GOPUSA Illinois Daily Clips for October 9, 2007 includes news and commentaries on the following topics:
- Republican Party candidates, campaigns, and events
- Republican Party platform issues including limited government, abortion, homosexual activity, immigration, gambling, etc.
- Illinois budget problems
and more . . .
ASSOCIATED PRESS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Associated Press reports that Fred Thompson "seeks to gain a foothold" in Illinois, AP argues that the Republican Party's "conservative base" in Illinois is shrinking
(THE ARTICLE: CHICAGO - Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson sees potential in the conservative base that still exists in Illinois -- and in his wife's ties to the state -- as he seeks to gain a foothold here before the Feb. 5 primary. Thompson made his first fundraising stop last week in Illinois, a state already in the sights of other top GOP contenders like Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are paying some attention to Illinois because, like a number of other delegate-rich states, it is holding an early primary next year. The former "Law & Order" star's campaign is putting together an Illinois organization that will have to compete in a state that has a track record of electing moderate Republicans to statewide office, when it elects them. No Republican currently holds statewide office and the state Capitol is run by Democrats. Notable rural and suburban pockets of the state, though, still trend conservative, and those are the voters Thompson is going after. The former Tennessee senator, who backers have likened to conservative icon and Illinois native Ronald Reagan, was an easy sell for computer software consultant Mike Henkel and his wife, Lisa. Unimpressed by Thompson's celebrity, the suburban Chicago couple was won over by Thompson's stands on social issues from abortion to illegal immigration and his belief in less big government and more states' rights. They paid $2,300 each to meet Thompson at last week's fundraiser at a downtown Chicago club.)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Ex-attorney general Jim Ryan's son dead in apparent suicide
(THE ARTICLE: Elmhurst police this morning are investigating an apparent suicide by the son of former Illinois attorney general Jim Ryan. Patrick J. Ryan, 24, was found dead in the family home Sunday evening "with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," Police Chief Steve Neubauer said in a statement. Police received a 911 call at 6:36 p.m. from an unidentified relative, Neubauer said. The relative told police that Patrick Ryan was seen with a handgun and was alone in the house. Police tried to establish contact by phone, Neubauer continued, and Ryan answered the phone one time. Officers then entered the home and found him dead. Jim Ryan served as Illinois attorney general from 1995 to 2003.)
-- Ex-attorney general Jim Ryan's son dead in apparent suicide -
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pat Durante, chairman of the Addison Township Republican Organization, said of the Ryans, "They've been through holy hell. They're going to handle it with family." . . . Jim Ryan was the Republican nominee for governor in 2002 but lost the election to Rod Blagojevich. Ryan's second term as attorney general ended in 2003. He now teaches political science at Benedictine University in Lisle and practices law. He remains popular with Illinois Republicans and occasionally hits the campaign trail. Most recently, he attended a rally at the College of DuPage, where he was prominently featured as a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. "My heart goes out to Jim and Marie," said state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) Monday. "It's a burden no parent should have to bear, losing one child, let alone two.")
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Nalepa throws his support to Sauerberg
(THE ARTICLE: Republicans lose one in Senate race - Rick Pearson Unsuccessful in bids for Congress a decade ago, Republican Jim Nalepa has pulled the plug on a potential run for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination and instead is backing the candidacy of suburban doctor Steve Sauerberg for the right to take on incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin. In a statement from Sauerberg’s campaign, Nalepa, of Hinsdale, said he was putting an end to his less than two-month-old Senate exploratory committee because “it became clear to me that Steve Sauerberg and I shared the same vision and goal” of defeating Durbin. Sauerberg responded by calling Nalepa, a West Point graduate, “a patriot and a gentleman,” and said he’s “honored to have his support for my campaign.” Nalepa, 50, had sought commitments for a Senate run from some Republican conservatives, including those who touted him for a previously failed bid to become state GOP chairman. But in trying to court religious conservatives, Nalepa may have hurt his effort in August when, during a GOP State Central Committee meeting that coincided with Republican Day at the State Fair, he asked for a moment of silence and offered a prayer to "a great American," Elvis Presley, on the 30th anniversary of his death. Another announced GOP candidate is perennial candidate Andy Martin.)
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- New tragedy for Ryans Apparent suicide Patrick Ryan, 24, youngest son of former attorney general, found at family's Elmhurst home dead from gunshot wound - Abdon Pallasch
(FROM THE ARTICLE: "He was a nice young kid -- no one understands how things like this happen," said state Sen. John J. Millner, a family friend. "The Ryans are a loving, close-knit family who understands the value of commitment to family and community. This family has had more than its share of tragedy. My heart and prayers go out to them all.")
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- Former AG Jim Ryan's son apparently commits suicide - AP
(THE ARTICLE: Police on Monday were investigating the apparent suicide of the 24-year-old son of former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, the latest tragedy for a family that has survived illness and the death of another child. Patrick Ryan was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound by police who responded to his family's home Sunday evening after being called there by a relative. The relative reported seeing Patrick Ryan with a handgun and said he was alone in the family's home in this Chicago suburb. Crisis negotiators tried to make contact inside the home, and police said Patrick Ryan answered the phone one time. After no further contact, police went inside the house and found him dead. "Patrick was a loving son, caring brother and a compassionate uncle. He was the joy of our life," the Ryan family said in a written statement. Jim Ryan wasn't home at the time. He and his wife, Marie, have four surviving children. In 1997, their 12-year-old daughter, Anne Marie, died shortly after complaining of a headache; an autopsy later revealed a brain tumor. Not long after that, Jim Ryan's wife, Marie, nearly died after complaining of chest pains. Jim Ryan has survived multiple bouts of cancer. Ryan, a Republican, is well-known in Illinois politics. Besides serving as the state attorney general, he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2002, losing to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.)
NBC5
-- Police: Former AG's Son Takes Own Life Jim Ryan's 24-Year-Old Son Shot In Family Home
(ELMHURST, Ill. -- Police on Monday are investigating the shooting death of former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan’s 24-year-old son on Sunday night in northwest suburban Elmhurst. Patrick J. Ryan of Elmhurst died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Sunday night at his home, according to a release from Elmhurst police. Police responded to reports of a suicidal person at the Ryan home at about 6:35 p.m. Sunday. A family member told police Patrick Ryan had a hand gun and was alone in the house, the release said. Jim Ryan was not home at the time. Crisis negotiators tried to establish contact inside the house, and the phone was answered once by Patrick Ryan, but there was no further contact. Officers entered the home and discovered Ryan dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the release said. An autopsy will be conducted Monday afternoon, according to the DuPage County Coroner's Office.)
DAILY HERALD
-- Former state attorney general Jim Ryan's son dies in apparent suicide - Christy Gutowski
(THE ARTICLE: The son of former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan died this weekend in Elmhurst, the victim of an apparent suicide. Police today said Patrick J. Ryan, 24, died Sunday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the family home. Elmhurst police Chief Steve Neubauer said a family member called 911 at 6:36 p.m. Sunday to report Patrick was home alone with a handgun. Neubauer said police crisis negotiators tried to make contact. He said Patrick answered the phone once, but there was no further contact. Officers entered the house and found the young man dead. It is the latest tragedy in a family that has endured more than its share. Jim Ryan fought and beat cancer three times. In between the first two cases came the unexpected 1997 death of his 12-year-old daughter, Annie, the youngest of six children, from an undiagnosed brain tumor. Ryan's wife, Marie, also battled a mysterious virus that initially appeared to be a heart attack. Ryan started in rough-and-tumble DuPage Republican politics by losing his first race for state's attorney but winning his next three, building name recognition, most of it positive, among voters. He went on to serve two terms as Illinois attorney general and, in 2002, lost a gubernatorial bid against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.)
-- Ex-attorney general's son dies in apparent suicide - Christy Gutowski
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A funeral Mass for Patrick Ryan will be said at 11 a.m. Thursday at Visitation Catholic Church in Elmhurst. "The parents are wonderful, faith-filled people," the Rev. Joseph Siegel said. "I can't imagine everything they've been through, but certainly the Lord and our prayers are with them." After Thursday's funeral, Patrick Ryan will be buried at the same Hillside cemetery as his little sister Annie, with whom he was closest in age. Since her death, the family has raised more than $500,000 to put toward children's brain tumor research. Another longtime friend, Gary Schira, the Batavia police chief, recalled Monday how Ryan's faith helped sustain them through illness and loss. Schira said he's never heard his friend say, "Why me?" Jim Ryan echoed that sentiment in a Daily Herald interview less than two weeks after Annie's death. "I don't feel singled out," he said. "I do feel lucky, in that, as a public figure, I've had a lot of support other people wouldn't have. "It's easy to get mad at God, but ultimately, I don't believe that. I'd like to think I'm a person of faith, and all you can do is turn to your family and to your faith to try to sustain you." After some reflection, he added: "Stay close to your kids. You'll never know how long you'll have them.")
-- We should allow recall votes in state - Charles Barr, Jr., St. Charles
(THE LETTER: I think that the whole concept of recalling state officers for not doing their job is a good one. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has been advocating this after seeing its use in California, it looks like a sound idea.Our seeming inability to select good state officers has become apparent several times in the past few years. On the other hand, we may not have had the right people on the ballot in the first place. Perhaps this is the only device left to us in the electorate to enforce that we get the best people available. To the many thousands of men and women in the business world with good jobs who have the constant responsibility to perform under pain of being fired, the seeming unconcern with which elected officers are doing their job in some cases is a very unpleasant thing to witness. People who are elected and become involved in corruption or show incompetence need to be replaced as an example set for what happens if the don't perform honestly and effectively. A change in the state constitution is necessary to provide for a recall. The proposed amendment must then be placed on the ballot at the next election. To pass, it must be approved by voting on a separate ballot. Three fifths of those voting must approve it. If it appears as part of a general election, a majority of those voting must vote for it. Send a note to your state legislators requesting this.)
HERALD NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: More than 6,000 respond to Biggert survey; immigration ranked most important issue; 12 percent said illegal residents should not be provided with government benefits; nearly 60 percent said a variety of methods should used, including enacting stiffer penalties for employers who hire illegal workers and allowing local governments to enforce immigration laws
(THE ARTICLE: The survey says: Immigration is important to area - Paige Winfield Respondents to an informal survey mailed by U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale, ranked immigration as the most important issue to them. More than 6,000 constituents responded to the five-question survey, which Biggert's office sent out in August throughout the 13th Congressional District. Harris Fawell, Biggert's predecessor from 1985 to 1999, said he was surprised more residents said their biggest concern was immigration, rather than the war in Iraq and energy issues. "I would have thought that Iraq and the problems we have with energy and alternative fuel. . .I would rank those the highest myself," Fawell said, although he agreed that immigration is a "hot-button" issue. The war in Iraq did come in at a close second (17 percent), while terrorism and health care were ranked in third place, at 15 percent each. Like Biggert - who conducts surveys once a year - Fawell said he regularly issued questionnaires in the district, which includes Naperville, Downers Grove, Woodridge, Plainfield, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Hinsdale. "Every year we'd try to get a sense of how people feel," he said. "But in a sense that's all it can do." When asked to choose the most effective way to stem the tide of illegal immigration into the U.S., 12 percent of respondents said illegal residents should not be provided with government benefits. But nearly 60 percent of respondents said a variety of methods should used, including enacting stiffer penalties for employers who hire illegal workers and allowing local governments to enforce immigration laws. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said the single best way to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources of oil is to invest in research and development of alternative energy and vehicle technologies, rather than mandating fuel economy standards for vehicles or providing tax incentives for alternative fuel vehicles.)
COURIER NEWS
-- Carpentersville official speaks up about lawsuit Village being sued for $30 million: Woman says paramedics refused care for her child because he is Hispanic - Ben Lefebvre
NAPERVILLE SUN
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rob Freedman resigns as DuPage County Democrat Party political director, Wheaton's Jon Meyers fills the vacancy
(THE ARTICLE: Democrat leader resigns from post About three months after he accepted the post, Rob Freedman is resigning as political director of the Democratic Party of DuPage County. Party officials hired Freedman, 28, in July to work on a contractual basis, organizing and coordinating election activities as the party geared up for next year's elections. Freedman said pressing commitments at his new job as a fourth-grade teacher in Berwyn forced him to resign the position. Jon Meyers, a longtime volunteer for the party and former candidate for office, will become the party's new political director.)
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: In light of what liberal Democrat Durbin said Monday about the expansion of gambling, any Illinois Republican Senator or any Illinois Republican Representative who votes to expand gambling in any significant way is way to the left of liberal Democrat Durbin
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Durbin voiced concern that lawmakers could become overly reliant on new gambling. "I really, really think we ought to stop and catch our breath and say, 'Is this the future of Illinois - that every time we want to do something, we'll just build more casinos?'" he said. "When that becomes the answer to every question, I start to worry about it." He said most casino visitors are not tourists. "Most of the people who go in are low-income people and elderly people who lose money that they can't afford to lose," Durbin said. "That to me seems like a wrong way to finance the important programs that we need in this country." . . . The current impasse in Springfield on a capital plan is blamed partly on the increasingly hostile feud between Madigan and Blagojevich. The governor is aligned with Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, who also has had disagreements with Madigan. "I wish I could blame the Republicans, but I can't figure out how to do it," Durbin joked. "I hope that they'll come to their senses and that the Democratic leaders down there will get together and compromise." Democrats who control the legislature and governor's office are dependent on Republican support, too, to pass a capital-spending bill.)
KANKAKEE DILLY JOURNAL
-- Gambling: Please lose more - Editorial
KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Kane County Chronicle reports on Republican State Senator John Millner's skills as a hypnotist
(FROM THE ARTICLE: State Sen. John Millner’s skills as a hypnotist might not come up in conversation, but his abilities helped him gather leads during a decades-long law-enforcement career. “The nice thing about it is you can help people recall data and information,” he said. . .More than a hobby, Millner considers his experience as a hypnotist a skill. As a police officer in 1974, Millner read an article about forensic hypnosis, which helps police gather information from victims or witnesses. He enrolled in a class to learn the skill and then began using it during criminal investigations. “It was incredible, just incredible, the kind of information people would have,” he said. “Then, of course, you validate it.” A rape victim, for example, might feel more comfortable and recall details more clearly while under hypnosis, he said. “I’m a law-enforcement guy, and one of the things I like to do is interview people and try to get them to talk about what had happened,” he said. “It’s amazing what people can remember.” Few agencies had hypnotists, so Millner would help other departments, he said. Case law has changed how hypnosis is used during investigations, and Miller, a Bloomingdale Republican, has since entered the state legislature. But he still has his skills. “A dilemma I face is people come up to me and ask me to do the thing for smoking,” he said. “It’s hard to find the time to do it.”)
ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- John Cox wants voters to cut through main stream media gatekeeping 2 decades of Bushes, Clintons shows 'mainstream media dictates candidates' - Bob Unruh
-- Jim Nalepa Endorses Steve Sauerberg for U.S. Senate - Fran Eaton
(THE ARTICLE: Congratulations to Jim Nalepa and Dr. Steve Sauerberg for setting the example for Republicans committed to electing good conservatives so much so they set aside egos towards the greater good. Kudos, Gentlemen. Your cooperative effort is the only way the IL GOP can threaten the arrogant incumbent U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. From the Sauerberg Campaign: (Western Springs, IL) - Today, businessman Jim Nalepa announced he would not seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, and instead is endorsing the campaign of Steve Sauerberg, M.D. "After carefully looking at this race, and the candidates in the field, it became clear to me that Steve Sauerberg and I shared the same vision and goal - returning Illinois values to Washington by defeating far left-liberal Dick Durbin," said Nalepa. "Steve has put together a tremendous campaign and built a large grassroots network of support in a short time. It's clear that his message of securing our borders, cutting taxes, and instituting real healthcare reform is resonating with the taxpayers, families and seniors of Illinois. Furthermore, Steve has made it clear that he will be an outspoken advocate for our brave men and women in uniform - an issue that I care deeply about. I am excited to announce my support for Republican Steve Sauerberg for the U.S. Senate and am confident that we can defeat the now very out of touch Dick Durbin in 2008." We are excited about the prospects of a unified Republican Party working to unseat Durbin in November of 2008. "Jim Nalepa is a patriot and a gentleman, and I am honored to have his support for my campaign. I appreciate the thoughtfulness and dedication to Illinois values that Jim has brought to this process. I look forward to working with him, and all of Illinois' veterans, taxpayers and families, to defeat Dick Durbin," said Sauerberg.)
WORLD NEWS DAILY
(FROM THE ARTICLE: "I have a lot of things to say, and I have a record of business success as a chief executive. I've been very involved in my community. I've been very involved in the Republican Party," he told WND. He's traveled for 18 months in primary states, seeking to discover what people like about Washington, and what they want changed. "But they've [media] just chosen to cover who they want to cover. . .I think that's the first issue that really the American people need to address is whether they're willing to continue to just have celebrities and career politicians and political families like the Bushes and the Clintons as their representatives or are they going to reach out and get some people who have some substance from the business sector and from the real world to help out with the problems in Washington," he said.)
TOM ROESER
-- If Giuliani Gets the Nomination. . .What Then?
(THE COMMENTARY: A friend of this website complains that my viewpoint on Rudy Giuliani changes like a kaleidoscope. To which I say “of course!” because conditions change. First he says he will name strict constructionists to the courts. Then he adds that one can be a pro-abort and a strict constructionist. Third he says he is for spending restraint but admits that as mayor of New York he brought pressure to bear which ended the possibility of line-item veto which today he endorses. But he is continuing to hold first place in the GOP run for the presidency and in my estimation…in a 2008 which shall rival 1932 or 1936 for Republicans. . .is the only one who commands a sliver of a chance of getting elected. Initially I was against his candidacy. Then he rose in the polls to the likelihood of being the nominee and the most likely to win over Hillary Clinton, so I mused long and hard. Then Romney seemed to have the promise of overtaking him. Then Romney fell back and Fred Thompson, an unknown quantity, was heralded. I gave Thompson a look see. He impresses me as Bob Dole with a southern twang. His Chicago appearance was flat, boring and trite. Now as all three go down the stretch, Giuliani is still ahead. Just when I was becoming reconciled to taking my Giuliani bitter medicine, Jim Thompson announced that not only is Giuliani his man but he represents the kind of Republican party Thompson cherishes. Jim Thompson whom I regard with enough dyspeptic illness as to regurgitate became what I was sure was the deciding factor. Ergo: I am not for Giuliani-but if he wins the nomination, what then? Since I started actively following Republican politics (in 1940 when the choices were Robert A. Taft, Arthur Vandenberg and Wendell L. Willkie) this has been the oddest concoction of choices the Republicans have ever brought forth. No candidate even comes close to genuineness on the issues that social conservatives believe. . .not Romney with his twists and turns. . .not McCain who, despite his heroism, exhibits a nutty Establishment-pandering fatal ignorance: such as when he said the other day that he would draft Alan Greenspan to review the economy (see Bob Novak’s assessment of Greenspan below). . .not Thompson in the major categories. And then we get to Rudy. Certainly Giuliani’s recklessness in personal life underscores the great possibility of fatal recklessness in affairs of state. Increasingly it seems like Giuliani will continue in first place. Once again: suppose the nominee is Rudy. Where do I go then?)
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- Which presidential candidate should conservatives support? - Dave Diersen
Conservatives have been, are, and will continue to be the base of the Republican Party. Tragically, for decades, certain liberals and moderates who continue to dominate the Illinois Republican Party have done everything they could to demonize conservatives, to denigrate conservatives, and to drive conservatives out of the party. Most of those who have endorsed Giuliani are liberals and moderates and most of them endorsed Topinka in the 2006 Republican Illinois gubernatorial primary. Is Giuliani going to win the February 5 Illinois Republican presidential primary because he will get all the liberal and moderate Republican vote while the conservative Republican vote is split between other candidates? Shouldn't conservative Illinois Republicans seek to reach an agreement on which candidate they will support?
-- Wheaton residents await a) the Daily Herald to post on its website reporter Jim Fuller's front page top of fold report on Wheaton's October 8 Wheaton City Council discussion on Packey Webb Ford, b) Wheaton to post on its website its official report on the session, and c) Wheaton to begin paying a video of the session on its cable TV channel - Dave Diersen
In his September 29 article (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=48041) titled "Wheaton, auto dealer at odds over used cars," Daily Herald reporter Jim Fuller drew attention to Packey Webb Ford's ending its new car sales and warranty work at its Roosevelt Road location. In his October 7 column (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=51549) tiled "Better turn your used car keys before entering Wheaton," Columnist John Zimmerman drew even more attention to the issue. Brad Webb, Greg Webb, Wheaton Mayor Gresk, all the City Council Members, Assistant City Manager Mike Dzugan, City Planner Jim Kozik, DuPage County Democrat Party Political Director Jon Meyers, and Fuller attended the October 8 Wheaton City Council planning session. The Packey Webb issue was discussed for about half an hour. Wheaton residents await a) the Daily Herald to post on its website reporter Jim Fuller's front page top of fold report on Wheaton's October 8 Wheaton City Council discussion on Packey Webb Ford, b) Wheaton to post on its website (http://www.wheaton.il.us/) its official report on the session, and c) Wheaton to begin paying a video of the session on its cable TV channel. At the beginning of the session, Brad Webb stressed that he had brought the issue to Dzugan's attention on December 30, 2006. Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is interested in the issue because a) Wheaton is overwhelmingly Republican, b) Gresk, Wheaton City Councilman Howard Levine, and I are Wheaton Republican Precinct Committeemen; c) the Daily Herald is promoting the story from a Democrat Party "class warfare" perspective; d) I continue to own and drive a 1990 Thunderbird and 1996 Thunderbird that I purchased at Packey Webb Ford; e) I urge everyone, especially Republican candidates, Republican elected officials, and Republican party leaders to purchase American nameplate vehicles; and f) I am deeply saddened by Ford Motor Company's promotion of homosexual activity.)
-- What position will Wheaton's "limousine liberal" Democrats take on the Packey Web Ford issue? - Dave Diersen
Sadly, more and more "limousine liberal" Democrats are moving into Wheaton to take advantage of the prosperity and safety that conservative Republicans created. Limousine liberal Democrats vehemently disapprove of America and they especially vehemently disapprove of American nameplate vehicles. However, limousine liberal Democrats promote homosexual activity and Ford Motor Company is one of America's leading promoters of homosexual activity. Will Wheaton's limousine liberal Democrats pressure Wheaton Mayor Gresk and the Wheaton City Council to drive Packey Webb Ford out of Wheaton because it is associated with American nameplate vehicles or will they pressure Gresk and the City Council to accommodate Packey Webb Ford because Ford Motor Company promotes homosexual activity?
