McCain and the Base and Illinois Republicans

As I head off to St. Paul for the RNC this morning, here’s an advance look at my Sunday Sun-Times column on all of the above.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1136762,CST-NWS-carol31.article

Wig vs. Bigwig

Hey, I thought the Illinois delegation had the front row seat at this Democratic Convention.

Not so.

I was down in the delegation here at Invesco Field and saw a cordoned off area right in front of Illinois.

Who are they, I asked Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

“Bigwigs,” she replied.  Big funders, in other words.

But you’re an elected official, I said.  A bigwig.

“Nope,” she replied, not a bigwig, “just a wig.”

The Obama Lunch Surprise

There they were, the Illinois Democratic Women’s luncheon at the Marriott this afternoon.
Congresswoman Melissa Bean told me she was a little surprised that Attorney General Lisa Madigan was going on awfully long in her remarks. Madigan was.  That’s because she was the only one in the room who had been told that Barack Obama was on his way but she couldn’t tell anyone. The signal would be when a security guard walked towards her.
That’s when she confessed she’d been blah-blah-blahing until she could say, “Here’s Barack!”  Obama told the women, who all knew him from way back when, that he was “coming home to all of you to practice my speech.”  He talked for three minutes, said Madigan, but it took about 12 minutes to get out the door.

Thelma and Louise? Is Marin Thelma and Ahern Louise?

My NBC5 colleague Mary Ann Ahern and I ran into Obama Communications Director Robert Gibbs as we were staking out Michelle Obama at Invesco Field.
“Robert,” we said, “talk to us.”
“Ah,” joked Gibbs (or was he joking?), “it’s Thelma and Louise.  Which one of you is driving?”
“Both of us,” cracked Ahern.
Gibbs, looking relaxed and confident, said Obama will make a real personal connection tonight.
What about criticism that this venue is “Temple Obama”?
Gibbs said it will be one giant class in how the audience can go out an organize for this election.

HUGGING ILLINOIS POLS????

FOR REAL? | Tears, embraces replace political back-stabbing, for a while

August 28, 2008

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CAROL MARIN cmarin@suntimes.com

DENVER — No, it wasn’t the hug felt ’round the world. No, it isn’t in the same category as peace in Northern Ireland.

But to see the political warlords of the Illinois Democratic Party actually hug each other Wednesday in Denver is something I wouldn’t have missed for all the world.

And before you arch your eyebrow or curl your lip, let me tell which parts I thought were absolutely genuine. And which parts might be in some doubt.

Let’s rewind.

On Wednesday morning at the breakfast meeting of the Illinois delegation, Rep. Bobby Rush rose to say a few words. Recovering from the aftershocks of radical cancer surgery, he is physically a shadow of his former self. But, like the good Baptist preacher he also is, Rush rose to the occasion, telling delegates the parable of the eagle and the storm.

“I am that eagle,” he declared.

Thanking those who had been supportive, Rush also noted “some who were not there, but that’s all right.”

He gave a nod to forgiveness, but didn’t name names.

Next up was Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. It isn’t clear that Rush was talking about Jackson, but there is no question they’ve been on a rocky road.

Jackson Jr. began his prepared remarks about unity, talking about burying the truckloads of hatchets that weigh down these Democrats.

And then it happened.

Jackson folded his speech in half. Stuck it in his breast pocket. And turned directly to Rush saying, “Bobby, if there is anything that I’ve ever done to offend you, I’m leaving it at this convention. You are my friend . . .”

For a second, every one of us was stunned.

Rush made his way to Jackson, Jackson jumped down from the dais and they hugged.

It was real. And touching.

Jackson didn’t stop with that. Olive branches went out to others: Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed and state Sen. Debbie Halvorson.

And then the tables turned.

“Who else out here has been mad at me I haven’t figured out yet?” Jackson asked.

Mayor Daley jumped up and hugged Jackson. And Jackson was stunned. Tears sprang into his eyes.

And that, too, was real.

And yes, even if you haven’t heard this story, you know what’s coming next.

Gov. Blagojevich and his arch-nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan, were called to do the same.

Like two tigers dancing the tango, they embraced. And actually, they were pretty good sports about it, which is saying something.

But real?

Nobody’s banking on that.

And yet, they did sit with each other later on the convention floor and talk to each other.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Rush, deeply moved, would later tell reporters, “These are moments divine in origin, a movement of the holy spirit.”

Faith, we are taught from childhood, is a mystery.

But do you suppose the Holy Spirit could be a Democrat?

Hugs in the Illinois Delegation

It was an almost biblical moment.

Congressman Bobby Rush, a Baptist preacher, talked about rising up over the challenges of life which in his case is cancer.  And then the floodgates flew open.  Congressman Jesse Jackson, departing from his own speech, turned and told Rush if he had ever done anything to hurt or wrong him, he was sorry.  Rush and Jackson embraced.  Then Jackson and Mayor Daley embraced.  Then, holy cow, House Speaker Mike Madigan and Governor Rod Blagojevich embraced.  The bar has been set even higher than before for Barack Obama to stun and amaze.  It honestly was powerful.

Muhammad Ali is here in Denver

As NBC5 producer Don Moseley and I were driving through downtown Denver after finishing our 10P newscast, we passed the Hotel Teatro.  A tall, stooped black man was being helped out of an SUV and into the hotel.  Even from the back, it was instantly clear it was Muhammad Ali. His wife and another woman were on either side assisting him.  Parkinson’s Disease has robbed him of his considerable voice and slowed his walk.  But he soldiers on.  And was an inspiration to behold.  “Champ,” I called out in the anthem of his fans, ” you are the greatest!”  Ali’s wife turned and smiled and said “thank you”.  Before Barack Obama, black man in America making history, Muhammad Ali was helping pave that road.  Now the latter has arrived to marvel at the former.

What a story!

Grateful for Chicago

There were some funny moments at the meeting of the Illinois delegation here in Denver as AFSCME labor leader Jerry McEntee deadpanned that he was going to leave breakfast and head for the convention center so he could be there in time for the evening’s events.  He isn’t the only one longing for a surface transportation system that works.  Yesterday, in desperation, I hijacked one of this bike rickshaws to get to the convention…cabs couldn’t do it but those nimble bike guys could jump barriers, squeeze into small spaces, and lo and behold, they got me there.  Denver is a lovely city, nice people, but Mayor Daley got a lot of praise this morning for having a better transportation hub from major venues. Back with more soon!

The Hillary Healing

It’s a work in progress and tonight Hillary Clinton will release her delegates.

But there have been some notable bumps in the healing road, one of them in Illinois.

Here’s my Tuesday column in the Chicago Sun-Times:  http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1126746,CST-NWS-carol26.article

Michelle Obama’s walk thru at DNC

Michelle Obama looked relaxed and calm as she and daughters Sasha and Malia walked on to the podium here at the Pepsi Center in Denver…It was a walk through for her speech tonight, a chance to glance at the teleprompters and scan the vastness of this arena.  A giant throng of cameras and reporters—from Brussels TV to ET—were snapping and rolling as Mrs. Obama, clad in elegant black silk pants and a lime green jacket, took it all in.  She looks quite ready for the big night.