Meet President Cullerton

North Side state Sen. John Cullerton won the sweepstakes to replace Emil Jones in what is a victory for Richard M. Daley and state House Speaker Michael Madigan and a loss for Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is not a happy camper today.

So who is John Cullerton? A lawyer and lobbyist, natch!

Cullerton is a partner at Thompson Coburn, where, according to a resume available on the firm’s website, he specializes in:

* Government relations work with respect to real estate tax assessment and real estate tax appeals

* Zoning, land use and annexation

* Licensing and permit applications before local governments

* Procedures and advocacy strategies for clients with matters being considered by legislators, regulators and policy makers.

Classic.

And there’s more.

The Obama Aftershock

These comments landed in my in-box from various correspondents on Wednesday.

*

My conductor on the Blue Line this morning came over the intercom to say, “To all of you who came out to vote in the historic election last night, thank you. Thank you for riding the Blue Line. Enjoy life.”

*

It’s great to be living on the South Side right now. Folks down here are happy this morning.
Very happy.

Laughing, singing, horn-honkin’, cryin’-ass happy. And this morning there’s nothing but smiles and lots of talk of it being a truly blessed day. I can’t think of a place I’d rather be right now.

The Inevitable

And it really could have been worse. I sense this is just the beginning.

Mystery Convention Theater

Once again, Steve and Tim talk back to the TV.

*

TIM: “This year’s election is one of the most critical in our history.”

Has any politician ever said otherwise? “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for some straight talk: this election won’t make any difference. I’m not even voting, and I’m running for president!” Maybe during that string of pre-Lincoln nobodies in the mid-19th C. (Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan).

STEVE: What’s funny is the election that didn’t figure to be “critical” turned out to be the most critical of all: 2000. Everything today flows from that one.

*

TIM: [Re: Daschle] “I recently was fortunate to meet with Pres. Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan. He couldn’t pay his staff’s salaries. He couldn’t even pay to keep the lights on. No, he didn’t have much money. He barely had enough to survive. But when he came out on stage and he was ready to play, people came alive.”

*

TIM: “Chain of Fools:” Inspired choice, but I think I heard the original. “Five” (vs. “for eight long years / I thought you were my man”).

STEVE: I think they thought they were hearing “Change, Change, Change . . . “

*

TIM: “I’m Bill Clinton, and I am reporting for boo-tay!”

Mystery Convention Theater

In which Steve and Tim talk back to the TV.

TIM: They didn’t even bother airing Jimmy Carter’s film about the state of New Orleans on the third anniversary of Katrina. The ex-president in prime time documenting this horror is less newsworthy than Pat Buchanan repeating what he’s been saying every day for weeks?

STEVE: I saw Junior speaking on a couple channels. He’s really good. I wish he were running!

TIM: “In our family he’s known as ‘Uncle Teddy.’And in Emil Jones’s family he’s known as… But I kid!”

*

TIM: Odd – “Still the One” was Clinton’s (er,”Stanton’s”) campaign theme in Primary Colors.

STEVE: The Bob Seger song or the Shania Twain song?

TIM: C’mon, it’s Orleans! Michael Berube said another of their tunes (“Dance with Me”) is the ultimate paradoxical tune because it’s impossible to dance to!

*

TIM: I’m programming a macro that types “booooooorrrrrrring” with one keystroke.

Kimberly’s Karma

“[State Sen. Kimberly] Lightford said she hasn’t decided whom to support, but said she wants to make sure they back education finance reform, one of the Senate Education Committee chairwoman’s key issues,” the Oak Park Leaves reports.

“But she has another factor in making her decision: ‘I’ve got concerns about my future,’ Lightford said.

“‘I’ve been there 10 years in September,’ she said. ‘I’m in the top 10 now (as far as seniority goes). I have a passion to remain chairman of the education committee and I’d like to be put on the leadership team.

“‘Of course, I would like to see myself as an assistant Democrat leader.’”

Machine Night

E-mail exchange, Monday afternoon:

TIM: Have you seen tonight’s lineup?

The Honorable Emil Jones, Jr.
State Senator, Illinois

The Honorable Lisa Madigan
Attorney General, Illinois

The Honorable Dan Hynes
Comptroller, Illinois

The Honorable Alexi Giannoulis
State Treasurer, Illinois

The Honorable Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Member of the US House of Representatives, Illinois

Tom Balanoff
President, SEIU Local 1 (Chicago)

The Honorable Miguel Del Valle
City Clerk of Chicago, Illinois

STEVE: I never saw Jones on the schedule before. That can’t be right.

TIM: Don’t worry, an hour before we’ll learn that his son will read the speech.

Evil Emil

“Family First A Political Tradition, Jones Says.”

A) “Whites-Only A Social Tradition, Club Says”
B) “Jim Crow A Southern Tradition, South Says”
C) “Imprisoning Pols An Illinois Tradition, Fitzgerald Says”
D) “Chopping Off Heads Of Aristocracy A Political Tradition, French Say”

Veepstakes

“Exclusive: Obama team reserving Old State Capitol in Springfield for Saturday to showcase running mate.”

A) Another sign it will be Emil Jones.
B) The animatronic Abe Lincoln from the nearby Lincoln Museum has also been reserved.
C) An added benefit to an event in Springfield is that there’s little chance of running into the governor.

High Five

1. “Sam Zell, the owner of baseball’s Chicago Cubs, gave more than $22,000 to McCain’s committees, though he also gave Obama $2,300, as did the owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorf, who gave that much to both McCain and Obama,” Politico reports.

That doesn’t whatever value there will be to Zell’s upcoming newspaper endorsements of McCain.

2. I’ve been getting these. Beware.

3. “Senator Barack Obama and T. Boone Pickens, the Oklahoma oilman turned wind farmer, met for a few minutes this morning to talk about energy and the economy,” the New York Times reports.