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The host of a TV show recently asked me what I
thought could be done to bring Illinois Democratic leaders back from
“the brink of the abyss.”
Too late, I said. We’re already in the abyss
— and we’ve been there for a while. House Speaker Michael Madigan refuses to even be in
the same room with his Democratic counterparts, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and
Senate President Emil Jones. The last time Madigan showed up for a meeting,
he played “telephone” with Blagojevich, whispering his comments
intended for the governor to someone who was sitting between the two men.
Blagojevich replied through the same intermediary. Madigan abruptly left
the meeting when a Jones ally all but called him a racist.
Jones has welded himself to Blagojevich all year,
perhaps because his family’s finances have done so well recently. His
wife got a big promotion (after the rules were changed) and a major pay
boost. His son got a nice raise. His stepson scored tons of contracts.
Jones despises Madigan, believing he doesn’t get the respect he
deserves from His Royal Highness. Madigan has little respect for Jones, so
the bad feelings are mutual. Jones and Blagojevich have been fighting
Madigan shoulder to shoulder all year.
Blagojevich has been trying to knock Madigan off his
throne ever since the governor was elected in 2002. He stepped up his game
this year, to no avail. Madigan is probably more entrenched than ever. The
governor’s attacks merely served to rally Madigan’s House
Democratic members to his side. It doesn’t help the governor’s
cause that his job approval rating rivals President George W. Bush’s.
Opposing the governor has little downside, while supporting him could have
serious consequences, including with the U.S. Attorney, who is currently
combing through the governor’s little black book.
Nothing is getting done in Springfield purely because
of this gigantic, hateful clash of egos and agendas. The
“spring” legislative session was supposed to end on May 31. The
governor has ordered the General Assembly back to Springfield on Jan. 2 to
try to wrap things up, but I, for one, am not hopeful. We’re in the
abyss, remember? Illinois has forever been a “can-do”
state, so it’s difficult for many to believe that all hope is lost.
“Something” can always be done. Why not here? I was thinking about that very question when former
Gov. Jim Thompson phoned. Thompson had called to bust my chops about something
I had written on a proposal that he helped pass in Springfield. We merrily
traded insults back and forth, never taking anything personally. I whacked
him but good on his goofy idea to have the state buy Wrigley Field and
lease it back to whomever buys the Chicago Cubs. He upbraided me for
allowing my hatred of all things “Cub” to undermine my
judgment. We laughed and had a good ol’ time, hurling insults at each
other in the spirit of the holidays. And then it hit me. Thompson was one of the most can-do governors
we’ve ever had. Love him or hate him, he got things done. During his
final reelection campaign, after 10 years in office, he was endorsed by
both the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois AFL-CIO. He has a
knack for bringing people together, and he can charm the fangs off a
rattlesnake. Big Jim’s law firm represents
Blagojevich’s campaign fund, so he has a relationship there. Thompson
also chats regularly with Madigan and Jones. Both men still have respect
for the old man.
So, I asked Thompson if he could do something about
our immovable object meets irresistible force dilemma. Apparently, I wasn’t the first to make this
suggestion, and Thompson didn’t come out and say he’d do it,
but he did seem intrigued. We have no grownups running this show, and we
won’t get any for a long time. The next best thing might be to inject
an adult into the equation.
Rich Miller also
publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com.
This article appears in Dec 20-26, 2007.
