GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - June 11, 2008
ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
-- Chairman McKenna's Summary of the 2008 Illinois Republican Convention in Decatur
http://www.weareillinois.org/
(THE SUMMARY: On behalf of our party staff and State Central Committee, I would like to take a moment to thank all of those who were involved in making this past weekend's Illinois Republican State Convention a success. All 102 counties sent delegates to this year's convention culminating in one of the largest turnouts ever for a Republican state convention in Illinois with nearly 1,400 people in attendance. Further it was the first time in 22 years that delegates on the floor were allowed to vote on important issues. Issues some considered important, like Senate Bill 600, were given a floor vote. Every delegate was allowed to stand and represent his or her position on the direct election of State Central Committee members and SB600 was overwhelmingly rejected. The convention delegates took their roles seriously and came together to pass a new platform, elect a new National Committeeman, a new National Committeewoman, selecting At-Large Delegates for the GOP's National Convention, and choosing Illinois' Presidential Electors. Our speakers at the general session were a phenomenal group of individuals who gave fantastic presentations. Chairman of the Site Selection Committee Tolbert Chisum, DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett, U.S. Senate Candidate Steve Sauerberg, House Republican Leader Tom Cross, Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson, County Chairmen's Association President Randy Pollard, and State Representative Aaron Schock reiterated, with passion, our theme of bringing change to Illinois. I would like to thank all of our State Central Committee members and Convention Committee Chairmen for an open process. In particular, I would like to commend the work of our platform committee, and its chairman, Gene Dawson, who put in an extraordinary amount of time to produce a platform that makes us all proud. Our National Committeeman/National Committeewoman Committee chaired by Bobbie Peterson did an excellent job presiding over an open and fair process for selecting our new committeemen and committeewoman. I want to extend a note of congratulations to our new National Committeeman, Pat Brady, and National Committeewoman, Demetra DeMonte. We were honored to have a phone call from our next President, John McCain, who reminded us that he is ready to take on Barack Obama and his liberal policies. I was pleased to present the first-ever Henry Hyde Leadership in Excellence Award to Ruth O'Connell for her many years of service to the Illinois Republican Party. State Representative and U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jim Watson's message from Iraq to the Republican Party is one we should all be proud of, remembering our men and women who are serving proudly overseas protecting our freedoms. Click here to listen to Representative Watson's remarks. Many of you have requested copies of the Lincoln video played at the beginning of the convention. To view that video, click here. We must thank the Macon County Republicans, led by Chairman Jim Gresham, for the countless hours they volunteered in order to make the convention one to be remembered for years to come. This convention was a huge success and it's due to all of the grassroots leaders like you. In the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln's campaign for the Presidency, this weekend Illinois Republicans showed they still hold the legacy of Lincoln close to their hearts and are ready to bring real change to Illinois.)
WLS
-- AUDIO CLIP: Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna joins Don Wade & Roma
http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=740489&spid= (Includes audio clip)
(THE POSTING: On June 10th, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna joined Don Wade and Roma to give you the inside story on Illinois politics. Should Governor Rod Blagojevich make restitution for the money he received from Tony Rezko? Does that mean everyone else has to as well? How is the GOP reconstructing itself in Illinois? What is the Republican response to the Illinois budget gridlock? Does our economy need another stimulus package, as Barack Obama has suggested?)
CHAMPION NEWS
-- AUDIO CLIP: Guest Co-Host Jim MacRunnels joins Jack, John and Doug to talk about what happened at the 2008 Illinois Republican State Convention. Jim discusses his recent primary challenge to Kane County Board President Karen McConnaughay.
http://www.championnews.net/talk/podcast.html
ILLINOIS GOP NETWORK
-- VIDEO CLIP: Quick interview with Pat Brady and his wife Julie - Mark W. Johnson
http://blip.tv/file/982183
-- VIDEO CLIP: We talk with Jim Durkin about the McCain campaign, his role in helping Pat Brady get the National Committeeman spot and what is says about the future of the IL GOP - Mark W. Johnson
http://blip.tv/file/982278
-- VIDEO CLIP: Interview with Eric Wallace - Mark W. Johnson
http://blip.tv/file/978783
DAILY ILLINI
-- Illinois GOP elects national convention representatives - Daniel Johnson
http://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2008/06/11/News/Illinois.Gop.Elects.National.Convention.Representatives-3380495.shtml
(THE ARTICLE: There were very few times Demetra DeMonte's family table in her childhood home was not covered in her father's precinct papers from the 35th ward in Chicago. But the Illinois Republican National Committeewoman Elect has used her experience with the city, and with politics in general, to help her earn the nomination for the national body. "When I was meeting with the election committee over the weekend, I was talking with them about my experiences walking the precinct with him," she said Tuesday. "He and my mother taught me that we all have a responsibility to give back to society." DeMonte, the Tazewell County Chairman, and Patrick Brady were elected Saturday in Decatur to attend the upcoming National Convention and fully represent the party thereafter at all Republican events. Brady, of St. Charles, was favored going into the weekend, according to DeMonte and Jason Barickman, the chairman of the Champaign County Republican Party. "The general belief when I got to Decatur was that it was fairly certain that Pat Brady had most of the vote," DeMonte said. "The word when I arrived was that people were really looking at the women's race, because it was so competitive." Both the committeeman and woman seat were decided by a first vote, with one of the candidates winning at least 10 votes by a board and then a second majority vote of the floor at the meeting. While Brady won the first 10-vote election successfully and took the floor, the female vote had to go to a second vote when no woman received the requisite amount of votes. Carol Smith Donovan was one vote shy of winning the first round of election, a re-vote was held and DeMonte garnered exactly 10 votes, giving her the first vote. DeMonte took the floor vote, and the nomination, by a wide margin. "She deserved to win that nomination, I was really glad that they had to go to that second vote," Barickman said. "I've worked with Demetra a good deal and I know what kind of person that she is. I got to meet with Pat, too. I like who we have in him ... Overall, both the candidates we elected are very good.")
WAND
-- VIDEO CLIP: WAND reports on 2008 Illinois Republican State Convention in Decatur.http://youtube.com/watch?v=W06pjDbDBc8
ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: OPEN LETTER: Chris Robling calls for Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna to resign
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/the-chairman-co.html#comments
-- Why the Decatur Convention Flunked the Test - Mark Rhoads
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/why-the-decactu.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: I read with sadness the self-congratulatory remarks of Andrew McKenna on the Potemkin Village Convention that unelected Republican bosses threw for themselves in Decatur. I have historical files on the state party and this convention was most certainly not the largest nor the first to get delegations from all 102 counties as some erroneous news reports and blogs misreported. I am glad conservatives got some crumbs from the table in a few platform planks and I am glad Kathy Salvi made a proud case for conservative ideals. But on the basic reform question that could have helped to bring back a modicum of legitimacy to the Illinois Republican Party, the convention flunked big time. If the so-called "delegates" understood exactly what they were voting on, 556 of them stood up to once again disenfranchise their fellow GOP primary voters. Only 168 voted to restore the basic right, taken away by stealth in the early 1990s, of Republican voters to directly elect members of the state central committee. The 168 were as right as rain and the 556 were dead wrong. It makes you wonder who attends these sham meetings. . . For more than 70 years from 1918 to the early 1990s, both Illinois Republican and Democratic primary voters could vote for their state central committee members. Illinois Democrats still can. Conservatives such as Ron Smith in Du Page County were elected under that direct election system over the objections of county chairs by taking their case directly to the voters. But in a blatant power grab by Gov. Jim Thompson and some GOP county chairmen, Republican primary voters lost their rights that Democratic primary voters still have to this day to directly elect state central committee members. Until that committee is once again directly elected by voters, it will never have the legitimacy or moral authority to lead party affairs because the members represent no one but other party officials at lower levels. The indirect "election" by 102 county party chairs whose own legitimacy is often shaky is a very poor substitute for direct election by more than 700,000 GOP primary voters.)
-- GOPers still angry about Obama ad - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/gopers-still-an.html
-- RNC nominee Kathy Salvi's speech - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/kathy-salvis-sp.html
-- E-Verify Executive Order is a Giant Step Forward - Rosanna Pulido
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/06/e-verify-execut.html
BEACON NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Julie Brady and Gabriela Wyatt arrange for a "closed-door, with no media" meeting between "Fox Valley Hispanics" and McCain at the Drake Hotel Wednesday evening, June 18
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/999058,2_1_AU11_MCCAIN_S1.article
(DIERSEN: Diersen hopes that McCain and all the Fox Valley Hispanics who meet with him agree with the following plank in the Illinois Republican Party 2008 Platform: INSTITUTING A ‘FRONT DOOR’ POLICY ON IMMIGRATION We are a nation of immigrants, and the Republican Party welcomes those who respect our laws and seek freedom and opportunity in our great country. We believe it is only right to expect that our new residents come in through the front door and join us in society as fellow Americans. Further, we advocate retaining the right to adopt and enforce prudent policies relating to the numbers of immigrants America welcomes each year and their individual contributions to our nation’s needs. We call on the Federal Government to streamline the task of citizenship for legal immigrants to assimilate and complete the process of becoming Americans. We call for the granting of full citizenship rights to be granted to any immigrant upon the completion of service to the armed forces of the United States. Those who have been deported for violating our laws by their conduct as residents of the United States – should not be granted a second opportunity to take their place among us; this is a matter both of self-protection and of upholding the public trust. Illinois government should assist our federal government in the mission of protecting our homeland. Illinois Republicans therefore urge reversal of “sanctuary city” policies, which bar our law enforcement officers from aiding Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents. The lack of adequate security at our ports and on our nation’s borders fosters an atmosphere conducive to smuggling of terrorists and their weapons into our country. We are duty bound to support the efforts of the US Dept. of Homeland Security and to insist on even greater efforts to protect our homeland. We further call on the Governor and the General Assembly to abandon incentives for illegal aliens to settle in Illinois. SOURCE: http://www.campaignsitebuilder.com/user/infogopillinoiscom/download/IRP2008Platform.pdf)
(THE ARTICLE: Area Hispanics to meet with McCain - Andre Salles Dozens of Fox Valley Hispanics will get the chance to talk with Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party's nominee for president, later this month. And they'll get to do it for free. McCain will be in Chicago on June 18 for a fundraiser at the Drake Hotel, but he'll stick around that night to hold a town hall meeting with Illinois Hispanics. More than 100 are expected to attend, according to the meeting's organizers, Julie Brady and Gabriela Wyatt. Brady, of St. Charles, is the deputy co-chairman of McCain's campaign in Illinois. She said the event will be closed-door, with no media in attendance. But it's not about grabbing headlines, she said -- McCain is interested in reaching out to the Illinois Hispanic community and hearing what they have to say. "A lot of Hispanics are just hard-working small-business owners," Brady said. "They don't want their taxes going up, they don't want the government in their business. They want the borders closed, but they want (immigrants here) treated humanely." Wyatt is a Mexican immigrant herself, and she said she respects McCain for being among the first to push for comprehensive immigration reform. McCain and Sen. Ted Kennedy jointly proposed the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act in 2007, which included a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. The bill never reached a vote. Wyatt was selected as an at-large delegate to the Republican National Convention earlier this month, and as chairwoman for the Kane County Republican Party Central Committee, she's coordinating the contingent from Kane County to McCain's event. "Knowledge is power," she said. "We want to make sure that when Hispanics go to the polls, they take with them an educated opinion." McCain's town hall event will begin around 8 p.m., Brady said. The Kane County contingent will charter a bus to Chicago, which will leave the area at 5 p.m. All area Hispanics are invited. For information, e-mail Brady at PatandJulieBrady@gmail.com, , or Wyatt at gwyatt7@yahoo.com.)
SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- GOP uses Rezko to attack Halvorson - Phil Kadner
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/998722,061108Kadner.article
-- State's government, like its roads, need repair - Fran Eaton
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/eaton/998497,061108eaton.article
BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
-- Governor proposes his ideas to help forge a state budget - AP
http://www.bnd.com/news/state/story/366284.html
SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN
-- Public needs more information on 'pork' - Editorial
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/06/10/opinions/voice_of_the_southern/24752521.txt
ABC7
-- Speaker Madigan circulating memo on gov. impeachment
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6197417 (Includes video clip)
-- BECAUSE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM IS OUTRAGEOUSLY ANTI-RELIGIOUS, THIS IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Obama reaches out to religious leaders - Andy Shaw
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=6197311 (Includes video clip)
NBC5
-- BECAUSE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM IS OUTRAGEOUSLY ANTI-RELIGIOUS, THIS IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Obama Meets Privately With Christian Leaders
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/16564795/detail.html?dl=headlineclick (Includes video clip)
CBS2
-- Speaker Madigan Circulates Memo On Impeaching Blagojevich - Mike Flannery
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/blagojevich.impeachment.memo.2.745143.html (Includes video clip)
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- AP: House Speaker Michael Madigan is circulating a memo to legislative candidates spelling out how they can call for impeachment hearings for Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- with talking points that compare corruption under the governor to a tumor that must be removed.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/998350,impeach061008.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Greeley outrageously argues that if you do not vote for Obama, you are a racist
http://www.suntimes.com/news/greeley/998572,CST-EDT-greel11.article
-- BECAUSE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM IS OUTRAGEOUSLY ANTI-RELIGIOUS, THIS IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Obama opens door to religious leaders Meets with officials from across spectrum - Lynn Sweet
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/998845,CST-NWS-sweet11.article
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- DUI: Dumb and destructive - Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0611edit1jun11,0,2842471.story
-- OUTSTANDING: Democrats reluctant to take on 'don't ask, don't tell' - Anne Flaherty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-gays-military,0,272857.story
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Speaker Madigan circulating memo on guv impeachment
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29775
ALTON TELEGRAPH
-- Governor’s plan ties budget solution to capital program - AP
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/budget_14995___article.html/think_plan.html
SUBURBAN LIFE
-- DuPage County Judge changed in Cullerton ballot appeal from Wheaton to Popejoy
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/downersgrove/news/x1489205129/Judge-changed-in-Cullerton-ballot-appeal
-- Cronin to speak at York Township GOP golf outing Friday, June 13
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/villapark/news/x21256903/Cronin-to-speak-at-golf-outing
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Berkowitz w/ Sen. Raoul on Obama's former Church, Cong. Rush and the State Budget Deficit
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/06/better-than-conaty-and-placko-berkowitz.html
ILLINOIS ISSUES
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: More evidence of failure to assimilate: "While mainstream media suffer from dwindling circulation, ethnic publications in Illinois are growing." - Robin Huiras
http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/Archives/2008/06/media.html
AMERICANS FOR TRUTH
-- Media Ignore Impending Collision: Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty - Brian Fitzpatrick
http://americansfortruth.com/news/media-ignore-impending-collision-gay-rights-vs-religious-liberty.html
TOWNHALL
-- Who Is Obama? Where Is the Press? - Tony Blankley
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/TonyBlankley/2008/06/11/who_is_obama_where_is_the_press
JUDICIAL WATCH
-- Illinois Gov. Next On Federal Hit List
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2008/jun/illinois-gov-next-federal-hit-list
NEW YORK TIMES
-- BECAUSE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM IS OUTRAGEOUSLY ANTI-CHRISTIAN, THIS IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: New PAC Seeks to Court Christians for Obama - Michael Luo
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/new-pac-seeks-to-court-christians-for-obama/
USA TODAY
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY VERY VERY SAD: To give preference to minorities is to discriminate against whites. To give preference to women is to discriminate against men. Obama wants to give preference to minorities and to women, therefore, he wants to discriminate against whites and against men, especially against white men.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080610/cm_usatoday/obamadoesntshrinkonaffirmativeactionbans
AFP
-- McCain paints Obama as job-killing liberal
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNxvL5WoHKF0mIv-i4-iUjyriXUQ
GOPUSA
-- 'We can't deport 12 million illegals!' Oh really - Bobby Eberle
http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=729
