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Is rhetoric like this too over the top or is it fine for August when Topinka can provide a little red meat for the base?
“This man has driven this state into such hole and we have to dig it out now,” Topinka said Tuesday from the Double Tree Hotel. “We haven’t had hurricanes or tsunamis like some states. We’ve had our own disaster. We had Rod Blagojevich, and that’s just finished us.” […]“Where’s he been for four years?” Topinka asked of the governor. “Now he’s decided in the final throws of an election that he’s going to have an energy policy. We don’t have an energy policy. We have press conferences, government by press conference.” […]
“How’s he going to pay for it? His relationship with the Legislature is horrible so there’s also the question how he could do this,” Topinka said after the event before boarding the bus. “This is more pie in the sky from the governor.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 5:17 am
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“Now he’s decided in the final throws of an election that he’s going to have an energy policy.”
Pot calling the kettle black. We are in the final throws of the election, in August? And regardless of whether or not we are in the final throws of the election, Sistah Judy has had little TO NO POLICY! Her education plan. . .very little details. Her healthcare plan. . .CUT, CUT, CUT! Her legal reform bill or something like that, whatever it is.
If a state is in the position to 1) provide leadership on the energy crisis and 2) create jobs it should. That is what Rod is doing. While Judy and her crew ride around in their Common Sense express or whatever they call it and try to pit downstate versus Chicago. One candidate has ideas, a vision for the state and he seeks to look for solutions that benefit all the people of Illinois. The other candidate? No ideas and she seeks to divide us.
Comment by wndycty Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 5:45 am
“Where’s he been for four years?”
this looks like it’s the synthesis of her message. where’s he been? chicago, obviously. this will play great downstate — but i sorta figured she had their vote wrapped up.
so the question is, how does it play to non-partisans/independents in the collar counties?
Comment by bored now Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 6:29 am
Expect more of the same from the Republicans, even worste blaming and complaining is to come. They have no shame. Do not think for a second they will roll over and play dead! The Democrats must go on the offensive and point out to the good people of Illinois that we are working for the best the interests of our state and Republicans obstruct, and try to sabotage everything we do. I hope the Governor does not let the Republicans get by with their smear campaign. The Governor needs to take some tricks out of Bill Clintons play book. Drive home the fact that the Republicans obstructists have blocked every single attempt to get a Capital works project passed that would put more Illinoisans to work. To hear Republicans criticize the ethanol plan is pathetic. The first thing out of there mouth should have been, that is a very good idea, Git R’ Done! Go after them (her) Governor for complaining about something that is positive, pro-business, pro-labor, and pro-Illinois! Who are they for? Doesn’t sound like Illinois! What’s she thinking?
Comment by SilverBackDemocrat Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 6:35 am
Wyndycty: I repeat to you, again - how is all this largess going to be paid for? This state is BROKE! We have billions in unpaid bills. The gov. should trying paying bills first and putting the state on a fiscally sound track before finding new ways, daily, to spend money we don’t have - oh, silly me , I forgot, it gets his face in the papers and on other media daily. The man has more press than Paris Hilton. He operates like Wimpy - “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”
Comment by Disgusted Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 6:35 am
Well just to let Chicago people know and the Governor.A couple of ethanol plants and natural gas conversion from coal are already being built so the Gov. is already late on energy.I guess it sounds good to you partisans but it is not fooling us people in So.Illinois.If he wants to be helpfull I got an idea.Here it is harvest time so why don’t he repeal the sales tax on gas and diesel.He could use his powers as Governor and just decree it by signing the order like he has on other things and not have to put it up to a vote.Oh the job numbers for this is probably more like 2500 instead of 10000.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 6:54 am
It’s not over the top at all.
It’s about time she came out swinging after his TV ads.
Comment by Bill Baar Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 6:58 am
I see “Downstate” is falling for the Judy strategy of Chicago vs. the rest of the state. The GOP strategy of dividing us resonates with GOP partisans. Karl Rove would be proud. On to “disgusted” Rod told you how he is going to pay for it, by stepping up collections of unpaid corporate taxes. You may take issue with his plan to do so, but he has a plan to do so. HOW IS JUDY GOING TO PAY FOR HER EDUCATION PLAN? Which kids and seniors does she feel are undeserving of healthcare.
Comment by wndycty Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:02 am
I need to add if they can find this much money for election day antics why can’t they pay a few overdue bills.Common Sense says to pay your bills if you have extra cash.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:04 am
No it’s not over the top, especially if you consider the ads Blago has already run.
She should be making commercials with parents of former LDC patients, doctors and facilities that are not receiving their Medicaid payments; parents trying to find medical providers that will take AllKids patients; truckers that have left the state due to increased fees/taxes; parents that don’t think teachers should be allowed to dumb-down; state employees of poorly staffed mental health facilities; Dawn DeFraties; etc.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:14 am
wndycty it’s you that is falling for his smoke and mirrors again.Most of us are not going to fall for his bullcrap again.That’s why his approval rating is so low for a sitting governor.Take off those Blago glasses and get a real look at this phoney
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:17 am
DOWNSTATE you are telling half the story, regardless of his approval ratings, he still has a double digit lead over Judy, expect that lead to grow after Labor Day. Go ahead buy into Judy’s strategy, buy into the division. The scary thing for the Illinois GOP is this, she is their best hope to win in November and she is losing by double digits!
Comment by wndycty Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:22 am
regarding ethanol, has anybody noticed if ADM, Staley, ConAgra, those kinds of companies, have made any large campaign contributions to Rod lately?
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:31 am
wndycty after Labor day the real voters are going to be paying attention and they are going to give him a thumbs down like the rest of us.The only one that is going to rise in the polls is JBT.After spending millions he should be 40% over her and he not.I don’t know but you guys in Chicago must have a new brand of crack if you think he is going to pull this out.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:32 am
He Gales!, for sure, - but a Hurricane? Judy, Judy, Judy!
Comment by Pat Hickey Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:37 am
Rod’s reliance on coal and more subsidies for coal only works to ratcheting up global warming disasters AND making sustainable energy relatively less economical (by hiding coal’s expense). All for crummy coal mining jobs.
Comment by Chi Anti-Rod Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:38 am
Not over the top.
Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 7:39 am
Not over the top at all. She’s at least speaking what I believe MOST people are thinking, at least to some extent. And believe it or not, most of those people don’t post on this or any other blog, so it ridiculous for everyone to be making predictions about which candidate is the people’s choice at this time. Let them slug it out, then HOPEFULLY the voters will make an informed decision in November.
Comment by schroedk Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:01 am
It’s not over the top at all.
I agree with Baar.
Comment by So-Called "Austin Mayor" Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:03 am
Rich Whitney and company are starting to look awfully good. Common sense is the victim here. There is lots of wasted rhetoric from both candidates. They sound like just what they are, out of touch with reality political candidates. Neither have a real clue of what really needs to be done and both have handlers that look for a silver bullet but ignore the real day to day problems. How about paying down the debt, control spending on health care through preventative health care, teachers held accountable, an actual energy policy, job creation by attracting industry instead of running it off….did I mention Paying Down the Debt!!! Hairdoo has us at the very bottom nationally but I don’t think JBT has the energy, enthusiasm, or dynamics in her staff to do the job. It to will be old cronyism revisited. Maybe the Lieutenant Governor will do a better job when Hairdoo is led off by federal marshals.
Comment by Sharon Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:03 am
Where was this energy plan 2 years ago? For both Rod and JBT, cut the campaign crap and show how the state’s economy will turn around with existing dollars. Not borrowed. Not loans. Not bonds. How will you do all these promises for kids, elderly, poor and pay for it all? Anyone can say we will invest $3B in services for the good people of Illinois because they are our future. If I go to a bank or investment group and say the say thing, their first statement will be where is your money to back the investment. The state is no different.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:24 am
Considering what the Democrats and Republicans have been saying about each other for four years, and what the Governor has said about her, it’s not over the top at all.
Topinka’s much larger problem is that as she rolls out detailed plans, she’s going to start alienating people who don’t like her plans, and/or getting some of the facts wrong in her statements. The Governor’s been doing that for 3 1/2 years, and everybody who was going to hate him for his mistakes probably more or less already does. But Topinka is going to be making new enemies (not a good thing to do when you’re ten points down), starting today when she unveils her budget plan.
Moreover, whatever mistakes she makes, she won’t get to frame the issue — look at Medicaid. Everybody, even Finke (not the president of the Blagojevich Fan Club) thinks her message on that is muddled. So what most people hear about it will be the Blagojevich campaign commercials giving their take on Topinka’s plan, and you can bet that won’t be positive.
Both Blagojevich and Topinka make mistakes in their plans, but the difference is that Blagojevich has the money to define Topinka by her mistakes, and Topinka has nowhere near the money necessary to define Blagojevich by his. So as they go down the stretch, she’ll still be personally complaining about him, and she’ll come off as whiny; Blagojevich will be able to avoid going negative personally, and instead crow about his record to a base that doesn’t care that much about Springfield inside baseball, and he’ll knock down Topinka’s record with negative TV ads.
People have been criticizing that huge war chest for years, but as polls showed this spring, when the Governor spends money, it moves his numbers. He’s about to spend everything he has left, and he’s up roughly ten points. It’s unlikely he’ll cross the 50% barrier, which is deeply underwhelming for an incumbent governor in a blue state, but Topinka is in serious trouble and it’s only going to get worse from here.
Comment by Gus Frerotte's Clipboard Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:34 am
It is the same old story and the same old refrain:
The state is broke(usually in caps)
What about poor Dawn
Pay the medicaid bills
and last but surely not least Rod is going to be arrested.
None of that stuff is even remotely true.
This constant verbal abuse of the governor, his hair, his family, his taste in music, the mythical indictments and wrong doing is not going to work with voters in any part of the state.
The voters in Madison, Perry, and other downstate counties know that DuPage is not downstate. They also know that they have been screwed by DuPage Repubs for twenty years prior to the Governor’s election. They filled their pockets with cash (literally in the case of GRyan) while the real people suffered.
Where is the vision, where is the leadership, where is the substanative plan for the future?
Oh that’s right…..Judy doesn’t have any.
The voters in November will do the right thing and vote for a real leader who has real plans, real vision and who has come through for them in the past.
They will vote for Rod Blagojevich no matter where he lives.
The divisive tactics of Karl Rove,Dick Cheney,George W. Bush, and Judy Topinka will never work in Illinois. Neither will their punitive “programs” like no child left behind, Medicaid “reform”, and their abysmal failure in foreign affairs and domestic policy.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:41 am
It’s definitely over the top. She sounds like she’s losing it. Putting aside the shameless hypocricy in her comments, she sounds nuts.
She’s about the last person in Illinois I would ever vote to turn the state over to.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:45 am
so which states had tsunamis?
Comment by HANKSTER Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 9:19 am
I agree that it’s not over the top at all, especially compared to Rod’s accusations against Judy.
It is amusing reading the feigned outrage here by the Blago supporters when Rod accuses Topinka of “throwing seniors out of nursing homes”. Judy’s criticisms seem mild indeed.
Comment by William Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 9:30 am
So, Bill……..did I read that as an endorsement of Whitney??? You sure do sound paranoid. The truth sting you a bit? I bet it did!! Well, I had my five-minute break, back to work. You tell the gov the feds are a commen to git im, ya here!!
Comment by Sharon Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 9:39 am
I’d say if there are any displaced Katrina victims in the state of Illinois, Topinka has lost their votes for sure.
Comment by Coloradem Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 10:24 am
No, I don’t think she went over the top. Maybe she could have used her words a little better, such as “Natural disaster”, but all in all, I think she’s speaking what a lot of people are thinkng.
Comment by Walking Wounded Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 10:24 am
Actually, her rhetoric seems fairly tame when viewed in the context of political discourse in this state as a whole.
And although Blago is ahead in the polls, she could just benefit from the anti-incumbent message being sent by voters in early races around the country (Murkowski in Alaska lost the primary to a moderate woman). This anti incumbent sentiment may not be confined to throwing out Repubs for Dems.
But it’s not enough to say we have to pay down the debt. She has to show that she can pay down the debt and move ahead on programs Illinoisians need now, such as guaranteed access to reasonably priced health for adults, one million of them. Blago has set a number of nanny state expectations for Illinois government and, like it or not, there is no way she can go back on that now.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 10:37 am
Way over the top. She’s meaner than Alan Keyes.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 10:49 am
“Over the top”??? The quote did cause me to think of three words, but they are:
“POUR IT ON”!!!
It’s patently obvious that Judy has to capture the deep resentment and disgust so many hold towards Blagojevich. It is also obvious that she has not done so, or she would be tied, at minimum.
But this Mud War is a gunfight, and it is high time she stopped waiving a butter knife. “Pie in the Sky” and “government by press conference” are right on target.
Go GET him, Girl!!!
Comment by Bubs Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 11:03 am
Here is a guy that was spending 850 thousand a week on negitive campaign ads and when his opponent slams him back all of his minions get on a blog site and start squealing like pigs.I clicked back on here and I thought it went from Capitolfax to Rich’s Fresh Pork.From the squeling on here I would say that JBT hit a HOMERUN.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 11:31 am
How can this be considered over the top when the state has been subjected to months of the current governor’s ads of lies, half-truths and innuendos? Based on the current governor’s track record Topinka’s comments appear to be well within the bounds that Blago has set for himself anyway. These are all just campaign style comments.
Comment by Sound Reasoning Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 11:46 am
Keep it up Judy!! 5 more months Blago
Comment by scoot Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 11:52 am
VanillaMan,
Let’s put the merits of the idea that the Blago administration is sending people to this website aside for just a second…
What purpose would that serve? I would say 95% or more of the people who come to this website know who they are going to vote for in November. Coming to this website without having a favorite political party is kind of like someone going to ESPN (or even better Baseball Prospectus.com) and saying, “All the teams are my favorite!”. Then again with poll numbers like Blago’s, maybe he’s starting to court voters who have high negatives. Hey, everyone else says they are going to vote for him. Wouldn’t you say 35%-39% of voters have high negatives of Blago, Vanilla?
Tweed
In reference to Judy’s comments about Blago/hurricane, I thought Judy was familiar with Springfield and central Illinois. While the tornados that hit Springfield did not cause hurricane sized devastation, the town was in disarray for quite awhile and suffering lingering effects. One last thing, I wonder who the mayor of the nation’s largest would want as his governor in a time of weather crisis…
Comment by Tweed Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 11:56 am
It isn’t over the top at all.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 12:04 pm
Hankster,
Oregon and Washington have tsunami warning areas along their coastlines. It’s a real danger in the Pacific northwest.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 12:14 pm
no, its not over the top. no more than Fraudojevich saying he rocked the system or cleaned up Springfield.
Madigan in 2010.
Comment by Rod Fraudojevich Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 1:27 pm
wndycty at 5;45 am:..One candidate has ideas, a vision for the state and he seeks to look for solutions that benefit all the people of Illinois…
SBD at 6:35 am:…go on the offensive and point out to the good people of Illinois that we are working for the best the interests of our state..
Bill to close at 8:41 am:..The voters in November will do the right thing and vote for a real leader who has real plans, real vision and who has come through for them in the past.
They will vote for Rod Blagojevich…
Way to stay on message, guys. It’s so easy to live in Blagoworld; bills don’t have to be paid, laws don’t have to be followed, the other branches of government don’t exist, it’s all good.
No way JBT is over the top.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 1:46 pm
She can make any political allegations she wants, thats politics…but comparing the “disaster” she sees with the Governor to what people went through with Katrina is insensitive, wrong, and abusrd.
Comment by BIG MIKE Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 1:50 pm
Not even close to being over the top. State bond debt rose from $7 billion to $21 billion during the Blago years. The state still has a $5 BILLION defict. Some medical providers are coming up to 2 years with little or no reimbursement. And we have a governor who can only manage to govern through Press Releases.
BTW. Did you hear the one about how Illinois has to pay over $500,000 in legal fees because Blago signed an unconstitutional bill into law?
Really. Were has he been? Not in law classes, not governing. Oh yeah. Campaigning and collecting cash for favors. What a Putz.
Comment by Buck Flagojevich Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 1:59 pm
Art,
You are finally catching on!
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 2:02 pm
here you go JBT, a free commercial idea:
Two “meters” side by side on the screen, each spinning rapidly. The one on the left is the Blago fundraising pace of $2000 per hour sice 2003. The one on the right would be the growth in state debt since 2003. As the narrator keeps talking, the meters could start overheating, smoking, and close with the hands flying off..
Sort of a takeoff on the old joke about the guy who gets to heaven and finds St. Peter in a big room full of clocks. Puzzled, he asks about their purpose. St. Peter says they use them up there to keep track of everyone’s self-abuse frequency down on Earth. St. Peter points out to the guy where his clock was, his goofy brothe in law, and a couple others.
The guy can’t resist asking about one more. How about (George W. Bush for my Dem friends) Rod Blagojevich? Where is his clock?
“Oh, it’s in God’s office,” St. Peter said. “He uses it for a ceiling fan.”
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 2:13 pm
Not over the top… but he might respond with “What has the ruling Republican Party done over the last twenty five years?”
Comment by you cant take the politics out of politics Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 5:00 pm
“Throes” not “throws.”
These kids nowadays….
Comment by Ahem Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 5:32 pm
The Governor has paid millions to defame Judy Barr Topinka since March and she is over the top. Must be Democrats in the house.
You can’t take the politics out of politics–Please read on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the last 25 years the Republicans had a balanced budget whether times were good or bad. We had fully staffed prisons that were safe for inmates and correction officers. We had bridges that were safe and not posted at 30,000 ton weight limits that they are today all over the state. We had fully staffed public aid offices to handle the clientele which we don’t have today. We had medical providers paid on a regular basis and not owed $280,000 like a hospital in southern illinois is that I heard about today. We had fully staffed parks that were open year round 24 hours a day. We had state employees including all management get raises annually. We had a growing wine industry that wasn’t demolished by taxation of this administration. We had trucking jobs for thousands of drivers prior to insurmountable taxation by this Governor. We had someone living in the Governor’s mansion for 25 years. We had a full complement of vehicles to handle the day to day work that needs to be done. We had Governor’s who showed up at natural disasters to see the devestation. Other than that the Republicans did not do a dog gone thing.
Comment by muletown Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:22 pm
Back to Wyndycty (hours and a long work day later)
Don’t assume that because we criticize one candidate that we are for the other. Also don’t assume because people aren’t Democrats they must be Republicans. Some of us are smarter than that - we know they are all alike.
Comment by Disgusted Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 9:45 pm
Good comeback muletown! But you left out the part where the state goes billions of dollars in the hole. Sorry to nit-pick.
Comment by you cant take the politics out of politics Thursday, Aug 24, 06 @ 3:18 am