Only a day after U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that he would chair the flailing campaign of former banker Alexi Giannoulias for the junior U.S. Senator slot from Illinois, Durbin is already urging his young charge to fess up and disclose anything damaging about his banking past.
Fox News reported that Durbin said this yesterday:
"I believe he(Alexi) will be more forthcoming. There are some things we do know and should acknowledge. He (Alexi) has not been involved with his family bank for four years.The current portfolio of that bank, only 9 % of those loans reflect loans that were on the books when he(Alexi) left the bank 4 years ago, so the loan package out there now at that bank is substantially different. I think he should come forward. He's talked to me about it what happened there, he's very proud his father started this bank and built it up from nothing. The controversy there whether it reflects on Alexi himself personally or the banking practices remains to be seen, but I've encouraged him to answer all the questions."
I wonder if Durbin is now thinking he might have moved a little fast in accepting that campaign chairmanship.
Alexi has been ducking questions about his banking past ever since he ran for State Treasurer. The NRSC outlines it all here. You can bet that in the wake of the Scott Lee Cohen debacle, local news media (who were embarrassed by flubbing the Cohen story) will not rest until they wring the entire truth out of Giannoulias.
I just hope they don't beat Giannoulias up so badly that the Dems wake up and get a smarter, less damaged opponent against Congressman Mark Kirk for the November election.
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14 comments:
Durbin threw Alexi under the bus only 24 hours after announcing he would chair the campaign.
Reminds me when Michael Corelone hugged his brother Fredo before having him wacked.
Perfect comparison, Anon 9:42. I share TA's concern that Durbin throwing Alexi under the wheels of the bus less than 24 hours after smiling and endorsing him makes it all the more possible that it won't be Alexi vs. Kirk. That would be too bad for our side.
To me this says
1) durbin is panicking, good news.
2)durbin is off message-Alexi doesn't want to answer questions as team america notes. good news.
3)Team Alexi is disorganized as durbin is going off script. Even better news.
4)durbin is really worried about the known unknowns related to alexi's campaign-what else is hiding in broadway?
The rats are scrambling off the ship.
I too worry that alexi could get too beat up too early that the democrats would have time to bring in forrest claypool or someone else.
FOKLAEAPS
I have to agree that Republicans have to play this wisely as does Kirk. There is merit to defining Alexi right away to the public as a weak, flawed candidate with little depth beyond his personal wealth. But by the same token, we don't want them to find some sort of phony pretext to dump Alexi and get a different canddiate on the ticket.
Sexi-lexi, Scott Lee Cohen and Blago walk into a bar........
[insert joke here]
If they dump Alexi, coming on the heels of dumping cohen and the burris fiasco it makes them look like they are picking all their people in backroom deals. I am sure the white house knows every bad loan in that bank and every detail. If there was stuff they didn't think they could overcome they would have cut him off last summer, I think this is why jan didn't run. they read team america's blog on bob creamer.
foklaeaps
Ah yes, Robert Creamer, that "paragon" of virtue who spent some less than quality time doing time for his disgraceful check kiting. Jan signed those tax returns, should have done time with her sleeze bag husband. She knew all of that would surface again and stayed where she belongs for now. I think you are correct in saying that if Giannoulias was going to be truly dumped, it would have happened before this election. I agree with you, Foklaeps.
You guys live in a dream land. Alexi will beat Kirk EASILY. He is a much better candidate and he will make a much better senator.
Face reality. Kirk is unelectable in the senate seat in IL. About 25-30% of republicans will simply not go to the polls to vote for him. I dont blame them. I may disagree completely with them ideologically, but I can understand why the would like to vote for someone with principles.
Everyone knows where Alexi stands. He is very liberal. But where does Kirk stand? Is he socially conservative or liberal? Is he fiscally conservative or liberal? Does he need Sarah Palin to campaign for him or not? Is he for abortion or against it? Is he pro-life or not? That's the problem of Kirk. Lack of clear positions, a reflection of total lack of principles. He is not that different than Arlen Specter in PA. Except that times have changed.
The dems will play this out like a made-for-tv movie.
Repentant.
The seasoned public figure asking for full disclosure and a remorseful apology by the young, naive but principled newcomer. Bowed head. Humble.
Then a quick poll to see if it sold.
Redemption.
You know Blue Wind, you orbit on your own planet blindly touting the moronic talking points of your party. Mark Kirk will trounce your guy, bet on it. Because you've been drinking the Ellen Beth Gill Kool Aid, because you think that a guy who even Durbin says should come clean on his bank deals, is an ethical guy who should represent our State? What are you smoking?
Mark Kirk's votes are out there for everyone to see, including YOU. Please know what you're reading, Wind, and don't confuse the procedural votes with those on issues. Some in your party have a habit of trying to distort the truth.
Mark Kirk will be a credit to the US Senate while Alexi will still be trying how to have a career on the basketball court.
You know that Mark Kirk is pro-choice, you know that he is an environmental champion, you know that he stands for sensible gun ownership and supports the Second Amendment rights of all our citizens. We already have discussed his unparalled support of the US/Israel partnership. So what positions don't you know? Mark Kirk's campaign will be more than happy to give you all the verifiable facts you seem to have forgotten, or never bothered to truthfully check. Personally, I can't wait for the first debate between Alexi and Mark Kirk. Now that will be something not to be missed. And when the Feds come in and close the Broadway Bank what do you suppose your guy will be doing for an income.
Blue wind, you know where I heard that line before? In 2000 when Lauren Beth Gash said that because she was running with al gore and everything in the world was good and because mark kirk had not lived in chicago for 20 years and was a gingrich republican she would destroy him.
10 years of dccc ads later, I'm still waiting to see Mark kirk beaten by the george w. bush narrative and guess what? W. isn't in office anymore, but for the first time in 50 years we have a liberal congress and liberal white house.
blago arraigned today, scott lee is just starting his book tour, broadway bank is the most famous show in politics and you don't have bush to blame anymore. Independent voters are against you 2-1 now, and if health care fails, the bottom falls out for y'all.
happy spring!
Fan of king louis astaves the alexi ellen and pup slayer.
The GOP better hope Sexi Lexi stays in - if Forrest Claypool enters the race, we've got problems...
Can anyone find some of Bowlwind's pronouncements that Seals would trounce Kirk because......yadda yadda
more good news patrick dui kennedy is quitting and republians are likely to take the seat. More democrat unraveling and less money for dems to have support pup.
also longtime folks will remember that in fall 1999 he ran the dccc and tried to recruit chris kennedy to run. didn't work.
foklaeaps
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