The Stonecipher Report

FOX News Marks 100 Days of Non-Stop Dumping on Obama

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Apr. 30, 2009

…And to think that we progressives, liberals, and Democrats were thrilled with the election of Barack Obama as our 44th President. It turns out that the biased nutjobs over at FOX News can celebrate as well – their ratings have coalesced around emerging as the (no surprise here) strident voice of anti-Obama-ism.

National League All Injured Team

April 29, 2009

By: Z.Z. Rudin

Welcome back to the wide world of sports! Or, more accurately, the almost as wide world of those who used to play sports. That’s right, as promised it’s the second installment of the All Injured All-Stars: This Time, It’s National.

Earlier this week, we went over the litany of big name players in the AL who are currently or have previously been incapacitated for an extended amount of time this season. Now, we’ll glance at their national league rivals.

No Daley in the IL Senate Race…But Maybe a Kennedy

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Apr. 29, 2009

The one thought floating in the background of my mind while reading the good piece that our site leader Tyler Rippeteau posted the other day about Rep. Jan Schakowsky pondering a run for the IL Senate seat currently being kept slightly warm by Roland Burris was this: OK, Jan and IL Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (and probably even the hanging-on 845-dollar-man, Sen. Burris), but…what about the potential Big Gorilla in the race, former US Secretary of Commerce – and mayoral brother – Bill Daley? You know, the brain-trust guy in the famous Chicago political family – the one who already LOOKS positively Senatorial? We had heard – multiple times – that he, too, would be running in the IL Democratic primary in 2010…so, what’s up with that?

Texas to Secede? OK, Then – Adios!

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Apr. 28, 2009

Note: This piece is cross-posted at Eyes on Obama

Driving back to Chicago from a Vegas trip a few years back, we took the southern route, mostly along Interstate 40. When we crossed into the Texas Panhandle region, I wanted to pull the car over, open a beer, and then resume driving while consuming it, since – of course – as long as I was not legally intoxicated, that would not have been illegal in the Lone Star State. Yee-haw – sounds like fun!

Rep. Jan Schakowsky for Senate in Illinois

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 27, 2009

On Monday morning my Congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky (D - IL), sent an email to her supporters announcing that she is seriously considering a run for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.

As she said in the email, her decision to take a closer look at this possibility was based, in part, on the results of two recent polls.  One poll, not surprisingly, showed that the six-term Congresswoman from Evanston, IL would beat a generic Republican in a statewide election. 

The Stonecipher Report On the Air Today - Monday, 4-27

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Apr. 27, 2009

It’s the other Monday once again, so it's time to catch The Stonecipher Report radio show, over the air or via the Internet. We'll be on Monday, Apr. 27, from 3:00 - 4:00 PM Chicago time on WHPK-FM (tune in locally at 88.5 on your FM dial; it comes in the best south of the Loop in Chicago). Of course, you can also hear us online at WHPK.org, streaming live from 1:00 - 2:00 PM on the West Coast, 4:00-5:00 PM on the East Coast (just click the "Listen" tab or the "We are STREAMING" window on the station's website).

The station had some streaming problems the other week, but they should be straightened out by now. Listen in to Tyler and me, and hear our lively – and funny! (OK – attempted funny, anyway) – hour of talk about politics (with even a touch of sports and pop culture). We hope you get a chance to tune us in – thanks!

American League All-Injury Team

April 26, 2009

By: Z. Z. Rudin

Some may blame the World Baseball Classic, some may blame extended spring training, and some may just blame El Nino and global warming. Regardless of the reason, players seem to be dropping like flies less than one month into this baseball season.

The extended spring training due to the WBC seems to be the obvious answer, but there are so many quality players hanging out on the 15- and 60-day disabled lists right now you could probably make a pretty decent team if you grouped them all together.

So that’s what I did.

Look, Up in the Sky – It’s…Super Blago! (Video Below)

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Apr. 26, 2009

The semi-clever tabloid-paper headline I imagine for all of this reads something like "No-Go on ‘Rica Leads to ‘Leggo My Blago’." Not bad, eh?

So, of course, the bad news was that Judge Zagel ruled last week that former Illinois Governor (AND wanna-be reality TV star) Rod Blagojevich could NOT leave to country to go off and tape episodes of upcoming network reality show "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" in Costa Rica. Awww – why, Your Honor? Oh, it was something about hoping the eternally boyish failed pol would instead focus on preparing his upcoming federal case on multiple corruption charges. Blah-blah-blah…BORRRR-ing! We want our bread and circuses instead (heavy on the "circus" part, please)…

Piniella's Slow Walk to the Mound Turns into Hour-Long Guided Tour of Wrigley

Posted by: Will C

Apr. 26, 2009

Lou Piniella is a man who is known for his grasp on the subtleties of the game of baseball. From his endless fine-tuning of the batting order, to knowing just when to start a fruitless argument with the umpires, Sweet Lou is a manager nonpareil who knows that games can be decided by the smallest details.

WR Grace Asbestos Trial Resumes with Fireworks

Posted by: Madame Fleur

Apr. 25, 2009

After a dramatic week of stern rebukes from Judge Donald Molloy, the prosecution in the W.R. Grace Company trial announced Wednesday that it intends to rest its case early next week.

The W.R. Grace Company and five of its executives are charged with conspiring to expose Libby, Montana residents to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. The manufacturers of the asbestos materials are accused of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act and to defraud the Government by preventing it from learning the dangers posed by vermiculite.