Monday, January 25, 2010
Politics / Clout City / News Somebody's Got to Win
Posted by Mick Dumke on 01.25.10 at 04:06 PM
From the campaign blog of Alexi Giannoulias:
"'The poll confirms that our message of standing up to special interests and creating jobs is resonating with voters,' said Giannoulias, who has maintained double-digit leads over his primary opponents despite their negative attacks. 'Voters have a clear choice next Tuesday for someone who can move this country forward, turn our economy around and create opportunity for all Americans.'"
Alexi's referring to the Tribune poll released yesterday showing that he continues to lead four rivals in the Democratic primary for Barack Obama's old Senate seat. It makes sense that he'd want to tout his frontrunner status—but like almost everything else in this race, his statement has less to do with facts than with his discipline in sticking to a campaign script.
About a third of the people polled for the Trib said they supported Giannoulias, the state treasurer, compared with 19 percent for Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson and 16 percent for former city inspector general David Hoffman.
But a quarter of the respondents said they weren't decided, which means that even though he's a statewide office holder who's been campaigning for the Senate seat for at least a year, Giannoulias's is "resonating" with far fewer people than he'd like.
Lucky for him, he's still out-resonating his competitors. Jackson has done a good job of getting African-American leaders and artists behind her—she's even got Lupe Fiasco performing a benefit show for her this week—but she hasn't been able to expand much beyond her base. Hoffman nearly doubled his support from last month but still isn't widely known.
As I noted in a story for this week's Reader, voters have mostly checked out. There are a number of reasons, but I'd argue that one of them is that these guys have been so focused on trying to explain away their respective deficiencies that they haven't actually said much to convince people that who they elect matters. If you're into that sort of thing, check out their discussion on Chicago Tonight last week to hear them all respond to questions with a series of rehearsed soundbites instead of actual answers.
Here's the short version of what I found in covering them all:
Hoffman is a bright and personable guy who's also uptight in a way that suggests he'd stay on the straight and narrow; when I was with him on a campaign trip to DeKalb last month his driver and campaign staffer had to run into a local Steak 'n Shake, after we'd been through the drive-through, because Hoffman discovered there weren't enough napkins in the car. He's good at taking questions on public policy—I heard him offer an impressive analysis of the history of banking regulation in response to a voter's question—but he has to spend so much time telling people who he is (the guy who wrote the report blasting the parking meter deal—you know, in Chicago) and who he's not (Alexi Giannoulias, Rod Blagojevich, all the other alleged insiders and corrupt politicians you always hear about) and how he's supported by all the newspapers and legendary googoo Abner Mikva and he worked as an aide to a senator ... snore, snooze, snore.... what's he running for, again?
Jackson has yet to provide a straight answer about what she saw during her time as Blago's spokeswoman. As she told me, "I was no different than Joe Citizen. I had no way of knowing whether those allegations were true." But she wouldn't say what she meant by "allegations." Similarly, she couldn't give a straight answer to Carol Marin about whether she supported gay marriage. It seems that she doesn't, but that just might be because she needs the support of clergy who don't, but then again, maybe she really believes civil unions are the answer, but then again ... we still don't know.
Attorney Jacob Meister and physician Robert Marshall are still so far down in the polls that they couldn't even get an invite to Chicago Tonight. This has compelled Meister to file a complaint with the FCC.
Which brings us back to Giannoulias. He's been asked a zillion questions about his family bank and his performance as treasurer, and I can't count the number of times I've heard him compared to another telegenic, populist-oriented politician who relied on connections more than experience to rise up through the ranks: Rod Blagojevich.
Giannoulias, of course, says there's no resemblance. "I always thought he was slick," he told me when I asked about our former guv.
But he and his team have run a brilliant campaign, packaging him as a though he's made millions of bucks from his family bank, keeping him in mostly friendly settings such as TV ads, and turning some of the most damaging questions into strengths—he's not the guy who oversaw risky lending, he's the guy who stood up to big banks; he didn't lose families' college savings, he helped them recover it; voters don't want to hear about the two jobs he's held through the years, they want to know he's "standing up" for their jobs. So far it's worked. To those who aren't tuned out he comes across as more comfortable than the others. I won't be surprised if it takes him all the way to the Senate.
Let's be honest: Alexi might very well be the latest candidate to show it's possible to win without resonating with the voters. As I was told last night by the member of an ad hoc focus group otherwise known as my buddies sitting around watching football, "I suppose I should look into who's running—and hey, man, will you grab me a beer?"
Comments (5)
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Yes, but, David Hoffman is the only candidate not taking any state lobbyist, federal lobbyist, or PAC money. He's a known fighter of corruption with no ties to Blago & Co. He's simply the best choice.
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From Henry George's Ghost Who Walk's, Listen's, And Read's: I say, Alexi young fellow, if your such a love-ly, wonderful young pop-u-list, then why dont't you become a dedicated follower of Henry George? Just look up all his books at the Henry George School Web-Site: Social Problems, Progress and Poverty, (popularly known as P & P), and Protection Or Free Trade at www.hgchicago.org!!! Then, and only then, my fine, dedicated, concerned, and compassionate, young fellow, will you be truly mature in your political, economic, and social outlook!!!! Also, DO try to find and connect with Mr. David M. MANN! In fact--every-ONE should look up this super-fine fellow at ALL cost's (especially all those who inhabit Lower Armitage & Sheffield Avenues), simply because ALL of you have absolutely no other alternative than to elect Mr. David M. MANN to both Independent Mayor of Chicago, and Governor of Illinois, and, if he is talented, and more than competent, DO HELP HIM run for Independent President of the United-Me-(U)Nited States of and in North America, in 2012!!!! I Am Your Friend's-In-Peace, Henry George's Ghost Who Walk's, Listen's, And Read's! P.S.: You should also seek out and elect other follower's of Henry George to all other offices, not just him! ACTUALLY; He could be anywhere; not just Lower Armitage & Sheffield, he could be in your neighborhood TOO! Ohh! Go on! Don't be shy! Talk to the NICE fellow! JUST DON'T take him for granted, pass him by, wave, or flip him off, or suggest casually "I'm all right, I don't need to talk to you!"! Ohhh! AND YOU DO NEED TO TALK TO MR. David M. MANN; because by talking to HIM you're actually talking to Mr. Henry George! Good Luck!!!!
Yossi, check the Federal Elections Campaign site:
http://www.fec.gov/
and you will see Little Lord Fauntleroy (Hoffman), who is self financing his campaign pretty much (meaning trying to buy the election) HAS accepted PAC money:
Recipient's Name Date Amount Image Number
CONTRIBUTIONS
AMERICAN FIDELITY CORPORATION PAC 12/01/2009 500.00 10930023005
This is an insurance company lobbying group. Surprise, surprise - Hoffman's multi-million dollar family trust fund is built upon the Geico Insurance company (cavemans, lizards - the cheap insurance company that stiffs paying out). If elected, he will be beholden to that same, monied insurance interests - right when we are trying to reign in insurance companies regarding National Healthcare.
Hoffman also worked for and wrote legal opinions for one of the most conservative Supreme Court Justice in history (William Hubbs Rehnquist) and will definitely be against a woman's right to choose.
Furthermore, Hoffman has almost a quarter of a million dollars invested in stock at three big banks which were bailed out with taxpayer money(JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of NY Mellon) all noted in Hoffman's personal financial disclosure.
Those banks received almost $53 billion in funds from the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Taxpayer dollars protected Hoffman's investments, and now he's using his personal wealth to finance his campaign. It is hypocritical for him to rail against Wall Street banks when he is their beneficiary.
Corruption isn't the #1 issue on voters' minds, jobs are, and David Hoffman has never worked a day of his life in the private sector, nor can he name one instance where he created or saved an American job - although through his sham, Gestapo investigations, he has cost many innocent people their jobs.
David Hoffman thinks the most important issue in this election is his resume. Winning campaigns think the voters are the most important issue.
David Hoffman, and the various editorial boards, and many others keep reminding us that David Hoffman is smarter than the rest of us, and frankly, voters are not only sick of it, but it ain't helping. A whole lot of very smart people got us into the trouble we're in.
It is ironic that fighting corruption and political cronyism is Hoffman's main platform in his bid for the senate. If he were to win and become Senator, it is hard to imagine how he could do much to affect corruption in Illinois or Chicago, even if he wanted to.
What can federal senators realistically hope to do about Illinois and Chicago based corruption? Hoffman would have to wait to be become senior senator before he would even have a say in who gets appointed US Attorney.
Fighting corruption is the job of those who actually have jurisdiction to do it, such as IGs, AG, State's Attorneys, US Attorneys, etc. If Hoffman wanted to effectively fight corruption, he should have sought election or appointment to one of those positions.
Since it has widely been reported that Hoffman planned to run for Attorney General before Lisa Madigan decided not to run for Senator or Governor, we should all view Hoffman's senate bid, at least in part, as a deference to politics as usual. He chose not to challenge the Madigan family, the most powerful intact political family institution left in the state, for the AG position, a position where he actually would have had the power and the mandate to fight corruption.
Instead, Hoffman seeks a high federal office, and we must not believe that fighting corruption in Illinois and Chicago is his goal. Instead, fighting low level corruption as Chicago IG was how he made his name, and he is cashing in on that recent press to run for the Senate. His ambition is what is at stake here.
That is why nobody knows his other platforms yet. He doesn't have any.
As for the bonafides from Abner Mikva, isn't Abner Mikva the white congressman who moved from South Shore when black families moved in as part of the great white flight to the suburbs, and then ran for Congress on the North Shore to preserve his seniority?
Or is he the guy who, after retiring from the federal bench, became the over-sized fig leaf of respectability for Bill Clinton when things began to fall apart because the Pres was busy sampling forbidden fruit? Or is this a different Ab Mikva?
I'm just asking.
Aside from that, he kind of looks like Ratso Rizzo from the Midnight Cowboy.
Anyway, whoever wins is going to lose to Kirk in November.
HGGWW:
Priceless, as always. If you're going to run for office (or multiple offices) on a Georgist platform, then I'd suggest you show up at the Cook County assessor candidates forum this Thursday. It takes place from 4:30-6:30 at the Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd. You'll want to RSVP by calling (312) 435-5946 as soon as possible, and don't forget -- there is a business casual dress code!
This event is sponsored by the Henry George School/Chicago. There will be lots of room for questions about the fairness, transparency and professionalism of the county's property tax system. For instance, did you know Cook is one of only two counties whose assessor is not required to be an actual assessor?
To Just Askin' (Oreo): Whom then do you prefer for the Dem nomination? Alexi, the Boy Blunder, who loaned to mobsters and failed miserably with high risk loans at the family bank (and then pulled millions in dividends), in addition to bungling Bright Start? Or Cheryle (Blago's Girl) Jackson? Hoffman has his faults but of these three he's the best hands down. I will give Alexi this: He would provide Obama with a solid forward for pickup games.
I think your animosity toward Hoffman is almost entirely due to the fact that he {gasp} dared question Dirty Little Richie unlike most of the Alderwimps and other assorted hacks in Chicago.
