NEWS FLASH: Ditka storms out of meeting (angered over Drudge story)

Illinois Leader ^ | 7.14.04

[ambrose]

NEWS FLASH: Ditka storms out of meeting

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

By The Leader-Chicago Bureau CHICAGO -- This morning in downtown Chicago, Mike Ditka left a secret meeting with IL GOP decision makers, angered about the media being tipped off.

Ditka was to meet with members of the IL GOP State Central Committee and to speak via conference call with national level Republicans.

As word of the meeting leaked out to the press, Ditka reportedly was angered when met by reporters, exited the meeting promptly and hopped into his black Escalade, and left, obviously upset.

Matt Drudge reported this morning that an announcement would be made at 9:30 am.

No word as to the ensuing discussion among state central committee members left at the meeting, which is still going on.

Ditka's willingness to take on the candidacy may be in doubt now.

Developing story . . .

_________

[rface]

Also, it seems to me that Ditka ALWAYS looks like he is storming out of (or into) places. And he pretty much always looks angry, which suits my mood to a tee.

true enough

[JohnnyZ]

This is the part that Ditka won't get. When you run representing a political party, you're not your own man. You agree that you're not your own man. That you are the represenative of a political party.

A representative of the Ill GOP is the LAST thing we need! We want someone as independent from that corrupt bunch as possible.

[sharktrager]

McCain as VP would guarantee a win in November. You in favor of that too?

[rwfromkansas]

uh oh......doubt he will enter the race now.

Say Senator Obama.

[kjam22]

Now it would be funny to see him in a "discussion" with Hillary. Assuming he disagreed with her....

[Littlejon]

My thoughts exactly! We don't know for sure he was actually ticked about anything. If he was, we don't know what it was all about. We just have some rag's report to go on. For all we know, he could have been ticked off by the IGOP telling him they wanted him to tow their RINO line or they would not support him. From what I have read, he is a staunch conservative and would be the opposite of what they seem to want in a candidate: conservative socially and fiscally AND not about to tow the RINO line.

[JohnnyZ]

No, it means we want a candidate who is conservative but doesn't expect to be treated with kid gloves and to be immune to criticism.

Well, you want Ditka then. He has expressly said he knows he'll be attacked and he doesn't care.

Might not have been ready for the knife in the back from the Ill GOP though ....

[headsonpikes]

When you run representing a political party, you're not your own man.

And you think that this is a good thing?!?

Holy smokes!

It's time for a Constitutional Amendment to outlaw Parties, since they are destroying the country they purport to serve.

Just as a matter of information, can you, or anyone tell me how to distinguish a political party from an ordinary criminal and seditious conspiracy?

[justshutupandtakeit]

He calls himself an ultra, ultra, ultra conservative so even with some exaggeration he should be excellent.

He certainly would be more conservative than 2/3s of the Senate. Best of all he LOATHES reporters.

[rwfromkansas]

He has said he thinks GW is too liberal.

[Dante3]

Good point.

[Dave S]

It amazes me that there are nominal 'conservatives' -- plenty on this site -- who will fuss and fume about someone like Jim Jeffords, but they don't seem to see any connection to their own eagerness to blindly support anybody with an 'R' next to his name.

Why not? In the states they come from you are not likely to get anyone more conservative that can win. Also we need every R just to control the Senate. We lose a couple seats and its Majority Leader Dasche again and the Dems decide what issues to vote on and when. They have the committee chairmen and subpena power. Then all we get to do is play defense which is fine for some of you who dont really have any agenda and want things to get worse so you have something to bitch about.

[billbears]

A representative of the Ill GOP is the LAST thing we need!

Why? Are we getting another transplant to run in our state or something?

[unspun]

The Illinois Leader leans right

The Illinois Leader is right   ;-`

And yes, Da Coach looks in various degrees of anger maybe 50% of the time.

Drudge just linked to the IL Leader piece - it's overloading their server....

[Dave S]

Just as a matter of information, can you, or anyone tell me how to distinguish a political party from an ordinary criminal and seditious conspiracy?

Just as a matter of information, can you tell me how to distinquish your head from a dingleberry?

[Miss Marple]

Well, here is what I think. If the Illinois GOP tried some shenanigans we will hear about it, because he will go public with it. If the leak upset him, he will probably find out who and make sure they are out of the loop from now on.

And if this is simply a reporter's interpretation of a normal exit from a meeting based on trying to shape public opinion, we will know soon enough. I suspect the latter, whether any of the others are true or not.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I think he is implying that the Il. GOP is both corrupt and incompetent which is true.

[JohnnyZ]

Is he like Giuliani on guns, or worse?

I don't think he's given detail on his position yet.

[kjam22]

I'm not saying our policial parties are a good thing, or well run. But I am saying, if you want to run representing one of them, and take money from them, and have them go around with your campaign and say nice things about you.... then you need to be on board with them. That's just common sense.

If he wants to be his own man... then running as the represenative of a political party is maybe not a great way to accomplish that.

[Iowa Granny]

There is a huge power struggle for the control of the GOP in Illinois.

Thanks for this info. I am not up to speed on Illinois politics, and I appreciate your insite.