Sunday, February 03, 2008

McCain's Illinois Rally

Yesterday McHenry County Blog published the first half of an article on U.S. Senator John McCain's rally at the Odeum in DuPage County. Today's installment resumes where it ended.

The most interesting introduction was of former Governor Jim Thompson.

He was beaming when State Rep. Jim Durkin mentioned his name.

But no one could see him because he was standing at the bottom of the stairs to the stage.

So, later McCain brought him on stage.

Take a look at the smile on his face as he was being introduced the first time, even though virtually no one could see him.

This is the first I have heard of him since the extensive television coverage when he drove with his former Lieutenant Governor George Ryan to prison near the Wisconsin Dells.

History tells us that Thompson likes to have a say in who is United State’s Attorney.

I wonder if he knows that McCain has said he will retain Patrick Fitzgerald, while Mitt Romney has indicated he will sack Fitzgerald.

Not just in response to my question eleven and a half months ago, but to the Chicago Tribune.

McCain seemed genuinely pleased to have Rockford’s General John Borling in attendance.

Borling is one of McCain’s 16th congressional district delegates.

McCain’s wife Cindy told of how she spent time at Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Bangladesh.

One little girl took a liking to her and the feelings were reciprocated.

As she was about to leave, Mother Teresa told her that she could make a difference in the little girl’s life, urging her to take her back to the United States.

She did.

As she was sitting on the airplane, she was wondering how she was going to tell her husband of her decision.

She got off an airplane with the girl in front of a crowd about the size of Friday night.

She said McCain asked her where she was going to live.

“I thought she could live with us,” she replied.

It so reminded me of the starfish story by Loren Eisley. Our First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake's senior Pastor David Seyller used the story just last month.

You can't save all of the starfish on the beach, but you can save one at a time.

And he accepted her suggestion.

The girl is now a young lady of 16.

I’ve heard this story twice now.

Once from McCain’s lips while his wife stood at the side of the Union Club conference room 11½ months ago and Friday night from his wife.

It’s an effective, emotion-laden story.

From his expressions in the pictures, his wife's decision seems to still affect him deeply despite his having heard his wife tell the story numerous times.

McCain said something my wife has said repeatedly,

“Don’t you think we ought to give a little credit to the President for not having had another 9-11?”
He told of a New Hampshire mother's asking him if he would wear a bracelet with her son's name, as she asked him to make sure that he did not die in vain.

You can see it on his right wrist.

And what will McCain do if he is the Republican candidate?

“I’m going to beat them like a drum!”

After the speech, McCain came down off the stage and started shaking hands and signing yard signs, books, a photograph, whatever people could find upon which he could write.

The camera folks had a field day.

After taking some from the floor, I got the chance to get on the stage and shoot down. It was an interesting experience.

One man was waving a Naval Academy banner that said, “Brigade of Midshipmen.”

Although he was standing on a riser, I’m not sure McCain could see him in the rush of people trying to get his attention.

The only other time I have been in a similar situation with a presidential candidate was 1960. The Oberlin College Young Republicans participated in a very close to election torch light parade in Cleveland.

Vice President Richard Nixon’s convertible drove by us and I got to shake his hand. As I suggested, it was near the end of the campaign, maybe even the Saturday before.

What I remember is that Nixon’s hand was puffy.

But, back to 2008.

A woman in a red outfit, including a red hat, had made a pillow for McCain.

She profusely thanked him while standing on some seats. I doubt he heard her, but others in front of her did and cleared a path so she could give it to the Senator.

First, though, a female aide had her remove the stuffing.

The Senator got the pillow sans stuffing.

As I was walking out of the stadium, I heard a guy say, “So, people came out.”

“Yeah, it was actually really crowded,” his companion replied.

In the foyer, volunteers were handing out yard signs.

Literature was available on a table.

Before the rally when I saw it and expressed surprise, one of McCain’s staffers said, “Yeah. What a difference a week makes.”

Of course, having literature on the Friday night before a primary is not good timing if you want precinct committeemen to distribute it.

Oh, yes.

I parked next to a a couple whose car had a McCain bumper sticker and a North Carolina license plate.

I asked them if they were McCain groupies, wondering if they had driven from North Carolina for the rally.

Turns out they were Mormon and had driven all the way from East Moline. The wife told me that she didn't think Romney was representing Mormon principles properly.

All pictures can be enlarge by clicking on them. For more McHenry County Blog, click here.

10 comments:

Bill Baar 3:58 AM  

Thanks Cal..

Has anyone asked Obama or HRC the question on keeping Fitz? It's almost the sole criteria for voting in Illinois.

Anonymous,  7:07 AM  

I hope the comment about Romney saying that he would get rid of Fitzgerald is incorrect. I was going to vote for Romney but I would drop him like a "hot rock" if he plans on getting rid of Fitzgerald. Illinois needs Patrick Fitzgerald like "the flowers need the rain".

Cal Skinner 11:02 AM  

I would suggest you go to the link where I cite the sources.

Anonymous,  11:18 AM  

Jim Thompson destroyed the Republican party. He is througouhly corrupt.
He played divide and conquer with conservatives.
Thompson's own testimony (the State Building) was a collosal waste of money and is energy inneficient.
He perfected pay to play and pinstripe patronage.
He insulates himself by picking US Attorneys.
He laid the seeds for destruction of the Republican party.

Anonymous,  3:00 PM  

Whoops, sorry Cal! I got ahead of myself on that one. I see that the source was John Kass of the Tribune (who I really respect).I decided to ask either Mitt Romney or Dan Rutherford (Illinois Chairman of "Romney for President") in person as to what the real truth was about whether Romney (if elected) planned on retaining Patrick Fitzgerald? Today (Sunday) Mitt Romney, Dan Rutherford, and Denny Hastert were scheduled to be at a Romney Rally at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I decided to go there to seek my answer.

I didn't get a chance to talk to Mitt Romney but I did get a chance to ask the question of Dan Rutherford "if it was true that Romney had said that he was going to replace Patrick Fitzgerald if Romney was elected"? Dan Rutherford said that Romney "DID NOT" say that he plans to replace Patrick Fitzgerald. Senator Rutherford said that he was present when that question was asked of Mitt Romney. According to Dan, what Romney had actually said was that he would not make any decision on Fitzgerald without studying the matter first. Wow! That response was considerably different than Romney implying that he would not keep Fitzgerald. Romney's reply showed a guy who would thoughtfully research a subject before making a knee-jerk reaction or reply to a question thrown at him. Assuming Dan Rutherford's explanation of Romney's reply to the Fitzgerald question was accurate, I was impressed that Romney didn't just "tell them what they wanted to hear" when he made a measured and sincere reply to this question. Score one for Mitt Romney! Into the penalty box for John Kass.
While at the "Rally for Romney", I was surprised at how much weight Denny Hastert has lost! I hope that Denny Hastert lost that weight because he is dieting rather than because he is sick.
Poor Dan Rutherford had just had the wires removed from his jaw. He had broken his jaw after having blacked out while coming out of a restaurant in Vail, Colorado about a month ago.

Cal Skinner 7:23 PM  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cal Skinner 7:25 PM  

Twice I heard Romney make very negative remarks about Patrick Fitzgerald.

The first was at the first debate.

The second was the day that LIbby was sentenced. Romney was in Chicago to raise money and held a press conference.

Anyone hearing either of those commentaries that has any doubt that Fitzgerald is gone, if Romney wins, is really giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Kass quoted what Romney said when asked the question on Don and Roma's WLS Radio show:

"Oh, I can't possibly that, heh-heh, assessment now. It's a little ahead of time, a little presumptuous of me to be picking U.S. Attorneys."

Readers may want to assume that means Romney will re-appoint Fitzgerald, but my political instincts conclude he is gone, if Romney wins.

McCain, on the other hand, in answer to my question about re-appointing Fitzgerald said he would.

He told the Tribune editorial board the same thing in mid-November.

Some of those Republicans whom newspapers say have been mentioned in Tony Rezkeo's indictment contributed to Romney.

Maybe others don't see a pattern worthy of concluding that Fitzgerald's longevity is severely limited, if Romney wins, but it seems pretty clear to me.

Extreme Wisdom 8:00 PM  

This is fascinating.

Given that Thompson is the one governor who a) won't be indicted, and b) profits from defending all the indicteees, he stands to benefit from Fitzgerald staying on the job.

The poster above who idicts Thompson for destroying the R party is correct.

He turned a party of ideas into a party of patronage pigs.

No wonder they are in a state of collapse.

Anonymous,  12:36 AM  

MCCAIN COULD WIN THE HISPANIC VOTE

Hilary Clinton won 3 to 1 the Hispanic votes in Nevada. This was even though the unions with heavy Hispanic membership endorsed Obama (but the leadership is not Hispanic--sort of like the SEIU with heavy Jewish and far left influence in predominantly Black and Hispanic unions) So the white and Jewish union bosses endorsed Obama but the rank and file mostly Hispanic union members went with Clinton.

In Florida Clinton also won the Hispanic vote for the Democratic nomination over Obama. In the Republican primary John McCain won the Hispanic vote in Florida which won Florida for him over John McCain. The knock on Obama in Florida besides voting to build a wall on the Mexican border is he has no experience with the Hispanic community.

Jesse Jackson Jr here in Chicago talks about a Black/Brown alliance but it is only Browns supporting Blacks and never the other way around at least not for Jesse Jr or most of the other official Black leadership (with some exceptions). There was much ado about billboards with Congressman Luis Gutierrez for now Judge Joy Cunningham over the slated white candidate and a Black/Brown alliance but there was no corresponding Black support for Brown only Brown support for Black.

Some interesting notes are that:
1. There are NO Hispanics elected Statewide at large. NONE, ZIP, ZILCH, ZIPPO, ZEROE.
Never a Governor, Treasurer, Lite Governor, Comptroller or Secretary of State. African Americans have had Roland Burris and Jesse White.
There has never been a major Hispanic candidate supported by the Democratic party for these offices.

The Countywide offices also have no Hispanic elected office holder except for Commissioner Frank Avila of the MWRDGC which is an important but relatively obscure office. Only 1. The African American community has representation in the County Board President (even if it is controlled by John Daley), the Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Circuit Court out of the major offices and two of the 9 MWRDGC Commissioners. There are no Hispanics in any of the major posts and only 1 Hispanic at the MWRDGC.

Commissioner Avila endorsed Barack Obama and has made calls to California for Barack Obama.
However, Senator Ricky Hendon is supporting two candidates one black and one white and targetting him for defeat uniquely so if Senator Hendon is successful there will be no Hispanics on the MWRDGC board and none at all at any post countywide in Cook County. None.

Similiarly, Congressman Danny Davis (who has received Hispanic support) is not supporting any Hispanics and has a separate almost all Black slate. There is a Soul Slate that is all Black.
Professor Starks has an all Black slate. Congressman Jackson is not supporting any Hispanics and is even targetting for defeat Commissioner Jose Berrios of the Tax Board of Appeals and Commissioner Avila of the MWRDGC.
If Jose Berrios and Frank Avila were to lose there would be NO representation of Hispanics at any level of government. The Assessor who is targetting Jose Berrios for defeat (Jose Berrios appeals his tax assessments) has almost no Hispanics working in his office with estimates from 1 to 3% while the population is 20 to 25% in the city and growing.

Judge Jesse Reyes (the only slated Hispanic judicial candidate) is not getting the commensurate Black support that now Judge Joy Cunningham got from the Latino community. There has NEVER been a Judge elected Countywide at large who is Hispanic. Out of the 200 or so judges in Cook County only 8 are Hispanic. Where is Jesse Jackson or Danny Davis or Ricky Hendon to elect a Hispanic Judge for judicial diversity or fairness.

Jose Berrios is the only elected official from a district that is 1/3 of the County that employs Hispanics in any great numbers in his office. Hispanics are non existent in County government with less than 4% and with 1 or 0 (NONE) in some areas. Hispanics supported John and Todd Stroger but minority only means Black to them and there is no diversity for other minorities.
If Jose Berrios loses there will be no Hispanic representation on issues dealing with property taxes and dozens of Hispanic men and women who lose jobs.

Commissioner Frank Avila is an interesting example of lack of reciprocity to the extent you can vote for THREE in the MWRDGC rotating Board member race.
So Commissioner Avila a licensed Engineer and the only Hispanic in the race or on that Board is not even on the top three of the supposedly liberal and committed to diversity Congresswoman Jan Shakowsky or Commissioner and leading in the polls candidate for State's Attorney Larry Suffredin.
The Cook County States Attorney has very few Hispanic attorneys and deals with Hispanics and some say heavy handedly yet Larry Suffredin is not supporting a slated, qualified, and sole Hispanic--not even when he has three choices. Hispanics have given significant Republican votes in past national elections and McCain has a Hispanic following yet Shakowsky is trying as a national leader and Democratic leader and Congresswoman to in one election to eliminate ALL HIspanic representation. NONE. No Hispanics allowed in Cook County.

Congressman Jackson, who wanted to be Mayor of a City that is 25% Hispanic and growing is also oppossing every Hispanic running for office and two Hispanic incumbents one who supported him on his races and his allies (Commissioner Avila)

Anita Alvarez (a non slated non incumbent) is not getting any support by even her fellow Hispanics despite her arguably superior credentials (she has been a prosecutor even longer than Bob Milan) She is considered an outstanding attorney and comptetent prosecutor without scandal and came in after the Area 2 scandals. She is the only female running. She is the only Hispanic running. It seems that being female only counts when you are trying to get into office without credentials for a MWRDGC seat or a Judge seat. It seems that diversity does not include Hispanics. Anita Alvarez is uniquely qualified but there is no Brown slate, or Spanish slate corresponding to the Rev. Sampson Soul Slate.

How can Congressmans Jan Shakowsky and Jesse Jackson be national leaders and attempt to eliminate any Hispanic elected officials???
This is not leadership and if it were against groups they more closely identify with it would be racism and anti-semitism. But being against Hispanics is OK and the media doesn't care.

Sen Ricky Hendon is making racist and religiously bigotted statements against an American of Indian (east) descent yet the media says nothing. Silence on lies and explicit racist statements. Ricky Hendon is trying to eliminate Hispanics at the MWRDGC and the Tax Board of Appeals but that is not considered racist.

The Democratic Leadership may not worry about the Hispanic sleeping giant because they repeat the apparently accurate mantra that Hispanics don't vote, that the people don't care, and their leaders are bought off. If you make an anti-Black or anti-Jewish statment or opposse their candidates than that is bad and makes a front page story--but being anti-Hispanic is the last allowable racism and discrimination in America.

Barack Obama could lose the nomination because of lack of reaching out to Hispanics.
The Democratic Party may have a shock without any Hispanic elected officials.
The so called liberals like Shakowsky and Suffedin who supposedly believe in diversity do not include Hispanics in that Diversity.

The Rainbow of Jesse Jackson Jr is only Black unless you have Green (money) and than you can buy your way in like Larry Suffedin did.

The Hispanics running Countywide are:
Anita Alvarez for State's Attorney
Frank Avila for MWRDGC (slated and incumbent)
Jesse Reyes for Judge (sitting associate judge and slated for Countywide seat)
Many people are trying to get all three to lose. Even the incumbents and slated candidates.
Jose Berrios represents a District that is 1/3 the County and is the only Hispanic involved in the issue of taxation.

If the Cong Shakowsky, Cong Jackson, Sen Ricky Hendon cabal plan works---There will be NO (NONE, ZILCH, ZIP, ZERO) Hispanics in any political offices at all in Cook County NONE. That is racism pure and simple. That is also stupid politics--maybe not now--but in the future.

Anonymous,  7:30 AM  

Thanks for your further comments regarding John McCain and Mitt Romney, Cal. It was very enlightening.
I think that the biggest hurdle for McCain will be the original stance that he took on the illegal immigrant issue keeps coming back to haunt him. He says that he has since changed his original stance by implying that he will deport the 2 million illegals in the country that have criminal records. However, McCain (to the best of my knowledge) has still hesitated from commenting as to whether he plans to deport the other 10 million illegals in the country. Romney has stated that "all illegals" will be deported in an orderly and compassionate fashion. That is what many of the conservative Republicans want to hear. Green cards, yes. Blanket amnesty after a token fine, no.
McCain hasn't been able to convince many conservative Republicans that he has "truly" changed his stance on this thorny and sensitive issue. However, I will have to admit that based on polling numbers that are out, McCain will be the Republican candidate come this November.

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