Crazy politics
By Roger Monroe | 11th February 2008
Political campaigns always seem to bring out crazy things and even crazy people. I don’t mean crazy in the sense of mental instability, but crazy as in bizarre or weird. Remember Ross Perot and Admiral Stockdale? Then there was the Florida silliness over the ballot “chads.” Who can forget the national media predicting Al Gore would become President? Just a few examples of political craziness.
92nd DISTRICT HOUSE RACE
We’ve had some wild things on the local political scene as well. This year is no exception. Cindy Jenkins, the sister of Mayor Jim Ardis, announced she wanted to be the Republican candidate for Aaron Shock’s House seat in the 92nd District. After her name was officially printed on the February primary ballot, she quit. Enter Joan Krupa who quit as administrator of the Heartland Clinic. Krupa announced she wanted to take Cindy’s place even though Krupa’s name won’t be on the ballot. Strange. Stranger is the revelation Krupa selected a Democrat ballot after serving as a Republican on the County Board. Who does she think she is, Eldon Polhemus? I also learned Krupa has made contributions to Democrat candidates. Look for Republicans to lose that office come November. By the way, another rumor floating among local political observers is that Shock will resign his state office if he wins the Republican nomination for Congress. As the rumor goes, Krupa then would be appointed to serve until the General Election.
Personally, I don’t believe the rumor, but it is out there.
But don’t laugh Democrats. There’s craziness with supporters of the donkey symbol. County Board member Al Mayer reportedly talked political newcomer Jehan Gordon into running as the Democrat nominee for the 92nd District. After she agreed to run, Mayer decided to run against her. Crazy? Next we learned that Gordon lied about having a college degree. Give the newspaper credit for exposing the lie, but then new reporter Ed McMenamin excuses the lie in his Sunday, January 20 story, by saying, “But actually she is three hours shy of an official degree, she confirmed to the Journal Star on Thursday.” Pray tell, what is an “official” degree? Is there an unofficial degree? And I guess if you’re only three hours short of an “official degree,” it’s okay to lie and say you have a degree. This story puts the editorial staff in a dilemma. Who will they endorse? Will it be Mayer or Gordon?
RACE FOR LAHOOD’S SEAT
The three Republicans seeking the Washington D.C. seat of the retiring Ray LaHood have been campaigning furiously as the primary nears. All three performed quite well in the televised debates. Aaron Shock showed his legislative experience by appearing to be the most comfortable with challenging questions. WMBD-TV was first with the televised debates and Bob Larson, the Channel 31 news anchor, moderated the event with class, poise and without injecting his own politics. He wasn’t abrasive, sarcastic and didn’t continually interrupt any of the candidates.
A COUPLE OF PREDICTIONS
When the primary votes are counted, Shock will emerge as the winner in the Republican race for Congress. It will be close, but look for Jehan Gordon to defeat Mayer despite lying about her education. She will win primarily because the Democratic leadership in Peoria County is supporting her.
The same is true in the Democrat race for County auditor. Carol Van Winkle, who was appointed to the office, will defeat Kent Rotherham. That just might be another close contest in the Democratic primary. Meanwhile, Republicans will again choose to push for the re-election of Johnna Ingersoll as coroner. She’s opposed for the second time by George Blackburn, but Ingersoll should win.
STRAIGHT TALK NOTES
Congratulations to director of public relations, Chris Lofgren, of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. He retired after 22 years in that position. Knowing a little bit about hospital P.R., I can tell you Chris did an excellent job and was highly respected for his work. Chris is being replaced by WMBD-TV news anchor Amy Paul.
FIRST CHURCH GOES LEFT?
First United Methodist Church in downtown Peoria hosted a well known political leftist of the Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church based in Washington D.C. Jim Winkler, general secretary of the board, was the featured speaker at a so-called forum at the church, Friday evening, January 11. It was a carefully controlled forum for the controversial Winkler who has appeared in numerous protests and demonstrations against the Iraq War, Israel, and President Bush. Winkler has been an out-spoken critic of Caterpillar and is seeking to get United Methodist Church to sell its Caterpillar stock worth an estimated $5 million. Winkler doesn’t like the fact that Caterpillar sells equipment to Israel. That equipment, claims Winkler, has been used against Palestinians.
A lobbyist for the Methodist Church, Winkler’s views reflect the liberal faction of Methodism that’s running Washington D.C. offices. But that influence is rapidly declining like membership in Methodist churches. In the last 43 years, the Methodist Church has lost over three million members according to UM Action, a publication of the Institute on Religion & Democracy.
Winkler’s political effort to get the church to divest itself of Caterpillar stock will be decided in April at the General Conference to be held in Fort Worth, Texas. Winkler will fail.
LOCAL DEMOCRATS CAMPAIGN IN IOWA
Local Democrats were on the move. Former State Senator George Shadid, current State Senator Dave Koehler, and Billy Halstead, chairman of the Peoria County Democrat Central Committee, were working on behalf of Illinois Senator Barrack Obama in Iowa. All three traveled to Clinton and Davenport stumping for Senator Obama. They spent the better part of one day going door-to-door in Clinton, Shadid’s hometown. The next day they drove to Davenport. Now that’s commitment.
TOO MANY RESTAURANTS?
Two new eating establishments have opened on restaurant row in East Peoria along the Illinois River. Gosh, how many does that make around the Wal-Mart Super Center? In Peoria, three businesses have closed, two in the Metro Center. Mocha Joe’s and Leo’s Flowers have called it quits as did Fiesta Ranchero next to Landmark Recreation Center on Dries Lane. It was sad to see the end of Leo’s. Owners had hoped moving from Knoxville to the Metro Center would breathe new life to their flower business. It didn’t. How many readers can remember when Leo Walsh would stand on Knoxville handing out green carnations to motorists on St. Patrick’s Day? It was a memorable Peoria tradition.
TRADITIONS & HISTORY
Speaking of traditions and history, City Clerk Mary Haynes is busy working with a committee of folks seeking to develop historical displays for City Hall. Mary has written former city officials and/or their families to submit documents for use in what will be a rotating display of the city’s history of people and events. She envisions schools sending students to City Hall for a tour of Peoria’s history. Great idea, Mary.
TRUE PICTURE OF IRAQ
We’ve had some great guests on WOAM’s “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” about the war in Iraq. We featured weekly reports on the war effort from Lt. Colonel Bob Lickiss of Pekin. The former Tazewell County deputy sheriff was stationed just outside Iraq and handled the movement of troops going in and coming out of that country. After serving 15 months in Iraq, Sgt. Jason Adams, a Toulon native, told our listeners about his battle experience with the insurgents. He also made arrangements for us to talk by phone to his Iraqi interpreter in Baghdad. Amazingly, Adams was able to help Magid, his wife and three year old daughter leave Iraq. They now live in Toulon.
In January, our special guest was Lt. Colonel Steve Russell who commanded the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, in Iraq. He led patrols in and around Tikrit and also served in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Kosovo. And Colonel William (Bill) Robertson, who commands the Air Wing in Peoria, has flown in and out of Iraq. Peorian Mark Vonachen has also been a guest on our morning show after serving as crew chief on a Blackhawk helicopter. Stealing a line from a United Airlines commercial, Mark has “flown the(unfriendly) skies of Iraq.”
All of the guests made the same point in our conversations. That point was the U.S. military and the Coalition forces were winning the war and the success of that war effort was not being accurately reported by the national media. What in the world has happened to the media in America?
A recent poll by Sacred Heart University found that just 19.6% of those surveyed could say they believe all or most news media reporting. “The fact that an astonishing percentage of Americans see biases and partisanship in their mainstream news sources suggests an active and critical consumer of information in the U.S.,” said James Castonguay, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of Sacred Heart University’s Department of Media Studies and Digital Culture.
This same survey reported by a 4-to-one margin, Americans consider the New York Times and National Public Radio as mostly or somewhat liberal. No kidding. The survey covered all 50 states.
A BIT OF HUMOR
The story is supposed to be true. A local homeless vagrant was making his usual winter appearance before a judge at the Courthouse. Facing charges of disorderly conduct with a sentence to the warm and friendly confines of the County jail, the man was smiling and having a good time misbehaving in the Courtroom. The judge, growing angry, sternly told the vagrant, “Sir, if you keep misbehaving, I will find you not guilty.” The man quietly sat down.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day.” — Dr. Norman Vincent Peale