The Illinois GOP gubernatorial debate (better late than never)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Republican Party has posted on its website the video of last Thursday’s first debate between the seven GOP gubernatorial candidates. You can watch it here.
The downfall of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich this year should give Republicans a huge shot at re-taking power in Springfield. But, this being the Illinois GOP, they may yet blow it. (Example: The baffling decision to only post the debate days after the fact, instead streaming it live online from Chicago as it happened Thursday–thus denying themselves a lot of potential media coverage, including from us.)
State Republicans remain deeply divided ideologically, with moderates and conservatives generally going after each other as viciously (or more so) than they do Democrats. But the debate generally glossed over that rift, as you’ll see if you take a peek.
The candidates were introduced with a very strange professional-wrestling kind of opening, but then proceeded to mostly agree on some pretty low-friction issues (Blagojevich, bad; Abe Lincoln, good). Not a word about the continuing in-fighting over how the state-level Republicans choose their party leaders, a fight so fractious that the Democrat-controlled Legislature even stuck its nose in this year.
Here’s how cautious the debate was: One of the seven GOP candidates is state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who created a firestorm in the party last year by appearing in a Democratic campaign commercial for friend and former state Senate colleague Barack Obama. Dillard, clearly trying to get back into the party fold during the debate, slammed Obama for his health care “boondoggle” — and none of his opponents pointed out that he’d helped put the President in office.
The ideas are all sourced. Unlike Proft he isn’t cocky enough to claim ownership to all his ideas.He gets ideas from organizations that study public policy and think outside the box like the Illinois Policy Institute, Chicago Civic Federation, Citizen’s Utility Board,…I was trying to show you some of Adam’s policies and actions that he could take to promote jobs and deal with unions.
Actually the “debate” was a fundraiser and folks for the feed got to see it in real time.
Proft remains the best stand-up comic in GOP poltics.
The Dems can’t pass ObamaCare with abortion OR a public option- and reconciliation is just an empty threat, the remaining legislation would be a hollow shell-
Will they pass Cap-n-tax? With the evidence looking weak lately, Obama’s own #s tanking… and 11% unemployment? Good luck!
That leaves the only major legislation enacted -even with Democrats dominating both houses- the wholly-ineffective Porkulus. Obama has NO political cover on that one, due to the paucity of GOP collaborators- he owns it. And all it will ever stimulate is inflation… in the months leading right-up to midterms.
The Democrats look to face a bloodbath next fall, with some already predicting a 100+ seat loss.
And by 2012? People will wince at the very mention of the name “Obama”- and the GOP could take 40 states running Gilbert Gottfried- LOL
Party’s over kiddies- time to put the grown-ups back in charge…
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
Good report. That was a lousy debate (very boring) and it was poorly attended. Only maybe 150 people. Pretty sad, especially considering that includes the staffers from 7 campaigns.
The Tea Party folks had over 1,000 at a forum for the same candidates the night before. The “state party” doesn’t speak for Republicans anymore.
You had another good point re no question about SB600, the reform that would give every Republican a vote for their top leaders again.
The state party’s opposition to that is a big reason why the IL GOP is dead and why it can’t get people to events. The so called leaders just don’t get it.