Back in August of 2007, when primary season was heating up, we asked you guys to look deep into the future, ponder a potential Obama presidency, and think about whom Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich might appoint to replace his state’s junior senator.
Well, that scenario has now come to pass (and the unpopular Blago has managed to hang on to his office). Speculation is already running wild. Here are some of the names under consideration:
Valerie Jarrett (real estate executive & Obama adviser)
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-02)
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04)
Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
AG Lisa Madigan
Comptroller Dan Hynes
Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias
IL Dept. of Veterans Affairs Dir. Tammy Duckworth
Blago himself (barf)
I’m sure there are other names out there as well. So whom do you think Blago might appoint? And whom do you think he should appoint? (Note that this seat is up for re-election in 2010.)
UPDATE by Crisitunity: We also discussed this in June. Other African-American names we discussed there were Senate President Emil Jones (too old and too tied to Blago), Secretary of State Jesse White (too old, but probably a good 2-year placeholder), State Senator James Claybourne (too Downstate), and ex-Senator Carol Mosely-Braun (not too good at getting re-elected).
*Jackson is too liberal and could have trouble winning statewide.
*Danny Davis is too old, and too liberal.
*Valerie Jarrett has no real qualification for the job other than being close to Obama.
*Blagojevich hates Madigan, and even though appointing her would remove a big obstacle for him, I have a hard time seeing him give her that plum.
*Gutirerrez is a wild card, though to be honest, the guy has done absolutely nothing of note in Congress.
In the end, Rod is going to do what is best for him. I’ve read he really wants to run for a third term, even though his favorables are in the teens. So maybe he would tap Madigan, but I am going to stick with Jan or Tammy, both of whom he has good relationships with.
Like I’ve said before, I think there will be massive pressure on Blago to appoint an African-American.
Although she’s never held elected office, that doesn’t mean she isn’t qualified – quite the opposite, she has a long history of civic/political involvement long before Obama was running for President
– She worked in the mayor’s office under Harold Washington (in Finance and Development) and Richard Daley (Deputy Chief of staff), and then as Commissioner of the Planning/Development Department
– She was chair of the Chicago Transit Board for 10 years
– She is the chair of the Board of the University of Chicago Med Center hospital
– She is vice-chair of the Board of the University of Chicago
– She was a member of the Board of the Chicago Stock Exchange for 10 years, including 3 years as chair
– She is a successful businesswoman, CEO of a real estate company that has a good reputation in Chicago
So Jarrett is a candidate with a track record in economic development, financial markets, education, health care, transportation, and municipal government… hard to match those qualifications.
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The idea of the US Senate having no African-American members because Obama is elevated to the White House is pretty unacceptable in my book. Maybe that will be corrected in the Delaware appointment to replace Joe Biden, but it seems that Obama’s seat is the most likely to fill that void (of course, there would be nothing wrong with making history by having 2 black Senators at the same time by having one from each state). Jarrett would also add another woman to combat the under-representation of women in the Senate.
Valerie Jarrett proved during the campaign that she is politically smart and is good in media appearances.
I think she would be a great choice to give Obama another strong and trusted ally in the Senate to make sure his agenda is enacted.
Madigan would be the most logical, but the Madigan clan is not high on Blago’s list. On the other hand, she is likely to unseat him as governor — what better way to eliminate her than to promote her to the U.S. Senate! But I am not sure she would take it. Madigan has her eye on the 2016 presidential race and, Obama’s path notwithstanding, being governor is a surer path than being a one-term Senator.
No way on Giannoulias, he is, I believe, only 32 and has not held an office higher than state treasurer.
No on Duckworth, too. She is not really a legislator, she is a figment of Rahm Emmanuel’s imagination. Rahm-bo screwed Christine Cegelis (who almost unseated Henry Hyde in ’04) by pushing Duckworth, who was a veteran with a great story, but utterly unqualified. She lost, which was deserved.
Jackson Jr. would probably do a good enough job, but the issue would be winning the white downstate vote in 2010. He has done a very good job winning white votes in his district.
Dan Hynes would be interesting. He is really the only candidate that Obama ever had to defeat in a major election before he ran for president. People talk about Obama being part of the Chicago political machine, but in the ’04 Senate primary, Hynes was The Chicago Guy, from the well-connected political family. Obama beat him and Blair Hull, then Jack Ryan got a divorce and his ex-wife revealed he had a thing for swingers’ clubs and, next thing you know, it was Barack vs. Alan Freaking Keyes. But, back to Hynes — he would be our Senator if he did not run into the Obama steamroller, so I’d be OK with letting him see what he can do.
Personally, though, my pick is Jan Schakowsky. She is, in my view, on the right side of every issue, especially labor, the environment and women’s rights. And she has more guts than just about anyone in congress. That said, she has a very liberal record that could be used against her if the GOP had a decent, moderate candidate in 2010.
I’d say this is not the year for appointing another white male of a certain age (like me) or even a younger one, so a woman or a minority member. Guess I’d follow old-style politics of the balanced ticket and giving something to each interest group. So, the blacks just got the big one, the women lost it, now give them a woman Senator as a consolation prize. Sorry, Jesse.
And if I were Gov of Illinois, I’d want to please the President-Elect. I’d assume Barack has a little list of favorites, and he’d be happy if Blago chose any of several, but not so happy if he chose someone not among the favored. Blago needs all the friends he can get, especially Number One.
Of the names, Valerie Jarrett can get a top position in the Obama Administration.
Mayor Daley and the Chicago Machine should have input. Some names are among its members, and the opening created would mean a promotion opportunity for another one.
I hated that Duckworth was pushed into a race in a district she didn’t even live in. Then millions were spent in that race when a tenth of the amount could have elected Larry Kissell, Vic Wutsin, and probably a couple of others back in ’06. But not sure I blame her for all that, because I don’t think she made the big decisions.
Otherwise about the Springfield pols I know nothing and care as much.
i think blago will appoint madigan to get her and her father offa his back. alexi will primary him in 2010 and more than likely win. duckworth wil be sec of veteran’s affairs
lisa madigan is the next governor of the state. jesse jackson jr i guess is my 2nd choice.
i’m sort of torn and illinois politics is certainly not my specialty, but i think blago should be looking at electability and the ability to serve well for a long time. very liberal congresspeople or people who’ve never won an election seem like poor choices.
blago himself is the worst choice of all, hands down. Some of you have probably read my recitation of the demolition of the MN democratic party caused by Governor Wendy Anderson appointing himself Senator after Walter Mondale took the Vice Presidency.
Traditionally, you’d think it would go to Hynes or Alexi (I think Madigan is set on being governor, and Blago appointing a Madigan would look bizarre). But obviously there being no African-American in the Senate is a real issue. So I’m inclined to think he’ll appoint the most electable African-American. Whether that’s Jarrett, Jackson, Kwame Raoul or Donne Trotter, I don’t know. Or maybe it’ll be Giannoulias. It’s hard to say.
Please not him. Most of the rest would be acceptable. I would say Jesse Jackson Jr. would be my personal favorite.
Obama was constantly defined by Republicans as “The most liberal senator in the US Senate” and he still won handily, his approvals sit high in Illinois. I doubt Jesse Jackson Jr. would have problems with his voting record, moreso his profile as the son of a controversial figure. But I doubt we’d have a Democrat with money lose in Illinois running statewide unless if he or she shot him or herself in the foot during the campaign.
If I were a betting man, I’d bet on Lisa Madigan.
If I could make the appointment myself, I’d probably pick Jan Schakowsky.
But the best choice if what he wants is a place-holder until he can run himself in 2010 would be Carole Moseley-Braun, because she would not waste the first two years trying to figure out how the Senate works. She could hit the ground running. They probably wouldn’t restore her seniority, but she wouldn’t be a clueless freshman.
He managed to retain his swing/liberal seat even in this year, and I’ve read he’s the presumptive Republican candidate. I don’t know much about him.
picks Jesse Jackson Jr. I think Schakowsky is more likely though beacuse she’s close to him and has the backing of the very powerful SEIU.
My personal favorites are Valerie Jarrett, Jan Schakowsky, and Lisa Madigan. But since Blago may be scared into shying away from Schakowsky because of “Teh Liberal!!!” & Jarrett may be headed into the Obama Administration, I bet Madigan’s the most likely choice of the three. Blago doesn’t want to be primaried in 2010, and even though I think he’ll be primaried with or without Lisa Madigan, he’ll appoint her anyways because he still thinks for some reason that he actually has a chance.
And btw, I seriously hope he does NOT choose Jesse Jackson, Jr. The way he trashed Hillary Clinton during the primaries was disgusting. The only thing that disgusted me more was when he threw his own father under the bus to curry enough favor to possibly get this Senate seat! While Rev. Jackson’s remarks were ill-thought-out & inappropriate, it was shameful for his own son to leave him high & dry like that!
He was going to retire this year but changed his mind. That makes it seem to me that he’s not really interested in stepping into the Senate.
Which candidates are acceptable to Obama?
Which candidates are acceptable to Blagojevich?
Which candidates will create a backlash from the media or a key constituency? Daley and Michael Madigan may count as key constituencies in this analysis.
When you answer these questions you will have a good idea who will be picked.
She would have a better time holding the seat. Madigan would hold it too, but she wants to be Governor. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is a guarantee that the seat flips come 2010. Choose Duckworth, she’s neutral and it’s hard to connect her with Blagojevich, whom is dreaming if he really expects to be re-elected.
spent time in the pen last year for check kiting and tax fraud.