August 25, 2004
SILVERSTEIN, DELEO ANGLE TO JOIN THE "FOUR TOPS"
When Springfield politicians refer to the "Four Tops," they're not describing the famed singing group. The Tops are the Illinois House Speaker, Senate President, and the House and Senate Republican minority leaders. They dominate because they raise the campaign cash needed to elect their members, and because they provide political cover, making sure no member need vote on controversial rollcalls. Emil Jones, the Democratic Senate President, has been only a half-Top this year, having bungled his leverage by allying himself totally with Governor Rod Blagojevich. So when the Gov and Speaker Madigan cut their budget deal, with Republican input, Jones had no choice but to accede. Jones' fellow senators are disgruntled, and would like to replace him. But there is no ready alternative, although Northwest Siders Ira Silverstein and Jim DeLeo would love to enter Topdom. The 2004 ILLINOIS SENATE VOTE CHART can be accessed on this website. Full Article...
August 18, 2004
MCAULIFFE-CAPPARELLI RACE REMAINS TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Chicago's Northwest Side State Representative Ralph Capparelli (D-15), the dean of the Illinois House, has discovered that no good deed goes unpunished. In 2002, Capparelli ran for re-election in the 15th Dist. instead of his home 20th Dist. so as to clear the way for his good buddy, fellow incumbent Bob Bugielski, to run in the 20th. But Bugielski ran an abysmal campaign, and lost to another incumbent, energetic Republican Mike McAuliffe, who knocked on 10,000 doors. Capparelli was the goat, catching the blame for Bugielski's poor showing in the 41st Ward, where Capparelli is Democratic Committeeman. McAuliffe won the ward by 4,079 votes and the district by 2,670 votes. Now Capparelli, age 80, is running for his 18th term, and is facing McAuliffe, age 40. They're both conservative, both well-known, both well funded, and both personally popular. The race will be decided by who divines the most effective wedge issue: Who has the roll-call vote (or votes) which will give voters a reason to vote against him? Right now, the race is too close to call. Full Article...
August 11, 2004
KEYES' ROLE IS TO BE THE ANTI-OBAMA
The Illinois U.S. Senate race is a NOT-ME election. Democrat Barack Obama is not Jesse Jackson and is not Carol Moseley Braun. And his new Republican foe, Alan Keyes, is not Barack Obama. Confused? In his Democratic keynote speech, Obama proclaimed that he "worships an awesome God," and that there is "one America." That doesn't sound like Jackson, the oracle of multi-culturism and hyphenated-Americans. And Obama's squeaky clean character contrasts mightily with the ethically-challenged Braun. So how does Maryland import Keyes beat Obama? Quite simply, he doesn't. But Keyes will run as the anti-Obama, attacking Obama's support for cloning, abortion, lower-grade sex education, early release of sex offenders, and his equivocation on a partial-birth abortion ban and on gun control. Obama will likely crush Keyes by more than 1.2 million votes, but the contest will be entertaining. Full Article...
August 4, 2004
BLAGOJEVICH IN WIN/WIN SITUATION VERSUS MADIGAN
Governor Rod Blagojevich professes to have "love in his heart" for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, while Madigan claims that the governor is "likeable and charming." What a crock. These two guys detest each other. Madigan views Blagojevich as a superficial, publicity-hungry politician who lucked into his job; the governor views Madigan as arrogant and patronizing. But Blagojevich is shrewdly manipulating Madigan. Two Madigans is Too Many Madigans. As long as Mike remains speaker, Illinoisans will not elect his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, as governor. That's too much power in one family. So, by infuriating Mike, the governor assures that Mike won't step aside -- and that Lisa won't run against him in the 2006 Democratic primary for governor. While Mike doesn't have an exit strategy, Congressman Bill Lipinski does, and he's in the process of stepping aside so son Dan can take his seat. Full Article...
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