December 26, 2007
IS AMERICA READY FOR A BLACK PRESIDENT?
Is America ready for a black president? Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D) stands on the precipice. He must win the Jan. 3 Iowa Democratic caucus, the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary, the Jan. 26 South Carolina primary, and the Jan. 29 Florida primary. If he does, going into Feb. 5 Super-Tuesday, with 20 primaries and two caucuses (including Illinois, New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Georgia, Colorado, Missouri, Connecticut and Tennessee -- with a total of 2,063 delegates chosen, and 2,181 needed for the nomination), then Obama will sweep Hillary Clinton and John Edwards aside, and be the Democratic presidential nominee. But remember this: Blacks are 12.3% of the U.S. population (34.6 million). In 1790, they were 19.3%. In 1950, blacks were 9.9% (15.1 million). The black population has doubled in 50 years, but so has the country's white population: from 135 million in 1950 to 211.5 million in 2000. Whites are 72% of the population. And Hispanics now outnumber blacks (35.5 million). Consider this: Conservative white Republicans won't back Obama, and neither will conservative Hispanics. Obama won't even get the 2004 Kerry vote. For Republicans, Obama is salvation. He is the one and only Democrat who will lose to a Republican in 2008. Full Article...
December 19, 2007
"FORGETTABLE" 48TH WARD IS "HOG" IN 7TH DISTRICT
Unlike Chicago's renowned "Fighting 47th Ward," once led by Ed Kelly and now by Ald. Gene Schulter, the Democratic organization in the Edgewater-Lakewood-north Uptown 48th Ward is derisively known as the "Forgettable 48th Ward." A long succession of weak Democratic committeemen, mediocre and transitional aldermen, family dynasties, and changing demographics is to blame. But all politics is local, and, in the north Lakefront 7th senatorial district, the 48th Ward Democrats are a veritable "superhog" -- controlling the state senator and both state representatives. And, in the fight to succeed the resigned State Sen. Carol Ronen, who is the new 48th Ward Democratic committeeman, wealthy philanthropist Heather Steans is the ward's anointed candidate. Steans and her husband, lobbyist Leo Smith, have donated over $1 million to various Illinois politicians in the last decade, both personally and through their PACs, including over $200,000 to Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Ronen calls Steans a "well qualified, progressive" candidate. Her critics deem her a political dilettante who's "got the geld (money)" but hasn't paid her dues, and who will be a stooge of the governor. "It's a fix," said one supporter of Suzanne Elder, Steans' Feb. 5 opponent in the Democratic primary. Ronen, in mid-term, resigned just days before the filing deadline, and is expected to get a high-paying job in the Blagojevich Administration. If Elder wins, the 48th Ward will be quickly forgotten. Full Article...
December 12, 2007
MIKE MADIGAN'S MISERY: TO QUIT OR FIGHT IN 2010
Give Mike Madigan a "patch." Like any nicotine-addicted cigarette smoker, the Democratic Speaker of the Illinois House just can't quit. As speaker for 23 of the past 25 years, Madigan, 65, is unquestionably at the top of his game. He has absolute control of the House, detests Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and delights in frustrating Blagojevich's initiatives. But his daughter, state Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, aspires to be governor, and would surely beat Blagojevich in the 2010 Democratic primary. However, Illinois voters might cringe at the prospect of a father/daughter team in Illinois' top offices. The presumption was that Iron Mike would resign as speaker in 2009, removing that avenue of Blagojevich attack. That's now unlikely. Mike Madigan will fight, not quit. Lisa Madigan may run instead for the Illinois Supreme Court in 2010. Republicans are "Looking for Bobby Jindal" -- the conservative Republican who won Louisiana's governorship in October on a platform of competence and honesty. The 2010 GOP field is large, and unimpressive. Full Article...
December 5, 2007
HISPANIC POLS FIGHT TO BE "NUMERO UNO"
In Chicago and Cook County, Hispanic politicians are feverishly and forever battling to be "Numero Uno," and King of the Mountain -- rey combre de la montana. But the so-called mountain is really a molehill. Despite explosive population growth, especially among Mexican-Americans, Hispanics are still fractionalized geographically (North versus South), ethnically (Puerto Ricans versus Mexican-Americans and Central Americans) and ideologically (liberals versus conservatives). The top citywide Hispanic officeholder is Chicago clerk Miguel del Valle; the top countywide officeholder is Metropolitan Water Reclamation Comm. Frank Avila. The overall Hispanic vote is barely 20%. But that may change in the next decade. When Hispanics get to 40% of the registered vote, they could seize the mayoralty. Chicago's undisputed Numero Uno, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-4), decided to unretire; he wants to keep his job, visibility, and fundraising capability through 2011, when he will run for mayor. New county Democratic chairman Joe Berrios is building a Hispanic bench. A long line of Hispanic pols want Gutierrez's job, or a crack at City Hall in the post-Daley era. Nasty primaries on Feb. 5 feature an array of Hispanics who are trying to broaden their power base, or puncture a rival's. Full Article...
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