What sort of hope?
Madigan is happy right where he is, doing what he is doing. He has a law firm in Chicago that has a great deal of clout. His family is talented, and powerful. He could well be the most powerful Democrat in the country. He is what Rove would like to be. Rove lost much of his effectiveness when his name became a household word. In fact, Rove did not come to this state to do his dirty tricks when Kerry ran for President. He knew he would not get away with it here.
Most people don't know much about Madigan, unless they live in Illinois, and are involved in Illinois politics. Like Sauron, Madigan watches everything: every county organization, every county chairman, every member of the state central committee. If there is too much change and turmoil, he steps in. He sends people and money to help with local elections if he thinks they are important or winnable.
As much as I sometimes deplore him, I would hate to see a power vacuum created by his absence, or filled by a repubbie. He keeps our state reliably blue.
Many things here are run by powerful political families, on both sides of the aisle. Blago married into one of them: the Mells. It did not help. Much of his trouble came when he tried to tangle with the Madigans. They got rid of him. I think they came down too hard on him. His prison sentence was too harsh.
If Madigan is dishonest, I don't see it. No one else does, either. If they did, they would be trying to get him into jail also. Illinois has interesting politics. I just happen to live in a very red county that most of the political organization writes off as hopeless. So be it.
= new reply since forum marked as read
