Friday, July 23, 2010

Friday Update: Rangel, Special Election, Kagan, Seals

Lots going on this morning, it appears. Here's your wrap-up:

Democrat Charlie Rangel, the powerful Congressman who was chairman of the Ways and Means Committee before he was forced to step down in a cloud of scandal relating to his handling of personal investments, rent payments and other no-nos, will be tried by the House Ethics Committee. Locally, Rangel is chiefly noted as one of 10th Congressional District Dan Seals' main patrons, before Rangel got so radioactive even Seals was forced to disgorge (some) campaign donations, after months of resisting calls to do so.

In the U.S. Senate Race, it looks like we might have a special election after all, at least to fill a parltry few months of the time that would remain before the winner of the general election between Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias is known. If only this had been done last year, there could have been a whole lot less trouble for folks like Blagojevich, but then, we wouldn't have the benefit of Roland Burris as our U.S. Senator, and I know we're all so proud of that.

Will Alexi run in the special election? Will there be a primary? Will Roland Burris make good on his promise (threat?) to run in a special election? What about Kirk? This could be a real interesting twist to an already nail-biting U.S. Senate race as we get closer to the fall.

I got an e-mail from the Kirk for Senate campaign this morning indicating that Kirk has declared he would have supported the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. She's going to be confirmed no matter what, but this move will likely annoy conservatives while bolstering Kirk's independent credentials.

Finally, someone sent me a Tweet from the Dan Seals campaign crowing that he was headed to Las Vegas to attend the ultra-liberal Netroots (Nutroots) Convention, formerly the Daily Kos convention, or whatever they called it. That's swell, Dan. We knew you were a far-lefty, but now everyone else knows it too. I'd love to be a fly on the wall to hear Dan pander to the ultra-left when he's far from home in the much more centrist 10th District. I really wonder why he's going at all, except to try to pick up national money. He'd better be careful in this day of constant vigilance on candidates, since he never knows when a juicy progressive statement might come back to haunt him.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sure hope the special election is a contest between Kirk and Giannoulious as well. That way, Illinois picks up some serious seniority. That’s a good thing.
Seals will probably make some pro Palestinian remark as he often does at those far left events. That should give Dold lots of votes he may not otherwise get. Hope You Tube is present as it was when it captured the famous “side of peace” and “Hamas is tough, but we should negotiate with them lines.”

Anonymous said...

I love this picture. Typical liberal fat-cat. Do as I say, not as I do.

I think Obama is the only person in the country who has taken 7 vacations this year.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you're hoping Obama will go Sunfish sailing off of Kenilworth?

Joe said...

Obama has taken 7 vacations? You call weekend trips vacations? This man is the President ALL the time, no matter where he is.

Oh, and by the way, Bush took 977 vacation days, out of 2923 days in office, roughly 33% of his term. And he still destroyed the country. Guess we should all be glad he did take that many days off. Who knows what more damage he could have done.

Anonymous said...

Those trips to Hawaii were mere weekenders? Such embellishing by Democrats!

Actually, I would prefer that Obama take more vacations. It would do the country less harm than him sitting at his desk thinking deep thoughts or figuring out his NCAA picks for next year.

Louis G. Atsaves

Anonymous said...

Louis, you're really going to fault the guy for visiting his childhood home. Someone is starting to sound blindly partisan.

What's the matter, why don't you want to talk about Mark Kirk the serial liar, or Bob "The Dolt" Dold?

Anonymous said...

Let's talk about serial campaigner Dan Seals instead. He has had well over a half a decade now to move into the district he so covets to represent.

And still hasn't.

Louis G. Atsaves