17th District hopefuls show their stuff at forum

There's already been a lot of yammering about the recent meeting held to introduce candidates to replace Lane Evans to the precinct committeemen who will elect one of them as Dem candidate for the 17th district, but here's a place for it.

There's already been the typical stuff from the usual suspects which lie and distort what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen, the lies which are the stock in trade of this bunch are already being attempted. And this is how these morons think they'll get support for Hare? Amazing. (I'm not lumping ALL Hare supporters in this group, mind you. I'm sure there are many who support Hare honestly and don't resort to such simple-minded tactics.)

There's also a lot of blow-hard spouting about how stupid it is for anyone to even think for a second that precinct committeemen or anyone else will have a voice in this important decision other than Evans and Gianulis. (sometimes the players vary)
The stunning thing is that the clowns that post this stuff are the ones in favor of not allowing anyone to have a voice in the choice, in other words, the handful of people who want to control this process by themselves. They've accused anyone who thinks that it's an open process of being naive and stupid, and boast that it's all over and done and Hare is in already, no doubt to discourage anyone who still wants to do their democratic duty and vote their will freely.

Frankly, 90% of the comments this issue has attracted (which includes several which weren't printed) have been just plain stupid and unproductive, not to mention having about as much thought behind them as a person gives inhaling.

Honest opinions with some reasoning behind them are welcome. Trying to spread goofy rumors or lies isn't.

The D/A has a piece covering the meeting here. It reports that a second candidate forum (which won't be open to the public) will be held at Spoon River College in Canton, IL on April 22nd at 10 a.m.

They've also featured a series of stories profiling those who seek election by precinct committeemen.

John Sullivan
Amy Stockwell
Mike Boland
Mark Schwiebert
Phil Hare
Hal Baine
(Registration required for all articles.)

The QC Times' Tory Brecht provides a taste of the hopeful's pitches.

Speaking first, [Hal] Bayne touted his advanced degrees and knowledge of foreign policy developed from taking dozens of trips around the globe, including to Afghanistan, Iran, Croatia, China and Africa. Bayne said he’d push for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and reverse President Bush’s policy of trying to spread democracy in the Middle East.

"Islam and democracy is an oxymoron," he said. "We should get our troops out of there ASAP."

Boland stressed his name recognition, honed by winning six elections in western Illinois, two of which were in hotly contested, targeted races. He also discussed his legislative record, which he said showed his support of labor, veterans and the environment.

"The Republican nominee is already out there and has name recognition from having run previously and having been a television personality," Boland said. "One of the things I bring to the table is a strong name and vote-getting ability."

Hare — bolstered by a number of applauding supporters including Rock Island County State’s Attorney Jeff Terronez and state Sen. Mike Jacobs, East Moline — said the endorsement he received from Evans is evidence he is the right person to carry on the congressman’s policies.

"If we’re going to win in November, we have to run as Democrats, not as nonpartisans," he said. "I am pro-labor, pro-choice and pro the average working man."

Newcomer Mellon asked precinct committeemen to go against the status quo and take a chance on a fresh face. The Army veteran and teacher said it is in the long-term interests of Democrats to bring new ideas to the table.

"The choice is really one out of two," he said. "The first choice is your standard business-as-usual political appointment. The other choice is something new, something unconventional. I feel I’m the only one that can fit that bill."

Schwiebert said he wants to take his experience building consensus across party lines and accomplishing economic development on a local city level to the state and national level. He also warned that simply picking any Democrat is no guarantee of November victory.

"For anyone who thinks the 17th is safe, look at the results from 2004 when John Kerry won by only 3 points in the district," he said.

Government should be about bringing people together as agents of positive change, Schwiebert said.

"The Republicans think government is bad, and when people that think government is bad get elected, they give you bad government."

Macon County Auditor Stockwell said she’d bring an agricultural and business-oriented voice to the district. She grew up on a farm in Ohio, studied economics and business in college and worked for a large agricultural corporation until she decided to retire due to the company’s anti-labor policies.

"I’m a Main Street capitalist, not a Wall Street capitalist," she said. "Agriculture holds this district together."

Sullivan said despite the fact few in Rock Island County know who he is, he has the best track record of taking on and beating Republicans. As a rookie senatorial candidate in 2002, he took down a 21-year incumbent Republican primarily by knocking on “thousands and thousands and thousands” of doors and getting help from his large family.

Two years later, he won again, this time garnering 62 percent of the vote after raising $800,000 for his re-election bid.

The crowd of Democrats gasped audibly and applauded when Sullivan revealed the amount of money raised and spent on that downstate race.

"I stood in front of a lot of groups of Democrats like this one and told them I wanted to run for Illinois Senate and they told me it was impossible," he said. "But eventually, those Democrats, when they saw how hard we worked and how I talk to the people, they realized I could win."