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* Back on December 8th, activist Mary Claire Kendall wrote a story about how she and others were hoping to preserve a Hyde Park apartment building where Ronald Reagan lived for less than a year as a young child…
A hot war is now underway over the University of Chicago Medical Center’s decision to raze Reagan’s Chicago childhood home, which it announced this fall, giving no definite date (best guess: by Jan. 1). The property on which Reagan’s Hyde Park home sits is slated to become an empty lot. At the same time, the university is lobbying vigorously to build President Obama’s Presidential Library.
* A few days later, ultra conservative columnist Judi McLeod posted this blog entry, entitled “Ronald Reagan’s Boyhood Home Set for Wrecking Ball by Month’s End“…
Somewhere among the environs of the University of Chicago Medical Center, they’re about to “pave paradise and put up a parking lot”.
In political lingo, the university medical center is going to demolish the house where President Ronald Reagan grew up in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighbourhood. […]
Meanwhile back at that ranch known as the University of Chicago, university officials, which once included Michelle Obama, are tied up in a pet project of their own. They are actively lobbying for an Obama Presidential Library. Obama’s own Tony Rezko-enabled home also happens to be in the Hyde Park neighborhood. (A Google map search places the two homes less than half a mile apart.)
* The early January demolition schedule came and went. On Friday, January 25, the Reagan home activist Mary Claire Kendall wrote…
Over the holidays, when the demolition and wrecking equipment showed up on site, we sprang into action and, after lots of behind-the-scenes work from Tuesday, January 1 to Wednesday, January 9, we discerned a palpable shift in the winds.
On Friday, January 11, Eleanor Gorski, Assistant Commissioner for Historic Preservation at the Department of Housing and Economic Development in Chicago, who approves demolition permits, affirmed that she fully expects the review process will take the full 90 days—until March 29—and that granting the Reagan home landmark status, after all, is one of the possibilities they are considering. The day before, I called the department and was told by a staff person that there had been “a lot of back and forth” vis-à-vis the home at “higher levels” and someone would be contacting me. Only two days before the department spokesperson, Pete Strazzobosco, was downplaying the worth of the Reagan home. As he told the Hyde Park Herald, “It’s a pretty modest apartment building for its style and age. It doesn’t have very much style, at least not enough for the Landmarks Commission to consider a possible landmark for it.” (January 9 issue) But, the next day at 8 p.m., the University of Chicago’s student newspaper, The Chicago Maroon reported that, according to Strazzobosco, “the City of Chicago’s Historic Preservation Division will use this time to ‘reach out to the property owner and discuss alternatives to demolition.’”
On Wednesday, January 16, the Friends of President Reagan’s Chicago Home incorporated in the State of Illinois and this week we added two new board members—Don Totten, the most prominent early Illinois Republican support of President Reagan, and Dan Proft, a rising star in the Illinois Republican Party and political commentator for WLS in Chicago.
* But on the very same day that Ms. Kendall posted that item about the change in attitude, Illinois Republican gadfly William Kelly posted this “story”…
While the university is planning to kill Reagan’s home, University of Chicago is also aggressively lobbying to be the site of President Barack Obama’s presidential library.
Could the Reagan site become a parking lot for Obama’s library? Opponents of the demolition say yes.
* Which led to this Daily Mail story…
The Chicago home where the late President Ronald Reagan grew up is slated to be demolished and potentially turned into a parking lot for President Obama’s Library, it was revealed today.
* Which led to this NewsMax item…
The University of Chicago Medical Center has announced plans to turn Ronald Reagan’s childhood home in Chicago into a parking lot for President Barack Obama’s library.
* Fox News jumped in…
* And so did Drudge…
* The echo chamber forced the White House press secretary to respond on Wednesday…
To those chasing the @mailonline “scoop” about alleged Obama library parking lot - stand down. The report is false. Shocking, I know.
— Jay Carney (EOP) (@PressSec) January 30, 2013
* Also on Wednesday, Mary Claire Kendall, the childhood home preservation activist, declared the story to be a farce…
The claim published in Newsmax today and the Washington Times on Friday, re-posted in Drudge, that the University of Chicago is planning to demolish the Reagan home at 832 E. 57th Street to make way for a parking lot for the Obama Presidential Library is utterly inaccurate, according to informed sources in Hyde Park.
* The University of Chicago also denied the reports…
“832 E. 57th St. is one of a number of vacant buildings the University owns that will be taken down to allow for expansion of the medical and biological research campus,” Jeremy Manier, news director at the University of Chicago, wrote in a email to Mother Jones. “The University’s permit request currently is under review by the city. Recent media reports that have speculated on other potential uses of the property are inaccurate.”
* But Kelly was not backing down yesterday. From his Facebook page…
White House press secretary Jay Carney is responding to my story on Reagan’s Chicago home being bulldozed by the University of Chicago - which has been lobbying to be the site of Obama’s presidential library. I don’t believe Carney for a minute!
* And from an e-mail to his followers about his great scoop…
OUR STORY ON THE DEMOLITON OF RONALD REAGAN’S CHICAGO HOME GOES BIG ON DRUDGE REPORT!
COULD RONALD REAGAN’S CHICAGO HOME BECOME A PARKING LOT FOR OBAMA’S LIBRARY?!
RAHM’S PLAN: DEMOLISH REAGAN’S HOME?
A big thank you to Drudge Report, Newsmax, WND, Daily Mail and other publications that picked up my latest column on the demolition of Ronald Reagan’s Chicago home.
As of this morning the column had 11,000 likes and hundreds of thousands of views!!
Sheesh.
…Adding… Michael Reagan, one of the president’s sons, doesn’t care about the Chicago home…
Chicago Home didnt mean squat to my father.Please do supoort his boyhood home I do and so did my father.nps.gov/nr/travel/pres…
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) January 30, 2013
@mahockeymom Here is the home you should support in Illinois.nps.gov/nr/travel/pres…
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) January 30, 2013
@ericbolling The Reagan homes that need and are being protected are in Tampico&Dixon not Chicago..nps.gov/nr/travel/pres…
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) January 30, 2013
Pls.For the last time my fathers real boyhood homes in Tampico and Dixon are fine.PLEASE dont buy into the Chicago story.
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) January 31, 2013
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:36 am
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Newsmax….enough said. the birthers have moved on to something else.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:41 am
This weird story aside, is it actually true that U. of Chicago wants to be where Obama’s presidential library is located. Taking politics out of the equation, that may be a huge boon for the South Side. Apparently the Clinton Library sparked huge amounts of redevelopment and tourism to Little Rock.
Comment by Mowatcher Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:42 am
“Don’t it always seem to go,
that you don’t know the truth, until it’s too late.
They aren’t paving Reagan’s house, or putting up a parking lot.”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:43 am
Geez, anyone from Dixon want to answer the slur that Reagan grew up in Chicago?
Many years ago, a slumlord in Davenport was fighting a teardown order for an empty firetrap he owned down by the river — the Vale Apartments — because Reagan lived there a few months when he worked at WOC radio.
He claimed he had funders in line to turn it into a musuem, once he got landmark status. Yeah, right.
Here is a list from the Reagan library of every place Reagan ever lived. The family moved around Illinois quite a bit.
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/residences.html
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:49 am
I just had a special and magical idea: a primary featuring William Kelly and Joe Walsh. That would be the logical next step following Kelly’s trailblazing 2010 campaign.
Comment by The Captain Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:49 am
Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. How many political campaigns have been won by that philosophy?
Comment by Not It Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:50 am
My gosh . . . he lived there for one entire year . . . truly on a par with all the great American monuments. Should be treated with the same respect as Gettysburg.
Comment by Uggie Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:52 am
They aren’t demolishing the former Reagan home, but they should. They already have enough shrines to the man in Dixon IL. And really, the man who brought us Iran/Contra and Olly North and the list goes on and on…He also singlehandedly began the process of tanking our economy. He wasn’t a great actor, but he was a worse President. Go ahead and scream and yell, the truth hurts..
Comment by Not a teacher Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:55 am
I seem to recall from the tour of the home in Dixon, that he lived a whole bunch of places for a while as a kid.
Wonder how/if Kelly responds to Micheal’s statement.
Comment by OneMan Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:57 am
I have a cigarette butt once smoked by Barack Obama in Norb Andy’s back room. Chris Matthews bought it from me for $40 and has built a shrine in his MSNBC office around it.
Some politicians are worshipped.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 11:59 am
Sorry — I’m still trying to process the “Dan Proft as rising star in the GOP” concept…
Comment by soccermom Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:03 pm
- Not a teacher -,
I won’t scream, heck I won’t even yell.
Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. Ronald Reagan won re-election, and is still considered a fine president, and the “Great Communicator”.
Illinois, and Dixon Illinois, should be proud and if Illinois and Dixon specifically wants monuments, let them have it.
With kindest personal regards, I remain.
Sincerely yours,
Oswego Willy
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:03 pm
===Sorry — I’m still trying to process the “Dan Proft as rising star in the GOP” concept…===
Our “tent” has a low ceiling?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:05 pm
Yet again with Oswego Willy on this…
He lived there less than a year and the family says it isn’t a big deal even if it was coming down.
Then again consider the source here. Half tempted to ask him on facebook, but not in the mood for the flack.
Comment by OneMan Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:06 pm
–Dan Proft, a rising star in the Illinois Republican Party–
Soccermom, I think that means he probably couldn’t sink any lower, any way you want to look at it.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:07 pm
So the right wing echo chamber creating a new “Constitutional Crisis” over nothing–happens every 5 minutes or so :->
train111
Comment by train111 Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:17 pm
Great story dissection Rich. What a farce.
I have lived in Illinois my whole life. I remember Reagan’s presidencies very well. I have been to Dixon and heard all about the Reagan Center at Eureka College. But most of the Reagan legacy stuff is in California.
Until today I never knew he lived in Chicago for a single day. How important could this be to the Reagan legacy?
If there were no Obama tie to U of C there not even be any protest over this demolition. Did the Reagan admirers raise money to preserve and promote this site at all in the last 30 years?
Comment by siriusly Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:20 pm
At first I had to do a double take. It originally seems that the story of Ronald Reagans boyhood home turned into Dan Marino having a love child on Fox News. I thought, wow that story got out of control fast! LOL
Comment by Fred's Mustache Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:26 pm
And there is a question as to why the GOP and conservatism doesn’t resignate with voters in Illinois?
When there’s self-described, narcissistic, selfish, self-serving allegedly conservative GOP leaning folks like Kelly, Proft, Andrzejewski and Walsh who will say anything just to see their names in the media - the GOP and the conservative movement has NO CHANCE in Illinois!
Rich, they don’t deserve your print. But exposing their pathetic attempts at relevancy provides great comic relief for the sane and the Democrats! .
Comment by Seriously? Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:27 pm
look, the reagan legacy is *very* profitable and no one should be surprised when someone tries to hone in on that revenue stream…
Comment by bored now Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:30 pm
what siriusly said. If I ever knew RR lived in Chicago, I forgot it a long time ago.
PS: LOL, VMan!
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:34 pm
Boy, you can tell Michael Reagan’s blood pressure is rising on each successive tweet. Good on him for calling them out so forcefully on this ridiculousness.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:39 pm
- Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. How many political campaigns have been won by that philosophy? -
Any campaign that one the election.
Comment by SirLankselot Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:41 pm
Previous post should read “won” instead of “one.” That’s embarrassing.
Comment by SirLankselot Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:43 pm
Bill Kelly?
The guy who finished third in the race for GOP Committeeman of the 42nd Ward? Could somebody remind me why anybody cares what he has to say?
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 12:59 pm
I’m more concerned that William Kelly’s Facebook page indicates that someone actually married that guy.
Comment by Major Frank Burns Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:03 pm
Actually, the most hilarious part of that Facebook page is the photos of Dick Morris endorsing him in that 42nd Ward GOP committeeman race.
Comment by Major Frank Burns Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:08 pm
So…this story has been more than proven false, but the Newsmax/Drudge/FNC crowd insists it’s true.
Anyone want to start a fundraising effort to make it happen? I’d hate for them to run out of things to be angry about.
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:12 pm
For what is worth it looks like the Fans of Squeezy The Pension Python page on Facebook has more likes than he does.
Comment by OneMan Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:15 pm
If you take a map of Illinois, put a dot on every place Reagan lived, and connect the dots, it looks like a work by Pollack.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:19 pm
—it looks like the Fans of Squeezy The Pension Python page on Facebook has more likes than he does.—
Well, naturally.
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:20 pm
Don’t worry Bill, they still have that story about how Obama is going to magically change the law that says he can’t run again, and then he’s going to run for a third term.
Why do all the women on Fox look like blow up dolls?
Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:20 pm
Skeeter, Major Frank Burns you guys are killing me with that Bill Kelly stuff! Just spit Diet Coke all over my keyboard.
Comment by siriusly Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:23 pm
This is a perfect illustration of how the right-wing echo machine generates “news” that results in large numbers of people having no clue what the truth is. Romney is going to win by a landslide! It would be sad if it wasn’t so dangerous.
Comment by TwoFeetThick Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:35 pm
I heard that Obama and Bill Ayers were going to have it shipped to Kenya.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:41 pm
Typical Chicago self-importance, and that the rest of the state doesn’t exist. Reagan lived at the Hyde Park address for one year when he was four years old.
He lived in Dixon ten years, including his formative years of attending junior high grades and high school.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum and Archives at the U of Texas
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/residences.html show all of his Illinois residences, and put his Hyde Park year into some perspective.
Comment by Joe M Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:51 pm
Joe,
Self-importance?
I think I speak for all Chicago residents when I report that, other than Bill Kelly, none of us care.
And Kelly only cares because he thinks that, just maybe, this will be his “Panda Gives Birth” story that will head him straight to network!
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 1:57 pm
—Typical Chicago self-importance, and that the rest of the state doesn’t exist—
What is this “rest of the state”? Doesn’t compute…
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:12 pm
Crazy whackjobs and the many different Reagan residences aside, as a southsider, I think its kind of cool that another president spent some time living on the southside. If there was anything that could be done to promote the residence and the area, why not try to save the building?
Comment by Frank Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:15 pm
You could put it in the middle of the Obama Museum, that would drive some folks nuts…
Comment by OneMan Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:20 pm
Oh, and thanks to 3rd Place Bill and the other wingnuts for once again making Illinois look stupid on a national level.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:21 pm
–Typical Chicago self-importance, and that the rest of the state doesn’t exist. –
I hardly think “Chicago pride” is the motivation behind the likes of Proft and Kelly. Or Fox.
If you read anything about Reagan, especially his own words, you know Dixon and Tampico were home.
His official biographer, Edmund Morris, has said that before the light went out from the Alzheimer’s, Reagan’s last cogent memories were not of Hollywood, or being governor, or being president, but of being a lifeguard on the Rock River.
As a kid reporter, I got to cover and be in Reagan’s motorcade twice on his national victory tour in the last year of his presidency: once, when he returned to WOC in Davenport, the other when he, his brother and their wives visited the childhood home in Dixon (on a day about 30 degrees colder than today).
Whatever your politics, you can’t help but being struck by his truly humble beginnings. I don’t know if even Reagan — the self-described King o the B-movies — could have pulled off on film the role he lived in life.
Some people thought Reagan was corny, but the truth is, he lived it.
Perhaps something positive could come out of this silly stuff from Proft and Kelly.
Certainly, there must be a spot, either inside the Dome or out, for a statue of the only president to be born, educated in public schools and graduate from college in Illinois.
If you don’t think there would be statewide and bipartisan support for that, check out Reagan’s Illinois vote totals.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:25 pm
Although (as a U of C homer) I would be delighted if the President chose to locate his library in Hyde Park, I doubt he wants the parking lot — much less the actual library — in the shadow of one of the campus chiller plants and the giant new medical center building.
Comment by John K Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:35 pm
President Obama’s Library should be in Hawaii. That is where he grew up and that is where he goes on vacation. He is Hawaii’s son and not Illinois. The current Mayor “E” is going to revive South Chicago so a library is not needed.
Comment by Hickory Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:43 pm
—Certainly, there must be a spot, either inside the Dome or out, for a statue of the only president to be born, educated in public schools and graduate from college in Illinois.—
Oh but there is. At Scheel’s.
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:46 pm
http://blogs.sj-r.com/alo/index.php/2011/07/08/scheels-outdoor-presidents-including-an-abraham-lincoln-rerun/
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:47 pm
“I have a cigarette butt…”
Oops, that’s not a cigarette butt.
Comment by wishbone Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 2:51 pm
- wordslinger -,
Thanks for dropping the knowledge. Had to be a heck of a ride those times out with President Reagan.
I know I could use some brushing up on my Reagan personal history and the Illinois Roots.
Very cool stuff.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:08 pm
soccermom nails the most ridiculous part of this ridiculousness:
“Sorry — I’m still trying to process the “Dan Proft as rising star in the GOP” concept… “
Comment by just sayin' Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:13 pm
Most would be embarrassed, but not Bill Kelly. “Gadfly” is one of the kinder descriptions I can think of.
I hope this doesn’t take away from his efforts to “repeal” via the drivers license for illegal immigrants legislation that he recently announced. So you didn’t think that legislation could be repealed by a referendum, huh? In Bill Kelly’s Illinois, apparently you can.
Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:24 pm
As if any more evidence were needed that right-wing conservatives use Reagan as some kind of sacred empty vessel into which they pour all their crazy ideas and then shame anyone who dares to challenge the legacy of the communist-destroying, great-communicating champion of laissez faire capitalism. Anyone with even the most basic knowledge of Ronald Reagan knows he was hardly raised in big-city Chicago, but was actually from Dixon. It was a central part of the narrative he created, which helped make him such a great politician. Of course, Ronald Reagan also supported a progressive income tax and gun control legislation,and he presided over one of the largest increases in government spending, federal employee hiring and national debt growth that our nation has ever seen. None of that matters to the ideologues who point to Reagan as evidence that their extreme agenda was once favored by the country’s favorite Republican. Nor do any of the many falsehoods and distortions in the Reagan home/Obama library scandal matter to those who will go to any lengths to generate resentment and anger toward Obama.
Comment by us436 Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:24 pm
Having lived around the corner from this “boyhood home” while Reagan was president, no one ever knew that Reagan had lived there. I take Michael Reagan at his word that the Hyde Park residence was a lot less significant than Dixon was in RWR’s lifetime.
That said, Hyde Park was home to some of the Reagan era’s important figures, including Art Laffer (of the Laffer Curve) and Antonin Scalia (who taught at the University of Chicago’s law school before becoming a federal judge in ‘82).
Comment by Boone Logan Square Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:28 pm
us436, well done.
The only presidential history the far-right twists, abuses and lies about more than Reagan’s is FDR’s — who Reagan voted for four times and was, indeed, his model.
They finally admit, at least, they’re down on TR because he was one of those “progressives.”
Because, as well all know, before he came around with all his crazy ideas like conservation, clean water and food that wouldn’t kill you, life in 1901 was a lot better for everyone in the United States than it is in 2013.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:36 pm
=Oh, and thanks to 3rd Place Bill and the other wingnuts for once again making Illinois look stupid on a national level.=
Thank goodness your scope is so limited, word. If you were to take a look at some of the national news, you’d see that specific allegations against at least one elected official are making the US look more than stupid.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:41 pm
- us436 -,
Wow.
Awesome.
Thank You.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:41 pm
(And I seriously cannot believe that I just kind of defended William Kelly.)
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:46 pm
Adding to the comments of US436. Reagan had a natural smile and an easygoing manner. The voters connected with him. The new conservatives need to realize that a little humble pie will get you a lot farther than pith and venom.
Comment by Endangered Moderate Species Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:49 pm
=What is this “rest of the state”? Doesn’t compute…=
If you have to ask, then you must be from the Chicago area? I’ll try to explain it. But probably only those from “downstate” will understand.
- Its being told that you live “downstate” when you live in Galena, IL.
- Its online newspapers like the Chicago Tribune having a Chicago News and a National News section, and a World news section, but no Illinois News section
- Its the general notion that if it doesn’t affect the Chicago area, then its not important.
- Its Chicago metro folks who not only have never been to Belleville, Decatur, Marion, Quincy, Macomb, Havana, Cuba, San Jose, etc. but they also don’t’ know where they are - and have never heard of them, nor do they care.
- Its people from the Chicago area telling me they live in this suburb or that suburb, and I’m supposed to be impressed.
- Its seeing so much the General Assembly go the way Chicagoites, Madigan and Cullerton widh, or whatever other Chicago politician happens to be in power.
- Its thinking that Chicago area is the only place that exists in Illinois. Every place else is this vague “downstate” area
- Its folks who apparently want to put a spin that somehow Ronnie grew up in Hyde Park, when he only lived there 1 year when he was four years old.
- Its the way the Chicago urban sprawl just keeps eating away more and more farms and small towns.
- Its folks who still think that the Cubs are a better team and franchise than the Cardinals.
- Its the idea that many of the folks from the Chicago metro area don’t have any idea or care where their food comes from.
:) I am just being rather tongue in cheek, but there is a huge difference from being from the Chicago area, or living in the rest of the state.
Comment by Joe M Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:51 pm
Joe,
You really don’t get it.
None of us here particularly care.
It is only a few right wing dingbats that claim Chicago had some major connection.
Stop blaming us.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:55 pm
===- Its folks who still think that the Cubs are a better team and franchise than the Cardinals.===
Slow down.
Now…you are getting personal.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 3:57 pm
===:) I am just being rather tongue in cheek, but there is a huge difference from being from the Chicago area, or living in the rest of the state.
===
There are differences, sure. But I went to school in Champaign, and have met and am still friends with a lot of people from all over “downstate” Illinois. You all aren’t as different from us “Chicagoans” as you think
Comment by Frank Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:00 pm
Joe M. —- I hope you are speaking for yourself. There are many of us folks who are proud to be from downstate and proud to have Chicago as a big part of our State. Go Cubs!!!!!
Comment by Endangered Moderate Species Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:04 pm
Sorry. My bad. My 3:41 should have been addressed to “Arthur Andersen.” That was his quote.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:06 pm
Not everything can be saved. The Wigwam Hotel (where Lincoln was inaugurated)certainly wasn’t kept - there’s a great big skyscraper on the site now. But there is a plaque. Why not stick a plaque in front of the site of the former Reagan home? Never hurts to stick a nice little sign in the ground explaining something vaguely historic happened in a given location.
Comment by jerry 101 Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:14 pm
–That said, Hyde Park was home to some of the Reagan era’s important figures, including Art Laffer (of the Laffer Curve) and Antonin Scalia (who taught at the University of Chicago’s law school before becoming a federal judge in ‘82).–
C’mon, Boone. Laffer? His Cadillac commercials sucked. More like Laughter.
Laffer is snake oil — Milton Friedman is the father of Chicago School economics and a force to be reckoned with.
I covered Scalia’s confirmation hearings, when Reagan put him and Rehnquist for Chief Justice up at the same time.
Smilin’ Joe Biden, chairman of the judiciary committee, gearing up for a White House run, gave Scalia a pass, and the Dems went all out against Rehnquist.
Oops, lol.
Scalia is a serious force,
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:14 pm
–I’ll try to explain it. But probably only those from “downstate” will understand.–
If you have to try to explain, you don’t get sarcasm. But that’s limited to you. My extensive downstate family is pretty fluent in sarcasm.
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:18 pm
PS, I just read the tongue in cheek comment. So, ignore the above.
PPS. I also dislike the Cubs. Go Sox!
Comment by Bill F. Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:19 pm
I hope that no one is taking me too seriously when I talked about Chicago vs downstate. Maybe I did get a little carried away. But I meant it more lighthearted than it came out. Mainly, I was just repeating many of the things I hear about Chicago in the downstate Illinois coffee shops. For a lot of downstate people, anything from DeKalb/Sycamore, East, is Chicago!
Comment by Joe M Friday, Feb 1, 13 @ 4:38 pm