Politics: McConoughey makes it official
I used to love going to press conferences. Not because of the news to be gathered; a monkey trained in shorthand and typing can cover a press conference. I liked ‘em cause it’s an opportunity to schmooze with other newsies. It’s one of the new things besides a paycheck I miss about being out of the full time news business.
So I jumped at the chance to go and listen to
Some thoughts and observations:
- I chatted with the man of the hour himself for a few minutes before the crowd got there. He came across as a nice guy, which goes along with one of the messages he was trying to get across, that as CEO of the Heartland Partnership, he’s the perfect candidate for those who want their Congressman to be a consensus builder.
- Ray LaHood has a reputation for traveling the 20-county 18th District extensively. McConoughey says that for him, it would just be a matter of expanding his travels from 6 counties to 20.
- Does McConoughey have a shot at winning? Yes. Peorians tend to think the whole district revolved around the city. There are 20 counties in the 18th District, and State Rep. Aaron Schock, a primary opponent who some consider unbeatable, has only won election in one of those counties. Likewise, announced candidate John Morris has only won election in the city of Peoria. Schock can put out all the polls he wants, and while they cannot be discounted, a lot of things can happen in the five months between now and the primary.
- McConoughey was introduced by his wife Gina, with their 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Spencer, 12, standing at the podium. There will not a another candidate in the race with a family that is more attractive and wholesome looking.
- A Republican in the audience told me that are lot of others in the GOP who are miffed that Aaron Schock is in the race, considering he just spent tens of thousands of dollars in donations to win re-election to a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives that now might very well be-re-captured by Democrats. This same person told me that he thinks voters would prefer having a more mature person represent them in Congress.
- At the end of his speech, McConoughey pulled up a pocket digital camera and snappped a pic, telling supporters and members of the press to smile for the camera. It’s going up on the campaign Web site.
- Speaking of the Web site, as someone who owns a few domain names, I know how hard it can be find find a good one that has hasn’t been taken. So kudos to the McConoughey campaign for scooping up the following Web domain: JimForCongress.com.
McConoughey needs to work on his humorous ice breakers. He told the audience that he and actor Matthew McConoughey are unrelated. “Matt got the abs and I got the brains.” Thankfully, the crickets were asleep, so no chirping could be heard during the brief silence that followed. Jim McConoughey, by the way, is the one on the left. I could see why he wanted to clear up the confusion.- “Over the next five months, I will not be outworked in this campaign,” McConoughey promised, adding later: “I commit to you that I will conduct myself in office in the most ethical and principled manner possible.”
- If they are going to hold these sorts of events outside the Innovation Center, they might want to find a way to adjust the sprinkler system. The sprinklers went on shortly after the speech ended, but while an electric cable powering the microphone and speakers was still plugged into a power outlet. A campaign person came over and pulled the wet cord out of the outlet by hand. Thankfully, nothing shocking happened. Perhaps it might not have been a wide idea to install two sprinkler heads a few feet away from a power outlet.
- McConoughey emphasized he isn’t a politician. Unlike his opponents in the primary, he’s just a regular dude out to bring common sense and midwestern conservative values to Congress. Journal Star reporter Steve Tarter had the temerity to ask McConoughly if running for office and going on a 20-county campaign tour does not, in fact, make him a politician. Answer: “A better politician,” he said, smiling.
- And the intrepid Jonathan Ahl of WCBU asked McConoughey if there is any risk that running for office as a Republican might put at risk any federal funding of projects backed by the Heartland Partnership. After all, Illinois senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama are Democrats, and during the campaign, he’s bound to say something or take a position that just might tick them off. I was standing off to the side and didn’t catch McConoughey’s answer, but I’ve gotta think that Durbin and Obama should be, you know, kinda used to the idea that not everyone they work with are going to be Democrats. ALSO: Back when Peter Fitzgerald held the seat Obama now holds, it was Durbin who chamber of commerce, pro-biz types my McConoughey went to for favors. It seemed that Fitzgerald, unlike most of the politicians who call themselves conservatives, really believed all that nonsense about the free-market and how the government shouldn’t meddle in the economy. That’s one of the reasons Illinois Republicans like Ray LaHood turned on him. Durbin and McConoughey will get along famously, I assure you, no matter how much they might bash each other on the stump.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
I am really surprised that his announcement brought out this much attention. He truly has no chance whatsoever of winning this nomination. He might be a nice guy, and have an attractive family, but he’s starting from virtually nowhere, attempting to get somewhere by February.
Aaron has a legion of folks that go WAAAAY beyond Peoria County, no matter where he was elected from. He’s been in Springfield for nearly 4 years… he’s had lots of opportunities to schmooze with the Republican Brain Trust (I know… that’s an oxymoron)… and if Jim even STARTS to think he can work on this campaign HALF as hard as Aaron will… geez, I have a clean lake in the South End to sell him.
This race is over even before it begins. If John and Jim even stick it out till February (which I sort of doubt will happen with one or even both), the following prediction I GUARANTEE will come true:
Schock 56%
Morris 27%
Jim 17%
Anyone who thinks differently is living in a Ray LaHood Make Believe Paradise.
He hasn’t even been in office for three years acutally. And if he has “schmoozed” with the “Republican braint trust” than why have none of his colleagues endorsed him? That’s a question I’d like to see answered. Maybe they’re a little turned off,as most are, by a 26 year old who has been running for the next best thing (and kicking his old office to the curb) since he was 19.
And Prego:
Let me make this prediction based on your prediction (which I don’t believe will happen, just for the record):
November 4, 2008:
PJSTAR headline:
OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT
-Schock wins 18th
November 5, 2008
PJSTAR headline:
Schock Announces Candidacy for Senate Seat Vacated by Obama
-Poll Released By Campaign Show Schock More Popular Than God
11Bravo… over half of the precinct committepersons have endorsed Aaron already… his “colleagues” aren’t going to endorse him more than a year before the election, for crying out loud. They want to see what shakes out. Besides, endorsements only get you so far… it’s your ability to get people out to vote for you that is the magic wand. Aaron has proven he can do that.
I am not a big Aaron fan. I backed Spears 100% in the last election. But, I admire the guy for his ability to do what it takes to get elected, and stay on top of the job, even if it’s only in PERCEPTION.
Bottom line is this… (my poor math skills aside regarding 3 yrs. vs. 4 yrs. in office)… Aaron has been IN Springfield as a Representative, Jim and John have NOT. You can hide your head in the sand only so long… when you look at the facts, it’s quite clear… John and particularly Jim are in WAY over their heads against Aaron.
P.S.- Obama won’t be President. MIGHT get to be Vice President, but I doubt that, too. Aaron will be quite content to be U.S. Rep for the next, say, 2 or 3 terms.
“over half of the precinct committepersons have endorsed Aaron already”
Yes, obviously with that kind of information you are not a Schock fan/supporter since that has never been released anywhere else.
Oh, c’mon, Bravo… it was in the paper. It was in the story about Uncle Ray when he was trying to drum up support for his son. Sheeeesh. Open up your noggin, if you can find a can opener strong enough.
No, in the paper it said county chairman. There are only 20 county chairmen in the district, but there are hundreds of precinct committeeman. Let’s be realistic thought, even if 11 county chairs endorsed Schock those chairs have influence over about .001% of Republican primary voters anyway. Its just another scare tactic like the selected portions of the poll that were released.
Yeah, you’re right. Once more, I didn’t do that well in math. Regardless, I’ll still hang my hat on the rest of the reasons why I feel Aaron will win handily.
So long as I don’t have to do any math or quote from a newspaper directly.