Former Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes has a new job with the federal government. Hynes has been appointed as the U.S. government’s observer to the International Fund for Ireland. In his new job, Hynes will serve as the official observer at…

By Ghost of John Brown I know I’m late posting this, but a slog through the snow storm last night coming home from a job in Michigan will do that to you. Generally, I haven’t watched 60 Minutes in years,…

Republicans headed to a unity breakfast this morning with their governor nominee still in doubt. State Sens. Bill Brady of Bloomington and Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale were within 1,500 votes of each other with 99 percent of the unofficial vote counted this morning. Each had 20 percent of the tally in a six-way contest.

On the Democratic side, Gov. Pat Quinn declared himself the winner, even though Comptroller Dan Hynes had not conceded defeat. Hynes trailed by fewer than 6,000 votes as results trickled in.
More at the Tribune
UPDATE
Dillard will win remaining …

But lots of other papers have gone for state Sen. KIRK DILLARD, R-Hinsdale, who is attached at the hip, campaign-wise, to former Gov. JIM EDGAR, for whom he was chief of staff years ago. But Dillard lost points among some for his part in a campaign ad for BARACK OBAMA during the presidential primary season.
State Sen. BILL BRADY of Bloomington, whose district includes part of Sangamon County, is one of the contenders who has criticized Dillard on that point.
I’m far from certain, but I still think that, in a low-turnout …

At the risk of sounding positively Obamaesque, “change we need” will materialize in Illinois on Feb. 2. Democrats will refrain from nominating tainted insiders who would lose in November, and Republicans will refrain from nominating tainted ideologues that would lose in November.
Relative to voter turnout, anger is the great motivator, and disgust is the great depressor. If anger prevails, and turnout surges, a lot of favored candidates will bite the proverbial dust.

In this column, longtime political analyst and columnist Russ Stewart and conservative icon and radio commentator Tom Roeser offer …

My prediction: 20 percent, Hynes, Hoffman, Preckwinkle and Seals.
Say what?

My customary pre-election column consists of “analysis and predictions.” However, a sprinkling of readers profess that they don’t relish plowing through 1,500 words to discover the winners. Hence, a “prediction and analysis”: Eight words of prediction, and 1,475 of analysis. If you don’t like the prediction, skip this analysis of the Democratic primary.
Democrats in Illinois comprehend the distinction between disaster and tragedy. The former occurred in Haiti. The latter will occur if the party nominates Pat Quinn, Alexi Giannoulias, Terry O’Brien …

The primary election campaign is in full swing thanks to special legislation designed to benefit the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign by advancing the date of the Illinois primary in order to benefit the carpetbagger with a “home” state win. The legislators conveniently rescheduled future gubernatorial primaries at the same time, so voters can exercise their franchise by slogging through the snow and ice next February.

Chicago ward committeemen and precinct captains have long preferred the low voter turn outs that winter time balloting produced …

Great-grandfather Adlai Stevenson I, then a student, later vice president of the United States, told of grandfather Jesse Fell proposing to Senator Stephen A. Douglas joint discussions of slavery in the territories with a young lawyer-legislator named Abraham Lincoln, and the “cordial” conversation with Lincoln that followed. After this series of debates — each lasting three hours — brought to Lincoln national attention, he wrote and gave Fell his “autobiographical sketch” which Fell used to promote his candidacy for president. Fell was next tasked with organizing for Lincoln the Illinois …

Dobbs Has Fire.

There is a very good chance that resigned CNN anchor Lou Dobbs may run for president in 2012, says at least one major source I have talked to at CNN. Anyone who has read Dobbs’ book “Independents Day” has had vague forewarning that what is in the back of the mind of this 64-year-old is a race that doesn’t fit either party…and would resemble that of Pat Buchanan’s with some twinges of Ross Perot’s. In issues it would come very closely to Buchanan’s pitchfork crusades with some adaptations. …

I was raised in a family that was enthusiastic about sports—Cubs, Bears, Bulls, golf, tennis.  Whatever the season, my family was following a sport and its heroes.  But the game that intrigued them most was politics, the most exciting and frustrating and rewarding of them all, the one that affects the way we live and our hopes for the future.  My family had their heroes in this game, too.  Not a lot of them though because their standards were high.  My Rock Island grandparents worked hard for the late Adlai …