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This just in… Part 2 - Gibbs: WH not “picking” a candidate

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* 2:44 pm - President Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs denied today that Obama is trying to nudge Lisa Madigan into the US Senate race…

“The president is not going to pick a candidate in the Illinois Senate race,” Gibbs told reporters during today’s White House briefing.

“The president has a very long relationship with the attorney general, dating back to their time in the state Senate,” he said. “She’d be a terrific candidate, but we are not going to get involved in picking a candidate in Illinois.” […]

Gibbs said he didn’t know whether Madigan was called to the White House or came in of her own accord to discuss the Senate seat now held by Sen. Roland Burris. […]

“I don’t control the DSCC,” Gibbs said. “We’re not picking a candidate. We’re not going to endorse in this race.”

* 3:18 pm - Speaking of politics…

Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (Hyde Park) has launched a website in support of her campaign for Cook County Board President.

* 4:10 pm - Quote of the day goes to Lou..

One Democratic lawmaker, who appeared at an event highlighting possible cuts to the state’s foster care program, said Quinn’s repeated forays before microphones and TV cameras at the offices of social service providers are rallying the wrong set of troops.

“What the governor has been doing lately is preaching to the choir,” said Rep. Lou Lang of Skokie, who was one of 42 Democrats out of a possible 70 to vote for the tax hike. “The choir has to now tell him go talk to someone else in that other church who doesn’t get it.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 2:43 pm

Comments

Operative phrase: “picking a candidate.” Doesn’t mean they aren’t pushing, prodding, etc.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 2:47 pm
I disagree CC,

No way the White House sullies itself by messing around in an Illinois primary. Nothing good can come from it.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 2:48 pm
That would make sense but all indications are they already have.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:02 pm
I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:03 pm
If she runs for the Senate Alexi and Kennedy will not run. Then Obama can endorse her if she decides to run.

Comment by MOON Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:05 pm
This message from the podium was directed not at AG, the office, but at AG, the initials. He’s been running around claiming otherwise, and this must be a real blow. He really believed this would never happen.

Comment by Beans Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:15 pm
part of the reason we need to clean out the democrats in statewide office and the springfield/chicago establishment is because of continued garbage like this.

Lisa Madigan is a top official in a government with record unemployment, and MAJOR corruption issues. Not once has she or any of the democrats said, hey, things are wrong lets focus on that. Indiana has a governor who’s a great president candidate but he also knows how to do his job.
Lisa should figure out how to solve the states issues before she asks us for a promotion.

Alexi has less foreign policy experience than sarah palin, that’s hard to do and why he’s probably not a serious candidate for this office.

Comment by shore Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:23 pm
I think it’s more likely that they’re cooking up a deal for Madigan to take Daley’s place.

Comment by Undercover Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:24 pm
It looks like the WH is trying hard to keep themselves out of this mess. They seem pretty eager to clarify that the meeting shouldn’t be construed as anything more than that. This “clarification” appears to be helpful to Alexi who looked pretty lonely this morning. It looks like LM is trying to see just how much she can pry out of everyone (clear primary, presidential help, $$$, etc.) in order for her to jump into the senate race. I don’t think she’s any more likely a senate candidate now than a week ago.

Comment by Abe Froman Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:24 pm
as per her father’s comments yeterday after the leadership budget meeting at the gov.’s chicago office, she is running for governor.

mike madigan knows, and if she were running for senate i don’t think he would have elaborated on her record the way he did yesterday.

on chicago tonight yesterday phile ponce asked rich samules if he thought the gov.’s face went red during the q & a when madigan was asked if he was in effect sabotaging gov. quinn through the budget crisis to help his daughter. did anyone else notice whether or not quinn’s face went red? I couldn’t tell—neither could ponce or samuels for sure.

Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:25 pm
wcw, I wouldn’t be too sure

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:28 pm
oh, but Barack endorses Lady Liberty? the website looks nice Toni, but your positions and experience are dry toast.

Comment by Amy Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:40 pm
Or is the early information plus this simply a nice shot over the bow to keep the tactical uncertainty flowing and working to continue disabling the GOP.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 3:45 pm
Obama knows Lisa would win a Senat race and be his ally. He the can keep the senate from overturning his issues. Daddy also remembers the last time 2 dems fought it out in a nasty primary a republican won the general. Lisa is a safer bet as senator.
It goes to show you about Obama loyalty…Alexi is his boy buty he will throw him under the bus to get what he wants

Comment by blackdem Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 4:01 pm
and I agree Amy Preckwinkle needs to learn about issues and county government before taking a stand.

Comment by blackdem Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 4:02 pm
Greg Hinz’s blog at Crain’s just announced Claypool will not run for CC Board President.

Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 4:11 pm
Memo to Lou Lang

I assume that “other church” means Republicans, yet as a matter of fact Quinn has been addressing many Republican citizens and warning them that state support for their favorite non-profits will be gone, which instead of converting them only fires them up to oppose the tax increase with more fervor, as one attendee told me.

Comment by Conservative Republican Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 6:08 pm
I suspect Pres. Obama and his crew have pretty busy schedules. So if they meet with Lisa to talk about the Senate race and make sure everybody knows about it….

Would a hammer to the head convince you?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 6:15 pm
@conservative republican

quinn has been going to black churches lately pitching doomsday scenarios, he hasn’t been spotted in any church choir robes singing and dancing ala Gov. Jim Thompson, but…

when I read Lang’s comment I assumed that he was referring to the gov’s recent visit to black churhes. But, i could be wrong; you’re take may be correct.

@rich

i’m gathering that your comment is response to the first part of my post commenting on mike madigan. if so, ok–fair enough. but, lynn sweet reports that the obama administration will not endorse madigan should she run. I can believe that she asked for this as a way to raise money. to my knowledge, and I am happy to be corrected, she has no national ties or ties to big money nationally. so it would seem to me that she would need obama’s name to raise national cash. also, she comes from a political dynasty (via the chicago democratic machine) and backing her could certainly blow up in Obama’s face to some extent; this state is rife with corruption and people who learned the Richard J. Daley way of politics. True she has a good record as AG, but she has a little toxicity too. How that plays out side of Illinois could be a unnecessary headache for Obama, albeit a very small headache.

i think kennedy has the better ability to tap into national lines of funding because of his uncle and the kennedy name, than does Lisa Madigan.

It’s really too bad that the republicans didn’t work better with peter fitzgerald. I guess they’re sorry now.

Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Jun 18, 09 @ 7:23 pm