6th CD Dem Primary News

ArchPundit May 6, 2005 1 Comment

Peter O’Malley has his web site up and running

I’ll have some more on Peter in the next few days.

For those wanting to ask Christine Cegelis questions for a video interview, go here

I currently have a fundraising link up for Christine and may add one for Peter. While I do endorse in primaries and take sides, I also attempt to be an honest broker for legit candidates in a Democratic Primary. I’m of the belief the most good blogs can do is to provide information and I hope even when I do take sides, to do the information aspect fairly.

I Will Survive

ArchPundit April 29, 2005 3 Comments

Who wouldn’t pay to hear Melissa Bean do a Kareoke version of “I Will Survive”

Social Security is a political nightmare for Republicans

?Support for the Bush Social Security proposals by a member of Congress yields a net electoral loss of 24 percentage points,? conclude pollsters Guy Molyneux and Geoffrey Garin. Hart polled 811 voters April 15-19, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. Some 19 percent ?are more likely to vote for a candidate who sides with the president, and 43 percent are less likely.?

Another poll finding that gives Dem leaders mapping strategy some ammunition: ?By 58 percent to 32 percent, voters say the Democrats in Congress are raising legitimate concerns about Bush?s Social Security proposals, not making unfair political attacks.?

The lame rejoinder that Democrats aren’t offering solutions is a bit of a joke given the Republican’s plan(s) don’t actually solve the solvency problem and that seems to be getting through as the impression to the public.

What’ll be interesting in the 8th is what will the Republicans argue for in regards to Social Security?

Private accounts? Gee, those don’t seem to solve the problem.

Bush’s Plan? Reduce benefits more than if things stay the same? That’s not compelling.

It’s going to be hard to run as a loyal Republican to the President and take a clear stand on this issue.

Ethics Win For Dems Appears to Be An Illinois Affair

ArchPundit April 28, 2005 No Comments

Sweet writes that LaHood, Biggert and Kirk all pressured Hastert to return to the rules for the Ethics Committee that were in place last year.

Republican Rep. Ray LaHood of East Peoria said he told Hastert to back down while flying on Air Force One after the April 19 dedication of the Lincoln library.

LaHood said he told the speaker: “You’re the one who has got to be able to turn this thing around. Because of your special relationship with DeLay and because you are the speaker and you are the one who changed the rules. . . . You’ve got to pivot, you probably have to eat a little crow, but we’ve got to get the ability for our members to go back home and talk about our issues.”

Kirk, from Highland Park, chairs the Tuesday Group, 45 moderates who wield enormous leverage. He said he told Hastert his group “felt that we should not change ethics rules in a partisan way.”

Biggert, a Hinsdale resident, said she talked to Hastert and said: “We needed to get our business done in the ethics committee, not on the front pages of the newspapers.”

Biggert’s line may simply be covering her butt, but traditionally Biggert isn’t on the right wing so who knows…

While there are still issues of staffing, the Democrats won this one, and more importantly, citizens did–the ethics deal made between the parties only served incumbents and not the integrity of the institution. If Democrats are to face more investigations because of this as well as DeLay–well good. That’s how it should be–not a farce of truce.

Peter O?Malley to Announce Plans for Illinois? 6th Congressional District Race

ArchPundit April 26, 2005 3 Comments

Illinois 6 has a primary on the Dem side. Peter’s announcing tommorrow at 10 in Wheaton.

Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus Race

ArchPundit April 26, 2005 No Comments

Crowley–NY–40
Schakowsky–IL–38
Larson–CT–17

So not much movement. I’m still confused on the time line. I’ll figure it out.

Vic’s Back

ArchPundit April 25, 2005 3 Comments

Yep, Vic Roberts is back and running against John Shimkus. While it mentions he’s running in the 19th, he’s primarily identified as a Senate Candidate. Damn, Barack was lucky….

Via Modern Vertebrate.

6th CD Fireworks Already Fun on the GOP Side

ArchPundit April 22, 2005 No Comments

Jeff Berkowitz offers up Roskam’s take on Pankau and others.

Most interesting is that with Biggert supporting the rule changes that stopped investigations from going forward, since Biggert is supporting Roskam, he has little room to back away from the position.

The Pankau-Roskam fight looks to be probably as entertaining as the feuds that develop in the 8th CD Republican primary.

McSweeney’s role model: Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)

ArchPundit April 22, 2005 No Comments

Really, do social conservatives in Illinois have to write the commercials themselves? If I’m doing oppo research on a candidate and he’s comparing himself to a right wing loon from Oklahoma my only problem is deciding the order fo the attacks.

Delivering As Promised

ArchPundit April 22, 2005 No Comments

Melissa Bean is working to ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, as she promised repeatedly in 2004.

At 12:45 p.m., in a basement room in the Capitol, I am at a press conference with Emanuel, Bean and Schakowsky, plus two Michigan Democratic lawmakers. The Illinoisans’ districts span the lakefront from the Wisconsin border to Armitage Avenue in Chicago. The group tried and failed Tuesday to attach an amendment to the pending energy bill, a sweeping piece of legislation, to ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes. They said they will try again. There are 16 rigs offshore in Michigan.

Clinton Impeachment Payback for Nixon Impeachment?

ArchPundit April 22, 2005 4 Comments

WTF? I didn’t even believe this when I heard it. I had to see Hyde say it.

You can at ABC 7’s site.

UPDATE:

Here’s the full quote:

“I can’t say it wasn’t. But I also thought that the Republican Party should stand for something, and if we walked away from this, no matter how difficult, we could be accused of shirking our duty,” said Hyde.

It’s bizarre even in that context, though WLS overplayed it in the headline and was changing the story even as I put up the original. Note, the above link is to the video which contains the entire statement.