It's a busy morning, so for now we will note that a potentially huge development occurred yesterday when Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman announced that he was entering the race for U.S. Senate as a Democrat. Rooting out corruption in Chicago is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, but clearly Hoffman's crime-fighting creds will be the basis of his platform. We talked about this all day yesterday over at Capitol Fax Blog, but since this could substantially alter the dynamics of the race if Hoffman can either beat up Alexi Giannoulias on ethics (perhaps even beat him), or allow the third Dem candidate, Cheryle Jackson, to slip past, it would change Mark Kirk's likely Dem opponent in the general election, so I at least wanted to mention it here.
More locally, it looks like all of five people (check out the pix in the News-Sun) showed up in Waukegan yesterday to protest Mark Kirk's stance on health care reform, after hundreds turned out (many of whom supported Kirk) at his town hall earlier this week.
Finally, conservative candidate Eric Wallace is not happy as he is claiming that Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has stepped into the IL Senate race and endorsed Mark Kirk. I listened to the recent interview of Steele on the Don Wade and Roma show that Wallace references, and while Steele never actually said he was endorsing Kirk, Steele certainly gushed over him and stated that the RNC would be supporting Kirk financially. Always knew I liked Steele, ever since he came to speak at the Lake County Republican Federation Spring Dinner a few years back.
UPDATED 11:15 a.m.: This was expected, considering Dick Green was making the rounds even before Mark Kirk officially decided not to run again for Congress, but today Green officially announced he's in the IL-10 race. You can download the press release here. See our previous profile on Green here.
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Bring them on, TA, and I'm talking about the 5 professional protestors who showed up in Waukegan yesterday. The Borris guy who owns Hel's Kitchen, is a 10th Dem lackey who didn't want to go inside the meeting in Arlington Heights on Monday. He and the others, one with a bull horn, never intended to go inside to speak but chose to stay outside to get attention. Borris is always at everything that's considered a rally against Mark Kirk. The others are of the same ilk. And the bottom line is that nobody cares about them.
The entrance of David Hoffman into the Democrat side of the Senate race is very interesting. He's not well liked by guys like Andy Shaw and several other well known Chicago pols. That aside, it can and will alter the dynamics of the Primary. I agree with you that this could allow Cheryle Jackson to squeak right by both Alexi and Hoffman. Should be fun to watch.
In the meantime, Mr. Kirk is being warmly received all over the southern part of IL on his get to know him tour. He is finding more new supporters than anyone could have predicted, nobody railing on him about a vote or issues on singular topics. What a nice change of pace. Yes, it's a long time between now and November of 2010 but Mark Kirk's abilities on every level are head and shoulders above others and it's very obvious.
A lot to chat about on this rainy Thursday.
Anon 9:44. Thanks for making my day before I go to the dentist. Thrilled to hear MSK receiving such a warm welcome downstate. Those lucky folks will come to learn what we already know about this very exceptional man.
As for those 10th Dem protestors they must not have anything better to do but follow the Congressman around and criticize everything he does or doesn't do. They certainly have been drinking the kool-aid but how much of that stuff can a body handle. Again, thanks for making this rainy day turn bright for me!
Baxter and Beau's Mom
If Green hires a guy like Mike Cys who knows his stuff and helped put PGF/Senator Fitzgerald over the top against didrickson in 1998 in a millionaire vs. dumb fake moderate primary not unlike this one with coulson, he can win. Running against Coulson/Blago and springfield is an easy score.
Sadly FOKLAES top choice to run for the seat has declined to run for personal reasons, but there's another candidate left in the mix so I still have hope.
FOKLAES
It is unique that someone here actually suggested that a protestor 'Must not have anything better to do with their time,' when there have been protestors that have failed to merit the same response by TA or those on this blog for the last 2-3 weeks. (?!)
If the tea parties are protected by a freedom of speech - possibly, in this case, for people who need a hobby (something better to do with their time in TA blog response-speak) - then freedom of speech is universal. Or is there a Bush signing statement from over 200 years ago that I'm not aware of?
Also, please tell me what, besides tort reform (sorry Mr. Salvi-R), did Mr. Kirk propose that resembles a substantive, comprehensive approach to much needed health insurance reform?
I, for one, do not relish having to pay 10% increases in healthcare costs for the next 10 years only to - goodness forbid - be denied coverage by a PRIVATE organization (UHC-Lewin, BC/BS, Aetna, Kaiser, etc.).
Maybe those on the Right side of the aisle are of unlimited means and/or have a fervent belief that doing nothing will, 'Give the insurance companies one more chance to do what is right' (I don't recall if this was Sen. Collins' or Sen. Snowe's Cinderella-like approach to the greater good). Ok, so maybe they'd be open to clicking their shoes together and repeating there's no place like home to get the insurance companies to change. :)
Insurance companies have had a chance to do what is right and they did not do so for at least 30 years. (Little bunny foo-foo, I'll give you one more chance).
Frist-affiliated HCA/Columbia hated Medicare so much they committed fraud!
Any wonder why some of us are skeptical of GOP calls for patience and delays to healthcare reform? We know that they are not always out for the greater good and that by patience they mean after the next pre-emptive strike.
Hey Crazy,
You're on the wrong blog - you're suppose to go to Eye on Lake County, the Center of the Democrat Party.
BTW, you may want to tell your friends at Eye on Lake County to stop closing their "eye" to the Dr. Dick Keller fiasco - sounding more and more like Michael Jackson, Lake County style....
Ok - so TA and their Repub friends really don't want a discussion (about anything), are not open to different points of view (how 21st Century!), and are acting contrary to the (alleged) attempts at bi-partisanship that some of their reps in Congress have been putting forth when not lending credence to myths most media outlets are busting.
If this is correct, why have a blog or at the least why not have it be invite only? Ideologues and card-carrying (rubber-stamp) GOP'ers only?!
If this is correct, how is it different from the other partisan blogs that TA complains about on a sporadic basis?
Will the real country-loving, moral, compassionate GOP please stand up?
Yes, Anon, lets yearn for the days of previous GOP Sheriffs and other County officials. Nothing says morning like a cloud hanging over their head.
And -darn it- weren't Thompson and Edgar the best Governors Illinois has ever had? Average or mediocre would be diplomatic. ):
Some day Waller will actually win important cases, won't have some re-tried 2-3 times like his buddy Birkett in DuPage County (at significant tax-payer expense), and will pursue 'Equal justice under the law.' Some day. And some day I'll win the lottery to afford the return to every-person for himself governance the GOP is fighting for.
Works both ways, Anon.
ahhh - the all knowing Crazy4goof. Political analyst extraordinaire. Such an ego you have. Limit your posts to a paragraph, dude.
Crazy - I left this over for you at LakeCountyEye as well, but just in case, here's a little help for your problem.
Hey, crazy, mozee on over to the catwoman's blog. She and you have a lot in common.
Any wonder why some of us are skeptical of GOP calls for patience and delays to healthcare reform?
Welcome to the GOP Senator Feingold. You too Senator Blanche Lincoln. Don't let me leave out Senator Landrieu.
Nice to have you aboard. Please hold on the railing. You might experience a bumpy ride.
Green has hired Jason Roe , Congressman Peter Roskam's former campaign manager and senior advisor to Mitt Romney's Presidential Campaign as his general consultant. He has also hired McCain/Palin Midwest Finance Director Pam Kinsey Lungmus as his Finance Director. Lungmus chose to work for Green over the other potential candidates.
As if it wasn't bad enough to work on the biggest flop of a Republican presidential campaign the last 30 years, Roe was fired from it because of his ties to Jack Abramoff and a congressman from florida who lost office because of his corruption. Roskam should have blown out that race and instead had to fight to the tooth against a chicago democrat in a big GOP stronghold. It was one of the weaker campaigns of 2006 considering that it was a district once held by the most successful anti-abortion politician of his generation, hyde.
Green should have hired Liesl, McGovern or one of Olympia Snowes big guns who know how to win moderate districts. The messages you use to win in conservative districts and positions you take are a lot different than in a race like this, particularly running against a liberal like coulson.
Green has a daughter who works for an anti-abortion group and he needs to be careful he doesn't have a replay like with john cox in 2000 where cox gained traction, it scared porter into action and moderates rallied around Mark, ending the race.
FOKLAES
Dick Green here.
I have never written on this or any other blog before, but feel required to clarify because of the supposed family issue.
I do not have a daughter.
I do have two step-daughters, but guarantee you that they do not work for whatever organization you are referencing.
It is simply not true.
Also, it is now known that the allegations regarding Roe are not accurate.
Whoever you are FOLKAES, I would be happy to talk you directly to clarify these misunderstandings.
You might also be interested in hearing my positions rather than guessing at them.
LA can put you in touch with me.
Dick Green
It was pretty well known on Capitol Hill that Roe's former employer, Feeney was not a saint. Feeney's golf trip to Scotland paid for by Jack Abramoff was one of, if not the defining images of what went wrong with the Republican Congress and why we lost power. Roe was his Chief of staff. There's no room on the Hill between the chief of staff and the boss, and feeney was deep into the corrupt culture that cost us congress and made it hard for Mark to win.
Feeney lost his seat in congress despite having drawn the district for him to run in, and having been the lt gov nominee for FL GOP powerhouse jeb bush because of the allegations.
Who you choose to hire is your business, but in d.c. personnel is policy, by that measure Mark's been great, and this is not a great start for you. If you think this is the way to go, then by all means have a way at it, but realize this isn't anywhere close to as Republican a district as feeney's where even he couldn't get away with that and if you think you have the margin of error to bring guys like that in here, you need to rethink things because just the scent of that here will end your chances.
FOKLAES
Again, I would be more than happy to talk to you directly if you so choose. You might be surprised.
Dick, if your central campaign message is bringing change to washington and fighting career politicians who have overspent you might want to start by NOT hiring the top aide for the posterboy of the failure of the republican congress who voted for and passed budgets and approps bills that destroyed our party's credibility on fiscal responsibility that people like Mark Kirk and John Porter spent years building.
As I said on this blog, we don't want coulson and her democrat operatives running her campaign, but if this is what you are bringing, we aren't impressed.
You are hiring the people responsible for us losing congress, and jeopardizing Mark Kirk's career. Your credibility is unraveling and just remember in a district like this we have high expectations. Kirk and Porter were internationally respected people. I can't think of one person in 30 years of Kirk/Porter campaigns that was ever so much as involved with an fbi investigation and in your first hire you get one.
Not cool.
FOKLAES
Folklaes-
Jason Roe is also working on Kirk's Senate Campaign
On a senate campaign of a veteran legislator you have all sorts of people "working" on the campaign. Peter Fitzgerald had something like several thousand volunteers "working on the campaign".
Dick Green is an unknown millionaire who has never done a thing in the district. He's decided to hire the embodiment of what was wrong with the GOP in 2001-2007 that cost our party a majority we worked 40 years to build. It's offensive and a black mark on his reputation. This isn't florida or dupage county where people are dumb and accept sleazy politics.
Porter never hired consultants and certainly would never have come within a zipcode of something like this.
FOKLAES
I am not promoting or defending Roe or any candidate, but it is a fact that he is a hired consultant for the Mark Kirk Senate Campaign
Senate Campaigns generally hire 5-10 consulting firms for advice, so I'm sure there are more, whether Mark listens to them is another issue. Peter Fitzgerald hired karl rove to do his direct mail for example in 1998 which you never hear about.
Roe has never won a senate race and pulled off a rare feat in d.c. to have both him and his wife investigated by the FBI on separate corruption related issues.
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