October 27 ,2010
DEMOCRATS TRY TO COPE WITH "OBAMA OBSTACLE": HERE'S 11/2 PREDICTIONS
The Democrats' "sample ballot" in Cook County proclaims that President Barack Obama's "work has just begun...keep his agenda on track." After Nov. 2, Obama's work may have ended. Obama is "poison among working-class (meaning white) voters," said a Northwest Side Democratic committeeman. Democrats, at least nationally and statewide, will be bashed and trashed. In Cook County, it's business as usual. This article makes predictions, and examines the WHO, WHERE and WHY. If you want to save time, and not discover WHY, here's the WHO -- the winners: Brady, Kirk, White, Madigan, Rutherford, Topinka (statewide); Berrios, Preckwinkle (Cook County); U.S. House, a Republican pickup of 72, for a 250-185 majority, with Illinois Democratic incumbents Halvorson, Hare and Foster losing, and Dold winning the 10th in a squeaker; U.S. Senate, with a Republican gain of 9, including Mark Kirk in Illinois; Illinois Senate, with a Republican pickup of 6 (including Doherty and Rauschenberger); Illinois House, now 70-48 Democratic, a Republican gain of 9, giving Mike Madigan a narrower 61-57 majority. Full Article...
October 20 ,2010
DOHERTY-MULROE BATTLE MARKED BY DREADED "C-WORD"
The dreaded "C-word" has visibly erupted in the Northwest Side 10th state senate district. But the alphabetic epithet is analytic, not anatomic. In the nasty and brutal contest between Ald. Brian Doherty (R) and appointed State Sen. John Mulroe (D), the "C-words" are convoluted, contemptible, contradictory, combustible and confusing. CONVOLUTED is for Democrats attacking Doherty as a toady of Democratic Chicago Mayor Daley. CONTEMPTIBLE is for Republicans lying about Mulroe's "$150,000 bailout" from 3 "patronage jobs." CONTRADICTORY is for Mulroe's equivocation on the state income tax hike -- when Springfield Democrats are spending $600,000 to elect him and impose one. COMBUSTIBLE is for Doherty's assertion that the pro-abortion Mulroe is a "baby-killer." And CONFUSED is the nature of NW Side politics, where strange alliances are normal. To win, Doherty needs over 60% of the vote in the 41st Ward, not less than 45% in the 45th and 38th wards, and must break even in the 36th Ward and Norwood Park Township. The area's "Reagan Democrats" are hostile to Quinn and Obama, and to liberalism in general. If they bolt, Doherty wins. Full Article...
October 13 ,2010
"CAREER POLITICIAN" IS 2010'S ULTIMATE EPITHET
Independent Illinois gubernatorial candidate Scott Lee Cohen is throwing around the epithet "career politician" in his TV ads and mailings. That now-derogatory term is synonymous with leech, self-server, screw-up and pension padder. "Experienced" officeholders get no respect. As a public service, this column unveils its CPI -- Career Politician Index, a mechanism to ascertain who to vote against. Gov. Quinn has a 51.6% CPI, meaning that he's spent more than half his adult life in public office (and the other half seeking it and losing); other statewide candidates are rated. Cohen's attacks are resonating. My prediction: Cohen will get at least 16% of the vote, thereby insuring Quinn's defeat. Republican Bill Brady has a solid Downstate base, and will get the usual Republican vote of 40%-plus. My prediction: Brady wins the governorship with 44%, to Quinn's pathetic 37%. Full Article...
October 6 ,2010
ILLINOISANS SUFFER ACID REFLUX IN U.S. SENATE CHOICE
Illinois' U.S. Senate candidates Mark Kirk (R) and Alexi Giannoulias (D) are like a couple of dead fish. The longer voters look at them, the worse the smell. On Nov. 2, it's acid reflux time. One will win. Kirk is perceived as a serial liar, devoid of principle, with no moral compass. A crass opportunist, he would be Illinois' very own Senator Windsock. Giannoulias is perceived as a clueless idiot, out of his league, and utterly lacking in judgment. His incompetence as state treasurer and as a banker is beyond doubt. Polls show both mired in the low 40s. Pres. Obama's approve/disapprove in Illinois is 46/46. Giannoulias has embraced the president, hoping that a liberal, pro-Obama image will suffice; Kirk is counting on Tea Party anger, even though he is no conservative. The "Fitzgerald Factor" is key: In 1998, the Republican won Downstate by 328,264 votes, and the collar counties by 164,442 votes; that offset the Democrat's margin in Cook County. If Kirk does likewise, he wins. Alexi needs a huge black vote, and Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones, who is black, will divert some. Outlook: Edge to Kirk. In the 10th congressional district, Bob Dold (R) needs a massive anti-Democratic outpouring. Dan Seals (D), who lost twice to Kirk, is slightly favored.Full Article...
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