The Stonecipher Report

A Year After the Arrest of Rod Blagojevich

Ah, Blago Memories Light the Corners of My Mind…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Dec. 11, 2009

Not being a parent, I guess I don’t have as much direct, running-around-under-my-nose-everyday evidence of how quickly (and seemingly unnoticed) an entire year can pass by (frankly, there’s not much difference between the then-6-year-old and now-7-year-old kitty siblings – Gracie and Pumpkin – at our house).

So…I suppose I was a bit startled to learn that we had (already?) hit the first anniversary of the early-morning, unexpected FBI arrest of then-IL Governor (and now universal punchline) Rod Blagojevich. Aw, look at how BIG our cute, extremely funny political scandal has gotten! Why, any day now it’ll be walking around by itself, talking non-stop, going to school, moving out on its own, and trying to get Judge Zagel to let it go make a few desperately-needed dimes on a crappy reality-television show off in the jungles of Costa Rica! (Just gotta pinch its rosy, cute lil’ cheeks and ruffle up its beautiful hair!) [Important Note: DO NOT touch The Hair…]

In case you need to get fully up to speed – AND share our sense of utter surprise (and more than a few semi-cheap laughs) – I heartily direct any interested readers to some of The Stonecipher Report’s deep coverage and analysis of the whole trying-to-sell-the-Obama-Senate-seat, trying-to-bribe-the-Chicago-Tribune-off-his-back, trying-to-cut-deals-and-make-some-dough, [effing] golden scandal that sucked our youngish, overly-ambitious (AND oft-delusional) Governor down the crapper and spit him out as a should-be-ashamed (yet apparently ain’t) pariah…

A Deeper Look Ahead at the 2010 Illinois Governor’s Election

Gov. Quinn, Dem Opponent Hynes, GOPer McKenna Already Advertising

Plus, 4 Trends and 1 Fact That Will Likely Help Determine This Election’s Winner

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Nov. 10, 2009

My brief discussion about this – via phone – with Tyler on Monday’s radio show reminded me that, with all the other things that have been going on lately, I perhaps haven’t covered this topic very much out here recently…(and, BTW, thanks to TR for doing almost all of the – unexpected; previously-unscheduled – on-air show solo this time around while I attended to an annoyingly delayed medical appointment). But, the Illinois 2010 election season is currently well underway, with – most notably – television ads already running (starting more than a year before the general election) for three of the most prominent of the candidates running to be IL Governor.

Now, it has not been a complete fog of lack of info on these guys out here – we’ve already covered (multiple times, in the case of the two Dems) these three gentlemen previously on TSR…but here’s a bit deeper look at the overall race. And who are those three likely-leading candidates? Current Gov. Pat Quinn (the Democrat who succeeded the nearly-infinitely corrupt (and distant from him) Rod Blagojevich back in January); his Dem primary challenger, state Comptroller Dan Hynes; and the perhaps-leading Republican (among about a half-dozen elephant candidates), businessman – and former state GOP Chairman – Andy McKenna.

TSR Interviews U.S. Senate Candidate from Illinois, Andy Martin

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Oct. 7, 2009

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW BY CLICKING THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM

As some of you know, on Monday October 5, Michael and I interviewed Republican U.S. Senate Candidate, Andy Martin, on The Stonecipher Report's radio show on 88.5 WHPK (or online at WHPK.org).

After Michael and Andy had previously battled it out in our comments section here at TSR Online, Mr. Martin agreed to join us for a civil, yet argumentative conversation on the air.

We discussed everything from Mr. Martin's name change to the Illinois Wine industry to his theory that President Obama was not born to Barack Obama Sr., rather that he was born to civil rights activist, Frank Marshall Davis.  We never got around to asking why President Obama took Obama Sr.'s name instead of Davis's, but maybe next time we have Mr. Martin on the show, or if he responds to this post we'll get an answer.

Reaction in Chicago to Missing Out on the 2016 Olympics? Mixed – at Best…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Oct. 2, 2009

The day that the news broke that Chicago would NOT be getting the 2016 Olympic Games – with the city being (somewhat shockingly) eliminated from competition among the four finalists in the first round of voting, before the Games were eventually awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – was a grey, drizzly, significantly-colder-than-seasonal day here in the Capital of the Middle of America. One thought of the Games – even the summer Games – being held here, rather than in sunny, smooth, often-clothing-optional Rio, and, well, you can certainly perhaps better understand the International Olympic Committee’s decision…

One Year On – My First Anniversary at The Stonecipher Report

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Aug. 27, 2009

Hey, not to be TOO self-congratulatory, but yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the first appearance of my work here on The Stonecipher Report!

Much has gone on since I responded to head honcho Tyler "Ripp Stonecipher" Rippeteau’s ad (on Craigslist) seeking local political writers for his site…I am now his site’s semi-official "Political Director" (a la the much admired wonk coverage of the ’08 election for NBC and MSNBC by Chuck Todd) and Tyler’s co-host of The Stonecipher Report radio show (available on Chicago’s WHPK, 88.5 FM or online via whpk.org) (plug, plug!) – as well as a friend now to the all-around good guy who runs this site.

Chris Kennedy Chooses NOT to Run for US Senate

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Aug. 19, 2009

Things are starting to emerge a little more clearly in the ongoing, oft-swirling, post-Blago bit-o’-a-mess that is Illinois politics as it heads toward the statewide 2010 elections. First, expected potential top-level candidate (for either the US Senate seat or the Governor’s mansion) Bill Daley opted out of running completely. Then, Lisa Madigan decided to (probably quite easily) hold on to her Attorney General office, rather than run for either Governor or Senator. Then, Comptroller Dan Hynes started running hard against (semi-accidental incumbent) Gov. Pat Quinn (which I will cover more in depth in the near future).

Now comes word that the expected main challenger to current Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias for the US Senate seat, RFK’s son and Merchandise Mart exec Christopher Kennedy, has chosen to NOT seek this (or ANY) elected office in the upcoming election. (Urban League exec Cheryle Jackson is still running against Giannoulias in the Dem primary for Senator…but her previous ties to Blago will be quite the albatross for her to carry; GOP Rep. Mark Kirk will likely end up as the Repub Senatorial candidate…but he likely tops out at about 46%, 47% of statewide support.)

What’s Perhaps Harder to Find in Chicago Than Ketchup on Hot Dogs? A Young Republican…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Aug. 1, 2009

I spotted the ad originally on a CTA bus back maybe 6 weeks ago and intended to write about it (I even recorded myself a little reminder on my cell phone, noting what the ad said), but…hey, this is Chicago…and I frankly could give a rat’s ass about how its few, semi-lonely youngish (and completely wrongheaded) Republicans manage to attempt to huddle together, thinking (again, wrongly) that things may change and that they may have any impact on anything at all. Anyway, nationally – as we have covered here multiple times (such as here and here) – in 2006 and 2008, the political pendulum seemed to have swung fairly clearly and decisively AWAY from Reaganism, conservatism, and the modern (fumbling, emptying-out clown-car filled) Republican "Party of ‘No!’" So…good luck with any faux-organization, kids!

…But, there it was, taking up space on the wall of a bus (along with the ads for training schools no one has ever heard of (much less attended) and promos for instant bankruptcy help and ambulance-chasing lawyers), a placard reading: "It’s not easy being RIGHT in Chicago…Join the #1 Republican Club in Chicago…www.joinchicagoyrs.com."

Lisa Madigan Makes Up Her Mind…(and Startles the Political World)

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

July 9, 2009

What?!? THAT’s what we’ve all been waiting for here in Illinois (and across the rest of the country)? "Just" another potential term as IL Attorney General for the state’s assumed political "Big Dog," Lisa Madigan? Huh? THAT’s what had all the other politicians in Illinois waiting and wondering what the state’s electoral 800 lb. gorilla was gonna do? Man…and we thought that AK’s Sarah Palin was a frustrating, complicated mess…

So, yes, you may have heard that, no, Madigan WON’T be running for the US Senate seat (formerly occupied by Barack Obama; currently being barely warmed by Roland "Jus’ Passin’ Through" Burris) from IL in 2010…NOR – as long expected – will she be competing for the IL Governor’s job up for election that same year. She is – instead – going to seek an additional term as state Attorney General. Uh, wha?

Who’s In, Who’s Out, What’s Next? – Chicago / Illinois Politics a Bit Up in the Air

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

June 20, 2009

Man, you spend a couple of late-spring weeks guiltily watching a former Illinois First Lady tough it out in a jungle reality television show (that, plus a ton of baseball), and – suddenly – when you turn back around to the local political headlines, you find that nearly everything has gone a bit topsy-turvy.

Leon M. Despres – 1908-2009: The Liberal Conscience of Chicago

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

May 7, 2009

Chicago is down another legendary progressive voice with the passing this week of former Alderman – and all-around spur under the saddle of both Mayor Daleys – Leon M. Despres.