1. - Vote Quimby! - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 9:54 am:

   Great job getting all of the interviews! Time and a half for Sunday work?




2. - sal-says - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 9:56 am:

   “* Ill. Democrats hold AUDITIONS for lt. governor”

   Ahhhh…..Ya just can’t beat political fun in IL.




3. - VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 9:58 am:

   This is sickening. It is like a reality show no one wants to watch.

   Does the winner marry Quinn?




4. - JoJo - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:00 am:

   This should have been a no brainer. Second place always becomes first place if the “winner” drops out for any reason. End of story. Turner should have been appointed to be the running mate. Period.




5. - Balance - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:03 am:

   The ticket needs somebody from downstate for balance.




6. - Redbright - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:16 am:

   JOJO - if 2nd place always gets the replacement seat why didn’t Forrest Claypool replace John Stroger on the ticket in 2006?




7. - Joe from Joliet - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:24 am:

   … The ticket needs somebody from downstate for balance …

   They have Brady. That may be enough.




8. - Carl Nyberg - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:33 am:

   I created a ranked voting poll at Ellen of the Tenth for the seventeen finalists.




9. - Rambler - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:34 am:

   The Dems are putting on quite a show to demonstrate the transparency of the process.
   Recall, though, that both PQ’s and MJM’s people approached Susan Garrett about the job, though she had apparently not applied. I’m sure they told her that if she threw her hat in the ring she’d receive the same consideration as the other 115 folks at the cattle call. Right.
   Why would MJM go out of his way to enlist her? Let’s see.
   “The 60-year-old from Lake Forest” — OK, that’s illuminating.
   The only significant players in the choice are PQ and MJM, and they have different, though not necessarily opposing, objectives. PQ wants someone who will help him win in November, while MJM wants someone who is unlikely to be a future political rival for LMad. They will probably find someone who is satisfactory on both counts, maybe Susan Garrett.




10. - Carl Nyberg - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:34 am:

    I don’t understand the grousing about process. Which process was better? The GOP replacing Jack Ryan in 2004? Or the Dem replacing Scott Lee Cohen in 2010?




11. - UISer - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 10:39 am:

    Turner lost this thing because he never campaigned downstate. Remember he only won one county. I think Quinn deserves to select his running mate. The constitution should be changed to reflect this for all future races.




12. - the Patriot - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 11:11 am:

    I think Vanilla is onto something here. We can fill the budget gap with a gameshow to fill the LG spot. Sounds like a QOTD to me to name the game show, I’ll go with, “Are you smarter than a pawn browker.”




13. - Robert - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 11:20 am:

    Carl Nyberg, I think you are right, substantively. But you gotta admit the drawn out process is sorta funny, no, its really funny. Of course its all a charade unless your name is Susan Garrett, Art Turner, Raja, or Sheila Simon.




14. - 3 beers to springfield - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 11:48 am:

    There are places in Downstate where Boland would be a detriment and not an advantage. Those would be the places where people actually know him.




15. - VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:11 pm:

    I think Vanilla is onto something here. We can fill the budget gap with a gameshow to fill the LG spot. Sounds like a QOTD to me to name the game show, I’ll go with, “Are you smarter than a pawn browker.”

    I came up with something better! What if we redid that reality show where contestants had to tell the truth against their previous lie detector answers. Then combine it with that new French reality show so that when the contestants lie, they get a really powerful painful electric shock.




16. - AGforLife - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:32 pm:

    I think Lisa should run for it. What a great sacrifice it would be for the greater good.




17. - Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:49 pm:

    there is some great talent on this list. if the party is smart they will use this as a source for recruiting for runs for other offices be they county, state or municipal.

    as for the choice at hand, I am so not excited at the prosepect of Susan Garrett and do not understand why there is movement
    to her. is it money? cause it sure is not excitement. be smart
    Dems, actually talk to women who are not involved in your inside baseball and see if she moves women to vote. so far
    i’m not finding the evidence that she can do what you claim
    to want, get women to vote for Quinn.

    besides, as a woman who cares what the governor does….for evidence that executive orders matter, see yesterday’s health
    care bill horse trading…I actually want to see the governor
    HIMself get passionate about women’s issues. I don’t need or
    want a woman to do it for him. I’d much rather have a woman
    in second position who has another big issue to talk about, whose presence will clearly indicate women’s issues, and who
    brings a dynamic nature to the ticket. if it is a woman
    in second position. and in my opinion Susan is not that woman.

    Please find a PERSON who is dynamic and amazing, with issues
    to push. And get the governor himself to advocate for
    women’s issues.




18. - Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:50 pm:

    ===so far i’m not finding the evidence===

    So, you’ve done polling and focus-grouping or just talked to a few people? The latter ain’t “evidence.”




19. - Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:54 pm:

    have you done polling or focus-grouping? and i’ve talked to more than a few people, but especially people in her district.




20. - Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 12:57 pm:

    Unlike you, I’m not claiming any actual evidence. Like you, I do have my hunches. Unlike you, I’m also looking at some history. lol




21. - Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 1:13 pm:

    point taken, Jedi master.




22. - Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 2:12 pm:

    Garrett, if she is the LG pick and wins in November will be responsible for chairing the IL River Coordinating Council (amongst others) and the Green Government Coordinating Council. She has an outstanding record on environmental and green issues and will IMHO do a great job.

    She has over ten years experience in legislative matters and can be a bulldog for Quinn’s initiatives in the GA.

    I am hoping she pares down LG staff and is a voice for all IL women that we can be proud of.

    There has ben no female Dem constitutional officer (’cept Lisa, and that doesn’t count for me due to who her Daddy is) forever. You go lady!




23. - From Left Field - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 3:18 pm:

    I am on the state central committee and I can tell you that Art Turner has never bothered to call me for my vote. He wants to be annointed, I guess.




24. - Illinois voter - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 4:01 pm:

    I can’t figure out why Turner’s name keeps coming up for Lt. Gov. He couldn’t beat Cohen and couldn’t even bring Cohen’s problems to the media’s attention. Where was his opp research? Some of Cohen’s problems were public record. This is the guy we want as Lt. Gov.? Really?




25. - Bill - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 4:43 pm:

    Immediately after Quinn’s budget address Susie was on Illinois Channel slamming his tax increase proposal and demanding more cuts before she would even consider voting for it. Maybe they just want to get her out of the Senate or maybe Quinn doesn’t watch much TV. I can see Madigan pushing her but it just seems like a weird choice for Quinn. Maybe he hopes she can help with the unions. As for spending her own money I just don’t see her coughing up that much. She’s a little too smart for that.




26. - yougottabekidding - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 4:56 pm:

    Susuan Garrett is a non-starter. why does PG keep coming up with these people? I can only guess that Cullerton wants her out of his caucus. So Susan doesn’t support Quinn’s tax increase either?Why do we need the Central Committee if Quinn get to name his own LG?

    I’m on the committee and am sick of him throwing out his choices. I will be supporting anyone BUT his choice.




27. - Robert - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 5:44 pm:

    Bill: labor doesn’t like Susan Garrett; she can’t help there. she doesn’t have a good voting record for labor…i bet if selected, she spends some of her own money, which repubs will use against her - make it look like Quinn sold the LG seat to somebody with personal money to donate to his campaign




28. - Rayne of terror - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 6:13 pm:

    I have to say it was pretty darn fun to present to the committee. While they clearly had their favorites, they were respectful of every applicant. Once I decided to apply I had to take each step seriously and give it my all but I was not surprised at the outcome.




29. - Illinois voter - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 6:14 pm:

    In the general, the average voter doesn’t pay attention to the Lt. Gov choice, including their previous voting record. The voter will be interested in Quinn’s position on the issues. Garrett, Raja and Simon are all better choices than Jason Plummer!




30. - Way South of the Border - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 7:43 pm:

    Math question: if Susan Garrett turns out the northern wedge of the collar counties, does that make up for other Chicago metro constituents who believe Art Turner earned it?




31. - Rambler - Monday, Mar 22, 10 @ 8:21 pm:

    ==I think Quinn deserves to select his running mate. The constitution should be changed to reflect this for all future races.==

    The obvious analogy is the VP. Decades ago, the VP was selected in the back room. Now the nominee does the selecting. PQ clearly has the most at stake here, so there is certainly a logic to letting him make his own choice. Eventually that will probably happen in Illinois, but for now the back-room deals continue.




32. - Doug - Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 10:13 am:

    Anyone but Boland please! He sells scholarships and lies to elderly constituents. If he does anything for you, you are indebted to him. Someone needs to investigate him, not raise him to a “higher” position in office. His “campaign manager” happens to be the woman who bought the scholarship from Boland. What’s with that?

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