By Steve Rhodes
“Like many who do not plan to vote for either major party ticket, I have a preference as to which I’d rather see win (or, more accurately, which I want to lose more). I’m not oblivious to the differences between the two, or to the fact that the candidate I plan to vote for will not win. But perversely, because our system is biased against alternative candidates, I have the luxury of being able to vote for one,” writes Peter Orvetti at The Independent Political Report.
“To be more blunt, if you live in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, or Wyoming, you can vote for whoever the heck you want to – each is leaning so heavily to either McCain or Obama that you are free to vote your conscience.”
I pretty much subscribe to this view.
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(h/t: Capitol Fax Blog for the link)
Nay Jay
“Discussions between former Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti and Tribune Co. about a possible role at the media company have ended, Mariotti said late Tuesday,” the Tribune reports.
“He said lawyers from the Sun-Times threatened to sue if he joined the company, claiming a jump to the competing news outlet would violate a non-compete agreement.”
As pointed out to me by a faithful reader this morning, you’d think the Sun-Times would be thrilled to have Mariotti join the Tribune given that they spilled so much ink describing what a cancerous buffoon and lousy journalist he was after he jumped ship.
CTA Day
CTA Tattler is planning its second “Coffee With Ron” this weekend.
Plus, chicken bones.
Bank Shot
“[T]he Commission on Chicago Landmarks will be holding a public hearing on Wednesday, September 17th on the proposed designation of the North Federal Savings and Loan Bank, now Diamond Bank, at North Avenue and Clark Street,” Lynn Becker notes.
“The structure was one of a group of sixteen bank buildings proposed for landmarking last year. It is the only modernist design among the group, and the fact that only now is a public hearing being held would indicate that the designation is meeting resistance.”
Only In Crook County
A lawyer who defended the county against patronage allegations has just been named the inspector general charged with weeding out patronage.
Luke’s Force
“The last thing I want to do is appear not qualified, to appear that it was just a nepotism hire, to appear that everything was just handed to [me],” Luke Russert says in an AP report appearing in today’s Tribune.
Not to worry, Luke – it’s the first thing you appear.
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Does NBC have an inspector general?
Historical Hysteria
“David Axelrod, Barack Obama’s chief strategist, said Sunday that John McCain is running the ‘sleaziest and least honorable campaign in modern presidential campaign history.’ It was a line trotted out all weekend by various Obama staffers as part of an effort to portray the Republican nominee as a purveyor of the slimiest tactics in recent memory,” Politico reports.
“Yet presidential historians and political scientists interviewed by Politico scoffed at the notion, suggesting McCain’s approach is no harsher than those used in previous modern campaigns and certainly not by comparison to many historic campaigns.”
Hillaryland
“Hillary Clinton said in an interview this morning that it was possible to be enthusiastic about Sarah Palin’s historic candidacy without supporting the Republican ticket,” Politico reports.
“‘People are missing the boat here,’ Clinton said on ABC’s Good Morning America. ‘I don’t think that it’s inconsistent for a lot people to say, Well hey, that’s exciting, what an exciting pick, and still say, But that’s not the ticket for me and my family.'”
Man With Red Tube
On a Chicago street.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Definitely.
Posted on September 17, 2008