GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - September 27, 2008
Only 38 days until the election!
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- Building a slow burn Nominees start out tame on economy, but come roaring back on questions of Iraq, security and diplomacy - Abdon Pallasch
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/1188618,CST-NWS-debate27.article
-- Furious spinning on TV after presidential debate - AP
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1189106,debatetv092708.article
-- Each candidate got a little of what he needed - Lynn Sweet
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/1188962,CST-NWS-sweet28.article
-- 2 sharp guys would be 2 very different leaders - Mark Brown
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/1188964,CST-NWS-brown28.article
-- Bailout progress - Frank sees accord by Sunday Negotiations continue, but GOP, Democrats differ on when deal will be reached - AP
http://www.suntimes.com/business/1188493,CST-NWS-bail27.article
-- Bailout cash is unlikely to be spent wisely - Thomas Sowell
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/1188932,CST-EDT-sowell28.article
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Straightforward debate caps dramatic week Obama, McCain politely spar amid economic turmoil - Rick Pearson and Bob Secter
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-debate-assess_bdsep28,0,3444000.story
-- Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker urges Palin to step aside, declares her out of her league - AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-palin-columnist,0,732829.story
-- Rivals stake out differences in foreign policy in debate - Jill Zuckman and John McCormick
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-debate_satsep27,0,4329945.story
-- Advantage: experience - Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0927edit1sep27,0,4054010.story
ABC7
-- Illinois lawmakers react to bailout
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6417042
-- Illinois representatives weigh in on bailout plan
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=6416032
-- Obama, McCain debate at Ole Miss - Andy Shaw
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=6415861
CBS2
-- McCain, Obama Clash Over Taxes, War In Debate
http://cbs2chicago.com/campaign08/first.presidential.debate.2.826315.html
DAILY HERALD
-- 10th Congressional District ad battle focuses on George Bush - Joseph Ryan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=238525
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Daily Herald comments on Democrats Foster and Walker
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=238078&src=
(THE COMMENTS: A new kind of independence, we guess: Rep. Bill Foster of Geneva has a new campaign ad out depicting his record as bipartisan, which is interesting since 94.8 percent of his votes since being elected to Congress last winter have been with the Democrats, according to washingtonpost.com's Votes Database. Who exactly is the old-style politician? The Democratic Party has sent out a flurry of ugly campaign fliers on behalf of Mark Walker of Arlington Heights trashing his Illinois House opponent, Christine Prochno, as some sort of back ward political hack. She's an Elk Grove Village trustee, for crying out loud, not a Chicago machine politician. Elevate your campaign, Mark, will you?)
-- How can Kirk praise Palin's candidacy? - Karen Fujisawa, Winnetka
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=238536
-- Q&A with Biggert
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237661&src=2
-- Q&A with Connelly
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237684&src=2
-- Q&A with Ramey
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237698&src=2
-- Q&A with Sweeney
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237694&src=1
-- Q&A with Mulligan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237713&src=1
-- Q&A with Mathias
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237719&src=1
-- Q&A with Kachiroubas
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237765&src=2
-- Q&A with Sullivan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237587&src=3
-- Q&A with Hatcher
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=238015&src=5
-- Q&A with Munson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237710&src=5
-- Q&A with Cole
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237708&src=3
-- Q&A with Fortner
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237696&src=2
-- Q&A with Senger
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237575&src=2
-- Q&A with Forte-Scott
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237548&src=1
-- Q&A with Campuzano
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237798
-- Q&A with Cassioppi
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237782&src=2
-- Q&A with Olson
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237769&src=2
-- Q&A with Sheahan
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237736&src=2
-- Q&A with Zay
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237784&src=2
-- Q&A with Larsen
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237816&src=2
-- Q&A with Eckhoff
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237742&src=2
-- Q&A with Schultz
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237770&src=2
-- Q&A with O'Shea
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237754&src=2
-- Q&A with Murphy
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237788&src=2
-- Q&A with Reboletti
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237581&src=2
-- Q&A with Bucholz
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237774&src=2
-- Q&A with Fichtner
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237786&src=2
-- Q&A with Manzullo
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=237589
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Democrats’ affirmative-action time bomb has detonated - Ann Coulter
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x1070363616/Ann-Coulter-Dems-affirmative-action-time-bomb-has-detonated
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Court blocks guv’s health care expansion - AP
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=31181
BEACON NEWS
-- Blagojevich health-care expansion denied - John O'Connor
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1188451,2_1_AU27_HEALTHCARE_S1.article
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Beacon News promotes the political opinions of "two musicians with Mohawk haircuts"
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1188711,2_1_AU27_DEBATELOCAL_S1.article
-- Biggert opposes financial bailout deal - Bob Okon
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1188242,2_1_AU27_BIGGERT_S1.article
SUBURBAN LIFE
-- Roskam said Congress exploring options to $700 billion bailout - Jerry Moore
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/wheaton/homepage/x846665850
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: In light of the Democrats' efforts over the decades to bring people into Wheaton who lack education, who lack job skills, and who have serious health, financial, and other problems, it is surprising that Wheaton has only one employee for every 211 residents
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/wheaton/news/x1800998262/Council-to-trim-budget-residents-could-feel-effects-officials-say
WHEATON SUN
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Tim Whelan among those who spoke against increasing Wheaton's sales tax rate
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/wheatonsun/news/1185063,6_1_NA26_WSSALESTAX_S1.article
NAPERVILLE SUN
-- Furstenau v. Naperville: Shoulda, coulda, woulda -- or no? - Editorial
http://blogs.suburbanchicagonews.com/newsblog/2008/09/shoulda_coulda_woulda_or_no.html
ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Obama Goes Super-Negative - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/09/obama-goes-supe.html
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- McCain beats Obama in their first debate, in a close contest The Bush/Paulson/Frank/Dodd Bailout - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-beats-obama-in-their-first.html
TOM ROESER
-- It Looks Like No Debate but a Deal on the Rescue by Monday . . . Carol Marin is Outraged at Proft’s Salary - What About Hers (Including the One Partially Paid by the Feds?) . . . Axis Sally
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24762
CHAMPION NEWS
-- Sarah Palin creating Catch-22 for some in Illinois GOP - Doug Ibendahl
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1232
-- America's deadliest battle began ninety years ago today - John Biver
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1231
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
-- Poll: Obama won presidential debate 51 to 38 "Women voters gave Obama the win, preferring him to McCain 59 percent 31 percent, CNN said."
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/27/UPI_NewsTrack_TopNews/UPI-95631222516800/
FOX NEWS CHANNEL
-- Vicious Anti-McCain Ad Questioning His Health Running on MSNBC
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,429102,00.html
-- Fact Checking the Presidential Debate - AP
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/27/fact-checking-the-presidential-debate/
NEW YORK TIMES
-- FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Conservatives View Bailout Plan as Last Straw Unwilling to continue bowing to President- Carl Hulse
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27repubs.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- The Ticket's complete McCain-Obama debate transcript, Sept. 26, 2008 This is the complete presidential debate transcript for Sept. 26, 2008 at the University of Mississippi, moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS and including Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/debate-transcri.html
RELIABLE PLANT
-- Video: Tour of Corvette America manufacturing plant
http://www.reliableplant.com/article.aspx?articleid=7289
DAN PROFT
-- Responding to Carol Marin, Again
http://thetownofcicero.com/news/default.asp
(THE RESPONSE: Responding to Carol Marin's semi-annual attacks masquerading as investigative "stories" on the Town of Cicero has become a ritual. The conclusion by Carol is always the same, it is simply the target of her Jerry Springer-like sensationalism that changes. If the Dominick administration did nothing to inform residents via the Town News, mailers, the town's websites and the like, Marin would be screeching "Fortress Cicero" and complaining about the town doing things behind closed doors. Because the Dominick administration has devoted the resources to keep residents informed every step of the way, on a daily basis, of important happenings in the town, now the administration is accused of being spendthrifts on public relations. That's Marin's game: heads we lose, tails we lose. Since my media firm was the target of her latest collection of false assertions and ridiculous innuendos in a "story" that recently aired on NBC-5, I wanted to set the record straight in lieu of the rumor-mongering sure to follow from political opponents of this administration. As you know, Town President Larry Dominick is committed to transparency in government and he demands that employees and town vendors share that commitment. The explanation below is in furtherance of that commitment. Carol Marin lie #1: Same old Cicero. Carol Marin wants to do the work of Dominick's political opponents and try to convince you not to believe your own eyes. Carol Marin doesn't live in Cicero. She visits a couple times a year to do her hatchet jobs and than scurries back to her Chicago mansion. But she presumes to tell you about your business and your community. She wants to convince you that nothing has changed in Cicero. Carol Marin wants you to believe that 20 acres of new parks (18th & Laramie and 35th & Laramie) aren't real. Carol Marin wants you to believe that the town's 40,000 square foot Community Center isn't actually there. Carol Marin wants you to believe that gang-related shootings aren't down 60% in Cicero under President Dominick. Carol Marin wants you to belie ve that President Dominick hasn't cut your property taxes by more than $1,100 per year starting this fall and running through the year 2020. Carol Marin wants you to believe the new municipal complex and the new developments coming on Ogden Avenue, 31st & Cicero, 16th & 54th, aren't real. Carol Marin wants you to believe that President Dominick didn't bring in Kerasotes Theater, FAMSA Furniture and a collection of new businesses and new jobs. Carol Marin wants you to believe that all of what you have seen and experienced in the town over President Dominick's short 3.5 years in office really hasn't happened. Who do you believe, Carol Marin or your own eyes? Carol Marin lie #2: Dan Proft failed to respond/the town failed to disclose request documents. In fact, I agreed to an on-camera interview to answer any questions Carol Marin had and provide any documents she desired (the same documents I provided to the Chicago T ribune as the Tribune noted I did in their story). In fact, I confirmed a scheduled interview with Marin's producer, Don Moseley, for 10:00am on Thursday, September 25. Instead, on 4:00pm the day before (Sept. 24), Moseley called me and said they were running with the story that night and effectively cancelled my interview and, thus, the opportunity to respond to their questions. Marin didn't want answers as highlighted by the fact that it was more important for her to get her pre-packaged story on the air with no context, no evaluation of work product (in other words, what is Cicero getting for what the town is paying), and no opportunity for the kind of detailed responses needed (and for which I was happy to provide) from the central target of her "story". And, oh by the way, I have the e-mail to prove up what I say to be the case. I was contacted by Moseley on Monday, September 22. We spoke on Tuesday, September 23, about setting up an interview. On the evening of Tuesday, September 23, I also spoke to Marin directly on the phone and reiterated to her that I was happy to sit down with her and that "I looked forward to it" (doing so). On Wednesday morning, Moseley and I agreed to a sit down interview for Thursday at 10:00am as I outlined above. So who really ducked who? Carol Marin is a bully. Like schoolyard bullies, she doesn't like to be challenged. She preys on fear. I am not and was not afraid to confront any issues Marin desired to raise. Evidence of this is that I freely spoke at length to both the Tribune and to Univision, answering all of the questions posed by these outlets and providing all requested documents. The Tribune got their math wrong, incorrectly attributing pass through costs of subcontractors to my firm among other things, but I nevertheless explained in great detail the monies spent and the work products received for the monies spent. In contrast, Ma rin displayed her cowardice and lack of journalistic ethics--as she did in the "story" about the Town's legal fees that she ran last year--by choosing to run with factually inaccurate suppositions rather than living up to her commitment to get my side and the town's side of the story. Carol Marin lie #3: The contracts are with Dan Proft, Dan Proft makes all the money provided in the contracts with the Town. In fact, it is my firm, Urquhart Media LLC that is the town vendor. In fact, in addition to myself, I have four other individuals in my employ (who I compensate) who do work on our contract with the Town of Cicero. For example, after his first year in office, President Dominick correctly decided that it was cheaper to outsource the town's public relations department. So, my company manages all the printing for the town, the centralization of which has saved Cicero taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. This is in additio n but not limited to: producing the Town News magazine; managing and producing content for the Town's website; designing and placing print advertisement in the town's local newspapers; acting as the town's liaison to utilities like ComEd, Nicor, Comcast, and AT&T; acting as the town's liaison to the many social service providers in Cicero and that serve Cicero families; working on a range of policy issues such as the day laborers' situation at Home Depot or working with representatives from the Latino community on a "Safespace Resolution" and the like; working on programming with various town departments like the town's Waggin' Tails animal shelter; and assisting with the development and programming of special events and festivals in town. Marin wants you to believe I serve only as a mouthpiece, sitting around throwing cards in a hat waiting for her to call. Responding to press inquiries is perhaps the least time-consuming aspect of the work that either I or my firm provide to the town. My firm is paid a fair market hourly rate if you broke down the number of man hours devoted in service to the Town of Cicero and assessed the tangible work products provided. As the principal of my firm, I have worked in and out of state and local government for 14 years. I brought a significant amount of experience to the table when I came to Cicero beyond just an understanding of the media and public relations. I have also run successful referenda campaigns for community colleges in the Chicagoland area so I have some experience with that sector as well. Furthermore, my firm represents a number of different clients, public sector and private sector, which have nothing to do with and have no connection with Cicero. Cicero is a client, an important client to be certain and a client I am honored to have with Larry Dominick at the helm. But those numbers bandied about by Marin as my "salary" highlight only her la ck of understanding the difference between a salaried town employee and a firm (with multiple employees) that serves as a town vendor. I offer this additional background just to provide the context that is routinely discarded by reporters like Marin who want only to report on one half of the equation, the money, without examining the money relative to the goods and services provided. There's an old saying that you don't pick fights with anyone that buys ink by the barrel, meaning you can't fight the big media outlets. The approach of the Dominick administration has been different. This administration refuses to let itself get beat up in a back alley by people or outlets that distort the truth. Carol Marin and Channel 5 have repeatedly demonstrated themselves to be such an outlet when it comes to their coverage of Cicero. The facts are on our side so we're happy to report them and let Cicero residents make up their own minds. An d so we have done precisely that in this case once again. If you have further questions, concerns, or comments about Carol Marin's story or anything else in the news, I personally encourage you to contact me at your convenience and I would offer you the same courtesy I offered Carol Marin: I'd be happy to answer any questions and discuss any matters at length. I can be reached via e-mail at dproft@thetownofcicero.com. You can also call my office at (312) 575-9500 or you can call my personal cell at (312) 446-6488. I welcome any and all discussions that any concerned Cicero resident would like to have.)
