Call for Lieutenant Candidates

Now that the Illinois Democrats gave Scott Lee Cohen the hook, they are short one candidate at the top of the ticket. Those LakeCountyEye Operatives who aspire to be our next Lieutenant Governor can now apply from the comfort and safety of their partially finished basements. According to the Daily Herald ...

State party chairman Michael Madigan said Friday the state central committee wants to hear from people interested in running for the No. 2 post with Gov. Pat Quinn in the fall election. People may provide information about their qualifications on the party's Web site.
Ill. Democrats looking for new candidate

If Ops are wondering -- which website? -- Michael Madigan either did not know or did not say. The Herald did not bother to find out either. Your LakeCountyEye is nothing if not a VAB -- a value-added blog -- and did take the trouble to look it up. Go to ...

Democratic Party of Illinois Lieutenant Governor Nomination

And download the application form ...

Download the form in .doc format

Then fill out the form and return it to ...

contact@ildems.com

Your LakeCountyEye has completed a sample form for your reference ...

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Nomination

This sample application has already been submitted to the Illinois Democrats on behalf of Ms Princess Nudelman. Your LakeCountyEye assisted with her form because Ms Nudelman lacks opposable thumbs. (Operatives may recall your LakeCountyEye assisted in seeing Ms Nudelman was properly registered to vote in Lake County for the 2008 election.)

Operatives are asked not to submit the sample, but to please complete their own applications. Operatives are also asked not to solicit assistance from your LakeCountyEye. Even those Operatives lacking opposable thumbs. Operatives are instead encouraged to submit application forms on their own behalf, and on behalf of their friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers. Remember, the more you play the more chances you have to win!

Walsh in the Wash

Tea Party candidate for the Eighth Congressional District, Joe Walsh wasted no time after his Feb 2 upset primary win. Walsh was spotted three days later at a National Tea Party Convention thanking his supporters.

Republican candidate for the 8th Congressional District Joe Walsh said that he planned to continue his campaign the way he did in the primary –as the "Tea Party candidate." Walsh backed it up by speaking Friday at the Tea Party convention in Nashville. "Everybody has been asking me, 'Are you going to be the Tea Party candidate in the general [election]?'" he said before delivering his speech. "My answer is yes, because this is not about party."
Joe Walsh: I'm still the Tea Party candidate

And three weeks later, your LakeCountyEye finds the Walsh campaign still fishing for earned media. Already a stunt double for semi-retired guitar band the Eagles, it seems that Walsh is now performing his own, stunts.

Watch Joe Walsh Jump in The Fox Lake!
Taking a break from his own campaign fund-raising, Joe Walsh, Republican candidate for Congress in the Illinois 8th, will be participating this Sunday in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge Charity Event to raise funds for the Special Olympics.
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Time: 1:00pm
Place: Lakefront Park, Nippersink Boulevard, Fox Lake
8th District: Joe Walsh Jumps in Fox Lake

Your LakeCountyEye suspects that Walsh is writing his own press releases as well. This observation is based on Daily Herald reports that Walsh has seen two campaign managers quit; a third is suing Walsh for $20,000 for unpaid wages; and Walsh currently has $7000 in the bank.

Two staffers leave Walsh's House campaign

Earned media is a poor substitute for campaign cash, particularly if that earned media involves jumping in Fox Lake, in February. The Special Olympics are certainly a worthy charity to support; however by this time of the year a polar bear plunge is already an, erm, overexposed attention getter. Expect a tepid response at best. Your LakeCountyEye would be surprised to see a reporter, or even an unemployed blogger there. Well maybe one from McHenry county.

Of course politics is the art of the possible. If the schedule has you jumping in Fox Lake, your LakeCountyEye recommends taking a tip from the professionals -- the professional entertainers. Like they did on the Tonight Show -- back when Steve Allen was the host. One show your LakeCountyEye recalls, Allen dove into a giant teacup while wearing teabags.

STEVE ALLEN: Another time, they covered me with about 100 little tea bags. I jumped into a big thing of hot water.
LARRY KING: So that was pre-Letterman.
STEVE ALLEN: Yes, right.
A Look Back at Steve Allen in His Own Words

One suit of teabags -- now fabled in story and song. It's still being talked about. And imitated.

Candidates do a lot of things for attention, like parades or jumping into lakes. But an opportunity like this comes along once every election -- if you're lucky. Your LakeCountyEye estimates that a teabag costume would set a campaign back about $40. Just sayin!

Teabag Costume

Now there's something your LakeCountyEye would pay to see!

C-Notes for Keynotes

April 15 is fast approaching, which means it is that time when LakeCountyEye operatives will be reaching for their checkbooks. No, not for the IRS -- all LakeCountyEye Ops are unemployed bloggers. April 15 is the annual Lake County Republican Federation Spring Dinner. Actually it's scheduled on April 16 this year. Likely attendees are expected to be attending some tax protest or other, come April 15.

The Daily Herald has the details ...

Minnesota governor to speak

Your LakeCountyEye has confirmed that the keynote will be delivered by the Governor of Minnesota. Those looking forward to seeing some WWE smackdown action, however, will be disappointed. Jesse Ventura has not been the Governor of Minnesota since 2003. The current governor is Rick Tim Pawlenty. For those who don't recognize the name, Pawlenty is basically Bobby Jindal plus a parka. Pawlenty was last spotted talking like a toughguy at the CPAC convention. The strategy netted him a solid 6% for fourth place in the CPAC straw poll.

Last year, Ops will recall, the dinner was keynoted by South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Those looking forward this year to seeing some Argentine Backbreaker action will be disappointed.

Pawlenty was not the Federation's first choice. Your LakeCountyEye has learned that no fewer than 10 other speakers were first invited. As these things go and needless to say, they will not be keynoting the dinner for a variety of reasons. For those who have a need to know what might have been, your LakeCountyEye can divulge the whos and the howcomes ...

Ten Other Keynote Speakers Invited to the 2010 Lake County Republican Federation Spring Dinner

Gov. Mark Sanford Dealbreaker: Hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Ex-Gov. Sarah Palin Dealbreaker: $100,000. Up front. Cash. 'Nuff said.

Alan Keyes Dealbreaker: Too liberal.

Cong. Mark Kirk Dealbreaker: Too fickle.

Princess Nudelman Dealbreaker: Demanding Lake Michigan water.

State Sen. Dan Duffy Dealbreaker: Caught at a red light.

Goodin Pawlenty Dealbreaker: Directory assistance incorrectly gave number to Pawlenty cousin.

Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich Dealbreaker: Taping new Fox Series: I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of this Prison!

Scott Lee Cohen Dealbreaker: Originally accepted the invitation; then officially dropped out.

Glenn Beck Dealbreaker: Audition video fail.

Tickets are only $100 -- contact Dan Venturi c/o JoAnn Osmond's legislative office. Better hurry, they are disappearing fast.

Red Lights for Greenbacks

It's lights out for State Senator Dan Duffy's plan to flip the switch on Illinois's red light cameras. Duffy's bill, SB2466, would have outright banned the familiar red light cameras from all but a few traffic intersections. But SB2466 has for all intents and purposes been tabled, having been sent to an ad hoc Transportation Subcommittee with a promise the subcommittee would take "genuine action". According to the Daily Herald ...

Traditionally, sending legislation to a subcommittee that would never meet was a way to kill legislation without ever taking a vote.
Red-light camera debate delayed

Anyone reading the LakeCountyChai tealeaves knows that Duffy's bill had to be killed for the simple reason that fines levied by red light cameras are the only source of revenue currently funding State of Illinois day to day operations. Illinois has found itself in this unusual and precarious state of affairs on account of opportunistic politicians who have gotten themselves elected by sweet talking their electorate with promises of draconian tax cuts.

Were this red light revenue stream to dry up, Springfield would not be able to pay its bills. As your LakeCountyEye reported this week ...

Q the Eye/02.14.10

Illinois State government would shut down, nonessential services like libraries would be shuttered, while legislators would be evicted from their lavish State of Illinois subsidized district offices and have to go home. The Daily Herald underscored this very nightmare scenario when it reported that the State of Illinois, as of last October, has not paid rent on Duffy's spacious Barrington digs.

State senator threatened with eviction from Barrington office

Coincidentally it was last October that Duffy originally filed SB2466:

VEH CD-AUTOMATED TRAFFIC LAW

Of course where some see a coincidence, those with the LakeCountyEye of discernment see a red flag.

Books in the Balance

Founding Father Ben Franklin in his infinite wisdom knew the value of an informed electorate, so it should be no surprise that it was Franklin who invented the first public lending library. Lake County has its share ...

Lake County Public Libraries

about 20 by your LakeCountyEye's count. Figuring the county population at 800,000, that works out to more or less a 1/40000 part of a library for every man, woman and child. That's maybe one square foot per reader. Thankfully our libraries are seldom if ever used -- mostly by pockets of Harvard bound middle-school overachievers.

Which goes a long way toward explaining why your library is on the brink of filing for Chapter 11 protection ...

Meeting doesn't ease librarians' angst over state budget woes

If one reads between the lines of the Daily Herald story, your librarians are seeing red ink because of politicians who like to talk tough about cutting taxes but don't want to find ways to pay for services you take for granted and rely on. Like your public library.

What to do now that State of Illinois library grants are all drying up? One Rep mentioned in the Herald story had some creative ideas for addressing this crisis:

State Rep. Eddie Washington, a Waukegan Democrat, proposed two novel fundraising ideas: a scratch-off lottery game and special license places that would support libraries.

Your LakeCountyEye, nothing if not an aficionado of novel fundraising ideas, polled some other lawmakers for their suggestions. Here are their ten best ideas for painlessly generating some new revenue for the local libraries:

Ten New Revenue Sources for Illinois Libraries

1. Hire Dog the Bounty Hunter to collect on overdue books.



2. Two words: Video Poker



3. Buy inexpensive paperbacks instead of expensive hardbacks. Used.



4. (a) Petition IDOT to place traffic lights in front of libraries.
   (b) Petition IDOT to install Red Light Cameras.



5. Have bookmobile carpool with bloodmobile.



6. Downgrade from Dewey Decimal System to less expensive Dewey Integer System.



7. Sell library parking lots to Chicago Parking Meters LLC.



8. Convert from non-renewable, coal burning heating systems to renewable, paper burning heating systems.



9. Do like the Internet bloggers do -- charge five dollars a word.



10. Outsource to Taiwan.

别忘了，是图书馆二月情人月！
(Don't forget, February is Library Lovers' Month!)

Q the Eye/02.14.10

Dear LakeCountyEye,

Help! I'm being thrown out of my government subsidized housing in Barrington.

Eviction of Circumstance

Dear Thrown Out on Your Duff,

Your LakeCountyEye feels your pain knowing the ignominy of being unceremoniously tossed out of one's crib. The check was in the mail, your LakeCountyEye swears! But, with the State budget 13 trillion dollars in debt, the less fortunate ones among us living off Springfield's largess will have to, for the foreseeable future, tighten the onions on their belts. The State of Illinois, no different that any governing entity, is in a hole because its voters like it when they are provided goods and services but don't like to pay for them.

Voters are in this ungovernable mood because their elected leaders encourage it:

Dan Duffy is the new leader Lake County needs. Dan has built a successful business and understands that more government "tax and spend" programs are not an effective solution for the economy or individual empowerment.
Willard Helander, Lake County Clerk

In short, I support Dan Duffy because he knows a better job, not a bigger government, is the way to provide good things for Illinois citizens.
Ed Sullivan, Mundelein Trustee

It's tough talk like that this that puts the elected in elected-leader. Of course these same tough talking leaders are feign to show any leadership when it comes to deciding which entitlements get cut, or how revenue is raised. The only revenue generating programs we've gotten so far are video poker & red light cameras.

Pass the buck like this enough times and sooner or later the State of Illinois will not be able to pay its bills. Which is exactly what one State Senator, who has gotten to like his government subsidy, found out the hard way. According to the Daily Herald, the State Senator (who will remain nameless by your LakeCountyEye) is being evicted from his government office for non-payment of rent. The landlord ...

sent a notice to Duffy's office Wednesday demanding substantial payment if basic services are to continue for his third-floor space on Main Street. The document states there may be "consequences" for Duffy, who received an eviction notice in June, if at least partial payment on four months of back rent is not made soon. "If this guy evicts me, I'll completely understand and move," said Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican. "He's completely getting the shaft by the state of Illinois."
State senator threatened with eviction from Barrington office

Barrington & Main St & 3rd Floor? Way to go, Senator! Of course the Senator is well within his rights to blame his problems all on his dead-beat employer. But this is the same Senator who thinks that business, not government, holds the key to solving all our problems. Since this Senator is a successful entrepreneur, your LakeCountyEye wonders why he doesn't locate his government office on the premises of his business. This is a solution that has worked out well for JoAnn Osmond all these years. Just sayin!

So even though your LakeCountyEye feels your eviction pain, there isn't much spare room to share with your LakeCountyEye, down in the parental unit's basement. The solution to your problem is simple -- get a job. Your State Senator is a job-creating businessman and no doubt will be happy to accommodate. He may be in need of someone to answer the phone in his relocated government office.

If you are an elected official, or a previously elected official, or just a private citizen under indictment, send your political questions to Q the Eye c/o ... LakeCountyEye@gMail.com

Quinn, Place or Show?

Your LakeCountyEye thinks the next MegaMillions prize on offer should be Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Don't laugh oh operatives of little faith. The Illinois deficit is $13 billion. Your LakeCountyEye calculates that at a buck a ticket there are at least that many people who have shown an interest in being Pat Quinn's running mate. As a bonus, the laws of blind chance deem it a virtual certainty that the lucky winner will be better qualified than Scott Lee Cohen was. A win-win for everyone -- put your LakeCountyEye down for a sawbuck!

Of course, your LakeCountyEye is not writing this post with the goal of making light of the office of the Illinois Lieutenant Governor. Instead, your LakeCountyEye intends to get down to the serious work of handicapping the field. Scott Lee Cohen put the Surprise! back in the Democratic Party. So count on the Democratic honchos picking a well-known party insider to replace him. There are a couple dozen possible nominee names being bandied'bout the blogosphere. Which of these are the best candidates? Your LakeCountyEye couldn't care less. Who is the likely nominee? Well, let's make book!

100000 to 1
	Contender	Richard Daley
	Stats	Mayor of Chicago, 67
	Plus	Would bring Olympics to Illinois
	Minus	Oh as if he even returns Quinn's calls
	Book	Good for delivering 3 or 4 million votes
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

50000 to 1
	Contender	Roland Burris
	Stats	US Senator, 72
	Plus	Born for the part
	Minus	No room for Lieutenant Governor on tombstone
	Book	Good for delivering 3 or 4 votes
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

1000000 to 1
	Contender	Rod Blagojevich
	Stats	Ousted Governor, 53
	Plus	Impeachment insurance for Quinn
	Minus	Making license plates will eat into Lt Governor job time
	Book	Adds diversity to a follicly challenged ticket
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

1000 to 1
	Contender	Scott Lee Cohen
	Stats	Former Lieutenant Governor Nominee, 44
	Plus	Name Recognition
	Minus	Total Asshat
	Book	Hasn't filed the withdrawal papers yet
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

∞ to 1
	Contender	Alan Keyes
	Stats	Former US Senate Candidate, 59
	Plus	Will work for any camera
	Minus	A loon
	Book	Playa brings conservative street cred to the ticket
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

10000 to 1
	Contender	Glenn Poshard
	Stats	President of Southern Illinois University, 64
	Plus	1998 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate
	Minus	Glenn Who?
	Book	Bubba brings conservative street cred to the ticket
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

500000 to 1
	Contender	Jack Ryan
	Stats	Former US Senate Candidate, 50
	Plus	Took on Obama (101 days)
	Minus	Republican named Ryan
	Book	Ex-spouse good for delivering Trekkie vote
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

5000 to 1
	Contender	Terry Link
	Stats	State Senator, 62
	Plus	Golfs with Obama
	Minus	Voters couldn't tell Link apart from Quinn in a smoke-free room
	Book	Good for delivering 40% of Lake County vote
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

even money
	Contender	Pat Quinn
	Stats	Illinois Governor, 61
	Plus	No on the job training necessary
	Minus	Increase in salary overtime might bust the budget
	Book	Adds nothing to the ticket
		Cast Your Ballot! Place Your Bet!

10000000 to 1
	Contender	Sarah Palin
	Stats	2012 Presidential Nominee, 46
	Plus	Pledges not to quit halfway
	Minus	Pledges not to quit halfway
	Book	Savvy gender pick good for delivering feminist vote
		Cast Your Ballot! Place You Betcha!

LakeCountyEye Operatives are asked to hand-deliver their wagers votes in an unmarked envelope. Representatives of law enforcement agencies are not eligible. Your LakeCountyEye can be contacted at your nearest video-poker boutique.

Lake County Eye Sees a Unicorn: A Township Lowers Taxes!

This PSA came in over the transom from the management at Avon Township. A message from Avon Township Supervisor Sam Yingling:


Supervisor Sam Yingling
discusses the Township's
Tax Levy Reduction

You heard right. Avon Township is LOWERING its tax levy. When is the last time that happened in Lake County? Lessee: never? Is it possible that Yingling will keep this astonishing promise? Do unicorns fly? Lake County Eye will be watching for further developments or further flying YouTubes.

Get a Job!

Running perilously low on stockpiles of peanutbutter & Sterno, your LakeCountyEye deemed it necessary to doff the flannel pajamas and don the the corporate monkeysuit to attend the nearest Scott Lee Cohen Job Fair. Your LakeCountyEye, a firm exponent of the opacity of hope, however must admit being a tad disappointed. Quite frankly, the pickings for job seekers are slim. (No surprise given that Lake County has been ravaged by triple digit unemployment.) A representative sample of positions now available:

Scott Lee Cohen Job Fair -- Job Openings Massage Therapist Pawnbroker Divorce Attorney Personal Injury Attorney Bail Bondsman Bounty Hunter Carny Barker Scott Lee Cohen Job Fair Barker LakeCountyEye Operative Lieutenant Governor

The job openings seemed to skew in the direction of the criminal justice sector. No surprise for your LakeCountyEye, given that unemployment numbers are often correlated with crime statistics. One position at the bottom of the job card did catch your LakeCountyEye's interest. Your LakeCountyEye headed immediately to the Hall-of-Featherbed-Jobs to inquire about Lieutenant Governor.

No surprise, the Lieutenant Governor queue stretched all the way from the Hall-of-Featherbed-Jobs through the Parlor-of-Patronage-Jobs to the Diorama-of-Dirty-Jobs-but-Someone-has-to-Do-Them. This was easily the longest line at the Fair.

In fact it is so jammed with unappointed office seekers that your LakeCountyEye is still standing at the wrong end of a long file, and will be liveblogging this post thru the foreseeable future. While your LakeCountyEye waits for an eyeball-to-eyeball interview, here are some comments overheard while waiting in line:

10 Things Overheard at the Lieutenant Governor Job Interview Line Is this the line to the men's room? Why, yes it is, Mr Keyes. 18 weeks vacation?! The Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor gets 21 weeks! Yeah, I heard about this job, too, from CraigsList. Hey Senator Link, no fair cutting to the front! The same goes for you too, Senator Burris! I hear there's still one opening left for Governor. Over in the Republican aisle. Thanks for the tip, Mr McKenna. Is this an AFSCME hire? Uh oh, that's Art Turner doing the interviews.

Well that was quick, your LakeCountyEye is up next. It's always best to to go over the paperwork before the job interview.

• Photo ID -- check
• FOID -- check
• PERC Card -- check
• Green Card -- check
• Divorce Papers -- check
• Arrest Record -- check

Wish your LakeCountyEye luck!

Scott Lee Cohen, Requiem in Pacem

Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo Where are your legs that used to run When you went for to carry a gun Indeed your dancing days are done Oh Scott Lee, we hardly knew ye. Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye

Scott Lee Cohen 2010-2010

Cohen, Cohen, Gone?

Candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Scott Lee Cohen, did well in Lake County adding 9000 votes to his bottomline. This represented 29% of the Lake County vote, a couple points better than his winning 26% statewide margin. Cohen's message of free-jobs-for-everyone seemed to resonate well up here in a county decimated by triple digit unemployment numbers. But Cohen's Lake County election takehome was not good enough to beat Terry Link, who dominated in the county with 42%. If Lake County sentimental favorite Link had been able to sustain that 42% statewide, then -- well who is your LakeCountyEye kidding? Did Link really think a southern Illinois strategy would get him over the top? By campaigning in Pekin Illinois? Sure, a southern strategy worked for Nixon. But your LakeCountyEye knew Dick Nixon. Worked with Dick Nixon. Terry Link is no Dick Nixon.

Going into the election, Scott Lee Cohen's claim to fame had been an Impeach Rod Blagojevich website ...

RodMustResign.com

The cruel irony being that Blagojevich now has a website demanding Cohen's resignation. 

Yeppers, Mr Cohen obviously did not stop to think that whole Lieutenant Governor project through. For LakeCountyEye operatives who have been buried in the witness protection program the past week, the Daily Herald has the LOL details ...

Quinn hints at replacement for running mate

LakeCountyEye operatives are in contact with Scott Lee Cohen and report the rumors are true that Cohen is looking for a face-saving way drop out. Cohen is actually weighing a variety of options. Your LakeCountyEye has seen some of them and compiled the best here. Below are 10 reasons that Scott Lee Cohen is considering for dropping out of the Lieutenant Governor's race:

Scott Lee Cohen's 10 Reasons Under Consideration for Stepping Out of the Lieutenant Governor's Race 1) I want to spend more time with my wife and children. 2) I want to spend more time with my massage therapist. 3) I've just been informed January 29 is not Annual-Impeach-the-Governor Day. 4) I got a better job. At a Scott Lee Cohen job fair. 5) Someone pawned my Illinois Certificate of Election. 6) Democrats need diversity to balance out the top of the ticket. Let's give it up for my replacement, Alan Keyes. 7) The Illinois constitution does not permit a sitting Lieutenant Governor to participate in the witness protection program. 8) The Democratic leadership have given me a number of reasons. 2 million reasons to be exact. 9) Who the hell wants to live in Springfield? 10) I'm a total asshat.

LakeCountyEye operatives have been asked to vote for the best reason above and forward their results to Mr Cohen: ScottMustResign.com

Primary 2010: Tempest in a Teabag

A Tea-storm thundered thru the area on Tuesday, leaving behind a debris trail of lifeless yardsigns with nothing left to signify other than the demise of too many political careers. That Tea-storm was the primary election -- fueled by an insurrection of a merciless few voters willing to brave the elements to cast down their ballots of doom and destruction. The visible spoils of their carnage: red/white/blue Proud to Vote stickers, prominently displayed like war-scalps of vanquished enemies.

All of which means, LakeCountyEye operatives, it's time for the post-mortem -- Illinois Primary, version 2010!

There were some big Winners/Losers this time around:

	Big Winner	Big Loser	Contest
	Tom Morrison	Suzie Bassi	54th Legislative
	Robert Dold	Elizabeth Coulson	10th Congress
	Joe Walsh	Maria Rodriguez	8th Congress
	Ryan Higgins	Anita Forte-Scott	56th Legislative
	Dan Sugrue	Cynthia Hebda	59th Legislative

These candidates all fit an electoral pattern of sorts your LakeCountyEye had noticed this cycle. There were a lot of primary contests that paired a conservative male outsider against a moderate female insider. For those keeping score it seems like the conservative males ran the table ...

Male + Conservative + Outsider = 5
Female + Moderate + Insider = 0

Well almost. There were some female candidates who survived their primaries:

	Winner	Loser	Contest
	Sandy Cole	Paul Mitchell	62nd Legislative
	Carol Sente	Elliott Hartstein	59th Legislative

Leveling the score a bit down to ...

Male + Conservative + Outsider = 5
Female + Moderate + Insider = 2

Suzie Bassi is/was a sitting State Rep. Anita Forte-Scott and Cynthia Hebda were Republican machine picks. But two of these upsets were, well, upsets -- the two Congressional races. Your LakeCountyEye expected to see the congressional female machine recruits -- Elizabeth Coulson & Maria Rodriguez -- representing the GOP in November. These calls were slam dunks, people -- TeamAmerica even endorsed Coulson over sentimental favorite Robert Dold. Now, post election, TA is channelling his inner Glenn Beck ...

Okay, nitwit. I will be supporting Dold in the fall, despite people like you that simply want to gloat. If this blog isn't good enough for you, please go start your own.
Congratulations to Our GOP Winners: Kirk, Dold, Sugrue, Cole; Gov Still Uncertain

Tina Fey could learn a thing or two from TA!

There are theories being tossed around to explain these upset victories. But your LakeCountyEye attributes the success of Joe Walsh & Robert Dold to all the earned media they accrued from being featured on -- this blog: your LakeCountyEye

Google "joe walsh" site:lakecountyeye.blogspot.com

Google "robert dold" site:lakecountyeye.blogspot.com

And when the writein numbers are all counted, don't be surprised if LakeCountyEye favorite son Jonathan Farnick doubles, triples, quadruples, even, expectations.

Google "jonathan farnick" site:lakecountyeye.blogspot.com

According to your LakeCountyEye tally-sheet, a single mention on the LakeCountyEye is good for a hundred votes. A picture wins your candidate an additional five hundred. A feature post is worth a thousand ballots cast your way. Campaign staff may contact the LakeCountyEye sales department for a rate card.

Conventional wisdom says the record low poll turnout was a factor this primary. Most Illinois voters probably either forgot or never knew their primary is now in February. And speaking of February, who in their right mind wants to even think about voting in February? All things being equal, your LakeCountyEye would rather be in the Seyechelle Islands right about now.

So who's left to vote? Well for starters, anyone who can't afford that Seyechelle ocean condo. Tea-partiers, mostly, according to LakeCountyEye poll-watchers. Folks who say things like ...

I want my country back!

Which is code for ...

I don't have a job, the economy is in the toilet, but I can't admit I voted for the ass-clown who got us all here. Twice.

Angry and nowhere to go but to the voting booth. Anyone willing to take on the early February snows to vote in a primary is likely to be someone on a mission. And incumbents typically are not among those to inspire missionary fervor. Candidates who were able to tap into that tea-party anger did well for themselves.

The primary was moved up to February to give Obama his advantage in 2008. Sober, skeptical minds think otherwise -- pulling the primary six weeks up in the calendar was for nothing but incumbent re-election insurance. With only a month of actual time to campaign, challengers would be at a disadvantage. In theory, at least. However scheduling the primary on a snowy Feb 2 all but insured a record low turnout. And low turnouts work against incumbents -- incumbents count on their margin of victory to come from that 33% middle pool of casual uninformed voters. Challengers who can get out the vote can make a low turnout election work to their advantage.

And things didn't turn out quite a planned for Primary ver. 2010. The machine caught a monkeywrench Feb 2. And it's looking to be a long hot summer. Will cooler winds prevail in the fall or will the gales of November come early? The magic crystal ball predicts Wait and See.

Test Your Political Eye Q

Our Founding Fathers in their infinite wisdom & foresight rightly knew that a well informed electorate is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy.

I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.
Thomas Jefferson

And at no time is a well informed electorate more critical than during an election. Our primary election is tomorrow, Feb 2. To help ensure that the Lake County electorate is an informed Lake County electorate, your LakeCountyEye has compiled a quiz to test your knowledge of where the candidates stand. The the quiz has 10 questions -- you are asked to match a recent quote with the candidate who said it. The quiz is intended to both inform as well as test your political Eye Q. (For the record, this is nothing at all like an Internet Top 10 List. Totally different.) Answers are at the bottom -- no peeking! You will be timed. Begin now ...

Match the quote ... Tom Cross lied -- and on that I am sticking to my guns. Where do I sign? There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says: Throw me under the bus, shame on ... shame on you. Throw me ... throw some money at it. Is the camera rolling? May we put you down for a hundred, Sen. Bond? Take it to the bank! Remember, in Chicago Punch 19 for Rickey Hendon. Punch 19 for Rickey Hendon. We're polling very well in Lincoln County. Say, aren't you that banjoplayer fellow from Deliverance?

With the candidate ... Carol Sente • Democrat 59th IL Representative District Cynthia Hebda • Republican 59th IL Representative District Robert Dold • Republican Tenth Congressional District Joe Walsh • Republican Eighth Congressional District Linda Pedersen • Republican District 1 Lake County Commissioner Melissa Bean • Democrat Eighth Congressional District Matt Murphy • Republican Lieutenant Governor Susan Garrett • Democrat 29th IL Senate District Terry Link • Democrat Lieutenant Governor Mark Kirk • Republican US Senate

Smile, the LakeCountyEye red-light camera has caught you peeking at the answer key! Carol Sente Tom Cross lied -- and on that I am sticking to my guns. NRA confirms Sente is not a member Cynthia Hebda Where do I sign? State court says Hebda votes should count Robert Dold There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says: Throw me under the bus, shame on ... shame on you. Throw me ... throw some money at it. Dold bus involved in crash, one hurt, candidate not aboard Joe Walsh Is the camera rolling? Walsh to Walsh: Just 'Walk Away' Linda Pedersen May we put you down for a hundred, Sen. Bond? Ethics complaint filed against Lake County's Linda Pedersen Melissa Bean Take it to the bank! Rep. Melissa Bean bucks Obama administration on financial reform legislation Matt Murphy Remember, in Chicago Punch 19 for Rickey Hendon. Hey, Rickey, you're so fine, your commercials blow my mind Susan Garrett Punch 19 for Rickey Hendon. Pay raise feud gets personal Terry Link We're polling very well in Lincoln County. Candidates meet voters at SBA forum Mark Kirk Say, aren't you that banjoplayer fellow from Deliverance? Kirk on Downstate swing

LakeCountyEye operatives are asked to take their completed quiz to their nearest polling station on Tuesday. An election judge will be on hand to issue a grade. Winners are to be awarded their choice from a lovely assortment selection of ballots.

Democratic Republican Green Tea