December 31, 2014
"STOP WILLIE" IS EMANUEL'S CURRENT POLITICAL PRIORITY
"Free Willie" was a movie about a kid saving a killer whale. Chicago's 2015 mayoral election could be dubbed "freebies from Willie," as wealthy black entrepreneur Willie Wilson prepares to spend $60 million to get elected mayor. But first Wilson must get on the ballot. He filed 47,000 signatures on his nominating petitions. Mayor Rahm Emanuel's lawyers challenged over 40,000 of them. Wilson paid circulators $2.00-per-signature and needs just 12,500 signatures. Unilike 1983, when Harold Washington exploded the black vote, Chicago's blacks --with a Chicago black in the White House -- seem listless. A black Chicago mayor? Yawn, yawn. If Wilson stays on the ballot, he will get most of the black vote, and force Emanuel into an April runoff. "Stop Willie" is the mayor's current priority. Full Article...
December 24, 2014
CROWD GATHERING TO "STICK A FORK" IN BERRIOS
Stick a fork in Joe Berrios? That is slang for some edible (or political) entity that has been cooked, roasted or otherwise rendered consumable. In Chicago's north side Puerto-Rican majority wards (1, 26, 30, 31, 35, and 36), the fork-wielders include aldermen Moreno, Sposato, Munoz and Waguespack, congressman Gutierrez, and state legislators Guzzardi, Delgado and Arroyo. All are anti-Berrios, anti-Emannuel, and pro-reform "progressives." Berrios, the county assessor, Democratic chairman, and 31st Ward Committeeman, has $1.2 million on hand; his ally, 31st Ward alderman Ray Suarez, has $1.3 million on-hand. Berrios was humiliated last March when Guzzardi beat Toni Berrios. The outlook: Suarez (31st) faces former TV reporter Milly Santiago; Colon (35th) faces immigration activist Carlos Rosa; Maldonado (26th) faces Juanita Irizarry --- all the Berrios Boys could lose runoffs. In the new 36th Ward, erstwhile Berrios ally Arroyo will insure that Villegas beats Aquino, Suarez's guy. 2015 will be tough year for Joe Berrios. Full Article...
December 17, 2014
SQUABBLING, JOCKEYING ERUPT FOR TOPINKA’S JOB
Death can be advantageous. The passing of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka creates two vacancies -- one until January 12, 2015, and one for the four-year term Topinka won on November 4, which extends through 2018. Democrats would benefit from a special election 2016. In the past century, 10 appointments have been made by the governor to state constitutional office; only five have sought election, and only one -- Jim Edgar as Secretary of State in 1982 -- has won. The Comptroller is a glorified bookkeeper. Gov. Rauner may want a partner, not an ambitious politician, in the job. Full Article...
December 10, 2014
DEARTH OF DEMOCRATS DRIVES DOLD COMEBACK
For Republican Bob Dold, the "magic number" in his victorious 2014 congressional comeback in the 10th District was 82,000. That's how many fewer people voted in 2014 as contracted to 2012. Dold beat first-term incumbent Brad Schneider (D) by 5,974 votes; in 2012, he lost by 3,326 votes. The affluent North Shore/east Lake County district was remapped to elect a Democrat. Obama won it with 58% in 2012. But Dold waged a masterful 18-month campaign, raised $3.2 million, covered himself with platitudes like "bi-partisan," and trumpeted his support for "Roe v. Wade" and for "marriage equality,"; both are nice code wards. Dold also has a pro-Israel record, which appeals to the large Jewish population. The black and Hispanic vote around Waukegan were way down; Dold won both Lake and Cook counties. He'll have to campaign 24/7 to keep the seat. Already, Democrats Schneider and Dan Biss are eyeing 2016. Full Article...
December 3, 2014
"OBAMANATION" EVAPORATION WILL CONFOUND HILLARY IN 2016
In politics, nothing stays the same. The so-called "Obamanation," founded in 2008 and reaffirmed in 2012, was supposed to be inevitable and interminable. The cohesive coalition of blocks, Hispanics, Millenniels (under 30s), liberals, feminists and urban whites was the "wave of the future," wasn't it? It's already partially evaporated. The 2014 election showed that blacks vote in record numbers -- for other blacks; they didn't vote for whites who equivocate in their support of the Obama Administration. Turnout was down by 500,000-plus in WI, NC, GA, VA, OH, FL and CO. Given Obama's unpopularity, Hillary Clinton faces a daunting task: How to placate the dwindling Obamanation, while not displeasing the anti-Obama contingent. Good luck. Full Article...
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