20 Minutes/$17,000
ArchPundit
Thanks Blagorgeous–that was useful.
June 2004
Chris Rhodes Libertine
I had linked to this article screaming about Topinka’s participation in the Pride Parade.
From the 1996 Republican Convention as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle
While GOP television showed pictures of speakers praising one another at the podium, a very different scene erupted in the back of the convention hall.
”Abortion is murder!” Ken Scott of Denver screamed at California Governor Pete Wilson, Massachusetts Governor William Weld and Maine Senator Olympia Snowe. ”Why are you part of the Republican Party when you’re breaking God’s law? You won’t be able to run and hide from God!”
”You guys are libertines,” one pro-choice advocate shouted back. ”Get out of our party!”
I’m with you Chris, but you have some work to do.
Brown on McCulloch
Rod McCulloch’s decision and reaction is covered by Mark Brown.
Remember, McCulloch put his career on the line for this–Republicans could use a few more people willing to go out on a limb for this kind of crap.
Illinois Republican Senate Nomation Cattle Call 6-28
IT’S BACK!
1. Steve Rauschenberger. Smart and has ties to both sides of the Illinois Circular Firing Squad Team’s civil war. Probably the only candidate without significant detractors on eitehr side. Willing to take the nomination, but a mediocre fundraiser. Will run hard and work hard for friends in the Lege. Best thing–they would produce some of the most enlightening public policy debates seen in a long time.
2. Ron Gidwitz. Considered to be from the moderate wing–look down and see some of the quick oppo on this guy. Won’t be popular with the social conservatives, but lots of ties to Chamber of Commerce types and can self-fund. Friend of Topinka–bad for social conservatives. Danger is that he’ll run to increase name recognition this time for a 2006 run at Governor. If he does so, bottom of the ticket will suffer.
3. Oberweis, Uberweis. Set to the tune of edelweis. Party leaders understand he’d be a disaster in the general election. Upside. Free ice cream. Downside, demagoguing twit. Upside. Great commercials–not to win, but for entertainment value. Downside: Democrats think he’s the best choice. Upside: has a legitimate claim as the runner up in the primary. Downside: Hurts minority outreach of GOP. Upside: Did I mention free ice cream? Downside: Still lots of resentment from social conservatives over his calling Pro-lifers the Taliban.
4. Andrew McKenna. Says he doesn’t want it. Also has ties to Ray LaHood who is out of favor with social conservatives. Lots of ties to business community. Too boring to have ever had kinky sex so that’s a plus.
5. Jim Durkin. The good soldier sacrificial lamb to take on Dick Durbin in 2002. Lost heartily, but has some grass roots ties and by all accounts is a nice guy. It’s unclear that he wouldn’t be a downballot disaster given the last race. Smart and generally well-liked. He’s a realist so he may avoid the race.
6. Rod McCulloch. No good deed goes unpunished.
7. John Cox. LOL–Like rejuvinating the Cook County GOP isn’t punishment enough.
8. The Thompsons/Bob Thomas/Jim Edgar/Topinka–all have said no. None of them are dumb enough for this fool’s errand.
9. Patrick Fitzgerald. He isn’t stupid and he’s said no.
10. Peter Fitzgerald. Over the Speaker’s dead body given their latest fight. Bad candidate the first time around, doesn’t have the fire in the belly to fight this race which will take every day campaigning.
11. Chinjeev Kathuria. Sources say he has an impressive resume.
Another Love Letter to Obama
That picture is going to be the picture of the cycle–well beside the horrible trib photo of Ryan.
errrr…weekend material
Gone! Dammit. Server switch and I thought I was in the clear. Apparently not. Some more later.
Some Good Links
I’m not going to redo all of the posts from yesterday, but here are some of the top links:
To sum up–beyond the issue of lying about a fellow Party Member–remember, Ryan called McCulloch a liar which we now know McCulloch must have seen the full file–though some specifics might be off, Ryan lied to nearly everyone on an issue that could have easily been dealt with as Oberweis even did.
Second, if Ryan was scared of the file becoming public, he could easily have been blackmailed.
Finally, these rules from Rich Miller should be stapled to the head of every candidate in the United State:
Lesson No. 1: Reporters and the public are always more intrigued by sealed, concealed or hidden information than stuff that is right out in the open.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis went through a bitter divorce right before the primary, but you didn’t read about it because Oberweis never tried to hide anything. The Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, wrote a book several years ago that talked about some of his youthful indiscretions, including occasional drug use. It hasn’t been a political problem because Obama came clean in a direct and forthright manner. Disclose early, and disclose completely.
Lesson No. 2: Don’t flat-out lie about potentially embarrassing things that can be proved false. Up until the very end, Ryan could never bring himself to tell the truth. When the records did come out, Ryan compounded the lie by claiming he had never told political leaders that there was nothing embarrassing in his files. When those same political leaders contradicted him, he was formally outed as a serial prevaricator.
Once you are proved to be a deliberate liar, nobody will ever believe you again about anything. Just look at the media coverage of Bill Clinton’s new autobiography, if you want proof. It’s all about the Monica.
DISCLOSE PEOPLE!
What Was That?
Rich Miller reports what has long been whispered about in Springfield:
SPECIAL STUFF (excerpt) Republican and Democratic insiders in both chambers are complaining that the governor’s budget negotiating style leaves a lot to be desired.
The most important observation, from every single caucus under the dome, is that Blagojevich will appear to agree to things, then back away the next day. Blagojevich also apparently doesn’t exactly display a keen grasp of details. Issues have to be explained to him several times, sources in both parties say. And negotiation participants from all caucuses say the governor leaves a lot to be desired in his meeting management style.
I’ve heard his attention span at about 30 seconds. Some like to compare him to Clinton because of the lateness and the smoothness, but the reality is that the Governor is simply not that bright. The sound bites he issues, that’s about how much he cares.
Leader Lawsuit Watch Day 3
Dan Proft is threatening to sue for Kerry’s divorce records that he claims are sealed. He does get some support from Drudge, but still waiting to hear if the files are actually sealed or not. The Drudge story seems to imply this is the Trib’s idea. One of many reasons it seems suspect. But as I’ve said before, the files should be open unless they are protecting minor children, of which there are none in this case anymore.