Endorsements for Cook County and Legislature.
FOR COOK COUNTY BOARD OF REVIEW. DIST. 1—DAN PATLAK (R).
This is an important post because it’s a property tax appeal board. The Squid by controlling this mechanism has been able to manipulate the property tax system to square with its political agenda. That’s why the election of Dan Patlak (whose lawn sign is in my yard) is essential. He has superb credentials to be a major force as a suburban member to blow the whistle when the property tax system is in danger of being jiggled to reward the Squid’s friends and punish its enemies. He spent three valuable years as a staffer working under the late Maureen Murphy (of sainted memory) and following that has been Wheeling township assessor.
FOR ILLINOIS STATE SENATE.
Cedra Crenshaw R-43rd the brilliant African American mom who was threatened with political extinction when The Squid’s attorneys used legal artifice to try to invalidate her petitions. She won national attention with her fight and winning it came what is usually a blue-collar Dem district a refreshing jolt of conservatism.
Steve Rauschenberger (22nd) whose making a comeback to the Senate to renew a distinguished career as one of the most knowledgeable conservatives on economic and budgetary measures I’ve ever met. When Steve was a high ranking chairman I was astounded to see him quote the budget by rote without a staffer sitting by.
FOR ILLIINOIS HOUSE.
Barbara Beilar R-35th who at age 63 has the most stunning aggregation of resume qualities I’ve ever seen. She was a Catholic nun; an exemplary Catholic still she is a retired Army major. She is a physician. She is a lawyer. For cryin’ out loud to deny this one-woman intellectual genius a seat in the General Assembly would be an egregious waste of talented resources and capital.
David Harris R-66th. Outstanding credentials and much-much smarter than incumbent Mark Walker for a district that by all odds should be represented by a Republican.
Tom Morrison R-54th. The fact that I have known his family for many years is incidental. Tom is a small businessman-entrepreneur who with his brother runs ServePro and in a delightful coffee shop hour with him I was highly impressed.
Dan Sugrue (59th). I’ve watched Dan, a young lawyer, for a good number of years and to test him out put him on my radio show with one of the most accomplished debaters the Dems have—Bob Creamer. Let’s say Dan acquitted himself brilliantly. He has the makings of an outstanding conservative lawmaker.
Tom Dart Withdraws from Mayoralty Race.
The withdrawal of Cook county Sheriff Tom Dart (a guy I personally like and admire albeit we’re in different parties and don’t agree on social issues) gives the Chicago mayoralty kaleidoscope a hefty shake. I think what it will do will be to prompt The Squid to beg Lisa Madigan to enter. I suspect she has been mum about it and has laced her comments with soft denials because she wants to get the AG election behind her. Because her very worthy Republican opponent Steve Kim has been starved for cash he has been prevented from waging an effective campagn….which means that Lisa will win by double digits.
I would not be surprised if Lisa gets into it now that Dart is out. Many of her advisers told her the safest route is to challenge Gov. Bill Brady (who’s sure to be elected Tuesday) when he seeks a second term and presumably will be scuffled up after trying to clean up the Dems’ mess they left behind. But…and this is important….I don’t think many of her well-wishers understand what Lisa has in mind. She wants to be President. The Chicago mayoralty… if she is successful and puts the city’s finances in the black and rehabilitates it’s police structure, lowering the crime rate…is 10 times more influential than being governor. She could campaign as “America’s Mayor” as did Rudy Giulianni who was handicapped by having a checkered marital history (3 wives).
It seems clear now that the black favorite for mayor is going to be former Sen. Carol Mosley Braun. It seems clear that Rev.-Sen. James Meeks will enmesh himself in contradiction. How can he be pro-life and anti-gay rights on the pulpit while seeking to cut a deal with Rick Garcia in politics? He can’t and his credibility will suffer.
With Meeks trailing off and the luxuriant baritone-voiced Danny Davis intoning his standard banalities, it seems reasonable that Mosley Braun will emerge as the Minority Candidate. That gives Chicago big problem if it wants to avoid being another Detroit.
All of us remember the Old Carol who was the girlfriend of Kogie (pronounced “Cosy”) Matthews who ran her campaign and who no sooner was she elected became the chief lobbyist for Nigeria and took Carol there to meet with Dictator-President Gen. Sani Abacha who got rid of his political enemies by having his troops line them up against a wall and run a machine gun hot….turning each man into a crowd.
Carol advocated for Abacha’s ahem “great human rights record” to the State Department only to find out too late….characteristically…that what she did was in serious violation of the law. When George Will called her on it in a column she called him a “racist”—natch. She uses that charge to answer everything. The compliant media here cowed obediently.
Most observant people…those who knew her as Recorder of Deeds and as Senator…understand she’d be a disaster as mayor. Nevertheless it’s a good bet she’d make the runoff because of race and a 50,000-watt smile supported by the formidable black bloc—and the politically correct media with spines of Jello couldn’t bear to criticize her horrendous lack of judgment and proclivity to maladministration because…gasp!.. they would not want to appear racist.
If Lisa doesn’t run it’d be almost a sure thing that Emanuel would face Mosley Braun in the runoff April 4. If Lisa runs a battle between she and Emanuel could easily leave the black bloc vote sacrosanct and elect Carol on Feb. 22. I personally think the foul-mouthed little guy whom I knew well 30 years ago and who have derogated ever since would be desirable than anyone else mentioned for one reason alone. He’s so tough, mean-spirited and intellectually resourceful he could defeat the Grey Wolves in the Council headed by Blago’s father-in-law who want to retake control of the city making use of a charter which naturally favors Strong Council-Weak Mayor.
I Think Nov. 2 Will Be Far Better Than We Think.
If you’re like me you suffer the hiccups every day you look at the polling figures. Here in Illinois the lead between Kirk and Giannoulias has see-sawed by one or two points and then suddenly—lo!—a poll will come out of the woodwork that’ll show Kirk 5 points up….only to be contradicted the following day. The same with Quinn and Brady though now it seems to have stabilized in a comfortable Brady lead. Over in California the two women Republicans running for the Senate and governorship seem to be slipping although by any rational observation Jerry Brown who was a dismal governor and nicknamed by Mike Royko “Governor Moonbeam” and Barbara Boxer don’t seem to inspire by any rational observation that they’re anything more than tired retreads from a liberalism that has gone to seed.
What’s happening? I think the country’s change of heart on the ruling philosophy of governance has failed to be measured by the polls. A pollster told me the other day “You see, when we prepare to take a poll we try to use the same degree of mix from 2008…same number of African Americans, Hispanics, women, men, ages etc. But in reality things have changed so much from the disillusionment with liberalism that the same mix doesn’t work—all except the blacks whose numbers are unchanged. People are lying to us about how many will be motivated to vote. Also the number of cell phones has greatly multiplied and pollsters are using land-lines. I frankly think we’ll all be surprised by the enormity of the Republican landslide there’ll be.
“We’re hearing Brady will edge it out. Nonsense I think he’s likely to be elected by acclamation! I think Giannoulias will be out very early in the night. I think there’s bound to be other surprises. For example we’re thinking about GOP House victories over Halvorson, over Hare, over Foster I believe Dold will take it. I think there’s a very good chance Bean will lose because she’s been taking it easy and running TV against Walsh because he’ a pro-lifer! That issue is far down the list.
“As a matter of fact I think Schakowsky may be toppled. She’s been riding on polls that tell her she’s safe. I don’t believe she is. In short I think the Dems will lose a minimum of 60 seats in the U. S. House. I think Republicans will take over the Senate as quick as a wink. I feel the polls showing Reid and Angle neck-and-neck are far wrong. I think Harry Reid is history. I think Rand Paul will be elected so early in the night it’ll make our heads spin. I think we’ll marvel at how many votes Christine O’Donnell will get. I don’t think the election will be a Republican tsunami—I think it’ll be the equivalent of Hurricane Katrina!”
I agree with him and pray he’s right.
Tom,
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