On a blistery December 8th, the state Comptroller Dan Hynes came down to the South Suburbs of Cook County to talk to a packed room for "Team Obama" (now Team HOPE) at the Flossmoor Station about his campaign for Governor.
Dan started off about his experience with Barack Obama, from the 2004 Senate campaign to the presidential campaign, including observations on his first trip to Iowa as a surrogate speaker. From there he launched into a detailed explanation of the fiscal crisis that faces Illinois, as well as other problems that face the state. Hynes then answers questions from the audience.
When Democrats go to the polls in the South Suburbs this February, they are likely to be surprised by a few names. Top of the list will be Bloom Township Supervisor "T.J." Somer, who was the Bloom Township Republican Committeeman before he resigned to run in the Democratic for judge in 2008. Somer wasn't just a Republican, he was the Republican challenger to Jesse Jackson Jr in 1995, a GOP office holder (Bloom Township Supervisor) and Republican party leader. At the height of the Florida ballot fiasco in November 2000, Somer made it clear where he stood:
"I think it's pretty clear here that I'm the Republican and he's the Democrat," Somer said this week by phone from his office.
Now he wants to be the Democratic nominee for judge. This is problematic on so many levels.
Julie Hamos spoke before Northside DFA at their October meeting, talking about why she's running for Congress in Illinois's 10th Congressional District.
Hamos had previously spoken before the group, but this time as a candidate for Congress in the Democratic primary. Questions were again pointed, but handled with aplomb.
Punditry has its limits. You try to learn as much as you can about an issue, look for patterns and trends, and then tell a story stringing together the facts you've gathered. You tell a story because you're trying to make a point, and people remember and respond well to stories. From our distant past reliance on oral tradition to spread knowledge, to growing up as children listening to our parents read, to grabbing a great book, watching a movie, or telling a story ourselves - stories are how we understand and learn. But stories involve generalizations. We'll never know what was in the head of each voter casting a ballot in yesterday's Illinois 14th Congressional Democratic Primary. Some voters may have researched every issue they cared about and voted certain of their choice. Others may have randomly grabbed a leaflet and liked what it said about the candidate. Some may have liked a candidates' name because it reminded them of their uncle. Others may have employed the childhood decision game "Eenie meanie minie moe." bored now has written "campaigns are won by money, message, management and mobilization." That's no doubt true - but one would be foolish not to include 'chance, luck, or opportunity' - Machiavelli, no slouch in things strategic, figured "Fortuna" amounted to half of what happens in human affairs. That sounds about right to me.
What are some factors that would seem to explain a lot of what happened Tuesday?
