Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Updated Nov. 17 at 1:30 pm
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House-cleaning, Illinois GOP style:

"[Andy] McKenna, Jr. reportedly has agreed to keep on the current IL GOP staff if he were to become party chairman." Illinois Leader, Chicago Leader Bureau, Nov. 17
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One of the few times I will quote the French, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Well, that certainly sounds like a real housecleaning, a real change. First, they keep on the current IL GOP staff. Second, they look at their current "vendor," and contract lists, and they keep those the same. Third, they look at how they distribute funds and to whom, and they keep that the same. Fourth, they keep everything as bland as bland can be- make sure there is never any discussion or statement of core ideas around which the State GOP rallies. Fifth, they make sure Chairman Topinka goes to the Bush Inauguration as Chairman Topinka, because she has earned it-- "pure Hell, the last two years, boys, pure Hell." And God forbid, she would have to pay for something herself- "For God's sake, guys, I am an Illinois Republican official, get real." Sixth, Chairman Topinka gets a new position as the ad hoc, ex-officio adviser to the State GOP for life [Pro-life, after all?], with weekly status reports from Chairman McKenna. Seventh, all the IL GOP staff can stay in their current positions for the rest of their lives, receive license plates with nifty single or double digit numbers or receive a 200K severance payment, whichever they prefer and finally, Eighth, George Ryan will be pardoned by President Bush prior to trial [and then knighted by the Queen of England, whoever holds that title at that time].

As Corinne Wood said recently..."I think the real question is who would be the better reformer? Who is going to rebuild, roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, if you will-- and clean house." [Public Affairs, airing this week in the suburbs and in the City of Chicago next Monday night, See Blog entries, below, dated Nov. 17 at 12:15 am; Nov. 16 at 5:40 pm].
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Some start to house cleaning! Keep everybody in place. How do you spell reform, Andy McKenna, Jr.? That's an easy one, Jeff. S-T-A-T-U-S Q-U-O.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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