Rod’s new commercial. Very good. One of the better parts is an admission of having problems and then quickly transitioning into having a new daughter. Yeah, politicos think it’s lame, but that sort of transition hits a lot of voters as important–it’s a values thing.
On the flip side, I don’t even know what to say about this. I’ve complained so much about this administration over the last three years and it’s ties to wankers I’m being worn down in not wanting to repeat myself over and over and over again.
If Judy is the nominee, this sort of crap will be what gives her the advantage and that puts All Kids at risk as well as universal Pre-K.
If Oberweis is the nominee, only the Governor can elect him.
You know, is it me or does Judy Baar Topinka suffer from carisma deficit disorder? I’m sure it’s not fair to judge her from one hearing but she was on WBEZ yesterday — it was kind of a short interview, sure — but I mean, she really didn’t knock me off my feet.
Of course it’s enough to be within 100 feet of that station to rub off a good portion of anyone’s carisma but you’d think she could have talked a better talk. That plus her comment about moving people on Medicaid to HMO’s sent me scurrying.
Far more inspiring was today’s interview with “Anthony for Illinois“, Republican Candidate for Governor who wants to make the Primary “a referendum on Iraq” condeming in his words, the protracted conflict’s “devastating” effect on the Illinois economy. I think this might be a cross-voting opportunity.
Do you really think that All Kids and Universal Pre-K is going to happen with the budget in the mess it’s in? Re-electing Blagojevich will ensure the state’s bankruptcy, and then those and other entitlements will disappear.
You know, they’re “entitlements” only until it’s your kid who needs the healthcare.
I think we should go with those programs because it’s morally imperative that we do so. Our finances are screwed up thanks to both parties — though to be fair, it’s been mostly Republicans calling the shots but for the past couple of years.
There will be grim realities that we’ll have to face — but after the election. The problem is that the Republicans have so stigmatized the process of paying the bills at both the Federal and State level, that you can’t make difficult budget decisions during the politic environment of an election year. That’s a simple fact.
Oh yeah, and if we do go bankrupt, it’ll only be because the Federal Goverment which is addicted to tax cuts for millionaires — in a “time of war” no less — has preceeded us.
Sorry, Leo, but I actually like those programs, and I’d love to see them work, but we can’t pay for them as long as we have a governor and a legislature that raise taxes on business and drive them out of state, raid pension funds, put in new programs they can’t finance, and refuse to do the mature thing and raise income taxes. I’ve had it. I’m a Democrat, but Blagojevich is just a crook. I’m voting for Topinka, in the hopes that a Republican governor and a Democratic legislature can work together. It’s certain that this state is headed down the toilet if Blagojevich is reelected.
As to Bush and the evil Republicans in Washington, you’re right. But voting for Blagojevich just compounds the problem.
The Blago ad is very good, and the bit about the rough moments was endearing. Were I a casual voter, I’d remember what I liked about him 4 years ago.
Contrast it with Eisendrath’s ad which makes it clear that he knows the criticism of Blago but shows no indiciation of any real conviction beyond that. Outside of the criticism of Rod there most of the ad isn’t even in EE’s own voice- its all voice-over guy. There’s no “I’m Edwin Eisendrath, I want your support to clean up Illinois” or anything like that. It’s passionless. I think EE’s ad is almost Gidwitz bad.
Michael: “I’m a Democrat, but Blagojevich is just a crook. I’m voting for Topinka, in the hopes that a Republican governor and a Democratic legislature can work together.”
Spoken like a true, er…
You know, this is the crazy thing — if I have a Democratic Agenda, it doesn’t matter what the site is or the environment, I’ll fess up and say it’s Democratic.
Michael, you’ve got quite a few Republican Talking Points packed away in one tidy message. Come on, fess up, there’s no need to hide your allegiances among friends.
It goes without saying that the election of a Republican as governor would be a disaster. Whatever progessive legislation had been passed in the precious few years that Illinois has had a Democratic Governor and Legislature would be obliterated.
“All Kids” would go back to “No Kids” maybe for a generation.
On a national level, this would be a particular disaster as we have the examples of Ohio and Florida to see how potential Democratic voters are treated under a Republican Admistration. This might in its turn affect the outcome of the ’08 national election — perhaps the last chance we may have to preserve our Democracy.
The scenario of a Republican governor should be scary enough for any Democrat — and a good many concerned independents — to cast their vote for Rod.