GOP Precinct Committee Trashes Jack Franks for Refusal to Debate Mike Walkup

This scorching comment from Republican Precinct Committeeman John Radke appeared under the story about Jack Franks stiffing the McHenry County League of Women Voters:

Where was Franks?

The empty seat was as empty as his promises.

Jack Franks, empty suit, was not seen in the empty seat next to GOP County Board Chairman candidate Mike Walkup.

Jack Franks’ empty suit was not seen in the empty seat next to GOP County Board Chairman candidate Mike Walkup.

What is Jackie boy afraid of?

Why would a candidate who claims to be for the people refuse to debate his opponent?

It sure looks like Jackie knows Mike has better answers and a better message.

In the food chain, Jackie would be a donut.

A bunch of empty calories without any nutritional value.

Does he know that and knows a debate would expose him as “empty calories”?

Is that why he stayed home?

The voters need to really consider why Franks did not bother to attend the debate.

Remember on Election Day, he did not care enough about you to waste his time at a debate that would educate the voters on who each candidate really is.

When the going got tough, Franks stayed home.

He did not even show up.

Walkup does care.

That is why he did show up.

This demonstrates a huge difference between the candidates.

Franks talks big but it is absent real tax saving accomplishments.

Walkup stands the post and gets it done.

Vote for a real leader, not a career politician.

Vote for Walkup.


Comments

GOP Precinct Committee Trashes Jack Franks for Refusal to Debate Mike Walkup — 15 Comments

  1. Security certificate issue with the site?

    Some who try to access, may be blocked.

  2. Why would anyone who is so clearly has the support of the voters need to do this?

    I understand the purpose of the Forums- but the reality is, the audience is filled with people who are there in support of a candidate already and no one else.

    And there is no debate- it is a panel discussion of questions with NO ONE vetting the answers, no follow up- it is a complete waste of time.

    For example- Last spring Anna May Miller stated she wouldn’t be taking the county health care- but no one followed up to bring up the fact that is because she was already getting a government healthcare through Algonquin Township.

    Nothing is ever

  3. Inish – Spot on. Do you wonder why Cal hasn’t posted pictures of the audience?

    It doesn’t support his narrative.

    There were MAYBE a dozen people there not directly affiliated with the campaigns.

    This is political theater at its best.

  4. I have also asked Mr. Franks to a standard debate and he has refused.

    The format of the League affairs are not the best, I would agree.

    However there is at least some opportunity for the candidates to respond to one another, particularly if there are only two of them.

    I am hereby reiterating my challenge to Mr. Franks, who I know reads this blog and maybe comments on it under a false name, let’s have a real debate!

    Here is the format I would suggest:

    Each candidate gives a 5 minute opening statement.

    Questions are tendered from the people attending, whether supporters of one candidate or another or not.

    Questions are screened by someone from both he Northwest Herald and Daily Herald only for inappropriate or irrelevant content or duplication.

    All questions not asked will be available for later inspection.

    Each candidate has up to two minutes to respond so they are not rushed, unless the question can be answered in a shorter time.

    Each candidate gets a 30 second rebuttal.

    The order of answering is rotated.

    The candidates have a 3 minute closing statement in the reverse order from the opening statements.

    The debate, or whatever you want to call it, is video taped and live streamed.

    Neither candidate will bring bodyguards.

    How about it “Moderate”?

  5. Political theater & unvetted questions
    Are pathetic ‘SOPHOMORIC’ excuses
    At best.

    Truth is Jacko can’t come up with
    A good answer to a tough question
    He doesn’t know in advance.

  6. All politics is theater.

    Jacko missed the entire play, in which he was supposed to play a part.

    He did so in a way all will see and hear about.

    Surely you are correct because the undecided voters will appreciate a candidate for Chairman of The County Board, who didn’t even bother to show up for a county wide debate regarding the position he is seeking.

    You can call it whatever you want.

    It is not how you Frank’s lemmings see it.

    This is all about how the voters see Jacko blowing them off.

    If this is political theater, Jacko made it a comedy of errors.

    He just provided copy for Walking points, LTEs, signs, hand outs…

    Optics, boys and girls, optics

  7. Mike,

    I really couldn’t care less what you propose.

    I’ve said 100 times before, I’m not Franks, I don’t work for Franks, I’m not related to Franks, I’m not paid by Franks, I don’t see Franks on a day to day, week to week, or month to month basis.

    But if you are asking me for what I would do?

    I would model the intelligence squared debates.

    -Audience votes before the debate on if they are leaving for or against with candidate. Audience then votes after. Whomever garners the most undecideds wins

    -Oxford Style

    -3 topic determined by the moderator and delivered to the candidates/public ahead of time.

    -15 minute blocks etched out for each topic and then a 15 minute question and answer session open to the audience.

    -Secret Service optional or upon candidate request

    That’s a REAL debate

  8. In 1998 the Northwest Herald reported at least twice that Jack Franks said he would serve no more than 3 terms if elected.

    Jack Franks is now in his 9th term (91st – 99th General Assemblies covering years 1999 – 2016).

    In 2015 the Northwest Herald reported in an article about Jack Franks pushing two McHenry County referenda, that Jack Franks said he would not run for County Board Chair in 2016.

    Jack Franks is running for McHenry County Board Chair in 2016.

    Jack Franks is campaigning to reduce property taxes by 10%.

    But Jack Franks refuses to release his plans for how that would be accomplished until after the election.

  9. Moderate, or whoever you are:

    The point of a political candidate debate, is to inform the voters, not to declare a ‘winner’, especially not based on who is able to get the most supporters to the debate. That’s probably why the League events are called “Forums”.

    Their goal is to inform.

    The attendance and the composition of the audience was very typical of the dozens of similar forums I have attended or participated in over the years.

    The point is really the press coverage, of which there was none of the County Chairman race because one person didn’t show up.

    I presume that was why.

    I am not crazy about their format, however, as it is often impossible to answer some questions in one minute, and there is no follow up so whoever is the last speaker on a question can talk without fear of contradiction.

    The format that Franks used for his “town halls” however, was even worse as he decided which questions he would ask himself, did not allow follow up, and had no one on stage to contradict him on anything he said.

    I imagine the Goon Squad was there to prevent the latter.

  10. There were over 100 people there that night.

    And it doesn’t matter the number in attendance.

    If you don’t see fit to state your case, that’s a loser in the making!

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