CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in The Stroger beat

Re: The Stroger beat

who's laughing now — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:48:28 -0000

did the fat lady have a stroke and die?

Re: The Stroger beat

Bobby Douglas — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:05:48 -0000

This race between Peraica and Stroger is just about over. The machine can knock on every door in the county 4 times a day, but the voter still won't vote for Stroger. From East Elgin to the Indiana border, from the north shore to the south shore of Lake Michigan and all points inbetween, the voters are disgusted with the democrat choice for Cook County Board President.

Moderate republican Tony Peraica wins by historical numbers (by Cook County standards) and the Democrats sweep just about everything else.

The Fat Lady is singing.

Re: The Stroger beat

Deck Marker, Potluck & Rol — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 01:09:14 -0000

I'm hearing Blago's people hate Stroger. They think he is an embarassement. They want as little to do with him as possible. As Stroger starts Alan Keying the race, Blago doesn't want to be pulled down by the association.

Blago's people assume they'll get the black vote anyway and don't want to lose the Claypool voters by association.

Not a bad idea. Besides, Blago needs to save his money for his defense fund.

Re: The Stroger beat

Arthur Andersen — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:02:09 -0000

Bubs, you beat me to that one. Wouldn't you like to hear Toddler explain that primciple in 50 words or less ? But, I digress.

Let's remember, friends. The Mayor endorses (Blago) and then he ENDORSES (ok-can't think of a great one, but you get my point.)

The nod to Todd seemed distinctly lower-case.

Besides, I thought "Rod and Todd" was going to get Todd solidly over the finish line.

Rod and Todd are going to have some 'splainin to do about why one of their shared hacks ended up in the most uncomfortable of places.

Should be one big Love Train by the 7th.

Re: The Stroger beat

Does this indictment make my h — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 23:48:33 -0000

I like Daley and am really disappointed by his insistence in supporting Stroger, but yes, he is the machine (apple doesn't fall far...). Your Honor, King, there are people in this city who would vote for you without the Strogers, but I guess they aren't the 'correct' people.

Re: The Stroger beat

Bubs — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 22:20:28 -0000

TP,

Spare me the drama of constitutional analysis. (An "indispensible quality of a functioning democracy"? Wow, how much coffee have you had today?)

This is Chicago, a city with three Municipal Corruption Task Forces operating. Vacations were not given en masse in March. If they are this time, well that's just grist for the federal mill, isn't it?

Re: The Stroger beat

JUdgement Day Is On The Way... — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 20:33:11 -0000

Forrest just needs to stick to his guns and not endorse "The Toddler". Once the Feds land on Cook County over all of those Shakeman violations (certainly going back all the way to pre 2000), Forrest Claypool is going to be one of just a few people around who can stand up and be creditable.

Daley needs to leave Forrest alone on this one, because with Fed's digging in like they are, he'll need to have a clean "reformer" type on the shelf who can come into the game and fix the Cook County mess.

Remember the name "Gerald Nichols" - because he's just the starting point...

Re: The Stroger beat

thomas paine — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:40:08 -0000

It not just ok, its a lawful and an indispensible quality of a functioning democracy.
On the second point, you, and even Bubs, are correct that coercion and suggestions are wrong and should and have been investigated with rigor by Fitz and Co.
The army of County workers will be out for Stroger Jr beacuse they don't want the County Budget balanced at their expense under a new regime...the shackman decree and Fitzgerald have helped free the workers from the burden of electioneering, they've helped curtail patronage hiring but they can do nothing to stop a candidate like Peraica or even Stroger from eleiminating jobs. So long as one candidate maintains the image of the "status quo" candidate, he or she can count on a large army of support.

Re: The Stroger beat

StrogerNoonanSameThing — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:09:28 -0000

Daley didn't lift a finger for Harold Washington in 1983! He lost the primary, endorsed Harold, and then did absolutely nothing. A good recount of what transpired is in Gary Rivlin's Fire on the Prairie.

Re: The Stroger beat

Tom — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:05:11 -0000

thomas paine, I agree that if a government employee wants to take a day of vacation time to campaign that it's OK, but how many of them do it as a result of coercion or an employer's "suggestion"?

Re: The Stroger beat

Think about it — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:21:19 -0000

North-side Daley endorsement at this time is revealing. It is way to early to be a pre-election boost-- that cames from the big guns a few days before. This looks more like a shoring-up. There is trouble in the field and they seem to know it. This is getting really interesting. Every move betrays a perceived weakness.

Re: The Stroger beat

Pat Hickey — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:20:22 -0000

Alphonese,

This clearly is the case of The Forrest walking straight into the biggest tree - Forrest chose the the political jungle primeval and thinks that the voters watch Channel 11. They ( the Voters) talk to people who happen to be their neighbors and are part of the elective jungle, so to speak and they learn who has chosen to walk on the brighter path. Forrest, like other wood-land creatures, wanted to be a player and employed all of the resources out there in the nasty woods. He cut tails for himself and even scratched out a nice vista from which to survey big beautiful lands far ahead. Then he decided to go off the trail and make himself 'a happy wanderer' - WHACK! TREE.

Re: The Stroger beat

What Gives? — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:05:38 -0000

Observer:

Breaking the law is OK because Todd might take funds from the 8th Ward Dems? That's flawed thinking albiet Peraica's Way, since he and McMahon did it. I didn't read that the 8th Ward Democrats donated money to Todd and if they do participate, then they too should be held accountable.

But McMahon, Birkett's own relative, should disclose how he raised the money that he gave to Tony (like everyone else) and file an amended report with the Elections Board. It's that simple, it's the law, and it's the right thing to do.

Re: The Stroger beat

Alfonse — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:43:47 -0000

Stroger won because he had high name recognition and a huge sympathy vote. Claypool had enough sense and respect for Stroger to do the right thing and basically shut down his media campaign in the crucial last week. Claypool was an underdog to Stroger, who was one of the most powerful local African-American pols. in the U.S. How else do get CLinton to do radio adds? The fact is, African-Americans vote in greater numbers in the primary than whites. Claypool had an uphill battle and did surprisingly well given that fact.

Re: The Stroger beat

Alfonse — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:37:23 -0000

Thomas Paine

I doubt what you say is true. The fallout of the massive FBI intrusion into Cook County will take place over the next four years. The sins of the father (or his underlings) will be the sins of the son (because of his underlings). My question, is why would more progressive African-American pols support Todd, when they could sit this race out, thus ensuring his defeat and then wait four years to beat Peraica? How can independent African-Americans be happy with this situation? Imagine for one minute if Peraica won. That would force the Democratic Machine to start fielding much better candidates, particularly African-American candidates. A weakened 8th ward may not be a bad thing. It will create competition and better candidates and that's good for the Democratic party.

Re: The Stroger beat

thomas paine — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:36:24 -0000

Bubs,

The City, the Feds cannot deter any government employee from taking earned vacation time to work for a candidate of their choosing. Now, false sick days and such can be investigated and properly punished. But most of these employees know they will be out working the polls and schedule themselves a day off. The day the federal government punishes an employee for using their own vacation time to work for a candidate of their choosing, be it a machine hack or a tree huging green would be a shameful day in our country's history.
Secondly, Stroger was near death and beat a superior candidate in March...i think these people had something to do with that...since the candidate himself was not out stumping that week.

Re: The Stroger beat

Alfonse — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:28:49 -0000

How exactly did Forrest Claypool walk into "the lions cage in a porkchop suit" anyway? If anything, I think it is the Mayor who looks like the fool here. THe Claypool vote is now the swing vote in this race.

Re: The Stroger beat

thomas paine — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:28:18 -0000

A win by the young Stroger closes a lot of doors on Forrest. This isn't about his conscience, its about his career!

Re: The Stroger beat

fedup dem — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:20:19 -0000

It should be noted that the county courthouses are closed for the General Election (after all, you have 71 judges up on the retention ballot). So those who work for the Circuit Court Clerk, Public Defender, etc., do get a day off.

Re: The Stroger beat

Bubs — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:27:43 -0000

Real Clear,

Not if they don't get the day off from the City, County and State for "vacation", he doesn't. They did not get the day off for the primary in March.

Interesting story for the press (and others) to investigate?

Re: The Stroger beat

Candid Voter — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:22:18 -0000

From the Daily Southtown:

Todd trouble
Not only is he neck-and-neck with his Republican opponent, but Todd Stroger apparently is trying to manage a divide within his campaign staff. While not unusual in a heated campaign, the strife has become apparent to members of the media who get conflicting information -- or no notice at all -- about scheduled news conferences.

The brain behind the operation is Mike Noonan, a Michael Madigan protÃƒÂ©gÃƒÂ© who was brought on board to right the ship. Noonan is a no-nonsense, intense campaigner whose abrasive nature rattled some of Stroger's original team members. The team participates in a daily 8 a.m. phone call; Stroger is rarely on the call because he drives his kids to school every morning.

Jennifer Koehler is deputy campaign manager, and Bill Figel is handling communications. Noonan is on leave from his lobbying practice, which is headed by ultimate city hall insider Victor Reyes

Re: The Stroger beat

Sammy Esposito — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:16:28 -0000

The Trib editorial is the first of many pro-Peraica efforts will see from the Tower in the next two weeks. If Stroger does win, I expect the Trib editorial board will throw their hands up in disgust and start writing about how stupid the voters are. Never a good idea for a paper to essentially insult their readers, but what else can they say if their long effort to rid Cook County of the Strogers fails?

Re: The Stroger beat

Pat Hickey — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:05:59 -0000

Quite frankly, Poor Ol' Forrest walked into the Lions Cage Wearing A Pork-Chop Suit.

Re: The Stroger beat

Alfonse — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:46:55 -0000

"Unleash the army" that's the problem isn't it? What is the army "fighting" for exactly? To place an inexperienced prince (Todd Stroger) into power so that the county deficit can continue to soar, kids can continue to be beaten at the Juvenile Detention Cneter by 8th Ward hacks, poor service at county hospitals, more FBI investigations, more tax hikes.....I actually feel sorry for Todd, because the same people who served his father so poorly will now likely take advantage of Todd's inexperience. The Mayor is wrong on this and the Mayor's arrogance is unfortunate.

Re: The Stroger beat

Hypocrisy Watch — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:45:16 -0000

Paddyrollingstone,

What primary election did Stroger win that compels Claypool to support him?