pm
Look…The reality is that nearly 37,000 prisoners are released each year with 47% serving less than 6 months. Quinn is hopelessly behind the curve in explaining the dire straits Corrections and state government face in maintaining normal operations. His early release should be part of a comprehensive plan to “live within” the current state appropriations. The public can’t be allowed to expect services that current tax revenue are unable to provide. It;s crisis time, but Quinn is unwilling or unable politically to make the case.

Comment by Raymond Moley Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 9:24 pm
Today Illinois politics reminds me of the days back when “Bozo’s Circus is on the air!”

Comment by Geneseo Gent Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 9:42 pm
Walter,

Let me explain. It’s not just the ends that I approve of but the means. The Macaca incident revealed George Allen’s inner racism. Hillary’s incident revealed her tenuous grasp on truth and perpetual need to overpuff her experience. Both of those are valuable things for voters to know about.

As 47 said, this is standard stuff. Not sure why you’re so worked up over this.

Oh, and Anonymous754, someone would be banned in a private hotel by hotel security if the organization paying for the space demanded that they be removed because they weren’t invited. It’s not a public space so she removed herself to a public space.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Dec 16, 09 @ 9:59 pm
Bill….We would be quoting u 2 if there was anything worth saying
Merry Christmas

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Dec 17, 09 @ 9:40 am