* A “protest” organized by WMAY radio in Springfield attracted a handful of ralliers. Ben Yount of Metro Networks had some pics, even though he’s a radio guy…
* Background on the rally can be found at this link.
- posted by Rich Miller
- GoBearsss - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:50 pm:
Wow - with a showing like that, I expect immediate action out of the General Assembly!
- Vote Quimby! - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:50 pm:
Mmmmm….maybe Jim Leach should have promised free nachos or something.
- blagoman - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:56 pm:
Impeach Him should reasd “Impeach All Of Them” Why should the House and Senate have a softball game when they can not paly ball with the budget and the rest of the operation of government?
- Vote Quimby! - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:57 pm:
CAPTION: Literally dozens of fed-up Illinois citizens took a long lunch from their state jobs to attend the public lynching of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-somewhere other than Springpatch). Many were wearing t-shirts last worn during the final days of the George Ryan (R-Terre Haute) administration. Local pot-stirrer Jim Leach led the revolt, heavily promoted on the station and showing just how difficult radio remotes can be. Through a spokesperson’s email, Blagojevich regretted his inability to attend the rally as he was ‘recycling some obsolete computer equipment which in no way are connected to any past, current, future or inevitable legal action.’
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:59 pm:
===Why should the House and Senate have a softball game when they can not paly ball with the budget and the rest of the operation of government?===
What does that have to do with anything?
- Timmy O'Toole - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 1:59 pm:
HAHAHA.
WMAY kept saying on the radio that there were 300 people there.
I work downtown and was there and it was more like 75-100. These pictures only confirm it. Pathetic.
I dont have much sympathy. I tried many times to get a job with the state while the Republicans were in control and was told I didnt “know” the right people. Well, now all these republican connected employees are getting what we all got for 27 years!
- GofGlenview - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:00 pm:
Tough looking crowd. Could have been a rally for just about anything: Price of Gas, KKK, maybe a Rezko lynching.
When you look at the passanger manifest from the Levine flight out to New York it reads like a flying indcitment- everybody but Rod has been indicted (wait that’s not quite right Rod’s bodyguard hasn’t been-yet).
- Dan S, a Voter & Cubs Fan - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:00 pm:
Callers to WMAY were reporting that “many” state employees were warned by their supervisor’s to not attend the event. Again this was callers to WMAY reporting this.
- Anonymous45 - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:04 pm:
oh Rich, don’t get yer panties in a wad just because you are one of the sponsors of the game and there isn’t anything else you’d rather do than be a hanger to these pols–
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:05 pm:
LOL. Bite me.
- Anonymous45 - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:06 pm:
I love a guy with spunk…!
- GoBearsss - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:09 pm:
Winner of the softball game gets to write the budget, right?
Loser gets their pork cut.
- Bob - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:09 pm:
Yes, I’m sure that’s what it was. They were scared to attend. Otherwise there would have been thousands show up. Did the sisters loan you that spin?
- Douglas M. - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:12 pm:
Glad to see all of WMAYs listeners showed up :)
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:14 pm:
Now, now. WMAY is a very good station. Invaluable at times, even. This may have been a bit out of character, but everybody listens to Jim Leach in times of trouble.
- Just Me - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:21 pm:
Many potential attendees were told by their “superiors” NOT to attend this rally.
Sure, it shouldn’t be like that, and it’s wrong on a gazillion levels, but murder’s against the law too, and it still goes on no matter what society tries or tries not to do about it.
- Ghost - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:25 pm:
hmmm A Leach mobb showd up to impeach the gov.
- Mr. Ethics - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:41 pm:
Did they bring back Pamela Furr for this rally?
- Vote Quimby! - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:43 pm:
Jim Leach was my RA at Illinois State in 1986. He interviewed me at the State Fair while starting the Paul Simon museum. Good guy and great radio host!
- Douglas M. - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:48 pm:
You’re right. I guess I should have said all but one because I have it on at work during the day. At least Molson & Josey talked about the Capitol Fax a little while ago!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 2:59 pm:
Geez - the nerve of some bloggers!
Citizens go out of their way to voice what about 80% of us feel towards this governor, and some of you just snicker and insult them?
That attitude is a big problem in a democracy. Everyone has something to contribute, right? So stop judging these people based on whether they wear the latest fashions or are shapely, or where you believe they reside.
I bet you wouldn’t be making these rude comments if they were rallying for something you believe in, would you?
The people posting these insulting blogs need to realize they are sounding like 12 year olds, too inmature to value other’s opinions, but their own.
To all those who publically assemble to express their opinions - thank you. We wouldn’t be a free society without you.
- downstater - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:18 pm:
The capital city is under siege by the worse governor this state has ever seen. I pray for his impeachment or indictment, and I don’t care which comes first. Obviously, those of you poking jabs at the rally are from Chicago. And frankly, we downstaters have all had enough of the “ways of Chicago politics.” What else can I say…I’m fed up with Blago.
- Exactly! - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:28 pm:
Maybe if the 28 people who read this blog would have showed up at the event Rich Miller organized… hmmmm? He didn’t? Oh.
- anon - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:35 pm:
the term “bite me” always makes me laugh.
- Levois - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:35 pm:
Heh, I didn’t know a radio guy could use a camera either. lol
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:36 pm:
28? You must mean another blog. We have 38, at least.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:36 pm:
Well, I guess it finally had to happen. An AARP sponsored Wet Tee for the retired state employees. Sure looks like a good time.
- Ghost - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:50 pm:
The problem is this kind of stuff just give Peaches a bad name.
- What planet is he from again? - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 4:08 pm:
VanillaMan has a point. All that snark about the people who attended really is…well, little more than useless snark. Keep in mind the people who attend are a subset of a subset of a subset. Of the people who believe Gov. Goodhair should get the boot, only some of them would (or could) go out of their way to show up for a lunchtime rally (and you, would YOU?), (and by the way, most State employees I’ve ever worked with do not take long lunches, so please cool it with that little stereotype as well) and only some of that group listens to WMAY. We’re not talking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the Washington monument here. The fact that *anyone* went shows me there is pent up anger and frustration about our governor. We can only hope that it is expressed (wisely) either through their representatives with impeachment or at the voting booth.
- Princeville - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 4:11 pm:
Dan S. “Callers to WMAY were reporting that “many” state employees were warned by their supervisor’s to not attend the event. ”
If workers learned their employee handbook they should not be surprised to warned against. It was a media sponsered activity and also of course would fall under Personal Conduct. Attending a media activity sporting “Impeach Blago” tees would not be in the best interest of the state nor the employees. Even hovering in the background or walking by to get elsewhere could give the impression of ‘attending’.
But as far as event drawing anywhere from 75 to 150 to 300 normal citizens coming out to have their say I’m with VanillaMan on this issue today. They care, they came out, they didn’t sit home and whine.
- anonymous2 - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 4:45 pm:
To: anon - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 3:35 pm: The term “bite me” always makes you laugh? Perhaps you should set higher standards for yourself.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 5:10 pm:
- anonymous2 - Obviously, if you observe Illinois Politics for any amount of time you learn that “higher standards” are way over rated.
- Shelbyville - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 5:21 pm:
No matter how many or how few showed up, this cannot be a positive for the administration. Someone like Drudge could pick this up and run with it.
- Diane - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 6:11 pm:
Let them play ball now and all summer. Why work on the budget or capital bill?
- Leach Really Does Get It....... - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 9:03 pm:
I’m glad Leach has decided to take his licks at Blago, but I’m more than extremely disappointed that the Illinois General Assembly Republican Minority Leaders, Sen. Frank Watson and Rep. Tom Cross did not show up to support their guys, Bomke, Poe, Brauer and Mitchell. Also would have been classy if a few of the Dems from the Senate and House would have come out as well. Great start Springfieldians, but we have a lot more work to do to right all the wrongs of Blago and his cronies. Keep up the good fight, cause there are a lot of people out there right now who have been battling the Blago administration with litigation and spending their hard earned/saved dollars to do so. Justice will prevail.
- The Ibenidiot - Wednesday, May 14, 08 @ 11:32 pm:
What goes around, comes around. He’ll be gone soon, but recall legislation won’t.
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