ABC7
-- State GOP delegation hugs like Democrats (VIDEO CLIP INCLUDES: WATSON, DILLARD, & CROSS) - Andy Shaw
-- Local 'hockey moms' react to Palin speech - Dan Ponce
-- Chicagoans react to McCain speech - Stacey Baca
-- Demographics scrutinized at convention - Ravi Baichwal
NBC5
-- VIDEO CLIP: State Senator Dillard On Hugging, Obama Ad
CBS2
-- High Expectations For McCain's RNC Speech (VIDEO CLIP INCLUDES: CRONIN, CROSS, LAHOOD, MATHIAS, MCSWEENEY, & THOMPSON) - Mike Flannery
-- State Republicans At RNC Discuss Rebuilding Party GOP Has Steadily Been Losing Suburban Support (VIDEO CLIP INCLUDES: CRONIN, MICHAEL, & WATSON) - Mike Flannery
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- GOP icon Bob Michel tells Illinois Republicans to get their act together - Lynn Sweet
(THE ARTICLE: MINNEAPOLIS - A lion of the Illinois Republican Party today called the state GOP organization "weak" in a blunt assessment of how much Republicans still must do to rebuild from the ruin left by George Ryan's corrupt tenure as governor. Former U.S. House Minority Leader Bob Michel (R-Ill.) -- who embodies the golden mystique of the Reagan era because he personally guided much of President Reagan's legislative agenda through Congress -- delivered the bitter pill to Illinois delegates as they wrapped up their convention week. "That's why we don't have a constitutional office in Illinois, we don't have a senator in Illinois, because our organization has been weak," said Michel, a Peoria native who once was one of the state's most powerful congressmen during a 39-year career that spanned nine presidents and ended in 1995. "All the polling ahead of time doesn't mean two hoots unless you have the ground forces to get the vote on election day, and we just haven't had that the last several years," said Michel, who is 85. "No question, you just got to face up to reality," he said. "Let's not kid ourselves." Michel implored everyone in the room to "go back home and stir things up" among county chairmen and precinct committeemen to regenerate interest in the party for fall legislative and congressional races and for the higher-stakes 2010 elections, when most of the Democratic-held statewide offices are up for a vote. Michel said the "big thing" behind the party's collapse were Ryan's "misdeeds" and "ethical lapses." The former state chief executive, who left office in 2003 under a cloud of scandal, was convicted of corruption charges in 2006 and is serving a 6 ½-year federal prison term. While Michel received a standing ovation from Illinois' delegates after his remarks, which included memories of his first Republican convention in 1952, the mood of the crowd during his straight talk was somber and represented a departure from pep-rallying of other delegation events earlier in the week. Afterwards, one top GOP leader said it was clear to him that Michel was focusing on past Republican failures, not what is happening now with the party. "I think he's talking about the past. He certainly can't be talking about today," said Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville). "We've had our problems. There's no doubt about the fact we've had. But we are rebuilding, and I think that's what he was talking about.")
-- Michel urges Illinois Republicans to clean up party - Dave McKinney and Abdon Pallasch
-- Michel says state GOP has work to do Blunt talk Calls party here 'weak,' wants more ground forces - Dave McKinney and Abdon Pallasch
-- McCain likely to pull in $3 million at fund-raiser here
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Black liberal Mary Mitchell demonizes White conservative Sarah Palin, big time
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Sneed reports on Sarah/Todd intimacy and supportiveness, Levi Johnston's tattoo and where he sleeps, Trig's breastfeeding and black cocktail dress, Sarah's sense of humor, speculation on Sarah coming to Chicago, quotes from "first dude" Todd, etc.
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Neil Steinberg equates Sarah Palin with Spiro Agnew
-- SATIRE: Why the news media should apologize - Roger Simon
(Not posted as of 6:30 AM)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- GOP has 2 pillars of reform (PETER FITZGERALD AND BOB KJELLANDER): But 1 (KJELLANDER) is rotten to the core - John Kass
-- Illinois delegates chided for poor organization Former House minority leader Michel addresses state GOP still split between moderates, conservatives - Rick Pearson
-- Vet Michel slams 'weak' Illinois GOP - Rick Pearson
-- Republicans try to duplicate Democratic hug-in - Rick Pearson
-- Speakers vow reform - Jim Tankersley
-- Dennis Hastert The former House speaker weighs in on his embrace of McCain, the buzz over Palin, and the little matter of government spending - Rick Pearson
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY VERY VERY SAD: The very troubled Chicago Tribune and its very troubled employee Rex W. Huppke a) ridicule Wheaton College and Brigham Young University and b) encourage students of those colleges to break the rules and drink alcohol
-- Fourth Estate gets third degree - Rex W. Huppke
-- VIDEO CLIP: Young Chicago Republicans tune in to McCain
-- Evanston Republicans find good company - Jeff Long
-- Convention couture: Bright colors, heavy fabrics and chunky jewelry adorn politicos - Melanie Coffee
-- Differing visions: GOP rejects 'elitist' America, crafts its own narrative - Ted Anthony
-- Everyone loves to hate the media - Phil Rosenthal
-- The GOP's beef with the media - Don Wycliff
-- Palin claim on eBay plane sale doesn't fly - Jason George and Andrew Zajac
DAILY HERALD
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The national and Illinois Republican Party platforms are conservative. The Daily Herald promotes the Combine members, the Democrat Party, RINOs, and other anti-conservatives. The Daily Herald wants Birkett, Brady, Cross, Dillard, Durkin, Gidwitz, Schillerstrom, Schock, and Watson to run for Governor. Which of these candidates would do best job of advancing the conservative Illinois Republican Party platform?
-- Keep DuPage free from Chicago politicians - Jerry Marchese, Wayne
(THE LETTER: I am a native Chicagoan who grew up in the City when the first Mayor Daley was just building his empire. They often referred to "His Honor" as Da King, and when you are born and raised in the city, you accepted those terms in the same manner as you accepted the bookies on the corner, the accepting of money in return for voting, paying the local precinct captain to get your kid a driver's license and, yes, the guy selling great Chicago hot dogs out of a cart on the same corner as the bookie. I guess Chicago and Cook County can still be considered a monarchy in a way because it seems that when one politician gets tired of his job or dies or decides to hang 'em up, there is a nearby relative to take over, ala Stroger, Jones and so many others before them. I am sure that will continue until this monarchy reverts back to a republic, if ever. A true republic is described and considered to be a state in which the supreme power rests within the citizenry, and their wishes and desires are carried out by the people they elect. Yes, the key word is elect and not appoint, or is it anoint? In the '60s, I moved my family to DuPage where I knew a republic actually existed and was thriving. Many told me my taxes would be higher, and maybe they were, but my kids received the finest public school education, my family enjoyed open spaces of our wonderful parks and forest preserve, we experienced very little crime in comparison to the city and Cook County, and voted in elections where the people actually elected qualified candidates into office. Today, these people with Cook County ideologies are infiltrating DuPage County wanting to turn DuPage blue, you know, the same as Cook. Now why would anyone want to do that? I admit DuPage is not perfect in the political sense and what community is? The bottom line is that I prefer a republic, I like what DuPage has to offer, I like the status quo with maybe a few improvements here and there, and if that is what red is all about, then I prefer to keep DuPage red. Am I better off than those people living in Cook? No doubt about it. Do I want to see what I have been accustomed to all these years change to blue? Not a chance.)
-- Recall question on DuPage ballots - Jake Griffin
-- "Madam secretary, I am James Durkin, state representative and chair of the Illinois delegation. The great state of Illinois, the land of Abraham Lincoln, the birthplace of a man named Ronald Reagan, proudly casts its 70 votes for the only proven and tested reformer in this contest: my friend, the next president of the United States, John McCain."
-- Illinois GOP's media bait-and-switch - John Patterson
(THE POSTING: Last week in Denver, Gov. Rod Blagojevich threw a private reception for Tammy Duckworth that essentially turned into a trial run for her convention speech the following night. Although the event was hosted by Friends of Blagojevich (his campaign fund) and the governor is known for being a bit reclusive from time to time, reporters were allowed in. No fuss, no muss. Contrast that to the Republican convention in Minnesota where Daily Herald reporters were turned away from a reception honoring Illinois Senate Republican leader Frank Watson of downstate Greenville and Illinois House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego. This despite the fact that the Illinois Republican Party charged each Daily Herald reporter a $600 activity fee. The reason the media would pay the fee, or so we were sold, is that we’d not be excluded from Illinois delegation events, which are not inherently open to the public. We’ve paid it in the past and to my convention knowledge (since 2000) there’s never been a problem with access. Keep in mind, the reason we go to these conventions is to work Illinois-specific stories. There’s enough reporters crawling all over McCain and Palin. Our goal is to look at the Illinois GOP's rebuilding efforts, catch a glimpse of the party's future and so on. The Watson-Cross reception was listed on the Illinois delegation’s daily schedule and delegation buses were running to it from the delegate hotel. We’ve yet to get an explanation for the shutout, though we did get this response from Cross’ spokesman: “I will look into it. Have no idea what happened. I did not even go nor did Cross.” Even more than an explanation, we’re eagerly awaiting a partial refund. However, an Illinois Republican Party spokesman has not responded.)
-- Illinois delegates told to broaden appeal, emphasize successes - David Beery
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Sharon Lindquist of Inverness blasts Palin and uses her daughter to promote sex education
-- Illinois GOP hopes McCain-Palin will help local races - Joseph Ryan
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-conservative Greg Hinz calls conservative Palin a "moose lady" and is as critical of her as he can
-- State Representative Schock only Illinois official to address RNC convention - Paul Merrion
-- OUTSTANDING: John Edwards cancels University of Illinois speech - AP
-- Illinois business group leader Doug Whitley mulling run for governor - Paul Merrion
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
-- Local Republicans heartened by McCain's address - Bernard Schoenburg
-- Palin can expect more questions - Editorial
COURIER NEWS
-- Aurora delegate Penny Falcon: Still buzzing from Palin
BEACON NEWS
-- FROM THE ARTICLE: "Sarah has added a lot of excitement to the ticket," said Jim Oberweis, the Republican nominee for the 14th District's congressional seat. "My favorite moment (of Palin's Wednesday speech) was her joke about the hockey mom and the pitbull."
-- Kendall Republicans celebrate John McCain as GOP candidate
-- GOP criticism angers "community organizers" - Christopher Wills
LAKE COUNTY NEWS SUN
-- 'He was phenomenal . . . inspirational' County GOP leaders measure candidates - Dan Moran
NAPERVILLE SUN
-- Route 59 rally Local elected officials will hold a rally at 3 p.m. Sept. 18 at a location along Route 59 to show support for passage of a capital bill in the Illinois General Assembly that includes funds for the expansion of Route 59 through Naperville. Invited officials include Mayor A. George Pradel, state House Republican Leader Tom Cross, U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, state Sens. Randy Hultgren and Kirk Dillard, DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and Naperville City Councilwoman Darlene Senger.
WHEATON SUN
-- VERY SAD: Wheaton City Council considers hike in home-rule sales tax - Hank Beckman
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Wheaton Sun's report on Wheaton's upcoming Autumn Fest fails to include that GOPUSA ILLINOIS, State Senator Randy Hultgren, Milton Township Republican Central Committee, and Wheaton Women's Republican Club will have booths at the event on Saturday, September 13
CHICAGO PUBLIC RADIO
-- Watson: Illinois Senate 'Hardly the Training Ground' for White House
WJBC
-- Rutherford vague on possible run for governor
WGIL
-- Illinois GOP Hopes Palin Fever = $$$
WIFR
-- General John Borling Speaks Highly Of John McCain on The CBS Early Show
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Berkowitz with Brian Felsten and Greg Rivera this morning on WBIG 1280 AM radio Tune in and find out (1) what the Republican Party accomplished this past week in St. Paul, (2) how McCain-Palin matches up with Obama-Biden, (3) what it was like in the X-Cel Energy Center as McCain was speaking last night and much, much more. (DIERSEN: Brian purchased my 1993 Thunderbird from me and he is a former neighbor.)
TOM ROESER
-- Obama's big mistake: Not picking Hillary McCain scores with Palin pick
CHAMPION NEWS
-- America’s Iron Lady - Charlene Kalebic
-- Convention speeches, follow-through, and reform - John Biver
CAPITOL FAX
-- Question of the day: Who is your favorite Illinois Republican? Explain. - Rich Miller (120 comments as of Friday, September 5, 2008 at 1:15 AM)
WORLD NET DAILY
-- Obama vs. Palin on value of babies
NATIONAL REVIEW
-- Chicago Way The familiarity of Obama. - David Kahane
GOPUSA
-- Why Obama's 'Community Organizer' Days Are a Joke - Michelle Malkin
NEWSMAX
-- Sarah Palin -- an American Margaret Thatcher - Dick Morris & Eileen McGann
WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- (DIERSEN QUESTION: WHY IS IT NOT A PROBLEM TO DEPEND ON FOREIGNERS FOR THE VEHICLES WE DRIVE BUT IT IS A PROBLEM TO DEPEND ON FOREIGNERS FOR THE FUEL THOSE VEHICLES USE?) Republicans Have Stern Words for Auto Industry - Corey Boles
JILL STANEK
-- Palin cements emergence of abortion in presidential campaign
WASHINGTON POST
-- From the Radio Right Comes an Amen Chorus for Palin - Howard Kurtz
USA TODAY
-- GOP Representative Lynn Westmoreland, Ga.: Obamas part of 'uppity' class - Molly Hooper
