The [Monday] Papers

"Mitt Romney's vaunted organization nearly failed him in Illinois, where he only remained eligible for delegates on the ballot after a negotiated truce between his campaign and Rick Santorum's people," Politico reports.

"The problems stem from the campaign relying on Illinois state Treasurer Dan Rutherford. He struggled to acquire enough signatures to qualify for Romney's delegates and then had the statement of candidacy notarized out of state, which the Santorum campaign challenged despite having its own statement of candidacy notarized in Iowa."

Gee, you mean this Dan Rutherford?

"Had Santorum's campaign been successful with its challenge to Romney, the error could have led to disqualifying Romney from winning any of the state's delegates."

That's funny, in January, Sneed "reported" that "State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who is Romney's Illinois campaign chairman, tells Sneed he's wrapped up Romney's election petitions in a good luck charm. 'I bound them in the leather laces of my old work boots,' said Rutherford."

See also:
* Rutherford Slammed For Not Making Any Sense Whatsoever
* Rutherford Raises Political Profile Amid Missteps

Tricky Rick
"GOP presidential challenger Rick Santorum faced three tough questions from high school students Friday afternoon on his education, health care and economic policies," the Sun-Times reported.

"The questions he faced afterward from reporters at an Italian restaurant in suburban Chicago about the year he lived in Illinois seemed almost gentle by comparison."

Hey, Abdon Pallasch said it, not me!

Click through to see what they asked - and how Santorum sort of attempted to somehow try to answer.

The Smart Patrick
"In his bid for a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Patrick Daley Thompson is endorsed by House Speaker Michael Madigan, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City Council Finance Chairman Edward Burke, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and County Board Finance Committee Chairman John Daley - one of Thompson's uncles," the Tribune reports.

They must really be convinced the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District - the people who clean poop out of our water - needs Patrick Daley Thompson's expertise. Badly!

I'd just like to see any one of them asked which of Thompson's position on area sewage they like best.

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"It's ironic," Rahm said in a speech last fall. "I figured the one thing Republicans were really good at was inheriting things."

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Then he dined with Madigan, Burke and the Daleys. Preckwinkle couldn't make it because she was busy endorsing Joe and Toni Berrios.

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Speaking of Toni, an oldie but goodie:

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"Preckwinkle is also exerting her influence in the race to represent the 39th state house district, where incumbent Toni Berrios - daughter of Joe Berrios, the county assessor and Democratic Party chairman - is defending her seat against Will Guzzardi, a former journalist trying to inherit the mantle of north-side reformer," the Reader reports.

"Toni Berrios didn't respond to our calls. But Preckwinkle - another self-proclaimed reformer - says she's backing Toni Berrios because she's committed to helping women in politics."

Right. That sounds about as truthful as Preckwinkle's explanation in 2010 that she backed Joe Berrios for county assessor over Forrest Claypool because Joe was committed to helping minorities in politics.

"I will acknowledge that some of the people I'm supporting, I'm doing so because my friends have asked me to," Preckwinkle told the Reader.

After all, what are friends for?

See also: Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios And Daughter Face Election Challenges.

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Rahm doesn't want to say it too loudly - or out loud at all - but he too supports the Berrios clan. After all, they're reformers too!

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Joe Berrios is also the chairman of the Cook County Democrats. Michael Madigan is the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. Go Democrats!

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See also: Dems: Vote For Accused Bribe-Taker

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"Illinois' powerful House speaker and Democratic Party chairman will not say whether he thinks a lawmaker charged with bribery should step down just days before the election," the Tribune reports.

"'It's all under review,' spokesman Steve Brown said. He declined to elaborate when asked what that meant and said he didn't know whether Madigan would reach any conclusions before voters go to the polls."

We'll stand by!

How Michael Madigan Stymied Post-Blago Reform
For starters, he never called a campaign finance bill that a majority of the General Assembly supported.

Dorothy Brown's Bogus Outrage
E-mails and voice-mail message prove her wrong about e-filing pledge plan.

Chicago Cop Terminates First Amendment
"Fuck News Affairs!"

Robin Ventura's Quiet Storm
Does it translate to winning baseball?

Blackhawks' Head Games
Shrouding a concussion in mystery.

The Djinnis of Harlem Avenue
Rosebuds sway in a counterfeit breeze.

The Weekend in Chicago Rock
They played at a venue near you. And in Joliet.

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The Beachwood Tip Line: Ballot busting.

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