House Republicans dial back on promises

Close, bitter Senate races could have significant down-ballot effects
The close and bitter Senate races around the country may be capturing the headlines, but buried in the fine print are some significant down-ballot effects on Tuesday in several States. The Senate battle in Delaware is likely to hurt turnout by Republican voters, given the relative unpopularity of GOP nominee Christine O’Donnell — just a year before state lawmakers tackle redistricting after down-ballot state House races. The nastiness of the Illinois race between Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) an...

IL Senate Race: The Scramble
The scramble for voter turn-out is on in Illinois. Before flying off for Ohio and more campaigning, the President wanted breakfast to-go. So, a stop at the Valois Cafeteria on the city's Southside was in order. Picking up the check for Democratic Senate Candidate Alexi Giannoulias and Democratic Governor Pat Quinn, President Obama said, "I feel great. We've got good turn-out. Pat's gonna win. Alexi's gonna win. That's why turn-out is so important." Giannnoulias and his Republican rival Mark Kirk...

Obama Chicago Rally: 'I Need You To Keep On Believing'
Chicago — Schoolteacher Jamie Worsek headed to President Barack Obama's get-out-the-vote rally on Saturday, but it wasn't because she's enthusiastic about casting a ballot on Election Day. "I've actually never been less excited to vote in my entire life. I think all the Candidates are awful. I'll do it because it's like my basic patriotic duty," said the 24-year-old Chicago resident who worked for Obama's campaign in 2008. While Worsek doesn't need convincing, Obama headlined a rally a f...

Obama Chicago Rally: I Need You To Keep On Believing
CHICAGO — Schoolteacher Jamie Worsek headed to President Barack Obama’s get-out-the-vote rally on Saturday, but it wasn’t because she’s enthusiastic about casting a ballot on Election Day. “I’ve actually never been less excited to vote in my entire life. I think all the Candidates are awful. I’ll do it because it’s like my basic patriotic duty,” said the 24-year-old Chicago resident who worked for Obama’s campaign in 2008. While Worsek ...

Kilbride and Madigan
You've probably heard one of those snarling radio or Television ads aimed at bouncing Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride from the bench. Three actors portray criminals, describing their vicious crimes' vivid detail. "On appeal, Justice Thomas Kilbride sided with us over Law Enforcement or our Victims," one says. "Unfortunately for Felons like us, other justices overruled Kilbride and our convictions stood." No, Kilbride didn't hand out Get Out Of Jail Free passes to rabid criminals...

PJM Political: Monster Chiller Pre-Election Theater!
If you missed this week’s edition of PJM Political on Sirius-XM Satellite Radio’s POTUS channel, click here to join host Count Floyd Stephen Green of VodkaPundit.com for a verrrry scarrrry look at DC and beyond: Steve offers his final predictions for the House, Senate, and gubernatorial races on Tuesday in an interview with Ed Driscoll. Glenn Reynolds interviews Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and asks the Governor if he’ll be throwing his hat into the ring in 2012. Steven Malanga o...

PPP: Yep, Democrats Are Done In PA Too. Bonus: A Bit Of Political Halloween Candy
There was little worry about Toomey about 10 days ago. Seems it was just part of a natural but temporary tightening or a MFM attempt to pull their guys over the line. Either way.... In the Senate race Pat Toomey leads Joe Sestak 51-46 and in the race for Governor Tom Corbett is up 52-45 on Dan Onorato. The story here is an inordinate number of Democrats unhappy with Barack Obama- and voting Republican because of it. The President's Approval Rating within his own party is only 73% in Pennsylvani...

Obama's Chicago Trip: Rallying Democrats, South Side Breakfast (PHOTOS)
President Barack Obama had one message on his Saturday trip to Chicago: "If everyone who came out to vote in 2008 shows up in 2010, we will win this election." For the first time since his 2008 election night celebration in Grant Park, Obama held a public rally--hoping to energize supporters and elevate Illinois Democrats. (For full rally coverage, click here.) On Sunday morning, Obama joined Governor Pat Quinn and Democratic Senate Candidate Alexi Giannoulias for breakfast at Valois Cafeteri...

Illinois Review: UPDATE 2: Stop Running Kilbride’s Dishonest Ads
UPDATE 2 : We've obtained the mail piece that Justice Kilbride is distributing (below). It clearly seems like an attempt to portray himself as a Republican in order to take advantage of increased GOP turnout this year. However, Kilbride has already taken $1.47 million from Democrat Party Chairman and House Speaker Mike Madigan this year; and has been a consistent liberal vote on the Illinois Supreme Court. Earlier this week, paid "pro-family" Lobbyists robocalled households on beha...

Ex-Con Counts on "Faith Community" to Pass Health Care
The media furor over the White House state dinner crashers ignores the convicted felon who was invited to attend with the approval of Obama’s inner circle. The ex-convict, Robert B. Creamer, is a friend of White House adviser David Axelrod and the husband of Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. A major Democratic Party Political Strategist, he is the author of a 628-page book that describes how the Democrats can become the permanent majority party by passing a national Health Care b...

Kilbride and Madigan - Chicago Tribune
You've probably heard one of those snarling radio or Television ads aimed at bouncing Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride from the bench. Three actors portray criminals, describing their vicious crimes' vivid detail. "On appeal, Justice Thomas Kilbride sided with us over Law Enforcement or our Victims," one says. "Unfortunately for Felons like us, other justices overruled Kilbride and our convictions stood." No, Kilbride didn't hand out Get Out Of Jail Free passes to rabid crimi...

RealClearPolitics - Election 2010 - Illinois 8th District - Walsh vs. Bean
The northwest Chicago suburbs have long been some of the most conservative, Republican areas of the country. In the aftermath of the 1948 redistricting – the first redistricting Illinois had conducted in almost 50 years – the 8th and its predecessor District the 13th elected only Republicans. These Republicans, Marguerite S. Church, Donald Rumsfeld, and Phil Crane, were some of the most revered names in conservative circles in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. But over time the District shifted...

Get Out the Dog Vote Illinois Democrat Targets Dogs in Latest Mailer
Arrooooohhh! Illinois democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Pat Quinn sent out a final mailer this weekend hoping to get out the dog vote. Pat Quinn and Bailey Quinn hope to capture the dog vote. Remember… This is Illinois were talking about. Hat Tip Mike F. ...

RealClearPolitics - Election 2010 - Illinois 14th District - Hultgren vs. Foster
Illinois’s 14th District, the western Chicago exurbs, is one of the fastest growing in the country. In a state that only grew 3 percent in the 2000s, it grew 20.4 percent. This exurban growth is centered around the city of Aurora and in neighboring Kendall County. Although the district takes in rural counties to the west as well as a slice of DuPage County to the East, about two-thirds of the population lives in Kendall and Kane Counties. In the past 100 years this area has almost always s...

Control of state House, Senate at stake
Democrat Michael Madigan on Tuesday will try to extend his long run as Illinois House Speaker, hoping that the widespread expectation of Republican momentum in this year's Election doesn't turn into a sequel to 1994. That's the year the Southwest Side chieftain tumbled from power, the only blemish since he first seized control 28 years ago, an exile that lasted but two years. Nobody expected the 1994 GOP surge to overwhelm Madigan, and it's hard to find many who expect him to lose his Majority ...

William Curl, Man Charged In Toni Keller's Murder, Could Face Death
DeKalb, Ill. — An Illinois man may face the death penalty if convicted in the slaying of a college freshman who went missing earlier this month. William Curl is jailed on $5 million bail in the death of Northern Illinois University freshman Antinette "Toni" Keller. The 34-year-old Curl of DeKalb appeared in court Saturday via closed-circuit TV. He has been charged with First-degree Murder, criminal Sexual Assault and Arson. DeKalb County Judge James Donnelly told Curl about the death pen...

Kathy Kemper: Schadenfreude in Modern Politics: How Would You Judge?
"Nobody who walks into the valley of our political system emerges unscathed," observed David Brooks in his recent New York Times column, "Would You Run?" That comment is especially true for the two Senate Candidates who are competing -- in the relentless and unforgiving spotlight -- for President Obama's former seat. In Illinois, a cautionary tale of great rewards -- at the risk of perilous personal attacks -- is playing out, as political contenders vie for the title of "U.S. Senator" in a mo...

Rahm 'encourages' for Giannoulias
Rahm Emanuel is using his mayoral campaign email list to push for Illinois Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias, with a missive that says "I voted for Alexi and I encourage you to do the same...." Dear Friend, Election Day is nearly here, and you don't need me to tell you the stakes are high. For months the Republicans have been licking their chops over the prospect of expanding their power in Congress and attempting to derail the President and his agenda. Chicagoans have a particularly ...

OBAMA'S 'MOB-TIE' $IDEKICK
Washington - A man who has long been dogged by charges that the bank his family owns helped finance a Chicago crime figure will host a Windy City fund-raiser tonight for Sen. Barack Obama. Alexi Giannoulias, who became Illinois state treasurer last year after Obama vouched for him, has pledged to raise $100,000 for the senator's Oval Office bid. Before he promised to raise funds for Obama, Giannoulias bankrolled Michael "Jaws" Giorango, a Chicagoan twice convicted of bookmaking and promoting...

This Halloween, Desperate Democrats Are Dressing Up as Republicans
It’s Halloween, and in the Land of (Honest Abe) Lincoln a liberal judge is wearing a Republican mask and lying to voters. Staring disaster in the face on Tuesday, Democrats are running scared. And some are even running as Republicans. Thomas Kilbride is running to be “retained” as a State Supreme Court Justice in Illinois. He needs 60% of voters in the 3rd District, which comprises a band across the middle of Illinois from the Mississippi River to Indiana, to re-elect him. K...

conservativeBrand
Bringing conservative values back to Illinois . . . one Republicrat at a time. Conversation and connections on the world according to Eva Sorock from a (mostly) local perspective - Wilmette, Illinois, USA. Acquired my conservative credentials at Mount Holyoke College, as an intern for then-Rep. Don Rumsfeld, and with an MBA from the University of Chicago. 2 terms on the Wilmette Board of Education. Life influences: husband, Herb from Chicago (heard regularly on Dennis Miller radio) and three twe...

Control of Illinois House, Senate at stake Tuesday
Democrat Michael Madigan on Tuesday will try to extend his long run as Illinois House Speaker, hoping that the widespread expectation of Republican momentum in this year's Election doesn't turn into a sequel to 1994. That's the year the Southwest Side chieftain tumbled from power, the only blemish since he first seized control 28 years ago, an exile that lasted but two years. Nobody expected the 1994 GOP surge to overwhelm Madigan, and it's hard to find many who expect him to lose his Majority...

14 people hurt in Eisenhower crash; driver charged
Fourteen people, 12 of them Children, were hurt Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle traffic crash — in which one of the two rolled over — on the Eisenhower Expressway at Keeler Avenue, according to officials. Nine of the Children were taken to various Hospitals in serious to critical condition, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Quention Curtis. Two adults were also taken in serious to critical condition, Curtis added, while the three other Children were in fair to serious condit...

Maggie's Notebook: G.W. Bush Revelation: Bush Thought 9/11 Flt. 93 Was Shot Down on His Orders
Halloween Treats from Bunni, Featuring BUNNIES! Right-Wing Violence? Happy Halloween! From Sea to Shining Sea -- No More Fishing for U.S. Citizens? How Liberal is Your Lawmaker? OK, This Guy Never Gets Old ! F_CK Halloween,,We Need To Wake-Up! Drive-By Thinking. teens these days. ...

Schaumburg police warn of possible Halloween candy tampering
The Schaumburg Police Department has received two reports of possible tampering with Halloween candy, Police said tonight. Both reports indicated the candy had a foreign object inserted and was obtained by kids trick-or-treating in residential areas of Schaumburg. There were no reported injuries as a result of these incidents, according to police. Parents should closely inspect any trick-or-treat candy before allowing their Children to eat the candy. Any opened candy or candy with damaged pac...