Damn the Issues. Chicago Media Sails into an Attack Campaign
John Powers
15 February 2010
10 Comments
The media has given Jason Plummer, the Republican candidate for Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s office quite a bit of attention recently, with the The Springfield State Journal Register’s Bernie Schoenburg going so far as to dig into Plummer’s website and criticize the verbiage of Jason Plummer’s website with regard to Plummer’s work for Sen. Fitzgerald.
This is so earth shattering that the Tribune will have to assign three reporters to browse the same website. The trio of investigative excellencies spends a few hundred words determining the qualifications for the Lieutenant Governor, and how it reflects on their own opinions. In contradiction to the Tribune, the Constitution of the State of Illinois is quite clear in Article V Section 3, under the heading of Eligibility that:
To be eligible to hold the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller or Treasurer, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 25 years old, and a resident of this State for the three years preceding his election.
In Crain’s Greg Hinz whispers that there are “concerns being expressed by some Republicans” about the Republican candidate, which while quite possible, seems poorly timed. The appropriate way for a Republican to express these concerns was at the primary ballot box two weeks. Hinz doesn’t really provide any sources, other than himself, for the whispering. He also promises a follow up on a conversation with Jason Plummer for publication tomorrow. Excellent, the whispers shall then cease.
With some foresight, and a bit of a stretch of imagination, Hinz could have been referring to Jeff Berkowitz, an occasional contributor to the Chicago Daily Observer and the host of political talk show, Public Affairs on cable TV. Jeff, who has some Republican leaning tendencies, has taken Jason Plummer to task for having “ducked a phone interview and TV interview with “Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz,” from September, 2009 to Present”. Seems a bit harsh to disqualify a candidate for missing Jeff’s program. Hmm..has anyone else missed Public Affairs? I am looking forward to columns from our ever vigilant media about other no-shows on Public Affairs.
Eric Zorn, a man of great courage and honor will not rest until Jason Plummer is regarded as a vile a candidate as the much despised Democrat Lieutenant Governor candidate Scott Lee Cohen. Eric tells us that we are in danger of “an obscure, dubiously qualified starry-eyed citizen wannabe becoming Lieutenant Governor and being one tragic car wreck, one fatal disease or one grotesque scandal away from becoming the ultimate accidental governor”. As opposed to the superbly qualified, but wildly incompetent Pat Quinn who has led our state to functional bankruptcy?
It is quite clear the media has taken on a campaign to discredit the Republican Candidate. There is never any discussion about issues (surprise Plummer is a conservative!) rather simply lame smears about age and experience. Sniffy media types like WBEZ’s Vocalo present a false equivalency between Scott Lee Cohen and Jason Plummer unmatched by any research into the facts of the campaign. How about it, Chicago Media….can we cover the issues in this election rather than blindly attacking a candidate to provide cover for your party of choice? The State of Illinois is in fragile condition, businesses are fleeing, bills are not getting paid and education is faltering. None of this gets resolved by running an attack campaign directed at your opponents Lieutenant Governor Candidate.
Update: Blake Dvorak chimes into the echo chamber promoting the (false) equivalency of Plummer and Cohen. Note to Blake…being 27 is not equivalent to holding a knife to the neck of your hooker girlfriend. It just means your are 27.
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John Powers is the President of the Chicago Daily Observer
John Powers is the President of the Chicago Daily Observer
image “Damn the Torpedoes” portrait of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut during the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Solid piece, John.
Is this a mea culpa for not looking into Cohen? I notice they’re also on the Democrat warpath of “do we really need a Lt. Governor anyway?”
To be clear, I meant the mainstream media’s Mea Culpa, not CDOBS’.
John, great minds think alike and so do ours. Way to go, way to be. Jason will do very well, and it’s burning some losers right up! Best , cr
Funny how Mr Zorn, Hinz, and Schoenburg never pointed out the youth and inexperience of Our Comptroller and Treasurer when both of them were elected. And they had constitutional responsibilities! Hundreds of millions now Billions of Illinois tax dollars were and are in their care!
They all seem to hint that it was Jason’s father and his money and clout that got the younger Plummer elected. I would counter; Dan Hynes and Alexi Giannoulias were elected and respected because of their fathers. Both were 30 when they were elected did any of these members of the Fourth estate bring up their inexperience? Was it because Tom Hynes was a long time Machine Democrat on the DSCC or Alexi’s dad a big Democratic donor? Of course. These scribes are trying to level the playing field.
This is why it is so important to start this Governors campaign ASAP the left and their allies in the media are trying to define the Republican candidates as extreme and inexperienced while they are still waiting to see when the winner will be declared. We have to settle this very soon like tomorrow.
Jason Plummer’s family business is lumber and development, more constructive than being a pawn shop lender. I’ve suggested that a Brady/Dillard ticket or a Dillard/Bady ticket would be stronger, but Plummer will not be a bad candidate, and there is no reason for him to withdraw. I think William Pitt was Prime Minister of England at the age of 21. John Powers column was thoughtful.
Dear John,
Never thought I would be writing a Dear John letter. What I don’t understand is that there is ANOTHER very important election coming up in March and so far everybody but the Chicago Tribune has ignored it.
It is an opportunity to expose EXTORTION as the Tribune put it, in their February 10,2010 editorial entitled VIDEO GAMBLING EXTORTION. It is an opportunity to show the Republican Party of Illinois why they continue to lack the leadership needed to turn around a Corrupt Illinois, because they refuse to acknowledge the evidence that is right in front of their noses!
In March 2010the Republican Party will once again elect a State Central Committee that will help steer the direction the party will be headed in the future. With candidates like Skip Saviano who the Tribune editorial call out, we as Republicans will continue to chase our tail! With the State Central Committee elections upon us, I would hope and pray that CDOB will help bring issues out into the open so we do not end up with another Scott Lee Cohen on the Republican State Central Committee.
Skip Saviano is really a Chicago Democrat. He has contributed financially to tons of Democrats, including to Rod Blagojevich. Skip Saviano even served on Blago’s Transition Team.
Skip Saviano is also one of the Republicans closely tied to the Tony Rezko/Stuary Levine mess.
Saviano was listed as a patron on the Rezko “clout list” – a list of names of individuals for whom, or from whom, Rezko allegedly sought favors. “Patrons” are people with close ties to the governor or politicians with their own clout acting as sponsors for friends, family members or business associates who either wanted a state job or a position of power on a state board or commission.
Yes, Johnny we have elections coming up that CDOB would be doing a great Public Service if they focused some attention and analysis to!
Rosanna,
You are welcome to write a full fledged article on this subject if you like. We’ll publish it an syndicate it. Sounds like a great topic.
Thanks,
JBP
John,
What e-mail should I send it too?
I don’t know Scott Lee Cohen and I don’t need to know Scott Lee Cohen. but I have seen and heard Jason Plummer and he is no Scott Lee Cohen.
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