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* Pete Townshend is probably gonna be upset, but what the heck, I’ll post it anyway. From the IL GOP…

The Illinois Republican Party is demanding answers from Attorney General Lisa Madigan and House Speaker Michael Madigan.

GOP spokesman Lance Trover says serious questions have been raised after The Associated Press reported former Gov. Rod Blagojevich had considered Lisa Madigan for President Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat.

Trover says voters need to know of any involvement by either Madigan in the Blagojevich corruption allegations.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:07 pm

Comments

Amusing, but they really should have worked the most famous line from the song into the ad: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

Comment by Pingu Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:14 pm
I can believe Blago made the overture in his usual classy way, but as much as the Madigans, under different circumstances (i.e. not an idiot Governor making the deal) might have loved to do it, they knew Blago is/was toxic. Something Rolland the Magnificent clearly disregarded in pursuit of his outsized ambition.

Comment by You Go Boy Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:15 pm
Asinine.

There is a reason that MJM stopped talking to Blagojevich and it wasn’t just pure disdain. A lot of people began to distance themselves from Blago when it became clear that his indictment was likely, if not imminent.

I cannot help but think this attempt to go after Lisa and MJM is going to end up blowing up in the face of the GOP. Common trend on that side of the aisle: keep pointing fingers, pulling media stunts, and looking backwards. Find a reason for voters to vote FOR you and not just AGAINST your opponents.

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:17 pm
As I told the AP earlier today, apparently the GOP spokester is not a vary good reader because the story says nothing happended after Blaggo talked to Durbin. Even Blaggo said no nothing.

But is interesting to watch the GOP try to grab so much needed mojo by capitalizing on the new hit TV show.

Another CFS miss. Fire, Aim Ready!

Comment by Steve Brown Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:18 pm
This is a joke right? Because if this is serious, I need to know where the Illinois Republican party has been for the past four or five years because it wasn’t in Illinois. I was under the impression that the entire county know that the former governor and the speaker did not speak to each other, ever, even when they should.

Comment by make it so Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:19 pm
Trudat, Pingu. I was just going to write the same thing.

Comment by Rubbernecker Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:20 pm
Should either Madigan choose to answer Trover’s “demand” I am sure they will answer”no contact with Blago re: the senate seat”

Having said that I am sure Trover and the rest of the GOP will neither believe or accept the Madigans answer. Thus I think the Madigans should tell them “go to he..! If you want an answer wait until the trial when all the tapes will be available to the public”.

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:21 pm
make it so…..is that the same speaker that was blago’s co-chairman in 2006?? That guy???

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:23 pm
I don’t agree with your argument, Steve, but I am glad to see you responding. The real question: Will Lisa do the same?

Comment by Lance Trover Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:25 pm
PARTY

Thats the guy! Whats your point?

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:27 pm
Pretty good ad. Where is it running at, or is it just an internet post / you tube post?

Comment by Speaking at Will Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:31 pm
hi Moon. My point being, “make it so” says that madigan and blago “didnt speak to each other ever” Is it customary for the Speaker to ch-chair campaigns of people he never spoke to? He was an enabler when it counted.

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:31 pm
In fairness to Blago, he was opposed the income tax increase. So, this commercial in a lot ways isn’t factually correct.

Comment by Steve Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:33 pm
===Is it customary for the Speaker to ch-chair campaigns of people he never spoke to?===

I’m pretty sure this only happened once.

And, by the way, just for clarity, I asked MJM about this co-chair stuff many moons ago. His response: “I never signed anything!” He also said he didn’t do anything. Hard to do something when you won’t return the guy’s calls. Blagojevich people said he didn’t even call back the night Rod won the 2006 general.

It was, apparently, a completely informal position with no assigned duties.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:34 pm
Obamarama: “Find a reason for voters to vote FOR you and not just AGAINST your opponents”

Really, Obamarama? I voted for 44, too, but come on. That was Obama’s message, as is any ‘change’ message: ‘break from the past, vote for new guy/gal.’ The Repubs’ message here is totally fair game.

Comment by Rubbernecker Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:34 pm
Steve, Isn’t the commercial about the bogus reform they both claimed were so significant

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:34 pm
Pingu and Rubberneck:

First they’d have to know that line is in the song, and since it’s at the end, I doubt any Republican knew it was there. Don’t you know The Who is rebel music?

Comment by SweetLou Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:36 pm
Rubber: It’s absolutely fair game, agreed.

That being said, Obama supplemented his call for change with actual issues and policy stances (misguided as some of them may be). The ILGOP is, has been, and will continue to serve as a punching bag until they can learn to supplement their message in the same way.

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:37 pm
so you wouldn’t mind attaching your name to Rod’s campaign so long as it was “informal”, Rich?

Comment by ned isikoff Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:38 pm
PARTY

The speaker was no more an anabler than the millions who voted for Blago. Any chance you are one of those enablers?

Everyone knows that “make it so” is not correct. I am certain the Speaker spoke to Blago in 2006. But, to the best of my knowledge those conversations ceased sometime in 2007.

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:38 pm
I get what your saying Rich, but in my book that is a lot of rationalization on his part. He let his spokesman come out and say that he was chairing the campaign because blago had done a good job. Then he let blago skip the pension payment so he could paper over his financial mismanagement. So, I don’t really care what he signed or who he called back. He was a willing player in the game.

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:40 pm
==a completely informal position with no assigned duties==
I thought this was the constitutional definition of lieutenant governor!?

Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:40 pm
===so you wouldn’t mind attaching your name to Rod’s campaign so long as it was “informal”, Rich?===

Heck no. But I’m not a state party chairman.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:44 pm
Moon, who cares if Madigan wised up after the fact? And for the record, I am proud to say I never, ever voted for blagoof. Of course, I didn’t dislike him enough to co-chair his campaign. But I did dislike him enough to vote against him twice.

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:44 pm
I like the tern Blagocrats. Good commercial.

I personally think the Republicans should tie Blaog and the Madigan’s together, the Dem’s did it 6 years ago with Ryan. All is fair in love and politics.

Comment by ahoy Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:44 pm
The ad says Blago Dems brought “higher taxes.” Yet Radogno and Cross both supported the higher taxes to fund the capital plan pork. Is the only tax that matters the income tax? When Todd Stroger raised the sale tax, Republicans went ballistic. When the majority of Republicans in the legislature voted to raise the sales tax by 625% on candy, tea and other items, they get a pass.

Comment by Reformer Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:44 pm
=== the Dem’s did it 6 years ago with Ryan. All is fair in love and politics.===

Yep. They’re entitled to this payback. But, like with the RRB stuff against JBT, I’m still gonna point out when they’re not being totally accurate.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:50 pm
PARTY

Thanks for the clarification.Its nice to know that Madigan “wised up after the fact”.I suppose you are now going to tell me you never voted for George Ryan because you “wised up before the fact”

Give us a break!!!!

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:51 pm
Refresh my memory, Rich….Did the Dem State Party chairman “informally” lend his name to Alexei?

Comment by ned isikoff Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:52 pm
Even if Madigan is telling the truth and didn’t actively help on Blago’s campaign he still let himself be used. And now that we know Blago wanted to trade an appointment for legislative failures Madigan has some questions to answer. If he says this is the first he’s heard of it then so be it. But the people of Illinois deserve to know.

Comment by R_K Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:54 pm
The only reason Rod Blagojevich would even engage in such a quid pro quo conversation is because Michael and Lisa Madigan have been willing partners with Rod for years. Lisa was defending Rod and hugging him on the campaign trail and the Speaker chaired his campaign.

Comment by get real Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:54 pm
get real, get real.

Were you out of the country during the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions?

Save your canned rhetoric for another blog. Enough.

And that’s last and final warning.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:55 pm
Sorry, Moon, I did not vote for George Ryan. I did not live in Illinois at the time but hope I would have been smart enough to figure it out if I had.

Comment by party of one Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:56 pm
The GOP Spokeperson’s response and their focus non-issues is why they have been and will continue to be in the MINORITY.

Comment by really?? Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:57 pm
GET REAL

Where have you been for the past several years. To say the “Madigans have been willing partners with Rod for years” is not only beyond belief but an outright lie.Keep drinking the Kool Aid.

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:58 pm
===but hope I would have been smart enough to figure it out if I had.===

A majority, including quite a lot of newspaper editorial boards, did not.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 3:58 pm
So, Steve Brown, will Lisa have an answer? I think the non-answer is a loud answer.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:02 pm
Only and I mean only could this happen in Illinois. If this keeps up we may be kicked out of the Union and our borders closed. Brutal, just Brutal.

Comment by Dan S, a taxpaer, a voter and a Cubs Fan Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:06 pm
Pfft. Not amused, but at least you picked rather nice photos of the Dems. Usually see the stern face and ‘evil’ Madigan eye, nice to see a shot with a bit of twinkle and a smile.

Can’t imagine why IL GOP think this will really work and make the masses race towards the Republicans, but hey, catchy music.

As angry as I am today with my governor and the speaker, it sure is not enough to make me vote republican. I’m with obamarama with, tell me why I’d want to vote for ‘you’, instead of cheap tricks. Try telling me why ‘I’ would be better off with IL GOP in office.

Comment by Princess Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:06 pm
If Madigan (or Madigan’s) didn’t do anything wrong, then answering questions shouldn’t be that big of a deal, am I wrong in saying that?

Fighting with Blago is not a valid excuse, answer the questions, Mr. Speaker (or Steve Brown).

Comment by ned isikoff Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:12 pm
I can’t believe Madigan’s spokesman is commenting under his own name. Shows that they are scared enough to really jump in and try to set the record straight.

I think I can speak with authority that nothing about the Democrats’ record on this issue is straight.

Lance Bass - BSB

Comment by Lance Bass Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:14 pm
What a crock. Where is the morph into his ol’ buddy Tom Cross? You remember Tom Cross, the guy who was working overtime to give Blago $30 billion in capital contracts to sell off even after everyone knew he was under investigation?

Say what you want about Madigan’s symbolic gesture of party unity in 2006. Cross and his crew were hanging tight with Rod while Madigan was battling him at every turn. Skip Saviano gave Friends of RRB money for crissake!

Comment by L.S. Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:15 pm
Steve Brown, i guess the AP story says nothing happened because you told the AP nothing happened. Just because you buy the bogus spin doesn’t mean it is the truth!

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:16 pm
=== Just because you buy the bogus spin doesn’t mean it is the truth!===

He didn’t buy the spin, he made the spin. lol

Calm down, dude.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:17 pm
Imagine if George Ryan’s wife had a reality show and his trial was the middle of campaign season…Democrats should start getting prepared fair or not.

Comment by underdog Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:18 pm
Considering how this video has set off such a catfight in comments, I declare it a huge success.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:18 pm
Maybe I’m living in a simple world , but personally I think that if Rod had offered Lisa Madigan the Senate seat it would have not endeared Papa Madigan, but instead made him furious.

Think about it, if Lisa Madigan wants to run for something she will and may likely be very successful in the run, but she certainly does not/did not have to depend on any Blagjevich appointment to get it done.

Comment by Princess Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:24 pm
Party of One - you are right. MJM was complicit in the action, regardless of whether he was “called” or “signed” anything. I mean, its not like someone just happened to mention it in passing that he was co-chair. I mean seriously people. MJM’s comment don’t even pass the smell test.

Comment by Jackson Phong Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:25 pm
RICH

I agree, it is a huge success. You need more of these types of stories. It illustrates who the real Kool Aid drinkers are.

Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:26 pm
Agree with Princess. Lisa has a long career ahead of her, wherever it may lead, and she’s not/clearly was not dumb enough to get entangled in the GRod scandal just to accelerate her ascent by a few years.

Comment by Obamarama Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:37 pm
Excellent ad. Doesn’t matter what is “true”. Throws all the dem’s together in one big basket. This will work.

Comment by leigh Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:37 pm
The next video should have Van Morrison’s “Domino” and depict IL Dems falling all over each other.

“whooooaaaa, Domino!”

Comment by Ha ha Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:38 pm
The GOP has some pretty good ‘A’ material to whack at the Democrats these days. Seems bizarre to try to tie Lisa Madigan to the Senate appointment scandal. The GOP seems to be attempting to force a response hoping to either catch a lie or bait a dialogue. I’m not sure it’s worth it. There ought to be some Illinois version of Godwin’s Law for people who invoke Mike Madigan to scare people or illustrate evil in government. “Ooga booga Mike Madigan.”

Comment by Big West Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:41 pm
get real: Last summer when the Speaker stood up to Blago, it was the GOP that was in bed with the Governor, voting for his capital plan.

Comment by Reformer Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:51 pm
Dear ILGOP,

I would like to offer our hit single “If You Want It To Be Good Girl, Get Yourself A Bad Boy” for your next video.

Patti and Rod, Lisa and Mike, any of the Chicago Aldermen - save for my man Tom Tunney…the possibilities are truly endless.

Sincerely,
Lance Bass - BSB

Comment by Lance Bass Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:53 pm
“Seems bizarre to try to tie Lisa Madigan to the Senate appointment scandal.”

Even more bizarre is that Chris Kennedy is pictured as well.

Comment by Rubbernecker Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 4:56 pm
Circular Firing Squad aka/GOP tried to tie D candidates to Blaggo in ‘08. Did not work then no reason to expect them to do much better in ‘10

My comment here is the same I gave AP. You need to check with them on what they reported.

Capt Fax looks like we kept the CFS busy most of the afternoon. Good work.

Please keep sending Lance those remedial reading class sites

Comment by Steve Brown Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 5:33 pm
Brown still didn’t answer the question. AA swears the guy has more characters than Sasha Baron Cohen.

As far as the ad, seeing RRB morph into MJM creeped me out so bad that I missed the rest of the content.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 6:17 pm
I am investing in “morph” software. This is just the start of a long string of GOP ads making Dems into Rod. MJM’s cochairmanship of Rod’s campaign is the biggest political mistake he’s ever made. May costLisa the governor’s if she’s foolish enough to seek it.

Comment by Morph Munsun Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 7:20 pm
Nice. Effective.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 7:37 pm
Great stuff!

Here’s some other “youtube” ideas:

Cindy Lauper’s “Girls just want to have fun” with Lisa M speeches and Ms Blago cuts from “Survivor”

Governor Quinn in a speech complaining that the only choices Springfield has are a massive income and service tax increase or throwing veterans and the poor out on the street-all to the background song “One Toke Over the Line”.

The Governor promoting his job-killing tax increases to protect corruption and patronage to the song “The Mighty Quinn” by Manfredd Mann.

Hizzoner Da Mare saying that corruption and patronage are “rare” in His Chicago after one of many indictments of his staff to the background of Hank Williams Jrs “A Family Tradition”.

Feel free to use this with impunity.

Comment by PalosParkBob Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 7:39 pm
From the tail end of the Crain’s piece:

“Lisa Madigan’s name surfaced early in connection with the Senate seat. She’s believed to be “Senate Candidate 2″ in the federal criminal complaint, which describes Blagojevich telling an aide to float her name to a newspaper columnist as a possible appointee in a ploy to send a message to the Obama administration.”

“In a ploy,” it says. So how credible does that make any suggestion of a deal being made? Not very.

More troubling, I would say, is the GOP’s flagrant disregard for the Constitution, which lays the foundation for copyright law. Did they get permission to use The Who’s music? If not, then their ad is criminal.

Comment by Ann O'Namus Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 8:44 pm
Props to the R’s for putting together a watchable commercial, but I think the narrative is too complicated to be really effective. I think it will be a lot worse with the Ted Nugent song they’ll have to use after the cease and desist letter.

Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Jun 2, 09 @ 10:30 pm