2010

Fine Moments in Commenting

ArchPundit February 8, 2010 No Comments

From Dave Weigel’s blog:

Tony Lopez-Cisneros 59 minutes ago

With supporters like that how could it have gone wrong?

Where Madigan Gets Credit

ArchPundit February 8, 2010 No Comments

I joked below about the Speaker just glaring at Cohen, but it appears he really dealt with him quite deftly:

A spokesman for Cohen said today the conversation with Madigan was in the form of “valued advice from a political veteran.

“Scott really values his advice,” said Cohen spokesman Baxter Swilley.

There were no ultimatums or incentives, but Madigan explained to Cohen “the trajectory of how the race would go” if he remained in, and that if he got out now he may be able to salvage a future in politics, Swilley said.

Swilley said the conversation left open the idea that if Cohen helped the party control the damage, he could begin to rebuild his name and move on, perhaps running for public office down the road.

Cohen asked Madigan for help recouping the millions he spent on his campaign. Madigan made no such offer, Swilley said, but Cohen views the matter as an “open discussion.”

“We are certainly going to ask for help,” he said. “We’re going to ask them to help us with some fundraisers.”

Swilley said Cohen wants to continue holding job fairs, like the ones he publicized in his expensive campaign ad blitz.

The initial thought of many was how to knock this guy out.  Despite all of his flaws, Cohen appears to be a somewhat genuine guy and it appears a fairly frank, but cordial conversation is what got him out. Speaking softly often is the right way to go and the Speaker deserves credit for this effort.

Can Cohen run for office again?

Probably.  He will need to clear up all of the garbage that has come out and start at a lower rung, but anything is possible.

At Least in New York

ArchPundit February 8, 2010 No Comments

The crooks have enough shame when they are caught to resign.

Well, that’s the rumor on Patterson and, of course, Spitzer resigned  though is already making noise about a comeback.

Did They Speak or Did the Speaker Just Glare

ArchPundit February 7, 2010 No Comments

Generally, the most intimidating thing the Speaker can do is glare at you.  Even if he did speak I imagine it was something like the glare and “get out, now.”

After Durbin’s criticism, Madigan’s office divulged for the first time that the speaker initiated a face-to-face meeting with Cohen on Friday and “strongly urged him to drop out,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said.

Madigan, who has controlled the Democratic Party of Illinois since 1998, has rarely faced such public criticism over his leadership of the party, particularly from someone of Durbin’s stature.

Brown insisted his boss bore no responsibility for Cohen’s election because he endorsed Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) for lieutenant governor. Brown also denied that the party has ever vetted candidates.

“I think the candidates all campaign actively across the state so there were plenty of opportunities for local officials to meet them,” he said.

You know, I don’t blame it all on Madigan by any stretch of my imagination, but to say he has no responsibility is asinine.  There’s plenty to go around especially with the clowns in the primary who all lost to this guy, but the head of the party is a part of the calculus.  Hell, even lump of nothingness Andy McKenna got out in front of Andy Martin.

And It’s Over….

ArchPundit February 7, 2010 No Comments

Superbowl Sunday–I don’t know, the guy is a natural at burying bad news.

More seriously, this guy will be far happier out of the public eye and he can finish getting his life in order.

Gloria Allred is on the Case

ArchPundit February 6, 2010 No Comments

The best thing about Illinois? It’s not on the coasts where mediawhoredom is a way of life.

Unfortunately, it appears Allred has decided to make a stop in that weird place called the midwest.

“Ms. Eneman was Scott Lee Cohen’s girlfriend and lived with him for about a year, some four or five years ago,” said Allred, who has represented the purported girlfriends of golfer Tiger Woods among other well-known clients.

“Based on her personal observations during the course of their relationship and his behavior, Ms. Eneman does not believe that he is fit to hold any public office, including that of Lt. Governor,” Allred said.

Allred said her 29-year-old client “has no further comment at this time and does not wish to be contacted.”

A few days ago commenters were joking about Allred showing up over at Capitol Fax.  Unfortunately, it came true.

Allred, of Los Angeles, has a storied history of clients that include the family of O.J. Simpson’s slain wife, Nicole Brown Simpson; Amber Frey, the woman who had an affair with Scott Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife; and Paula Jones, the woman at the center of a harassment suit against former President Bill Clinton .

Allred came into the spotlight again in November after the Woods scandal broke, and the woman at the heart of it, Rachell Uchitel, hired her to hold a press conference that was later abruptly cancelled. As recently as Friday, Allred held a press conference with another of Woods’ alleged girlfriends, porn star Joslyn James, where her client released some 100 racy text messages from the golfer.

One of the people involved here works for a living in an unsavory profession, another is just a sad excuse for a human being who leeches off others misfortune.  Ironically, the second one has a career that is not against the law.  (and no, that’s not lawyer bashing, it’s mediawhoredom bashing).

Why Brady Won’t Be A Cakewalk

ArchPundit February 5, 2010 No Comments

I think Brady is a lot better for Democrats and I don’t have a ton of great things to say about him, but Rich points out some of his characteristics that could make him dangerous in the general election to Democrats:

Yes, Brady is ideologically far to the right of this state’s center. He’s a guns, gays and God conservative who wants to cut taxes and borrow our way out of the pension mess. But he’s also a true happy warrior in the Reagan mold. He’s telegenic, decent on his feet, and will likely tear into Quinn on issues that Illinois actually cares about.

I added in comments:

I think Rich left off one-maybe two things about Brady—One he works his butt off. From his first race against Ropp he puts all his efforts into his races.

Second, he’s the only guy who seems to have run a field operation of any note this cycle and it paid off. In a close election, these are big deals.

That’s one or two things depending on whether you consider working hard part of a field operation.

His first race was Gordon Ropp in McLean County where he beat longtime incumbent Ropp by outworking him.  Nany many years ago my late uncle was Ropp’s campaign treasurer well before Brady ran.  For disclosure–though I think we can all agree I obviously have different politics from all involved in that race.

Eneman, who used the name “Mandi” with Eden customers

ArchPundit February 5, 2010 No Comments

The Trib has tracked down the masseuse/prostitute/girlfriend and she doesn’t want to talk.

I admit to knowing nothing about undercover stings, but really?

Eneman herself was arrested for prostitution at the Eden Spa in April 2005 for performing a sex act on an undercover police officer in exchange for $150. The police report quoted her telling the officer at the end of their session that prostitution was common there.

============

Eneman had been an employee of the business since at least July 2004, according to Lake County court records from an unrelated arrest. Details from the police report of Eneman’s arrest in Glenview say the undercover police officer entered Eden Spa and asked for a “session with Mandi.” He and Amanda went into a private room. He paid her for the time, and she asked if he wanted an “exotic massage.” He said yes, and she performed a sex act, according to the police report.

That’s gotta be a hard one to explain to the wife.

Chicago Tonight

ArchPundit February 5, 2010 No Comments

Just in case you haven’t watched the disaster already:

Ponce did a really good job not sensationalizing it as far as you can given the subject.

So Who Should Replace Cohen?

ArchPundit February 5, 2010 No Comments

I’m going to be optimistic and assume sooner or later Cohen is going to see the writing on the wall.  That may be a bad assumption, but Illinois Democrats need to plan ahead.  Who does the party choose to replace him on the ballot?

While no one exactly knows what the oracle in the Speaker’s office thinks, he seems to want Art Turner to get the spot.  Let me say first, I would have voted for Turner.  He’s a decent guy from what I understand  and it angers  Rickey Hendon.

That said, we are no longer in that same environment.  Right now, the notion that Pat Quinn is incompetent is only being fed by the clown in the Lt. Governor spot.  It’s not entirely fair given he has no real power to do anything other than ask they guy to get lost, but it fits a predefined narrative and Quinn isn’t entirely free of blame since at least someone in his campaign was warned.  There is a lot of blame to go around so he doesn’t bear the entire burden, but he gets a bit of it.

The answer I keep coming back to is one Pat Quinn isn’t going to like, but I hope he sees the wisdom in it.  Pat Quinn loves Lincoln and sounds like a tourist commercial for him (not a bad thing btw).

First, think about the Republican ticket.  At the top is likely to be Bill Brady, a State Senator who has served a long time, but hasn’t had much experience with large organizations and certainly doesn’t fully understand the state budget.  His running mate?  A 27 year old ideologue who had his family buy the seat.

The perfect anecdote to an ideological Republican ticket is….the cliche…a Team of Rivals.   Dan Hynes.    It resets the election in favor of Quinn and the Democrats by putting up two experienced leaders.  It unites the party (major kudos to Dan for his speech yesterday).  It puts competence at the forefront of the election against conservative ideology in a blue state.  It ends the incompetence dodge as Hynes so overshadows the Republican Lt. Governor Brady has to run against two guy.

Oh, and Dan Hynes learned to throw a punch.  Remember how much it stung Pat Quinn as Hynes launched into him?  Think of that stinging Bill Brady?  It’s not time to take a typical route out of this mess, it’s time to be bold and secure enough in his own leadership for Quinn to put together a top of the ticket that outshines the Republicans.