McHenry County Blog

It’s not many times that you get to be at an affair with someone who has changed American history.

Last night was one of those times.

The woman who led the successful fight against the Equal Rights Amendment was on a fund raising cruise for Paul Capiro’s Family PAC.

She also is the reason the Republican Party is a pro-life party, according to Caprio.

I remember reading her 1964 book, “A Choice Not An Echo,” and realizing that she had created the new campaign technique for the year–the mass produced political book.

Last night was the first time Schlafly had seen the Chicago lakefront from a boat on Lake Michigan.

The views she saw were certainly worth her trip from the St. Louis area.

After Family PAC Chairman Emeritus Tom Roeser presented the Lifetime Achievement Award, Schlafly spoke to the 180 attendees.

She complemented the candidates present. (More on them in another article.)

Schlafly knew what she was talking about because she ran for office in 1952 in a Democratic district after her husband decided not to run.

She said she was called “the power puff candidate. It was a fun year.”

“I know we’ve had some dismal days in Illinois, but things are looking up.”

I think she said something like “they have to,” suggesting they couldn’t go any lower.

Speaking of the candidates present, the veteran Republican activist said,

“We’re going to get them elected and start over.”

Commenting more generally on campaigning, Schlafly came up with this gem:

“I have run for public office.

“It’s a dog’s life.

“I wouldn’t wish that on Betty Friedan.”

“We’ve been through some tough times,” she continued, then asserting,

“This is no worse than 1976.”

She related how North Carolina’s Jesse Helms came up with a conservative platform which was forced upon President Gerald Ford.

“Helm’s platform prepared the way for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 victory,” she explained.

“I think politics is the best game in town,” the political science major said.

In his introduction of Schlafly, Caprio was effusive in his praise of perhaps the most influential woman in politics in the 20th century.

Attending from McHenry County were the Skinners, Gene and Nancy Brown of Alqonquin and Irene Napier of Crystal Lake. The young lady with Napier and Schlafly in the bottom photo is Napier’s granddaughter.

It’s not many times that you get to be at an affair with someone who has changed American history.

Last night was one of those times.

The woman who led the successful fight against the Equal Rights Amendment was on a fund raising cruise for Paul Capiro’s Family PAC.

She also is the reason the Republican Party is a pro-life party, according to Caprio.

I remember reading her 1964 book, “A Choice Not An Echo,” and realizing that she had created the new campaign technique for the year–the mass produced political book.

Last night was the first time Schlafly had seen the Chicago lakefront from a boat on Lake Michigan.

The views she saw were certainly worth her trip from the St. Louis area.

After Family PAC Chairman Emeritus Tom Roeser presented the Lifetime Achievement Award, Schlafly spoke to the 180 attendees.

She complemented the candidates present. (More on them in another article.)

Schlafly knew what she was talking about because she ran for office in 1952 in a Democratic district after her husband decided not to run.

She said she was called “the power puff candidate. It was a fun year.”

“I know we’ve had some dismal days in Illinois, but things are looking up.”

I think she said something like “they have to,” suggesting they couldn’t go any lower.

Speaking of the candidates present, the veteran Republican activist said,

“We’re going to get them elected and start over.”

Commenting more generally on campaigning, Schlafly came up with this gem:

“I have run for public office.

“It’s a dog’s life.

“I wouldn’t wish that on Betty Friedan.”

“We’ve been through some tough times,” she continued, then asserting,

“This is no worse than 1976.”

She related how North Carolina’s Jesse Helms came up with a conservative platform which was forced upon President Gerald Ford.

“Helm’s platform prepared the way for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 victory,” she explained.

“I think politics is the best game in town,” the political science major said.

In his introduction of Schlafly, Caprio was effusive in his praise of perhaps the most influential woman in politics in the 20th century.

Attending from McHenry County were the Skinners, Gene and Nancy Brown of Alqonquin and Irene Napier of Crystal Lake. The young lady with Napier and Schlafly in the bottom photo is Napier’s granddaughter.

I found this quote from former President Gerald Fold in last Friday’s Sun-Time column by Michael Sneed.

With former Governor George Ryan going to prison tomorrow up near the Wisconsin Dells, it somehow seems appropriate.

”Denny’s (Rostenkowski) problem was he played precisely under the rules of the city of Chicago. Now, those rules aren’t the same rules that any other place in the country lives by. But in Chicago they were totally legal, and Danny got a screwing, and I was pleased that Clinton granted him a pardon.”

Ford left one little thing out.

He could have more accurately said, “But in Chicago they were totally legal, until U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald came to town.”

I found this quote from former President Gerald Fold in last Friday’s Sun-Time column by Michael Sneed.

With former Governor George Ryan going to prison tomorrow up near the Wisconsin Dells, it somehow seems appropriate.

”Denny’s (Rostenkowski) problem was he played precisely under the rules of the city of Chicago. Now, those rules aren’t the same rules that any other place in the country lives by. But in Chicago they were totally legal, and Danny got a screwing, and I was pleased that Clinton granted him a pardon.”

Ford left one little thing out.

He could have more accurately said, “But in Chicago they were totally legal, until U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald came to town.”