Unless you happen to be a Republican. And in that case, you're just pretty darned happy that punches weren't thrown. (At least not in public).
U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, on the same day he declared he won't be candidate for governor, called for the GOP to make nice nice and perhaps try a little unity and tenderness.
According to The Sun Times, the unity lasted all of 17 minutes.
That was when Aurora dairy owner Jim Oberweis took to the podium and unloaded on top party official Bob Kjellander over the millions of dollars in consulting fees Kjellander has made with the Democrats in control of state government.Of course, Kjellander couldn't leave well enough alone:
In one of the more dramatic and strange moments of the campaign, Oberweis turned to Kjellander, who was seated about 10 feet behind him, and urged Kjellander to give up his positions as Republican national committeeman and treasurer of the Republican National Committee.
"You cannot serve two masters," Oberweis lectured to Kjellander. "You cannot serve the Republican Party while serving the Democratic Party. So Bob, I'd ask you on behalf of the good of the Republican Party to step down and to do it soon."
Kjellander later dismissed the criticism, telling reporters "considering the source, I'm not embarrassed at all.The Chicago Tribune reports that other party officials were NOT amused at Oberweis' antics:
"He's clearly the candidate of [conservative activist] Jack Roeser, and his campaign manager was Jack Roeser's executive director, who spent the 2002 campaign chasing [GOP gubernatorial hopeful] Jim Ryan around in a chicken suit, so what would you expect?"
Afterward, some Republicans said Oberweis went too far on a day meant to portray party unity and to concentrate on defeating Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Others commended him.
"He's looking to try to get some gain out of this, and he didn't get the message that all Republicans ought to be talking well about other Republicans," Kjellander said later. "Considering the source, I'm not embarrassed at all."
Sure it's all entertaining, but then you have to look at the bottom line.
Four more years of Blajo. Which ain't the worst thing that could happen to state, but it sure ain't the best, either.
And so it goes
6 comments:
I don't think you can write the next chapter in Illinois politics yet. Let's stay tuned to the post-Labor Day announcements and see where that puts everyone.
That is true, but if the GOP stays in the state of disarray it is now, I can see no change ahead.
And, unless the GOP moves pretty quickly to straighten things out, the Democrats are gonna keep control of just about everything, which in itslf isn't all that bad. I've seen GOP administrations, and they're no better.
Oberweis is the best thing the GOP could do for the Illinois Democratic party. He's really not electable in his current incarnation. In my mind, there are about only 2 candidates with a chance to challenge Blago: Jim Edgar and Pat Fitzgerald. We know Fitzgerald is not gonna run, and I have a lot of doubts about Edgar. Why would he want to take over the mess in Springfield anyway?. Plus, since he's hinting he won't even make his mind up until the end of the year, even if he enters, the electorate will see he really doesn't want the job.
It's just unbelievable how that just turned into a cat fight. I thought the idea was to unite to defeat a common foe for the Republicans?
If this state wants to get in better shape, and the Republicans are committed to "ending the Blagojevich corruption" then they need to start acting smart. It's a really simple concept, but I guess some just don't get it.
Remember Kiyoshi "ending the Blagojevich corruption" in Illinois only really means trading that corruption for another party's corruption. It's still Illinois politics, after all.
Kiyoshi, you're right. It's a very simple concept. Ronald Reagan embraced it, now the rest of the Illinois Republican Party should do the same. If we've got differences, let's discuss them behind closed doors. In public, we need to put on our public, happy faces.
You sure the Illinois GOP has a 'happy face' right now?
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