May 2004

Prolonging the News Cycle

Ummmm…Watson criticized the taping before the Ryan campaign apologized and told Warfel to cool it.

If, say, the Leader wants to elect Jack Ryan, they might get on message–lord knows Ryan can’t. Or they can prolong the sideshow and maybe alienate some Republican leaders who they need to turn out every last vote. Given Proft is associated with the campaign and the Leader, I think Topinka and Watson might take this editorial as a bit more than just carping.

“A Fabulous Job” or A Gentleman’s C

Sanchez is being rotated out, but the weird thing is the language used to describe his performance

President Bush praised Sanchez during a photo opportunity in the Oval Office. “Rick Sanchez has done a fabulous job,” the president said as he met with a group of Iraqis. “He’s been there for a long time. His service has been exemplary.”

At the Pentagon, Larry Di Rita, chief spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said both Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Richard Myers “are very impressed with the work Gen. Sanchez performed from the very beginning” of his service in Iraq. Sanchez took command there in May 2003.

Am I missing something here? A fabulous job? In what way?

Is this what a Gentleman’s C is?

Generally I’m willing to cut the brass some slack here, but what exactly has Sanchez done a fabulous job of? Perhaps this is why the Dear Mr. Rumsfeld continues to be employed?

Fire him

Now That is What I’m talking about

Yesterday, I suggested some changes at the Obama site were foreshadowing some big changes…..

Ding Ding Ding

Guess who just joined the Obama Party!

For one Rick Klau over at ObamaBlog

So far, just one message

The other news is ‘some veterans’ of the Dean Internet team are involved. Care to elaborate Rick?

I had a feeling this was going to happen and it is great news. So now we have two very internet friendly campaigns in Illinois and Tari Renner in third. How ’bout the Party joining in?

Wilco Promoting Illinois

One of my rants about St. Louis–usually found on Blog Saint Louis, the companion site to ArchPundit, is that Saint Louis leaders couldn’t find hip if it was attached to their thigh. But to give some credit to Blagorgeous, his admin is running commercials with Wilco songs promoting Illinois. As the Join Cross guys say–that is cool and hip.

Far more hip than Elvis.

And the problem–with Saint Louis? The Mayor nor anyone on RCGA has ever heard of Jay Farrar despite his residence on the South Side, ever present attendance at local concerts and a nationally known artist.

But they know who Nelly is. Dandy. I need to move North again.

And Chris–it isn’t as if I can get Steve Brown to pay attention anyway-unless a reader from around the office wants to bug him about the problem. (yes I know Steve Brown is not on that end of things, but lets face it–if the Speaker is going to get a fire lit under him to do something, it’s coming from Brown).

Crane Watch

Is a riot, for the next few days I’ll be highlighting portions.

Today, Phil Crane in his own words from August of 2003.

“I did not realize unemployment was over 13% in Chicago. I’m not sure exactly what the explanation is for that.”

“The economy is good. By definition we only suffered a recession period of 3 months duration in the year 2001. That is the only time we suffered recession.”

Errr…two quarters of negative growth equals six months.

“Illinois gets back only 70 cents for every dollar sent by taxpayers to Washington DC. The 8th District only gets back 50 cents on the dollar.”

That’d be a hell of a campaign commercial….

“When I first came to congress I introduced legislation that would abolish any tax whatsoever on business.”

“The chairman of the Ways & Means Committee has a bill that provides tax relief to multi-national corporations. And I’m all for that.”

“I would happily volunteer to protect our borders against Mexican invasion than continue to spend a summer at Fort Leonard Hood.”
(Phil Crane on his military service)

“We have 7 million illegal immigrants in the US. And we haven’t been able to track them down.”

“In the year 2001, we were being taxed at the highest rate in the history of the country.”

To your right is an ad for Melissa Bean, Crane’s opponent this year. She is a very credible candidate. Go help her whether it be with manpower or money.

The Old Cell Phone Losing Coverage Gag

Ed Burke acted as if he was losing coverage with his cell phone while talking to reporters about the $17,000 in free insurance he received from Michael Segal.

Best part of the article:

Burke was notified he was getting free insurance. He started paying for it after Segal was arrested in 2002, according to testimony

Second best,

On Friday, when a reporter called the Finance Committee chairman on his cell phone to ask about the free insurance, the City Council’s most powerful alderman appeared to hide behind his cell phone.

”Hellooo? Hellooo??” Burke said, as if he didn’t hear the question, before hanging up.

A follow-up call to his cell phone seconds later went unanswered. He didn’t return a voice-mail message.

But did the phone ring or go directly into the voice mail?