GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - March 7, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- The Combine's domination of the Illinois news media is beyond outrageous. If the Combine wants a candidate with major divorce problems like Blair Hull or Jack Ryan to lose, the Combine has the Illinois news media trumpet those problems and argue that those problems are fatal. If the Combine wants a candidate with major divorce problems like Foster to win, the Combine has the Illinois news media downplay those problems if not cover up those problems. The Illinois news media should ask Obama and all the other individuals and organizations that have endorsed Foster what do they know about Foster's divorce problems and when did they know about them. - Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com/

ABC7
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Combine has ABC7 say that Hastert is "is getting his hands dirty" when Hastert eludes to "Foster's messy divorce a dozen years ago"
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6004160 (Includes video clip)
(THE ARTICLE: 14th congressional district election approaches - Ben Bradley Saturday is the special election in the 14th congressional district. Voters will pick someone to finish the remaining term of retiring House Speaker Dennis Hastert. It has been a very bitter contest between Republican Jim Oberweis and Democrat Bill Foster. No matter who wins, we know they won't go to D.C. with Denny Hastert's clout. But much has changed in the district that extends from the Fox Valley west in the decades since Hastert went to Washington. The Democrats believe they have a real chance, and that helps explain why each candidate is spending nearly a half-a-million dollars a week on their air-war alone. It's non-stop negativity. And neither candidate can claim clean hands in this fight. "It's the same mudslinging we've always seen from Jim Oberweis," said Foster. "I learned in grade school if a bully came and hit me the first time or the second time that's OK. But the third time, I'm going to fight back," said Oberweis. Oberweis has earned a reputation for tough tactics in his repeated runs for public office in Illinois, and this race is no exception. But now the man Oberweis and Foster are competing to replace, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, is getting his hands dirty, slamming Foster in a radio interview Thursday morning. "He's had some personal problems in his life. He's not as squeaky clean as everyone thought he was," Hastert told WLS-AM. Insiders say the "personal problems" Hastert referred to are veiled reference to Foster's messy divorce a dozen years ago. But voters in the Fox Valley want to know where the men stand on the issues. "It's probably the immigration issue," said one. "Definitely jobs, the economy, things are just really out of control right now," said another. Foster supports an immediate end to the U.S. troop presence in Iraq. On immigration, he advocates a tamper-proof worker I.D. card. Oberweis says the surge is working. On immigration he's against amnesty and citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants born in this country. Northern Illinois University is in the congressional district the two men want to represent. Oberweis said he supports concealed carry laws but isn't sure about that on college campuses. Foster said he supports gun ownership but would give law enforcement a big say. "I will go to the sheriffs and ask them. It's always the details. There's a lot of wisdom in the sheriffs in our district," said Foster. This will be the first Illinois election held on a Saturday in at least a quarter-century. As a result, at least 20,000 voters may have to cast ballots at alternate polling places because of weekend closures. Voters will get to do it all again this November when they'll decide who gets to serve the full term.)

NBC5
-- Oberweis, Foster Attacks Grow As Election Approaches - Mary Ann Ahern
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/15520431/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clips)
(THE ARTICLE: The special election to replace Dennis Hastert will be held Saturday, and the campaign has taken a sharply negative turn in the final days. The 14th Congressional District has historically been a Republican stronghold, but new polls out Thursday indicated the race is a toss-up. Each of the candidates -- the GOP's Jim Oberweis and Democrat Bill Foster -- has spent a lot of money and leveled some tough charges at one another, NBC5's Mary Ann Ahern reported. The Chicago Sun-Times endorsed Oberweis, a dairy magnate, stating, "Oberweis was forceful and informed, while Foster was a disappointment." Oberweis himself summed up the Sun-Times endorsement, saying the paper felt he was "likely to go to Washington and get something done for the 14th District." But Foster criticized the Sun-Times' process as inferior to the Chicago Tribune, which endorsed him. "They didn't have nearly as complete a process. They got started very late and sort of had to do something at the last moment," he said. The race to replace the former speaker of the House has caught the national parties' interest -- the Republicans have spent $1.2 million and the Democrats $620,000. Both sides have resorted to attacking their opponent. Foster disparaged fliers from the Oberweis campaign that picture families that do not exist -- fine print notes the people pictured are really actors. "Jim Oberweis is using fake numbers and fake people to smear me in the mail," Foster said. In defending himself, Oberweis compared the fliers to fictional television programs. "When you watch a sitcom on TV, do you assume that these are real people in real lives, or do you assume that these are actors?" he asked. The Oberweis campaign responded by criticizing a mailing supporting Foster. "Its claims are outrageous -- for instance, to suggest that Jim Oberweis' strong belief that we need to secure the borders and end illegal immigration is somehow responsible for an increase in anti-Latino hate crimes throughout the nation is beyond the pale," campaign spokesman Bill Pascoe said on the campaign Web site. Foster, a retired Fermilab physicist, is a newcomer to politics. In a profile of this contest, the New York Times notes how Oberweis ''made fun of Foster" moments before a joint taping of "City Desk" last week on NBC5. With cameras rolling and both candidates sitting at the same table, Oberweis began to stutter out, "I'm so nervous," apparently poking fun at his opponent's speech. The candidates reacted Thursday. "I was joking, if that's the case. It had nothing to do with Mr. Foster," Oberweis said. Asked what he was joking about, Oberweis said, "(I was) trying to be light about the issue. This is obviously very serious; people have taken it very seriously. I was just kidding around while we're killing time." Foster said he has "thick skin," and the comments didn't bother him. "It struck me as a little bit . . . perhaps juvenile," he said.)

CBS2
-- Battle For Rep. Hastert's Seat Getting Ugly - Mike Flannery
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/14th.congressional.district.2.671501.html (Includes video clip)
(THE ARTICLE: There is a rare special election this Saturday to fill the remaining term of former Congressman Dennis Hastert. The 14th District covers most of Kane County and stretches west almost to the Mississippi River. As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, regardless of the outcome, the candidates will square off a second time in November. Democrat Bill Foster, a nuclear physicist and entrepreneur, is locked in a tight race against perennial candidate Republican Jim Oberweis, the milk and ice cream titan. This week the race took a nasty turn. "That is the most despicable negative false campaigning," Oberweis said. Meanwhile, Foster said, "Jim Oberweis brought his mudslinging and dirt from the Republican primary." Oberweis says he's been smeared as anti-immigrant in an anonymous flyer hitting the many Latino households in the 14th Congressional District. "That makes me mad," Oberweis said. "This is just wrong. I have never had a position or problem with immigration." He filed suit Thursday against the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee over what he says are false claims in an advertisement that Oberweis Dairy hired undocumented immigrants four years ago. And Foster is piggybacking a Chicago Tribune attack that Oberweis used actors instead of real people in a mailer. "Oberweis is using fake numbers and fake people to smear me in the mail," Foster said. "Three or four days before the end of the campaign to go out and spend time trying to find people to fit those different categories was a lot more difficult than just finding actors," Oberweis countered. Presidential candidate Barack Obama is lending his considerable weight to Foster's $500,000 bombardment of TV ads.)

SURVEYUSA
-- POLL: Foster 52%, Oberweis 45%: Republican Oberweis in Uphill Fight to Beat Democrat Foster in Race for Hastert's U.S. House Seat
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=15ba65f6-52ad-4e87-9e51-0b8d1420b74a
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In the final week of the campaign to replace Dennis Hastert in Illinois' 14th Congressional District, Democrat Bill Foster runs ever-so-slightly ahead of Republican Jim Oberweis, with both candidates positioned for a possible win on Saturday 03/08/08. Oberweis leads by 8 among men. Foster leads by 23 among women. When men and women are combined, it's Foster 52%, Oberweis 45%, in research conducted exclusively for Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill. Oberweis holds 89% of the Republican base. Foster holds 97% of the Democrat base. Independents break 3:2 Democrat. Hispanics vote Republican. Hispanics are 18% of the District, but 6% of SurveyUSA's likely voters. If Hispanics are under-counted here, Oberweis will over-perform these numbers. Should Foster win, Hastert's Republican-held House seat flips. The contest has national implications.)

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: The Combine has Dan Rozek and Abdon Pallasch blast Oberweis and promote Foster
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/830532,CST-NWS-cong07.article
(THE ARTICLE: Could GOP lose Hastert seat? Oberweis a tough sell for some in Republican stronghold - Dan Rozek and Abdon Pallasch Some flavors of ice cream are just a bit too tangy for conservative palates. Maybe that's why Republican dairy magnate Jim Oberweis is having trouble selling himself to mostly Republican voters in this far west suburban congressional seat Denny Hastert held for 21 years. "There's a lot of Republicans who just don't like Jim Oberweis,'' said NIU political science professor Matthew Streb. "He's got more name recognition. He's got slightly more money, and the district leans Republican. There's no reason Jim Oberweis should lose, but there's a very legitimate chance he could lose this election." The most vanilla candidate in the race may be soft-spoken Democratic former Fermilab physicist Bill Foster, who answers many questions about what he would do in Congress by candidly admitting that as a freshman he won't be able to do much. National Republicans and Democrats have poured $1.5 million each this week into this first-of-its-kind Saturday special-election. Foster, 52, also a theater lighting company owner, is new to politics. Oberweis, 61, who chairs an asset management company and three mutual funds, is well-known to voters from controversial ads and statements he made in three previous races for governor and U.S. Senate. In 2001, he compared anti-abortion activists to members of the Taliban. Oberweis' ads say Foster plans to raise taxes on the middle class, even though Foster says he would only roll back tax cuts on the top 1 percent to 2 percent of Americans making $300,000 to $500,000 a year or more. "Middle class" generally refers to families making $50,000 to $100,000 a year, said NIU economics professor Khan Mohabbat. An Oberweis mailer shows actors portraying a firefighter's family who would pay $8,905 more a year in taxes of Foster is elected. Where did Oberweis get that? He assumed Foster would get rid of tax cuts for the middle class -- which Foster says he would keep -- and plugged those salaries into the "tax calculator" on the conservative Heritage Foundation's Web site and multiplied by five, said Oberweis spokesman Bill Pascoe. Tax plans come in five-year increments, he said. John McCain and Hastert back Oberweis. Barack Obama and 28 Nobel prize winners endorse Foster. Talking to Kane County GOP leaders Wednesday, Oberweis begged for help: "This is a challenging race with significant national attention. We need your help. This race is very close. It's within 1 or 2 percentage points either way. If the Democrats win this seat we will hear nothing but, 'Boy, the tide has turned. Democrats are taking over all across the country, they've just won Speaker Hastert's seat.' If we can hold this seat on the Republican side, the story will be . . . a tide turning in favor of Republicans." Foster agrees with Oberweis on one issue: "It's a big election; the whole country is watching.")

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Oberweis Dairy sues Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee over ad criticizing Jim Oberweis Commercials claim illegal immigrants worked at its stores
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-oberweis-lawsuit.07mar07,1,5720343.story
(THE ARTICLE: Oberweis Dairy went to state court Thursday to try to stop the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from continuing to air ads that claimed illegal immigrants worked at its stores. Oberweis Dairy President Joe Oberweis said claims in the political commercials directed at his father - Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis - are false and damaging to the business. "At the end of the day, I've got to stand up and defend our business," Joe Oberweis said. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove is running to replace retired House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the 14th Congressional District. Democrat Bill Foster of Geneva also is running in Saturday's special election.)
-- Campaign mailings heat up 14th Congressional race - Jim Kimberly
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/03/campaign-mailin.html
(THE ARTICLE: Democrat Bill Foster said Republican rival Jim Oberweis is misleading the public with a recent campaign mailing, but Oberweis responded with an accusation that Foster's "pro-illegal immigration allies” are breaking election law with a recent hit piece. The mailings at the center of the dispute between the candidates seeking to replace retired House Speaker Dennis Hastert are among the torrent of ads flooding mailboxes ahead of Saturday's special election in the 14th Congressional District. The Foster campaign on Wednesday objected to an Oberweis mailing that purports to show how Foster’s tax policies would affect typical district residents. The issue is none of the four families pictured in the ad are actual district residents, as a disclaimer in fine print at the bottom of the ad makes clear. “The four examples above are fictional, and any similarity between these characters and any real people is pure coincidence,” it says. The Foster campaign said it is an example of Oberweis using questionable campaign tactics. When Oberweis ran for governor in 2006, he was criticized for sending out mail pieces with fake newspaper headlines. The Foster campaign also said the ad does not accurately reflect Foster’s position on taxes. The Oberweis campaign fired back Wednesday, citing a recent mailing that appears to be targeted to Hispanic residents of the district and hits Oberweis for his strong opposition to illegal immigration. The ad says “Oberweis wants to scare people, and then turn them against Latino families” and “Since Oberweis started his anti-immigrant and anti-Latino speeches – hate crimes in the United States against Latinos have gone up 35%.” Oberweis campaign spokesman Bill Pascoe said the ad violates election law because it does not clearly state who it is from. It says “Sponsored by Latino Neighbors Against Hate Crimes.” No record of such an organization could be found Wednesday. “Beyond the legalities, its claims are outrageous,” Pascoe said in a statement. Foster campaign manager Tom Bowen said the campaign had nothing to do with the mailing and knew nothing about it.)
-- Rezko is in the hot seat, but what about Cellini and Kjellander? - John Kass
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass07mar07,0,4795741.column
(FROM THE COMMENTARY: Glynn described how the Cellini and other such fundraisers were organized, with interested donors brought together by "bundlers" who took credit for their donations. She wasn't asked if Cellini's cash smelled like asphalt or concrete. And she wasn't asked if Cellini's handmaiden and gofer, Republican bigwig Robert Kjellander (pronounced $hell-an-der) was there. Kjellander is helping plan this September's Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. Since Kjellander later received $809,000 in questionable finder's fees in a bond deal from Blagojevich, and then quietly kicked $600,000 back to Rezko's buddies and called it a loan, I figure he should have been there. It would have been terribly impolite not to scarf up private fundraising dollars when you're about to scarf up public dollars. . . Someday, I expect he'll tell me how Blagojevich thanked Cellini, as we break bread together. And perhaps he can tell me how Cellini's Republican friends helped elect the Democratic governor of Illinois, and why.)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: William Presecky editorializes about the Kane County Republican Party
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-kanepolsmar07,1,6390445.story
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Saturday's outcome also could help illuminate the extent to which Oberweis' victory in the bitter Republican primary over state Sen. Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) has fractured the Kane GOP that Mike Kenyon, an Elgin-area farmer and Kane County Board member, now leads. Kenyon, 63, was elected Kane Republican chairman Wednesday, defeating Geneva-based attorney D.J. Tegeler of Sugar Grove. Former GOP Chairman Dennis Wiggins of Aurora, who worked on Lauzen's campaign, did not seek re-election. Wiggins supported Tegeler.)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Criminals and especially past murderers, present murderers, and futures murderers are overjoyed: Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty urges Illinois to end the death penalty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-death-penalty-07mar07,1,1445445.story
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Group urges end to Illinois death penalty Flawed system called expensive, arbitrary - Azam Ahmed Despite modest reforms introduced over the last several years, the Illinois death penalty system remains flawed, too expensive and arbitrarily implemented, says a new report from a state anti-death penalty group. Thursday's report by the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty calls on Illinois lawmakers to follow the recent example of New Jersey and abolish the death penalty. "Cook County continues to drain millions of dollars in resources to maintain between 150 to 175 capital cases annually, almost none of which end in death sentences," said Jane Bohman, executive director of the coalition.)

WBBM780
-- Foster and Oberweis duke it out in election tomorrow
http://www.wbbm780.com/Foster--Oberweis-Duke-It-Out--Election-Tomorrow/1784576

CBS NEWS
-- Oberweis v. Foster: Newspaper Politics In Illinois - Politico
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/06/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3913714.shtml
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Newspaper endorsements generally don’t offer much of an impact on elections, but both leading Chicago newspapers are weighing in with especially biting commentary on Saturday’s special election for the seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). The Chicago Tribune endorsed the Democratic nominee, scientist Bill Foster, earlier this week, But more notably, the paper’s endorsement also lashed out at Republican dairy owner Jim Oberweis, accusing his campaign style of being “nasty, smug, condescending . . . and dishonest.” And the paper followed up with an editorial today blasting a recent Oberweis mail piece that uses fictional characters to attack Foster. The mailer, writes the Tribune, shows that “Oberweis has shown in four campaigns that he plays fast and loose with the truth.” The Tribune has endorsed both Republicans and Democrats in high-profile elections, supporting President Bush for re-election in his 2004 presidential bid, but also supporting Democrat Tammy Duckworth in a hotly-contested Congressional campaign in 2006. Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times weighed in favor of Oberweis in an editorial today, attacking Foster as a candidate who “failed to do his homework, unable to discuss important issues in anything but superficial terms.”)
-- Rezko Ties Escape National Radar Just-Underway Trial Of Obama's Former Fundraiser Evades Intense Media Coverage - Kenneth P. Vogel
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/05/politics/politico/main3911097.shtml
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Four lonesome television cameramen lounged on folding chairs, read newspapers and idly chatted on cell phones in the sprawling marble lobby of the federal courthouse here, hoping to catch the players in the just-underway trial of former Barack Obama fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko. The scene was quite a contrast from the circus atmosphere they recalled in the same lobby during the early stages of two other recent high-profile trials -- those of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan and newspaper magnate Conrad Black. In each case, about three times as many TV cameramen jockeyed for position with sound men, photographers and reporters, with another media gaggle waiting outside. “We were tripping all over each other,” one of the cameramen recalled Tuesday, the second day of jury selection in the Rezko trial. There are a number of reasons why those cases might have garnered more attention than Rezko’s trial. Those defendants were marquee attractions, and Obama is playing only a bit role in this case. Still, his inability to knock out Hillary Rodham Clinton in Tuesday’s primaries will surely provide her campaign with more opportunities to call attention to Obama’s relationship with Rezko.)

DAILY HERALD
-- Will County political parties get new leaders - Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=149076

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
-- TRIBUNE FOSTER ENDORSEMENT, SUN-TIMES OBERWEIS ENDORSEMENT: Up is Down, Left is Right - Tom Bevan
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/03/il14_suntimes_vs_tribune.html
-- Previewing the Special Congressional Elections - Reid Wilson
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/coming_specials_will_offer_08.html

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
-- All Eyes on Illinois’ Tossup Race to Fill Hastert Seat - Greg Giroux
http://cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002683221

THE HILL
-- NRCC head Tom Cole is upbeat while House GOP plays defense - Aaron Blake
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/tom-cole-is-upbeat-while-house-gop-plays-defense-2008-03-06.html

NAPERVILLE SUN
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Naperville Sun promotes the DuPage County Democrat Party. When will it promote the DuPage County Republican Party?
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/830145,6_1_NA07_DEMS_S1.article
(THE PRESS RELEASE MADE TO LOOK LIKE A NEWS ARTICLE: New DuPage Democratic chairman unites groups - Paige Winfield Democrats divided between two organizations can now merge into one unified front, says Bob Peickert, the newly elected chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage County. Peickert's 24,448 points beat 17,535 points for Rob Bisceglie, who had served as the party's temporary chairman ever since Gayl Ferraro resigned last September. Nearly all of the party's 243 precinct committeemen voted in the election, which was weighted according to the number of Democratic votes in each precinct. Peickert said that as chairman, he will make sure the county party absorbs members of Operation: Turn DuPage Blue - an offshoot organization he began a little over a year ago. OTDB has been credited with helping to draw in more Democratic support and activity than ever before, including nearly doubling the number of precinct committeemen in DuPage. Although Peickert and Bisceglie have tried to downplay tensions between the two organizations, local Democrats say there has been some friction. But now Peickert says OTDB will officially be part of the county party. "It's what we always wanted to do, but we were not able to work out anything with the county party," he said. "Now we're going to bring everyone together." OTDB grew out of frustration among Peickert and other Democrats that the party wasn't doing enough to capitalize on growing Democratic sentiment in DuPage. That trend showed up in the Feb. 5 primary, which attracted more Democratic than Republican voters for the first time in recent history. Endorsed by Peickert, Michelle Barton defeated incumbent Chris Hotchkin to win the vice chairmanship. Bob Jeffers, who had endorsed Bisceglie, won another term as treasurer unopposed. Turnout at Wednesday's election was unprecedented, said Jon Meyers, the party's political director. He said that although Bisceglie and Peickert each garnered strong support, Democrats should now be able to come together in a "relatively seamless transition.")

WHEATON LEADER
-- Local student Julia Larson serves as page for U.S. House - Ron Pazola
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/wheatonsun/news/827773,6_1_NA07_WSPAGE_S1.article
LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- North Shore Student Advocacy group assails 'obscene' play Deerfield High under fire for using gay drama in AP literature course - Frank Abderholden
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/830193,5_1_WA07_GAYPORN_S1.article

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
-- Lt. Governor Pat Quinn backs recall option for Illinois - Kenneth Lowe
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/06/news/doc47cf2266b0d7c143663607.txt

THE SOUTHERN
-- Americans for Prosperity: People gather to learn how to change political climate - Becky Malkovich
http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2008/03/06/local/23605566.txt

CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA
-- Deerfield High School Officials Assign Racist Pornographic Book State officials say it violates obscenity law but they can’t prosecute school officials
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/14826/MEDIA/nation/index.htm

MICHNEWS
-- National Coalition Urges Parents to Keep Kids Home on Aril 25 "Day of Silence"
http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_19595.shtml

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- Illegal Immigration Foes Will Be Big Losers In November--No Matter Who Wins - Daniel T. Zanoza
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/03/illegal-immig-1.html

TAPROOT REPUBLICANS OF ILLINOIS
-- OUTSTANDING: Pat Durante, DuPage County Republican Party Vice Chairman and Addison Township Republican Party Chairman, will speak at TAPROOT'S March 15 breakfast meeting - Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com/
THE ARTICLE: All Republicans are invited to attend TAPROOT's breakfast meeting Saturday, March 15, in the North meeting room of the Old Country Buffet at 551 E. Roosevelt Road in Lombard. The restaurant opens at 8:00 AM and the meeting starts at 8:30 AM. Attendees need to purchase a meal ticket. TAPROOT is honored that Pat Durante, the DuPage County Republican Party Vice Chairman and Addison Township Republican Party Chairman, will speak at the meeting about efforts to assure Republican victories in DuPage County on November 4. The many outstanding individuals who have spoken at TAPROOT events in recent years include: Stan Austin, Patti Bellock, Bob Biggins, Joe Birkett, Scott Bludorn, John Borling, Bill Brady, Pat Brady, Wally Brown, John Cox, Dan Cronin, John Curran, John Demling, Joe Denner, Edward Derwinski, MaryAlice Erickson, Blanche Fawell, Mike Fortner, Steve Greenberg, Gwen Henry, John Kinsella, Peter LaBarbera, Chris Lauzen, Andy McKenna, Jim Nalepa, Jim Oberweis, Teri O'Brien, Sean O'Kane, Pat O'Malley, Kenneth Popejoy, Mike Prueter, Rosanna Pulido, Steve Rauschenberger, Sandy Rios, Tom Roeser, Peter Roskam, Darlene Ruscitti, Jack Ryan, Richard Russo, Steve Sauerberg, Brien Sheahan, Dave Smith, Fred Spitzzeri, Rick Stock, Ray True, John Tsarpalas, Sandy Wegman, Jon Zahm, and Dan Zanoza. Phone Dave Diersen at 630-653-0462 or George Kocan at 630-393-6401 if any questions.)

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- DuPage County Republican Central Committee Holds Outstanding Executive Committee Meeting - Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com/
(THE REPORT: The DuPage County Republican Central Committee held an outstanding Executive Committee meeting Thursday evening, March 6, 2008. Chairman Dan Cronin conducted the meeting. Attendees included Vice Chairman Pat Durante, Treasurer Gwen Henry, Chairwoman Barb Murphy, Executive Director Dagmar Lofgren, and Township Chairmen John Dabrowski, Mike Formento, Paul Hinds, Rachel Ossyra, Mike Prueter, John Smith, and Ken Spitz. Also attending were Joe Caruso, Tony Cuzzone, Lynn Crane, Bob Earl, Mark Kmiecik, and Liz Martinez. Issues discussed included the primary election, general election, vacant precincts, standing committees, treasurer's report, website, by-laws, state party convention, parades, county fair, Republican Day, and the 2009 Lincoln Day Dinner.)