Posted on 12/08/2008 8:33:33 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
Following a 90-minute audition meeting today with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. said he was confident in the process the governor is using to make his choice for a Senate successor to President-elect Barack Obama.
But Jackson also touted his credentials for being Blagojevich’s choice, saying that in his 13-year House career serving the South Side and south suburbs, he has only missed two votes. Jackson also said there are three factors that the next senator must be able to fulfill.
“He has to be able to legislate. Or she has to be able to legislate,” Jackson said, noting there are 105,000 Illinois jobs dependent upon a bailout of the nation’s automotive industry.
“They have to be able to work the state, to develop relationships across the state, in order to potentially run for re-election in 2010 successfully. And they obviously have to raise a considerable amount of money in 14 months,” he said.
Democratic leaders nationally have said their preference is for Blagojevich to appoint a successor who could run and hold the seat for Democrats when it is up before voters in the 2010 election.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com ...
Rod Blagojevich may appear to have leeway, but he’s highly unpopular now and needs Obama’s support, so he’ll choose only someone who is acceptable to The One.
As I sit chuckling, reading this political crap, it reminds me of the old TV series, “The Untouchables”....
NOT qualified!!
Obamessiah has proved that the best qualification for higher office is to be completely AWOL from duty. Why miss only two votes when you can skip them all?
A Chia Pet has more credentials to sit in the Senate than progeny of Je$$e Jack$on.
He can do that when they're both behind bars.
Actually... I would be willing to pay Democrats elected NOT to vote.
The second most likely choice, IMO, is Rod appointing 74 year old Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White as Senator. This would be a win-win for Blago, IMO. He gives the Jackson crowd their token "black" Senator, so they're happy, he gets bonus points with Illinois voters since he appoints a "popular" statewide official that won about 2/3rds of the vote last time, and he frees the seat up for his criminal buddies in 2010, since Jesse White is old and senial and definitely won't run for a 6 year term in his own right. In short he'd appoint a seat warmer that would give him allocates from the media and every faction of the Chicago Dems.
The choice that makes me hurl the most would be Blago appointing Tammy Duckworth to the seat, especially after Illinois voters specifically REJECTED her at the polls in her bid to succeed Henry Hyde. Worse, she'd probably win election in her own right as an incumbent Senator. She is a total empty suit and a Democrat machine creation in much the way Obama is. Rahm Emnauel created her "war hero" persona and all her "values" are from the latest DNC script.
Jesse Jackson Jr. would be a horrible Senator but also a good pick for Blago, as JJJ is ultra-liberal and Marxist activist, but he talks a good game on TV and is smoother than his daddy. I don't think Blago will choose junior though, because he'd immediately outshine the Governor and nobody would pay attention to Blago anymore.
There's a chance that Blago could appoint himself, I suppose, if he figured he wouldn't get elected Gov again. He probably won't do this though, because Illinois voters would retaliate and dump him from the Senate, plus appointing himself would result in anti-machine Dem Pat Quinn becoming Governor.
And then there's Emil Jones. That would be a suicidal pick for Blago, IMO, and possibility result in a Republican pickup (except Jones probably won't run for re-election in 2010). Jones has dismal approval ratings statewide now and is "retiring" as Senate President under a "ethics cloud" (and we all know what that means). He's so unpopular that little known perennial Republican candidate Ray Wardingley, running a shoe-string campaign, ended up a competitive candidate on election night (I was Ray's press secretary in that race, I should know). Jones is in a "safe" Democrat seat and hadn't had a challenger in over a decade, but once he announced he was going to retire AFTER the election appoint his clueless hackjob son to "succeed" him to the seat in 2009, here's how Cook County voters responded on election night:
COOK COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE ELECTION RESULTS
State Senator, 14th 4-yr
2 Candidates - Vote for 1
Precincts Counted: 86 of 86 (100.00%)
Candidates Votes %
Emil Jones (DEM) 18,429 53.38%
Ray Wardingley (REP) 16,097 46.62%
SOURCE: http://www.voterinfonet.com/results/110408/SummaryElection110408RaceNum28.html?Party=ALL
If he can only muster 53% in ultra Democrat CROOK County, I doubt Jones could win a statewide election even with the pathetic condition the Illinois GOP is in.
Aside note, I think Ray could have won that seat ala Joseph Cao -- IF he had the money to be competitive, and had been able to run TV ads and such. Too bad the RINOs were diverting attention from real campaigns to con conservatives into flushing their money and time down the drain for hopelessly doomed campaigns like Steve Sauerberg. If I was Emil Jones I would personally send a thank you to these RINOs for wasting valuable conservative resources on laughable races, thus ensuring he won re-election in a low-key contest.
"Ray Wardingley (REP) 16,097 46.62%"
Oh, man. That would've been beautiful if he pulled it off. When's the last time a Republican won that Senatorial district ?
Hmmm... good question, I’m not sure. It’s probably similar to my Congressional district, which was Republican back in the 20s. Oddly enough, due to the bizarre Gerrymandering, I’m in Bobby Rush’s Congressional district but NOT in Emil Jones’ Senate District, as I am represented by a suburban Lipinski-type “centrist” Dem, State Senator Ed Maloney.
I do know it’s about about 12 years or so since the GOP even bothered to run a Republican against Jones. He’s held that Senate seat since 1983, and been in the state legislature since 1973. The radio ads Ray Wardingley ran noted the irony of Jones holding office for 35 years and claiming this election is all about “change”
BTW, I also helped work on Ray Wardingley’s website. We’re due to take down all the Jones stuff in a few days, so check it out now and let me know you what you think:
I created this graphic when Jones announced his obscure 31 year old son (who barely graduated High School) would be appointed to seat in January. We got accused of being “racist” for this one:
http://www.raywardingley.com/images/eviljonesIII.jpg
With a 9% approval rating (worst in the country) and under the constant threat of indictment, I doubt Blago will run again in 2010.
The website looks OK, but I have to think the “Evil” Jones thing may be a turn-off to some voters. It’s a cute and apt description, of course, but better to explain why he’s wrong and AWOL from his duties, y’know ?
Well, it definitely won’t be Emil Jones.
A possible compromise candidate would be Danny Davis. He’s aging (over 65), but as obvious a bench warmer as Jesse White. He’s a Marxist, but personable. He probably wouldn’t seek a full term.
If Blago appoints someone who is unacceptable to Obama (and I think we all know what that means), he’ll go down in the primary with Obama’s tacit approval.
Davis personable ? From what I’ve seen, he’s just another vile, race-baiting a$$hole.
Oh, that one’s fine and clever. Implied, but not openly a turn-off.
I think Davis is a non-starter too. He’s done a lot of “questionable” screwy things like being the only member of Congress to sign a resolution demanding Mumia Abu-Jamal’s release, being photographed crowning the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in some bizarre religious ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, and accusing the police of being motivated solely by “racism” when he was pulled over and given a traffic ticket for driving on the wrong side of the road last year. His eccentric behavior is so distracting that even Chicago’s two liberal rags, the Tribune and the Sun-Times, endorsed the anti-war Ron Paulite Republican running against him this year (and believe me, that was the LONE Republican they endorsed trying to take a Dem seat in Chicago).
Really, between Davis, Rush, and JJJ, I think JJJ is the only black Congressman from Illinois with a realistic chance of being appointed to the U.S. Senate.
Of course if Blago wanted to go all out and appoint an Obama clone to the seat, he could name Dan Seals, the three-time loser who tried to defeat Congressman Mark Kirk in the “who’s the bigger marxist” contest they had this year. (Kirk, incredibly, managed to run to the LEFT of Obama)
http://www.dansealsforcongress.com/
And then there’s the guy appointed to Obama’s state senate seat, Kwame Raoul. Not only did they find another guy with an “african sounding” name from Chicago’s Hyde Park to get the job, but he’s ALSO a “community organizer” and card-carrying member of Rev. Wright’s church. Obama’s chickens... comin’ home to roost!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Raoul
(Uh oh, long post. ;))
Unfortunately some GOP congressmen tried to pull the similar crap as Jones if I remember correctly, dropping out after it’s to late tp have to a primary.
Goodness gracious! I totality missed that race being close. Wardingly is a clown (literally he dresses as a clown for charity and the media when they choose to mention him make fun of him for it)
The seat is can’t be all black, Robert Rita isn’t and he holds one it’s 2 state house seats but still that’s nothing short of stunning. We must be talking 30’s when Chicago blacks started being rats since that area has had a Republican Senator.
Just another reason to feel sick about the totally incompetent GOP leadership. Did they bother to even commission a poll to give themselves an idea if there was a chance? Doubt it. UHHHHHG.
Ill Dems have been wildly aggressive and successful in winning state Senate Seats. Even with a rat map on paper we could have 29 or 30 seats. (With the 30th most likely being that longtime rat Vic Demuzio’s widow, she’s not likely to lose and I think next on the list would be Debbie Halverson’s seat). Down in Southern Illinois where Obama lost, the rats have held the 59th Senate seat since ‘74 I think and won it again 52-48 in November as Obama was losing it. And they held both house seats as well. We gained one Senate seat from them since 2002 in ‘04. And lost 5 in 06 (and one in an upset in 02).
Now this is Illinois I’m not writing off Blago 100% but his approval is so low....he should lose the primary (and would lose the general to a non-RINO scumsucker.....) Quinn wants it. I’d take him over Blago or Madigan any day. Frankly he’s better than Topinka and her RINO combine ilk on corruption. Of course he lacks a natural constituency for the primary since “decent folk who care about good government” are a minority in the party.
I think (hope) Blago needs Obama to stay out of jail more than win reelection.
My very first thought like in May was that should Obama win he would appoint Lisa Madigan. After the election I figured Jesse White would be an ideal “placeholder” should he go that route. I surprised he is not being talked up.
Jones is almost as old as White but he really seems like he actually would run. And why not. Ancient Senators of both parties will run for reelection in 2010. Guys older than him!!
I hope Jagoff Jr. gets it. I don’t see that name having an easy time in Novemeber 2010. Maybe I’m wrong and yes Harold Ford Jr. almost won in Tennessee but...
Jones if he was running would be awesome.
I’d be surprised in he doesn’t pick a black candidate at this point. Though Duckworth, maybe. Yup she’s indeed a “creation” like Obama. Vomit.
Davis from Arkansas (jeez none of the Chicago black Congressman are from Chicago!)
“As the 15th most prolific traveler in Congress, he stirred up controversy by accepting a trip to Sri Lanka in 2005 on behalf of the Tamil minority there, paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization for its use of suicide bombers and child soldiers. Davis said that he was unaware that the Tigers were the source of the trip’s funding.”
I hope Kirk never runs for higher office. I’m shocked he won at all let alone easily. Gordon Smith lost trying to imply he was endorsed by Wyden and Obama (and because of the Constitution party but given how ran his campaign it’s no shock they did so well).
I thought Seals only lost 2 races. What a loser! An Obama Clone who couldn’t convince white liberals not to split their tickets.
One further note. My Rep. Luis Gutierrez. Doctrinaire leftist and open borders King.
http://24ahead.com/blog/archives/004814.html
looks like he’s running for something I know he wants to, maybe Mayor (LOL) but it wouldn’t shock me if he ran for Senate if their was a placeholder, his dream job is President of an Independent Puerto Rico.
There’s a factory on Goose Island where some workers are having a “sit in” as you all probably know. I didn’t know the Island was in his district but I guess it must be. He’s having my Alderman and his toadie Billy “Future Congressman?” Ocasio pass out gifts and food whist making sure everyone knows they are from the Congressman. Why don’t you try to help your own ward out Billy? How about a coaxing them to open a damn Jewel or Domincks anywhere near here? It’s not like me or any of the legion of children around here need to eat or anything right?
I hope that Blago. will appoint Rep. Schakowsky. She’s slightly less liberal than Jackson, and she has more political experience than he has, including her experience as a state rep. and U.S. rep.
These are the Illinois democrat state legislators who will be in close races, in 2010, since they barely won their last races:
State Sen. Michael Noland of the 22nd Dist.
St. Sen. Michael Bond, of the 31st Dist.
St. Rep. Keith Farnham, of the 43rd Dist.
St. Rep. Paul Froehlich, of the 56th Dist.
St. Rep. Mark Walker, of the 66th Dist.
St. Rep. Jehan Gordon, of the 92nd Dist.
Maybe Blago won’t get to pick Obama’s replacement after all:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/ap-blago.html?_r=1&hp
Asking for bribes in return for naming Obama’s replacement to the Senate? As Princess Leia said to Darth Vader, “only you would be so bold.”
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