November 26th, 2008
Sen. Dick Durbin is considering whether to ask President Bush to commute the sentence of George Ryan. So far the editorial board is split on the issue. I’m waiting for more folks to weigh in.
Those who say no, think public officials should be held to a higher standard and anyone who betrays the public trust should pay the penalty. Also, commuting the sentence would negate the hard work U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office did to get a conviction. Corruption — the selling of the highest office in the state of Illinois — either is a big deal, worthy of the strictest punishment, or it isn’t.
Those who say yes, think Ryan is a feeble, old man, whose reputation — his most valuable commodity — is in ruins. Clemency would get taxpayers off the hook for paying to house Ryan in prison for the rest of his days.
What do you think?
November 26th, 2008
One of my colleagues wrote on the editorial writers listserv that if Mike Ditka had accepted the Republican nomination for U.S. senator, he might have derailed Barack Obama’s road to the presidency.
I think not.
As loved as Ditka is in Chicago, there’s no way Chicagoans would have voted for a Republican even if his last name was Ditka. In this neck of the woods, Packers fans would have canceled out any Bear fan votes for Ditka. In central and southern Illinois, there are plenty of St. Louis Rams fans who don’t give a flying football about Da Coach.
If I remember right, Obama had a pretty good lead over Jack Ryan, the original GOP contender, before a sex scandal forced Ryan to step aside. Ryan may be the only person political history who got in trouble for wanting to have sex with his wife. Kinky sex, sure, but still it was his WIFE.
Don’t be surprised if Ryan resurrects his political career. Illinois Republicans have had worse candidates.
