Illinois Headed for Number One State in D.C. Clout

A Stream of Consciousness Reflection on the Illinois Delegation to the DNC By Mark Karlin: A Rambling in Two Parts

The BuzzFlash Editor's Blog

August 28, 2008

First, let us say after eight years of systemic high crimes and misdemeanors – of unrelenting lying, war profiteering, daily assaults on the America Constitution, and rampant corruption – it’s a tad hypocritical for the McCain campaign (separated at birth from the Bush campaign and now largely run, in terms of ads and attacks, by former Bush sleaze operators, including Karl Rove) to try to tarnish Barack Obama by saying he is from "corrupt Cook County."

In fact, BuzzFlash has posted a video about how Obama avoided corruption (and forget the Rezko charges – there’s nothing there in terms of illegalities), was his own man in Springfield, and while he mixed with the members of the fractious Illinois Democratic leadership, he was never really one of them.

After all, Obama’s district is from the lone independent area of the South Side. It has historically been at odds with the city and state Democratic leadership. Obama came into the Senate and worked with both sides of the aisle. Yes, he knew how to work with the now retiring President of the State Senate, Emil Jones, but Obama largely looking out for his own community and his own political interests. (Yes, he has an ego. Wouldn’t you want your president to have an ego, as long as it can be checked at the door?)

Politicians generally crave power or money, or more commonly both. Some elected officials actually believe in public service: Obama is one of those. He certainly didn’t accrue financial benefit from his years in the state or U.S. Senate.

Yes, there is corruption in Illinois politics, maybe a bit more in Illinois, maybe not. But Obama, as we point out in our exclusive BuzzFlash video, steered clear of the "pay to play" cesspool. (His relationship with Rezko was an error of judgment but nothing illegal came of it.) The real target of the Rezko prosecution is the current Dem Governor, Rod Blagojevich. By the way, the Obama campaign must have a special squad of security to keep Rod away from any microphones in Denver.

There's been intense disharmony among Illinois Dems (and we’ll get to that tomorrow), leading up to the surprising and already legendary – at least here in Chicago – "hugfest" led by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., at the Illinois Dem Caucus in Denver on Tuesday. It was Jackson Junior’s attempt to make sure that there was not a meltdown or fistfights among the feuding factions in the "Land of Lincoln" Democratic delegation during Obama’s crowning moment, and the formal beginning of his run against McCain.

But that’s for tomorrow’s BuzzFlash editor’s blog, comprised of some rambling thoughts on Chicago, our hometown and location, and Illinois politics, given that I’ve encountered many of the players through advocacy work, journalism, and just by keeping my ear to the ground.

Today, I just want to mention, ever so humbly, that Illinois is poised to yield enormous leadership clout when (now let’s be optimistic) Barack Obama becomes President.

First of all, the Senior U.S. Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin (Obama’s real mentor in his presidential run), is currently the Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate, or second in charge. If Reid steps down, look for Obama to court Dem senators to elect Durbin to become Majority Leader. Durbin is low-key, progressive and a mensch. He’s in the tradition of Paul Simon, Paul Douglas and Adlai Stevenson – and his home is in Springfield, which used to be the seat of his Congressional District.

And then there’s the pit bull from Chicago’s 5th Congressional District – the man people love or hate – Rahm Emanuel. House Speaker Pelosi has high hopes for Emanuel, who is her chief strategist for increasing Dem control of the House. Trust us, Emanuel is on the move. By the way, don’t get between Rahm and a four letter word. You might lose your hearing. So count on Rahm moving up the leadership in the House in the next session and bringing more power to the Land of Lincoln.

Then there’s the question of who will replace Obama in the Senate. Durbin and some others are pushing for Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost limbs while serving there as a helicopter pilot. She lost a 2006 Congressional race in DuPage County and now heads the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Our favorite for the spot (there is talk that Emanuel wants the seat, too, but don’t count on it -- Pelosi wants him in the House leadership) is Jan Schakowsky, a wonderful, candid, down to earth progressive from the Illinois 7th Congressional District. She currently is a House Whip, but boy would she make a great senator, in the spirit of Wellstone and Feingold.

Then there’s Mayor Richard M. Daley. Despite some federal convictions of city workers and department heads in the last few years, the Mayor has emerged unscathed, at least legally. And U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald might go after Libby and Cheney, but in Chicago you just don’t take down Mayor Daley. It’s not going to happen.

So in an Obama presidency, watch for the man (Mayor Daley) who transformed Chicago from the provincial capital of the Midwest to an International city to become the chief urban spokesman in the country, eclipsing Michael Bloomberg.

Tomorrow, your Illinois political junkie (aka the Editor of BuzzFlash.com, Mark Karlin), will discuss what was behind the mind-boggling Tuesday Illinois Democratic Delegation hug fest in Denver.

But, then again, Illinois Democratic politics right now could take a whole book, but we’ll see what we can do.

All we can say is that when you see the WWF political arch-enemies of our times – Dem Governor Rod Blagojevich and Dem Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan – hugging each other in a Denver hotel, it’s time to start wondering whether or not you’ve been pixilated.

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