McHenry County Blog

So far, McHenry County Blog has published four articles on Paul Caprio’s August Family PAC cruise.

The first was about U.S. Senator and Dr. Tom Coburn’s take on the health care debate. The rest are full of pictures of participants:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Below is Part 4.

As I continued wondering around the boat, I found Peter Breen and Chris Sullivan near the bow on the upper deck. Sullivan is one of Kathleen Sullivan’s sons. Breen is one aspirant to replace State Rep. Bob Biggins. Breen is Executive Director & Legal Counsel of the Thomas Moore Society, which bills itself as the “Pro-Life Law Center.” He is currently working on the Aurora Planned Parenthood case. Breen has a good button/sticker on his web site, but he wasn’t wearing it. I always preferred to have a really large button announcing to the world that I was a candidate.

The last time I saw my former and now deceased colleague’s twin sons was in San Diego at an ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) conference. That was at the Hotel del Coronado beach over ten years ago when my son was mainly interested in looking at the turtles and fish on the first floor of our hotel. My Matthew has grown. I never met former Cook County Board of Review Murphy’s oldest son, but he was on the cruise, too. 29-year old Shaun, on the right, is running for the post his mother held. They were talking to Chris Sullivan.

Maureen almost always made me laugh. I wish I could repeat her interactions with her arch-foe House Speaker Michael Madigan, who lived in Lincoln Towers, where she stayed during legislative sessions. They apparently had similar morning schedules. Some of the conversations, started usually, I gathered by Maureen, were bizarre. If you would like to sample her how she could make little piggies and blueberries hilarious, click here.

I didn’t get a great shot of Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman talking to Peter Breen, but I guarantee she would like this one better than the one I took on the lower deck, which included her mother.

Politicians I have come in contact with almost always want to pose for a picture. I tell them I don’t do posed pictures. David McAloon gave me so much grief about the photo I published of him last year, though, I relented and took this one. Note the corn cob architecture on the Chicago River in the background. It’s pretty obviously designed by the same architect who did Marina Towers.

As I was wondering downstairs to get some food, catered by Harry Carey’s, I got this shot of State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard and State Senator Chris Lauzen.

More pictures and commentary tomorrow in Part 5.

Tuesday, I put up an article about Phyllis Schlafly’s receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award on Paul Caprio’s Family PAC cruise.

Yesterday, I followed up with the congressional candidates, state senate incumbents and the Republican candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney.

Today, we move onto the challengers.

Running on the North Shore is Brendan Appel. The Glenview resident is emphasizing property tax reform, fighting correction, requiring a two-thirds super majority to raise taxes, “two strikes and you’re out and enforcing immigration laws.

I saw Terri Ann Wintermute early in the evening, but she disappeared to the lower level of the boat. That’s the place to be if it’s raining, but it wasn’t. I finally got a photo of her when she was disembarking. You will remember that I met her in Decatur at the State Republican Convention.

Wintermute has more money than Linda Holmes, the Democratic Party incumbent she is challenging and to whom she lost in 2006 when Republican State Senator Ed Petka retired.

Wintermute had $102,000 at the end June, while Holmes had $49,800.

The final senate candidate (hope I didn’t miss any) was Mike Sweeney. I remember him because he is running for the 33rd district seat. The 33rd district was the one I represented in the 1970’s

Now it is in the Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village area. Sweeney is Elk Grove Township Clerk. He is an assistant manager of a Walgreen’s store.

His palm card stresses he is the only

• lifelong resident of the district,
• one who will refuse to accept pay raises,
• candidate that will protect small business against Gov. Blagojevich’s policies of driving jobs and opportunities to surrounding states,
• one that will NOT vote to re-elect Gov. Blagojevich’s closest ally as Senate President,
• candidate who will hold the line on taxes by reigning in out-of-control spending,
• one who will demand the state pay existing bills before spending more tax dollars.

Among the candidates for state representative was Anita Forte-Scott, the one who will challenge Paul Froehlich, the Republican incumbent who decided to become a Democrat. She has a healthy resume, which includes the presidency of the Schaumburg Township District Library Board, owner/administrator of the Bright Stars Academy, founder and president of the Poplar Creek Watershed Planning Coalition. She is a member of the Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates Rotary Club. I can’t find a web site.

She has hardly any money in the bank, but House Republicans are pretty incensed about Froehlich’s party switching, so abundant money could flow.

Dan Sugrue, the Lake County man running against super liberal Kathleen Ryg and who attended the Pro-Life Victory Committee’s pig roast at Resurrection Center, was on the boat.

Sugrue’s platform includes property tax relief, eliminating the state sales tax on gasoline, requiring a balanced budget, repairing and rebuilding roads without allowing the money to be diverted to other purposes (as Democrats have done this century), increasing higher education scholarships and “establish(ing) the nation’s toughest ethics laws and root(ing) out government corruption.” I can’t find a web site.

Dwight Kay came all the way up from Alton for the cruise. The GOP candidate for the 112th district against Jay Hoffman, one of Governor Rod Blagojevich’s close buddies. In 2004, Kay was finance committee chairman for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier. That was the race that set the Metro East trial lawyers back on their rear ends.

Kay was the first candidate for state representative to call for impeachment hearings for Blagojevich. He obviously has more courage than incumbent house members, none of whom have introduced such a resolution. Kay is senior vice-president of Cassens Trucking.

The Metro East area is looking more and more like the outer suburbs in Chicagoland. Kay can’t pull off an upset with the $17,000 he has on hand, but with an infusion of money he might follow in the footsteps of Frank Watson and Ron Stephens. I hope he is calling all of those Karmeier contributors.

Naperville City Councilman Darlene Senger was another candidate courting conservatives on the boat. She is running to replace retiring Republican State Representative Joe Dunn.

Senger is a financial advisor. If she can translate that into sensible advice on the state budget, her election could be worth the price of admission.

Looking at her web site shows a mix of local concern —opposition to the Canadian Northern’s takeover of the EJ&E Railroad, which will increase suburban congestion along its entire length—and statewide concerns, e.g., fighting political corruption. She has Democratic and Green Party opponents, both women.

Dave McAloon can be seen in the top photo talking to Phyllis Schlafly. He is running for state representative against incumbent Careen Gordon. Gordon’s campaign was financing oh so much by Chicago money.

McAloon is from Kankakee County and has been active in conservative causes for years.

The only other candidate I remember meeting was Lawrence Bruckner. He is running against Mike Boland, an ally of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn from the Quad Cities area.

Bruckner was a shot from my past. He reminded me that he had met me when I was the Republican candidate for State Comptroller.

That was 1982.

What a memory.

He must have been at the press conference that then-State Rep. Tim Bell set up for me so we could both pledge to work against an income tax increase which we, incorrectly, it turns out, said was most likely to occur if Adlai Stevenson III beat Jim Thompson for re-election.

Tuesday, I put up an article about Phyllis Schlafly’s receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award on Paul Caprio’s Family PAC cruise.

Yesterday, I followed up with the congressional candidates, state senate incumbents and the Republican candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney.

Today, we move onto the challengers.

Running on the North Shore is Brendan Appel. The Glenview resident is emphasizing property tax reform, fighting correction, requiring a two-thirds super majority to raise taxes, “two strikes and you’re out and enforcing immigration laws.

I saw Terri Ann Wintermute early in the evening, but she disappeared to the lower level of the boat. That’s the place to be if it’s raining, but it wasn’t. I finally got a photo of her when she was disembarking. You will remember that I met her in Decatur at the State Republican Convention.

Wintermute has more money than Linda Holmes, the Democratic Party incumbent she is challenging and to whom she lost in 2006 when Republican State Senator Ed Petka retired.

Wintermute had $102,000 at the end June, while Holmes had $49,800.

The final senate candidate (hope I didn’t miss any) was Mike Sweeney. I remember him because he is running for the 33rd district seat. The 33rd district was the one I represented in the 1970’s

Now it is in the Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village area. Sweeney is Elk Grove Township Clerk. He is an assistant manager of a Walgreen’s store.

His palm card stresses he is the only

• lifelong resident of the district,
• one who will refuse to accept pay raises,
• candidate that will protect small business against Gov. Blagojevich’s policies of driving jobs and opportunities to surrounding states,
• one that will NOT vote to re-elect Gov. Blagojevich’s closest ally as Senate President,
• candidate who will hold the line on taxes by reigning in out-of-control spending,
• one who will demand the state pay existing bills before spending more tax dollars.

Among the candidates for state representative was Anita Forte-Scott, the one who will challenge Paul Froehlich, the Republican incumbent who decided to become a Democrat. She has a healthy resume, which includes the presidency of the Schaumburg Township District Library Board, owner/administrator of the Bright Stars Academy, founder and president of the Poplar Creek Watershed Planning Coalition. She is a member of the Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates Rotary Club. I can’t find a web site.

She has hardly any money in the bank, but House Republicans are pretty incensed about Froehlich’s party switching, so abundant money could flow.

Dan Sugrue, the Lake County man running against super liberal Kathleen Ryg and who attended the Pro-Life Victory Committee’s pig roast at Resurrection Center, was on the boat.

Sugrue’s platform includes property tax relief, eliminating the state sales tax on gasoline, requiring a balanced budget, repairing and rebuilding roads without allowing the money to be diverted to other purposes (as Democrats have done this century), increasing higher education scholarships and “establish(ing) the nation’s toughest ethics laws and root(ing) out government corruption.” I can’t find a web site.

Dwight Kay came all the way up from Alton for the cruise. The GOP candidate for the 112th district against Jay Hoffman, one of Governor Rod Blagojevich’s close buddies. In 2004, Kay was finance committee chairman for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier. That was the race that set the Metro East trial lawyers back on their rear ends.

Kay was the first candidate for state representative to call for impeachment hearings for Blagojevich. He obviously has more courage than incumbent house members, none of whom have introduced such a resolution. Kay is senior vice-president of Cassens Trucking.

The Metro East area is looking more and more like the outer suburbs in Chicagoland. Kay can’t pull off an upset with the $17,000 he has on hand, but with an infusion of money he might follow in the footsteps of Frank Watson and Ron Stephens. I hope he is calling all of those Karmeier contributors.

Naperville City Councilman Darlene Senger was another candidate courting conservatives on the boat. She is running to replace retiring Republican State Representative Joe Dunn.

Senger is a financial advisor. If she can translate that into sensible advice on the state budget, her election could be worth the price of admission.

Looking at her web site shows a mix of local concern —opposition to the Canadian Northern’s takeover of the EJ&E Railroad, which will increase suburban congestion along its entire length—and statewide concerns, e.g., fighting political corruption. She has Democratic and Green Party opponents, both women.

Dave McAloon can be seen in the top photo talking to Phyllis Schlafly. He is running for state representative against incumbent Careen Gordon. Gordon’s campaign was financing oh so much by Chicago money.

McAloon is from Kankakee County and has been active in conservative causes for years.

The only other candidate I remember meeting was Lawrence Bruckner. He is running against Mike Boland, an ally of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn from the Quad Cities area.

Bruckner was a shot from my past. He reminded me that he had met me when I was the Republican candidate for State Comptroller.

That was 1982.

What a memory.

He must have been at the press conference that then-State Rep. Tim Bell set up for me so we could both pledge to work against an income tax increase which we, incorrectly, it turns out, said was most likely to occur if Adlai Stevenson III beat Jim Thompson for re-election.

It’s probably because Bob Kjellander and Paul Caprio go back to Young Republican days.

That’s where I first met Caprio.

I was talking the National Republican Party folks about a mock convention manual I had written, based on my experience of being chairman of Oberlin College’ Mock Convention.

In any event, I was still surprised to see Illinois’ Republican National Committeeman on the boat.

I took a picture of him and Tom Roeser and, then, Kjellander got Libertyville’s Jack Martin to take one of Bob and me.

Kjellander was one of Jim Thompson’s campaign managers when I ran for state comptroller in 1982.

But, I’m ahead of my story.

We left Algonquin at 4 in the afternoon, knowing that traffic had been bad the year before.

Everything was fine until we got to the toll booths. Gene Brown, who almost never goes to Chicago didn’t have an I-Pass transponder, so we got into the cash section. It was rush hour, of course, but all of the booths were not manned.

It took us one hour and fifteen minutes to get through the Rod Blagojevich bottleneck.

And the congestion continued until past the merge.

I wonder if Blagojevich will switch the express lanes so Chicagoans returning home from their jobs at night will be able to get home faster. Of course, that would begin a movement by Chicago executives who want to get to work faster, rather than slower, and vice versa, would start moving their headquarters closer to home.

We noticed that Blagojevich didn’t have one of those expensive signs over the cash lanes.

We made is to close to when the cruise was supposed to start that we vowed to leave at 3:30 next summer.

But, Sandy Rios came to the rescue. Her broadcast on WYLL-FM does end until 5 PM and since she was doing announcing duties, Caprio decided to wait.

And we waited.

Finally, he asked for a show of hands of who wanted to sail right away and who was willing to wait some more.

Rios, who heads the Culture Campaign, won a further reprieve. I got this great wind-swept Sandy shot once we got out on Lake Michigan.

The first candidate I discovered was Michael Younan, who is running against 9th district Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. This photo is of him and Joe Hedrick, Niles Township Republican Committeeman.

Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica made the rounds before the boat left dock. This was the day before Democratic Party Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine decided to announce his retirement.

Jim Nalepa was onboard. He wants to run for U.S. Senate and later was given the microphone to make his pitch.

I got a picture of Nalepa in discussion with Terry Kennedy.

Vernon Township Republican Committeeman Don Castella was talking with Paul Sengpiehf. I knew Paul from his days with the Department of Local Governmental Affairs. Governor Richard B. Ogilvie created the department and Paul was the lawyer I often death with on property tax assessment matters.

Americans for Truth head Peter LaBarbera was caught talking to Kane County’s Chad Koppie and Elder John Tyler, who runs the African American Family Association.

I talked for a while with Rod Drobinski, as assistant state’s attorney in Lake County, who is thinking about running for the State Senate to replace retiring Senator Bill Peterson.

Fortunately, they did not develop into rain. Otherwise, the lower deck would have been quite crowded.

Besides Nalepa, Steve Greenberg, one of the two candidates announced for the Republican nomination to run against Melissa Bean, the woman who knocked off Phil Crane, spoke.

He used his Jewish religion to present his pro-life views as no Christian could.

Greenberg pointed out that he had relatives who had been killed in the Holocaust, so had a different approach to the issue. I can’t remember his word—only that they worked quite well.

He also came up with a term I have not heard before to describe bureaucrats. He talked about the “idiocracy.”

Expect to hear more about that.

Cook County Commissioner and Republican Party Chairman Liz Gorman was seated near our table, so I was able to get this shot of her before the cruise ended.

Earlier, below decks, David McAloon, his wife and I also had a conversation.

One of the last pictures I got before we disembarked was of Pro-Life Action League’s Joe Schidler’s bright red cap. You can see it here. I should have taken his picture, too, but you know my fixation is on messages.

Of course, there were many others on the cruise, Mary Ann Hackett and her husband, Jim Finnegan, who serves on the Illinois Family Institute Board and who is spearheading the Choose Life license plates, and Dave Smith, Executive Director of IFI.

But, missing, with a broken toe, was my friend Penny Pullen.

Her friend Lisa Smith, a regular McHenry County Blog reader from the Wheeling Township Republican Organization, was there to explain why.

The sun set was stark behind the Chicago skyline.

While we were on Lake Michigan, storm clouds threatened the city big time.

= = = = =
Tom Roeser poses with Illinois Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.

Below is Gene and Nancy Brown, my wife, Barrington Township Supervisor Gene Dawson and his wife.

The congestion shot comes after the toll booths, but before the final lane of merging traffic. The congestion continued to where the Edens merges with the Kennedy.

Sandy Rios’ photograph appears above that of Tony Peraica.

Michael Younan, who is running against 9th district Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky can be seen to the left of Rios. He is posing with Joe Hedrick, Niles Township Republican Committeeman.

To Peraica’s left one can see Jim Nalepa, a possible U.S. Senate challenger for Dick Durbin, talking with Terry Kennedy.

Immediately below, one can see Vernon Township Republican Committeeman Don Castella with Paul Sengpiehf.

Below to the right is Peter LaBarbera in discussion with Chad Koppie and Elder John Tyler.

The head shot down a bit to the left is Rod Drobinski, a potential candidate to replace retiring State Senator Bill Peterson.

With arm extended to make a point is 8th congressional district candidate for the Republican nomination Jeff Greenberg to challenge Melissa Bean.

Liz Gorman, Cook County Republican Party Chairman and Cook County Commissioner, can be seen to the right of a standing David McAloon. McAloon is planning to challenge Democratic State Rep. Careen Gordon. He unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination last year. This year he is alone in the race to challenge the incumbent Democrat.

Finally, the sunset and storm clouds along the Chicago skyline.

It’s probably because Bob Kjellander and Paul Caprio go back to Young Republican days.

That’s where I first met Caprio.

I was talking the National Republican Party folks about a mock convention manual I had written, based on my experience of being chairman of Oberlin College’ Mock Convention.

In any event, I was still surprised to see Illinois’ Republican National Committeeman on the boat.

I took a picture of him and Tom Roeser and, then, Kjellander got Libertyville’s Jack Martin to take one of Bob and me.

Kjellander was one of Jim Thompson’s campaign managers when I ran for state comptroller in 1982.

But, I’m ahead of my story.

We left Algonquin at 4 in the afternoon, knowing that traffic had been bad the year before.

Everything was fine until we got to the toll booths. Gene Brown, who almost never goes to Chicago didn’t have an I-Pass transponder, so we got into the cash section. It was rush hour, of course, but all of the booths were not manned.

It took us one hour and fifteen minutes to get through the Rod Blagojevich bottleneck.

And the congestion continued until past the merge.

I wonder if Blagojevich will switch the express lanes so Chicagoans returning home from their jobs at night will be able to get home faster. Of course, that would begin a movement by Chicago executives who want to get to work faster, rather than slower, and vice versa, would start moving their headquarters closer to home.

We noticed that Blagojevich didn’t have one of those expensive signs over the cash lanes.

We made is to close to when the cruise was supposed to start that we vowed to leave at 3:30 next summer.

But, Sandy Rios came to the rescue. Her broadcast on WYLL-FM does end until 5 PM and since she was doing announcing duties, Caprio decided to wait.

And we waited.

Finally, he asked for a show of hands of who wanted to sail right away and who was willing to wait some more.

Rios, who heads the Culture Campaign, won a further reprieve. I got this great wind-swept Sandy shot once we got out on Lake Michigan.

The first candidate I discovered was Michael Younan, who is running against 9th district Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. This photo is of him and Joe Hedrick, Niles Township Republican Committeeman.

Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica made the rounds before the boat left dock. This was the day before Democratic Party Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine decided to announce his retirement.

Jim Nalepa was onboard. He wants to run for U.S. Senate and later was given the microphone to make his pitch.

I got a picture of Nalepa in discussion with Terry Kennedy.

Vernon Township Republican Committeeman Don Castella was talking with Paul Sengpiehf. I knew Paul from his days with the Department of Local Governmental Affairs. Governor Richard B. Ogilvie created the department and Paul was the lawyer I often death with on property tax assessment matters.

Americans for Truth head Peter LaBarbera was caught talking to Kane County’s Chad Koppie and Elder John Tyler, who runs the African American Family Association.

I talked for a while with Rod Drobinski, as assistant state’s attorney in Lake County, who is thinking about running for the State Senate to replace retiring Senator Bill Peterson.

Fortunately, they did not develop into rain. Otherwise, the lower deck would have been quite crowded.

Besides Nalepa, Steve Greenberg, one of the two candidates announced for the Republican nomination to run against Melissa Bean, the woman who knocked off Phil Crane, spoke.

He used his Jewish religion to present his pro-life views as no Christian could.

Greenberg pointed out that he had relatives who had been killed in the Holocaust, so had a different approach to the issue. I can’t remember his word—only that they worked quite well.

He also came up with a term I have not heard before to describe bureaucrats. He talked about the “idiocracy.”

Expect to hear more about that.

Cook County Commissioner and Republican Party Chairman Liz Gorman was seated near our table, so I was able to get this shot of her before the cruise ended.

Earlier, below decks, David McAloon, his wife and I also had a conversation.

One of the last pictures I got before we disembarked was of Pro-Life Action League’s Joe Schidler’s bright red cap. You can see it here. I should have taken his picture, too, but you know my fixation is on messages.

Of course, there were many others on the cruise, Mary Ann Hackett and her husband, Jim Finnegan, who serves on the Illinois Family Institute Board and who is spearheading the Choose Life license plates, and Dave Smith, Executive Director of IFI.

But, missing, with a broken toe, was my friend Penny Pullen.

Her friend Lisa Smith, a regular McHenry County Blog reader from the Wheeling Township Republican Organization, was there to explain why.

The sun set was stark behind the Chicago skyline.

While we were on Lake Michigan, storm clouds threatened the city big time.

= = = = =
Tom Roeser poses with Illinois Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.

Below is Gene and Nancy Brown, my wife, Barrington Township Supervisor Gene Dawson and his wife.

The congestion shot comes after the toll booths, but before the final lane of merging traffic. The congestion continued to where the Edens merges with the Kennedy.

Sandy Rios’ photograph appears above that of Tony Peraica.

Michael Younan, who is running against 9th district Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky can be seen to the left of Rios. He is posing with Joe Hedrick, Niles Township Republican Committeeman.

To Peraica’s left one can see Jim Nalepa, a possible U.S. Senate challenger for Dick Durbin, talking with Terry Kennedy.

Immediately below, one can see Vernon Township Republican Committeeman Don Castella with Paul Sengpiehf.

Below to the right is Peter LaBarbera in discussion with Chad Koppie and Elder John Tyler.

The head shot down a bit to the left is Rod Drobinski, a potential candidate to replace retiring State Senator Bill Peterson.

With arm extended to make a point is 8th congressional district candidate for the Republican nomination Jeff Greenberg to challenge Melissa Bean.

Liz Gorman, Cook County Republican Party Chairman and Cook County Commissioner, can be seen to the right of a standing David McAloon. McAloon is planning to challenge Democratic State Rep. Careen Gordon. He unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination last year. This year he is alone in the race to challenge the incumbent Democrat.

Finally, the sunset and storm clouds along the Chicago skyline.