* Some Illinois Republicans think their party needs a daddy figure, and they’re looking to former US House Speaker Denny Hastert…
“I think we need to have in this next election cycle, as we get to 2010, someone who has the respect of everyone in the Republican party, to make sure that we have civil primaries and that we support whoever wins,” said state Rep. Jim Durkin, of Western Springs.
Illinois Republicans, Durkin said, have self-destructed during the last two elections by demonizing one another in intense, post-primary battles.
In order to capitalize in 2010 on Illinois Democrats’ own internal feuding, Durkin said, Republicans need “basically someone with that big stick who is going to be able to institute party discipline and who’s going to make sure we’re on the same page.”
Hastert fits the bill, Durkin said, because he’s widely respected and because he holds no office himself.
This is somewhat bizarre, considering that Hastert couldn’t even stop the intra-party bickering in his own congressional district between Sen. Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis. Democrat Bill Foster ended up winning the special election this year, which is not exactly a great resume padder for Denny.
Also, Hastert is one of the prime motivators behind helping the spectacularly unpopular Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s push for a gigantic, multibillion dollar infrastructure program.
* House GOP Leader Tom Cross comes out of Denny’s political organization (which is one reason why he’s so gung-ho about the capital bill), but he’s not too keen on Durkin’s party daddy idea…
“I think, and this is not a negative comment, that it also is time for others to kind of step up to the plate and build the party and grow the party and bring it back,” Cross said. “I think [Hastert] will help when asked. I also think he realizes that it’s other people’s time.”
Cross is considering a statewide bid in 2010, possibly for governor or attorney general. The “it’s other people’s time” comment makes more sense in that context.
Thoughts on a party daddy?
* Meanwhile, the IL Repubs had a bit of a messaging problem at the convention this week. Frank Donatelli, the deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee, was speaking to the state’s delegates yesterday morning and lit into Barack Obama’s slogan…
Donatelli belittled the mantra of change being pushed by Democratic nominee Barack Obama, though without mentioning the Illinois senator’s name.
“The key point in John McCain’s public service, in addition to serving a cause greater than himself, is one word: Reform,” Donatelli said. “That’s a different, I would argue, a different concept than change. What does that mean? Change from what to what? It’s just a word that you throw out. reform is a much meatier topic.”
Donatelli was apparently unaware of the sign on the lectern from which he addressed the Illinois Republican delegation. The sign read: “Change for Illinois.”
Oops.
Then again, it’s a valid criticism. What does “Change for Illinois” really mean?
*** UPDATE *** Ummm…
At the Republican National Convention, former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson is promoting his choices for Governor in 2010. Thompson says Bloomington State Senator Bill Brady, along with House Minority Leader Tom Cross and Congressman Mark Kirk are all viable candidates to replace Governor Blagojevich. […]
Meanwhile, a top ally of John McCain is also considering running for governor. State Representative Jim Durkin is the co-chairman of McCain’s state campaign in Illinois.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:13 am:
It means that the IL GOP spent a lot of money to come up with a logo and slogan, designed by an Indiana-based company, to put on its podium.
They do this in lieu of electing candidates to office.
The money they spent on that should have gone to competitive races. Better yet, what the heck are they spending money on the convention for? They need to spend that money in Illinois.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:16 am:
I’m not sure what Hastert’s up to. I guess he has to wait a little while longer before he can cash in as a big-time D.C. lobbyist. How big-time is questionable, given that both houses are likely to remain Democratic. I guess if McCain wins he can work the executive branch.
I suspect if anyone could be a Big Daddy, it would be Edgar. He was a winner, and he put a lot of GOPers to work over the years in SOS and the governor’s offices. But he’s always been very cautious about spending political capital. I think he likes his current spot just fine.
I think the only thing “Change for Illinois” means is getting a GOPer elected to something, for a change.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:22 am:
Hastert, please go away.
It should read….”Change, from IL?” Or Change? From IL? Are you serious?
- Nikoli - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:30 am:
I have had a problem with that “Change for Illinois” slogan for a while.
The local central committee actually didn’t display the “change…” party signs at their county fair booth the other month because they felt it looked like we were supporting Obama.
- BandCamp - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:31 am:
I had Edgar on my mind as well. Maybe as a stop-gap. But IL needs a fresh face. I don’t know what will become of Alexi, but in my eye, he’s got so much potential it is almost insane.
If Aaron Schock lovers think he is the next thing, think again. He can’t seem to hold an idea or thought together.
IL GOPs need to hijack/kidnap a rising a star from the Donkeys…they seem to have them all.
Tom Cross isn’t the answer. If he had Bill Black’s personality and fire, maybe…
There’s a QOTD. Build the next GOP Party Daddy.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:32 am:
Alexi?
- BandCamp - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:33 am:
I knew I didn’t form my response correctly…I was trying to say Alexi, as a fresh face for the Dems, is the model for what the GOP needs more of right now…sorry.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:36 am:
BandCamp, Edgar hasn’t been able to stop the party infighting since he left office. Not sure how he could in the future.
- ChiCountryGuy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:37 am:
Change for Illinois? No more Chicago Democrats. It’s proven they ruin everything.
Mayor Daley - Chicago
Cook Co. Board President Todd Stroger - Cook County
President Emil Jones - IL Senate
Speaker Mike Madigan - IL House
Governor Blagojevich
All Chicago Democrats who have driven this state into the ground. We are a national embarassment because of Democrats, specificly Chicago Democrats.
Just a reminder, BHO is a Chicago Democrat.
- Tom B. - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:37 am:
Cross is right on this one.
Anything worth fighting for shouldn’t be easy and anyone asking for other people to fight their battles for them isn’t ready to lead.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:37 am:
The repubs need to look to the future and attracting younger members. They need to look for an energetic up and comer to try and rebuilld the party. Those that have been around carry to much internal baggage to unify the party. So look for somone to groom to take over as head.
- BandCamp - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:40 am:
I don’t disagree with you Rich. I don’t know if there is anyone who can at this time. But as a figure people in Illinois recognize, and those same people who can easily forget some of the MSI stuff, Edgar seems to me as a calming figure. You have to admit there was quite a bit of hype and enthusiasm when he was considering a run for Governor.
Like I said, a finger in the dike is all I would count him in for right now. He can’t do worse than what’s going on now.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:41 am:
I hit return too soon. There is a little known republican in Springfield named Andy Ramage. He should be the face of the new Illinois Republican party.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:46 am:
Denny is a bad choice.
First, he couldn’t control spending in Washington.
Second, he has a questionable ethics record when one considers his “highway through my house” debacle and his new lobbying gig with Dickstein Shapiro.
Third, as Rich mentioned, the 14th CD mess cost us a seat. In addition to not brokering a deal in his own district, he had a lot of problems with members in his House caucus.
Fourth, the capital bill involvement is a concern.
Fifth and lastly, I think his interest for helping out is now tepid at best.
Schock would be a good go-to guy, but not until he’s been elected and re-elected. He’s too young and a couple years in D.C. will hone his skills.
- Belle - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:47 am:
Ghost, you inspire me! The Ill GOP can recruit younger members with the slogan ‘Whose your Daddy?’ I like it! LOL Seriously there is something creepy about a party daddy. My only question would be ‘where’s Mom’?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:52 am:
Is there anyone who’s clean enough to approach Patrick Fitzgerald about whether he has an interest in elective politics — the Big Jim route?
Or how about Peter Fitzgerald, who can ride back into the state as a White Knight who told us all this was going to happen?
They’re both untainted by corruption.
More than a daddy, they need a winner.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:53 am:
How about Former Senator Peter Fitzgerald?
He has the bi-partisan popularity, the ability to stand up for what is right even when it’s unpopular, and unquestioned ethics.
He would be the best.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:58 am:
My choices:
1) Anyone but Denny Hastert
2) State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington
3) Paul Vallas
4) former US Sen. Peter Fitzgerald
5) US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who will lose his job (I predict) if Obama gets elected.
6) State Rep. Chapin Rose of Charleston
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:58 am:
Alan Keyes is also an out of stater, untainted by corruption, who stands for a set of unalterable principles.
Peter Fitzgerald might have these same qualities, but other than the fact he once won an election in IL, he was never known as a party builder or charismatic leader.
- BandCamp - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:01 am:
Did I just read ALAN KEYES?
Alan Thicke would be better than that loser (and I mean loser cause he can’t win an election).
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:02 am:
Six, in politics, winning elections is a good thing. In fact, it’s the only thing if you want to accomplish something.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:11 am:
Belle, LOL
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:18 am:
How about Alicia Keyes?
- WeDontNeedNoStinkinVetting - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:22 am:
Capt. Fax: I pass this along from WP via Zorn…let’s see how GOP women invite The Veep to their turf in the next 60 days(remember June 05 the Veepster was mayor of the town with 24 cops, a candidate for governor of the state with one America’s smallest budget, and a non passport holder) …But, prompted by an item on Ben Smith’s blog at Politico, I found in Nexis the following portion of an interview Palin gave in June, 2005, to Joseph Ditzeler of the Anchorage Daily News:
Q: I noticed there was a new business license acquired in the Mat-Su* under your name.
A: Rouge Cou, it’s a classy way of saying redneck. It’s a French word, rouge is red, cou is neck. It’s for marketing and consulting, in case I wanted to go that route, I’d have my ducks all lined up and have a business license. I just was granted that business license.
Q: You’re not actively pursuing a business, it’s setting aside the rights, the name, rather?
A: It was to, again, get my ducks lined up, because I would like to, with some of the endeavors that I have going on right now, there comes a time when one desires to be paid for them!
- shore - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:28 am:
It took us 5 decades to get control of the u.s. house, it took hastert 5 cycles to blow it. Between that, running Peter Fitzgerald out of town, blowing his own congressional seat, the mark foley thing, and I am sure there are other highlights, he should be considered persona non grata.
If you saw the convention last night you pretty much got a true understanding of a party that locally and nationally is old, tired, backward looking and devoid of an understanding of the complex issues of tomorrow.
Cross to me doesn’t seem like he has the chops, and Durkin doesn’t have much charisma.
Peter Fitzgerald would be a great choice, but would he do it, and could he get people excited?
- underdog - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:31 am:
Hey Vetting - what’s your point?
Plus, “capt.” fax?
Rich - did you get a battlefield commission? Become a comic book hero?
- anon - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 10:44 am:
Mayor Brad Cole of Carbondale, Illinois. Always sounded like a good R to me.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 11:24 am:
Peter Fitzgerald? As in the former Senator? As in the man that had become hated by his own party more than he had the other? A man that chose not to stand for re-election because the polls were not good for him? If the goal is to unify the party, starting with someone half the party dislikes does not seem wise.
Alan Keyes? I’m thinking that was jest, hoping anyway.
To have that kind of control, the party daddy (creepy) would need to have some kind of carrot or stick to get the muttering minions to behave. Given the GOP in IL has difficulty funds raising what would that be?
- Capitol View - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 1:51 pm:
Mark Kirk is a logical GOP gubernatorial candidate. He may barely win his US House seat this time, as his district turns more Democratic with each two year cycle. Time to bounce elsewhere…
Dick Durbin barely won his House seat in his last House race, and then ran for the US Senate. His old seat has been held by Republicans ever since.
Kirk would be wise to follow the Durbin pattern — if you can’t survive where you are, move up the ladder.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 2:06 pm:
Alan Keyes? I’m thinking that was jest, hoping anyway.
His US Senatorial campaign was surely in jest. Kept a lot of us laughing and waiting for the next outrageous gaffe. Granted, a Peter Fitzgerald daddy coronation would be less of a train wreck to be watched. I applaud the former Senator for bringing us Patrick “no relation” Fitzgerald as Fed prosecutor, but he doesn’t hold an elected office or wield much political currency, hasn’t live in state for quite awhile, and it is unlikely he would even be electable a decade removed from IL’s political environment (even with the opportunities afforded by the current D turmoil).
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 2:22 pm:
Gidwitz is the man.
- GOP'er - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 2:28 pm:
Jim Durkin just took the lead in the race to be the biggest goof in the Illinois GOP (a tight race in a crowded field).
Fortunately I don’t think anyone looks to Durkin for insight on how to be more civil. The guy was a toady for the nastiest player on the field, i.e. Topinka.
Let’s face it, Durkin’s biggest claim to fame has been having a name that sounds sorta like Durbin.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 2:38 pm:
You know, as long as we’re on the subject of the GOP… Is Sauerberg still running against Durbin? The reason I ask is I saw a billboard for Durbin on the expressway recently, and my first thought was, does he still have an opponent?
I’ve not seen one piece of direct mail, not one billboard, not one commercial either seen on TV or heard on radio. Is he using the Umholz method of winning elections or something?
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 4:27 pm:
Where is Steve, I can’t get elected anywhere Rauschenberger? Or John, I wanna be president Cox? any other 10 time losers we can get?
What ever happened to the guy in the wig who was trying to run to replace Jack Ryan?
- Captain America - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 4:57 pm:
From the liberal Democratic perspective, all the names mentioned by Thompson appear to be credible to me. I honestly think Brady and Durkin are
too socially conservative to win the swing vote in the Chicago metorpolitan suburbs.
Personally Mark Kirk seems like the most formidable of the four mentioned by Thompson. I wholeheartedly agree with the Ravenswood Right winger that Paul Vallas and Patrick Fitzgerald would be excellent GOP nominees.
- Is this guy joking? - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 6:11 pm:
Not only couldn’t Hastert “stop the intra-party bickering in his own congressional district between Sen. Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis” - let’s face it, Hastert’s crew was behind the nastiest stuff. Oberweis was just their vehicle to destroy Lauzen. With Lauzen gone, note how the help for Obie is half-hearted. Obie is a goof too for going along. He’s used up and done.
And then there is the Hastert wing going after Peter Fitzgerald, and Patrick Fitzgerald too if Rezko trial testimony is to be believed.
Jim Durkin should not be anywhere near the McCain/Palin campaign. He’s obviously clueless and clearly not a reformer.
- Checkmate VP - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 6:25 pm:
I know many people blame Vallas for the last eight years, but losing to Blago is not just cause to make him become Republican. Cut his thumbs off or something, but a Repub. That’s cruel.
- Heartless Libertarian - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 7:34 pm:
Lahood… Durkin… Brady… Cross… Kirk… Denny H… whatever. Someone that can unify the party. The problem now… money. We need a rich self-funder, or somebody who can fundraise hardcore. Lord knows that for sure it is not Brady. I still think Lahood should run for governor. Mark Kirk is youthful and can garner independents. And Hastert has the name recognition. Durkin is fairly unknown. And Cross… well, we all love Tom…. Well, we have a pool… AND a pond… the pond would be good for you…
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:08 pm:
Yes, Republicans need a Big Daddy, if for no other reason than to mentor the new crop. Things are not going to change the second the rest of us step up to the plate as we need someone “progressive” who’s going to share “insider” secrets with a belief that things DO have to change, to help position us for success.
If we can find someone who “keeps us in line” and focused (God bless him or her for even being willing to try), that’s an added BONUS.
With regard to whom–please keep in mind that we’re not electing them back into office within the context of this discussion; we’re looking for a Leader:
- Thompson (surprise!) is my first choice. (Please don’t jump all over me re: “antique” issue, yada yada.) He’s a great administrator and strategist, certainly can work both sides of the aisle, and his commitment to–and experience in–both the State and our Nation is strong. Even if you’re a Conservative, take what he can teach you OR negotiate for us–and apply it to whatever you want to get done. The man certainly has “know-how” and LOGIC seems to be his preferred approach to “negotiating” issues.
-Denny Hastert is right up there, too, for the same reasons. Previous message to Conservatives applies to Moderates in this case.
-Jim Edgar is three for me (same reasons; same message). However, he IS our “calming effect” and I’m far from calm, so it’s a personality thing, I’ll admit.
-Judy B-T is tied for three in my book. Same reasons; same message to Conservatives)–and Man…does that Woman know how to get a Rally going and light a fire underneath us all! Plus, she’s Titanium (?sp?), which I personally like. However, my ranking IS tainted by the “conservative” view. She’d be–for whatever WRONG reasons–probably the hardest sell for “Big Daddy” to the “Collective”.
-My surprise “candidate”: Senator Bill Peterson, BUT I have NO CLUE whether he’d even be interested though we’d be VERY lucky to have him, too. Strong on lessons re: bi-partisanship AND this man can crunch numbers with dollar signs in front of them.
Everyone else I can think of right off the top would be GREAT but probably too young for the role. They’re the ones to whom our first Big Daddy should be preparing to pass the torch someday.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:28 pm:
Sorry. I forgot about Ron Gidwitz. He’d be good, too, but obviously from a different perspective. Are we talking Chair, or is this a new role like “Big Daddy, Mentor and ‘Just Wait Til He Gets Home’”?
If it’s GOP Chair, Ron’s a very good choice.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 08 @ 9:34 pm:
Sorry, Rich. I’m reading through this thread and am now very confused. Now I’m getting the sense that some people are talking about Gov picks, too. I thought that was an add-on comment and we were focusing on a new Leadership role in addition to Chair and certainly not Gov. Help! (And sorry if I got it all wrong re: objective.)