Weller’s campaign says, they don’t know if Smith is Campaign Chair or not.
UPDATE: I’m being too subtle. The Weller campaign was denying Smith was Campaign Chair and now, they ‘don’t know’. It’s, how they say, evolving….
Call It A Comeback
Weller’s campaign says, they don’t know if Smith is Campaign Chair or not.
UPDATE: I’m being too subtle. The Weller campaign was denying Smith was Campaign Chair and now, they ‘don’t know’. It’s, how they say, evolving….
Hey Larry, no one knows better than me how easy it is to get things “wrong” when dealing with the Weller campaign. You didn’t get it wrong, you were probably lied to, or told an unfactual truth, or the person talking to you was “confused” or “didn’t understand the question” or ya know, the dog ate the homework…..
I have yet to call any of the Weller’s offices and get a straight, immediate yes or no answer to any question I’ve called and asked them about. One would think asking who their campaign chairman is would be pretty easy. Guess not.
Honestly, Arch.
According to Kankakee Voice, ?the volunteer at the [campaign] office didn’t know who the Campaign Chairman was either.?
That’s not quite the same as ?the campaign? not knowing, now is it.
You & KV have pretty unrealistic expectations of what the average volunteer who picks up the phone will know or be empowered to do. Whether its benign ignorance or a conscious attempt at misleading spin, I suppose I?m not really in a position to say. But as someone who has interned & volunteered on many campaigns during and after college, I can tell you that the average volunteer on ANY campaign isn?t going to know who the chairman is (?chairman? of the campaign is largely an honorary thing); and standard procedure for what to do when volunteers don?t know something IS to take down YOUR info and pass it along to a person who will get back to you. For what it?s worth, I?d bet that if you called Pavich?s office right now and asked the same question, you?d almost certainly get the same result.
It?s obvious that you are enjoying all the mileage that Mr. Smith?s embarrassing lapses of judgement have provided you in your attacks on Weller, but let?s try to keep those attacks reasonable and evenhanded.
===Honestly, Arch.
The campaign was telling people he wasn’t chair. I’m tired of this whining. It isn’t about what the volunteer said, it was already done. Now the campaign, after knowing it was coming is saying it doesn’t know. Sure. Just like they don’t know about the wife’s work supporting her genocidal fathers attempt to return to power.
I already did the work on this one–now I’m just being a smart ass. If the campaign hadn’t lied in the first place, I wouldn’t even have mentioned Weller.
Really? ?The campaign was telling people he wasn’t chair. ”
How about: according to you, an unnamed, un-cited source told YOU he wasn?t chair.
Nothing personal, but I think you need more than that to accuse them of having ?lied.?
===How about: according to you, an unnamed, un-cited source told YOU he wasn?t chair.
I already made it clear I’m not naming the sources. It’s up to you to decide whether you trust it or not.
I do know who the sources are. The campaign lied. You may choose to believe that’s not true, but it is. Whining doesn’t change that.
What I don’t get is why anyone would defend a clown who has a history of mendacity, but whatever floats your boat.
I?m not asking you to name your source Arch, that?s your prerogative. And it?s not ?whining.? I just want to make sure that when you make your allegations, you provide accurate context. If people choose to believe you based solely on your word, that?s their decision. I just want people to be absolutely clear that your word is all that they have to go on.
As for why I defend Weller: My family used to live in the small part of southeast Chicago that was in his district pre-2001. My brother was in the National Guard at the time, and would occasionally have problems with his paychecks or other paperwork (and, as you can tell from the year, this was pre- Bush & Rumsfeld, so don?t bother going there). Weller?s office staff would always be very prompt and efficient in assisting him correct the errors. (And for what it’s worth, when the area was redistricted to Jackson, such assistance was much less reliable.)
I also think Weller has shown strong, bipartisan leadership on the Peotone airport issue?..working with local Democrats in the Will County government and making sure that they get appropriate roles in the planning process of a major project in their jurisdiction. If an airport is to be built in Peotone, it should be done in the right way for the right reasons?..it should not be treated like a jobs program for Jackson and Emil Jones’s south suburban cook county constituents and supporters. I doubt very much Pavich would be able to stand up to Jackson and Jones and defend Will County?s interests the way Weller has.
Okay, sorry for snapping there.
Fair enough on Weller, and I appreciate your reasons. We disagree. Which will make the next few months annoying for both of us, but I’d like to keep it friendly.
What rubs me is that I’m not hiding that it’s based on unnamed sources. I put it in what I consider to be almost like a Sneed like construct (okay, it was an incomplete sentence too). I assume my readers are that smart and can then make the decision whether they trust me on this or not. I misread your point to be more of a challenge than it was and got huffy. My apologies. I do like you commenting here and like your stuff in general.
Larry
Thanks, Larry. No hard feelings.
I, as well, enjoy your site and find it to be among the more reasonable left-wing blogs in the state. And I agree with your assessment of what the rest of the campaign will probably be like.
Have a good weekend.
I don’t care much for your defense of Weller G.O.P. So Weller’s office did what it was supposed to do for your family years and years ago, I’m happy for you. He did what he is getting paid by taxpayer dollars to do, gee and should we praise the mailman for delievering the mail, the pilot for not crashing the plane, the store clerk for ringing up the merchandise, etc. etc..
And you claim, like many who are racists which you may or may not be, but you sound like them, that Jesse Jackson isn’t doing as good a job. Fine. I wouldn’t know, didn’t live there then or now.
But let’s also make it clear it’s just your word, your opinion that you think Pavich would not be able to stand up to Jackson or handle the third airport issue. Weller’s got his lobbyist friends (see my blog for links to the facts) getting jobs from democrat Larry Walsh. All the other white folk are scared to death the black folk are goin come in an take over. The white folk don’t want the black folk to get all these jobs – whether real or imagined.
Pavich, should the airport ever get that far – it appears to be a very dead issue right now – will do what is fair and right for the area and the 11th district. He won’t have sweetheart d eals and suggest other public officials have to hire lobbyists paid for by taxpayer money to get done what should be getting done by all our elected representatives.
One. We don’t need the airport. We’ve got the Gary airport and most people living where the airport is supposed to go don’t want it there.
Two. the only way Weller was able to help out was by being sneaky and unethical AS USUAL, and slipping legislation into a must pass bill after it was all signed off on.
Weller is connected to 3 different congressional scandals, he’s married to a thug of a Guatemalan organized crime family and one of his staff members roughed me up without any provocation what so ever about a year ago cuz they didn’t like the sign I was carrying. Weller is drenched in the stench of corruption.
Pavich will learn, just like Weller did when he was new to congress, by experience. Hopefully he will remain more attached to his ethics and values than Weller has. We need a fresh start in Congress here in the 11th district. Weller doesn’t have the workers, families or the poor’s interests in mind at all. He’s hardly bipartisan, he’s voted with Bush something like 95% of the time, he cracked arms and did god knows what else to get those piece of crap legislation of CAFTA, the Energy Bill and the latest (NON) Reform bill passed. He’s sold out and is only in politics for the money and power, he could care less about the average 11th district voter any more.
And the fact that his office, whether in D.C. in Joliet or his campaign office can never answer any simple straight forward question when a constituent calls is symptomatic of what is wrong with Weller. This was not a one time one shot deal to a volunteer, this is everytime myself or others here in the district call. By the way It’s 11pm, I’m still waiting for my call back with the answer to my question. Matter of fact I’ve been waiting for months to over a year for calls back to answer one question or another. They never come.
Kankakee Voice:
Even if you aren?t going to praise the mailman for delivering the mail, it at least seems like a good reason not to fire him, right?
And please, can the knee jerk accusations of racism and give the ?white folk keepin? the black man down? routine a rest. My opinion of Jackson as a Congressmen is based on my family?s experiences with his constituent services and my disagreement with his policy positions, just as yours is of Weller. Would it be fair of me to say that you ?sound? racist towards white people? And the residents of the communities most directly impacted by the project don?t want all of the decisions to be made by officials who have no electoral accountability to them. There?s nothing unreasonable or inherently racist about that. (But, by all means, keep calling the people who?s votes Pavich needs ?racists? for not wanting Jackson and Jones to control this project. That’ll be really helpful) Oh, and for what it?s worth, it?s not ?imagined? when Emil Jones brags to the press about how many jobs he got out of the deal he made with Jackson and Halvorson.
Speaking of Pavich, I suppose I should have said that ?I doubt Pavich would be able to,? thereby framing it as my opinion instead of fact and??
??oh, wait, that IS what I said. Thanks for helping clear that up, though. Now, how about all the opinions that you have parading around in your comments as declarative facts. Let?s ?make it clear? that it is only your opinion that ?Pavich?.will do what is fair and right for the area and the 11th district.? And only your opinion that Weller ?sold out and is only in politics for the money and power, he could care less about the average 11th district voter any more.? What?s good for the goose is good for the gander, right?
You don?t like Weller. Fine, we all get it. I?d be happy to debate Weller?s job performance or the ability of Pavich to stand up to Democrats in Cook County anytime. But please, spare me the reactionary charges of racism and the rhetorical hypocrisy.
Now Mr. G.O.P. you just stop a minute and re-read also, I did say I wasn’t calling YOU a racist, just that you sounded like one. Any human being based in reality knows there is a racial element to the third airport debate. Funny how you nitpick on what you call me out on. Nothing of substance concerning all the FACTS of Wellers connection to corruption, and the FACTS about the details and character of the people that he’s surrounded by, most significantly his wife, Thugger.
You are absolutely right, I don’t speak for the Pavich campaign, I just speak the facts and/or my opinion. I’m sure at times my words make some in the Pavich Campaign wince. I’m no one’s little cheerleader, right or wrong, unlike you it seems Mr. G.O.P. And you can’t use scare tactics like “oh your big mouth might lose a vote for Pavich” to shut me up. I don’t scare easy and I’m not stupid.
Yep, dems are also involved in scandals, just not much recently and not to the global extent the republicans are right now – with Weller in the thick of it. And if you want to make pointy fingers at Emil Jones – who I don’t much care for BTW – for bragging rights on all the jobs he’s going to hand out, take another look and listen to Weller. He brags on all his job creation for the 11th district every chance he gets, and if you go back over his 10yrs of brags you will find that’s all they were, lots of hot air bragging. There has been no real change in Kankakee county. And most of the jobs coming into the 11th district – K3 county in particular, are all low wage, no benefit, Walmart style jobs. Gee thanks Jer. I think Emil Jones and Jerry Weller, when it comes to bragging about job creation at this third airport – which did I mention, is for all purposes dead in the water right now – or any job creation always promise much more than they deliever.
And if you want to review Weller’s voting record, a very strong case could be made that most of his votes have a direct link to loss of, or lack of good paying jobs being created in the 11th district. Weller’s all about corporate welfare, not the people’s welfare.
Mr. G.O.P. would you like to sign my petition asking Weller to do the right, ethical thing and step down from his seat on the House International Relations Committee?
Petition
Ok then. Exactly what did I say that ?sounded? racist to you. What exactly did I say that came anywhere near an expression of blind hatred for, or belief in the categorical inferiority of, any race? Please tell me because I don?t want to sound like that which I am not, and I need to know what I should avoid saying. Perhaps it would be easier if I just avoided saying anything critical of, or voice any disagreement with, any African American politician from now on, right?
And the idea that you are ?no one’s little cheerleader? is absolutely laughable considering all of the shilling for Democratic campaigns, Pavich?s in particular, that you do on your site (?shilling? in this case being defined as writing gratuitous puff pieces, telling everyone where and how we can volunteer, and giving a link to donate to their campaigns). Perhaps you should clear some of that clutter out and make it easier to find all of those ?FACTS of Weller?s connection to corruption, and the FACTS about the details and character of the people that he’s surrounded by,? because all I was able to find was boilerplate partisan rhetoric and unsubstantiated attacks.
And no, I would not like to sign your partisan petition. (I am sure you?re shocked.)
Mr. G.O.P. shilling is getting paid for something, I do not get paid in any way, shape or form from the Pavich campaign. If you had truly taken the time to read through my blog you would have found plenty of facts, obviously your mind is closed and made up.
And you would have also noticed that when a third party candidate, a green party candidate, late last summer announced for the Congressional race in the 11th district I immediately threw my support behind him. Unfortunately he dropped out.
I’ve been on the lukewarm side regarding Pavich, but the more I hear him talk, read his speeches and learn about his stand on issues, the more I respect him as a candidate. And when the only other choice offered to me for my congressperson is Jerry “Darth Vadar” Weller, most people can understand my ebullience towards the Pavich campaign. As one republican voter here in the 11th district said to me, “We know Weller is corrupt and just a career politician, Pavich is new and unknown, so he has that at least going for him.” His meaning coming from a Republican point of view of course.
Well I guess a few of my posts on Pavich may be as “fluffy” as the local newpapers that put in Weller’s campaign manager, “Stoopid” Shearer’s diatribe about Pavich not having his drivers license changed in the required amount of time.
You are obviously a blindly loyal Republican for whom it does not matter what right or wrong is, what values or ethics a candidate lacks, you are a party loyalists, the Republicans must butter your bread somehow I’m sure. And I’m the shill??? Blind loyalty to anyone or anything is very dangerous. Also, I don’t make it a practice talking to brick walls. Ciao.
Kankakee –
Who gets the money from the blogads on the left side of your site?s screen? Who paid for the ad that links to Pavich?s website? What was that about you not getting paid ?in any way, shape or form from the Pavich campaign??
Oh, and it says on the order form that ?all ads are subject to publisher’s approval.? That?s you, right? What criteria do you use to decide what gets approved? If Weller?s campaign wanted to buy ad space there, would you approve it?
Tell me if I?m missing something here, but from what I can tell you take money to disseminate a message that you could choose to reject, regardless of the sponsor?s willingness to pay. How is that not ?shilling??
Those are all FREE ads that I chose to put up on my site. No one makes any money for any of those ads – unless, I guess someone choses to buy one of the books I suggest. I don’t make any money. If I ever got a paying ad on my site I would make a very SMALL amount of money – as would whatever liberal or otherwise enterpreneurs who started blogads – Archpundit may be one of those, I’m not sure – they get a cut also.
I’m not archpundit or dailykos, no one has paid me for an ad on my site and it will be a while before that happens. As for the Pavich ads, they will ALWAYS BE FREE UNTIL THE ELECTION. I consider that part of any small donations I can make to his campaign cuz I’m not rich and I can’t do much, unlike Weller’s corporate funded PACS that bring in 100’s of thousands of dollars. I have not made one red cent from blogads and it will be awhile – if ever – I’m guessing before I attract advertisers who will want to pay for an ad on my site. But let me repeat again. Pavich will never have to pay for an ad on my site until after the election. I will make no money from the Pavich ads or the campaign. PERIOD.
Forgot to answer that last part of your ad. My site is a LIBERAL site. Obviously. I would starve before I would accept an ad from the Weller campaign. There are also several democrats and other types of advertising that I would NOT accept on my site. But, as I said above, I haven’t had the chance to turn down or accept and paid blogads yet. Those are free ones I get to put up on my site that I chose to put there. No one makes any money on those ads.
Fair enough.
But, the point still remains:
You are offering free advertising to Pavich?s campaign.
You are posting information about volunteer opportunities on Pavich?s campaign.
Your site has a link to donate to Pavich?s campaign.
I, on the other hand, do none of those things for any GOP campaign. So where do you get off saying ?I’m no one’s little cheerleader, right or wrong, unlike you??
I?ve looked up and down your site and not found one single post even remotely critical of Democrats. You say in passing that you don?t ?particularly care for? Jones, and have been ?lukewarm? about Pavich, but fail to expand upon that anywhere on your blog. Nope, apparently not enough room among your countless attacks on Weller and the Republican Party. So where do you get off calling me a ?blind partisan loyalist,? as if you?re anymore independent and balanced?
I have no problem debating avowed partisans on the other side with respect and a level of mutual trust. But you are trying to put me down for being that which you are – but deny being – yourself, and that?s just not right. And that is why it is hard for me to respect or trust you, try as I might.
I did a lot of knocking of certain democrats on my two old blogspot blogs, on Soapblox Chicago, and on LiberIL View which is not quite two months old. In particular, Melissa Bean and the CAFTA 15, the four who most recently sold out and voted for the (NON) Reform Bill, Tammy Duckworth and John Laesch.
I admit I have never had a good thing to say about Weller and I never will, unless he comes out and admits the mistake he made, the huge human rights gaffe and conflict of interest caused by his marriage. That would be a start for for me to start to try and respect the man.
I support the democratic party by and large, though not everyone and not all as equal or enthusiastically. I consider myself a Green party supporter more than anything.
Your point is confusing when calling me a shill. I make nothing, I gain nothing, from showing and giving support to a candidate that I respect and truly believe to be worthy of my, or anyone else’s vote. I’m a natural activist, it’s not my nature to sit around and talk, it’s more my nature to go and do. So I share that on my blog.
You may not support Republicans specificially, or by asking for campaign donations, or pointing out volunteer opportunities – something I don’t understand why you don’t do if you truly believe in a candidate. But you did try (at the start of this conversation) and deny or act as an apologist for someone as ethically challenged as Weller, and that leaves me lacking in respect for what ever you have to say about him. I guess if you seriously think Weller is a good guy, well we obviously have a large and unbreachable disagreement.
I am no one’s little cheerleader in the sense that I am not going to ignore or overlook facts about any politician that goes against my ethics and values, whether that politician is republican, democrat, independent or a green. Weller is one of those politicians that there is just too much wrong with, to much “smoke” around him, too many shady characters for me to anymore ever give him the benefit of the doubt. (Kind of like his campaign chairman, Mayor Mike Smith of New Lenox is right now.) He’s crossed too many lines and never admits he’s made a mistake or is wrong. (Unlike Mr. Smith) I do not trust Weller or respect him or anyone around him.
And if you don’t trust me or respect me, that’s fine. If you are someone who would think Weller a politician worthy of your vote, I proudly wear the badge of “Mr. G.O.P. does not trust me or respect me.” I would hope that Karl Rove, George Bush, Condi Rice, Dennis Hastert, Tom DeLay, Bob Ney, Bill Frist and Duke Cunningham would all feel the same way about me. If I wanted people like that to like me and respect me, my focus is wrong. My moral compass would be off.
?I guess if you seriously think Weller is a good guy, well we obviously have a large and unbreachable disagreement.?
I do, and thus we do. I suppose we can just leave it at that.
But, since we?re on the subject of rebuking accusations here, I?d like to make it clear that the Republicans do not ?butter my bread? in anyway. But, you?re right ? my assumption that Pavich?s campaign paid for the subject-to-approval-ads on your site was much more groundless and out of line than that. I sincerely apologize.
Good luck with Pavich. I?m sure it?s gonna be a fun campaign for y?all down there in the 11th.