 The week in Illinois politics:
PLANS & PROMISES
Washington hasn't approved a health care overhaul. If it ever does,
a public option may or may not be part of it. But the Republican
candidates for governor are already lining up to say Illinois should
try to drop out of any such program. Sen. Kirk Dillard even said he
would "be damned" before he'd let Illinois participate in a
socialist program like that.
Jim Ryan was the only one of the seven Republicans not to promise
he'd try to withdraw Illinois from a public option. Ryan criticized
President Barack Obama's health plans but said he would wait to see
details before making any promises.
Democrats Dan Hynes and Pat Quinn both rejected the idea of trying
to opt out if anything passes.
STICKS & STONES
Quinn went after Hynes with a TV ad accusing the comptroller of
running for cover when it was time to make painful choices about the
state budget. The governor even accused Hynes of enjoying a Chicago
spa when there was work to be done. (See the "spa" ad at
www.quinnforillinois.com/videos.) Actually, Hynes' schedule
shows he simply stopped for a haircut in the morning before heading
to his office.
Immediately after going on the attack, the Quinn campaign called for
a truce. He promised to end all negative advertising and in the
future talk only about his own plans -- if Hynes did the same.
The Hynes campaign dismissed Quinn's ad as "bizarre" and ignored his
belated offer to stick with positive messages.
NAME GAME
There's a Senate candidate whose first name is Cheryle. That much is
certain. The rest of her name is a bit of a mystery.
She used to be known as Cheryle Jackson. That's the name she used as
a spokeswoman for Gov. Rod Blagojevich and as president of the
Chicago Urban League. But after she launched her Senate campaign,
she decided to use the name Cheryle Robinson Jackson.
She uses her maiden name on her Web site and press releases -- but
not on the ballot. There, she'll be listed simply as Cheryle
Jackson.
ALLIES
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You'd think one
Republican asking another Republican for a few kind words would
be the farthest thing from controversial. Nope. Senate candidate
Mark Kirk's decision to seek support from Sarah Palin angered
people from both ends of the political spectrum.
Conservatives saw it as an example of a "Republican in name
only" trying to camouflage his beliefs by linking himself to a
star conservative. His Democratic rivals accused Kirk of
pandering to the right wing and flip-flopping on his criticism
when Palin was named to the Republican ticket last year.
Democrat Alexi Giannoulias produced an Internet video (http://www.alexiforillinois.com/media)
accusing Kirk of "going rogue ... on himself."
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Quinn picked up the endorsement of Dick
Mell, the Chicago alderman better known as Rod Blagojevich's
father-in-law. Mell probably had more to do with Blagojevich
becoming governor than any other single person.
Hynes cited the endorsement as the latest example of Quinn
contradicting his reputation as a reformer. "Pat Quinn will say
or do anything to cling to power, including embracing the
Machine he once railed against," the Hynes campaign said.
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WHERE THEY STAND
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When voters in
Maine voted to repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage there,
the Democrats running for President Barack Obama's old Senate
seat weighed in.
Giannoulias, Illinois' treasurer, lamented the loss and said "we
must not stop moving forward." Attorney Jacob Meister, an openly
gay man, compared gay marriage to watershed civil rights issues
such as the right to vote and the right to a quality education
regardless of race.
Jackson called gay marriage a complicated issue but didn't
endorse it. She called for action on other gay rights issues,
such as ending the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and
repealing the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which bars the
federal government from recognizing gay marriages.
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Jackson also spoke
up when a judge and a state board cleared the way to begin
enforcing Illinois' law requiring parental notification before
girls can obtain abortions. She said it was a mistake that would
put some girls at risk of physical and emotional abuse.
Andy McKenna, a Republican candidate for governor, raised the
issue, too. He called the law "mainstream" and said it should be
enforced as quickly as possible after years of being put on hold
for legal reasons.
ON THE RECORD
Republican comptroller candidate William Kelly on facing Judy Baar
Topinka, who lost the 2006 governor's race to Blagojevich:
"I think if the election were held today, she would still lose to
Blagojevich. ... I'm running against Judy Baar Topinka, who I can
tell you has 100 percent name recognition in Illinois. The bad news
for Judy is that it's 100 percent bad."
WHAT'S NEXT
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Election officials
conduct a lottery Monday to determine which candidate's name is
listed first in each race -- a spot that politicians covet on
the theory that some voters will simply pick the first name they
see.
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Democrat Danny Davis says he'll
announce his decision on whether to seek another term in
Congress or run for president of the Cook County Board.
[Associated Press;
By DEANNA BELLANDI and CHRISTOPHER WILLS]
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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