October 2003

The GLBT Community And The Senate Race

ArchPundit October 23, 2003 0 Comment

One of the most interesting dynamics to emerge in the Democrat primary for Senate in Illinois is the shake out of support in the GLBT community. This is important because, well, the gays vote like hell.

First, so that the Hynes partisans who read this don’t go nuts, let’s stipulate a few things.

Dan Hynes has a solid history of building a profile in the GLBT community in Chicago and has strong name recognition. He supported the passage of HB101 and SB101, which would have added sexual orientation to the Illinois Human Rights Act. He is supported by Mike Bauer, a prominent GLBT politico, which means that Hynes, through Bauer, could attract the support of many of the GLBT party regulars. I don’t doubt that on issues important to the GLBT community that come before the Congress, Hynes would do the right thing.

That said, much more is going on. Rumblings are beginning to be heard throughout the community about Hynes’ downstate strategy, which involves largely aligning himself with the Poshard-wing of the party, which has a long history of virulent anti-gay positions. Indeed, the lack of support from these downstate democrats has been central to keeping the Illinois Human Rights Act from being amended. In addition, as the race has unfolded, Hynes has been virtually absent from the GLBT community. He made a showing on Pride Day, but didn’t do much before and hasn’t done much since. Hynes is now being openly questioned in the community and the gay press about how much he really has done over the years for the GLBT community, and whether he has been happy to have GLBT support only when, and if, it has suited him. Fair or not, the perception among many in the GLBT community is that Hynes would rather not, for now, at least, be seen or heard.

On the other hand, Hull and Obama have made significant strides in the community. The word is that Obama has the support of Alicia Obando, openly gay Alderman Tom Tunney’s right hand in the lakefront’s 44th Ward office. Obama has been holding receptions and house parties in the community and talking up his substantial support over the years of GLBT issues, on which he is extraordinarily thoughtful, articulate, and passionate. He is a co-sponsor of SB101, has helped organize lobbying for the bill, and compares the fight for GLBT rights with the struggle for black civil rights. Obama has been able to attract a number of GLBT volunteers, who add to the numbers already working hard for him. He has received very favorable coverage in the Chicago Free Press, the most widely read GLBT paper in Chicago.

Hull, too, has been working hard in the community. Hull has the support of Vernita Gray, the most prominent African-American GLBT activist and a member of State’s Attorney Dick Devine’s staff. Hull also has the support of Ellen Myers, from Jesse White’s office, Mike McHale, also from Devine’s office and the president of Equality Illinois. Hull has been talking up in the community his support of women’s issues over his life-time, his active philanthropic support of GLBT causes, and his understanding and support of GLBT issues. Hull has also held numerous receptions in the community: for example, he underwrote the reception on the first day of the Cook County Domestic Partner’s Registry and was the only candidate to attend; and he held a party on Halsted in the heart of the GLBT community on National Coming Out Day that attracted over 200 people. The Chicago Free Press has also written very favorably about him.

The net result of their work and the publicity is that within the GLBT community, which makes up a significant block of the liberal lakefront voters, Hull and Obama are building strong "buzz" and volunteer support, which could translate into impressive, and much needed electoral results for both.

A Buried Tidbit

ArchPundit October 23, 2003 0 Comment

In an article in today’s Sun-Times that includes, in part, reporting on James Joyce’s own investigation into last Friday’s County Building fire, this little bit of information is revealed:

The commander of the downtown fire district, Thomas Donnellan, was off-duty at the time, but defends firefighters for their work. So far, typical.

But then, according to the Sun-Times: "Donnellan is Joyce’s brother-in-law, but Fire Department spokeswoman Molly Sullivan said the relationship would not affect Joyce’s investigation."

His brother-in-law?!!! And Joyce can be impartial about his brother-in-law? Oh, please. This web of cronyism and nepotism is so tangled that no one should believe a word of any investigation, unless the investigators are clearly independent of the Mayor and the County Board.

The Pressure Is On

ArchPundit October 22, 2003 0 Comment

In a state where cronyism and nepotism in politics is almost an art form, it is always gratifying to see the inner-circle under intense pressure for their stupidity, if not negligence.

Yesterday the first lawsuit was filed against the management of the County Building that burned last Friday, which includes Elzie Higginbottom. When asked whether an independent inquiry that would focus on Higginbottom would be impartial, John Stroger almost had a stroke, saying "I don’t think Mr. Higginbottom has done any more for me than many citizens have done." That doesn’t even pass the laugh test. He then went on to say that he didn’t "care who was affected." Yeah right. If they have to, Stroger and Daley will throw Higginbottom over the side because, for once, the media and those representing the unfortunate workers who died are not letting the matter drop. But if they can protect him and others involved in this disaster, history tells us they will.

Also, Patrick Murphy keeps at it, saying yesterday that it amounts to almost "crimial negligence" that management sent employees into stairwells they knew were not pressurized, and that the County didn’t spend less than $1.5 million to add sprinklers when the retrofit was done. As I noted yesterday, Murphy is like a terrier with a bone. If he can finally crack the wall that protects the cronies and the relatives who benefit from far too much in this city and state with little or no accountability, then he will be a Profile in Courage.

At some point, I hope Mayor Daley, Mr. Stroger, and James Joyce all come before the media and face the really tough questions being asked.

Murphy’s Relentless Hammering

ArchPundit October 21, 2003 0 Comment

Patrick Murphy deserves enormous credit for not letting anyone off the hook for Friday’s County Building fire disaster. He said he didn’t care much about whether the mayor’s "cronies" were involved in the retrofit of the building, and he called the governor a politician in "search of a backbone" for saying the matter was none of his business. His day of hammering now means that Mayor Daley is "open" to an independent investigaion.

Open? How about demanding one Mr. Mayor?

But the tangle gets thicker and thicker. Word comes yesterday that one of the partners in the building’s management is Elzie Higginbottom, a long-time friend of Daley and Stroger (and a party fundraiser leading Dan Hynes’s fundraising effort). Stroger said yesterday (from today’s Sun-Times):

Stroger on Monday defended Elzie Higginbottom, a friend of both Daley’s and Stroger’s and owner of one of two companies in the joint venture that manages the county administration building. Stroger said it is not clear management made the controversial call to evacuate the whole building — sending people into the smoky stairwells.

"The management of that building had nothing to do with the fire in that building," Stroger said.

Just like E2, if a friend of the powers-that-be is involved, circle the wagons right away. What could Stroger know at this point? Nothing. And, yes, management didn’t start the fire. But did they handle the evacuation properly? Was the building up to code? Why were the stairwell doors locked? That is why Murphy wants an independent investigation, so that everyone, friends and foes alike, will have to answer tough questions and, if necessary, be held accountable.

Keep hammering Mr. Murphy.

The Mayor and Disasters

ArchPundit October 20, 2003 0 Comment

One of the confounding aspects of the Daley administration is its ability to dodge reponsibility for crises in which serious loss of lives occur. Most of the horrific incidents under his tenure involved City or County (which he controls, despite the window dressing of independence) agencies or staff making decisions that at least were part of the scenario that led to the disasters.

Columnist Mark Brown had it exactly right in yesterday’s Sun-Times when he asked about Friday’s County building fire:

"Excuse me, but where was the indignation? Where was the pain? Where was Mayor Daley’s anger?

This was a terribly stupid way for six people to have to died in this day and age, right up there with the senselessness of the E2 nightclub disaster and the Lincoln Park porch collapse. It didn’t have to happen"

And I would add the great Heat Wave of 1994.

It shouldn’t be left to Cook County Public Guardian Patrick Murphy, who lost three staff members in the fire to say (from today’s Sun-Times) that "he wants an independent inquiry board to look into the evacuation and response and takes issue with Mayor Daley’s and Fire Commissioner James Joyce’s contention that nothing went wrong in the response to the fire."

The Mayor always runs to the cover of "nothing went wrong" in the face of disaster. He has never, to my knowledge, expressed any outrage at or held accountable City or County officials for the deaths that occured on his watch that involved city inspectors, emergency response departments or teams, or anyone else.

Could it be that it is beacuse many of the departments where these decisions were made are run by political hacks instead of true professionals. Take James Joyce: he is a member of the Joyce clan that is this/close to the Daleys (relative Jeremiah being one of Daley’s closest political confidants and a regular beneficiary of the City’s largesse). I know Joyce. He is a nice man, but his skill runs to doing only what the Mayor says when the Mayor wants.

I hope that the local press stays on this for months, hammers Daley hard, and brings it up again and again during the next election — a term in Chicago’s mayoral politics I use lightly.

Daley, Teachers, and Money

ArchPundit October 17, 2003 0 Comment

Without commenting on whether the CTU members should have accepted the contract put before them, I was struck by Mayor Daley’s comments after the failed vote (cited on the Chicago tribune’s website):

"Where is the money (for bigger raises) going to come from?" Daley asked.

"Public employees have to understand," Daley said. "Taxpayers pay your salaries. They are getting laid off. They are not getting pay increases. … These are very challenging economic times."

Funny, Mayor Daley had no problem finding $400 million in public funds for the new Soldier’s Field.

He had no problem finding over $400 million in public and private funding for Millenium Park.

He had no problem finding the money to tear down Meigs Field.

He has no problem finding millions of dollars each year for trees and flowers.

When it comes to what he wants (which usually involves self-aggrandizement): where there’s a will, there’s a way.

But if he doesn’t care: there’s no money, and there’s no way.

The Numbers Are In

ArchPundit October 17, 2003 1 Comment

And although they look impressive for Hynes, if put within the context of a competitve race, they represent one more disappointment on his way to coronation. Let’s face it, like it or not, this is a competitve Senate race in a State with a very expensive media market and a multimillionaire competitor. So unless one thinks that he is going to handed the nomination, one would need to raise (by looking at similar races in other States) at least $5-6M. And despite what Hynes would have us believe, the "machine" isn’t what it used to be, and it’s not as relevant in a federal race (no jobs to give; no motivation for workers), so it won’t offset hard dollars for media and operations. Raising less than $1M in the quarter before the race begins in earnest, outpacing Obama by a little more than 150K, and not slowing Chico enough to push him out of the race is a real blow, and can’t be spun away. Hynes needs to pick up the pace fast in the dollar race, or he will be forced to narrow the focus of his race either on the Chicago market or downstate, where in both areas he faces very stiff resistance.

Armchairpundit

P.S. I was going to start my guest blog with a comment about the Cubs, but thought it best to let that sleeping dog lie.

It would be best….

ArchPundit October 15, 2003 1 Comment

if I just turn it over to the guest blogger now. I’m very bitter. See you on November 1st. Thanks Armchairpundit.

Holy CofCC Barbour!

ArchPundit October 15, 2003 0 Comment

Via Kos
Via Political Wire

Haley Barbour went to the CofCC picnic.

The election year Mississippi Black Hawk Barbecue and Political Rally held on July 19 drew dozens of political candidates and was attended by a crowd of over 500. The Black Hawk Barbecue is sponsored by the Council of Conservative Citizens to raise money for private academy school buses. (Pictured L-R: Chip Reynolds, State Senator Bucky Huggins, Ray Martin, GOP gubernatorial nominee Haley Barbour, John Thompson, and Black Hawk Rally emcee and C of CC Field Director Bill Lord

The dirtbags at the Council of Conservative Citizens are pieces of work. They are unreconstructed racists of the worst kind. How does the GOP establishment justify them?

Let’s look at a couple examples, comparing Bush to Lincoln—in a bad way. By the Mississipi CofCC, the same one Barbour met with. Lincoln is evil to these guys. Why? Figure it out.

Remember these clowns from other issues? You should if you are a regular ArchPundit reader,
My single biggest day of hits came from last December’s article by Joe Conason on Trent Lott and Ashcroft’s ties to the Council of Conservative Citizens.

Link to the original Conason article in the above link. The point being Ashcroft couldn’t have not known that Tom Bugel was scum. Just as Haley couldn’t not know that that scum he is seen pictured with are indeed scum of the worst variety.

But don’t let that stop him from claiming ignorance

The presence of the flag in Barbour’s campaign comes as he aggressively courts support from black voters. The Council of Conservative Citizens, which advocates immigration control and preserving state symbols and has been accused of being racist, uses Barbour’s picture on its Web site. Barbour has said he not only did not know his picture was on the Web site, but also he does not know what the council is.

My ass he doesn’t.

This story has been floating around Jackson since at least September 26th on the Jackson Free Press site.

And guess who else is in the pic? A one Bill Lord, former campaign Chairman in Carroll County, Mississippi to Trent Lott’s Senate campaigns.

The goto place on this stuff is the Temple of Democracy which has started a blog

No permalinks, but it is critical to understand that Lott got nailed for his ties to the CofCC due to attending a Blackhawk Rally a few years ago. Barbour is lying and lying badly.

As Clarification

ArchPundit October 15, 2003 0 Comment

I mean all of the jokes about Bartman humorously–no one should bother him, his family, or his employer. In fact, I wouldn’t have named him at all had I had information that wasn’t already widely known publicly. What he did was stupid, but just that and it is a game. Bloviator criticized the media for releasing his information and I think he is right. I won’t get over it though, Ross.