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Last year, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan
was able to use his alliance with the House and Senate Republicans to
thwart Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones at almost every
turn.
Whether it was the budget, or the governor’s
health insurance expansion, or one of a multitude of other issues, Madigan
and the Republicans were a solid team throughout the long overtime session.
This year, though, the Republicans have flipped on
Madigan, allying with Blagojevich and Jones on the $34 billion capital
construction package, funded by expanded casino gambling and by leasing the
Illinois Lottery to a private company.
A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation between
Madigan and Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson. Watson had come to the
House floor to lobby Madigan, yet again, on the capital bill, which would
dump tons of cash into roads, bridges, schools, and mass transit.
Nothing doing, Madigan said.
“I don’t know how anyone could ever trust
that guy,” he said of Blagojevich.
Watson and House Republican Leader Tom Cross
continued to stick with Blagojevich despite Madigan’s argument that
the governor will eventually double-cross them.
Right now, the only powerful political ally Madigan
has left is Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Daley has turned thumbs down on the capital package
because the price the city would have to pay for a casino license is way
higher than what Daley agreed to and the governor inserted language giving
himself control of all Chicago school-construction projects against
Daley’s wishes.
Madigan is under intense pressure from his allies in
organized labor and from many of his fellow Democrats to approve the
capital bill, but he has refused to budge — and, as long as Daley is
still not satisfied with the proposal, Madigan has more than enough
political protection.
Meanwhile, some of my best inside sources confirm
that Madigan’s daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, is now
leaning far more toward running for governor than she has in the past.
All of the above is why the semipublic mulling of a
2010 gubernatorial bid by Daley’s brother Bill is so interesting to
me. Bill Daley is testing the waters and gauging his support.
Speaker Madigan and Mayor Daley have argued and even
split in the past, but the two men go way back, and it’s practically
impossible to break them apart for long. Madigan views Richard J. Daley,
the mayor’s father, as his second dad. Madigan and Daley are more
than just political allies; they are almost like brothers. That means they
occasionally fight each other hard but usually end up on the same side.
However, Bill Daley is a “real” mayoral
brother. He’s an official member of the ruling family, not an
unofficial member like Madigan.
What I’m trying to say here is that Speaker
Madigan is facing a quite touchy situation. The possibility that the
brother of Madigan’s only remaining ally in this fight to the
political death with Blagojevich might end up on the opposite side of a
primary race with his daughter, or even that he will continue openly
mulling the decision for months, could very well complicate the
speaker’s near future.
Now, most believe that some sort of arrangement will
be worked out, but things could easily become complicated with a family
situation like this. A few kind words from Mayor Daley about the capital
plan, for instance, would send ripples throughout the state’s
political establishment and seriously undercut Speaker Madigan’s
position and possibly his daughter’s.
It can’t be said enough that Madigan cannot
afford to lose Mayor Daley right now, just as Blagojevich can’t
afford to lose his most powerful ally, Senate President Jones. Without
Daley, Madigan is friendless in his war with Blagojevich. Without Jones,
Blagojevich is in the same friendless position in his war with Madigan.
Rich Miller
publishes Capitol Fax, a daily
political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com.
This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2008.
