On the move May 1, 2006
Posted by dancurry in Uncategorized.add a comment
Head over to http://reversespin.com/. That's where I'll be from now on.
Fake and faker April 30, 2006
Posted by dancurry in blagojevich, Illinois politics.3 comments
We already know from four years of campaigning that Rod Blagojevich will say anything as long as it fits a campaign strategy. It is a helpful trait for his handlers but it is also the reason the public doesn't trust him, as reflected in poor poll numbers.
He's off to quite a start in this campaign. His first ad was not only fake, but probably illegal. His latest ad is quintessential Blagojevich phony-baloney.
Blagojevich criticizes opponent Judy Baar Topinka for never attending meetings of a little-known state board.
The new 15-second Blagojevich advertisement, which was introduced at a news conference by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, joins at least five Blagojevich campaign spots already running statewide.
The new commercial accuses Topinka of missing every meeting of the Illinois State Board of Investment, a nine-member board that manages $10 billion in state pension money.
The ad doesn't say that Topinka is "ex-officio" member of the board, which means in government parlance that she's an honorary member. Topinka sends a surrogate to the meetings — a fact also not mentioned.
It is well known within government that the Governor of Illinois is ex-officio member of a few boards himself and, over the years, rarely if ever attends board meetings.
Rod is ex-officio member of the boards of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and University of Illinois, among others. We can find no record of him attending either.
Rod and his campaign know that governors and other top officials who are ex-officio members don't attend meetings nor are they expected to. So Rod is using hundreds of thousands of dollars from a campaign fund under federal investigation to throw this phony garbage on the airwaves. For Rod, par for the course.
For Pat Quinn, who used to have a reputation for fighting for clean, honest government, it marks his descent into the pit of sleazy politics he used to abhor. We wondered whether he would distance himself from Rod to try to preserve his reputation on ethics or throw it all away in a reflex of self-preservation. On Sunday, when Quinn unveiled this phony ad, we got our answer.
New look, url April 30, 2006
Posted by dancurry in Tech, Uncategorized.2 comments
A hearty thanks to Aaron at Free Will who did most of the work putting this blog on a separate server and modifying a template for the new look at the new url. All of the content of this site should be migrating to the new site in the next day or two. For those of you looking for someone to help design, operate or modify a website, I highly recommend him. He can be reached here. As I've mentioned before, he has the best anti-Rod Blagojevich material out there in the "Governor Corruptevich" category on Free Will.
Blagojevich ad fake AND illegal April 28, 2006
Posted by dancurry in blagojevich, Illinois politics.2 comments
Fake and illegal — a perfect summation of Rod Blagojevich's tenure as governor.
Alexi, we hardly knew ye April 28, 2006
Posted by dancurry in Illinois politics.2 comments
Archpundit called this one yesterday: It's only a matter of time before Alexi steps down.
For those who didn't get the clue earlier, the Tribune sent separate cruise missiles to Democratic State Treasurer candidate Alexi Giannoulias and his mentor, U.S. Senator Barack Obama.
But we also need to stress that, for Giannoulias and his party, this is not going to get any better.
When St. Barack gets criticized by the Tribune, and it's all because of Alexi, look for the heat to rise on this starting this morning.
Oh, and somebody ought to ask Pat Quinn about this. He also endorsed Alexi.
State grand jury closing in? April 27, 2006
Posted by dancurry in blagojevich.1 comment so far
Did Rod and his minions get caught using his office for political purposes? The Tribune's Eric Zorn was leery more than a year ago.
The IEPA is not an arm of Citizens For Blagojevich. It should handle and prioritize and investigate based on environmental concerns and urgencies. Period.
Any other use of that agency's power and authority is an abuse.
How about a gas muzzler? April 27, 2006
Posted by dancurry in National politics.add a comment
"Since George Bush and Dick Cheney took over as president and vice president, gas prices have doubled!" charged Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), standing at an Exxon station on Capitol Hill where regular unleaded hit $3.10. "They are too cozy with the oil industry."
She then hopped in a waiting Chrysler LHS (18 mpg) — even though her Senate office was only a block away.
Just like the post office April 27, 2006
Posted by dancurry in Illinois politics.add a comment
The Daily Herald's political column Animal Farm, written by Eric Krol and John Patterson, had this item, which conjured up images of my latest visit to the post office.
Customer service award
On Tuesday, the Daily Herald placed a call to the Illinois Department of Public Health to get information about the recent mumps outbreak. Spokeswoman Kimberly Parker got back to us with the initial information, but when a follow-up question was posed, she said she’d already crossed us off the callback list for the day and we’d have to call back on Wednesday to get on the list again.
Giannoulias knew Giorango was a criminal April 27, 2006
Posted by dancurry in Illinois politics.2 comments
In his attempt to extricate himself from a mess, Democratic state Treasurer candidate and banker Alexi Giannoulias did a round of one-on-one interviews yesterday with the news media in Chicago. Giannoulias has been sharply criticized by the press, particularly the Chicago Tribune, for making questionable loans to criminals and not being forthcoming about his knowledge of the loans. In the Tribune story today, he acknowledged he discussed with convicted bookmaker and prostitution ring promoter Michael Giorango his criminal past.
But Giannoulias occasionally strayed across those privacy lines to describe aspects of the loans. On Wednesday, Giannoulias said he once discussed Giorango's criminal past with him. In that conversation, he said, Giorango "may have misrepresented the extent of what took place." Giannoulias declined to answer further questions about that conversation.
Banks, according to press accounts, don't have to make background checks on people they loan money to, but when the bank knows the person is a criminal and loans the money anyway without checking it out further? Giannoulias' interviews didn't put out the fire.
The Barack Obama and Pat Quinn protege still has more explaining to do.
“I don’t believe in guilt by association” April 26, 2006
Posted by dancurry in blagojevich, Illinois politics, topinka.5 comments
Rod Blagojevich is running “guilt by association” ads linking Judy Baar Topinka to George W. Bush and now, George Ryan.
Here’s what the governor said a few short weeks ago:
Asked about the controversy, Blagojevich said Muhammad is not responsible for any racist remarks Farrakhan has made. “I do not believe in guilt by association,” the Democratic governor said.
And, his senior advisor four years ago:
“Guilt by association is a bad campaign tactic, and what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” said David Wilhelm, a senior Blagojevich adviser.
Maybe lobbyist-bond expert Doug Scofield can explain the sudden change in position.
