[BillyBoy]

This article wouldn't be a big deal if it were written as "press release" by Jim Durkin's campaign manager or the Illinois GOP.

Instead, it's written by Steve Neal, who's become a big left-wing mouth piece on the Chicago Sun-Times for the past year or two. If you look at Neal's recent opus', you'll see titles like "Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate", "Indictments dig an early hole for state GOP", "Prevailing winds favor Blagojevich", not to mention a whole series of apologist articles for our ultra-corrupt, scumbag RINO socialist Governor. His favorite activity is smearing non-RINO GOP underdogs and proclaiming they can't win. Neal is an unabashed liberal (or "Progressive", the term he's favored lately as he's grown more P.C.). If he's writting articles declaring that Durbin is "dull, lackluster", and losing massive support, then the 'RATs must be running scared. This article is probably a subtle message to Durbin to start fighting the campaign, because liberals like Neal realize he could theoretically lose!

Time for the national GOP to stop writing off this race. Yeah, WE KNOW, Gore beat Bush in Illinois by double-digits. On the other hand, back in '98, Fitzgerald was the ONLY Republican in the entire country to beat an INCUMBANT 'RAT in a U.S. Senate race. Liberals wrote him off in both the general election AND the primary. Illinois is not Vermont or Maryland, and Republicans DO win statewide here.

Furthermore, as the article noted, we have a revolving-door policy on Senators and this state is VERY hostile to incumbants. I'd actually rate Durkin's chances as BETTER than our squishy GOP gubernational candidate that all non-Illinoians seem to think is our only hope.

JIM DURKIN
FOR
U.S. SENATE

;-)

[BillyBoy]

DURKIN ON THE ISSUES
(excert from www.durkinforsenate.org)

* Belives in the rights of the unborn and is 100% Pro-Life.
* Supports the right of gun owners to protect themselves and their families, and respects their right to enjoy recreational activities.
* Will fight for a Veteran's Bill of Rights to provide the best care possible for our nation's heroes.
* Strengthen our military and rebuild our intelligence capabilities.
* Implement a national missile defense system to protect our country against attacks from rogue nations.
* Provide our men & women in uniform with appropriate pay and living conditions.
* Secure our borders through strong immigration controls and provide the tools needed to enforce our immigration laws.
* Act to immediately reduce the marginal tax rates across the board as well as the capital gains tax to spur spending and investment.
* Repeal the personal alternative minimum tax that affects a growing number of middle class families with deductions like children and dependents.
* Accelerate business depreciation schedules to provide for capital investment to stimulate our economy and provide business growth and expansion.
* Provide real school choice through competition so all children have access to the best quality education available.
* Reduce unnecessary federal red tape to allow parents and teachers to do their jobs with accountable local control.
* Facilitate exploration in ANWR and other domestic sources to break our reliance on OPEC and foreign sourced oil.
* Support research and development of nuclear power in addition to providing for safe, centralized storage of nuclear waste in Nevada.

[BillyBoy]

BTTP

[BillyBoy]

BTTP

[VA Advogado]

Durbin is also bland, dull, and his mind is unburdened by original thought.

Not unlike the democrap he replaced.

[Chi-townChief]

I hate to say it but Neal has a good point or two about Dick Durbin although I wouldn't put too much stock in votes not received when running unopposed. The odd thing is that Durkin's McCain connection should help him out with our Illinois RINOs and wayward 'rats. We need to hold up the conservative end in this race and also try to get the word out early and often.

[freepersup]

Thanks for the ping! Not only did Fitz beat Mosely Braun, he did it with little help from the Didrickson RINO's, that SHOULD have been helping him to get elected. At least the conservative wing of the GOP party has enough sense to get behind Durkin. I put my money on Cox as did many on the right. Having said that, we all have a common enemy now, in one Richard Noggin' Durbin. Know thine enemy...Neal's article is interesting and it does give advance warning to Durbin's camp if they are listening.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Given the flood of taxes flowing into the Federal treasury AND NOT FLOWING BACK the State of Illinois is one of the largest providers of money to other states.

The best way to reduce the flow is to cut federal taxes which Dumb Dick fights. This is contrary to the interests of Illinois citizens and indicative of the incompetence of our elected representatives.

Dumb Dick has to go.

This is the STate's #1 priority.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Thanks for the ping!

Nearly three-fourths of this dropoff was in Cook County, which provided 60 percent of the statewide Democratic primary vote.

Maybe the "ghosts" were too lazy to vote for Durbin, considering he was unopposed? (I'm making an educated guess that the "ghosts" were told not to bother/waste their time punching for this one.)

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

LOL, btw, to your descriptive addition to the reporter by-line on this story!!!

[Coop]

What is troubling to Democratic strategists is that Durbin ran weaker last month than Moseley-Braun in the '98 primary.

This statement is HUGE, in my book. Yet Durbin is still being carried a "Safe Dem" race at the sites I've visited recently. I must admit to not considering this race a legitimate opportunity for the GOP, but you've now got my attention. :-)

Unfortunately this alleged lack of support doesn't show up in the polls, at least not yet. Mason-Dixon has a March 2002 poll (RV, 4% MOE) showing Durbin over Durkin 52-30%. But this article may help change those numbers around.