Progress Illinois

A couple quick updates from the 2010 field in Illinois ...

A new Roll Call article on Alexi Giannoulias' "consolidation" of support in the U.S. Senate primary ends with this tidbit regarding Merchandise Mart CEO Chris Kennedy, who was reportedly considering a run for the seat:

At least two well-placed sources who were working with Kennedy on his potential bid said they have been out of communication with him for several weeks and they do not expect him to run for office. What’s more, several Illinois Democrats said they had heard nothing from Kennedy or his associates in recent weeks. [...]

This isn’t the first time that Kennedy has openly considered a race for federal office then ended up not pulling the trigger on a campaign. He also considered running for Kirk’s House seat, as well as this Senate seat in 2004.

There have been suspicions all along has been that Kennedy, despite his earlier leaks to the local press, wouldn't end up launching a campaign.  Looks like they may have been on the mark.

Meanwhile, gubernatorial candidate and state comptroller Dan Hynes announced an endorsement today:

Former U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III said he will support Hynes. Stevenson is from one of the best-known political families in Illinois history. He said he can't think of a better way to continue his family's legacy than to endorse Hynes. [...]

"I'm suggesting that we can do better with Dan Hynes, who commands throughout our government already and has that experience," Stevenson said.

In other news, Lynn Sweet reports that Vice President Joe Biden is planning to "fund-raise for the House members the Democratic House politiical operation deem the most vunerable."  Apparently, this effort involves him attending an August 20 Chicago fundraiser for Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who is running for reelection in the 11th Congressional District.

We've written a good deal this year about the Midwest high-speed rail (HSR) network being pushed by regional governors, as well as congressional leaders like Sen. Dick Durbin.  The plan largely hinges on snagging a decent chunk of the $8 billion set aside for HSR as part of President Obama's stimulus package.  The Tribune is reporting some good news on this front: Vice President Joe Biden -- a longtime Amtrak fan -- appeared to suggest on a conference call yesterday that the project could potentially receive over $3 billion in stimulus funds:

Vice President Joe Biden lauded the Midwest proposal, which envisions passenger trains speeding through the region at 110 m.p.h., as "one of the most comprehensive plans that have been put forward so far."

The full 3,000-mile Midwest corridor system stretching over nine states would cost $9.6 billion to construct over 10 years, according to the latest estimate.

But "for $3.4 billion, you can get a big chunk of this plan done," Biden said in a conference call with reporters.

The article goes on to note that Gov. Quinn has "announced plans for a July summit of Midwest governors to address high-speed rail in Chicago."

Image courtesy of the New York Times.

On his swing through Chicago today, Vice President Joe Biden credited the owners of Serious Materials for providing "a story about how we inspire a better tomorrow" through their decision to reopen the former Republic Windows and Doors plant. For evidence that the Goose Island factory is coming back to life, look no further than the dozen former Republic employees who are back on the job. Addressing CEO Kevin Surac during his remarks at the plant this morning, Biden explained why the country needs more businesses like Serious to rebuild the economy:

BIDEN: It's not merely that you have the science, technology and innovation to turn a failed factory into a potentially thriving business that can lead this county ... You've done something that is a little unusual. You recognized, as Sen. Durbin said, that the greatest asset that this factory had was the men and women, the workers that just spoke. And instead of doing what has too often been the case in the last 10 to 15 years, you reached out to the most qualified workers in the the world. Instead of saying 'If you want to come back, I'm going to break your union,' you said 'Come back, union and all.' That's a big deal.

As more orders for energy efficient windows start rolling in -- and the owners are confident they will, thanks to the $8 billion in stimulus funds committed to weatherization and retrofitting -- Serious has pledged to rehire each of the 250 employees who were abruptly thrown out of a job when Republic shut it doors back in December.  Furthermore, Serious hopes to eventually grow its Chicago-based workforce to 600. Continue reading »

Yesterday, John McCain couldn't find "Joe the Plumber" in an audience in Ohio.  This morning, the GOP nominee couldn't seem to get him out of his head. 

Case in point: watch McCain refer to the Democratic vice presidential candidate as "Joe The Biden":

Did I hear a "Sen. O'Biden" in there as well?

As Capitol Fax noted today, 14th District GOP congressional candidate Jim Oberweis appears to have violated his pledge to run a positive campaign with a new negative ad hitting Rep. Bill Foster for his votes on the Wall Street bailout package.  Also of note is a new two-minute radio ad he's running on WLS (and perhaps elsewhere).  The spot is narrated by Oberweis himself, who criticizes the bailout at length while never mentioning Foster's name.  What's interesting is this passage:

OBERWEIS: This plan is a product of everything that's wrong with Washington: the special interest lobbyists, the campaign contributions to favored members of the key committees, the rush to action with too little consideration of alternatives or consequence.  This bailout plan doesn't represent change, it represents more of the same.  

Sound familiar?

Continue reading »