Dems dwarf GOP at Illinois State Fair

[orleans]

SPRINGFIELD — If Illinois Republicans looked more unified than Democrats today, perhaps it was because there were fewer of them.

Where 1,500 Democrats packed into a standing-room only banquet hall at Springfield’s Crowne Plaza Hotel Wednesday, a mere 150 Republicans stood for a gathering in a lobby at the same hotel on Day 2 of the parties’ politicking at the Illinois State Fair.

Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander dismissed any comparison between his party’s showing and the standing-room-only display put on by Democrats a day earlier.

“This is not busing people in for this,” Kjellander said, referring to buses full of union members who came to the fair to cheer for and against Blagojevich Thursday. “This is very different. ... You’re comparing apples and oranges, and it’s not fair.”
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1108380,gop15web.article

waaa! it's not fair! waaa!
:nopity: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :nopity:

[Kittycat]

1. Bussing people????

Let me tell you - I was there, and yes there was Union representation, but it was a fraction of the people there (not that it matters). This was a state wide county delegate event. There were 20 people (for the brunch, 22 for the convention) from my lonely red county, alone, in attendance. We drove in several cars for 3 hours to be there and participate. Some of the larger Dem areas were able to rent buses for their people. But I can tell you first hand, that was an incredibly energized and unified crowd of DEMOCRATS!

[Radical Activist]

3. I wouldn't call it unified.

There were Democratic union members there with shirts against the Governor. There's a good reason you didn't see people trying to pass out Blagoejvich stickers. Many Democrats would not have taken them.

[mopinko]

4. whatever. blaggo isn't on the ballot.

personally, i think he has been the target of quite the slime machine. funny how unions find dems to bitch about, after bringing us the likes of ronald raygun.
but, whatever. he isn't on the ballot. no one there gave 2 shits about him. we were about obama, and having a great senator like dick durbin on the ticket.

[Radical Activist]

5. When you spend 6 years fucking over state workers

you can't be surprised when AFSCME finally fights back. If you want to talk about Reagan then look at our self described Reagan Democrat Governor who balances the budget on the backs of state employees. Blago has no one to blame for his bad press except his own stupidity.

Yes, people like our federal level candidates Durbin and Obama. Its the state level guys Mike Madigan, Jones and Blagojevich that no one is proud of.

[mopinko]

6. true as your statements may be-

there was a huge, roaring crowd of democrats, overflowing the large banquet hall. there was a pathetic little knot of republicans talking to themselves in the lobby the next day.
that would be the point of the story. quite pissing in the punchbowl.

[Radical Activist]

7. I'm not giving crooks and liars a free pass just because they have a D next to their name.

The Republicans did that for George Ryan and look at how that worked out for them.

[mopinko]

8. that was not the point of the story, or the post.

that story was about US. about the enthusiastic grassroots that showed up at the convention. and about the enthusiasm for a ticket that does not include blaggo, et al.
were you there?

[Radical Activist]

9. Yes, I was at the fair.

That's how I know that the party is very divided due to the Blago/Madigan feud. You could see it.

[mopinko]

10. well, i'll just say that your perspective was not my perspective

nor that of the op, nor the reporter. like the old line- wherever you go, there you are.

[mopinko]

2. the poor babies

their little tent was pretty sad looking, too.

one correction to the sun-times story- i did not stick around for the repeat of the speeches at the fairgrounds, but both madigans were on the dais at the hotel.

and the comparison of ryan, whose actions led to 6 dead children, to blaggo is just stupid. personally, i think that things in springfield are not so much corrupt as political. mike is trying to make room for lisa. that is the problem. maybe they are trying to make the old political pie higher, but compared to ryan and the 20+ year gop machine? please.