Night of the Long Knives for Boland
As expected, the race for the 71st District seat between incumbent Mike Boland and Republican Steve Haring has provided the most heat, though not a lot of light.
Haring came out of the chute negative and has stayed there. Boland started out with issues and only belatedly responded to the brutal attacks.
It's obviously a very hard fought race, with Boland getting hit big by negative ad campaigns and attempts to drum up local protests. Boland suffers as well from some in his own party who've long wanted to see him fail who provide faint support at best or may actively work to undermine his campaign at worst.
The race has also been singled out for massive attention in the form of campaign cash and support from both party's state organizations.
Haring came out negative and Boland was slow to respond, seeming to be caught flat-footed. By the time they got something out, the damage had already been done. Sources say that the state Dem party is now renewing their efforts to fend off the Republican onslaught of negativity.
Based on personal observation, it seems that Haring has spend more on mailings and media so far. Boland has sent out several mailers, but they've not been too powerful, and to his credit, have until recently stuck to the issues. Finally, only after relentless demonization by the Republicans, Boland finally sent out a mailing hitting back with a little negative spin himself.
What's the story on this race? What's happening and how will it go?
What do you feel needs to be done for Boland to effectively counter the Rove-like tactics of the Haring campaign?
Will Boland survive against such massive targeting?
And as always, overly emotional and angry comments which sound more like some drunk guy ranting about how evil his ex-wife is will not make the cut. We don't need to hear how you think one candidate or the other is Beelzebub himself, just your thoughts on the above questions.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 10/22/2006
36 comments
36 Comments:
I think that this race will be a squeeker. Boland will pull it out with the help of John G. and the Democratic party. I feel that the article in the Dispatch/Argus today hurt Boland bad. Scott Reeder called Mike Boland in so many words a liar on his endorsement of a Republican, Bud Ford, for State Senate against Denny Jacobs after Jacobs had defeated Boland for the State Senate primary. Brunsvold talked about Bolands ineffectivness and his aloofeness to others.
This is a bad day for Boland.
Denny Jacobs when asked, came out and talked about how hard of a worker and campaigner Boland is. Boland went on the attack for this against Jacobs for causing all of his problems.
The worst part of the story was being called out for only getting 15 bills passed in his 11 year carreer. I now see why the D/A made such a big deal of Jacobs passing 15 bills in his first year. They wanted a contrast.
This will hurt Boland but he will still win.
I feel that this will be his last term as with all of this baggage a young polotition like Porter McNeil will come along and beat Boland in a Primary. Madigan may even support McNeil being tired of giving Boland so much cash.
Boland will win the general in a democratic district. Everything will be OK.
anon 9:29
I'll let your little anti-Boland rant disguised as neutral/pro-Boland analysis slide..... this time.
At least you gussied it up a little.
Consider it a gift.
But I'm not sure McNeil will appreciate being called a "polotition". ha!
During Boland's time in the legislature, he's been dealing with an artificial limit on the number of bills leadership in the House allows to the floor. It's not quite fair to compare Mike Boland to Denny Jacobs who worked under different conditions and rules, and I think an unbiased journalist (and/or reader) would know (and note) the differences. Compare Mike to his contemporaries in the House and you’ll get a better view at Boland.
Mike Boland has been a friend and father figure to me, and even Scott Reeder couldn't find any fault with the services we provide the public at Mike's office. I loved the quotes from Minnie and Jane about how we help so many people from his office, folks like those ladies are why I drag myself to work five days a week despite bogus protests and dancing chickens.
The blood's in the water it appears, and the sharks are circling. I'm going to stand by Boland thru thick and thin, not because he is my employer, but because he is my friend. I was looking for a job when I found this one, and I can likely find another if the sharks manage to pull Boland down.
But friends with big hearts and the kind of knowledge and experience Mike Boland brings to the table, are to be treasured. Of course I think the voters should re-elect Mike based on his record and accomplishments, but should they make the wrong decision and elect his opponent, I will remain friends with Boland because of who he is, and I hope the voter’s will re-elect him for the same reason, he’s pretty darn unique for a an elected official.
So we are supposed to give analysis without or reasoning on the issues. This is nothing that isn't in the paper. Lighten up man!
You reap what you sow!
Why ask the Jacob's family about Mike Boland?
That's like interviewing the coyote about the road-runner!
Please give us a break Argus-Disgrace!
Looney, If you could read you would see that Denny Jacobs and Paul Mukahey are the ones that said nice things about Boland. Joel Brunsvold, Don Wooten, John G., Republican Buid Ford, and Scott Reeder and the D/A are the ones that called Boland a liar and ineffective because he got 15 bills passed in 11 years. He was also called Aloof and unwilling to work with others.
Look how well an old pro like John G. handles the issue. No comment on his personal oppinion of Boland. Mike and his attack dogs or luney tunes as they call themselves should take a lesson and turn off his mouth of before he loses another vote. If he continues to attack his fellow democrats then he will lose my vote.
Loyal D.
Boland might not be a powerhouse, but he is a decent guy and not directly aligned with the local "Democratic" machine.
I got an informative mailer from (I believe) the local Child Abuse Council. They printed responses to the survey that they sent to local candidates. Responses were published without editing. I was shocked to read Haring's entries. His train of thought was a little odd, but his grammar was worse. He used "to" when he meant "too", and he used "there" when he meant "their". While this may not be a big deal, I think it says a lot about a person. I mean, they weren't just typo's, they were completely misused.
Again, probably not important, but I found it pretty odd.
I didn't attack anyone other than a stupid newspaper reporter.
Remember, when you point one figer, there are three pointing right back at 'cha!
LT... if you say anything that might conceivably help Boland, there will be those who attack.
In this instance, you didn't even say anything about Boland, but simply pointed out the bias in a story against Boland. That's enough to trigger the attacks though.
Anything but negative spin will always bring them out.
And the weird part is, I have a suspicion that they're not even Republicans.
Boland and his looney's did attack someone other than the paper." Why ask the Jacob's family about Mike Boland?
That's like interviewing the coyote about the road-runner!
Please give us a break Argus-Disgrace!" Denny Jacobs had said that Boland was a hard worker and a very good campaigner. All of the negative came from Brunsvold, Wooten, John G., and republican who boland endorsed over athe Democrat that beat him fgor Senate Bud Ford. You and the Dope need to learn hiow to read and quit attacking Democrats. We are in this together.
Dream on buddy.
You can try a thousand times to try to make it sound like Jacobs is innocent in all this, but no one's buying.
anybody that has read this blog for a while knows that it's always the jacobs supporters who come up with the vicious smears and attacks against Boland like crazy at every chance.
To try to even suggest that it's only Boland who's "mean" is stupid.
goback and read any story about Boland or Jacobs here. it's all there in black and white, including dozens from "Headusher" tearing Boland apart in the most vicious way possible.
Before you start whining about unity you should point the fingers where they belong, and it isn't at Boland supporters, I can assure you, at least not here.
Jacobs supporters (if not Jacobs himself) have seemed to prefer to smear and bash Boland anonymously here and elsewhere while Jacobs publically pats himself on the back for being for reconcilliation and unity. Like most things, more image than substance.
Boland and his supporters are nearly silent on blogs, while the flow of slime and ridiculous spin from the jacobs camp continues unending.
This feud is utterly stupid, like almost all of them always are, and will never end, it's too late.
If things are going smoothly, the press comes along to stir things up. The press loves it, it's their own little soap opera and they'd love nothing better than a fist-fight in the middle of the street.
I think both Boland and Jacobs have done fine in avoiding getting nasty, but pretending there's no problem between them is idiotic. Why not acknowledge it as Boland did? Is it really a secret? Are we all supposed to pretend it's all over?
I really think we'd be better off if they'd both just go away.
Dems are always engaging in intrigue to try to screw each other. They're all fighting for power after all, and who's in power? Other Dems.
Will you agree that Mike Jacobs has helped Boland by passing several of Bolands bills this year?
Will you admit that Boland endorsed republican Bud Ford after he was beaten soundly by Denny Jacobs?
Will you agree that Boland pulled his endorsement of Mike Jacobs the day before the primary?
Will you agree that Boland not only attacked Denny Jacobs in the paper after recieving a compliment from him Boland attacked his son also?
Will you agree that Boland is the only candidate to endorse Republicans?
Will you agree that neither Jacobs has attacked Boland publically?
If Bolands hatred is so strong against Jacobs why was he on the same mail piece with Mike Jacobs.
Boland and his Looney's need to get off the Democrats and concentrate on Haring. This is bad for all of the Democrats.
This petty fued is hurting Mike Boland and he needs to get over the fact that he is not the Senator.
By the way Blogging is anon and to try and guess who people are is just plain dangerous.
Is that Jacobs helping Boland or Jacobs helping himself too? why do you always act like boland doesn't exist and Mikey boy is the center of everything? Didn't Boland help Jacobs have some bills to try to pass in the senate? Why is it only Jacobs and not both helping each other?
yes, but that's only based on Ford's memory and Boland only endorsed him the day before the election. Wow. big deal.
was it the day before? he should have done is sooner.
no not at all. There was no "attack". You're blowing things out of proportion as usual.
I have no idea, couldn't care less.
yes, they do their backstabbing in private
I have no idea, couldn't care less.
You need to stop trying to make the jacobs out like choirboys and concentrate on Haring.
Give it up.
And do tell, how is stating a common assumption "dangerous"?
When someone is a rabid Jacobs supporter, it's not exactly hard to figure out.
I would worry about Jacobs holding a press conference and endorsing Boland's opponent.
Well said Barby...
It's critical up and down the ticket to vote Dem, if for no other reason than to break the utterly corrupt one party situation the country has suffered under for far too long.
Of course there's thousands of other reasons to vote Dem, but primarily, it's simply time for a change.
And since Boland is under the most intense attack, and being targeted by the larger Republican party with all of their reprehensible smears and negative campaigning, Boland needs people's support more than ever.
Like him or not, Boland is a fine and honorable man who works hard to stand up for the average person.
Haring represents the worst of what we've suffered under for the past 6 years, corporatism, ignoring pressing problems in favor of wasting time on such diversionary issues as gays and other phony social issues, and will only add to Bush's power in D.C.
Boland is the most threatened Dem in the area and all Dems, independents, and Republicans who care about the area should rally around and support him with donations or their time and ensure that the district doesn't go Republican.
But it's okay that Democrats have a stranglehold on RICO and western Illinois politics?
Why not just change the name of this blog to I Love Democrats... End of Story?
Benton,
It comes as a surprise that I support Democrats? Where have you been??
Can you point to where I state somewhere that I'm utterly and 100% impartial and non-partisan?
Have you read the FAQ?
Am I supposed to support Republicans so you can feel better?
And.....
your analogy with Rock Island County Dems is a bit lame, don't you think? Have they led us into a world destabilizing quagmire in Iraq? Have they gutted the Bill of Rights?
Sure, you can complain about one party rule around here, and I've noted it's downside myself. But that's hardly the equivelent of what has happened when the Republicans have seized all three branches of government and most of the federal courts.
And again, I find it utterly bizarre that you find it surprising that I favor Dems. Clearly you haven't been paying attention.
And just a reminder. This is NOT a newspaper. There's no requirement nor expectation that I be scrupulously balanced and not favor one side or the other.
I do try to be fair, but as far as my personal opinion goes, I'm not going to pretend to be non-partisan.
But that said, that doesn't mean that I automatically and in all cases support Dems simply because they're Dems.
I don't hesitate to be critical of Dems if I feel it's warrented. That's born out by the fact that I have more frothing, vicious, hateful Democrats attacking me BY FAR, than Republicans, even though I routinely support Democrats.
So if I support them, you think it's somehow bad, and if I'm critical of them, I have a gang of whacked out monkeys in full attack mode as well.
Frankly, it's ridiculous to try to please everyone.
I favor Dem policies and feel that the Republican "revolution" has been an utter disaster for the country, as is increasinly clear.
And I've NEVER pretended to be non-partisan, so I find it kind of strange that you'd bitch about it.
Who is this Barby that you speak of Dope? An imaginary friend that you have in your pocket.
anon 14:03.
I meant DemGorilla. Their comments were right next to each other in my program and I looked at the wrong name when writing my reply.
Forgive me.
What a shot to Boland. The paper's endorsement of Haring was glowing and the comments on Boland were telling about his lack of ability to get things done. 15 bills in 11 years. His cronyisms and his inability to work with others.
Can one more scandle be far away with this Boland guy. One more would knock Boland off of his feet. I feel that the Republicans will need one to beat him however.
My understanding is that Boland has recently caused himself more problems with the Democratic party. It will be interesting how these things will shake themselves out.
The Argus / Dispatch gave Haring their endorsement two years ago, so them endorsing Steve again isn't really any kind of surprise, it's barely worthy of comment.
The only time I can remember the Argus/Dispatch actually endorsing Mike Boland was in the '02 Primary, when his opponent was Cary Mirocha. The paper used to write glowingly about Boland when he was an activist, but they have never really given his work as as a legislator a fair shake.
Boland's made it this far without the paper's support, he's on his sixth term now. It's going to be a tough race, but I sure wouldn't bet against a 7th term for Mike.
The republicans have another pay for play scandle with this Boland guy. They have Boland bigfooting the paydayloan industry that will be the nail in the coffin for Boland.
Given so few people post here, one would think you would print whatever anyone says. What gives? Why runa blog that doesn't allow divergent points of view?
Anon 18:47
Divergent views (did you get that from your Word a Day calendar?) are no problem.
Dumb-ass comments are.
Your many juvenile comments, all of which are thrown in the trash instantly, are nothing but mental droppings from a sadly misguided and ignorant person with no point, no thought, and no sense.
And on top of it, you're a panty-wearing nancy who's too cowardly to contact me by e-mail where I could attempt to put you straight about your delusions.
On second thought, it probably wouldn't be worth the trouble.
Our little stalker has written back blasting me for expecting someone who wants to personally attack me to have the character and balls to contact me directly.
They sneer that it's wrong for someone who is anonymous to expect someone to write in with their "real" email address.
First of all, I get e-mail all the time. Hundreds. Have you ever seen me disclosing e-mail addressses?
Secondly, you don't have to use your "real" address. Go get a Hotmail or Yahoo address if you're paranoid.
Thirdly, the only people afraid to divulge their e-mails would be elected officials themselves afraid of being exposed as juvenile harrassers and petty power freaks.
Anyone else wouldn't give a damn if I knew their e-mail address. Who cares?
And lastly, what this person is too dim to figure out is that I'm not asking the person to do anything I've not done.
I've had my "real" e-mail address posted here since the day I started the blog. I'm not some baby afraid to allow people to contact me.
But these people who spend a disturbing amount of time sending in absoultely weird fantasies and accusations don't have the guts God gave a fly.
They're good at standing back and making up BS, but they're too chicken-shit to do so in a way which allows me to respond.
This isn't surprising, as all gutless bullies operate this way, but it's worth noting.
I can be reached any time of the day or night by dropping me an e-mail. But these cowards are afraid to let anyone respond.
They have no clue as far as anonymity on line goes, and think they're safe leaving comments but wouldn't be somehow if they sent e-mail. Idiots.
And again, this clearly indicates that it's likely a public official, as no one else would worry about revealing their e-mail.
I've gotten hundreds of e-mails, and not just from those who agree or support me, and they don't worry about their e-mail addresses, as well they shouldn't.
But this creep is extra paranoid. Wonder why?
Why not reveal your identity before someone else does?
First of all, what makes you think they will? They'd have to be world-class idiots to do so.
They'd have to prove it for starters, and I don't think they could.
Secondly, if they did so, it would look VERY bad on the obvious people behind it.
I'd have to trot out the long and detailed records of who has issued threats, who's hired private investigators, who's tried to buy me off, etc. etc.
I really would rather avoid having to do that. They've been bent on attack, I just want to do what I have a perfect right to do.
If they want to engage in cloak and dagger attempts to destroy an independent blogger for no other reason than they don't like my opinions, then they deserve to have the public judge them for it, in my opinion.
I think they'd be appalled that leaders actually behave like this.
To my little stalker who doesn't have the balls to allow me to talk to them one on one...
It's YOU that's paranoid if you're spending all your time spinning these elaborate theories of who you think I am. Do you sit in your basement with pictures and clippings all connected by different color yarn? I mean, my God, you've gone so far that if people knew the lengths you've gone to they'd think you were some scary pervert. And when it turns out that your little theories all fall apart, then how stupid will you look?
Frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would become that obsessed with finding out who writes a damn blog. Why the hell has this become the most important thing in your life? What kind of weirdo would let a simple blog put them over the deep end? And what does that say about you?
Yuk.
I'd be ashamed if I found myself trying to spook around to the extent you say you have putting goofy clues together to try to find out who a BLOGGER was, for God's sake.
Get a life for God's sake. Find someone else to obsess over.
To my little stalker who doesn't have the balls to allow me to talk to them one on one...
It's YOU that's paranoid if you're spending all your time spinning these elaborate theories of who you think I am. Do you sit in your basement with pictures and clippings all connected by different color yarn? I mean, my God, you've gone so far that if people knew the lengths you've gone to they'd think you were some scary pervert. And when it turns out that your little theories all fall apart, then how stupid will you look?
Frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would become that obsessed with finding out who writes a damn blog. Why the hell has this become the most important thing in your life? What kind of weirdo would let a simple blog put them over the deep end? And what does that say about you?
Yuk.
I'd be ashamed if I found myself trying to spook around to the extent you say you have putting goofy clues together to try to find out who a BLOGGER was, for God's sake.
Get a life. Find a more positive use of all your time. Or at least find someone else to obsess over.
You're creeping me out.
Rope..
First of all, thanks.
It's quite a shock to hear from someone actually seeing things from my perspective.
I don't get it either, and am truly baffled at why these people are so freaked out. (at least a dozen hate/threat comments in the last few days alone)
They say that it's "their" blog and I better hand it over or else.
As far as "Confessions", I beat you to it. I read it last year and REALLY found it interesting. As a matter of fact, I recommended it in a post at the time.
I hope it comes out who's been trying to threaten and buy off TID. I think the public would really love to know who would be such a thug that they'd try to push around someone who is doing nothing but writing their opinion and the truth.
Sure they don't like it, but tough stuff. They're in public life and that doesn't give them the right to try to dig up dirt on a blogger for pity's sake!
What's wrong with these thugs?
Did you really think you could live in a glass house and get away with throwing stones?
I can't wait to read Reeder's report!
If I was in your shoes, I would sell my blog before it becomes worthless.
Are you interested in selling you blog for $217, or not?
NO.
Is that you again Mike?
Politicians having hissy fits and trying to bully bloggers?
And they wonder why people wish they'd all get voted out.
What is with these people? Are they so power mad and egotistical that they simply have a freak out if anyone dares to not kiss their butt?
Whoever is harassing the Dope GROW UP.
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