The Battle for America 2010: Chicago Dems Just Not ‘Feeling’ Giannoulias
“I personally am not feeling Giannoulias,” wrote a community activist from Chicago’s West Side a few days ago in response to my question on the Illinois Senate race. “I think the Green Party candidates LeAlan Jones will generate a lot of support,” she continued.
I’m guessing many Illinoisans share my friend’s lack of feeling for Democrat Alexi Giannoulias in his race for the U.S. Senate seat to fill the unexpired term of Barack Obama.
Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush said something similar during President Obama’s recent visit to Chicago for a Giannoulias fundraiser. Rush told Chicago Public Radio’s WBEZ that on the “gut level issues” of jobs, crime, food deserts, business opportunities, entrepreneurship, and home foreclosure, Obama’s basketball buddy Alexi is thin.
“What are his positions?” Rush asked in an exasperated tone. The congressman said he doesn’t think Senator Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, or President Obama have quizzed Giannoulias on those issues. “These are not Bobby Rush questions. These are black community questions.”
Exasperation on top of apathy in a key Democratic constituency, without whom there’s not much to the Illinois Democratic Party, is bad news. But then add to the horror the Chicago Sun Times’ Laura Washington column on the Democrats’ nightmare. It’s not banks, mobsters, or loans to the shady Iraqi businessman Nadhmi Auchi. No, it’s worse; a dream looking to become reality. It’s blacks going Green in a tight race between Giannoulias and Kirk. Enough of them going Green could throw the race to the Republican.
Then along comes the youthful and energetic LeAlan Jones, a 31-year-old journalist, high school coach, and youth mentor. Jones is running on the insurgent Green Party ticket, which is trying to make inroads in the November 2 election.
Jones has no political or governmental record, paltry cash, and scarce name recognition. But he has a monstrous helping of chutzpah. He owns one unmistakable asset — he is African American. Jones may be a Green, but the color of the moment is black.
Jones, an African American raised in the shadow of Chicago’s Ida B. Wells housing project, is without insecurities about his street cred. As a writer and producer of radio documentaries on life in Chicago’s ghetto for the BBC, he is sure to pick up some progressive votes.
Jones gave up a career in banking to be single father to two nephews and he coaches the linebackers at Chicago’s football powerhouse Simeon High School. No need for fake dialects or street talk. Jones is pure Chicago and a nightmare for Democrats because his appeal could easily reach beyond African Americans.
A passionate Obama supporter and activist in the gubernatorial campaign of independent Scott Lee Cohen wrote me of Giannoulias:
I really do not think it looks all that good, with the monies from his bank, and the people look at that, even though Obama did a fundraiser for him.
And another suburban Cohen supporter wrote:
I like him [Giannoulias] personally, but not sure I would vote for him. That is the one race that I can’t really decide. I don’t like the other choice either. I normally vote for Democrats. I am sure more dirt will come up on him and Kirk before Election Day. I will make my choice then.
Chicago political columnist Tom Roeser once wrote of the “great American public’s Sleepy Eye” on elections. It’s the voter’s habit to stay a bit glazed and unfocused until great light slices through and he decides.
What a lazy column. I don’t know who Baar is, but he ignores the entire story of this race in favor of some blather about a watermelon candidate (Green on the outside — Red on the inside) who won’t get 5% of the vote in November.
The story in Illinois is Mark Kirk, and no one on the right has the balls to write about it. Kirk is the GOP nominee, and he’s running as a mainstream Democrat. No bones about it, he hates conservatives and seems to think that demonstrating this will earn him Democrat votes in a state controlled by mob-like Democrats Madigan and Daley. It won’t, and Kirk is somehow trailing the lamest Senate candidate imaginable.
Kirk’s only asset is Giannoulias, a hilariously unqualified nothing. No talent, no resume, no experience — the only thing he has is a D next to his name. Any kind of conservative would be leading Giannoulias by 12 points, the way Bill Brady is leading Pat Quinn in the Governor race. But Kirk is a fool.
Boy are you correct-Kirk is worse than McShame in 2008.
Unfortunately — running as a true conservative in Illinois would get maybe 20% of the vote. I’m not kidding. At BEST we can hope for a Scott Brown style Republican, that is all. Kirk is lame and no doubt about it. But it comes down to a choice between an Outfit-connected corrupt Democrat, and Kirk. And that is it. So really we have two choices — stay home and let the Outfit banker win — or vote for Kirk.
The time for conservatives to make their play is in the primaries. And we did win some there for House seats. But I will say that most voters avoided the primaries in Illinois — worst turnout I ever saw.
I am not holding my breath in anticipation of Illinois voters doing anything remotely intelligent. Illinois is the cesspool of politics brought us the original Mayor Daley’s Tony Soprano politics which does not contenance two parties. Illinois has now nationalized their cesspool with Obama, Emanuel, Jarrett, et.c, et., etc. People in Illinois look with some pride on the pragmatism they show in putting up with “show elections” as the price for getting things done. They actually take pride in the way they have dumped representative government for “strong man” rule. Of course, they are not brilliant. Just too lazy to do the hard work of throwing out the crooks. The country may succeed in expelling the foul stench of Obama politics and many states are in the process of doing the same. But at the end of the day, the criminally minded politician know that Chicago is like Tom Bodett’s Motel Six for them, and so the “light will be on” greeting their return. These people are not capable of self rule.
What gets lost in the Illinois Senate race is that if Obama had not merely used his seat as a springboard to the presidency, he would still have 5 months to go in his FIRST TERM. Doesn’t it feel like, with all the damage he has wrought to this once great nation, that he has been president forever?
Alexi Giannoulias is a creature cut from the same cloth as Obama. His only credentials are as the first term Treasurer of a bankrupt state and as a previous senior loan officer of a bankrupt community bank. What is it with liberals and their sense of entitlement despite empty resumes?
Mark Kirk is the RINO poster child, and he was my LAST choice in the Illinois primary. However, I do agree with Kirk 30% of the time, while I agree with Giannoulias O%.
Such is the fate of an Illinois conservative. I will vote for Kirk November 2nd while holding my nose, then run home to take a quick shower to erase the filth. At lease, a vote for Kirk is a vote against Harry Reid. That must account for something….right?
Id like to think Illinios can do better. Dumbama,Daley, Jarrett, Assholerod, Mad again and his slut daughter, Hare, Schwakowsy,Rush, Cleaver, Jackass Jr, Blago-and Kirk is the best the gop has to offer? I hope at least the governor has a brain, I can promise Quinn doesnt.
Oh, and to those reading Mr. Baar’s story outside of the Chicago political cesspool, here is a little background on Scott Lee Cohen:
He originally ran on the Democratic primary ballot for Lt. Governor, the most useless elected statewide position in Illinois. He won due in no small part to the fact that Illinois voter are, for the most part, morons, and easily manipulated (see Obama, Barack Hussein). Cohen was probably on the top of the ballot, so naturally, he won. This posed a problem for democrat governor Pat Quinn, who by the rules was stuck with Cohen (a wife beater and owner of several pawn shops). The Democrat Poo Bahs forced Cohen to drop out and Cohen, convinced the voters picked him on his positions, not his position on the ballot, decided to run for governor as an independent. I’m not sure why Mr. Baar left out these little nuggets on Scott Lee Cohen, who in a long line of bipartisan schleps before him, make Illinois one of the world’s political laughingstocks.
Oops, one small correction on Mr. Cohen. He was arrested in 2005 for assaulting his prostitute mistress, NOT beating his wife (source WSJ August 19, 2010). Well now, I guess that’s not nearly as bad.
Great piece, Bill!
In an age when Simeon HS( Mr. Jones’ alma mater) can take down Catholic League Powerhouse Mount Carmel , as they did yesterday 47-41 at Soldier Field, a Democrat like Alexi can be sent packing.
Remember, Bill, Speaker Mike Madigan was dead set-against Alexi Giannoulias from the get-go – I helped Alexi’s Campaign. Alexi was and remains an Obama Debutannte -trotted out by Axelro acolyte Dan Shoman.
I too like Alexi, but he has too much chafe in his grain. He lost the Helot ( 19th Ward type voters), but still has the Obamabots.
Mr Barbarian
You do not represent any party ideology. Mr Cohen just returned from the Illinois Forum Sat, which was mainly a conservative Republican event held in Champaign IL. He was invited to this event and was able to speak to many people. He was well received. No one there behaved as you are in this blog. You are doing a disjustice to the conservatives in Illinois by acting like your blogger name.
This is a very narrow minded interpretation of Scott Lee Cohen, posted by someone with blinders on. While Cohen is holding job fairs and giving people an opportunity to speak with employers, we have the partisan candidates planning to raise taxes and give pay raises to their closest staffers. As for the allegations, Cohen has been honest from day one. The media jumped on half-truths and tried to create a story based on actions that were disclosed way before the primary. Then, the dems came from behind and stabbed him in the back. Enough of the ignorant media and old party politics. Cohen has my vote!
Come on, Barbarians. First of all. Those allegations were just that, allegations against Mr. Cohen. Second, thats not even relevant to the article. Third, why are you attacking Illinois voters by not acknowledging that Scott got 130,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Barbarians at the Gate, get your facts straight. Scott didn’t hide anything from his divorce from anyone. BLAME THE MEDIA and the PARTIES for not talking about it before the primary, not Illinois voters. Come on, be objective. I am glad Scott is running as an independent.
Don’t hold back, Darth, tell us how you really feel!
The sad fact is many voters (in Chicago and elsewhere)never wake up. they will go into the polling place in a state of complete ignorance and quite literally vote for anyone.
Wow, I really shook things up here!
Scott Lee Cohen is merely the flavor of the week. I give him props for reaching out to us proles but is this really what you want from a governor? No matter what moniker he currently labels himself he is, and always will be, a Chicago Democrat and boy, we know what a wiz bang job their doing don’t we. Why would anybody who considers themselves a conservative vote for Mr. Cohen when Pat Brady is the real deal?
Friends, Romans, Countrymen:
Wow, I really shook some branches here. I mean no disrespect to Mr.Cohen personally but isn’t it now just about HIM? Yes, the media and the democrats treated him like shit, but I think he is just the flavor of the week. When you wipe away all the prairie populism he is just another Chicago Democrat, and we know what a wiz-bang job they have been doing running the state. Why would conservatives go for Mr. Cohen when a real conservative like Pat Brady is running? Are you turned off by the (r) next to his name? I’ll admit there are few things stupider on Gods Green Earth than an Illinois Republican, but Chris Christie is the model for GOP governors to follow. I do not have faith in Mr. Cohen’s core beliefs. Whatever they are.
Observations on “I Have a Dream”
Forty seven years ago, on August 28th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what must stand as one of the most quoted speeches in American history and one of the most important speeches of the twentieth century.
Tens of thousands remembered and commemorated that address on Saturday with a “Re-claim the Dream” march led by the Reverend Al Sharpton which ended near the location of the 1963 rally.
Now commonly called the “I Have a Dream” speech, its most memorable and most quoted line, ”I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” is also its saddest line.
King’s successors may frequently recite the words but have lost sense of their meaning and spirit.
(Fortunately forgotten was a subsequent line that reflected a Freudian slip of a dream added after King departed from his prepared text, ”Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!” The FreeOnlineDictionary defines “curvaceous” as “[of a woman’s body] having a large bosom and pleasing curves; [as in] ”Hollywood seems full of curvaceous bondes;” “a curvy young woman in a tight dress,” which surely Dr. King did not mean at all.)
King’s stirring 10-minute address was delivered before a massive crowd of civil rights supporters estimated at some 200,000, and delivered, appropriately, it was believed at the time, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Had certain truths about Lincoln, . . .
(Read more at Forty seven years ago, on August 28th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what must stand as one of the most quoted speeches in American history and one of the most important speeches of the twentieth century.
Tens of thousands remembered and commemorated that address on Saturday with a “Re-claim the Dream” march led by the Reverend Al Sharpton which ended near the location of the 1963 rally.
Now commonly called the “I Have a Dream” speech, its most memorable and most quoted line, ”I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” is also its saddest line.
King’s successors may frequently recite the words but have lost sense of their meaning and spirit.
(Fortunately forgotten was a subsequent line that reflected a Freudian slip of a dream added after King departed from his prepared text, ”Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!” The FreeOnlineDictionary defines “curvaceous” as “[of a woman’s body] having a large bosom and pleasing curves; [as in] ”Hollywood seems full of curvaceous bondes;” “a curvy young woman in a tight dress,” which surely Dr. King did not mean at all.)
King’s stirring 10-minute address was delivered before a massive crowd of civil rights supporters estimated at some 200,000, and delivered, appropriately, it was believed at the time, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Had certain truths about Lincoln, . . .
(Read more at Forty seven years ago, on August 28th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what must stand as one of the most quoted speeches in American history and one of the most important speeches of the twentieth century.
Tens of thousands remembered and commemorated that address on Saturday with a “Re-claim the Dream” march led by the Reverend Al Sharpton which ended near the location of the 1963 rally.
Now commonly called the “I Have a Dream” speech, its most memorable and most quoted line, ”I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” is also its saddest line.
King’s successors may frequently recite the words but have lost sense of their meaning and spirit.
(Fortunately forgotten was a subsequent line that reflected a Freudian slip of a dream added after King departed from his prepared text, ”Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!” The FreeOnlineDictionary defines “curvaceous” as “[of a woman’s body] having a large bosom and pleasing curves; [as in] ”Hollywood seems full of curvaceous bondes;” “a curvy young woman in a tight dress,” which surely Dr. King did not mean at all.)
King’s stirring 10-minute address was delivered before a massive crowd of civil rights supporters estimated at some 200,000, and delivered, appropriately, it was believed at the time, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Had certain truths about Lincoln, . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1872)