GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - March 24, 2008

DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, GOPUSA ILLINOIS would be more than happy to include in a daily email any rebuttal that Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Chairman Andy McKenna might make to Doug Ibendahl's commentary below. Ibendahl is a Chicago Attorney, a former IRP General Counsel, and a Co-Founder of Republican Young Professionals (RYP).

CHAMPION NEWS
-- McKenna had another opportunity last week to show leadership – and blew it - Doug Ibendahl
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=882
(THE COMMENTARY: Last year, The Republican detailed State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna's long history of less than honest behavior. Since then, McKenna's rap sheet of deceitful dealings and/or divisive conduct has continued to grow. (See for example here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.) The latest disappointment came last week as the government's star witness, Stuart Levine, began his testimony in the fraud trial of Tony Rezko. Levine, a Republican powerbroker and former finance chairman of Jim Ryan's 2002 gubernatorial bid, was charged with corruption along with Rezko. Levine previously pled guilty and agreed to testify in Rezko's trial. The website of McKenna's State Party organization has continued to highlight the ties between Rezko and Democrats like Governor Rod Blagojevich and Chicago Alderman Richard Mell. That's all well and good, and on this basic issue we do not differ with McKenna. Voters should be alerted to the bad acts of their public officials and called upon to hold those individuals accountable. But for McKenna to ignore the fact that this trial is about a two-party cesspool is completely disingenuous. This trial is about how influential powerbrokers from both the Democratic and Republican Party used their positions and connections to enrich themselves. As the Chicago Tribune's John Kass says, it's the Illinois Combine on trial. During Levine's testimony last week two other prominent names surfaced again, Republican bigwigs Bob Kjellander and Bill Cellini. But a visit to our State Party's website reveals not a mention of Kjellander's or Cellini's entanglement in this multimillion-dollar shakedown scheme. Kjellander and Cellini have thus far not been charged with any crime or accused of wrongdoing. But as we learned last week, this Rezko/Levine coalition grew out of their relationships with Bill "Individual A" Cellini and Bob "Individual K" Kjellander. Kjellander and Cellini were introduced to the jury last week as the "mutual friends" of Rezko and Levine. It was this shared association that allowed a trust level to develop quickly that ordinarily might take years to nurture. (You can read more media accounts of Levine's testimony involving Kjellander and Cellini here, here, here, here and here.) For a more complete list of the Republicans mentioned in connection with Rezko or Levine thus far, see here. Wheels spinning, no leading A true Republican leader would be standing-up and telling these fat cats their days are over. But that's not happening for the simple reason that McKenna is a product of the Kjellander/Cellini wing. Andy's their guy. The Kjellander/Cellini wing chose McKenna as the figurehead for the Illinois GOP precisely for his lack of spine. They wanted a State Party Chairman who would serve a tiny circle of old players, not the Republican Party as a whole. That's exactly what McKenna's done from day one. Had McKenna united long ago with rank-and-file Republicans on the goal of cleaning house, he would look like a leader today. McKenna for example should have simply joined the call for Kjellander's ouster as National Committeeman. But instead, McKenna's continued to provide cover for his friend Big Bob. McKenna now just looks silly when he takes shots at Blagojevich for pretty much the same kinds of relationships his pal Kjellander had with Rezko. In fact in some ways the Kjellander connections look more troubling. From what we've read, Kjellander seems to be the one making the personal fortune via the state, not Blagojevich. Had McKenna been a leader, the Rezko mess would largely just be a millstone for Blagojevich and Barack Obama today. Instead, McKenna's organization just spins its wheels in a hopeless quest to mislead voters into thinking this is only a Democrat scandal. While McKenna plays pretend, we get another day closer to the next November disaster for the Illinois GOP.)
-- Republicans tied to the Levine/Rezko mess - Birkett, Bruner, Cellini, Cross, Edgar, Glennon, Ingemunson, Kjellander, Levine, Jim Ryan, and Saviano
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=881
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Below are the Republicans mentioned in some way in the Rezko/Levine mess. Two have been charged and have already pled guilty. Others have been named in testimony or have been listed as potential witnesses because of their past relationship with Levine and/or Rezko.)

ABC7
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Obama hides out in the Virgin Islands, new pastor at the Obama/Wright church promotes Obama and Wright and demonizes their critics, Richardson compares Carville to Judas
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6037842 (Includes video clip)

DAILY HERALD
-- Adelizzi uniting Schaumberg Republicans - Joe Folisi, Bob Lyons, Steve Rossi, Bob Vinnedge, Mike Rupnow, Bob Fecarotta, Dean Dahlgren, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159186&src=
-- Current Schaumburg Township Republican Organization leadership has done wonders - Mari Tomsic, Schaumburg
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159185
-- Oberweis will win in November race - Cheryl Puhl, Huntley
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=158195&src=
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Libertarian blasts Republican Oberweis and Democrat Foster
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159173&src=
-- Thanks, voters, for primary win - Christine Prochno, Republican candidate, State representative, 66th District
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159190
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: OUTSTANDING: John Zaruba, the DuPage County Sheriff and a Milton Township Republican Precinct Committeeman, helps brighten Easter for children at Central DuPage Hospital
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159228
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Chuck Goudie promotes Obama and Wright and blasts their critics
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159213
-- Obama should find another church - Penny Novy, Buffalo Grove
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=159161

BEACON NEWS
-- VERY SAD: Kendall County Democrats see hope in Foster's victory - Christine Moyer
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/857616,2_1_AU24_OYTALK_S1.article

COURIER NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Associated Press does what it can to make Americans feel depressed
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/857681,3_1_EL24_A1ECONOMY_S1.article

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Ashcroft to stump for Darin LaHood - Karen McDonald
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/032408/WOR_BG4EDFTU.028.php

NORTHWEST HERALD
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Sean Smith of Huntley blasts everyone, but especially Blagojevich, Cross, Jones, Madigan, and Watson
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/03/24/opinion/letters/doc47e76d89e9fcf430925096.txt

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Dem dilemma: Wright's a problem, but Hillary's too far behind - Robert Novak
http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/857518,CST-EDT-novak24.article
-- Obama hit for 'McCarthyism' jab "Too much negativity" Co-chairman faulted for remark directed at Bill Clinton - Darlene Superville
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/857905,CST-NWS-obama24.article

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: New pastor at the Obama/Wright church promotes Obama and Wright and demonizes their critics
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-trinity-24mar24,0,1978742.story
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: TERRORISTS OVERJOYED: Don Rose argues that fighting terrorism is not worth the cost
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0324rosemar24,0,7562998.story

SPRINFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: SJR laments that an "all-star cast of Illinois politicos is getting dragged into the" Rezko case
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/27420.asp
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD BUT NOT SURPRISING: Associated Press argues that Obama’s church "addresses" controversy
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/27435.asp

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Replacing Obama: Playing the name game - Kevin McDermott
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/24/news/doc47e6edc46db49503852792.txt

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Q-and-A bottom line: Bet on chaos - Rich Miller
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/miller/857352,032408miller.article

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
-- VERY SAD: Dem House Campaign Unit Gained While GOP’s Drained in February - Greg Giroux
http://cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002691761

ATLANTIC JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Tragically, the Democrat Party platform is vehemently anti-Christian. Tragically, because some Republican elected officials have done some things that conflict with the Republican Party platform, more evangelicals are voting for Democrats.
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/03/23/evanvote_0324.html

NEW YORK TIMES
-- 2 Divergent McCain Moments, Rarely Mentioned: "His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party, and his conversations in 2004 with Senator John Kerry about becoming Mr. Kerry’s running mate." - Elisabeth Bumiller
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/us/politics/24mccain.html?hp

ABC NEWS
-- Dems' Battle Hits Easter Pulpit, Airwaves Obama, in Radio Interview, Reportedly Notes Bill Clinton Had Controversial Pastor at White House - John Cochran
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4505727&page=1

USA TODAY
-- COVER STORY: DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: USA TODAY acknowledges that illegals go where the prosperity is and argues that the only way for America to stop illegal immigration is for America to make every other country in the world more prosperous than America.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-03-23-deportees_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

TOM ROESER
-- McCain Should Be Pulled Off the Road and Forced to Rest . . . Pope’s Baptism of Prominent Muslim is Not Smart . . . Forget Jeremiah Wright - What is this Fresh New Approach Obama is Heralding? . . . and Black Ministers (and the “Sun-Times”) Want to Hike
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24487

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Hundreds apologize to Trinity - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/03/hundreds-apolog.html