To Jason A. .: I think you can forget the idea that Bush would pardon George Ryan (that would be not only improbable but impossible). As reported here earlier, a Meeks third party candidacy doesn’t automatically help Topinka: the fact that Meeks would advertise his pro-life, anti-gay special rights stand would draw Republican votes which normally would have gone to Topinka out of GOP habit…
to Other Bob who says Topinka is to the right of Jim Edgar. Funny, I don’t remember Jim Edgar playing the accordion at gay rights rallies or telling a Republican president to show up at midnight at a secure, undisclosed location…
to David Graf who asks how I found out that Topinka was the source of the George Bush slur: can’t say…to Bob: idea of Bush hosting a Roskam-McSweeney fundraiser in preference to one for Topinka excellent!...to Liam. Your critique of Al Harris should prompt you doing a 200-word guest column…to Bruno: Why don’t you do a column as well. Incidentally where’s Al Harris’ second one?
I hope you are right but I don't know what would make Ryan's conviction any different from Mel Reynolds who had his sentence commutated by Bill Clinton. Mel Reynolds was sentenced to five years in prison for his felony conviction 12 counts of sexual assault, obstruction of justice and solicitation of child pornography and subsequent conviction on 15 counts of bank fraud and lying to the SEC. Maybe it is semantics (commutation vs. pardon) but I still fear the worse and maybe you can comment further as to why you believe Bush could not commutate George Ryan’s sentence whereas Clinton could do the same for Reynolds.
ReplyDeleteI think the main reason Bush would not act on this (despite pleas from Rove / Kjellander) is this would be a larger scale embarrassment to his legacy then any of the Clinton (or other presidents from both sides of the aisle) pardons (Marc Rich, Dan Rostenkowski, Reynolds, etc.). This would be a great slap in the face to Americans who believe in ethical government. Bush does not have the same self serving reasons as George Ryan did when he pardoned 157 convicted murderers from death row in a massive slap in the face to the victims and juries who served in Illinois (which is the reason the Sneeds of the world love George Ryan and Judy Baar Topinka). It is one thing to review each and every case and for cases with questionable evidence / procedures etc. to change sentences to life in prison or overturn them if need be. It is quite another to reverse all sentences without review of evidence or anything else to earn brownie points for your upcoming criminal trial.
As far as JBT / Meeks, I agree some social conservatives may be tricked by Meeks supposed “conservative stances” but outside of one or two issues he is a tax and spend socialist who is also anti second amendment and pro income tax increase (and every other left wing cause except some cases of abortion and pro legitimate marriage). I think most social conservatives consider the whole candidate rather than vote solely on pro life and disregarding all other factors. I can see a pro life person sitting out an election but I don’t see many actively campaigning / supporting someone they disagree with 95% of the time and any Republicans Meeks is able to attract will be overwhelmingly offset by the large African American vote who will back Meeks at the expense of Blago which is why I think this is JBT’s only shot (outside of an indictment of Blago) of winning.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I underestimate JBT but this is the first election she is facing a well funded / known opponent and it impossible to win an election when less than half the people in your own party reject you and a significant minority of Republicans will either stay home or in some cases actually vote for Blago.
I still see it Blago 55 - 58% and JBT 42 - 45% when the votes are counted in November.
the accordion at gay rights rallies, much less even appearing.
ReplyDeleteIs that another fictional claim like "she marched in the gay parade"?