Politics: SJ-R scores again with Versace interview
In Thursday’s State Journal Register, columnist Bernard Shoenburg had a long interview with Dick Versace, the lone Democratic candidate for Ray LaHood’s seat in Congress.
As my readers know, Versace’s campaign kicked of miserbly. Until the Shoenburg interview, Versace was intent on “listening” and not answering questions. Of course, if came off as elitist and made the guy look like a millionaire running a vanity campaign.
The 1,63-word piece pretty touches on pretty much all the hot-button issues, like abortion, gun control and immigration. It also removed all doubt about whether this will be a campaign shock-full as basketball metaphors. It will.
At times, Versace came off as folksy. Then he starts talking about how former Detroit Piston John Smally was going to set up a meeting between Versace and supposed relative Gianni Versace, the famous designer, before he died.
You read something like that, and it wipes away any thought that this guy is just a working-class stiff and the grandson of an immigrant.
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 
Versace is a 67 year old rookie working on his fundamentals. The question remains open whether come Feb 6th he’ll have the moves down and his stamina up for the big game.