Brady Must Steer Clear of "Flying Spaghetti Monster"
Unlike Lincoln, I never would have considered Brady to be a dark horse candidate. He alone has the right stuff to go toe-to-toe with the Governor for the whole eight rounds between Primary and General Election Day, and this fight could break out even earlier. He's got t.v. charm, fundraising potential, a lock on downstate, and most importantly: he knows how to stay on message.
The beauty about Topinka and Oberweis is that you don't even have to engage them. The more they talk, the more worried people get about their leadership. Without Democrats propping her up, Topinka couldn't even get elected mayor. And I mean that with a small 'm'.
And Oberweis? You can't help but picturing him wanting to round up all of the immigrants in a football stadium and take them out. Which nickname do you like better: "Abominable Milkman" or "Pinochet"?
The danger for Brady is he might run right into the arms of the wingnuts, or as I like to say, "the tentacly embrace of the Flying Spaghetti Monster." After all, the powerbrokers know that if they want to have a functional modern economy (so they can get richer), people are just going to have to accept some planetary truths: the earth isn't flat, it rotates around the sun (and not the other year around), and our planet isn't celebrating the 5,970th anniversary of its 30th Birthday. Oh yeah: it won't last forever even if we do take care of it, but it will last longer.
When uncertain, it is the natural instinct of the Republican to veer right, just as it is the Democrat's to veer left. But as Sweetness himself always proved, it takes courage to run it up the Middle. We'll soon find out what Brady's made of.
P.S. Before people bet bent out of shape over the wingnuts comment, I just learn there's such a thing as a Moonbat. So, lighten up.
14 comments:
YDD, by Wing Nuts you mean the issues of abortion, same-sex marriage, and the ID vs Darwin debate?
And the conventional wisdom is these issues split the Republicans in the primary, and work in their favor in the General?
I'm not sure that conventional view may still hold.
I think this definition of marriage as something between a man and woman proposal on the ballot is going to work in a tradionalists favor.
I can make a conservative case for same sex marriage, and I have no problem with it. But I know a lot of traditionalists and they're mostly Democrats.
Brady comes out strongly in favor of traditional marriage and Blagojevich stuck with agreeing with that; but favoring some kind of non-marriage-but civil union solution; it could really work against Blagojevich mushy stand leaving gays and traditionalist disgusted.
I think the trend is to get more restrictive on abortion.
I'm more worried kids being able to read and the junk they read on the net. So Brady can expand the ID debate and kids to his advantage.
I don't think Brady needs to worry about this monster.
I think what Brady -and any R candidate- needs is a strategy for peeling off a few more percentage points from the African American vote.
And... a good strategy to appeal for their votes helps him greatly in the Burbs with moderates where this race will be won.
Birkett certainly won't be helping Topinka with the black vote. They will not forget Rolando Cruz as many African-Americans will actively vote against someone who wrongly prosecuted someone onto death row.
I'd like to see Birkett try. I think he can do it.
You should have the "Brady for Gov" campaign disclosure on your blog. You're spinning out of control.
Brady just came accross last night as the immature frat boy he is. Just weeks after signing a so called Code of Conduct, he goes on vicious attack.
Brady's nothing but a Spoiler in this race. And that was exposed to everyone last night. He's lost all credibility.
The Milk Man delivers!!
If when you say "wingnuts" you mean people who can't help taking pot-shots at the poor (e.g., "it's time that uninsured children learn to start taking care of themselves") and immigrants, then I couldn't agree more.
If Brady can come off as a compassionate conservative (I shudder to use that expression after Bush shipwrecked it)--someone who understands the concerns of people of faith and who is dedicated to caring for the least advantaged and most vulnerable from conception to the grave--then I think he stands an excellent chance both in the primaries and the general election.
He sounded a little too reactionary on the economic front, and that worried me; but if he can avoid being bought out by the libertarian wing of the party he may be just what Illinois needs.
If when you say "wingnuts" you mean people who can't help taking pot-shots at the poor (e.g., "it's time that uninsured children learn to start taking care of themselves") and immigrants, then I couldn't agree more.
If Brady can come off as a compassionate conservative (I shudder to use that expression after Bush shipwrecked it)--someone who understands the concerns of people of faith and who is dedicated to caring for the least advantaged and most vulnerable from conception to the grave--then I think he stands an excellent chance both in the primaries and the general election.
He sounded a little too reactionary on the economic front, and that worried me; but if he can avoid being bought out by the libertarian wing of the party he may be just what Illinois needs.
Oops...didn't mean to post twice. Web refreshing problem. Please delete one of the duplicates.
I think that Republicans needs to talk much more about creationism. I think that should be there primary issue.
Of course, I am not a Republican.
skeeter: I'd go right from sure give equal time to creationists and by the way..
...we need internet filters on porn our kids are viewing, on the predators chatting them; we need some solutions to protect our kids.
Go ahead and teach a little of Willian Jenning Bryans Bible-Thumbing-Progressive-Democratic thinking in schools along with some protections from the net.
You'd be surprized. Might turn out to be a winner in the burbs.
I heard some local Muslim and Jewish leaders on comcast who would be ok.
Larry, you took the words right out of my mouth.
Time to throw that laughable "Republicans favor limited government" meme in the trash can. Government has never been more bloated and intrusive than under the Bush GOP.
I think Oberweis' supporters are showing why Oberweis will lose yet another statewide race. I think they really see Brady as a "frat boy" and spoiler. After last night, there was some substance, some charm and what many might see as a bright future for the party. Maybe Oberweis should take his own advice and step aside for the good of the party.
The Milk Man delivers alright. A consistent second place on election day. Hopefully the continuation of that trend won't be a possibility in November.
Wonder what would happen if Judy stepped out? Leaving Brady, Oberweis and Gidwitz. Now THAT would be a scramble more than fun to watch.
Internet filter was the number issue on Kirk's survey if I recall right.
Parents feel overwhelmed. That's a lot of what you're seeing with these wedge social issues.
They have an issue and I wouldn't brush it off as this isn't the State Gov's concern.
The only thing 'wrong' about the discussion on illegal aliens in Illinois is that there are SO MANY Soldier Field wouldn't hold 'em all!
And we have three decades of the bi-partisan combines Governors, legislators and Chicago Mayors to thank for that.
YDD -
I still fail to see how belief in a young earth translates into apathy about the environment. Or really much else. (If you wanted to talk about premillennial eschatology, you might be on slightly more solid ground, but not necessarily).
And I have yet to meet a living person (self-described "wing nut" or otherwise) who disagrees with Copernicus (in fact, most self-respecting fundamentalists will quote Scripture to prove the earth is round).
This state has enough problems without exclusionary and mostly ignorant rhetoric poisoning what little civility is left in our political discourse.
So let's stop name-calling and get to work.
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