Call It A Comeback
Upon realizing what he said–I thought it wasn’t confusion between Tony the Syrian guy, but how’s Tony And how’s the Iraqi guy (Auchi)? Rich thought it was different, but there was a brief cutaway so I think we are talking about two different guys. Baar, don’t go to crazy in comments please.
Via Progress Illinois.
The Politico reports:
In Illinois, all eyes are on GOP Rep. Mark Kirk, who is considering running for the Senate seat in a special election. He would give Republicans a battle-tested candidate with no ties to the tainted Chicago and Springfield machines. He might otherwise have been unlikely to run statewide, since as a moderate Republican he could be vulnerable in a primary where conservative voters would hold sway.
Kirk isn’t the only credible Illinois Republican mulling a Senate bid. A source close to Rep. Peter J. Roskam said the second-term congressman is also “very interested” in running for the Senate seat and wouldn’t automatically defer to Kirk. Roskam has a more conservative voting record than Kirk and has won election to a suburban Chicago seat during two rough election cycles for the GOP.
My view is that in a one-on-one Senate primary, Roskam takes it and loses the general to just about anyone not named Blagojevich. Clearly the party will try and clear the field for someone, but it’s important to remember that doesn’t mean Kirk. Roskam has lots of movement conservative support and even if they do try to clear him from the field, he’s not shy about taking on other Republicans having challenged Biggert years ago.
Then again, it wasn’t much of an interview … for over two hours, Blagojevich regaled us with tales of America’s Founding Fathers, especially his favorite, Alexander Hamilton. Blago saw himself in Hamilton’s story — born to immigrant parents without wealth, Hamilton built a political career and a tidy personal fortune. In Blago’s eyes, Hamilton was evidence that crony capitalism works.
He asked me a few things about working for Mayor Daley, then exclaimed “that’s the way I want to govern — just like Daley.” Of course, Daley on his worst day would never be so dumb as to hatch a Coen Brothers like plot to sell to a U.S. Senate seat, but I couldn’t know then just what Blago had in mind.
Read the whole thing.
I wonder if Oberweis Dairy is prepping a new ad campaign.
Steve Brown’s points about the problems of a quick impeachment as conveyed to Rich:
* From today’s Daily Herald, we get this comment about impeachment…
“It can’t be a slapdash kind of thing. That’s not how (House Speaker) Mike Madigan operates,” said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. “It would take some time. I don’t know how much more quickly we’d get a resolution than a federal case.” [Emphasis added]
Really? As slow as a federal case? That means years and years of waiting.
* I asked Brown about this comment today. His response was threefold…
1) The impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice James Heiple took six weeks, and there’s every reason to believe this would take longer.
2) There are worries that Senate President Emil Jones may not convene a trial even if the House does impeach.
3) The evidence contained in the federal complaint against Blagojevich might not be held up by Chief Justice Fitzgerald, who would preside over the trial.
What the hell is wrong with these people? Have they read the Illinois Constitution? It’s not that hard.
1) There is NO reason to believe this would take longer. In the case of Heiple a more deliberative process was used because there was no significant problem day to day. In this case, we have evidence of a Governor selling off state resources/benefits. The degree of deliberation is a function of the will of the Chamber. The only reason it would take six weeks is because Speaker Madigan made it take six weeks.
2) Jones has no choice at this point. Oh, he could try and not have it, but he’s not that stupid and everyone understands the problem at this point.
3) Chief Justice Fitzgerald is there to preside. He does not set the rules or anything else. He’s there to enforce Senate rules and processes.ave it, but he’s not that stupid and everyone understands the problem at this point. If I’m wrong, put him on the spot.
This is not a legal process–it is a political process and the Speaker’s office should understand that. Everyday they delay, people get angry at him and that backfires on Lisa.
I generally think she would be a decent candidate, but….
Given the current situation and Bob Creamer’s conviction a few years ago I have to think it’s not that good of an idea. Creamer’s conviction was on check kiting and while it didn’t involve Jan at all, the current environment makes that a significant liability. A Democratic candidate is going to have to be squeaky clean including family.
Perhaps the stupidest article in some time is in the Tribune quoting etiquette experts who are very dismayed that a politician might use foul language.
Certainly Blagojevich’s language was overshadowed by the criminal accusations against him. But many say a public official, even in supposedly private conversations, should be held to a higher standard of discourse.
“You expect more from a governor,” said Barbara Pachter, an expert on business etiquette. “You don’t always get it, but you expect more. This is just lousy behavior. We don’t want our governors to be drunken sailors.”
Because the Lege is also full of people who use pristine language.
But the Governor going into work bright and early in the morning is a pretty big change in behavior. The national press treats it as odd because it seems to them to be an every day occurrence. Not so much–it’s a pretty rare occurrence. No jogging, no golf….
From SEIU
Washington, DC—In a letter sent today by all 50 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, Senate Democrats called on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to step down as Governor of Illinois and under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat. Below is the full text of the letter (PDF):
December 10, 2008
Dear Governor Blagojevich:
We write to insist that you step down as Governor of Illinois and under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat. In light of your arrest yesterday on alleged federal corruption charges related to that Senate seat, any appointment by you would raise serious questions.
It is within the authority of the Illinois legislature to remove your power to make this appointment by providing for a special election. But a decision by you to resign or to step aside under Article V of the Illinois Constitution would be the most expeditious way for a new Senator to be chosen and seated in a manner that would earn the confidence of the people of Illinois and all Americans. We consider it imperative that a new senator be seated as soon as possible so that Illinois is fully represented in the Senate as the important work of the 111th Congress moves forward.
Please understand that should you decide to ignore the request of the Senate Democratic Caucus and make an appointment we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated.
We do not prejudge the outcome of the criminal charges against you or question your constitutional right to contest those charges. But for the good of the Senate and our nation, we implore you to refrain from making an appointment to the Senate.
Sincerely,
Sen. Reid
Sen. Durbin
Sen. Schumer
Sen. Murray
Sen. Akaka
Sen. Baucus
Sen. Bayh
Sen. Biden
Sen. Bingaman
Sen. Boxer
Sen. Brown
Sen. Byrd
Sen. Cantwell
Sen. Cardin
Sen. Carper
Sen. Casey
Sen. Clinton
Sen. Dodd
Sen. Dorgan
Sen. Feingold
Sen. Feinstein
Sen. Harkin
Sen. Inouye
Sen. Johnson
Sen. Kennedy
Sen. Kerry
Sen. Klobuchar
Sen. Kohl
Sen. Landrieu
Sen. Lautenberg
Sen. Leahy
Sen. Levin
Sen. Lieberman
Sen. Lincoln
Sen. McCaskill
Sen. Menendez
Sen. Mikulski
Sen. Bill Nelson
Sen. Pryor
Sen. Reed
Sen. Rockefeller
Sen. Salazar
Sen. Sanders
Sen. Stabenow
Sen. Tester
Sen. Whitehouse
Sen. Wyden
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