There's a lot of talk in the news about how certain elections across the country show, or don't show, how Obama is doing and whether the Democratic Party is losing ground. Here in Cook County, we have some other data we can parse to see if there are signs of change.
The filings for Cook County Committeemen positions in the three parties that appear on Illinois ballots show some interesting things about the stability and robustness of the parties. I started looking into this when I noticed that not all the seats were filled, meaning that some of these committeeman positions will almost certainly not be filled through upcoming elections.
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.
It is a political campaign maxim, particularly for non-incumbents, that campaigns must jealously focus on their own race to win - and that any 'distraction' from their campaign comes at great or even unbearable cost. While examples may exist, how often have you heard of an underdog congressional campaign taking their volunteers to canvass for a neighboring congressional candidate? Perhaps more uncommon, how often have you heard of a congressional candidate taking their volunteers out of state to canvass for a presidential candidate in a party primary? It may be unconventional strategy, but 13th Congressional District Democrat Scott Harper has taken campaign volunteers to support neighboring 14th District Congressman Bill Foster in his historic win, and just last weekend was canvassing for Barack Obama in Lafayette, Indiana with his volunteers.
I was canvassing in Chciago's 11th Ward (Northern-most edge of IL-3 Congressional District) as part of Northside DFA's work on behalf of grassroots/netroots candidate Mark Pera today (Saturday). According to my "walk sheet" the house I was approaching had an elderly Democratic voter. As is often the case, this voter no longer lived there. I began to deliver my pitch to the new occupant, but the woman who answered the door stopped me when I talked about electing a Congressman with REAL Democratic values.
She told me she was a Republican because "I want the niggers to have to get up for work every morning just like I do."
(candidate diary -- edited so that it's appropriate for the front page... - promoted by bored now)
[excerpted from a campaign e-mail. Cross-posted, with some edits, at Daily Kos.]
Hi there! This is my first diary here as a candidate; thanks to everyone here who's covered (and participated in!) the race.
The campaign is in the midst of a week-long online fundraiser. We've been planning this for awhile, and even made the following video for the occasion. (You might notice a familiar face or two...!)
As a counterpoint to Michael's post about the number of Dem precinct committeemen in DuPage Kim Savage sent along some info she found at llinois Review.
We still have a ways to go but I think we'll be able to outwork them and certainly ought to be able to get more volunteers than they do next year. It's hard getting someone to take a whole precinct but if we have a number of block captains in each one it lessons the load.
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
Candidates file for 491 (67%) of DuPage County's 732 Republican Precinct Committeeman positions
You know, I've been kind of swamped lately, so I missed this one in the local Glen Ellyn Sun. Seems Rudy visited College of DuPage a little over a week ago and had lots a good things to say. I normally wouldn't write about something over a week old, but in reading what Rudy was selling, I couldn't help but think just how incredibly twisted some of these quotes are, and thought I would offer up a translation of what he was saying, just in case any of the readers of the GE Sun weren't rabid GOP Kool-Aide drinkers.
Rudy with the obligatory 9-11 plug:
"When Sept. 11 happened, it was pretty clear that this country needs to be strong on offense."
Translation:
We needed to be on offense because missing all the signs of a major terrorist attack, like memos entitled "Bin Laden determined to attack inside US" was basically indefensible, proving the Republican's in majority of Congress and the Republican administration in the White House were incompetent at defense.
(Edited for format and added the video below the fold - promoted by EricV)
Thecapitolfaxblog has reported some pretty exciting news. The Illinois GOP is continuing to crumble!
Rich Miller reported that Jim Froelich (R-Schaumburg) has flipped to the Democrats side of the isle! I don't know a darn thing about the guy, but given that he's in Bean's district, the writing on the wall must be pretty clear. Northwest cook is turning solid blue. And, I'm guessing Tom Cross is not a happy camper right about now.
Miller is also reporting that Kirk Dillard has made a campaign video for Obama, praising his ability to work across the lines to get things done. Clearly a good thing in an environment where the national media is salivating over the supposed bipartisanship of potential 3rd party run by Mike Bloomberg.
i am a voracious consumer of data. it's partly because i am a scientist, partly because i am innately curious, and partly because i am driven to understand the things in which i am interested. i wish i was interested in simple, or simplistic, things.
so when i saw this report that argues that republicans are happier than democrats, i had to take note. i'm interested in the differences between republicans and democrats, for a lot of reasons. i live in a mixed household (liberal democrat and a democrat turned republican turned independent), but also because i was utterly dismayed that the anti-war forces in this country were so disorganized that they didn't even factor in to bush's decision to invade iraq. this has been a constant theme over the last four years.
one of the things effected by this conclusion is wedge politics. hold on, we're in for a ride. if i don't make this abundantly clear, then let me know.
Rahm Emanuel told us that Tammy Duckworth was more “electable” than Christine Cegelis because of Duckworth’s service in Iraq, and her sacrifice. I said at the time that Republicans always attack candidates on their strength. They’ve been doing it for years, but the Democratic leadership still hasn’t caught on.
From Talking Points Memo:
GOP candidate Roskam accuses Democratic opponent Duckworth of wanting to 'cut and run' in Iraq.
Duckworth, a double amputee, lost both legs while serving in Iraq.
There should be a national outcry and national demand that the Senate Intelligence Committee immediately release the full text of its latest report, now being covered up until after the election, about whether and when false statements were made by Administration officials regarding pre-war Iraq intelligence.
Every Republican Senator now running for reelection should be challenged in their hometown newspapers and in public meetings, and should be opposed in November if they support the continued cover-up in light of this latest bombshell from the National Intelligence Estimate.
Independent audits have shown that up to 19% of active duty troops are paid so poorly, and face such financial hardship, that they are forced by necesssity to seek emergency loans from predatory lenders at horrendous interest rates.
Previous audits have shown that rates charged for these "payday loans" regularly rise as high a 300% to 400%. Recent reports now accuse some lenders of grotesquely ripping off heroes who serve and their families with rates as high a 791%.
This is one more example of why military families of America and those they love in service would receive far more fairness, respect and support from Democrats in Congress.
This latest outrage follows a long list of areas of neglect.
On May 16, 2006 the Daily Herald published a letter by DuPage GOP Chair Kirk Dillard that the Herald titled, "Reasons to be proud of DuPage GOP." The letter was Dillard's response to Herald Editorial Columnist John Zimmerman's May 7th article, "Putting out an APB for missing DuPage County Republicans," criticizing the DuPage GOP as "Grand Old Pretenders." Here's some of what Zimmerman wrote:
Everyone expected House Republicans to give up efforts to kill NPR and PBS after a massive public outcry stopped them last year. But they've just voted to eliminate funding for NPR and PBS—unbelievably, starting with programs like "Sesame Street."
Duck everyone. Republicans are "reaching out" to Hispanic voters again.
A group of House Republicans wants to do away with bilingual ballots and translation assistance at the polls, a reflection of how tensions over immigration are pervading other issues.
As Congress readies to reauthorize the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the lawmakers are lobbying their colleagues to let the act's language assistance provisions expire.
The 56 lawmakers support the act, but say the language assistance to voters -- provided throughout much of California -- undermines national unity, increases the risk of election fraud, and puts an undue burden on state and local governments.
The National Journal has scored all 435 members of Congress according to their record of Roll Call votes. The range is from most liberal to most conservative.
In Illinois, John Shimkus (IL-19), Jerry Weller (IL-11), and Henry Hyde (IL-06) are the most conservative. There is almost no difference between John Shimkus and Jerry Weller.
Everyone knows that the most conservative Democrat is Melissa Bean (IL-08). What people do not know outside of So. IL is that the close second is Jerry Costello (IL-12). People have already mistaken him for a Republican for a reason. They are Democrats In Name Only (DINOs). Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) is the most liberal IL Mainstream Democrat (MSD).
There is a major difference between the MSDs of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and true progressive Democrats.
There are many differences between politicians. For many American citizens voting this year, the differences between Democrats and Republicans are extremely vague. Some voters see unequivical differences.
*Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
*Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
*A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
*Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
*The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.
*If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.
*Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.
*HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.
*Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
*A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
*Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
*The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's cocaine conviction is none of our business.
*Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness, and you need our prayers for your recovery.
*What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.
Both Molly Ivins and William Rivers Pitt have their fingers on the pulse of progressives. We are exasperated by MSD's lack of values and their bottom line mentality. Ivins in her recent column: "I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president." I yiped with glee at having my own thoughts and feelings articulated and validated!
Ivins contines: "I listen to people like Rahm Emanuel superciliously explaining elementary politics to us clueless naifs outside the Beltway ("First, you have to win elections").
