Sometimes, Endorsements Have the Opposite Effect

The election of Barack Obama as President of the United States has caused seismic rumblings through the political landscape of his home state, Illinois.

It's difficult to blame him directly, though. It's not his fault that, because his election opened up his senate seat, the governor of our fair state, Rod Blagojevich, wound up allegedly saying stuff that sounded an awful lot like he was auctioning the seat off to the highest bidder.

There's also there's Blagojevich's appointed replacement for Obama's senate seat, Roland Burris, who apparently (if the published transcripts of his testimony before the Illinois House Impeachment Committee are to be believed) was far less than forthcoming when it comes to which members of Blagojevich's circle of influence he spoke to before he was offered said seat. (A lie of omission is nonetheless a lie, Senator Burris.)

Then there's the open seat in the Fifth Congressional district of Illinois--the one most recently occupied by Rahm Emanuel, the man Obama chose to be his Chief of Staff. The special election to replace Emanuel is set for March 3--less than two weeks away--and has turned into a full-on rugby scrum, with more than 20 candidates vying for the seat.

These days, my mailbox is full to overflowing with junk mail from many of the candidates, but most of it has come from two in particular: Cook County Board member Mike Quigley, and State Representative John Fritchey. Quigley has a reputation as an independent thinker and, in the promotional materials, says he's been called "the greenest politician in Illinois." (Why, then, are you killing so many trees to send me advertisements, Mike?) Fritchey has more of a "Regular Chicago Democrat" rep--inoffensive at most.

One piece of Fritchey's junk mail particularly caught my eye--the one prominently displaying the endorsement of Fritchey by Chicago Alderman Richard "Dick" Mell.

You may have heard of Dick Mell. He's been an alderman in Chicago for quite some time--he was first elected in 1975--and is pretty powerful. He's got a solid political base and an army of foot soldiers to throw at any election. No doubt he'll be flinging them into this fray.

He's also known for promoting the political careers of those around him. Like, for example, his son-in-law, whom Mell pushed first for State Representative, then for the U.S. House of Representatives, then the governor's office.

You may have heard of Mell's son-in-law--Rod Blagojevich.

You may also have heard of Mell's daughter, Patti Blagojevich, who is also under investigation.

You may also have heard of Mell's other daughter, Deb Mell, who was recently elected as a State representative--and was the sole State Representative to vote against impeaching her brother-in-law, Rod Blagojevich.

Now Mell is proudly endorsing John Fritchey, and Fritchey is proudly enbracing that endorsement.

Mr. Quigley? You have my vote, sir.