* As I’ve told you before, the Alexi Giannoulias US Senate campaign has been focus-grouping the problems at his family’s bank and believes the media is out of touch with the citizenry…
The effort to reshape the campaign has started with a push to explore ways that Mr. Giannoulias might burnish his image if Broadway Bank collapses. In mid-March, the campaign conducted 12 hours of focus groups — six groups of swing voters, over three days, at sites both in suburban Chicago and downstate — testing the impact of the bank’s troubles on voters’ views of the candidate.
In an edited video clip of the focus groups that was shown to the Chicago News Cooperative, a moderator asked participants about their impressions of Broadway Bank as it related to Mr. Giannoulias. The strong majority of the people who saw the video played down the relevance of the issue.
“This is where I think there is a little bit of a disconnect between all the geniuses and the voters,” Mr. Adelstein said.
As part of the planning for the focus groups, Mr. Adelstein made a test campaign commercial in which Mr. Giannoulias stares into the camera lens and tries to relate the plight of his family’s bank to the larger context of the country’s economic struggles.
While the campaign has decided not to take to the air with that kind of ad yet, “the key take-away from that is we are ready, we have our plan,” Ms. Strand said.
* But the Kirk campaign is not giving up. Not by a long shot. Their opposition research turned up a tax lien that they leaked to Crain’s…
At issue is a $10,204.49 Internal Revenue Service tax lien filed against Broadway for alleged underpayment of money owed, plus interest and penalties. A copy of the lien, which was filed with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds office last September, was provided to me by a political opponent of Mr. Giannoulias.
According to the bank, the taxes do not involve normal bank operations — like Social Security taxes on Broadway or its employees — but deal with an apparently small number of customer accounts from which the bank is supposed to withhold 28% of due interest.
The accounts could lack or have incorrect personal identification numbers, or involve taxpayers who previously had problems with IRS. Whatever the case, the IRS says the bank didn’t pay enough.
“We properly paid the backup withholding taxes back in 2003 and filed a tax return with the IRS,” Broadway Chief Financial Officer Kaushik Pancholi said in a statement. “We have been communicating with them about a technical issue concerning whether a small amount of interest was correctly calculated by the government.”
* And the Illinois GOP issued a statement today claiming the Giannoulias focus groups were nefarious…
Giannoulias recently conducted several focus groups to find the perfect misleading message to successfully deceive the voters.
* Giannoulias is preparing to fight back today during a Chicago luncheon address.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE 1 *** Commenter “Chicago Cynic” is at the Giannoulias event and providing some highlights in comments.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The Giannouolias campaign released some of his prepared remarks. An excerpt…
As people get introduced to Congressman Kirk and his policies over the next seven months, they’ll find out what he really stands for, which really is nothing at all. And he certainly hasn’t stood for the people of this great state during this critical time in our nation’s history. Illinois voters will learn that after six straight months of job losses, he voted against extending unemployment benefits, saying that unemployment is not “a big issue.” He’s repeatedly voted for tax breaks for the richest one percent and for companies that ship American jobs overseas. He’s cheered for every single one of George W. Bush’s irresponsible, failed budgets that doubled our national debt. Doubled it. This during a time of great economic growth. And despite the carnage we see around us because of those negligent budgets, record unemployment, and an outrageously shrinking middle class - he refuses to change his views or admit his failures. In fact, even during a recession, he voted against one of the biggest middle-class tax cuts in history.
***
But I won’t let Congressman Kirk get away from the issues. I’m not going to let this campaign be overshadowed by his negative attacks and lies. Not when the people of Illinois desperately need solutions. Real families are dealing with real problems. It’s time to elevate this debate.
***
And the day I announced my US Senate campaign, I became the first senate candidate in Illinois history to refuse money from federal lobbyists and corporate PACs. I made that pledge because I believe that Corporations have far too much influence on the policy-making process. Just take a look at Congressman Kirk’s donors and his votes, and the connection is clear. And today I renew my call for Congressman Kirk to match my standard and reject all corporate cash.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sun-Times…
Giannoulias waved off any suggestion that the bank controversy may lead to him pulling out as the party’s nominee.
“That will never happen. We’re going to win this race,” Giannoulias said. “We’re out there talking about creating jobs. We’re out there talking about rescuing a plant in peril … helping small businesses … pre-existing conditions, when the congressman is against all these issues.”
Kirk held a news conference last week touting his support for stem cell research. Giannoulias warned voters not to accept Kirk’s description of himself as a “moderate.”
Giannoulias said Kirk’s positions “change based on the political winds.”
“This image out there that Congressman Kirk is a moderate is just an absolute farce,” Giannoulias. “Behind closed doors he says, ‘Barack Obama is a one-termer’ and ‘As your next senator I would repeal Health Care,’ and when you ask him about it, he backs off and says he’s not sure where he stands. He says Sarah Palin wouldn’t be a vice-presidential choice he would choose and yet behind closed doors he begs for her support.”
* Related…
* GOP’s Kirk Takes Lead Over Democratic Giannoulias in Illinois Senate Race
* GOP Candidates Can’t Rest on Early Leads
- just sayin' - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:01 pm:
Mark Kirk maybe should be careful what he wishes for. Might just end up with the Dems replacing Alexi with a stronger opponent (and no, not Claypool).
- OneMan - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:05 pm:
Guess no one in one of the focus groups got a letter about the amount they lost in their college savings funds and how much they are getting back…
Just remember focus groups thought new Coke was a brilliant idea too…
- Adam Smith - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:10 pm:
More pollyannish thinking from Team Alexi.
My prediction is that the “message” will end up being something like…
“Alexi and his family are just poor innocent victims of the Bush/Kirk recession. Mark Kirk and his fat cat Republican friends are really to blame for the Giannoulias Building and Loan going bust and turning Bedford Falls into Pottersville.”
What a load of crap.
- shore - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:12 pm:
Alexi is running for us senator not president of the francis parker alumni association or whatever silver spooned prep school he attended. these things matter, particularly in a state where democrat politicians haven proven that corruption directly correlates to their inability to be strong and convincing public servants, see blagoyevich, Rod, cohen, scott lee, braun carol moseley, creamer, bob.
This is not a traffic ticket for an esteemed statesman we are talking about. This is a kid with no serious public policy credentials whose only job was either running a failed bank (if you talk to alexi the 2006 version) or serving as a coffee maker and copier extrodinaire (if you talk to the 2010 version) at a failed bank.
For what it’s worth, I can’t tell you how many liberal obama supporters I know have mark kirk fan pages on their facebook profiles, he is cleaning up in the heavily liberal lake forest to evanston corridor which just so happens to the be the most liberal of the collar counties. If there’s one thing that will get suburban voters to turn against a democrat, it is his corruption and character and they seem to have dumped alexi.
- OneMan - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:20 pm:
It’s all Jobs, jobs, jobs right? Come on media, why don’t you just talk about Jobs, jobs, jobs like we asked you to..
Also
== In an edited video clip of the focus groups that was shown to the Chicago News Cooperative, a moderator asked participants about their impressions of Broadway Bank as it related to Mr. Giannoulias. The strong majority of the people who saw the video played down the relevance of the issue.
“This is where I think there is a little bit of a disconnect between all the geniuses and the voters,” Mr. Adelstein said. ==
How it that news? Some campaign shows you a focus group that says that you are covering the wrong thing and you report that?
Come on WTTW, your better than that. But if you are not my firm Dewey, Cheatem and Howe have some focus group footage that shows how much the population cares about Kirk’s military backgroup and how interested they would be in hearing about Alexi’s hard hitting Greek basketball work…
- bored now - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:38 pm:
i don’t know, adam smith, the message seems kind of obvious: does illinois want to send someone fresh to congress, someone who has stood up against the most powerful forces in his political party, to support our favorite son’s agenda of hope and change, or does it want to promote another run-of-the-mill washington, d.c. insider who shrinks under the powerful forces in his party and will stand in the way of the president’s agenda for change in washington, d.c.?
when voters focus on that, the choice will be clear.
one notes that — expectedly — mark kirk fled the state without sitting down with any major media outlet and doing the kind of comprehensive interview that alexi did *weeks* ago…
- Carl Nyberg - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:39 pm:
This tax lien is against a business AG inherited 3.6% of, right?
And someone in the business–not AG–made a mistake, right?
What did Alexi Giannoulias do wrong here? He’s related to some people who hired someone who made a mistake. Is that it?
Don’t negative stories about candidates traditionally involve the candidate doing something wrong?
- VanillaMan - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:42 pm:
…a test campaign commercial in which Mr. Giannoulias stares into the camera lens and tries to relate the plight of his family’s bank to the larger context of the country’s economic struggles.
Hilarious! Was it last week that I mocked that this was an approach to take?
VanillaMan - April 7, 2010 - 3:08PM
… OK - how’s this - Giannoulais starts to claim that he and his family are also victims of Bush’s economic catastrophe? You know - Alexi is a victim too, just like you! Maybe do a tearful interview talking about how his dreams are being crushed by the cruel hand of business fate!
“I’m down to mere millions!” [sob!]
On his campaign photos he can do his portrait kinda like those Margaret Keene paintings back in the 1960! Big doe eyes all droopy with little pouty lips! YEAH!
“Help Our Littlest State Treasurer Go To DC!”
Talk about desperate!
So our current treasurer is somehow going to spin his family’s newfound millions from this dying family bank, into a personal story? That is too rich! (pun intended!)
I can see it now…
[b/w television ad showing somber Alexi Giannoulais, similar to the Nike Tiger Woods ad]
[voice of father]
“Alexi! My son! What is happening to my beloved bank! Why is this happening to all our hard work! OH THAT BUSH! Destroying our little bitty, teeny weeny, community business! Crushing our spirit! It is all a giant Republican conspiracy to prevent you from fulfilling your destiny! Just like thousands of families destroyed by BUSH! Oh, the humanity!”
“Please Alexi, please, just win this one election for your father and the Greek people who came to this country to work and sacrifice just like every other American, immigrant or native-born, to win this election to right the wrongs forced upon us by the two-headed demon-spawn of Dick Cheney and that succubus, Sarah Palin - who, by the way is plotting to destroy America with Kirk in the US Senate!”
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
stares into the lens….well, at least he talks, vs. Tiger who just blinked. still, staring into the lens. yuk. also, out of touch? come on, banks that fail….people don’t like them, or their owners!
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:52 pm:
At the luncheon. Alexi: Mark Kirk has only one answer to is outrageous record - Broadway Bank. Because he enthusiastically supported George Bush’s policies.
challenge Kirk to eject corporate cash. Raking in from insurance drug company cash. Protected wall straleet CEO’s. That’s why he’s sensationalizing Broadway Bank” blah blah blah.
that’s a paraphrase.
- wizard - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:53 pm:
bored now: when voters focus on that, the choice will be clear.
You’re correct. They will clearly vote for Kirk.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:53 pm:
“do we move forward orr back? We need tough lleaders, not professional politicians.”
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 12:55 pm:
nothing new here. Just same Alexi pablum.
- Hank - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:03 pm:
the media is out of touch with the citizenry…
..maybe so, but politician’s have turned being out of touch into an art form
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:04 pm:
questions:
1) comment on Supreme Court - Citizen United case (no corp limits on political spending)
answer. “system broken and this makes it worse. Camp finance reform will be a priority.”
Question 2) crisis in public pension funding in IL.
answer: i’ve been screaming from rooftops about this. Advocated ILPERS. Until we do something to fully fund, we still have a prob.”
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:11 pm:
q3. Redistircting. A3. I support FairMap proposal.
q4. What tax incentives to bring biz back to IL.
a. We have programs in treasurer’s office. I have a bunch of tax proposals. Also lack of access to Capital is problem. Have to focus on clean energy. Immigration plays a role.
q5. Debates with Kirk? Any discussion about debates?
a5. Yes, but all Kirk wants to talk about is personal attacks.
q6. What will you do for women owned biz?
a6. We did a lot so far in IL. We’ll do more.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:18 pm:
This election will be about:
1. Mark Kirk’s votes on health care reform.
2. Mark Kirk’s vote IN FAVOR of the TARP bailout.
3. Mark Kirk’s love of all things Palin.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:18 pm:
q7. Education funding.
a7. Funding here is done badly. But we don’t have enoug income so I favor tax swap.
q8. START treaty.
a8. Great step. Woohoo Barack.
q9. Freedom from foreign oil.
a9. Energy independence improves our national security. Need to do more. Look at nukes. Retrofit coal. Futuregen. Solar. Wind biomass. Move quicker.
q10. Healthcare bill.
a10. Not perfect but must control HC costs. Robust defense of bill.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:20 pm:
this is painfully boring. I’ll stop until something interesting is asked.
- bored now - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:33 pm:
thanks, chicago cynic, for your transcription!
wizard: we will certainly see if voters elect a washington insider this november. me, i’m sort of expecting that voters will reject beltway insiders this year, and try something different for a change…
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:45 pm:
If that was intended to counter the downward spiral, they’ve got a lot more work to do. There was nothing new there. Nothing interesting. 95% of the speech has been given before.
Probably the most interesting thing he did was plagiarize Joe Biden without attribution when he said, “all Mark Kirk seems to be able to say these days is a noun, a verb and Broadway Bank.” It’s a great line, but it’s an obvious ripoff of the best line Joe Biden got off in his presidential campaign. Pretty funny to plagiarize a guy who is best known for plagiarizing.
- A.B, - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 1:57 pm:
Yellow Dog - remove head from hole in the sand, then type.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:05 pm:
==There was nothing new there. Nothing interesting. 95% of the speech has been given before.==
Seems to be the preferred way of campaigning. Find a few good points and hammer away at them over and over and over again. Sounds like Alexi’s campaign is “a noun, a verb, and Washington Insider.”
That can be used to describe just about every campaign.
- Adam Smith - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:11 pm:
Alexi’s campaign tactics=Last refuge of the scoundrel.
Blame everyone else, then change the subject by hurling wild accusations.
Alexi versus Kirk on pure policy differences is an interesting proposition in Illinois. Hard left versus moderate Republican. Serious, intelligent arguments can be made for both candidates’ policy agendas. It seems that in this current year there is some tailwind to the lower spending, less government tack of Kirk, but it’s by no means a sure thing.
However, what the Alexi sycophants still refuse to realize is that a substantial part of every election is the voters’ evaluation of the candidates as people–their integrity, their history, their character…
On this score, Alexi is losing ground every day. Only to the frantic extremes in both parties is it a character issue to call someone a Republican or a Democrat. But there is mounting evidence that Alexi is a.) disingenuous b.) incompetent c.) unsubstantial d.) lacking in judgement e.) all of the above.
Another history lesson. In 2004 Melissa Bean won what is still one of the most Republican districts north of the Mason Dixon Line. Why? Because the voters saw that Phil Crane had developed serious character flaws that caused them to no longer trust or support him.
- Don't blame me, I voted for Hoffman... - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:26 pm:
Kirk’s got a slick new video on Illinois Review:
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2010/04/video-alexi-giannoulias-a-brief-history.html
It’s sharp and doesn’t seem like Kirk’s about to let this Broadway Bank issue disappear…
- Don't blame me, I voted for Hoffman... - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:28 pm:
Kirk’s got a slick new web video up against Alexi on Illinois Review:
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2010/04/video-alexi-giannoulias-a-brief-history.html
It doesn’t look like Kirk is letting up on this banking issue anytime soon…
- ABCBoy - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:29 pm:
===
someone who has stood up against the most powerful forces in his political party
===
You’re kidding right? Alexi stand up to Blago/Madigan/Durbin/Daley/Obama?
Alexi: “…challenge Kirk to eject corporate cash…”
Just a guess, by my bet is that Kirk would say something like “I’ll reject corporate cash as soon as Alexi rejects labor union cash.”
- Tweed - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
Chicago Cynic - thanks for providing some commentary from the City Club of Chicago luncheon
- wordslinger63@gmail.com - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
Doesn’t Broadway Bank have any success stories? Third party tesimonials? Money they lent to families buying their first house, a new neighborhood business, blah, blah, blah.
Even the worst bank should have that low-hanging fruit. Maybe the focus groups could tell the handlers it’s not rocket science.
- Team Sleep - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:46 pm:
This is what happens when you have a candidate with a strong national political headwind behind him as well as the ability to raise mounds of cash and receive plenty of national support. Mark Kirk is giving Alexi fits. In 2006, Paul Mangieri ran a poorly-funded campaign and Senator Radogno just couldn’t keep up to Alexi’s family cash and national fundraising network. 2006 was also an awful GOP year stateside and nationally. This year is different, and Alexi has never faced someone like Kirk. Kirk won’t let up, either. I suggest that our State Treasurer write a check to Tums to buy stock and then, with his check, send Tums a letter and ask for a year-long supply of their tastiest antacid chews. He’s gonna need it.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 2:49 pm:
As people get introduced to Congressman Kirk and his policies over the next seven months, they’ll find out what he really stands for, which really is nothing at all. Wow! He stands for nothing? So, he is like some kind of anarchist? Good thing Giannoulais is running because he stands for something!
He’s cheered for every single one of George W. Bush’s irresponsible, failed budgets that doubled our national debt Cheered it! Because it stood for nothing! Nada. Zip. Zilcho!
He refuses to change his views or admit his failures. Repent! Admit you are a failure, Congressman Kirk!
Real families are dealing with real problems! Goodness, real families? Real problems?
And the day I announced my US Senate campaign, I became the first senate candidate in Illinois history to refuse money from federal lobbyists and corporate PACs. I made that pledge because I believe that Corporations have far too much influence on the policy-making process. Just take a look at Congressman Kirk’s donors and his votes, and the connection is clear. And today I renew my call for Congressman Kirk to match my standard and reject all corporate cash. My family’s corporation does not count since it is a failing business forced to issue millions to me and my family. I will not make this a point against Kirk - the candidate who stands for nothing!
Oh look, a kitty.
Who stands for nothing!
- A.B, - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 3:03 pm:
VanillaMan - please stop, someone is going to ask why I am laughing so hard at work…
- Responsa - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 3:05 pm:
–This is a kid with no serious public policy credentials whose only job was either running a failed bank (if you talk to alexi the 2006 version) or serving as a coffee maker and copier extrodinaire (if you talk to the 2010 version) at a failed bank–
Shore, you nailed the situation perfectly with those few well chosen words. Alexi is a one trick pony, and now the pony’s gone lame, along with Alexi’s marketability.
- Conservative Veteran - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 3:21 pm:
Since Rep. Kirk is my congressman, I know what he stands for, liberalism.
- Niles Township - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 3:30 pm:
Even as a Dem, the more I talk to people who have know Alexi for a while (i’m talking even back to high school in some cases), the more my vote for Kirk gets cemented.
- Brennan - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 4:08 pm:
=Their opposition research=
You sure about that Rich? Hinz doesn’t say that. It’s a notice from September. Couldn’t the source be, oh, Michael Madigan?
- cassandra - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 6:36 pm:
I think it’s all going to come down to the strength of Obama’s coattails, whether the bank flops or not.
Alexi rode in on Obama’s coattails and his political fate is tied to them completely.
- bored now - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 6:39 pm:
one minor quibble:
obama’s coattails + economic conditions in october.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 6:52 pm:
With Mike Rendina running his campaign, Giannoulias is sure to lose. Rendina lost two very easy campaigns prior to this, both of which he should have and could have won. Giannoulias is a very hard candidate to promote because of his banking problems and poor showing as an elected official.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 9:14 pm:
anon 652, please tell me you don’t think Rendina’s last campaign (Dan Hynes) is one of those “easy” ones.
- scoot - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 9:56 pm:
Wow, Alexi sounds desperate!
- Rob_N - Monday, Apr 12, 10 @ 10:57 pm:
Scoot, At least Giannoulias is talking about issues and actually taking a stand on those issues as opposed to his opponent who clearly tries to take at least two sides on every issue depending on the time of day. As Alexi says, Kirk has reduced himself to a noun a verb and “Broadway Bank”.
–
The Sun-Times reports, “Giannoulias waved off any suggestion that the bank controversy may lead to him pulling out as the party’s nominee.”
Maybe Giannoulias ought to ask the press why Kirk is standing with Blagojevich and quoting the ousted ex-guv.
- scoot - Tuesday, Apr 13, 10 @ 8:58 pm:
Hmm…comparing Kirk to Blago is truly Desperation my man.