Election Musings

We're well into the 2006 election season and the political commercials are in heavy rotation. Just a few observations and amplifications:

Aaron Schock - Please, the next time you film a television campaign commercial, please shave with a sharper razor. The faint, 5 o'clock shadow you have in current ads do not make you look more older and distinguished. It make you look more like a slob.

Blagojevich vs. Topinka - The mudslinging is heaviest here. Blago started last spring from the get go. Most politicians start mudslinging when they feel threatened.

In one of the Blagojevich ads, it claims that Topinka wants to cut health care spending to somewhere around $2.5 billion (if I remember correctly) and would hurt nursing homes and children. Huh?! Gov. Blagojevich has already held up payments to various Illinois health care outlets for several months. Still, children, nursing homes and other health care providers are not being paid; what's the difference?

In another Blago ad, he talks about how bad the deficits of the George Ryan administration was and how Topinka as treasurer "did not speak up or raise a finger." But the past few years she has been critical of Gov. Blagojevich. As Blago goes on, he ends the ad by saying that "we cannot go back to that." Hold on a minute. There were also deficits during the Blagojevich years. Topinka is speaking up about it. It doesn't sound like she's "going back to that." She's speaking up like Blago said she should have, or is it the other way now?

Judy Barr Topinka is finally firing back with ads against Blago, stating "Had Enough". One particular 15-second ad compares Gov. Blagojevich alleged wrongdoings, which is currently being investigated, to former governor Ryan. This is a bit odd as she is casting her opponent with a fellow Republican.

Ads from both campaigns don't flat out lie, but can be woefully misleading and do not give adequate details. For example, Blago's ad calls Topinka "George Ryan's treasurer." She is also the current treasurer under Gov. Blagojevich; so isn't she also Rod Blagojevich's treasurer?

Topinka's campaign is luke warm compared to Blagojevich's. But then again, Chicago Rod has a few more bucks in the campaign warchest.

Mike Smith - I think these are the most positive and redeeming ads currently out there. Is there even anyone running against Mr. Smith?

Ernie Russell - Mostly positive and no mudslinging, but not as well produced as the ads for Mike Smith. I used to think Dave Koelher had this election wrapped up, but now I'm starting to wonder. I've seen far more ads for Mr. Russell than for Mr. Koelher. Time will tell.

Common Sense of it All: Politics is one dirty business.