Oberweis gains on Topinka!

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 3-12-06 | Kevin McDermott

[TitansAFC]

Topinka 36% Oberweis 25% Gidwitz 19% Brady 11% Martin 1% Undecided 8%

Oberweis closing on Topinka, poll finds SPRINGFIELD BUREAU 03/12/2006

Judy Topinka continues to pose the most serious threat to Gov. Blagojevich, still holding him under 50% support among likely voters, according to a new Post-Dispatch/KMOV-TV poll.

But two weeks out from the GOP primary for governor, Topinka herself faces a growing threat from Jim Oberweis. Oberweis, a wealthy dairy owner, has made substantial gains against her in the past month.

The poll of 800 likely voters was conducted Monday through Wednesday by Research 2000. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5%. The poll found that Topinka continues to lead over four other Republicans going into the March 21 primary, and that she is the only candidate within striking distance of Blagojevich.

"There's no question Blagojevich is vulnerable. He's under 50%, that's the bottom line," said the head of Research 2000. "If Topinka rides out this storm, it could be a very interesting general election."

But the primary may be a rougher storm for Topinka than it previously appeared. In a five-way race, the poll found Topinka is still comfortably ahead of second-place candidate Oberweis, by 36% to 25%. But that lead has shrunk significantly since early February, when a Chicago Tribune poll put Topinka ahead of Oberweis 38% to 17%.

Topinka is campaigning as a fiscal conservative/social moderate, traditionally the most successful combination for Republican candidates in Illinois general elections - though hard-right conservatives such as Oberweis have often found success in GOP primaries.

"It's tighter than it was, which you would expect, given the money that Oberweis...(has) spent," said Kent Redfield, political expert (U of I Springfield).

"She's certainly in a good position, still. If the dynamics don't change dramatically, she's going to win."

[festus]

IMHO if Topinka gets the primary we might as well let Blago have another term. I don't see any difference in the two and sure don't want the sorry excuse for a party the GOP has in IL to be able to call getting Topinka elected a victory.

Not that I think the milkman would be much better. At least wtih him though there's still a slim chance he might be better and probably wouldn't be worse.

[JohnnyZ]

He was always Pro-Life.

Peddle your falsehoods elsewhere.

Jim Oberweis ran as an openly pro-abortion candidate before making his sudden switch to the pro-life side when the Fitzgerald seat came open.

[TitansAFC]

---"Peddle your falsehoods elsewhere."---


Give me one iota of proof.

[JohnnyZ]

On two occasions recently, Oberweis, who is Catholic, explained that the reason he is not a pro-life candidate is because that would put him in the same camp with the Taliban. He was quoted in last Sunday's Springfield Journal Register as saying, "I think the Taliban is the best example that we've ever had about what is wrong about my trying to impose my religious views on you." On the "Steve Dahl Show" (WCKG-FM) on October 24, Oberweis said, "I think that right now we're getting a very, very strong symbol in the Taliban of what can happen if we try to impose our religious beliefs on others."

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=16765

http://www.priestsforlife.org/news/infonet/infonet02-01-21.htm

Chicago, IL-James Oberweis acknowledged Friday he is downplaying his opposition to a constitutional ban on abortion in appearances before Republican audiences to try to avoid criticism from his opponents in the three-way battle for the party’s U.S. Senate nomination...

When Oberweis announced his candidacy in November, he said he didn’t believe "bureaucrats in Washington belong in the decision-making process" on abortion.

Anyone who denies Jim Oberweis was pro-abortion before he was pro-life (ha!) is seriously deluded.

[TitansAFC]

Same old, same old.

Same tired old Taliban quote, splicing his opinions against imposing religion into a Pro-Choice argument that he never intended it for. Even the right-to-life organizations accepted his explanation and endorsed him as "Pro-Life."

That "bureaucrats in Washington belong in the decision-making process" was about his opposition to trying a Federal Amendment to create a Constitutional ban on abortion. That is also the opinion of many Pro-Life Republicans who think Roe v. Wade should be overturned and the issue settled in the individual states. It is also wisdom about what is political suicide.

How about I grant you this: Oberweis was more Libertarian than Conservative on the Pro-Life issue five years ago. He was also brand new to the concept of what his role would be as a politician regarding abortion. But he never gave any indication that he was, as you put it, "Pro Abortion." He was always Pro-Life; but when he was a political novice running for his first office (when I opposed him and worked for Jim Durkin), he (like many new politicians) did not yet grasp his role in such issues as a politician.

I'll grant you that his role as a novice didn't help him in his first run, but there is simply no indication he is or ever was "Pro Abortion."

Sadly, however, even a Libertarian view on the issue is better than Topinka or Gidwitz, which doesn't shine very brightly for our stupid, suicidal Illinois GOP. I still find it strange that I'm working for a candidate I worked against in 2002 and 2004; but a potential Judy Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar Topinka ticket can do that to a person

If only she would lose.......sigh.....

[JohnnyZ]

How about I grant you this: Oberweis was more Libertarian than Conservative on the Pro-Life issue five years ago.

In other words, he favored legal abortion.

And now he claims to be pro-life.

He was also brand new to the concept of what his role would be as a politician regarding abortion. But he never gave any indication that he was, as you put it, "Pro Abortion." He was always Pro-Life

He was pro-life like John Kerry is pro-life, like Mario Cuomo is pro-life. In other words, PRO-ABORTION.

You support legal abortion, you're pro-abortion.

You said:

Give me one iota of proof.

You've been given plenty of proof, but you'd rather delude yourself.

[TitansAFC]

Hmmm...I see.

Semantic issues.

Okay, by your definition, he was (or still is) the same as John Kerry.

I think there's a helluva difference.

Nonetheless, I can see you've made up your mind.
Oberweis = Pro Abortion.

Of course, it's going to be fun going through this with the "Not ever Conservative enough" crap every IL election. Just wait until 2008, when Conservative Bill Brady gets flanked by a Conservative who's against accepting the Mexican ID card, and providing tuition for illegals, and free health care for illegals. Then we can have the same thing happen again - Bill Brady isn't "Conservative enough," so we can all split our Conservative votes between fake immigration hardcore Bill Brady and proven immigration hardcore Pete Roskam or someone else. Meanwhile, Ron Gidwitz wins the GOP nod to face Dick Durbin.

I'm just a little tired of the infighting. I'm tired of seeing our party shoot itself in the foot by promoting moderates while Conservatives split their votes every primary. I'm voting Oberweis - he's worlds better than Blagojevich or Topinka, and the only candidate who's at ALL Conservative who has a shot at winning.

[Dengar01]

I'm voting for Bill Brady. I don't care if he is a spoiler or not, I met him and he seemed like the perfect candidate for governor. The rest of them are all the same.

[TitansAFC]

---"I'm voting for Bill Brady. I don't care if he is a spoiler or not,..."

That's just it: I DO care if he's a spolier.

And I LOVE Bill Brady.

[Central IL Voter]

Titans, I do agree that we must get rid of Judy and Gidwitz. As you well know I seriously don't like Oberweis. And you know I'm working for Brady and supporting him. I guess my thing is, how can we get our vote out? Isn't that the real issue?

I'm wondering about the St. Louis Dispatch poll. I think it's flawed and not truly representative of who will vote next Tuesday. But maybe I'm wrong. Prove it to me. Also. What are collar counties? Are those outside Chicago? Then I do feel this is wrong. Why not have a larger sampling of people across the state?

[JohnnyZ]

Hmmm...I see. Semantic issues.

When you use Kerry-like rhetoric to explain how you can be personally "pro-life" yet support legal abortion, yeah, you get into semantics.

[TitansAFC]

Look, I love Bill Brady. As I said, I wish he were within spitting distance of Judy so that I could stay up all night next week getting out last-minute papers, and then working the get-out-the-vote effort for him.

But the Topinka thing has skewed my ability to be a "True Believer" this time around. I have voted for the most Conservative candidate almost every time, so long as the alternative (likely winner) was at least an acceptable representative of the party (Buchanan vs. Dole, Keyes vs. McCain/Bush). In this case, Judy Baar is an extenuating circumstance. She is entirely unacceptable, so I will vote for Oberweis, as he is a fine candidate and the only one who can beat her.

As far as the polls go, I expect this poll is fairly accurate. I would usually gripe about including more downstate voters, but we do have to consider the crossover city vote coming for Topinka from the union endorsements. Also, I refer you to Bill Brady's own internal polling that he released yesterday when he started his "don't believe the polls" campaign after getting a heads-up about the St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll. His internal polling, with a disproportionate number of downstate voters chosen to add to his numbers, showed him at 15%. Check his website.

That's right - his OWN numbers, from his OWN pollsters, arranged specifically to create a best-case scenario of turnout in HIS strong areas, shows him at 15%.

That's why I've gotta vote Oberweis.

Anyhow, I urge you to do the same. But I would rather not make enemies here at Free Republic. We all seek the same thing in this race, really.

[TitansAFC]

I take it your weren't much for John Robersts or Bush, then.

[JohnnyZ]

Try to come up with something that makes sense.

I see you've given up defending the indefensible though.

[TitansAFC]

No I've given up on someone who claims to have ESP.

Hard to argue with what you "know."

I can imagine what would happen if Oberweis had said something like Bush (America isn't ready to overturn Roe V. Wade or America isn't ready to stop abortion), or something like John Roberts (Roe v. Wade is settled law).

Very Kerry-esque language, too.

Yet, like with Oberweis, the right-to-life groups endorsed them, too. Idiots. They need better ESP.

I hate to do this, but you leave me little choice:

---

"He argues the way to clean up government is to remove the incentive for politicians to bend the rules. Brady would limit the size of political donations that politicians can accept." -- Wow! It's John McCain!! Pro Campaign finance reform! (http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/state/13806421.htm)

---

“I think we should teach the Bible in our schools,” Brady said. “One of the basic, fundamental voids we have in our school system is bringing God into the system.”

Asked if he would teach intelligent design as an alternative to evolution, Brady said, “I think we should teach everything that educates our children, and I think bringing God and the Bible into that is critically important.”

---

Brady calls himself a “mainstream conservative.” He says that means he is conservative on social issues but is more concerned about getting things done than fighting ideological battles.

He opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest, but Brady said as governor he would “move incrementally” and look for COMMON GROUND on issues of parental consent and late-term abortion.

---

"Common ground" on abortion? Very Kerry-eque.
"He says that means he is conservative on social issues but is more concerned about getting things done than fighting ideological battles." Hmmm......sounds like a Pro-Life libertarian type from this statement. Basically says he won't fight for Pro-Life values and social issues, because he's more "interested in getting things done." Gotta avoid those radioactive social issues when you're in office - need common ground, because you don't want to alienate the Pro-Abort types.

What does your ESP say about this? Doesn't sound like he's a guy who's going to fight for Pro-Life values, does it? Sounds a lot like John McCain on social issues, immigration, and Campaign finance reform, doesn't he?

And yet, I believe he would fight for us. Same with Oberweis. I think your ESP is malfunctioning.

[JohnnyZ]

So you can't defend Oberweis and have moved to attacking Bill Brady.

Interesting. Or, actually, not interesting to me.

Jim Oberweis was all for legal abortion in his race in 2002, lost, decided he's switch to the opposite view for his next race, discovered that he's against illegal immigration, sucked up to George Ryan, lost, got to his next race, decided he's against GOP corruption --

Every cycle it's something new with him.

[DM1]

Dont know much about IL politics but i hope whoever gets through the primary defeats that weirdo Blagovich - anyone who does not know that the Daily Show is a comedy show should not be running anything.

[Central IL Voter]

True. I'm not trying to make enemies. I am trying to get my vote out. I just feel that Oberweis isn't the best candidate either. I think he's doing the same thing the moderates are doing. vote for me b/c I have the best chance in winning and forget my negatives. I just can't do it.

But like you, my ultimate goal is to not have Judy. So maybe I should encourage you and everyone else to join Brady.

Not just thinking primary but general election. Judy's negatives are too high. But after these past two weeks with Oberweiss and Gidwitz, so are theirs. I haven't been to the website yet to see polling (will have to do after this). But nevertheless, I'm going to work hard for my candidate as you are definetly for yours. So may the best person win.

[stars & stripes forever]

Give me one iota of proof.

I personally spoke to Mr. Oberweis at a Lincoln Day dinner during his first attempt at an elected office. He was definately running as a pro-choicer.

[TitansAFC]

Didn't attack Brady. Just showed how you attach quotes to someone and dismiss them, a la you and Oberweis. You're the only one who has done attacking, and you're the only one with the ability to read people's minds to know what they "really" stand for.

But hey, after the George Ryan comment....how about Bill Brady staking his reputation on Bob Kjellander? Remember that? Oops.....looks like a filp-flop. It is, after all, an election year now.

And seriously, "buddying up to George Ryan." I'm not REALLY hearing this from a Bill Brady backer, am I? Seriously. That's like an Oberweis supporter downing Brady for his connections to the milk industry.

It's very easy to take a quote from the past and give it a meaning it wasn't intended. Like Brady's quote about turning all of ur public schools into theological Christian institutions. Or at least that's what someone's ESP told me he REALLY meant.

Looking at your past posts, it seems you've developed about a six-year animosity toward Oberweis, so there's probably not much point in this anymore.

Good luck to Brady. I hope he doesn't make history the way I think he might. He deserves better.