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* Progress Illinois appears a bit bummed out by yesterday’s state central committee meeting…
As you may remember, back in early February the Scott Lee Cohen debacle spurred a refreshing amount of criticism regarding House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longstanding reign as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois — a tenure that has been marked by a laser-like focus on his House majority and complete neglect of federal races. The Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet even wrote that he had done “an awful job” as party chairman. There was even some hope that some Democratic committeemen would put up a fight when it came time to consider his reelection this spring.
As you may know by now, Madigan was unanimously reelected yesterday by the state central committee.
Political Rule Number One: The mushrooms always complain and moan, but then they always get in line. This rule most certainly applies to the Illinois House and, apparently, the state central committee.
* Anyway, after he was reelected, Madigan telegraphed some worries about the lt. governor selection process…
Asked later how confident he is about the lieutenant governor selection process, Madigan said, “I am not confident at all.”
That lack of confidence wasn’t really explained in the article. Madigan, however, went on to spin the interest in the vacancy as a positive for the party…
“We’ve been surprised by the number of applicants, but I think that it’s a good message to the Republicans that there’s a high level of interest in the Democratic Party of Illinois,” Madigan said. “At the end of the day, the process will be open, transparent, and I think that the governor and the Democratic Party of Illinois will be together.”
Central committeeman Billy Marovitz had a good question…
If a last-minute candidate becomes the nominee, Marovitz said, “It’s going to make all of us look really foolish.”
“There needs to be a chance for all of us to question the person, not just have the person foisted upon us,” he said.
Madigan responded that he would keep the nominations open. “I don’t plan to restrict my options.”
The governor says he has told Madigan who he wants for the job…
Quinn on Monday said he’s talked to House Speaker Michael Madigan about who he wants.
The governor says he’s confident a good nominee will eventually be picked.
* So, why did Quinn zero out the lt. governor’s office funding in the budget he presented last week?…
Quinn has said since the debacle with Scott Lee Cohen — which left the Democrats without a lieutenant governor candidate – that he supports keeping the position. However, the governor zeroed out the office budget for the state’s number two spot in his current spending plan. […]
Kelly Kraft with the governor’s office cautioned not to read too much into that.
“We’re going to let the newly appointed, or newly elected, come in and frame his or her own budget.”
The budget does contain a salary for the post of lieutenant governor, as required by the state Constitution and set by a state compensation review board. Whoever voters elect will receive an annual salary of $139,200 for fiscal year 2011.
Two of the candidates who want to become the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor said they’d hope to have the ability to handle their own office budget. […]
Kraft said Quinn will restore the office budget for the second-in-command after the Nov. 2 election.
“He will come into veto session in November and he will ask for a supplemental, then there will be a vote.”
* In other Madigan-related news, Republican Cook County Board President nominee Roger Keats tries to play connect the dots…
Keats outlined his main campaign strategy by trying to tie Preckwinkle to Democratic Party leaders House Speaker Michael Madigan and Board of Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios. Keats pointed to Madigan’s legal side business arguing appeals on county assessments as the “epicenter of pay-to-play politics,” adding, “This is all with the help of his pal, Mr. Pay-to-Play Jr., Joe Berrios.”
Keats cited how Preckwinkle as a ward committeeman nominated Berrios in his bid to remain chairman of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee
So, Preckwinkle nominated Berrios and that means she’s totally in league with Madigan. OK. Next?
* Related…
* SJ-R Opinion: Move primary into summer
* Keats Labels Preckwinkle “Insider Alderman”
* Statewide voter turnout hit a record low in this year’s primary
* A more honest way to remap Illinois
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 9:44 am
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Considering how some folks ran for the central committee ran as progressives (Laesch) I have to say the unanimous vote was a bit of a surprise.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 9:52 am
perhaps those who ran as progressive anti-machine candidates knew they were outnumbered so didn’t bother to nominate an alternative to madigan?
Comment by Robert Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 9:56 am
What is so unbelievable is how many of our elected officials have no interest in either reforming the political party they are a member of, or in leading Illinois.
Honestly, we could randomly select citizens and get better government than this.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 10:24 am
VM, my father has at times argued for random selection for legislators.
It would justify having two houses of the legislature if one were elected and the second picked at random.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 10:27 am
“We’ve been surprised by the number of applicants, but I think that it’s a good message to the Republicans that there’s a high level of interest in the Democratic Party of Illinois,” Madigan said.
Or maybe it’s a sign of how many people are unemployed or underemployed….and want a no-brainer job that pays well north of 100K.
Comment by RobRoy Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 10:32 am
—Considering how some folks ran for the central committee ran as progressives (Laesch) I have to say the unanimous vote was a bit of a surprise.
They all talk a good game until he stares at them.
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 10:47 am
It’s more than just the stare. The guy is amazingly personable when he has to be. He didn’t get to the top by accident.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 10:56 am
I’m tempted to add my Keyser Soze joke, but I save it for later. True, but it’s not nearly as funny.
The amazing thing isn’t him getting to the top, it’s his ability to stay there.
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 11:10 am
What I don’t get about the self-important, self-righteous, holier-than-thou blabbers at PI, folks that I doubt have walked a precinct or run a campaign in their lives (or, for that matter, have ever cleaned out a bedpan as have many of the unions members whose dues are going for their salaries) but who have all the answers about how the world should be, is how much more successful could Illinois Democrats have been up until this point? Both U.S. Senators, 12 out of 19 Congressmen, all Constitutional officers, the Illinois Supreme Court, a supermajority in the Senate, and a near-supermajority in the House.
Does it ever occur to them and others of their ilk that perhaps a heavy-handed party chairman might not be the best approach for a state in which there are many Democratic power centers, and trying to ride herd on them is a fool’s game?
And, when will Progress Illinois use its investigative and journalistic talent to treat us to an exegesis on the folly of SEIU’s super support for Rod Blagojevich? No one gave Blagojevich more money to further and sustain his rise than they. How’s that working out for us and for the Democratic Party (and ultimately for their membership if the governor’s office is lost)? Isn’t some atonement and an apology in order? I won’t hold my breath.
Comment by Willie Stark Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 11:32 am
There used to be a few independent Democrats in Springfield and the City Council who would speak up and vote against the first Mayor Daley, despite the consequences.
We no longer have even a few Illinois Democrats in elected positions willing to speak up. Pathetic.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 11:36 am
Laesch’s vote wouldn’t have made a whit of difference here. The key to any attempt to rebel against Madigan would have had to come from the African-American Congressional Districts (which have the greatest weighted vote), and particularly from Congressmen Rush, Jackson and Davis, who now all serve on as elected State Central Committeemen. Without their efforts, it is pointless to try to change the State Central Committee from Mike Madigan and his 37 cheerleaders.
Comment by fedup dem Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 11:56 am
fedup, why are you blaming this on black members? They have about 25 percent of the weighted vote. The liberals like Laesch and Ronen and people like Jay Hoffman and their ilk surely have quite a few votes themselves.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 11:58 am
it’s just pointless, to go against him, and the work of the body itself. I mean, what do they actually do? they are about to nominate a LG candidate, but they don’t actually do party work…Madigan just spends the money, so vote for the Speaker, and get out and drink. it’s all so meaningless.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 12:35 pm
The guy gave us Blago twice and keeps his job. We are bankrupt and he does not even pretend to have an answer. The only way a guy who hand picked the group of the worst leaders in the history of your state keeps his job is one word…FEAR! He is not in place because he is doing a good job or people like him. They are afraid.
I dare someone to argue that he has done good with a. chosing candidates for statewide office, b. done good in leading the budget talks with absolute control for 8 years, c. is convinced he has a viable plan to get us out of this mess.
Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 12:51 pm
===a guy who hand picked the group of the worst leaders in the history of your state===
Not quite.
Except for Lisa, whenever he tried to fill a big seat he lost. Poshard, for instance. Or when he went up against Alexi. RRB was not his choice.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 1:01 pm
Laesch is all talk. She has divided the Kane Democrats so bad that many of the old time regulars stopped going. I thought she and her husband were going to tell Mr. Madigan how he should conduct business. I hope the 37 members can stand her silly questions that tend to drag meetings out.
Comment by PinkGirl Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 1:25 pm
Keats needs a new message box. Labeling Preckwinkle an “a longtime insider tied to entrenched party corruption” isn’t going to work. She has the support of progressive organizations all over the County and as Rich points out, the link is weak.
Comment by old pol Mike Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 1:26 pm
Who else would be able to run roughshod over this diverse group of goofy politicians from all over the state? Madigan was the only possible choice. None of his former minions would ever have the nerve to even let their names be in consideration. It is Mike’s ballgame to win or lose.
Comment by Bill Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 2:32 pm
Madigan is a conservative, Irish, catholic-school guy from the southwest side. He’s just more so than most, and really good at what he does.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 2:50 pm
===a guy who hand picked the group of the worst leaders in the history of your state===
Of the current statewide officeholders, the only ones originally backed by Mike Madigan were Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes. Maybe Durbin.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Mar 16, 10 @ 3:15 pm
The reformers on the state central committee don’t actually have enought votes yet, nor a candidate that will step up and challenge Madigan. But the reform contingent gets bigger each time there is an election of central committee members. Before Illinois Dems can have a choice of leader, someone else has to be willing to step up and be nominated. No one else, as yet, wants to take on the huge job Madigan does to elect Democrats.
Comment by Ela Observer Wednesday, Mar 17, 10 @ 3:44 pm