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Yesterday I asked about your favorite political memories. Today, let’s talk about your least favorite political memories.
And if you’re tempted to just write “The day (fill in the blank) was elected” or something like that, try to restrain yourself and instead come up with an actual story. Thanks.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 9:58 am
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The first 100 days of the Clinton presidency. We worked hard to get him elected, and then his initial agenda played to the far left. We thought we had wasted our time for what was sure to be a one-term president.
The other thing: It seems that the losses always have a great impact than the wins. When you win, you feel good for a few days. When you lose, it hurts for weeks. I still get annoyed when I think that people actually voted for Reagan over Mondale. As a result, “any time my candidate lost” could make the list. They all hurt.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:23 am
My least favorite memory was making calls late into the night from the Manhattan building in Downtown Chicago on primary election night 1992 to downstate Democratic Committeemen to get vote totals for Alan J. Dixon and realizing that the vote totals were lower than expected. It was my first experience on a losing campaign as a paid staffer. A more experienced staffer told me that it was over and we should take the ride to the hotel where the Senator was. It was horrible less because Carol Mosely Braun won than what Al Hofeld and done to split up the vote. What a brutal night and what a great lesson in how well-funded candidates can really trip up the “machine.”
My second but equally least favorite memory was as a 17 year old guy doing phone banking alone in the offices of then Alderman Roman Pucinski. The calls indicated he was out of touch and he was going to lose some key areas. The Alderman, who had a great Chicago political career was devastated when I shared with him the data and results that his captains werent working. It was hard to tell a legend that he might lose. Brian Doherty ran a heck of a campaign.
Comment by Taylor Street Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:49 am
The day my candidate for state rep said, and was quoted in a widely read newspaper, that he intended to be the first state legislator to break dance in the capital building rotunda. I had been working day and night on the campaign and felt like I had been personally slapped in the face for all my efforts.
Comment by Ferdy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:56 am
Carol Moseley Braun’s implosion once she was elected to the Senate. What a complete disappointment. Especially after all of the promise she had when first elected in 1992. Perhaps it wasn’t fair, but I think those of us who supported her expected more of her.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:57 am
Watching a slightly crazy man pass palm cards for an unnamed ward organization in Chicago, honestly believing he might get a job after the election for doing so. Watching the ward guys drive up in their cars during the day (I was passing for someone else) and berating the guy, when he was clearly doing the best he could. He was well within 100 feet of the doors, but the election judges felt sorry for him, so they didn’t call him on it.
Comment by ZC Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:15 am
Election night, 1994. My legislative candidate lost, then so did almost every other Democrat in Illinois and the rest of the country. Ouch.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:15 am
Anon 10:57 raises a valid point.
Carol Mosley Braun’s start was way worse than President Clinton’s. At least President Clinton recovered and ended up doing a great job. But CMB never did anything right. From her blowing off of her freshman senator orientation, to the weird dealings with her boyfriend to the scandal with her mother. It just never ended. What a massive disappointment. We would have been way better of with Al Dixon. And what in the world was she thinking with her “presidential” campaign?
I take my answer back and subsitute Anon’s.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:17 am
My first “big” campaign… I had worked my butt off as media director for a candidate for Secretary of State in Missouri. Meanwhile, the candidate for governor had gone out and got himself a federal investigation, which led to his eventual conviction. The details came out about three weeks before the election. Through no fault of our own, the entire, very promising ticket, including our guy, went down. For a few hours, there was hope. We won St. Louis County, and we were doing really well outstate, but then Kansas City came in, and all hope faded…
We lost by less than 1% to a person who later became the first Missouri Secretary of State to be IMPEACHED!
Second worst night of my life.
Comment by HoosierDaddy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:20 am
Probably when Brendan Reilly won. Not that he won, but just that the people who worked on it became so pompous…like they worked on Clinton’s ‘92 campaign. The 42nd ward was ripe for the taking. Kudos to Brendan Reilly for running, but it wasn’t that big of an upset. Waguespack was a tougher campaign to win than Reilly’s, and you don’t hear those guys slapping themselves on their back any chance they get.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:41 am
1982-Adlai beats Big Jim, then official count shows him losing by 1/7 of 1%. Illinois Supreme Court declares recount statute unconstitutional, Big Jim gets reelected, dooming state for 4 more years. 1986-LaRouchies win Lt Gov and SOS nominations in Dem primary (George Sangmeister-what a lazy campaigner!) forcing Adlai to run on the Solidarity platform. Gets crushed, another 4 years of Big Jim misery.
Weren’t some Thompson staffers charged with vote fraud? And no, I don’t like Adlai, it’s just that I loathe Big Jim.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:45 am
When the Governor (can’t recall who) signed the legislation ending the election of UI Trustees and allowing the Governor to appoint trustees.
Comment by Fire Ron Guenther Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:47 am
Everytime a really good person becomes a really bad candidate. Sometimes it can be attributed to the “consultants” — but seeing Cullerton sending bullets in the mail, Kaszak having that crazy fascist, unfortunately, that list is endless.
But, nothing compares to the 94 election. Absolute hell. A big thank you to Rahm for making that hurt go away.
Comment by babs Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:08 pm
The 1994 Republican sweep of all the constitutional offices was devastating. I was very surprised that Dawn Clark Netsch even lost her home 43rd Ward/Lincoln Park to Jim Edgar, given her track record as an independent good government reform Democrat.
Comment by Captain America Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:05 pm
I was responsible for booking speakers for an educational event sponsored by a college political organization. Our keynote speaker was a then-current Illinois Constitutional Officer. The individual was 45 minutes late, arrived with an demanding entourage but no apologies, widely veered off the prescribed topic and instead used his time to brag about his accomplishments including his exploits growing up at his local swimming pool. I ended up with egg on my face for my choice of keynote speaker.
However, it was quite an indoctrination into dealing with politicians and their staff members.
Comment by Jake from Elwood Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:12 pm
What You Went to MIG too?
Comment by Spingfeild Solly Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:53 pm
My least favorite political memory….the 06′ elections. Losing Ill Guv -Cook Co.Board race- and both houses in DC. Not a good night.
I should add watching Jim Ryan lose in 02′ was up there.
Comment by Scoot Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:08 pm
The last Presidential election campaign and the last Illinois Gubernatorial campaign. Both were more painful to live through than getting all your teeth pulled without anesthetic.
Comment by Papa Legba Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:12 pm
Yearly, watching all of the retiring politically connected state employees getting their next jobs working for small town school systems, county jobs, township jobs etc. The public trough never closes.
Comment by i d Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:39 pm
Watching Chuck Percy lose. Not that I disliked Simon but for a high school political science class I had been following the Percy campaign, scrap-booking it and all but stalking the poor man when he made appearances in Central IL.
As I aged and became more liberal, I truly did grow to appreciate Senator Simon.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:47 pm
That day in 2002 when (about 3 weeks before the election) the speaker and Dem leadership dumped over $100K into our opponent and we got our butts handed to us.
Comment by Blah blah blah Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 3:09 pm
Gov Ogilvie’s reelection loss to Walker and experiencing the literal evaporation of an esprit de corps among sincere program and admin people serious about the improvement and excellence of the state and its programs. This then followed by Walker and de Grazia’s confrontational and coarse political style. It was a very rude awakening.
Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 3:27 pm
Seeing people openly celebrate the death of Harold Washington.
Comment by Some Guy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 6:07 pm
The day Paul Vallas realized that he needed to campaign further south than Springfield, if he was to win the primary. Just imagine if he had won, what a different fiscal situation we would have today.
Comment by If It Walks Like a Duck... Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 8:30 pm
Everyday!
Comment by clj Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 9:41 pm
The day George Ryan closed the Zeller Mental health Center and the Sheridan Correctional Center, then the Senate Repub’s giving him a standing ovation in their caucus.
Comment by Dem 61350 Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 9:59 pm
Looks like this turned into a MIG Alums meeting. Go check out what we have been up to lately www.modelillinoisgovernment.org
Comment by Scott Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 12:06 am
When George Ryan’s goons and State Party Chair Judy Baar Accordian shafted US Senator Peter Fitzgerald and refused to endorse him for renomination. Fitzgerald opted to withdraw and the long nightmare of watching Topinka let Jack Ryan twist in the wind, blackball Oberweis, choose and then ignore Keyes to cede the seat to Obama. Ugly.
Comment by Honest Abe Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 12:08 am
The night W stole the election from Al Gore in 2000…imagine the US and the world without W, Cheney, and Rumsfeld’s absence of influence, no matter what you think of Gore…
Comment by Loop Lady Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 7:21 am
Everyday that lawmakers ignore the cries of sexually molested children by refusing to pass “Jessica’s Law.”
Comment by Patriot Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 10:15 am