Andrew / October 6, 2006 1:10 AM

Had enough?

Johnny Cakes / October 6, 2006 6:02 AM

This is why I don't vote. Voting only seems to encourage them.

Justin Ward / October 6, 2006 7:06 AM

The Topinka/Blago ads are friggin' ridiculous...

printdude / October 6, 2006 7:16 AM

The "What's she Thinking" line has to one of the worst of my lifetime.
i'm waiting for the REALLY big mud to slung starting next week. I'll be wearing galoshes.

Shasta MacNasty / October 6, 2006 8:09 AM

I don't watch much t.v. at all (yay for my innanets addiction!) so I don't see many political ads.

The main thing I care about is finding out which judges are up for re-election. If that judge that wanted to force a rape victim to watch the video of of her assault is on the block, then I'll be the first one at the polls to make sure my vote goes towards his ousting.

Hortense / October 6, 2006 8:34 AM

You don't know if there was a rape (and hence, rape victim) until after the outcome of the trial has been determined, Shasta.

Laura / October 6, 2006 8:41 AM

i respectfully disagree with printdude. the "what was she thinking?" ads are unintentionally hilarious.

Chris / October 6, 2006 8:58 AM

I like how both guv candidates are trying their hardest to hang the albatross that is George Ryan around their opponents neck.

The mud spots are bad, but not as bad as the positive spots, all soft-focus and perfect hair. Well, Rod's helmet is perfect- Judy's hair is... how DO you describe her hair? Severe?

I just saw an ad prepared by the Democratic party of one of the collar counties- it features a couple of "soccer moms" talking about how they've always voted for Republicans but that it's time for a change, so they're voting a straight Dem ticket. It's a sentiment I support, but the execution isn't going to be changing any minds.

Mike / October 6, 2006 9:08 AM

I sent this letter to Madigan and Blago:

Re: “How Illinois Democrats muscled a Green Party candidate off the ballot.”
http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/theworks/060915/

Arrogant actions like this make democrats want to vote for Rich Whitney and Tony Peraica. Believe it or not, even Illinois voters have a threshold for being treated like sure-things. I don’t live in the district Cummings is vying for. I wouldn’t have voted for her if I did, but I’ve grown weary of reading about this kind of behavior. My friends and I can distinguish between national affairs and what we experience at the local level. Quite simply, our taxes continue to rise and "the trains don't run on time." Help me understand how hiring lawyers to nitpick Kathy Cummings’ signatures to keep her off the ballot is anything but a waste of time and a blatant, cynical exercise in holding onto power at the expense of voters’ choices?

I don’t much feel like being a good little democrat anymore.

Y A J / October 6, 2006 9:09 AM

This year’s political ads = Hilarious! I traveled to Rockford last week and there were even more ads on TV up there.

Re: the video case, there can be a rape victim even if a jury does not convict. Anyway, I’m fairly certain that judge is not up for retention right now. Closer to election we can get good info from the Alliance of Bar Groups for Judicial Screening at www.voteforjudges.org.

dan walker / October 6, 2006 9:10 AM

for me at least, the ads are less vicious or nasty than depressing. both candidates really do suck that much.

I "had enough" back in the spring, when I sat through those two jokers talking over each other on the last Dick Kay show.

the lack of a plausible choice/difference between Blago/Topinka has me thisclose to voting for Rich Whitney, the first time I wouldn't be voting for a Dem in a big race.

Although part of me thinks it would be hilarious if Blago got indicted and had to step down, and good ol' Pat Quinn became the next gov...

Dan / October 6, 2006 9:28 AM

I think the "what's she thinking?" ads are supposed to be funny in a snarky kind of way.

These ads are nasty but they are no where near as nasty as the Ashcroft/Carnahan 2000 Missouri Senate campaign ads I saw. Ashcroft's ads basically accused then Gov. Carnahan of murder... and he didn't really pull them when he died.

Also, everyone says they hate negative political advertising but it's been shown time and time again that it's the only kind of political advertising that changes poll numbers. I think the negative ads are here to stay.

van moxie / October 6, 2006 9:36 AM

I haven't seen a one, not heard one, nothing. Come to think of it, I always hear people talking about them when election time comes around, and I've not seen them.

When are they run?

Marilyn / October 6, 2006 9:42 AM

I've only seen Blago's attack ad. It's stupid. Coming from him, how else could it be? I'm sure JBT's is just as bad. They're both horrendous choices. One of Whitney's campaigners asked for my vote on the Belmont el stop. I say, "You've got it."

Your Mom / October 6, 2006 9:48 AM

G-Rod. Topinka. Those would make great names for rap artist.

The negative ads are the commercial version of the Jerry Springer show.

Jake / October 6, 2006 9:59 AM

I absolutely love the "What's she thinking?" ads. They're so hilarious. And I especially love the one where she's nodding like a robot while Ryan speaks. That's gotta be the funniest political ad ever.

The "What's she thinking?" line is just so mean and condescending, it cracks me up.

I love love love it. They're the only ads I don't bloop past with the Tivo.

clodius / October 6, 2006 10:23 AM

My fav for sheer surrealism was one of Topinka's feeble attacks on G-Rod's budget woes. She says something about his priorities scaring her dogs while there's a blurry shot of two dogs running in a house. Indeed, what's she thinking?

vit / October 6, 2006 10:32 AM

All of these ads have disgusted me to the point where I'm going to vote for the green candidate. Something I've always wondered though is how different the ads are that that they show outside the chicago area are from the ones they show in the chicago area.

Andy / October 6, 2006 10:35 AM

I agree that the Blago ads are unintentionally funny. Doesn't make me want to vote for him though. I'm still mad that Vallas lost.

Emerson Dameron / October 6, 2006 10:40 AM

I don't watch much TV, and I lost interest in electoral politics after a) the 2000 debacle and b) moving to DaleyLand. But I'm going to look for JBT's dog-scaring ad on YouTube. She should really ask Alan Keyes to step in again... now *that* was showmanship.

Mike / October 6, 2006 10:41 AM

Me too Andy. He seemed like a good guy to me, so obviously he didn't stand a chance. We get what we deserve here in Illinois and we never seem to learn.

Richard F Carnahan / October 6, 2006 10:52 AM

You guys are stealing my thunder...but you can see some of the ads anyway in my column this week:

Here.

Josh / October 6, 2006 11:03 AM

I know it's immature of me, but there are times when these ads make me really angry. I get upset that those who produce these kinds of ads think I'm so stupid that I'm going to believe any of it.

I don't see how either inspire anybody. I'm sure most people who vote are voting out of spite for their opponent, not in support of the candidate they chose.

Andrew / October 6, 2006 11:09 AM

Sorry Richard, I meant to direct people to your column for samples.

The perils of posting at 1am.

nattles / October 6, 2006 11:15 AM

here's that ad with her dogs

i commend her for her love of beagles, but i still wouldn't vote for her.

marge / October 6, 2006 11:41 AM

I wish the huge amounts of money spent on ads went to something worthwhile, such as creating more affordable housing. Campaign reform!

Steve / October 6, 2006 11:51 AM

I like the oodles of truthiness!

Governor Rod Blagojevich / October 6, 2006 12:14 PM

MY ADS ARE FUNNY!

What are you all thinking?!!

Judy Barr Topinka / October 6, 2006 12:18 PM

G-Rod, your out of line! You like George Ryan more than I do!

By the way, do any of you like my bright orange hair?

Governor Rod Blagojevich / October 6, 2006 1:03 PM

How could you possibly vote for this lady? She can't even spell her own name!

Mayor Richie / October 6, 2006 1:11 PM

Vote for me, even though I'm not running. Just ask my campaign manager!

missmolly / October 6, 2006 1:27 PM

i just think it's funny that judy plays the accordian.
i don't think that in good faith i can vote for blago, i may have to go green this election.

gate / October 6, 2006 2:31 PM

I didn't realize what I was missing!!! Thank Cheez-its Christ for NPR and TIVO*!!! I haven't seen nor heard a commercial in over a year.

*In the interest of full disclosure I actually use Snapstream Beyond TV. :-)

sight / October 6, 2006 4:42 PM

Meh.

Flips / October 7, 2006 8:05 PM

sidenote: Anyone notice that Jude seems to have gotten a makeover of sorts? Last time I saw her she looked a tad softer in hair and make-up.

Anyone think she's a heavy smoker? ahem.

bean / October 7, 2006 11:46 PM

all the ads i've seen are negative--attacks.
nobody seems to be offering a positive profile or good reason for voting for him/her--presenting him/her self in a positive light.
they all seem to say 'you should vote for me because my opponent is a jerk'.

maardvark / October 8, 2006 12:01 AM

To Shasta McNasty up there: You're probably the only person I've EVER heard of who watches the ads for judicial retention elections. Good for you. There are some awful awful awful judges out there that keep being reelected, simply because no one has a clue who they are. There's one woman on the bench who got reelected last time despite being given a "do not retain" rating from EVERY bar association (liberal, conservative, neutral) in town. Judicial elections are a joke.

Eric / October 8, 2006 3:53 AM

Too bad there aren't any third party ads being run on the major networks. Why is is that cable tv runs channels like cspan, and city council hearings, but free tv doesn't?

The ads I've seen are unispired trash ads at opposing campaigns, very little on issues. I guess this is why newspapers and the internet hold veritas while tv can besmirch and name call.

It would seem if there was a need to have an informed public then the avenues for informing that public should be, well free (just a thought).

As for judges...the bar associations usually put out information at their various websites as to who is running for retention.